Tips Guides Resources

With the extreme weather conditions that we are facing today, everybody should be prepared for anything, particularly flooding. Strong tropical storms and hurricanes often cause flooding, even in areas that are not prone to such an event.

Things to do to safeguard your home

1.Prevent water from entering your home - If you are expecting heavy rains or storms to hit your locality, particularly if you live in a flood-prone area, you should cover your doors, or even windows, with metal sheets, sandbags, or plywood. You can also use silicone sealant to ensure that water will not enter your home.

2.Shut off your utilities - You should remember to turn off all your utilities, such as gas, electricity and even water, at the mains. You should also remember to unplug all your electrical appliances and store them at high places, on the second floor, if possible.

3.Protect your appliances and furnitures - You need to ensure that your furniture and appliances are kept on high areas or upstairs. If you do not have a second floor, you can just raise such items on blocks or bricks. Be sure to remove carpets, curtains and even internal doors. Store them all in high places to ensure that they are protected from water.

4.Protect your personal items - Important papers, pictures and other personal items should also be placed on higher grounds, particularly on the second floor of your house. If not, you should put important papers on sealed bags to ensure that they are protected from floods.

5.Protect your - Make sure that all objects outside your house or in the garden such as fertilizers and chemicals are kept in a safe place. Floodwater can easily seep into them and cause contamination to your home and surrounding areas.

Things to do once a flood warning has been issued

1.Listen to the local news - Information is crucial during situations like these. Thus, you need to always listen to the radio for announcements and updates.

2.Cooperate with local authorities and emergency services - Be sure to cooperate fully with local authorities and emergency services. If they require you to evacuate, follow them and do not dillydally.

3.Power backup - Since electricity will almost certainly be unavailable, you must ensure that you do all the things you need to do during the day. It is much more difficult and unsafe to do things in the dark.

4.Share information - Share the information with your neighbors, particularly the old people, so that they can also prepare themselves.

5.Stay inside the house - Be sure to stay inside your house. Floodwater can kill, especially when it is raging, so do not attempt to go out. It is important to note that rapid flowing water that is six inches high could make you fall, while two feet of water could make your car float.

6.Safe location for pets and cars - Ensure that your pets and cars are in a safe location. Once you heard of flood warning, you should stay on the second floor of your house.

7.Do not attempt to swim - There maybe objects floating in the water, so do not attempt to swim through raging flood. You can either be swept away or be knocked over by objects that are in the water.

8.Avoid contact with flood water - Floodwater may be dirty and contaminated with sewage, so you should avoid contact if possible. It would be a shame that you survived the flooding, but fell ill because of contaminated water.

9.Stay away from dangerous places - River bridges, sea defenses, and riverbanks are very dangerous places to be in during floods, so be sure to steer away from them if possible. There have been many cases wherein floodwater have destroyed or collapsed bridges and defenses.

Paul Hata is active in various social and community programs aimed at providing equal access to education,health and jobs to all.Paul has over 10 years experience in managing a multi-million dollar advertising company.Paul can be reached at - SearchAnythingWorldwide.com

The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake killed more than 225,000 people in eleven countries and inundated coastal communities with waves up to 30 meters or 100 feet. It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in history.India,Indonesia,Sri Lanka and Thailand were the hardest hit.

Tsunamis used to be the stuff of movies and until its devastation in Asia in 2004.Most people did not think it was possible for tsunamis to occur in that magnitude. After the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, people have become aware of the risk and possible consequences of this natural calamity.

What is a tsunami - Tsunamis are not caused by strong winds but by tectonic displacements (earthquakes, volcano eruptions, landslides) that occur on the seafloor. Earthquakes that produce tsunamis are those that reach 6.5 or more on the Richter scale. The average speed of the waves is 300 mph and can last from 5 minutes to an hour.

In open sea, tsunamis usually go unnoticed, having amplitudes of just 1 meter or even less. However, in some situations, waves that enter shallow water can swell to several feet and in some rare cases, rise high enough to strike coastal areas with terrible force.

Who’s at risk - People who live in coastal areas located along or near the Pacific Ocean are most prone to tsunamis. This area is most vulnerable because of seismic activity in what is called the Ring of Fire. It has also occurred in Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii and the Virgin Islands.What what should we do in a tsunami emergency?

1.Leave the water immediately - When a strong earthquake is felt, leave the water immediately, get to shore and go as far away as you can from the beach, fast. If your location allows it, go to a higher ground. If the area you are in is mostly flat, go as far inland as you can. If you can spot the wave, you are too close to escape it, regardless of its apparent distance.

2.Tune in to your local radio station - the weather radio or turn on the TV for news and updates. They will inform you if there is a tsunami watch or warning issued in your area and where the emergency centers are.

3.Locate all members of your family and make sure everyone is informed - Agree on a place to meet in case you’re not together and make sure it’s safe and as far away from the shore as possible.

4.Evacuate those with special needs first - If you have family members who have special needs like elderly people, small children or infants and those with disabilities, you might want to evacuate early. You might also want to prepare your pets for moving, so bring emergency supplies for them as well.

4.Check your emergency supply kits and bring them with you - It would be a good idea if they had been regularly restocked but if not, take what you can or get what is needed if you still have the time and opportunity. Otherwise, opt to get water, food and extra clothes instead.

5.You might want to secure your house, but remember that this is the last priority - Your life and that of your family’s are the most important considerations during a tsunami emergency. Expect items in your house to be swept away and if you could still secure them, do so.

Tsunami Watch vs. Tsunami Warning - A tsunami watch is different from a tsunami warning. A tsunami watch means that the presence of a dangerous tsunami is not yet confirmed or verified, although it is possible there is one. It also includes predictions on what time the tsunami is expected and where it will possibly strike.

A tsunami warning means that there is a confirmed tsunami in your area and it could be close. The warning will include the time at which the tsunami is expected and which areas are affected.

When the tsunami is about to hit you - If you find yourself under the mercy of an incoming wave, climb onto the rooftop of your house or on the highest point of the nearest structure and brace yourself. Hold on tightly to anything that’s strong and stable enough. Climb a tree if you have to and don not let go.

When the tsunami has hit you - If you’re already in the water, grab a floating object that can hold your weight and hold onto it until you can reach stable ground or when help is available. Grab onto anything that is firm and strive to get out of the water as much as possible. The current will be strong and there could be heavy and sharp debris in the water that could crash into you.

Tsunamis, like most things nature produces, are uncontrollable. The only advantage is that they do come with a warning,such as a strong earthquake. The only way to survive it is to be prepared, be ready to go and to keep your wits about you.

Paul Hata is active in various social and community programs aimed at providing equal access to education,health and jobs to all.Paul has over 10 years experience in managing a multi-million dollar advertising company.Paul can be reached at - SearchAnythingWorldwide.com

Each year, thousands of people died because of fire-related incidents at homes,many of which can be prevented if emergency plans has been in placed earlier.Thus, it is very important for us to be prepared for such emergencies. Each member of our family should know what to do in the event of a fire. More importantly, all of us need to know what to do to prevent a fire.

Planning Ahead - One of the most important things that parents forget to teach their children is to prepare for emergencies, such as fire. Even at a young age, children should already be taught how to prevent fire and what to do in case there is fire. Fire drills have often been conducted in buildings and schools to help prepare building occupants and students in case of fire, so why can’t you have a fire drill in your home?

1.The first step is to check your house for possible fire exits. See if the windows and doors in your house are big and tall enough to be used as possible fire exits. Make a floor plan for each room, ensuring that there are at least two ways to get out of the room to escape fire. In making the floor plan, you need to include crucial details, such as stairs, windows and hallways.

2.After devising a floor plan, you should meet your children and discuss your fire escape plan. You should also make sure that your family has devised a way of warning other members of fire, such as bells, door tapping, etc. It would be best if each bedroom of your house has a flash light and a bell. Lastly, select a safe place outside the house where everyone will go after escaping the fire.

Preparing Your Family For Fire Emergencies - It is wise to act out your evacuation plan with the whole family. Teach your children how to stay close to the ground while escaping and is possible, let them memorize the way. Sometimes, the smoke caused by fire would make it very difficult to see the way, so it would really be wise if you and children know the way by heart.

1.You and your children should also know that during fire, you should feel the door first before opening it. You should not open the door if it is hot. Instead, find another way you could escape your room or house.

2.If the clothes of your children or any family member catch fire, tell them to fall to the ground and roll. This will help extinguish the fire.

Make Your Home Safe From Fire - Make sure that emergency numbers are placed near telephones. Such numbers should always be accessible and visible so that you can call authorities immediately when a fire breaks out.

1.You should also ensure that smoke detectors are installed in key places in your house. Once smoke detectors are installed, you should check their batteries once in a while. Usually, the batteries of smoke detectors should be changed yearly.

2.Place fire extinguishers in key locations. If your house has several floors, ensure that there is at least one fire extinguisher per floor.

3.It would really be best if smoking is prohibited inside the house because many incidences of fire are caused by improperly discarded cigarettes. However, if smoking cannot be helped, make sure that nobody smokes in the bed. Furthermore, let everyone know how to properly discard cigarette butts.

4.No matter how many times you have taught your children that matches and lighters are dangerous, some will still play with them. Thus, it is advisable to keep all lighters and matches in places that your children cannot access. If possible, put them in locked drawers or cabinets

Paul Hata is active in various social and community programs aimed at providing equal access to education,health and jobs to all.Paul has over 10 years experience in managing a multi-million dollar advertising company.Paul can be reached at - SearchAnythingWorldwide.com

The earth’s crust is composed of many large and small segments called tectonic plates. These plates are in constant slow movement. With these movements come small tremors and earthquakes.To this day,scientists have not yet really determined a way to predict an earthquake. That is why, when a strong earthquake strikes, a lot of people gets injured, or even killed, and properties gets damaged. The only thing we can do, if we live in an area near fault lines, is to be prepared everyday for such eventualities.

Things to prepare for an earthquake

1.Prepare an emergency kit - You will never know what will happen after a quake, thus, you should always have an emergency kit for everyone in your household. Each kit must contain at least one gallon of water, food supply for at least three days (you should select non-perishable food), and first aid kit. Make sure that the emergency kit that you prepared is easily accessible. If possible, place it in a location where you and your family will run into during a quake.

2.Prepare the food and water - You should ensure that you regularly change the food and water in your emergency kit. The food and water in your kit will be of little use if they are already not fit to eat or drink. Instead of saving your life, such might even exacerbate your situation.

3.Know the mains of your utilities - Earthquake might cause fire from gas leaks and electricity. Thus, it is important that you know where the main switches of your utilities are so that you can turn them off when needed.

4.Inspect your house for cracks and fissures - You must regularly check the condition of your house to ensure that it can withstand even a strong earthquake. Be sure to have the cracks on your walls, chimney and even door frames fixed. If you live in an apartment, report cracks and fissures to your landlord immediately, so that he or she can do something about the situation.

5.Have an evacuation plan - You and your family must make an emergency plan for disasters, such as fire, floods, and earthquakes. Each member of the family should know what to do in case of such incidents. You will be able to protect your family more if you prepare them earlier. Panic and confusion can often lead to injuries accidents.

Things to do for an earthquake

1.Stay away from objects - The first thing you and your family should do is to stay away from objects that might fall off. Stay away from book cases, cabinets, and hanging objects, such as chandeliers, or ceiling fan.

2.Stay put - During an earthquake, it is wiser that you stay put, particularly under sturdy tables or door frames. Do not run around or even attempt to get out of the house. There are more dangerous things outside your house that could injure you, such as lampposts and cars.

Stay away from the kitchen. One of the most dangerous places in the house during an earthquake is the kitchen because there are many pots and pans hanging around and drawers full of knives and cutlery. Furthermore, there is a danger of a gas leak in the kitchen that might cause fire.

Things to do after the earthquake

1.Do not light a match or candle - Do not attempt to light a match or a candle immediately after the quake; you are not sure if there are gas leaks. Lighting up a match might ignite a fire, so be very careful. If you can, shut off the main gas valve if you smell gas.

2.Check for any gas leak - Check for any gas leak.If you suspect a gas leak, open the windows and evacuate your house immediately. You should also call the gas company once you are away from the gas leak. Do not try to call, especially using your mobile phone, near gas leaks.

3.Check the local news - There will sure be aftershocks after an earthquake, so do not let your guard down even if your house is intact and all the members of your family are well. Be sure to check the news for information about the quake and other important updates.

Paul Hata is active in various social and community programs aimed at providing equal access to education,health and jobs to all.Paul has over 10 years experience in managing a multi-million dollar advertising company.Paul can be reached at - SearchAnythingWorldwide.com

Would it not be great if everyone in this world pitched in and lived a totally green life? The earth would be so much better off. While it is not likely that this scenario would actually occur, but the more people who pitch in with the little things, the more we can make a change to the future of our planet.Here are some small, but meaningful ways to do your part to help the environment:

Lights On/Off - Growing up, you probably heard your parents nag you about turning lights off when you leave a room. By turning the lights off in a room where we do not need them, you are cutting down on the energy costs for supplying the room with light. You do not have to be in the dark. Just turn on lights where you need them and turn off the ones you do not need.

Save Water - How often do we brush our teeth at the sink with the water running while we are scrubbing away at our teeth? It is a habit most of us have gotten into over the years and never really got out of. By keeping the water running, you are wasting precious water, so turn the faucet off while you brush and only turn it on when you need it.

Take the clothes outside - Every time you use your dryer, you are using more energy than you need to. If it is a warm sunny day, hang the clothes up on a clothesline. Let the wind and the warm air dry them for you. Leave the dryer for the days you really need them. Hanging clothes to dry worked for the pioneers and it can for you too!

Get rid of the junk mail once and for all - Junk mail comes in droves every year to unsuspecting households. The junk we receive ultimately gets thrown out, which is like throwing away our precious trees. There are a few places to sign up to stop the junk mail from donning your doorstep. Save those trees and the environment by just saying no to mail you did not ask to receive.

Reading and browse online - Instead of getting 14 catalogs a month in the mail, save space and the environment by browsing through the pages online. No more stacks and clutter of catalogs getting in the way of your home and no more wasting trees to make them. View what you need online if your catalogs are available through the Internet.

Go homemade with your cleaning - There are too many chemical-based aerosol cleaning products seen in homes today. These can be harmful to us as well as the environment. In most cases, some of the cleaning can be done with regular ingredients you can find already in your home, such as lemon juice for cleaning mold and mildew.

It is the little things in our daily lives that can make a huge difference for future generations to come. Do whatever you can to help out. If we each participate by implementing a greener life, even by taking small steps, we can provide a better earth for our children.

Paul Hata is active in various social and community programs aimed at providing equal access to education,health and jobs to all.Paul has over 10 years experience in managing a multi-million dollar advertising company.Paul can be reached at - EarlyPlanet.com

Storms do not just come without a warning. Weather stations monitor the atmosphere day in and day out If a storm is brewing, they will issue these warnings .If you live in a storm-prone area, you should be used by now on what to do, where to go and what to have to be prepared for bad weather. However, if you’re not used to getting pummeled by high winds and hard rain, you probably don’t have an idea how best to face a storm situation.

Storm Watch - A storm watch is issued when there is a possible storm in your area. You probably will be experiencing a dark, cloudy sky, an unusually windy day and some rain. The storm may or may not come, but this is the time to keep tuned to your local radio for news and updates.

Storm Warning - A storm warning is issued when a storm is headed toward your area. Try to stay indoors as much as possible. Or if residents are advised to evacuate to a safer place, go as early as you can. Do not wait until the last minute to leave your house. By that time, the streets could be flooded and traffic is bad. You do not want to be caught in your car in bad weather.

Blizzard Warning - A blizzard warning is usually issued during heavy snow, strong winds and wind chill. When a warning is issued, avoid traveling as much as possible and stay indoors. There is no use exposing yourself outdoors where you could get trapped in traffic or in locations where you will be difficult to reach or worse, find.

For all our technology, no one can stop a storm from coming. The only way to survive it is to be prepared to face the emergency. Things do not always go bad during storms, but weather is unpredictable and anything can happen. To help you prepare for a storm emergency, here are a few tips:

1.Dress Up - Wear enough clothes to keep yourself warm. Heat may not be available in your house so get extra coats and blankets to maintain your body temperature sufficiently. Have your mittens, gloves, hats, socks and boots ready as well.

2.Have the Food Ready - Emergency provisions are a must during storm emergencies. Make sure you stock on no-cook food, canned food, some candy and other non-perishable items. And don’t forget can openers, scissors or utensils. If the storm gets too bad and the streets are flooded, you will have a difficulty going out to the grocery shops. Besides, stores might be closed.

3.Have the Drinks Ready - Keep bottles of water handy. Clean water may be hard to come by during really bad conditions and the worst thing you can do is suffer from dehydration because you were not prepared. Keep a supply of at least one gallon for every person per day that will last for 3 to 4 days.

4.Fill the Tub - You’ll need more water for washing and flushing the toilets. When the power is out, your water pump won’t operate, so best fill your bath tub, water containers and pails with water. If you have small children in the house, take precautions by covering deep containers and keeping children away from the bathroom unless necessary.

5.Prepare the Emergency Kit - Have a medical or first kit ready and make sure it’s freshly-stocked. It should contain disinfectants, gauzes, cotton balls, Q-tips, medicated plasters and necessary medicines. It’s also a good idea to have another kit in your car.

6.Prepare the Medicine - If anyone in your family is under special medication, make sure you have enough supplies to last until after the storm is over and drug stores are open.

7.Lights Off - Expect power outages during storm emergencies. You won’t have any electricity, so stock on candles, flashlights and emergency lights. Have extra fresh batteries and matches in case you run out.

8.Power Off - If you cannot turn on the TV, have a battery-powered radio tuned in to a station that covers your area. Media will monitor the storm and will keep you updated.

9.Ready Power Supply - You might need hot water during the period when power is not yet available, so keep a small tank of gas around just in case. Your outdoor gas grill will do nicely.

10.Get an Alternate Shelter - If you think your house will suffer considerably, it’s a good idea to consider an alternate shelter. It could be an evacuation center or another house or building that is safer. Make sure you have enough gas in your tank in case you need to get out of the house and move someplace. Keep to a higher ground where you have better chances of being safe and dry.

Paul Hata is active in various social and community programs aimed at providing equal access to education,health and jobs to all.Paul has over 10 years experience in managing a multi-million dollar advertising company.Paul can be reached at - SearchAnythingWorldwide.com