Cold enough for you? Here in Dallas, we’re having 30-year record snows and lots of us are stuck inside. So it got me thinking about emergency preparedness kits–I might be using the candles in my kit tonight. Here’s what I’ve got in the guest bedroom in case of an emergency. What’s in yours?
* Water filter: You need enough water on hand for one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days. I figured this would be easier.
* MREs: I’ve got a month’s supply of non-perishable food
* Radio: Mine is a hand crank/NOAA weather radio with tone alert
* Flashlight. Forgot the batteries. Woops.
* Battery lantern
* Wrench and pliers: to turn off utilities
* Personal sanitation items: washrags, moist towelettes, garbage bags, and plastic ties
* Candles and lighters: to start and keep a fire going. And for mood lighting during an emergency.
* Firewood
* Extra food for my dog: she can’t have my MREs.
* Sleeping bag and warm blankets
Turns out I forgot a few things. Glad I looked into this.
* Dust mask
* Plastic sheeting and duct tape
* A few gallons of water to augment the water filters
* Whistle to signal for help
* Local maps
* Extra batteries for the radio, flashlight, and lantern
* First-aid kit
* Copies of my important papers, like insurance, ID, and bank account records, sealed in a plastic baggie
* Cash or traveler’s checks and change
* Fire extinguisher
* Matches in a plastic baggie
Check out Ready America for a full list of recommendations and let me know how your kit measures up. I’d like to know.
It’s national Fire Prevention Week 2009 from October 4-10, a time to pay special attention to risks around our homes. According to the National Fire Protection Association, last year, fires caused more than $15.5 billion in directly property loss, with $8.6 billion of that being residential.
Many of those fires started in the bedroom, a place that’s designed for comfort and relaxation, but is no safe haven when it comes to home fires: Nearly 6,000 people die annually from bedroom fires, says the United States Fire Administration.
Sleep tight with these safety tips for the bedroom:
- Replace mattresses made before 2007 that don’t meet the new flammability standard.
- Never smoke in bed.
- Make sure that electric blankets, bed warmers, and space heaters are lab tested and do not have frayed electric cords.
- Operate space heaters at least three feet away from flammable objects, like curtains, clothes, bedspreads, sheets, and blankets.
- Keep matches, lighters and candles out of the reach of children. When children play with these items, they often do so in their bedrooms. This is especially critical during the holiday season when the number of house fires by children increases to a peak of 60 fires per day during mid-December.
- Routinely check under beds, in closets, and furniture in children’s rooms for lighters, burnt matches, or other signs that they might be playing with fire.
It’s nicknamed the “silent killer.” It’s odorless, tasteless, invisible, present virtually everywhere, and it can kill you while you sleep. The symptoms of exposure often go undetected because they mimic those of other common ailments.
Every year, thousands of Americans are rushed to hospital emergency rooms for treatment and, worse, there’s new evidence that indicates that what were once considered safe levels of this common gas can irreversibly damage the brains of small children.
What is this deadly gas? It’s carbon monoxide, and as lethal as exposure to it can be, it can also be minimized by following a few simple tips.
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