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SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR EARTHQUAKE SURVIVAL
When the ground is rumbling every second counts. There is no time to panic. Refusing to panic can save your life. If you are close enough to feel the tremor, you are close enough to the quake (or explosion) for buildings in your area to be damaged. It is possible that the following suggestions may help you survive.
BASIC SAFETY
Within reach of your bed and your work station, keep sturdy shoes and a working flashlight. A set of clothes you can quickly put on should be at your bedside. If the shaking starts while you are in bed, remain there until it stops. When the tremor ends, quickly put on clothing and shoes. Bare feet are no match for broken glass, and light shoes won’t last long in rough terrain.
DUCK, COVER & HOLD
IF YOU ARE LOCATED INDOORS kneel next to an interior, weight-bearing wall. Get beneath something solid such as a strong table. Use your hands to protect your neck and head. Take a firm hold of the object you are beneath to keep yourself steady.
IF YOU ARE LOCATED IN A HIGH-RISE get beneath something sturdy. Use your arms and hands to shield your head and neck. Grasp the object shielding you to steady yourself. Use the stairs when you exit. Elevators should NEVER be used during a fire or earthquake.
WHEN OUTSIDE
Quickly note the location of large trees and power lines. These could be a threat to your safety if they fell. Avoid overhead hazards such as these. Try to position yourself in an open space in order to avoid falling objects. Move away from high buildings. Two to thirteen feet of broken glass can crash onto streets beneath high-rise buildings.
IF YOU ARE IN AN AUTOMOBILE
Don’t exit the vehicle. Locate yourself beyond the reach of overhead threats. Don’t park under any extensions. Remain in your car even if it is beneath a bridge during an earthquake. The vehicle’s tires act as insulation and will cushion the blow of any heavy debris that lands on your car. On an open road, you will want to pull over to the shoulder without blocking the thoroughfare. Wait for the quaking to end. Use your radio to track reports and get further instructions.
IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH
Realize that aftershocks are likely: prepare to DUCK-COVER-HOLD – again! Examine yourself for injuries. Secure your flashlight. In the event of gas leaks, a flashlight will be MUCH safer to use than a candle. If you are at home, locate everyone in your household. Move everyone to a safe place that you’ve agreed upon beforehand. Once you’ve accounted for everyone, walk around the perimeter of the house, checking for structural damage such as large cracks or obvious leaning.
Wait for instructions from authorities before attempting to shut off natural gas. Tune in by radio to the emergency broadcast network for information on relief efforts.
Locate any pets you own. Soothe and reassure them. To protect them from running away, restrain them or place them on a leash until it is certain they are no longer afraid. This will also help prevent bites that occur due to anxiety.
TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS
Respect the role that instincts play in survival. Pay attention to what you see small animals and insects doing. In 2008 there was a mass migration of frogs crossing roads in China that began on a Monday (May 5th). A few days later (May 12th) a 7.8 magnitude quake killed nearly 10,000 people in central China.
TAKE HEED
These measures are offered as guidelines. Considering your course of action ahead of time will increase your likelihood of survival if you find yourself in an earthquake. This advice is not meant to take the place of professional emergency aid. All liability is assumed by the person that utilizes these measures.
HERBS USED FOR INCENSE
Historically, sick rooms were once cleansed using the smoke from burning sage and rosemary. A fragrant wood, Cedar is known to have expectorant, antifungal, antiviral and lymphatic cleansing properties. The needles from Pine, Spruce and Fir trees contain the main ingredient in Tamiflu (a medicine used to treat the bird flu) called shikimic acid. Respiratory ailments have been helped with the application of incense made with Frankincense. Other similarly beneficial herbs are Eucalyptus leaves and Mullein.
The slow burning of plant materials release essential oils into the smoke which – when inhaled – are then carried into the lungs. Bronchial inflammation can be relieved by beneficial herbal properties that are directly applied to the tissue using this method.
I know of one instance of a woman that was left struggling for air, choking and vomiting from a strong cytokine response during the flu. The man of the house closed the damper on the wood stove and placed cedar in the fire box, which produced a cleansing smoke. The cytokine storm stopped right away. Twenty minutes later, she had no more mucus and was relieved of her flu symptoms. Since that time, they have used this same remedy on other family members to good effect (of course, they air the house out afterwards).
Native Americans often used the smoke of Cedar to cleanse their homes. Smoke can be used in rustic conditions as a cleanser to rid a person, bedding, clothing or shelter of vermin, viruses and harmful bacteria. The last part of Leviticus 14 records that priests were instructed to cleanse a house of the plague using Cedar.
HOW TO USE HERBS FOR INCENSE
Carefully place a hot ember or coal from a hardwood fire (use tongs) onto a heat resistant surface. Assemble the herbs around and onto the ember and watch for smoke. Allow the smoke to waft over you and inhale. Be careful that the plant material does not burst into flames but only smokes. The smoldering is accomplished by using hot coals rather than an open fire; you can also tie your herbs or wood into tight bundles.
Herbs tightly bundled for incense are called smudge sticks. In some cases, leaves and stems can be tightly braided. If you only have dry leaves, these can be tightly wrapped in unbleached paper and tied with cotton thread. To use smudge sticks, light one of the ends. Extinguish the flame by gently blowing on it, leaving the smudge stick to smoking. These smudge sticks make it easier to direct the smoke and they tend to smoke longer than loose plant material.
WARNING
Never inhale or come near the smoke of a plant to which you are allergic. The purpose of this article is for information only. Persons utilizing these methods assume all liability and are encouraged to use safety guidelines. This article is not a substitute for the care of a trained health professional.
MAKE CHANGE & LEARNING FUN
When learning occurs in a safe environment, you can increase the intensity (fun or excitement) of a lesson, repeat the information and discover new ways to take hold of the student’s attention span over extended periods of time. Effective instructors look for ways to use all of these methods in order to stimulate learning.
Classrooms aren’t always able to incorporate these items. Yet, students of human nature and advertisers are happy to use what works. Recently, a large car company sponsored a contest to find the best invention that would make a task fun and change behavior. Creating a sense of fun rewards the desired behavior and encourages people to repeat that activity. The projects were designed to change encourage positive changes in behavior.
What value does this have to you? It is due to the fact that these things can be used to enhance your learning experiences as you gain new skills. Whether you are trying to become proficient at primitive life skills, herbal medicine or plant identification it is very important to be knowledgeable and prepared. Your education will be difficult if you are full of fear instead of happy adventure. Few are motivated to practice skills that they view with overwhelm and dread.
Make time in your schedule for your family to enjoy some fun adventures together. Develop a family hobby. Together you can discover the beauty and wonder of nature in your area. How can you use the plants growing near you? Plan educational outings. Offer assistance to other that are working on educational projects. Consider starting your own class and inviting friends. Enjoy the social aspect of learning. Choose a specific skill and invite others to a friendly competition or workshop. Your family will be drawn closer by the memories and fun you create while gaining valuable information that may prove useful in times to come. With a creative approach, the joy of learning can be yours.
HERE ARE THREE OF THE EXAMPLES OF THE FUN THEORY PROJECTS:
In this first example, the goal was to increase the use of trash receptacles by members of the public. Watch to see how they found a way to make using a trash can so much fun that a boy is seen looking for more trash to place inside the bin.
Here, the object was to increase bottles placed into the recycling bin. A few flashing lights later, a crowd gathered to cheer on their fellow recyclers.
We all know that taking the stairs is better for us than taking the escalator. In this video watch the time elapsed footage that shows a dramatic shift in use of the stairs when the steps are creatively covered.
HELPS TO AVOID CHILD ABDUCTION
Last month a mother was surprised to be reunited with her daughter. Two decades before (when the child was eleven) the young woman was abducted. Throughout the world, there are many similar cases. It is more than difficult to accept that these events are not rare. It is in our best interest, however, to prepare for the ‘worst case’ scenarios and develop safe habits.
AN APPEALING UNTRUTH
When you want it to be true, a lie is a very dangerous thing. It’s easy to believe these types of lies because the truth can be horrifying. “I don’t want to hurt you; just do as I say,” is an untruth that rings with the familiar tones of the original liar. No one wants to get hurt, so they cling to the hope that compliance is a way to escape harm. This is very similar to adults that refuse to allow themselves to consider that their children might need to know what to do if they are grabbed. The thought that a child could be taken is a parent’s worst nightmare.
PREPARED, NOT AFRAID
To help your family and children avoid danger, the first step is to accept this world can be a dangerous place, and predators hunt easy targets. Arm your children with the information they need to avoid being targeted and how to react if approached. By giving a child the tools he needs to deal confidently with an emergency and avoid peril, he is less likely to live in fear.
FIND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Discuss with your child the how to identify a stranger. Make a game of it and review what you have learned while going about your normal routine with your child.
* Demonstrate to your child how he can choose a safe stranger to ask for help in an emergency.}
* Play a game to see who can identify a stranger. Discuss the fact that strangers aren’t always scary-looking, creepy, or old. Sometimes, an abductor isn’t even an adult, but a bigger child.}
* Libraries, police stations, restaurants, stores, homes of trusted family members or friends, community centers and other locations should be discussed and shown to the child as safe places he can go for help.
* Sit a while and watch people. Discuss the differences between a person that pretends to be your friend and someone that is simply being polite. Show your child how to determine when someone is just a bit too perfect, too nice, in a creepy sort of way.
KNOWLEDGE YOUR CHILD SHOULD HAVE
* If your child doesn’t know a person, that person is a stranger.
* Don’t even take a short walk with a stranger. NEVER go with someone you don’t know.
* Strangers may attempt to lure a child into a house, building or car using toys or treats. An abductor may even know the child’s name, but a child should be trained to never go willingly even if offered these enticements. The child should run for help and yell “NO!”
* It isn’t wrong to hit (and even injure) and adult if you are attacked. Children need to know that they aren’t being bad or rude when they escape and find help.
An adult that claims to be in trouble should never be helped by a child. A child’s response should be to yell and run away. If an adult needs help, he or she can ask another adult to assist. Something is definitely not right when an adult seeks out a child for aid.
These scenarios (and similar ones) should be avoided:
* A person holding a leash and asking for help finding a lost puppy.
* People asking directions.
* Drivers asking for help with mechanical difficulties.
* A person that tries to get a child to help find something in a house or car.
* A secret word is one tool that can be used to signal a child that his parents have sent an approved individual. A child will know that even if the person knows his name, he shouldn’t go without hearing the secret word. For further safety, change the word regularly.
* Make it your custom to tell your child who and when another adult will be driving them.
* Make it a rule that your child will not accept a gift from someone they don’t know – especially when his parents aren’t present. Gifts offered when parents aren’t there should be refused. A predator can use gifts as bait. A child can be drugged by doped candy or harmed by other items hidden in gifts.
* Teach children to have confidence in their instincts. Running away should be the first response of a child that feels threatened. A child that is afraid should run for help. Escaping quickly to a safe place, a child should then find a trusted adult and ASK THAT PERSON TO HELP.
* The greatest need is to be safe, not polite. It’s better safe than sorry.
* When dealing with a stranger that is threatening, remember the three R’s: Recognize, Respond and Report.
* Take on the role of a stranger and pretend to ask for directions or try to get your child to help you find a lost pet.
* Show your child the safe range to remain beyond the reach of a stranger.
* Practice running away for times when a stranger gets too close or grabs another child. Tell your child the importance of running for help (and not staying to help) if another child is grabbed.
* Practice with your child the art of yelling and screaming to attract attention.
* Practice with your child flailing and kicking to break a stranger’s hold.
* Show your child how to claw an abductors face (eyes, ears, mouths & nose) with their fingers to get away.
MAKING YOUR CHILD LESS OF A TARGET
* Show your children how to look out for each other and stay in a group.
* Remind your child that he should never go with someone that invites them to leave the group.
* Playtime should be with a group or a safe buddy.
* Require your child to check with you before they leave home or some other approved location.
* Plan a neighborhood meeting to share these tips with other parents.
When you make these things part of your daily living, your child should not become fearful. Rather than something extra, a child can learn these things in much the same way as he learns to brush his teeth, wear a seatbelt and check for traffic at an intersection: as a means to insure his well-being.
SAFETY TIPS FOR FLOODS
Flooding is rated first in the United States for weather related deaths. Flood conditions contribute to the deaths of an average of 140 people annually. Vehicle deaths account for 3/4ths of that total.
Nature is not the enemy in a flood and realizing this can contribute to your chances to survive. Flood conditions occur often enough that much information on survival techniques has been gathered.
Rivers that overflow their banks account for the primary form of flooding. Though there has been no rainfall in an immediate area, it is possible to experience flooding. Upriver storms and rain can cause the waters to rise in areas that haven't even detected a cloud. Extended rainfall over a period of weeks or days can culminate in flooding downstream. Two important pieces of information are your risk for flooding and the topography of the land in your area.
Restraining your pets or placing them on a leash indoors is one precaution you can take in time of flooding. Livestock should be moved to high ground. Tune your radio to the local weather station for updates and warnings. Time is of the essence when a flood warning is issued -- a flash flood warning may give you even less time to act. Escape may be measured in seconds. Swollen waterways will dispense their overflow onto the lowest level. Quickly the streams, creeks and streets will fill. Seek out higher ground rather than trying to outrun floodwaters. Don't try to drive out of a flash flood. A car cannot accelerate as quickly as a flash flood.
For those that have time to prepare, furniture and treasured items can be relocated to a higher level. Fill a variety of containers, even your bathtub, with clean water. If you have a family disaster plan, use it now.
If you see water covering an area, DON'T DRIVE into it. That water may be hiding hazards. The area isn't safe no matter how well you know it. The ground surface could have been compromised by water and objects. Toxic chemicals, downed power lines or an assortment of other debris can be mixed with the floodwater. Stop your vehicle, turn it around and find an alternate route.
Don't walk through standing water. The pull of floodwaters is deceptively strong. As little as a half-of a foot of water can be sufficient to set a child or an adult off their feet, carrying them away. Boiling water advisories may be issued so you'll want to listen to your radio for those. Take special note of any small openings in your home's exterior. Snakes, rats and neighbors' pets will be seeking shelter too, and may choose your home as a refuge.
Walk around the exterior of your house when you return after a flood to check for damage and places where animals may have entered. If you see foundation damage, it's best to hire a professional to inspect the safety of the premises. Wear protective clothing when cleaning up after a flood. Remember to wear a dust mask, long-sleeves, long pants, rubber gloves and waterproof boots. There will be a lot of silt, debris and mud swept into a flooded home. Bring enough clothing to change as your work garments get soiled. The sludge contains bacteria that could cause sickness.
There was an impressive flood in Cane Creek, TN earlier this year. <media 1838 - external-link-new-window>No Greater Joy's July-August issue</media> carried articles about the aftermath. Bestselling author Debi Pearl contributed an article entitled "The Biggest Cane Creek Flood on Record" and illustrated with color photos. Gabriel Pearl, Debi's son, also wrote about the event in "Cane Creek Flood." Read No Greater Joy Magazine online or add your name to their free subscription list.
