Monday, March 21, 2011

Earthquake Survival Kit

Mabuhay!

I was a bit freaked out when I felt the earthquake earlier because unlike the previous earthquakes we felt in Makati, this one was quite strong (at least it felt strong in our condo). Thank God I was already home with the kids when it happened.

Part of the reason why I'm worried is because I don't think I'm as prepared as I think I am. With all the things that are happening in the world, plus having two kids, a household staff and currently living in a condo, my reality is quite a challenge if ever a strong earthquake (knock on wood) rocks the city.

The only way that I will feel at peace is when I know I've prepared enough in case of a calamity.

This week, I am going to complete our family's survival kits. Even if there are no more earthquakes, being ready will at least give me peace of mind.



If you feel the same way, here's what I've gathered on the net. Excuse me if I don't link the source, sa taranta ko, dami kong tabs na binuksan! Nalito na 'ko! LOL

ESSENTIALS

* Water - one gallon per person, per day
* First aid kit
* Extra medication
* Extra pair of glasses or contacts
* Battery operated radio plus extra batteries
* Flashlight plus extra batteries
* Blankets

FOOD

* Canned or other non-perishable foods (they may not be on your usual menu, but they'll keep bodies fueled)
* Pet food (if applicable)
* Can opener/Swiss army knife
* Camping stove or grill (optional)

Stock instant coffee or tea drinks (1 year), canned puddings (1 year), whipped topping mixes, hard candies in cans and such snacks as dried fruit, nuts, pretzels, chips and ready-to-eat popcorn (check pull dates). They deliver some nutrition and will help morale.

HYGIENE

* Toilet paper
* Zipper seal bags for waste disposal
* Soap
* Shampoo
* Alcohol
* Toothbrush and toothpaste
* Feminine hygiene supplies
* Baby wipes
* Underwear

FIRST AID KIT

The Red Cross recommends that all first aid kits for a family of four include the following:

* 2 absorbent compress dressings (5 x 9 inches)
* 25 adhesive bandages (assorted sizes)
* 1 adhesive cloth tape (10 yards x 1 inch)
* 5 antibiotic ointment packets (approximately 1 gram)
* 5 antiseptic wipe packets
* 2 packets of aspirin (81 mg each)
* 1 blanket (space blanket)
* 1 breathing barrier (with one-way valve)
* 1 instant cold compress
* 2 pair of nonlatex gloves (size: large)
* 2 hydrocortisone ointment packets (approximately 1 gram each)
* Scissors
* 1 roller bandage (3 inches wide)
* 1 roller bandage (4 inches wide)
* 5 sterile gauze pads (3 x 3 inches)
* 5 sterile gauze pads (4 x 4 inches)
* Oral thermometer (non-mercury/nonglass)
* 2 triangular bandages
* Tweezers
* First aid instruction booklet

Store your survival kits in your hallway or backyard. If you live in a building, your car trunk is a handy place for these bulky items. If you think there is a possibility that your carpark might be affected by the earthquake, store it at a friend's backyard.

Experts recommend that you make three identical emergency kits. Store one kit at home, one at your workplace and one in your car. That way, your chances are good of having a kit handy after a quake.

These supplies are no help if you can't get to them. Make sure every household member knows where they are.

FOR BABIES/KIDS

Baby Food:
Buy some packets of instant formula food that needs not mix with water. Keep a track of their expiry date and replace them with new ones periodically.

Diapers: The number of diapers needed depends upon the age and habit of your kid. However, as a rule of thumb you should at least keep 20 disposable diapers and 4 cloth ones. Cloth diapers can be washed and reused in case you run short of disposable ones.

Clothes: Store at least 10 pair of clothes for your baby in the 72 hour kit. This is tricky as babies grow rapidly. It can be managed by circulating the clothes with new ones of larger size from time to time.

Comfort Toys: Every child has a toy or blanket that he/she loves. Try grabbing them in emergency as this will help to keep your child calm during emergencies. If this is not possible, keep a toy that will comfort the child in absence of his/her favorite item.

Medicines: Medicines for infants are different from those of an adult and is a must-include item in a 72 hour kit. Babies can fall sick anytime and medicines present in the kit are the only savior then.

An important thing to remember is that toddlers grow rapidly. Therefore, you will always need to periodically check your 72 hour emergency kit and keep things that are appropriate for your child's age and development stage.

I have so much storage containers and bags at home that I'm going to finally put them to good use! As experts suggested, I'll be keeping a kit at our home, cars, and offices. Please excuse me if I obsess; I'm a Virgo and a mother of two.

My mantra: Prepare for the worst then live your life.


Inquirer.net reports: 


5.7 magnitude quake shakes Metro, southern Luzon 

By Kristine L. Alave
INQUIRER.net, Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 19:01:00 03/21/2011

MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE 2) A moderately strong 5.7 magnitude earthquake shook Metro Manila and parts of Southern Luzon early Monday evening, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the quake occurred at 6:37 pm, centering 12 kilometers northeast of Lubang Island, Occidental Mindoro. The United States Geological Survey calculated the earthquake at magnitude 5.4.

The movement originated fairly deep at 74 kilometers below ground. Renato Solidum Jr., Phivolcs director, said the earthquake was too deep to generate a destructive tsunami. Phivolcs did not raise a tsunami alert after the quake. There were no reports of damage or injuries from the quake as of Monday evening, Phivolcs, in its advisory, said the event was felt at Intensity 4 in Manila, Talisay, Batangas and Tagaytay. The quake registered Intensity 3 in Quezon and Makati cities, and San Jose and Calapan, Mindoro. Baguio City and Plaridel Bulacan experienced Intensity 2.

At Intensity 4, many people indoors and outdoors would feel the vibration of the quake, Phivolcs said. “Vibration is felt like a passing of heavy truck,” Phivolcs said.

The 6:37 p.m. quake was the second tremor in the region on Monday. At 7:34 a.m. on Monday, a 3.8-magnitude quake struck near Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro.

Phivolcs said it was expecting aftershocks but that these would not be as strong as the 6:37 pm event.

In an interview with Jong Manlapaz of Radyo Inquirer, Phivolcs director Renato Solidum said there’s no reason for the public to panic because the strength won’t cause any tsunami, like what happened recently in Japan.

“The possibility of a stronger earthquake is far-fetched. However, it pays to be prepared all the time,” he said.


Shoppingero/shoppingera, how prepared are you for a calamity?


4 comments:

Jen said...

Thank you for posting this jenni, God bless us all!

Raks said...

That's what we did last weekend. I found a list online, went to Costco and stock up on canned goods, batteries, flashlights, etc. Dont forget matches and candles too.
We put everything on a plastic box so in case we need to move, we just grab one box for our supplies and another bag for our important docs. I live in CA and from whats happening lately, it's better to be ready than sorry.

Southern Scribbler said...

Thanks for sharing. My husband, who is the more praning one, has been pestering me to start shopping for our emergency survival kit. i didn't realized there'd be so plenty. medyo nalula ako.

Kat Lopez said...

Thanks for posting this! Will have to start working on my family's survival kit, too.

By the way, you might want to add one more important thing to the list - a whistle. I read or heard somewhere that one should have a whistle at all times. It will come in handy if (God forbid), one needs to be rescued. It'll help rescuers locate somebody stuck somewhere.

Keep safe!

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