Earthquake Emergency Preparation

We recognize that preparing for an emergency can appear overwhelming.  Where do we start?  This is scary. I prefer denial!  Well Andreas and Ken are here to help us be responsible for ourselves, our families and our pets!

Here is an link to a document that Ken recommends you review.  It will break the process down for you, produced by the folks at do1thing.com.    You can start today getting ready.  This is how Becky is doing it.  A little at a time!  

Furthermore, our CERTS Andreas and Ken have given this a lot of thought and have broken down the process for us. Here are their recommendations.   Remember set small goals each week or month and before you know it, you and your family will be ready!

Besides having supplies in your home, prepare a “go bag” (including a print out of phone numbers for family members and your out-of-state contact person) in case you need to evacuate suddenly.  The list of things for your “go bag” is short; when you have assembled it, keep it handy by the door to your home.

Under your bed, keep a pair of slip-on shoes (in case of broken glass), as well as a bottle of water and a whistle (in case you are trapped by debris in your bedroom).

Prepare for a Major Earthquake

  • Have enough food and water for seven days
  • Assume no water, gas, or electricity
  • Assume it will be winter and rainy
  • ATMs and cash registers won’t work
  • Stores will be emptied quickly

Immediate Actions

  • Check for gas leak. Turn off gas only if necessary.
  • Seal broken windows
  • Contact the out-of-area person by text message
  • Contact your Block Preparedness Coordinator and tell him/her that you, your family and pets are okay, or conversely report that you need help right away and the BPC can relay your need to the NPC

Contact Persons

  • NPC Ventura: Ken Joye
  • NPC Barron Park: Marianne Strickfaden
  • CERT: Andreas Ramos & Ken Joye
  • BPC Block Preparedness Coordinator – do you know who yours is?  Do you want to be one? Let us know
  • FRS Ventura Channel 10.2
  • Emergency Radio: AM 740
  • Emergency Radio FM KZSU 90.1
  • Out-of-Area Contact

USGS Earthquake Maps

  • http://bayquakealliance.org/howclose/
  • http://resilience.abag.ca.gov/earthquakes/
  • http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/liquefaction/

Annual Training – Refresh your skills once a year

  • Ask “How do you…” or “Where is the…”
  • No food, gasoline, water, electricity, gas, police, fire trucks, ATMs, telephone, cell, web for how many days? 7 days.
  • Where do we meet?  Decide on your family’s checkpoint and know your block checkpoint
  • How do you turn off gas, electricity, water?
  • How do you use a fire extinguisher?
  • Which radio has information? FM KZSU 90.1
  • How do you contact NPC, BPC, CERT? FRS Radio
  • What’s in the earthquake kit?
  • Where are our food supplies?
  • How do you recharge phones?
  • How do you purify water?
  • How do you dig a toilet?
  • How do you call the out-of-area contact?

First Aid

  • First Aid handbook
  • Medicine: Prescriptions, pain relief, allergy, antihistamine, antacid
  • Antiseptics: Isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, antibiotic cream, alcohol wipes
  • Bandages, gauze pads, tape
  • Thermometer
  • Tweezers, needle, nail clipper, scissors
  • Mosquito repellant, sun-block cream (SPF-50)

Supplies

  • Chemical light sticks
  • Candles and matches in waterproof container
  • Crank-powered AM/FM radio
  • Plastic sheet (to seal windows), duct tape, box cutter
  • Money in small change (ATMs, cash registers won’t work)
  • Pen and small notebook
  • Small backpack

Food for Your Household for 7 Days

  • Food: Canned or dried foods, such as sardines, tuna, pork and beans, spam, dried fruit, almonds, chili soup, granola bars, crackers, trail mix, peanut butter, instant soup, udon noodles, instant coffee, instant tea, salt & pepper
  • Manual can opener
  • Gas stove , fuel
  • Store the food. Mark the purchase date on the box.

Water

  • Half gallon per person per day for 7 days
  • Buy 1 gal jugs at supermarket. Mark the purchase month and year on the jugs. Renew every five years.
  • Use water from toilet tanks and hot-water heaters
  • Use water only for drinking
  • Use hand sanitizer & moist towelettes for face & hands
  • 1 pint of regular, unscented Clorox liquid bleach
  • Toilet trench: Dig a trench 3 feet deep. Keep dirt and shovel at the side. As you use it, cover with dirt.

How to Purify Water

  • Disinfect water. Four drops of regular, unscented Clorox liquid bleach in one quart of water. Shake and wait 30 minutes. Water should have a slight chlorine odor. If not, add four more drops and wait another 30 minutes.
  • Purify only enough water for 48 hours
  • If you boil water, boil for one minute
  • Crystal chlorine (for pools) is poisonous
  • If the water is cloudy, make a filter. Cut off the bottom of a plastic water bottle, invert to make a funnel, stuff tightly with clean cotton fabric and paper towels

How to Recharge Cell Phones

  • Landline and cell phones probably won’t work
  • Use SMS text messaging
  • Save cell phone batteries. Turn off when not in use, turn down sound and brightness, turn off vibrate
  • To recharge a cellphone with ordinary batteries, cut power supply cord near charger. Strip ends of wire. Start with one 1.5v battery. If this isn’t enough, add another 1.5v battery, one by one, until it starts charging.