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Would you know what to expect? Would you know what to do? According to the Vancouver Sun, if a catastrophic earthquake (7.3 or higher) hit
- 10,000 dead across Metro Vancouver,
- 128,000 serious injuries
- 30% of Vancouver buildings would be extensively damaged
With Shakeout BC www.shakeoutbc.ca 10 days away this is a good time to review your family emergency plans & check emergency supplies on hand. Don’t be caught in an emergency situation unprepared. The power failure that hit Vancouver in the summer is a perfect example of how preparation and planning can save you and your family from unnecessary stress and difficulties. For as little as $140 – a family of 4 can be full prepared for any emergency for 72 hours. We even have kits for the car.
1 person 72 hour economy kit
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Same-level slips, trips, and falls are occupational hazards that can be found in almost every type of work setting. When considering workplace falls, most people immediately think of falls from a height, yet, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the majority of fall-related injuries occur as a result of falls from same-level walking surfaces.
Safety professionals today believe that human factors play a key role in these incidents.
Falls to same level:
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Floors, platforms and stairways may be slippery from water, blood, or poultry fat and grease.
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Employees may trip over boxes, electrical cords, equipment, or other items that are left in aisles and walkways.
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Floors may be uneven or have depressions or shallow holes or uncovered floor drains that cause employees to trip.
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Jackie Kloosterboer has been teaching people how to prepare for earthquakes for close to 2 decades. She is the author of My Earthquake Preparedness Guide – Simple Steps to get You, Your Family and Pets Prepared. Follow Jackie on Twitter @Surviving_it to receive Earthquake Preparedness tips to help develop your Family’s Earthquake Plan.
| Nepal – Could we be next?The devastating Nepal earthquake claimed the lives of so many innocent men, women and children, injured thousands, devastated people’s livelihoods and then less than a month later another earthquake – absolutely unbelievable! What terrifies me is – like Nepal we too are overdue for an earthquake and so few of us are prepared. I can only imagine what it would be like on the West Coast in the aftermath of 2 major earthquakes. We need to look at Nepal as yet another wakeup call and start taking action to get ourselves, our families and pets prepared – we could be next! Look at your own family, how would an earthquake impact them? What if you are not together when it strikes – could they survive without you? What plans do you have to connect after an earthquake? What supplies have you got stored so you can better survive-it? If you are like most people, you have a few supplies tucked away in the back of the hall closet – but do you have enough to sustain you, your family and pets for a minimum of 3 days – a week is even better! The following 3 simple steps is a great place to start to better protect you, your family and pets in an earthquake:
Create your Family Meeting Places Family Meeting Places are pre-identified locations where your family will meet when unable to connect using regular methods of communication. Hopefully we are home together when facing an earthquake, but that may not be the case, we could be at work, they could be at soccer practice – we just don’t know. That is why you need to identify Family Meeting Places so you will have options to connect. The more options you have the better your chances of connecting with your family. Your first Family Meeting Place should be outside your home – if you need to evacuate quickly such as for a house fire this is where you and your family will meet. Across the street is good. If you evacuate through different doors you could be scattered and not know the safety of your family because you can’t locate them. This Family Meeting Place will help you connect much faster and you will know everyone is safe much quicker. Develop a second Family Meeting Places within walking distance of your home. If you must evacuate your home or you are not able to return home your family can meet there. A friend or family member who lives within walking distance works well. Once you have connected with your family you can then determine your next move. For those of you who work close together – identify a Family Meeting Place close to your work. If you cross bridges to get home you may find them closed after an earthquake. If you have a Family Meeting Place near your work you can meet your family who is in the same area and then determine if best to make your way home or stay in your current location. Look at your daily lives and identify if there are other Family Meeting Places you need to identify to help connect your family.
Designate Your Family’s Out of Area Contact When an earthquake strikes there are so many unknowns – will our internet be down, will we be able to text – will our cell phones work – until the earthquake happens we don’t know the answer. What we do know is – the more options you have available to connect with your family the better your chances will be of making that connection. In addition to your Family Meeting Places, an Out of Area contact provides another way for you to connect with your family. We know our home phones and cell phones will likely not be working after a significant earthquake, but often long distance will still work.
Simply identify someone who lives out of the province (preferably east of the Rockies) to be your family’s Out of Area Contact. When faced with an earthquake and cell phones and local phones lines are not working, you and your family members will know to call your Out of Area contact to provide your status and get updates on family members who have already called in.
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 phone you won’t have access to your Out of Area contact number. Make sure you carry your Out of Area’s contact number in your wallet.
Know what to do when the earth starts moving Drop, Cover and Hold On – this must become second nature to all of us. When the earth starts moving we must immediately Drop, Cover and Hold On underneath a heavy table or desk or against an interior wall so we are better protected from falling and shooting objects. Once the shaking stops – slowly count to 60 then cautiously get out of your safe spot and check your surroundings. Check on family members and then identify what your next move will be. The above 3 steps are not difficult for you and your family to do and if this is all you do, you will better survive the earthquake. But don’t stop here – keep going and get those emergency kits and supplies your family will need and make your home and office safe so when the earth starts moving – you, your family and pets will be better protected. Once the earthquake hits it will be too late. You won’t be able to run out and get what you need. The time to do it is now. Remember – your family is counting on you! |
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Here comes the season for colds and flu. Most illness can be prevented. Here are some simple things you can do to prevent illness in the workplace or at school.
1. Wash hands often. The CDC says to wash your hands with warm soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Sing Happy Birthday…2x
2. If you come in contact with anyone that is sick, try to avoid touching your eyes, mouth or nose. Germs can get into your easily through these passageway.
3. Help others. If you are sick, call in sick. If you sneeze or cough, cover your sneeze with your elbow and not in your hand. Wash your hands anyway.
4. Disinfect with a disinfectant wipe. Research from the University of Arizona found that phones, desks, fountain handles, microwaves, and computer keyboards contain large amount of germs. Use caution wiping down electronics as they are sensitive to moisture. We carry Accel TB in spray and wipes form.
5. Use hand sanitizer! The CDC says to use alcohol based hand sanitizer. We carry Purell for dispensing machines and/or Isagel in personal size, desktop or 4L jugs.
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At this time of the year I often get asked what items should be added to first aid kits.
Additional Recommended Items For First Aid Kit
Include any personal items such as medications and keep a note inside of emergency phone numbers (your doctor, hospital, contacts…). You might also consider keeping an inventory note of your First Aid Kit contents so you can resupply later if items are withdrawn.
Check the kit regularly for expiration dates and refill any supplies that have been used.
Consider keeping a small LED flashlight inside the kit.
Pain relievers and fever reducer. Depending on your preferences and medical conditions, consider keeping any of the following – Acetaminophen for fever and pain, Ibuprofen for muscle pain, and Aspirin for fever and pain (Aspirin not for children under 15).
After Bite – to deal with those nasty insect bites
Allergy medications, Antacids, Chap-stick, Eye wash, eye drops, Burn gel
Do you have any other ideas to add?
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The Canadian May long weekend has passed which means camping season has officially begun. Minor injuries and illnesses can ruin a camping trip if you don’t have a first aid kit stocked with the right supplies. A well-equipped first aid kit is an essential item to pack for any camping road trip.
Here is a list of items to consider including in your first aid kit:
Bandages and Dressings
- Elastic bandages (Band-Aids; for everyday cuts and scratches)
- Adhesive and butterfly bandages (effective for use in the closure of a deep cut or wound)
- Roll bandages (when moderate compression is needed
- Triangular bandages (for head or appendage, as a handy arm sling, or even as a tourniquet)
- Sterile gauze pads/non-adhesive dressings (ideal for cleansing and covering larger cuts, scrapes and minor burns because they are highly absorbent)
- Large wound dressings
- Blister dressing (particularly useful if you plan to do a lot of walking)
- Adhesive tape cloth-based (can be used to hold bandages and dressings in places)
- An ice pack (to cool and reduce swelling)
- Splinting materials (to provide support to an injured area to stop it moving)
Miscellaneous Essentials
- Safety pins (to secure bandages)
- Scissors (to trim bandages and other uses)
- Tweezers and needles (to remove splinters or ticks)
- Antiseptic wipes (used to clean wounds, cuts and scrapes and help prevent infection)
- Cotton swabs/cotton wool (used to apply ointments)
- Thermometer (for taking your temperature, useful if you have a fever or are not felling well)
- Non-latex gloves (help prevent the spread of infection into an open wound from the hand of someone cleaning / treating it)
- Large plastic bag (for soiled bandages and other used medical items)
Medications
- Topical antibiotic cream
- Oral antihistamine (such as Benadryl)
- Medications for pain or fever (such as Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen)
- Hydrocortisone cream (1%) (for insect bites)
- Diarrhea /vomiting medication (such as Imodium or Compro)
- Anti-acids (such as Tums or Rolaids)
- Eye drops (sooth irritated eyes)
- Travel / motion sickness medication (in the U.S. need a prescription for most medication)
- Personal medications (if you or anyone in your group suffers from any illnesses)
- Anti-inflammatory medication (such as Aleve)
Other medications to consider, depending on the time of year and where you’re going:
- Bee sting kit
- Snake bit kit
- Poison ivy cream/cleansers (such as Zanfel, TechNu or Band-Aid)
- Aloe vera gel or other moisturizer (for sun burn)
- Sinus medications (if it’s allergy season and you know you suffer badly, such as Claritin)
Some final tips:
- Replenish your first aid kit if any items are used and check medications for use by dates
- Pack your first aid kit in a well-labeled waterproof container. Make sure everyone in your party knows where it is kept
- Keep your kit as compact as possible, consider removing tubes of cream or ointments and strips of pills from their cardboard box and simply cut out the instructions. Keep them together with an elastic band
- Know how to use the items in your first aid kit, familiarize yourself with everything that’s in it, especially if it’s a pre-packaged one
- Tailor your first aid kit to the kind of trip you’re taking, the time of year and your own or families’ personal medical needs
- Bring a first aid manual if you are unfamiliar with basic first aid
- Consider taking a first aid class if you do not have any basic first aid knowledge, particularly if you have children.
Visit our online shop to view any of our ready made first aid kits https://sostech.ca/product-category/shop-online/
