Week 4 - ShakeOut BC Earthquake Drill

By Jackie Kloosterboer – Earthquake Preparedness Specialist &                  Author – My Earthquake Preparedness Guide

Living along the West Coast it should be no surprise we live in an area that can be impacted by earthquakes. What I find surprising is how very few of us are prepared to deal with an earthquake - many have no plans for themselves, their families or pets. 

This is frightening when you think of what it would be like after an earthquake in our communities. Think back to late August when the Windstorm ravished our neighbourhoods and knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of people.  That is small potatoes when compared to what the aftermath of an earthquake would look like.

That is why you need to join over 760,000 BC residents and be a part of the annual ShakeOut BC Earthquake Drill. You and your family need to practice what to do when facing an earthquake. 

Turn on your radio prior to 10:15 and experience what an earthquake would be like.  In addition to practicing what to do - take it a step further - think about where your family are.  If phone lines are down - would you be able to connect with them, would they be able to get home if roads and bridges are damaged - could you get home. This my friends is what you need to be prepared for living in an area that can be impacted by earthquakes. 

"DROP, COVER & HOLD ON" needs to become second nature to all of us. As soon as you feel the earth start to move you need to drop down underneath a table or desk or against an interior wall if no table or desk is available, cover your head and hold on. Wait for the shaking to stop then count to 60.  Slowly get out from underneath the table or desk, looking for fallen debris, broken glass. 

When we feel the earth start to move it is human nature to want to run to safety. This is the last thing you want to do. This is when many injuries occur as debris will be flying across the room.  That is why you need to practice "DROP, COVER & HOLD ON"  as that is what is going to protect you.

Go on - set your alarm for 10:10 and get ready to practice "DROP, COVER & HOLD ON." This action could save your life when facing an earthquake.

Next Thursday we will be picking up where we left off with your OUT OF AREA CONTACT and look at other ways to connect with your family when phone lines are down. 

Until next week - stay safe and get those plans in place.

Be Prepared - Not Scared

Jackie Kloosterboer has been leading the way in earthquake preparedness for 2 decades presenting more than 100 Earthquake Preparedness sessions each year. 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 Planner and an Instructor with the Justice Institute of BC Jackie travels across Canada teaching volunteers 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 at (604) 355-2414 or jackie@survive-it.ca

www.survive-it.ca

Week 3 - Your Family's Out of Area Contact

By Jackie Kloosterboer – Author – My Earthquake Preparedness Guide

After an earthquake our number one concern will be our family!  Where are they? How are they? Have they survived it?

So how will you contact them?  Today when you need to reach your family you simply grab your cell phone, hit the call icon and it goes through.  After an earthquake it will not be that easy.  Chances are - your call will not go through. 

That is why you need an t Out of Area Contact.  Your Out of Area Contact is one potential way you can connect with your family if phone are overloaded or not working.  Over the coming weeks we will look at other ways to connect with your family during times of disaster but we will start with your Out of Area  Contact.

STEP 1 - Identify a friend or family member who lives out of the province to be your Out of Area Contact, Alaska, Washington, Oregon or California are not great choices as they too could be affected by the earthquake.  Where possible go east of the Rockies.  For people with family overseas that is a good choice for your Out of Area Contact.

STEP 2 – Ensure your friend or family members are willing to be your Out of Area Contact.  Make sure you have their home and cell phone numbers and also  their email so you can contact them.  A word of caution - we all put our contact numbers in our cell phones – but if power is out and you can’t charge your cell phone you won’t have access to your Out of Area Contact.  Make sure you carry your Out of Area Contact number in your wallet.  

STEP 3 - Ensure you have a hard wired phone line and a phone that does not require power. (I keep mine stored in my closet.)  If electricity is out your phone will not work.  If you don't have a hard wired phone line pay attention to those around you that do .  You may need to ask them if you can make a call to your Out of Area Contact from their phone. 

STEP 4 - When faced with an earthquake and you are unable to connect with your family, you will call your Out of Area Contact.  You will be able to provide your info and get updates on other family members who have already called in.  Keep your calls short as others may also be trying to use the phone lines. If family members have not yet checked in try calling back a little bit later.

With the many presentations I do on Earthquake Preparedness, I am often asked what is the point of having an Out of Area Contact - if our  phone lines are going to be down – why bother?  

It is important to realize that there is no guarantee this will work – we don’t know what we will have available to us after an earthquake. But wouldn't it be worse if you could make a long distance call and you just never bothered to follow up on this!

Remember – your family is counting on you.  Follow the simple steps above and get your family’s Out of Area Contact in place.  You will certainly be glad you did when facing an earthquake.  

Check back over the following weeks for other ways to connect with your loved ones during times of disaster.

Your Task for this Week:

1. Select a friend or family out of the Province to be your Out of Area Contact
2. Talk to your family about how and when to call your Out of Area Contact
3. Create Out of Area Contact Cards for your family to keep in their wallets

We know it’s only a matter of time before the big one strikes.  Make sure you, your family and pets are prepared to Survive-It!  The time to prepare is NOW – once the earthquake strikes it will be too late!

As Always,

Be Prepared – Not Scared

Jackie Kloosterboer has been leading the way in earthquake preparedness for 2 decades presenting more than 100 Earthquake Preparedness sessions each year. 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 Planner and an Instructor with the Justice Institute of BC Jackie travels across Canada teaching volunteers 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 at (604) 355-2414 or jackie@survive-it.ca

www.survive-it.ca

Week 2 – Grab and Go Kits - Specific Items

By Jackie Kloosterboer – Author – My Earthquake Preparedness Guide

Last week our focus was how to develop your Family’s Grab & Go Kits to ensure your family will have the items they need when you must evacuate from your home to safety.  

With your Grab & Go Kits now stocked with the basic items, its time to think about additional items to include in your Grab & Go Kit.  These items can sometimes be overlooked.

The focus for Week 2 – What other items do you need to include in your Grab & Go Kits?

CASH: 

If I was to ask you right now to open your wallet and see how much cash you have on hand – you would probably be like me - I have a $5.00 bill, a Loonie and a couple of quarters. Most people do not keep much cash on them - we all rely on our bank and credit cards.  $6.50 will not carry me too far when facing a disaster.

If you have to evacuate your home you may face some unexpected expenses.  You may need to pay for a hotel, purchase some extra supplies or any number of things that require cash.  If power is out you will not be able to use your bank or credit cards.   

I can hear the flood of questions already – will stores be open? Will there be anything left to purchase in the stores?  The answer is - we just don’t know. There may be stores that can open and after some time supplies will start to arrive that we can purchase. There may be hotels available, there may not. Will we have power – we may or we may not.   Until the earthquake happens, we just don’t know how our communities will be affected or what will be available.  That is why we need to be prepared!

One word of warning – if you borrow from your stash of cash make sure you repay it. You don’t want to think you have money stored only to find it is no longer there.  

MEDICATIONS:

If you, your family or pets take medications this requires some planning.  I am a diabetic and if I don’t get my insulin I will not survive–it! As you may know insulin must be kept refrigerated or it will lose its potency. I don't want to be facing a disaster with insulin that is not going to work.

To make sure this won't happen I have talked to my family Doctor to see how to best store my insulin. This way I will always have insulin available to me.  In my Grab & Go Kit I keep all the other bits and pieces I need for my diabetes such as pump supplies, test strips, syringes etc., but my insulin is safely rotated through my kit.

If you, your family or pets take any medications talk to your family doctor or vet about how to best store your medications.  You don't want to be facing an earthquake without your medications. 

IDENTIFICATION

Ensure you have copies of all your important documents safely stored away in your Grab & Go Kit. If you have to evacuate and you forget your wallet this will provide you with the ID you may need. Rather than photocopy ID some people prefer to keep it on a password protected memory stick.

In addition to your Driver’s License, Credit Cards and other important ID  make sure you copy your insurance documents. I can’t tell you how many fires I have responded to where people have insurance but can’t remember who their insurance company is. Having a copy with you makes it much easier to be able to call your insurance company quickly.

Think about other impotent documentation you and your family should include in your Grab & Go Kit such as phone numbers and your OUT OF AREA CONTACT card which we will look at next week. Your Out of Area Contact provides a way to connect with family members if phone lines are down.

Until then – make sure your family’s Grab & Go Kits are safely stored away in the closet with all the supplies you  need so when disaster strikes you will be ready!

Your Task for this week:

1. Determine how much money to store away and put the money into your Grab & Go Kit.
2. Talk to your Family Doctor and Vet about storing medications for your family and pets.
3. Photocopy your insurance papers, ID, credit cards and other documents you need to keep on hand.

We know it’s only a matter of time before the big one strikes.  Make sure you, your family and pets are prepared to Survive-It!  The time to prepare is NOW – once the earthquake strikes it will be too late!

As Always,

Be Prepared – Not Scared

Jackie Kloosterboer has been leading the way in earthquake preparedness for 2 decades presenting more than 100 Earthquake Preparedness sessions each year. 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 Planner and an Instructor with the Justice Institute of BC Jackie travels across Canada teaching volunteers 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 at (604) 355-2414 or jackie@survive-it.ca

www.survive-it.ca

Week 1 – Grab and Go Kits

By Jackie Kloosterboer – Author – My Earthquake Preparedness Guide

Facing an earthquake we don’t know if we will be forced to evacuate our homes or if it will be safe to stay in our homes making it essential we are prepared for both situations. Earthquake often cause secondary disasters such as fires & floods making it necessary for you, your family and pets to evacuate to safety.

I can guarantee you after a massive earthquake you will not be able to run out and get what you need. You need to do it now – once the earthquake strikes it will be too late. 

For Week #1 we will start with creating your family’s Grab & Go Kits. Exactly as it sounds your Grab & Go Kit is a kit you can grab and go with when forced to evacuate. So what do you put in your Grab & Go Kit?  You include the basic items you will need to survive the next several hours. Some points to keep in mind:

1. Each family member needs their own Grab & Go Kit. (a gym bag or backpack works well - a suitcase with wheels does not work well.)
2. Consider the needs of the person who will be using the kit.  The items in a toddlers kit will be much different than an adults kit.  For a list of Grab & Go Kit contents go to www.survive-it.ca/Resource and print the Earthquake Supply Checklist.
3. Don't overload your kits - you must be able to Grab & Go with them.
4. Store your Grab & Go Kits in the closet near the door you likely evacuate from.  Remember life safety is always first - it it is not safe to grab your kits - leave them behind.
5. Don't forget your pets - they too need a Grab & Go Kit

Responding to hundreds of house and apartment fires over the years, I have seen firsthand that people who have Grab & Kits get through the event much better than people who don't. They have a change of clothes (if they leave in the pj’s that is important) they have some water and snacks and maybe even a book to read until they can get to where they are going.

So now it’s time to take action. Follow the tasks below and you will be well on your way to getting you, your family and pets better prepared.

Your Task for Week #1:

1. Ensure you have a Grab & Go Kit for each family member and pet.
2. Print the Earthquake Supplies Checklist from www.survive-it.ca/Resource
3. Using the Earthquake Supply Checklist collect the items you already have on hand and put them in your kits.
4. Circle the items on the Checklist you need to purchase and the next time you are out at the mall pick up those items.

Following the above 4 steps will ensure you are well on your way to having your Grab & Go Kits in place.  This is one small piece of the puzzle – but it is a step closer to getting you, your family and pets better prepared. 

Take action and I will be back next Thursday with your next step to getting you, your family and pets prepared!

The time to prepare is NOW – once the earthquake strikes it will be too late!

As Always,

Be Prepared – Not Scared

Jackie Kloosterboer

Jackie Kloosterboer has been leading the way in earthquake preparedness for 2 decades presenting more than 100 Earthquake Preparedness sessions each year to 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 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 with any questions or to speak at your next event at (604) 355-2414 or jackie@survive-it.ca

www.survive-it.ca

52 Weeks to Better Survive an Earthquake

By Jackie Kloosterboer – Author – My Earthquake Preparedness Guide

Living on the West Coast, we know we live in an area that can be impacted by earthquakes and tsunamis – yet so very few of us are prepared.  Experts predict it’s only a matter of time before the "Big One" strikes - it could be 2 days, 2 months or 2 years – nobody knows for sure. What we do know is – if you, your family and pets are prepared, you will better survive-it and will recover quicker than those who are not prepared. 

When the ground starts shaking it is too late to develop your family’s earthquake plan – you don’t want to be asking:

• how do I connect with my family if we are not together and cell phones are down? 
• how do I feed my family and pets - we don't have earthquake supplies?
• what if I am at work when the disaster happens – how will I get home to my family and pets? 

Getting prepared for an earthquake can be a daunting task. We have great intentions - but it never happens.  For many of us we just don't know where to start.  I have found through my two decades of teaching preparedness - if you break it down into small manageable steps it makes the process easier and you see results. 

That is why I am starting - 52 Weeks to Better Survive an Earthquake. Beginning Thursday September 24, 2015 and for 52 weeks I will post a weekly tip to help you, your family and pets get prepared for whatever disaster comes your way.  

I would love to hear about your progress, your questions and any challenges you may be facing. My goal is to help as many people as possible get prepared for an earthquakes. 

We know it’s only a matter of time before the big one strikes.  Make sure you, your family and pets are prepared to Survive-It!

The time to prepare is NOW – once the earthquake strikes it will be too late!

As Always,

Be Prepared – Not Scared

Jackie Kloosterboer

Jackie Kloosterboer has been leading the way in earthquake preparedness for 2 decades presenting more than 100 Earthquake Preparedness sessions each year to 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 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 with any questions or to speak at your next event at (604) 355-2414 or jackie@survive-it.ca

www.survive-it.ca