Natural Disasters | Disaster Rally

Earthquake Kit Rundown – How to Make Your Own

An earthquake kit is an essential item in anyone’s home when living in an earthquake-vulnerable area. It will prove to be a real lifesaver. And while you can buy such a kit, why not make it yourself? It’s easy, and some of the requisites you already own. In this article, we are going to show you what items are a must in an earthquake preparedness kit so that you can start prepping yours right now.

Depending on the magnitude of the earthquake and how often they occur in the area you live in, the kit may vary. We have divided the items you need into the mandatory and the non-compulsory. Pick what fits both your needs and budget best. However, we suggest you try to include as many of these objects as you can. Alternatively, you can purchase a kit and work on upgrading it based on our list. Let’s get started.

The Ideal Earthquake Kit

The Essentials

A minimum of one gallon of water per day for each person in the house. You should prepare yourself for at least three days but it would be best to have enough water to last for up to two weeks.
A water filter.
Canned and packed foods. The quantity depends on the quantities you and your family members eat. Make sure you have enough to last you three days.
High energy foods (peanut butter, granola bars, trail mix).
Formula and drinks for your kids.
Diapers.
Vitamins.
A primus or a gas barbecue to use for cooking.
Paper cups and plates, and plastic utensils.
Small fire extinguisher.
Matches (in a waterproof container).
Needles and thread.
Aluminum foil.
Pet supplies.
Manual can opener.
A good knife.
A flashlight for each person in the house. You should also stock up on extra batteries and light bulbs.
A portable radio with a few extra batteries.
A whistle. It will alert the emergency rescuers of your location.
First aid kit.
Emergency cash.
Essential medicines and prescription medicine if you suffer from an illness.
Blankets or sleeping bags.
Toilet paper.
Plastic bucket with lid.
Household chlorine bleach.
Liquid soap and liquid detergent.
Feminine supplies.
Disinfectant.
Dusk masks.
Work gloves and protective goggles for each member of the family.
Heavy duty plastic bags. They may even serve as rain ponchos, not just for waste.
Copies of vital documents.
Credit card account numbers.
A map of your town.
Study shoes.
Warm clothing.
Eyeglasses.
Sunscreen.
Rain gear.
Cell phones with chargers (solar charger).

First aid kit

If you do not have a first aid kit, here are the items you will need:

Sterile adhesive bandages.
Triangular bandages.
Roller bandages.
Safety pins.
Latex gloves.
About six 2-inch sterile gauze pads and six 4-inch sterile gauze pads.
Non-prescription drugs (pain relievers, laxatives, anti-diarrhea medicines, activated charcoal, and other similar essential medicines).
Scissors.
Moistened towelettes.
Medicine dropper.
Cleansing agent.
Antiseptic.
Thermometer.
Two tongue blades.
A tube of petroleum jelly.

Optional

The following items are not as important. However, they will help increase comfort in these situations. If you have enough space, also include the next objects into your earthquake kit:

Camp stove and fuel for it.
A tent.
Bug spray.
Spare eyeglasses or contact lenses. Also bring cleaning solution.
Additional flashlights.
Light sticks.
A generator.
A solar panel backpack to use for charging electronics.
Toys.
Poop bags and a scooper if you have pets.
Books.
Snack foods.
Playing cards or board games.

How to Maintain Your Earthquake Kit

Now that you have put together your earthquake preparedness kit, it’s mandatory you maintain it as well. Make sure you keep them in good condition for when you will need them. Here are a few tips on how to do so:

Change the water supplies every six months.
Frequently check the expiration date on any food item. Always replace what you throw away.
Put the new items in the back of the cabinet and bring the older ones in the front.
Keep the canned foods in a dry place.
Replace the medicines as they expire.
Constantly re-think your needs and stock up accordingly.
Keep the items in airtight plastic bags.

The earthquake emergency kit items must be put in a couple of easy-to-carry containers. You may need to leave the house in a hurry, which is why some sturdy camping backpacks are perfect for the job. Make sure the containers are light enough for you to carry effortlessly.

Store the bags in a place where it’s easy to get to, a place that is also easy to remember in case of panic.

Earthquake Kits for Work and the Vehicle

It is equally important you make sure have an earthquake kit prepared for your home, workplace, and the vehicle. There’s no way of telling where you will be when the emergency strikes. Consequently, it would be ideal if you could put together multiple kits.

Your earthquake survival kit for work can contain fewer items. Consider what you need for about 24 hours or even two days. Also, leave a pair of comfortable shoes at the office in case you have to quickly evacuate the premises. Put all items into one ready-to-go container.

Your earthquake safety kit for your vehicle must also include jumper cables, a shovel, and an ice scraper in addition to the essential items. Furthermore, always keep a full gas tank. In the case of an emergency, put on your flashers and call for help. You should also make sure you have good winter tires installed. Moreover, check the antifreeze and oil levels, the breaks for wear, the exhaust system for any leaks or crimped pipes, the fuel and the air filters.

You can never be too prepared for such a disaster, especially when they are unpredictable. Fortunately, planning and preparing your survival kit may help save your life. Keep it safe, and only use it for emergencies. Make sure you pack all the mandatory objects and replenish the food and the water in time. In the case of an earthquake, try not to panic. Remain calm and go straight for your survival kit.

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Tornado Safety – How to Keep Yourself Safe at All Times

Tornado safety is very important, as they are nature’s most violent storms. Powerful and destructive, they can cause fatalities in just a few seconds. As a result, you must know what to do in the case of a tornado. We are going to share vital tornado safety tips on how to keep yourself safe during this weather phenomenon.

Crucial Tornado Safety Tips You Need to Remember

Here is what you must do BEFORE the tornado strikes:

Learn the community’s warning system. Each community has different ways of warning the citizens. Consequently, know the siren intended for warning purposes.
Pick a safety room. Discuss with your household members what room in your home is best suited in this scenario. It should be a storm cellar, basement, or a room on the lowest which does not have windows.
Know the evacuations centers. If you are in a danger zone, you must know the location of the closest evacuation center. In most cases, it is a school, community center, or a city building. Such places can even offer medical attention and supplies.
Practice tornado drills. It’s quite likely that some members of your family, and you included, may experience shock when the tornado occurs. This is why you must practice periodic drills. This way, everyone will know exactly what actions they must take.
Move dangerous objects. Things like hanging plants, trash cans, and certain furniture must be moved somewhere else if there is a risk of being pickup up by the rotating column of air. Unfortunately, they can become projectiles and harm people.
Reinforce the safety room. It’s best if you can reinforce the room you have picked to provide shelter during tornadoes. You can find useful designs on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s website.
Listen to the news and watch for the danger signs. You can stay informed about the weather by listening to the local news, but you can also observe the sky. The danger signs you must look for are dark or greenish clouds, a cloud of debris, wall cloud, funnel cloud, large hail, and roaring noise.
Protect your belongings. Place important papers such as insurance policies, medical information, loan or mortgage papers, birth certificates, and more, in a safety deposit box, a safe, or a storm shelter.

DURING the tornado, you must respond by:

Driving at right angles. It’s highly risky to the caught in a vehicle during a tornado. Luckily, there are a few things you can do. If the storm is visible and far away, you may succeed in driving out of its path. Simply move at right angles to the tornado and find an underground shelter.

If the tornado is near, the best thing to do is to park the car out of the traffic lanes. Do not leave the vehicle. Stay inside with the seat belt on and put your head down. Cover your head with your hands and a textile material (your coat or a blanket).

Do not, by any means, seek shelter under a bridge. They offer little protection and can create traffic hazards.

Going to your safety room. If you are at home, go to the designated safety room. If somewhere else, go to the lowest floor. It can be a bathroom, a closet, a windowless interior hallway, or under a stairwell. Crouch to the floor while facing down, and cover your head with your hands.

Even if you are inside you must cover yourself with a blanket, a mattress, or any type of thick padding. This is key in protecting you against falling debris.

Abandoning your mobile home. If you live in a mobile home, get out as soon as possible. Any place is safer than a mobile home, regardless of the fact that it may be tied down. It’s a fact that most tornadoes can destroy even the mobile homes that have been tied down. Rush into a shelter or a sturdy building.
Crawling under a table. If the room you are in has a table, a workbench, or a pool table, then you can use them to protect from falling objects. Crawl under it and stay there until the tornado passes.

Here is how you must act AFTER the storm:

Try to return home safely. If you’re somewhere else during the tornado, wait for it to pass and try to return home. Listen to the news to learn about the effects it had on your neighbourhood. Take notice of the advice of the local authorities. Return to your neighbourhood only when the officials say it is safe to do so. Watch out for danger such as fallen power lines.
Turn off the main utilities. If your house has experienced damages, turn off your utilities. This also includes natural gas, water main, and electricity. Furthermore, if you smell gas, do not even enter the home. Instead, call 911 immediately.
Clean your home with bleach. If your house has seen minimal water damage, then clean it with bleach. Make sure the area is well-ventilated. Wear proper protective equipment: rubber boots, rubber gloves, and eye protection.
Use flashlights. When examining you home, do not use candles. You may have a gas leak that you may not have smelled. Only use battery-powered flashlights.
Check for injuries. See if you or the people around you have been injured. Provide first aid to anyone in need until the ambulance arrives.
Report fallen power lines to the utility company right away. This is one of the most important tornado safety tips because such issues can be life threatening.

We hope you remember these key tornado safety tips on how to keep yourself safe during and after a violent storm. It’s vital you learn by heart what to do before a tornado so that it doesn’t catch you by surprise. Try to remain calm and alert. Listen to any information and instructions given by the emergency crews and the local officials.

If you or your family and friends have experienced a disaster, register on the American Red Cross’ Safe and Well list. This way, you can let everyone know you are safe.

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9 Key Facts about Droughts You Should Read About

Here are some useful facts about droughts that you may be interested in knowing. This common natural disaster has an impact on many different aspects of our lives, including environmental, economical, and social impacts. Which is why it is important we get proper information about this so-called “creeping phenomenon”. In this article, we will reveal crucial facts about drought and the water situation in California.

First things first. Before sharing key facts about droughts, we must answer a few questions:

What is a drought? Droughts are a common natural disaster, and one of the worst to occur. It is a lengthy period of time that may stretch up to a few years in which the land experiences a lack of water
How do droughts occur? A drought can take decades to fully develop. They are also quite difficult to predict. Droughts occur when there is a prolonged absence of rain. They can take place at any given time. This means that it is not uncommon for droughts to occur during winter time.

9 Facts about Droughts You Should Know

1. There are different types of drought

Although we use “drought” as a general term, there is more than one type of drought.

A socioeconomic drought is the one that affects the humans in a certain society through water shortage. Individuals living in these areas lack access to drinking water and running water.

A meteorological drought can affect a region that is suffering from a lack of rainfall.

The agricultural drought describes areas where people cannot grow crops because of the water scarcity. As a result, the production of foods is affected and it shows in the higher price of crops.

A hydrological drought translates into a low level of water in the lake and the reservoir in an area.

2. They affect both wildlife and plant life

When extreme droughts occur, wildlife can die. However, most of the animals can still be saved when the drought does not last for too long.

Plants, on the other hand, are more sensitive. If the land starts showing signs of decline, entire crops may stop growing and get destroyed.

The damage caused by drought also reflects in the prices of vegetables, fruits, and other crops. Increased prices are one of the many effects that occur because of this phenomenon.

3. They stand a higher risk today

The risk of drought occurring has actually doubled today. And it is all due to climate change. It affects a wide range of factors associated with drought. It is believed that climate change will particularly increase the risk of two types of droughts: hydrological and agricultural. Scientists believe that increased temperatures will lead to more rain, but lessen the probability of snow and early snow melt, along with increased evaporation and transpiration.

4. There is a pattern

In the United States, droughts are more likely to affect the Midwest and the South. More than 44 percent of California is in exceptional drought. This is the worst level of drought according to the Drought Severity Classification.

5. They lead to hunger and famine

Food crops cannot be supported in these conditions because of the scarcity of water. The grass and grain that farmers use to feed their livestock face the same problem. As droughts reduce or destroy food sources altogether, people in an affected area go hungry. If its level of severity is high and continues over a prolonged period of time, famine is most likely to occur.

6. They influence the Sierra Nevada Snowpack

Speaking of facts about droughts in California, the Sierra Nevada Snowpack is also experiencing an abnormality. Counted on to provide about 30 percent of California’s water supply through the melting of the snow, it is reported that the snow-water content is only 5 percent of normal. Earlier this year, in April, researchers noted that the average snow-water equivalent for California was only 19 inches, which is just 71 percent of normal. In the same month, nearly 90 percent of the state was suffering from some level of drought.

7. They have an impact on our health

Droughts often cause an insufficiency of clean water for drinking, personal hygiene, and public sanitation. This, of course, can lead to a broad range of possibly life-threatening diseases. In a drought, some people may reduce hand washing and other practices as a way to conserve water. This proliferates the spread of infectious diseases such as gastrointestinal illnesses. Since severe droughts can also impact the air quality, the CDC reports an increased risk for respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia and bronchitis.

Furthermore, certain mental health effects are linked to droughts. People whose livelihood is connected to water supplies (farmers and horticulturalists) may develop adverse mental health conditions. Financial-related worries can cause anxiety, depression, and other behavioral health conditions.

8. There is a link to mosquito-borne diseases

As droughts shrink bodies of water, it becomes stagnant. This offers mosquitoes the perfect breeding ground. Furthermore, the lack of water can change the behavior of the insects and have them infected themselves with diseases carried out by certain types of birds. Consequently, it may lead to outbreaks of St. Louis encephalitis, Eastern Equine encephalitis, and West Nile virus.

9. They lead to desertification

When droughts recur and continue to recur, they can lead to desertification. When desertification occurs as a result of drought, it can produce an incredibly severe ecological catastrophe. The most obvious example would be the Horn of Africa, which has seen recurring droughts.

Drought and desertification are interconnected natural phenomena. Inappropriate human land management in combination with climatic constraints drive land degradation and desertification. Scientists expect that climate change will aggravate both the duration and the severity of drought worldwide. These conditions will add up to the already fragile drylands. This may accelerate the rate of desertification.

When comparing them to tornadoes or floods, people often do not consider droughts to be such a catastrophic natural phenomenon. However, these key facts about droughts should shed light on the serious consequences they can have. While it may be tough to stop droughts from occurring, we can still try to find ways to manage the situation better.

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