Post 25 - Earthquake Preparedness - Water - We can't Survive Without it!!!!

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Water - We Can't Survive Without It!!!!

by Jackie Kloosterboer

Earthquake Preparedness Specialist, Speaker, Trainer 

Author – My Earthquake Preparedness Guide 

Water!  We can't survive without it - yet many of us don't bother to store the required amounts of water we will need following a disaster. Teaching a Lunch & Learn Earthquake Preparedness Session for a business downtown Vancouver, I asked the audience of 35 how much water people need to store to be considered prepared for an earthquake or disaster. The numbers were all over the place. Very few knew the correct answer. What about you - how much water do you need to store for yourself and your family to be prepared?

I am hoping you said 4 Litres or 1 gallon of water per person per day. That is a lot of water but think about what you use water for - you drink it, brush your teeth, wash your face and hands, cook with it just to mention a few. In the summer, we may need even more and don't forget your pets - they need water too!  We all need water to survive.

I can stand on my soapbox and tell you time and time again the importance of water. I know some of you will go and get the water your family needs, some of you may already have enough water to support your family, but many of you will intend to get water but unfortunately that day will never happen. We are busy, we have too much on our plate and getting earthquake supplies falls off the plate.   I know, I see it all the time. 

One of the stumbling blocks with being prepared is where to keep your supplies. The biggest complaint I hear from city dwellers who live in small apartments is I don't have the room - I hardly have enough room for me.  

I have a solution for you - read on.  Cleaning out my kitchen cupboards I found 2 water bottles and the idea hit me. What if people filled up their empty water bottles with water and kept them in the fridge rather than stored away in a cupboard. I think it’s safe to say we all have more water bottles than we need.  That way you have access to water. It’s not perfect - you should still have 4L or 1 gallon per person per day - but it’s a step in the right direction.  

I really wish you would get to your store and get the required amounts of water you and your family need but this is a good start.

So, I challenge those of you who are not yet prepared. Fill up those empty water bottles in the back of your cupboard with water and the empty space you gained by now storing the water bottles in your fridge - load that space up with earthquake supplies you may need.  

Even better, commit to getting the required amount of water you, your family and pets will need. Once facing an earthquake - it will be too late.  The time to prepare is now!!!

As Always BE PREPARED - NOT SCARED!

     

Jackie Kloosterboer - BIO

Jackie has been leading the way in earthquake preparedness for 2 decades presenting more than 100 Earthquake Preparedness sessions each year to a variety of groups and businesses. She is often interviewed by a variety of media outlets across Canada as she promotes the importance of earthquake and disaster preparedness.

As an Emergency Preparedness Specialist and an Instructor with the Justice Institute of BC Jackie travels across Canada teaching people how to respond to disasters to help those who have been displaced. Throughout British Columbia Jackie has taken on leadership roles assisting those who have been impacted by disaster.

Contact Jackie to speak at your next group or business event to help better prepare you, your family, your staff and pets for earthquakes or whatever disaster comes your way. Jackie will lead you through the necessary steps helping you identify what is important to you and your family or business.  

Jackie is available for:

• Earthquake Preparedness Presentations
• Preparedness Plans
• In-Home Walk-Throughs
• Preparedness Kits
• Media Interviews

www.survive-it.ca

jackie@survive-it.ca
604-355-2414

Post 24 - Where oh Where do I Keep my Earthquake Kits?

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Where Oh Where do I keep my Earthquake Kits?

by Jackie Kloosterboer

Earthquake Preparedness Specialist, Speaker, Trainer 

Author – My Earthquake Preparedness Guide 

If I had a dollar for every time I am asked this question, I would be a wealthy woman.  It is a great question and one you need have an answer for!  So where is the best place to keep those emergency kits?  The simple answer is - keep them where you have easy access to them.  But where is that you ask - and after an earthquake will I even have access to them?

A two-part question - lets tackle the easy piece first.  What if your home survived the earthquake with no damage and you did have access to your earthquake kits but you never bothered to put them together because you didn't know if you would have access to them after an earthquake or disaster. That would not be good outcome for you, your family or your pets. Not only are you facing an earthquake but now you have no supplies. This is not a situation you want to be in. It won't be like today where you run out and grab what you need. Try explaining that to your family.....

GRAB & GO KIT - STORAGE

Grab & GoKits are for the short term - they contain the basic items you need to survive the next several hours following an emergency.  These kits are best kept in your front closet by the door you and your family are most likely to leave from. 

If you live in a house with a garage - consider this - is the garage a good location to store your kits? Many garages do not have "Man Doors" and if the power is out you may not be able to get your garage door open to flee to safety.  

HOME KIT - STORAGE

Your Home Kit is the kit you are going to use to "Stay & Survive" in your home. For you Home Kit the blue Rubbermaid bins work well. Where to keep this kit is a little more challenging simply based on its size.  Your garage is a good suggestion - just make sure it doesn't get buried under all that sports equipment and other items you store in your garage.  Also keep it away from chemicals such as weed killers.  There would be nothing worse than coming out and finding you kit covered in weed killer after an earthquake.

Your basement could work - but when I make this suggestion people often say - what if I can't access the basement after an earthquake. This again takes us back to "What if you can?"   Just remember - just because we have an earthquake doesn't mean all our homes will be impacted.

People also choose to keep their kits out in a storage shed in the backyard and this can work as well.  When storing your kits, regardless of where you store them, constantly check them - you don't want the rodents to access them before you do. This often happens to people who store their kits and forget to check them.  Don’t let that be you and your family!

So - what if you live in an apartment - where do you store you kits? This can take some creativity - believe me I know.

I lived in a tiny little apartment and I had no storage space. I had a spot in my front closest for my Grab & Go Kit but there was no space for a big Rubbermaid container.   What I ended up doing was using a kitchen cabinet. I had a shelf dedicated to my earthquake supplies and that is where I stored what I would need to stay and survive. Sometimes we must be creative to accomplish what we need to do.

Have questions - don't hesitate to ask.  Until next time - stay safe and make sure you, your family and pets are prepared to better "Survive-It."

As Always BE PREPARED - NOT SCARED!

     

Jackie Kloosterboer - BIO

Jackie has been leading the way in earthquake preparedness for 2 decades presenting more than 100 Earthquake Preparedness sessions each year to a variety of groups and businesses. She is often interviewed by a variety of media outlets across Canada as she promotes the importance of earthquake and disaster preparedness.

As an Emergency Preparedness Specialist and an Instructor with the Justice Institute of BC Jackie travels across Canada teaching people how to respond to disasters to help those who have been displaced. Throughout British Columbia Jackie has taken on leadership roles assisting those who have been impacted by disaster.

Contact Jackie to speak at your next group or business event to help better prepare you, your family, your staff and pets for earthquakes or whatever disaster comes your way. Jackie will lead you through the necessary steps helping you identify what is important to you and your family or business.  

Jackie is available for:

• Earthquake Preparedness Presentations
• Preparedness Plans
• In-Home Walk-Throughs
• Preparedness Kits
• Media Interviews

www.survive-it.ca

jackie@survive-it.ca
604-355-2414