Week 19.5 - Pets - After the disaster - Where did they go?

Earthquake Preparedness! 

By Jackie Kloosterboer – Speaker, Trainer, 

Author – My Earthquake Preparedness Guide 

QUESTION:   Pet Preparedness – Is it necessary?

Be ready to make a poster of your lost pet

Each year I present hundreds of Earthquake Preparedness Workshops explaining to people that if they are prepared for an Earthquake they will be ready for any disaster that comes their way. Once again this important point has been proved:

Through Emergency Social Services (ESS) I respond to hundreds of house and apartment fires helping people and their pets who have been displaced by disaster. In British Columbia - ESS can often provide basic assistance for 72 hours helping those who have been impacted.

Arriving on scene at house and apartment fires we far too often see people who are NOT prepared for any sort of a disaster. They don't have supplies, they don't have insurance and often this is a choice they have made.  If only they knew what a difference it would make if they had insurance, if they had a family emergency plan, if they had packed a Grab & Go Kit with basic supplies for each family member and for their pets.  A Grab & Go Kit is a necessity after any disaster when you have to flee from your home. 

Recently I arrived on scene at an apartment fire and after providing a briefing to the residents on what assistance could be provided. a lady came up to me.  You could see the despair on her face. I knew something was troubling her.  


We stepped away from the group and she told me how her cat was missing. When she had opened her apartment door to evacuate, her cat had bolted out the door and was nowhere to be found. Understandably she was worried sick her cat had been hit by a car or had not survived the fire - her cat was nowhere to be found.

Fortunately, her apartment was not one of the fire-damaged units.  I explained to her that her cat was probably hiding and like her, he had gone through a terrifying experience – evacuating the apartment, the fire, the flashing lights and sirens, the noise and the commotion as the fire department did an amazing job of fighting the firre.  

Over the years, I have been to many fires and have heard and seen this story time and time again.  From my experience usually the cats that have run away will come back when things settle down. 

Teaching people to prepare for Earthquakes I always encourage them to take photos of their pets, one of their pet alone and one of their pet with them in case they need to prove this is their pet. 

I asked her if she had a photo of her cat and fortunately she did.  Susan – if you email me the picture I will make a "Lost Cat" poster for you and you can post it around the n’hood. She was thrilled. I quickly put together a lost cat poster and Susan posted it in her n’hood. 

Susan had also received some advice from a friend who told her to shake a bag of treats and maybe the cat would come back. He suggested she do this when all was quiet.  Susan followed the suggestion and to her surprise a big raccoon poked his head around the corner. He wanted the treat that was being offered.

Never know who will show up when you shake the treat bag

It was a long night for Susan waiting for her cat to come back.

At 6:18 the next morning I opened my email and noticed an email from Susan had just been delivered. I quickly opened it up. “My cat has come back” was written in bold. I could imagine how thrilled she was to have her cat back home.  It’s always scary when a pet goes missing.

This is truly a happy ending story – we all wanted the cat to come back – but even more importantly this story shows the importance of being prepared. Having a photo of her pet she was able to get a poster up quickly – she did not have access to her apartment for several hours so there was no going in to get a photo. 

...........and the cat came back!

She was prepared. No - the lost cat poster in this case did not bring her cat back – but it could have helped, had the cat not come back. In a disaster of any kind we never know what we will be faced with. We all need to be prepared!

You’re Task for Week #19.5
Take a photo of your pet alone and a photo with you and your family. 
Print a copy for your Grab & Go Kit and keep a photo of your pet on your phone or tablet.  
Prepare a Grab & Go Kit for you pet with all the items he/she will need if evacuated.  
In your Home Earthquake Kit include supplies that your pet will need. 

_____________________________________________

Week 20 we will look at what to do in certain situations facing an earthquake.

Have questions – don’t hesitate to ask. Until next week – Stay safe and make sure you, your family and pets are prepared for earthquakes or any disaster that may come your way.

As Always BE PREPARED - NOT SCARED!

     

Jackie Kloosterboer - BIO

Jackie Kloosterboer 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 you, your family, your staff and pets get prepared 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.  

Contact Jackie with any questions or to book her for your next event at jackie@survive-it.ca or call (604) 355-2414

Jackie is available for:

Earthquake Preparedness Presentations

Preparedness Plans

In-Home Walk-Throughs

Preparedness Kits

Media Interviews

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Week 19 - When you feel the Earth start to move what do you do?

Earthquake Preparedness! 

By Jackie Kloosterboer – Speaker, Trainer, 

Author – My Earthquake Preparedness Guide 

QUESTION:  What do you do when you feel the earth start to move ?

Run outside?     Stand in a doorway?     Do the Triangle of Life? 

YOU - Drop Cover and Hold On!

Drop, Cover and Hold On is what will protect you and your family when facing an Earthquake.  Each and everyone of us needs to know what to do when facing an Earthquake and for those of us living in areas that can be impacted by earthquakes – Drop, Cover and Hold On needs to become second nature to us. 

The moment you feel the earth start to move you MUST Drop, Cover and Hold On to better protect yourself.

I would love to know how many people actually did this when we had our Earthquake in BC last December. Based on the people I have talked to at Earthquake Preparedness Sessions – most did not Drop, Cover and Hold On.  This my friends, is what will better protect you when facing an earthquake!

Most injuries in an earthquake happen from people doing the wrong thing.  When facing an Earthquake it is human nature to want to flee to safety, to run and check on family members but you are putting yourself in danger.  When the ground is moving that is when heavy furniture and other items will come crashing down to the floor and items will be shooting across the room.  You don't want to be caught in this as it could cause serious injury.   

If you have kids at home when facing an earthquake your first reaction will be to run and check on them – but instead, you must Drop, Cover and Hold On until the shaking stops. When the shaking has stopped, count to 60, survey your area for fallen or broken objects and then go check on your kids.  If you are knocked unconscious running down the hall during an Earthquake who will look after your kids while you lie on the floor?   

Your home should be properly prepared so your family and pets will be safe. Depending on your kids ages, have them sing a song when they are under the table. This way you can hear that they are ok. Let your kids pick a favourite song and then  Practice Drop, Cover and Hold On until it becomes second nature!

If you don’t have a table or desk to get under then you are best to go against an interior wall and Drop down, Cover your head and Brace yourself against the wall until the shaking stops.  Make sure there are no heavy pictures hanging on the wall or other furniture that could injure you. Make sure to move away from windows.

From time to time an email may show up in your inbox promoting the Triangle of Life.  In Canada and the USA we teach to the Red Cross Standards and they do not promote the Triangle of Life in Canada or the USA.  Instead of Drop, Cover and Hold On the Triangle of Life suggests you take cover beside a solid item that will provide a protective space that will help you better survive the earthquake in the event the building you are in pancakes. What the Triangle of Life does not take into consideration is - in Canada and the USA we have building codes in place to better protect us.  

To read more on the Triangle of Life visit  www.earthquakecountry.org/dropcoverholdon/      

In school many of us were told to stand in a doorway when facing an earthquake.  This is no longer the case.  Standing in an open doorway puts you in danger as you have debris coming at you from two directions and if it is a door that opens and closes you could be injured if the door slams shut on your fingers.

Drop, Cover and Hold On – this is what we all need to do.

You’re Task for Week #19

• 1.    With your family go room to room in your house  identifying the best places to be in each room  when facing an earthquake?  (underneath a desk, table or heavy piece of furniture or against an interior wall with no heavy pictures hanging and away from glass.)
• 2.    Practice “What If there was Earthquake” – as you go about your daily routine ask yourself – what would I do if there was an Earthquake right now?  Practice this with your family – make it a game. Talk about the options you have.   When facing an earthquake, you will make a much better and quicker decision if you know what to do. You will likely not panic which could cause you to do the wrong thing. Practicing Drop, Cover and Hold On before the Earthquake  could save your life and the life of your family members.

Week 20 we will look at what to do in different situations when facing an earthquake.

Have questions – don’t hesitate to ask. Until next week – Stay safe and make sure you, your family and pets are prepared for earthquake or any disaster that may come your way.

As Always BE PREPARED - NOT SCARED!

     

Jackie Kloosterboer - BIO

Jackie Kloosterboer 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.

Jackie is available to speak to your group or business to help get them prepared for earthquakes or whatever disaster comes your way. Jackie will take you through the necessary steps identifying what is important to you and your family or business.

Contact Jackie with questions or to book her for your next event.  jackie@survive-it.ca or 604 355-2414

Jackie is available for:

Book Sales
Earthquake Preparedness Presentations

Preparedness Plans

In-Home Walk-Throughs

Preparedness Kits

Media Interviews

Week 18 - Seniors - Are you Prepared to Survive an Earthquake?

Earthquake Preparedness! 

By Jackie Kloosterboer – Speaker, Trainer, Author – My Earthquake Preparedness Guide 

QUESTION: As a senior how can you better survive an Earthquake?

I present sessions to seniors on Earthquake preparedness and I know from the groups that sit in front of me, like everything else seniors are not able to be categorized into one group. There is a range and that is true with life.  So while this Bog addresses seniors it is by no means for seniors only. We can all learn from it. 

Whether you are a senior or a junior or somewhere in between - the key to Earthquake Preparedness is to take the necessary steps to ensure you, your family and pets are prepared for whatever disaster comes your way.

Whatever stage you are in life – you must adapt your Earthquake Preparedness Plan to work for your current situation.  As we age we may not be able to do what we used to do – but that is ok – ask for help.  The key is – Get your Earthquake Plans in place.  

That is how you will better survive an Earthquake!

When conducting Earthquake Preparedness Sessions for seniors the 4 steps below are covered in detail. This is a great place to start - but you need to be aware there may be additional steps to take.  

These steps have been covered in detail in earlier blog posts - so refer back to the posts.  They can be adapted to your specific needs to ensure you have a robust Earthquake Preparedness Plan:

1. You must have a way to connect with family
2. You must have Earthquake supplies
3. You must ensure your home is as safe as possible
4. You must have a plan to evacuate your home

Following these 4 steps will help you better survive an earthquake or any disaster you may be faced with. 

1.    Connecting with Family:  Our families will always be our number one concern after an earthquake and we need to have a plan to connect with them. An Out of Area Contact is one way to connect. It is simple and easy to put into place. Click on the link to get the details on how to set up your Out of Area Contact and learn other ways to connect with your family.  

Check with your Family Dr before storing any meds!

2.    Earthquake Supplies:  To better survive an Earthquake you must have adequate supplies on hand. Your life style will determine what supplies you will need and this could be different for each of us.  What are your daily routines?  What medications do you require? Always check with your family Doctor before storing any medications. Do your grandkids visit often – do you need to have supplies specific to them? 

     

Grab & Go Kit

Look at your own life and determine what you need to store in addition to the basic items we all need. If you don't have a Grab and Go Kit this was covered week 1 and 2 in my Blog - Grab & Go Kits and Grab & Go Kits Additional Items.  

     Depending on your unique situation you may need some additional help creating your earthquake kits.  Ask your kids or grandkids to help.  A great idea that can make life much simpler is when family asks what you want for your Birthday or Christmas ask them for an Earthquake Kit. Buying a ready-made Earthquake kit can be a great solution to help ensure you are better prepared. Just remember even with a ready made kit you will need to add your own personal items.

Make sure items are properly stored!

3.    Make your Home Safe: Making sure your home is safe is absolutely necessary. Most injuries in an earthquake happen from people doing the wrong thing or being injured from falling debris, tumbling bookcases that were not secured or from items shooting across the room like projectiles.  

     If you are unable to do this yourself reach out to family or friends to help you secure those heavy items.  You want to make sure your home is safe for you, your family, grandkids and your pets. Refer to Weeks13 and Week 14 to help you identify what needs to be done in your home to make it safer when an Earthquake strikes..

4.    Evacuating your Home:  Depending on your level of mobility this may require some extra planning. If you are able-bodied practice evacuating from your house or apartment and go to your family meeting place.  Week 7 outlines how to develop your family meeting place.  If you live in an apartment remember that the elevators will not be working if there is a fire or major earthquake and you will need to use the stairs.  Check with your building manager to find out what plans may already be in place. Some buildings will have a refuge area where people who need assistance may gather.

If maneuvering the stairs is an issue for you – maybe you have a neighbor that could come and assist you? Talk to your neighbours and let them know your concerns and your plans. You will be amazed at how willing they are to help.  

Facilitating one of my Earthquake Preparedness Workshop for Seniors, there was a lady who was in a wheelchair and she was not able to use the stairs.  She said if there was ever a fire she would not be able to get out of her 3^rd floor apartment.  

I suggested she talk to her neighbours and see if anyone could assist her. One of her neighbours was at the workshop and said she would be more than happy to help. They developed a plan.  When the fire alarm goes off the senior who lived next door would knock on her door (if it was safe to do so) and see if she was home.  If she was home she would let the Fire Department know about the lady in her apartment so the Fire Department could assist her.  

6 ½ months later there was a fire at this building and their plan worked beautifully. The Fire Department was able to go in and assist the lady in the wheelchair. Had they not created this plan - would the fire department have been able to help her? Probably yes but it may have taken a lot longer to figure out there was a lady in a wheelchair stranded in her apartment. Planning ahead is always the best policy.

Another workshop I conducted for a Seniors Group had an old fellow in his late 80’s. He used a walker when going outside and a cane when he was in his apartment. His problem was he was always misplacing his cane. He said if evacuated he would be able to maneuver the stairs if he had his cane but in a fire he might not have time to find it. 

His solution – keep an old umbrella by the door – he never used the umbrella and knew it would always be there waiting for him and the umbrella could certainly work as a cane in an emergency.                  

This is how you adapt plans to work for your situation!

You’re Task for Week #18

1. Ensure you have supplies to last a week safely stored in your home. Make sure you have a Grab & Go Kit with items you will need if you must evacuate from your home.
2. Make sure your home is safe and items are properly secured.
3. Practice evacuating from your home - if you are unable to evacuate check with a neighbour to see if they would be willing to help you during a disaster. 
4. Reach out to family or friends who may be able to help you get better prepared for Earthquakes or any disaster you may be faced with.

Week 19 we will look at what to do when the earth starts moving.

Have questions – don’t hesitate to ask. Until next week – Stay safe and make sure you, your family and pets are prepared for earthquake or any disaster that may come your way.

As Always BE PREPARED - NOT SCARED!

     

Jackie Kloosterboer - BIO

Jackie Kloosterboer 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 you, your family, your staff and pets get prepared 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.  

Contact Jackie with any questions or to book her for your next event at jackie@survive-it.ca or call (604) 355-2414

Jackie is available for:

Earthquake Preparedness Presentations

Preparedness Plans

In-Home Walk-Throughs

Preparedness Kits

Media Interviews

Week 17 - After an Earthquake - are you prepared to evacuate with your pets?

Earthquake Preparedness! 

Answers to your Earthquake Preparedness Questions

The time to prepare is NOW – once the big one      STRIKES it will be too late.  

Your family is counting on you! 

 By Jackie Kloosterboer – Speaker, Trainer, 

Author – My Earthquake Preparedness Guide 

QUESTION:   After an Earthquake are you prepared to evacuate with your pets?

Post 16 explained how to create your pet's Grab & Go Kit – like us they will need basic items to survive after an earthquake.  I hope you have put your pet’s Grab & Go Kit together – they are counting on you!

Presenting an Earthquake Preparedness Session at a Lunch and Learn last week a woman asked me what if you couldn’t take your pet with you when you are forced to evacuate.  Should you just leave your pets behind?  A great question and it brought me back to a story I heard from a forest fire a few years back.

A family had been advised to evacuate their home due to a fast approaching forest fire. During a previous evacuation a few years back for another fire, they had been away from their home for only a night so they expected to repeat their short-term evacuation experience again this time. 

Rather than take their old dog with them, they decided it would be better to leave him in his dog run.  They believed he would be more comfortable as he had shelter and plenty of food and water. 

During the night the fire changed direction and roared through their property. Sadly, their dog did not survive.   As you can imagine the family was devastated.  They had truly thought they were doing the best thing for their dog but everything went terribly wrong. 

As pet lovers our hearts go out to this family - they made a bad decision which they will live with for the rest of their lives. How could you ever forgive yourself? 

As heart wrenching as this is you can certainly learn from this so it won’t happen to you.

BE PREPARED TO TAKE YOUR PETS WITH YOU WHEN YOU EVACUATE.

There were similar stories from Hurricane Katrina and other disasters around the world where people were not allowed to take their pets with them when they were evacuated.  People refused to evacuate without their pets and both the people and pets lost their lives.

Today - people are being encouraged to take their pets with them when being evacuated and with some simple planning it will be much easier when you have your plans in place prior to the earthquake. 

When facing an earthquake you may need to evacuate your home especially if you have damage. Once you are out of your home you don’t know if you will be allowed back in.  There could be aftershocks that cause damage or you could be faced with a house or apartment fire - all of which could prevent you from safely returning to get your pet.

Always take your pets with you when evacuating!

You’re Task for Week #17

Some things to consider prior to facing an evacuation:

• Have the contact number of local kennels, vets etc. that can provide boarding.
•  Have the supplies your pet will need in their Grab & Go Kits. See last week’s blog 16 for detailed lists or use the check list in My Earthquake Preparedness Guide
•  If you have a cat they can often be difficult to put into a cat carrier.  A vet friend suggested putting your cat in a pillow case and this may help calm them down.  As crazy as it sounds I have seen this work.
•  Train your pet to go into the carrier.
• Have a list of hotels that will allow pets.
•  Remember – life safety always comes first. Don’t put your life in danger to rescue a pet.

 Week 18 we will look at seniors and disasters.

Have questions – don’t hesitate to ask. Until next week – Stay safe and make sure you, your family and pets are prepared for earthquake or any disaster that may come your way.

As Always BE PREPARED - NOT SCARED!

     

Jackie Kloosterboer - BIO

Jackie Kloosterboer 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 you, your family, your staff and pets get prepared 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.  

Contact Jackie with any questions or to book her for your next event at jackie@survive-it.ca or call   (604) 355-2414

Jackie is available for:

Earthquake Preparedness Presentations

Preparedness Plans

In-Home Walk-Throughs

Preparedness Kits

Media Interviews