Emergency ABC - Making the best out of being stranded: When your vacation won't let you leave

Making the best out of being stranded: When your vacation won't let you leave

Sometimes when disaster strikes it will leave you, literally, in the dark and in the cold. That's a worst-case scenario but it's a good place to start. Ask yourself how prepared you are for a situation where you're at home and, due to weather or some catastrophic event, you can't leave . . . and then the lights go out. Emergencies like this can occur at any time of year and for many different reasons and, like most everything else in life, the more prepared you are the better off you and your family will be.

In 2003 a blackout struck several communities in the United States. People were surprised to find themselves not only without electricity but without water pressure or, in some cases, without phone service -- even cell phones were unusable in many areas because the blackout effected the towers that are responsible

for relaying the cell phone signal. Millions found themselves totally unprepared for such a situation and panicked -- and that was just a simple blackout. What would your situation be? How about if the blackout and/or the situation that caused it lasted for three or four days and travel was either unsafe or impossible?

In the summer most people would be in a better position. Most healthy people can put up with the summer heat, without air conditioning by finding ways or places to cool off. In the winter, however, you would fight a constant, physically exhausting battle against the cold with the only thing to do being to add extra layers of clothes or use blankets. The very young or the elderly or chronically ill are in more danger any time of year. But the more prepared you are for a situation like this or for a disaster in general, the better off you will be and the better your chances of surviving until emergency services can handle the situation, restore your power or at least evacuate you to a safe, climate-controlled environment.

The Plan! Your family needs a contingency plan in the event of a disaster or a just simple black out.

If you have children at school or day care and no phone service you'll have to assume they will be safe there, well taken care of and returned home as soon as travel is possible.

Have more than 1/2 tank of gas in your car at all times. If an emergency like a blackout strikes and travel is not advisable but still possible in response to a life-threatening situation, remember that you can't get gas for your car if gas stations have no electricity.

If communication is out, have a message center set up in the house so everyone knows what everyone else is doing and where they are at. Nothing is worse than having a "missing" family member and having no way to communicate with him or her.

Always have a stock of emergency supplies ready, even if you don't live in an area that is prone to severe weather emergencies -- emergencies can happen any time, anywhere. Some essentials are food that doesn't have to be cooked or food that can be warmed up on a Sterno stove or a propane stove; water: at least three gallons for each family member . . . and, if possible, fill the bathtub with extra water as soon as you can; a complete first aid kit and first aid guide; extra clothing and blankets; flash lights, extra batteries, candles and matches (stored in a water-tight container); and a battery powered radio so you can get current information about the emergency.

If you live in a location where the nature of the emergency is most likely to be a winter blizzard, it would be a great idea to have a propane room heater, or have a wood burning stove installed -- assuming you don't have a fire place.

Defense considerations. The family should confine itself to just a few rooms and one adult should always be home with children at all times -- remember, some people are panicking and their actions are unpredictable. It's a good time to seriously consider self defense and home defense. In emergency situations, desperate people can be your greatest danger. Defending your home and family is your most essential job. Take a look at the Home Defense News for tips on securing your home: http://www.homedefensenews.com/.

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◦ Disability Dangers during Disasters
◦ Do You Know All Your Emergency Phone Numbers?
◦ Drafting a Medical Game Plan in Case of an Emergency
◦ Fifteen Ways to Disaster Proof Your Home
◦ Five Fire Facts for Fleeing to Safety
◦ Five Important Things to Know before Cleaning Up after a Flood
◦ Five Things to Ask Your Child's School or Daycare Provider about their Emergency Preparedness
◦ Five Things to Do to Protect Yourself during a Lightning Storm
◦ Five Things to Do When Disaster Strikes While You Are at Work
◦ Five Tips in Averting Home Fires
◦ Four Ways to Protect Your Family against Crime during an Emergency or Disaster
◦ Gassing up and Other Things to Do in an Evacuation
◦ Get Fired Up - Do You Know What to Do in a Fire?
◦ Household Hints to Live by in Preparing for an Evacuation
◦ How to Plan Your Escape Route When Disaster Strikes
◦ How to Raise Awareness for Emergency and Disaster Preparation
◦ How to Talk to Your Child about Disaster Preparation
◦ Hurricane Help - Ten Ways to Prepare for the Big Storm
◦ Importance of Water in an Emergency or Disaster
◦ Insure Against Disaster - Re-Evaluate your Disaster Policies
◦ Keep Afloat During Floods - Six Important Safety Tips
◦ Make a Plan of Action in Case of a Chemical Spill
◦ Making the best out of being stranded: When your vacation won't let you leave
◦ Office Preparedness - Items for your Survival Kit
◦ Pet Essentials - What You Need to Pack in Case of Evacuation

Home Security
◦ 3 essential steps to build a secure community
◦ 5 absolute essentials of home security
◦ 5 absolute essentials of protecting yourself from bogus callers
◦ 5 essential things to check for when you are buying a house
◦ 5 things you must never do if you want a secure home
◦ Apartment Security
◦ Computerized Home Security
◦ Home Automation System
◦ Home Security: 7 things you should never forget about.
◦ Home Security Advice
◦ Home Security Alarm Monitoring
◦ Home Security and Children
◦ Home Security and Information Security
◦ Home Security and Personal Safety
◦ Home Security and Safety
◦ Home Security Basics
◦ Home Security: Bogus Callers
◦ Home Security: Burglary Prevention
◦ Home Security Companies and Contractors
◦ Home Security Do It Yourself
◦ Home Security: Domestic Dangers