The tips and links below will help prepare you for most major disasters, but even if you can't make a complete evacuation kit, I strongly suggest you make a small emergency bag with the absolute essentials. You'll sleep better for it. Always be prepared.
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BASIC DISASTER SUPPLIES KIT (from Ready.gov)
- Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
- Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- First Aid Kit (see below)
- Whistle to signal for help
- Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
- Moist towelettes, garbage bags, and plastic ties for personal sanitation
- Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
- Manual can opener for food
- Local maps
- Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger
ADVANCED SUPPLIES TO CONSIDER
- Prescription medications and extra eye glasses; Contact lenses and supplies
- Denture needs
- Infant formula and diapers (see below)
- Pet food and extra water for your pet
- Cash or traveler's checks and change
- Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container. You can use the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK) developed by the Operation Hope, FEMA and Citizen Corps to help you organize your information
- Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or free information from Publications
- Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate. It is possible that you will not have heat.
- Complete change of clothing including a long-sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate - Jacket or coat; long pants; long-sleeved shirt.
- Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper - When diluted, nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe, or bleaches with added cleaners.
- Fire extinguisher
- Matches in a waterproof container
- Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
- Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels, and plastic utensils
- Paper and pencil
- Books, games, puzzles, or other activities for children
FOR BABY
- Formula
- Diapers
- Bottles
- Powdered milk
- Medications
- Moist towelettes
- Diaper rash ointment
- For more information about the care and feeding of infants and young children during an emergency, visit the California Dept. of Public Health website.
FIRST AID KIT
- Two pairs of Latex or other sterile gloves
- Sterile dressings to stop bleeding
- Cleansing agent/soap and antibiotic towelettes
- Antibiotic ointment
- Burn ointment
- Adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes
- Eye wash solution to flush the eyes or as a general decontaminant
- Thermometer
- Prescription medications you take every day such as insulin, heart medicine, and asthma inhalers. You should periodically rotate medicines to account for expiration dates.
- Prescribed medical supplies such as glucose and blood pressure monitoring equipment and supplies
- Aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever
- Anti-diarrhea medication
- Antacid
- Laxative
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant
Ask your doctor about storing prescription medications such as heart and high blood pressure medication, insulin and other prescription drugs.
Knowing how to treat minor injuries can make a difference in an emergency. You may consider taking a first aid class, but simply having the above items can help you stop bleeding, prevent infection, and assist in decontamination.
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www.Ready.gov - "Launched in February 2003, Ready.gov is a national public service advertising (PSA) campaign designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies including natural and man-made disasters. The goal of the campaign is to get the public involved and ultimately to increase the level of basic preparedness across the nation." (quoted from http://www.ready.gov/videos)
CDC's Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocolypse - "As it turns out what first began as a tongue in cheek campaign to engage new audiences with preparedness messages has proven to be a very effective platform. We continue to reach and engage a wide variety of audiences on all hazards preparedness via Zombie Preparedness; and as our own director, Dr. Ali Khan, notes, "If you are generally well equipped to deal with a zombie apocalypse you will be prepared for a hurricane, pandemic, earthquake, or terrorist attack." So please log on, get a kit, make a plan, and be prepared!" (quoted from http://www.cdc.gov/phpr/zombies.htm)
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ARTICLE & REFERENCE LINKS - SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA/TEMECULA VALLEY AREA
Southern California Geologic Information
City of Temecula General Plan - Public Safety Element (including maps and hazard information)
http://www.cityoftemecula.org/nr/rdonlyres/c37451f4-ce58-40fe-8a92-16d510a285e5/0/publicsafety.pdf
VERY USEFUL INFORMATION FOR THE TEMECULA VALLEY AREA!
"Natural hazards addressed in the Public Safety Element include seismic, geologic, flood, dam failure and wild land fire hazards."
City of Murrieta Safety Element (direct pdf download) -
www.murrieta.org/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=3653
City of Hemet Public Safety Element -
http://www.cityofhemet.org/DocumentView.aspx?DID=806
My Hazards -
http://myhazards.calema.ca.gov/
"Use this website to discover the hazards that exist in your area and learn how to reduce YOUR risk! Remember, the best way to recover from disasters is by reducing the risks before a disaster strikes."
Temecula Fault/Flood Zones -
http://chims.cityoftemecula.org/imf/output/map13950.pdf
Inland Empire Fault/Flood Zones -
http://chims.cityoftemecula.org/imf/output/map13951.pdf
New Hazard Maps for Riverside County, CA
http://groundwater.fullerton.edu/groundwater/Groundwater_Web/Professional_Publications_and_Abstracts_files/Laton-%20Hazards%20maps%20Riverside.pdf - "These hazards in Riverside County include ground shaking, fault rupture, and landslides, foundation failures caused by liquefaction or subsidence, and seiche. Earthquakes can also cause a variety of localized, but not less destructive hazards such as urban fires, dam failures, and toxic chemical releases."
Elsinore Fault Zone Overview -
http://www.data.scec.org/significant/elsinore.html
Article: Elsinore Fault Capable of 7.5-Magnitude Quake (with map)
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty/article_b5446ba0-34c6-5c4e-a252-3249d379e7a5.html - "In the first statewide forecast compiled by the state and federal survey agencies and the Southern California Earthquake Center, scientists said there is an 11 percent chance over the next 30 years that the fault will trigger an earthquake on the order of Northridge. That 1994 Los Angeles shaker measured 6.7 on the earthquake magnitude scale. ... However, scientists concluded there is nearly a 6-in-10 chance an earthquake like Northridge will break along the San Andreas fault. ...There is a 97 percent chance such a quake will strike Southern California by 2038 and a 93 percent chance that one will rock Northern California, the report said."
