How to Prepare a Home Emergency Kit

Water Preparation- You will need non-corrosive, airtight containers with the stamp HDPE and the number 2 recycling symbol on the bottom, such as milk jugs.  Carefully clean the container and lid
(remove the lid liner) with hot soapy water, rinse, clean again with a mixture of 1T bleach to one gallon of water, let stand for 2 minutes and rinse again.  Fill the container with tap water and 1/8 teaspoon of bleach, to kill any remaining bacteria. 

Water Storage- Store the containers out of sunlight and away from chemicals.  After 6 months, use the old water and replace it.  The amount you need depends on the number of people in your family and the number of days you want to be prepared to handle.  The rule of thumb is 1 gallon per family member per day (don’t forget some for pets).  Always plan for a minimum of 3 days; this means a family of 5 would need 15 gallons stored.

For more information about alternative emergency water sources, such as your hot water heater, visit http://www.nationalterroralert.com/safewater/.

Food- Canned goods with long expiration dates that do not require heating before eating are a good option.  Don’t forget the can opener.  However, if you have to carry the food outside your home, canned goods are heavy so be creative.  Nuts and seeds are a good light weight source of shelf stable protein.  Peanut butter and pilot bread is another good idea here on slope.  Keep enough food in your pantry or in an emergency kit to last your entire family for a minimum of three days.  When deciding the number of days, keep in mind, most of our food comes in on a plane, so a off-slope catastrophe can affect our food resources.   Change out the food in your kit every 6 months, to eat food before it expires. 

Radio-Purchase a hand cranked or battery operated AM/FM radio to help keep you informed.

Flashlight- A minimum of two, in case you need to separate from your family for a while.  Candles with matches will also work; just don’t ever leave them unattended.

Batteries-  Be sure to have extras for your radio, flashlight and any other items you plan to have in your kit.  Rotate these every time you purchase new batteries, to keep them working properly.

First Aid Kit- You can purchase a  kit or create your own.  Just remember to replace items as they get used throughout the year.

Whistle- Allows others to hear where you are located.

Barriers- Items such as duct tape and plastic sheeting can help keep contaminates out of your home, dust masks are important if you have to breathe bad air.

Hygiene items- bucket, garbage bags, toilet paper, hand sanitizer or wipes

Tools- wrench and pliers for shutting off water, gas, and electricity (know how to do these things before the emergency)

Blankets/Heavy Clothing- on most lists you will find these items optional, but with our weather they are necessary.  If there is ever a problem with the heat, we would definitely need extra gear.

Beyond the Basics- If you have a basic kit ready and want to expand your kit, consider adding any of the following items: spare glasses, medications,  baby supplies, pet supplies, personal care items, copies of important documents, cash, unscented bleach, fire extinguisher, paper and plastic products (for eating and clean up), paper and pen, and activity books for the kids.

 

Five Steps to a Healthier Home

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the air inside our homes may be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. What’s surprising is that this statistic does not exclude newer homes, which can actually test higher than older residences in terms of poor indoor air quality.

In a rush to conserve energy in the 1970s, builders, architects and designers began building tighter homes with energy efficient windows and doors and thicker insulation in an effort to seal out potential drafts. While we succeeded in lowering the cost of energy bills, we ended up adding to the problem of trapping volatile organic compounds (VOCs) - harmful fumes caused by leftover building products, furniture, animal dander, and indoor mildew and mold - inside our homes.

Today, Americans spend millions of dollars each year on indoor air filtration systems. We purchase everything from small, tabletop models to whole-house units for our homes. And yet, even with all the information available on the market, there is major debate on which ones truly work the best.

Below are five steps that you can take to improve your home’s indoor air quality. By following these steps and coupling them with the right indoor air purifying unit, you’ll breathe a lot easier in your own home.

STEP ONE: Test your home for possible contaminants. Today, there are a number of in-home test kits available to assess everything from lead on walls and in your drinking water, to asbestos and radon gas. And utilizing these inexpensive kits can give you the peace of mind of knowing that you and your family are safe.

STEP TWO: If you have a forced air heating system, have the air ducts cleaned regularly and upgrade to better furnace air filters. Homeowners often ask, “Is cleaning my air ducts worth it?” The answer is yes. Even if your home is new, you may have more internal construction debris and dust than a home that is 10-15 years old.

In conjunction, for many of us, the furnace filter is a spun glass filter that costs less than a dollar. While this filter will protect the blower motor, it will do next to nothing when it comes to improving your indoor air quality. Upgrade to a pleated filter that captures particles so small that even the naked eye cannot see them. The key is to change them regularly - every couple of months should do - to prevent the restriction of airflow through your heating system.

STEP THREE: Keep your home as clean as possible. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), an estimated 57 million Americans suffer from severe allergies and asthma and keeping your home as clean as possible can dramatically improve the air you breathe. Dusting window treatments, around window and door trim and those out-of-reach areas can make a huge impact. Use a bagless vacuum cleaner that utilizes a HEPA filter to maximize your cleaning power and avoid the plume of dust that occurs when you’d otherwise change the bag.

STEP FOUR: Consider purchasing an indoor air purifier. Because they can vary in performance, size and cost, it’s important that you find the right purifier to fit your needs. There are a number of Web sites you can turn to for help. One of the industry standards is put forth by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers’ (AHAM) Air Cleaner Council (www.aham.org). There, testing helps set certain parameters so that all purification units are measured against the same criteria. If you’re thinking of a particular model and in search of its product rating guide, visit www.cadr.org for the unit’s “clean air delivery rate.” In turn, take advantage of the 30-day free trial offer many manufacturers offer. By the end of 30 days, you’ll know if you are breathing easier and if the unit is worth the investment.

HEPA filtration (High Efficiency Particulate Air) is one of the most common approaches to cleaning the air. A good quality HEPA filtering system can be up to 99.97 percent efficient at filtering particulates that are 0.3 microns from the air. This filtering system has been widely used and accepted by organizations promoting indoor air quality standards to clean the indoor air of smoke, dust, pollen, mold spores and pet dander.

Portable units, when sized correctly, can do a good job of cleaning the air in a particular room. But the key is to make sure that unit is sized for the square footage of that room. In addition, the faster the fan runs, the more air is exchanged through the unit. While this does increase the noise, the units will work much better.

STEP FIVE: Protect your family by installing a carbon monoxide detector. It used to be that smoke detectors were enough to protect your family. However, in recent years, homeowners across

America have been taking safety a step further by installing carbon monoxide detectors in their homes.

When installing a carbon monoxide detector, remember that the placement of that detector is key. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends it be located near the sleeping area, where it can wake you if you are asleep; however, additional detectors on every level and in every bedroom of a home provides extra protection.

Article from:

http://www.sbsalaska.com/assets/news/topics/healthyhome.htm

Fire Prevention Month Reminds Alaskans To Keep Their Homes Safe from Fire

Every year in Alaska we see the tragic results of fires in cities, as well as the villages. Nationwide, home fires killed more than 3,000 people in 2005. Fortunately, many home fires are preventable. Fire Prevention Week is October 7-13 this year and the theme is “Practice Your Escape Plan.” That’s because even though most families have a fire escape plan, a majority admit they haven’t practiced it. Fire Prevention Week is a great time to practice that escape plan and to take some extra steps to prevent a fire in the home.
Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires. In fact, three in ten reported home fires start in the kitchen – more than any other place in the home. Two-thirds of these fires start with the range or stove.

Kitchen Safety Tips

› Always use cooking equipment tested and approved by a recognized testing facility.

› Never leave cooking food on the stovetop unattended, and keep a close eye on food in the oven.

› Keep the cooking area clean and clear of combustibles (like potholders, towels, rags, drapes and food packaging).

› Keep children away from cooking areas by enforcing a “kid-free zone” of three feet around the stove. Keep pets from underfoot while cooking and off of cooking surfaces and nearby countertops.

› Wear short sleeves or close-fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking. Loose clothing can dangle onto stove burners and catch fire.

› Never use a wet oven mitt; it could scald you as the moisture in the mitt is heated.

› Always keep a potholder, oven mitt and lid handy when cooking. If a small fire starts in a pan on the stove, protect your hand with the oven mitt and smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan. Turn off the burner. Don’t remove the lid until it is completely cool. Never pour water on a grease fire and never discharge a fire extinguisher onto a pan fire, as it can spray or shoot burning grease around the kitchen.

› If there is an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed to prevent flames from burning you and your clothing.

› If there is a microwave fire, keep the door closed and unplug the microwave. Call the fire department and make sure you have the appliance serviced before you use it again.

› Prevent steam burns from microwave cooking by carefully removing lids or other coverings.

Take steps to prevent fires in your home and community by heeding these tips:

Home Safety Tips

› Keep space heaters three feet from anything that can burn.

› Ask smokers to smoke outside.

› Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children.

› Inspect electrical cords and replace or repair loose or frayed cords. Don’t overload sockets.

› Extinguish candles when leaving the room or going to sleep.

› Prepare and practice a home fire escape plan. The plan should provide two escape routes from each room.

› Install smoke alarms and carbon dioxide detectors and test them monthly. Replace batteries regularly.

› If you must escape through smoke, remember to get low and go.

For more information on preventing fire including how to create a home fire escape plan, visit the National Fire Protection Association website at www.nfpa.org

Article from http://www.sbsalaska.com/assets/news/topics/fireprotect.htm