THE BIG ONE NEWS

Are You Prepared?
LIVING IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA— home of earthquakes, fires and mudslides —
means you always have to be prepared. That is especially true in Riverside County,
where mountain residents live along the edge of the wilderness, and some desert
dwellers enjoy the peace and quiet of remote locations far from the nearest
emergency services.

One of the best ways to stay prepared is to assemble a home disaster kit that will
ensure your family has what it needs to survive in the event of a major disaster. One
component of such a kit should be a “grab and go bag,” which puts essentials at your
fingertips if you have to flee your home. A home disaster kit ensures that you will be
self-sufficient for 7–10 days in the event you are without running water, refrigeration
and telephone service. Once you assemble the kit, keep it in a watertight container in
an accessible location.

The kit should include:

water—one gallon per person per day
food—ready to eat or requiring little water
hand-cranked can opener and other cooking supplies
plates, utensils and other items needed for eating
First Aid kit
copies of important documents and phone numbers
warm clothes and rain gear for each person
work gloves
disposable camera
unscented liquid household bleach and an eyedropper to purify water
personal hygiene items, such as toilet paper, feminine supplies, hand sanitizer and
soap
plastic sheeting, duct tape and a utility knife for covering broken windows
tools, such as a crowbar, hammer and nails, staple gun, adjustable wrench and bungee
cords
blanket or sleeping bag
large, heavy-duty plastic bags and a plastic bucket for waste
any special-needs items for children, seniors and people with disabilities
water and other supplies for pets
The grab-and-go bag is an important component of the home disaster kit. Preparing
one bag for each family member, using a backpack or other easily-carried container,
will ease your mind if evacuation is looming.

The bag should include:

flashlight
battery-operated radio
batteries
whistle
dust mask
pocket knife
emergency cash in small bills and quarters for phone calls
sturdy shoes, extra clothes and a warm hat
local map
water and food
permanent marker, paper and tape
photos of family members and pets for identification purposes
list of emergency phone numbers
list of any food or drug allergies
copies of health insurance and identification cards
extra pair of prescription eyeglasses, hearing aids or other such items
prescription medications and first aid supplies
toothbrush and toothpaste
extra house and car keys
any special-needs items for children, seniors or people with disabilities
any items your pets would need
EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS
INFORMATION
AMERICAN RED CROSS TO OFFER

DISASTER SERVICES TRAINING IN COACHELLA VALLEY


AMERICAN RED CROSS IN NEED OF
MORE DISASTER VOLUNTEERS

To volunteer and receive free training, please contact Anthony Richardson,
Response Manager, at arichardson@riversidecounty.redcross.org, or call (888)
831-0031 x 2018.
Click HERE for your direct link to Red Cross information
We have received many, many emails talking about Doug Copp's
theories on Earthquake Safety. The Blogfolks disagree with his
concept and so does Riverside County.
See Below:

Please do not forward the “Triangle of Life” information. The County
of Riverside Office of Emergency Services continues to promote the
“Drop-Cover-and Hold” method of protecting yourself in an
earthquake.  There is good information here:

CLICK HERE FOR CORRECT INFORMATION


Although Riverside County does not have an official statement on the
validity (or lack thereof) of the Triangle of Life theory, the Earthquake
Country Alliance has addressed it in their preparedness  info:

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

It is also featured on Snopes.com:

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/triangle.asp


Lynda J. Kerney, Legislative Assistant

4th District Supervisor John J. Benoit

Riverside County Board of Supervisors
www.RivCo4.org
LOS ANGELES EMERGENCY/ EARTHQUAKE
PREPAREDNESS
BOOKLET

CLICK  HERE