Proposed Earthquake Kit Options Approximately 75% of all families in BC are not prepared when a disaster happens. By: G.Hutchison
Introduction: A review of the BC and City Government information shows many options to prepare for a disaster. This document is an overall compilation of information from various sources that will help clarify options a family can consider. This is something that not all families will do or should do but brings together the information in one condensed package with examples of kits. A strong recommendation is to consider worst case but add supplies in stages to reduce financial burden. Get the basics and add every few months up to a level that you are comfortable knowing that you and your family will be safe. The most important recommendation is to have a plan. The BC Government and the City of Surrey Emergency Program have prepared a checklist with items that they feel all homes should consider having available. These are only suggestions with a goal to have a family safe for up to 72 hrs. Other documentation has indicated that 72hrs should be a bare minimum with a longer term being up to 1 week of emergency supplies based on experience from other disasters around the world. Having a plan is essential before determining the level of supplies you want to have available in your home. Determine some likely scenarios for where kids might be, or parent might be when a disaster happens. What to do? Where to go? Where to meet as an alternate if home not possible? Make sure other family members have this info and have an out of province or out of lower mainland point of contact for other members of the family to contact. The supplies that are needed range from the basics like water and food, to more long term food rations, power options, first aid, vehicle supplies and work supplies. One thing to also realise is that a disaster can happen at any time no matter what the time of year weather it is winter, summer, day or night. This process is not something that families like to think about but to be prepared is something that is better to have in place then having to figure out after the disaster happens and you realise that you are not prepared. To put into perspective a large quake off the BC coast would cause superficial damage with broken windows, jammed doors, fallen lights and anything not seismically secured would move or fall over causing damage and potential injury. The building itself would remain standing. If the quake was located anywhere under the Greater Vancouver area, then the building would sustain a greater amount of damage and may not be able to be occupied until a review of the structure was done, but would most likely be left standing. The level of damage and disruption to basic services and supplies is an unknown so having some additional supplies is recommended. The latest estimate from an October of 2013 study based on a 9.1 magnitude model would cause approximately $75 Billion in damage.
This checklist shows what is recommended and to help determine the level of emergency resources a family wishes to achieve. Discuss each point and determine if this is what you want to pursue or disregard as an option. Item Recommended Per BCGOV/ City Emergency Department Minimum Requirements Family Required Level Optimal Resources The Plan Each person to have a copy Emergency Home Kit Vehicle Kit Office Kit Child Comfort Kit Water - 72hrs supply Water 1 Week supply Food 72hrs supply Food 1 Week supply and beyond Sanitation Kit/Supplies Additional Search and Rescue, Power Options, Evacuation supplies The following information has been broken out into the following sections: 1. Make a Plan 2. Emergency Supplies for the home a. Water b. Food c. Home Emergency Kits & Supplies 3. Emergency Kit for your Vehicle 4. Emergency Kit for your Office 5. Child Comfort Emergency Kit 6. Evacuation Emergency Kits 7. Pet Emergency Kit 8. Supply Company List 9. Preparing Your Home
Make A Plan: The first thing that needs to be done before dealing with supplies is to make a plan. Sit down with the family and go over all possible scenarios and write them down. Determine the common concerns and logistics of where everyone is going to be. Ask a lot of questions, If this happens then this is what you do. Have a common meeting point, ie. The house, if that isn t an option then the secondary point to meet at is where? If the kids are in school then who will pick them up? Parent or family friend etc. If the parents are at work then who goes to school? Who goes straight home? When the plan is complete it is wise to have a copy printed out in a reduced font size and laminate it for your wallet. In the event of an emergency there will most likely be panic and having a plan in your wallet will be a quick reminder of what to do and knowing that everyone knows what to do. Once this plan is in place then what is to be done to the house? Walk thru to determine if safe? Clean up anything that is a hazard? Get out supplies? If you cannot be at the house then get ready to move to the secondary location. There will most likely be a disruption in communication where landlines will be down or overloaded and cell reception may be compromised. Have an out of lower mainland point of contact that all family members can try to contact. Some long distance phone lines may be operational and this way someone is at least aware of where you have moved to.
Emergency Supplies for the Home: What supplies to have in your home varies from company to company. The following information is only a compilation of material from different sources. Every expert has a different idea of what each home requires and how much each home should have stored. When the Emergency Plan is done and you have an idea of where you will be staying, then you will have a better idea for what to store in your home. If you have to move then make sure you are set up in such a way that your supplies are easily accessible, light enough to carry and in a location that is secure from falling debris. Old luggage on wheels can help for storage and for moving your supplies around. Water: The most important thing to understand is that water is the number one item to have stored. All information that I can find suggests that 1 gallon (3.7 litres) per person per day is needed. This volume of water is based on not only drinking water but food preparation, sanitation, first aid and during a disaster a must is washing your hands to help contain any germ issues. With that volume of water in mind the next step is deciding how to store water. There are a number is sites that indicate how to store water and how to purify water. There is one major misconception that some sites document and that is to use bleach to purify water, The professionals say to NEVER USE BLEACH unless there is no other option. Bleach is a poison and using it without knowing what to do will only get people sick. The best way to store water is in containers that are plastic UV coated, BPA free and are sealable. The common container is a 5 gallon stackable container (11 x10 x14 ). Read the label to make sure it meets the requirements. The water can then be stored in 2 ways. First by rotating the water every 6 to 12 months, or the second option is using a water preserver and sealing the lid tight which will then last for up to 5 years. Once the water is in the containers it is best to keep the water containers in a ventilated area, not exposed to sun, heat and or chemicals. Also keep up off of concrete floors. Having water stored in a 5 gallon container also makes it easier to transport if needed. Larger water storage containers would not allow this. Water storage examples noted below. Water preparation for long term storage see: Disastersurvivalskills.com (California specialty website): http://www.disastersurvivalskills.com/how-to-store-water and http://www.disastersurvivalskills.com/survival-water The Ready Store: http://www.thereadystore.com/food-and-water-storage/3111/how-to-store-water-correctly
Water Storage Container Options: Company Name Product Name Cost Link Total Prepare 3.5 Water Brick 10 Pack 9 Wx18 Lx6 H each block $189.95 Total Prepare Rhino Pak $21.95 http://totalprepare.ca/product/rhino-pak/ Company Name Product Name Cost Link The Ready Store 5 Gallon Water Container 11 x10 x14 $13.85 Company Name Product Name Cost Link Total Prepare 125 Gallon Super Tanker 28 x36 x44 (also available in 250gallon) $295.95 http://totalprepare.ca/product/125-gallonsuper-tanker-blue/ http://totalprepare.ca/product/3-5-water-brick-10-packblue/ http://www.thereadystore.com/water-storage/waterstorage-containers/5-gallon-water-container-stackable
Food: There are a number of options for food in your emergency supplies. If you need to leave your home then food bars ranging from 400cal flavoured bars to 3600cal ration blocks are a great option and can be stored in your emergency pack with a 5 year shelf life. If you are able to stay at home during the emergency then having a stash of food in the pantry is another option. A designated area in the pantry dedicated to those supplies that can be rotated out as needed to keep fresh. The long term option is freeze dried and dehydrated food storage which can last for 25 years. TotalPrepare, which is based in Victoria, handles the Legacy Premium Emergency Food. This food has been voted best tasting and certified 100% GMO free. Has a shelf life of 25years. Also has the lowest cost per 2,000 Calories when compared to other products. Some other companies have a lower cost for supplies but they are not certified GMO free or have a lower calorie count, which is important to sustain yourself during an emergency. The food is broken down into entrees, breakfasts, side dishes, bulk ingredients, drink mixes and a grab-go option. See http://totalprepare.ca/shop/emergency-food-storage/ for information and product description The final food option is something that is an optimum option for long term food needs, which is to have some supplies for planting food. There is a TotalPrepare option for that as well which is the Garden Seed Kit ($89.95) and is all Organic. See http://totalprepare.ca/shop/emergency-food-storage/garden-seed-kit/
Home Emergency Kits &Supplies: The remainder of the supplies that are recommended for the home can be found in the chart below. This chart shows a comparison of what the BC Government, City of Surrey Emergency and 2 other local companies offer. There are other companies located in the lower mainland which have kits which are similar to the two examples below. These companies are listed near the end of this document as optional resources. One thing to note that the kits are usually variable and can be adjusted to better suit your family needs. TotalPrepare seems to have the more complete kit options available, while Braidner has a basic emergency kit style but does have an Evacuation pack kit option which is more complete. (see Evacuation Kit section) City of Surrey BC Gov TotalPrepare 4 person Family Kit Braidner (1~5 person Kits) Cost $174.95 Varies ($41 ~ $121) Copy of Emergency Plan Emergency Guide 1 Bag/Backpack 2- Backpacks 1 Water 3-day supply 2litres per/person 24 4.2oz 60 4oz per/day Water Purification 1 bottle (50) Tablets 1L Water Bottle 1 Food Canned/Dry Food Bars 3-day supply 3600 Cal Bar 4 5 Survival Bag/Shelter 2 Tube Tents Whistle 1 1 First Aid Kit 1 99 Piece 1 17 pcs Camping stove and Fuel Clothing Walking shoes Sleeping Bag Warm Blanket Work Gloves 1 Pair Dust Mask 4 Goggles Emergency Blanket 4 5 Emergency Poncho 4 Hand warmers 4 Multi-Knife 1 Hammer Pliers Wrench Sportsman Saw Can Opener 1 Utensils Duct tape Large garbage Bags 1 5 Pad and Pencil 1 Rope 50 String Flashlight Battery Powered Radio or wind-up Dynamo Flashlight / Radio Batteries 12 hr Light Stick 5
8 hr Light Stick 4 Candle 6 Flint 1 Matches 1 box Fire Starter Kindling Box of 12 Toiletries (pack) toothpaste, soap, cloth, mirror, comb Hand Sanitizer Toilet Paper 1 roll 5 rolls Money pouch Medicine Dry Pet Food Copies of ID Spare Key (Car / House) Toy/Pic of family Games Deck of Cards 1 Sewing Kit 1 Optional Supplies: 125Gal Super Tanker 1 Aerobic Oxygen 2 (allows 5 year water shelf like in super tanker) 25 Potable Water 1 Hose Lifestraw - Filter 1 (18,000 L water filtration) 60 Serving Entre 1 Bucket Stove in a Can 6 Fuel Cells There are other supplies listed on the TotalPrepare website that are above and beyond for emergency preparedness. Some items are a hand crank generator to reduce the need to store fuel for a gas generator. This would help to keep cell phones charged and some lights but at a cost of $499.95. Also solar collectors along with other comfort items can be considered.
Emergency Kit for your Vehicle: The Government of BC recommends that you should have some sort of emergency supplies in your vehicle at all times. If you are traveling somewhere and a disaster hits but you are too far from home, then you will need to have some supplies available. The chart below is a combination of various sources with their idea of a vehicle kit. Each family would have to review and determine how to add materials to this kit depending on the number of people in your family. BC Gov Total Prepare (Auto Survival Kit) Total Prepare (Road Warrior Auto Kit) Disaster Survival Skills.com (US) Life 472 Basic Kit Braidner (FE 1VC) Cost $69.95 TBD $39.95 (US) $65.00 $107.95 Carrying bag 1 1 1 Hard Case Copy of Emergency Plan Survival Information Food bar 1 (2400cal) 3 day 1 (2400Cal) 1 (3500cal) Food 1 hot choc. 1 soup Foil Cooking Container Water bottle/pouch 1 pouch 9 pouches 6 (125ml) 3 (125ml) Emergency Sign Reflective Triangle Blanket Rain Poncho Clothes Shoes Seat Belt Cutter T3 Tactical Auto Res. Tool Utility Knife Work Gloves Small Shovel Candle 5hr candle Matches 2 pcs Fire Starter Re-usable Eco Glow Stick 12hr Light Stick 30 min high =intensity light stick 3 Wind-up Flashlight Flashlight c/w Batteries LED Flashlight Auto Spot Light Whistle Roadmap Sand/Salt Antifreeze/wiper fluid Tow Rope 25 Braided Cord Jumper Cables Duct tape Fire Extinguisher Warning Light/flare Garbage Bag Kleenex First Aid Kit First Aid Guide 1
Nitrite Gloves 2 pair 1 pair 4 x4 gauze pads 2 4 5x9 Trauma Dressing 2 Large Adhesive 2 Bandages Regular Adhesive 10 5 Bandages Roller Gauze Bandages 4 1 (2 ) Latex Elastic bandages 1 Instant Ice Pack 2 Alcohol Prep Pads 4 Antiseptic Wipes 4 Antimicrobial Wipes 1 Roll Medical Tape 1 1 Triangular Bandages 1 2 w/pin Antibiotic Ointment 2 Tweezers 1 EMT Shears 1 It is also suggested that your vehicle kit also has something for any kids that would be in the car to help them cope with the situation and some comfort food that can be rotated out every month, possibly stored in the glove compartment for easy access.
Emergency Kit for your Office: It is recommended that seeing a disaster can happen at any time that you have something with you at your work. Having a few supplies that you can grab and go may be useful if you take the bus or walk and need something or have to stay at your place of work for an amount of time. The compiled info in the chart below is a combination of various companies idea of an office kit. SOS Survival Commuter Kit Total Prepare -Office Individual Kit Life 472 (1 day) Life 472 (3 day) Cost $19.50 $22.95 $25.00 $35.00 Nylon Bag 1 1 1 1 (sling type) Mask 1 1 1 Lightstick 1 1 (12 hr) 3 (12 hr) First Aid Kit 1 1 Emergency Blanket 1 1 1 1 Rain Poncho 1 1 1 2400 Cal Food bar 1 1 1 400 Cal Food Bar 3 4.2 Oz Water Pouch 6 4 3 3 Tissue (10 pack) 1 1 1 Signal Whistle 1 1 1 Flashlight Hand Crank 1 1 1 Sanitizing Wipes 1 1 Matches 1 box
Child Comfort Emergency Kit: There is one type of kit that a couple companies offer. This is for the child in mind where you have to bug out and don t have time to grab a lot of the kid s things to help them through the stress of a disaster. An example of a child comfort kit by TotalPrepare is listed below. This is an example of what can be in a backpack for your child or will give you an idea of what you can throw together with supplies from home. Total Prepare 72hr Children s Comfort Emergency Kit Cost (subject to change) $39.95 Backpack 1 Water bottle 1 4.2oz Water Pouch 4 400 Calorie Millennium Bars 4 Childrens Poncho 1 Reflective Blanket 1 Flashlight w/ Batteries 1 Signal Whistle 1 8 hour light stick 1 Band Aids (6 pack) 1 Soap 1 Washcloth 1 Wetnaps 6 Tissue (10 pack) 1 Toothpaste 1 Toothbrush 1 Comb 1 Shampoo 1 Activity Book 2 Crayons (pack) 1 Notepad 1 Pencil 1 Stuffed animal 1 *One consideration is at the end of a school year if you decide to buy a new backpack for your child for the new year, keep the old back pack and use as your comfort kit. Compile supplies as needed and make your own. Use large freezer ziplock bags for supplies. This will help to keep fresh and keep bugs out of the supplies. Also if raining and you need to walk to a meeting point then the supplies will stay dry.
Evacuation Emergency Kit: If you only want to have an emergency kit that you can grab as you leave your home. Some of the other kits listed in previous sections would not apply. You would want something that has everything you would need to get you safely to your planned meeting area where you would have additional supplies. This would then mean you only have room for a single bag of supplies. The storage of extra water, food and supplies would not apply. The attached examples show two types of kits. TotalPrepare -Urban 72hr survival Kit (2 person) Life 472 -Deluxe Emergency (5 person) Braidner -Evac Series 1-6 person (Used 5 person comparison) Cost $119.95 $190.00 $114 to $434 Backpack 1 2 3 Emergency Preparedness 1 3 Guide Dynamo 1 1 Radio/Flashlight/Charger Flashlight w/ Batteries 1 3 3600 Cal Food Bar 2 5 5 4.2oz Water Pouches 12 45 60 Emergency sleeping bags 2 Adult Emergency Poncho 2 5 5 Solar Blankets 5 5 Tube Tent 1 2 (2 person each) Hand Warmer 2 6 33 gal Garbage Bag 1 5 Light Stick 2 3 (12 hour) 8 Candle 1 Matches 1 box 3 Box 5 in 1 Survival Whistle 1 1 5 Multi Tool Knife 1 1 Army Knife 3 Gas / Water Shut off Tool 1 Playing Cards 1 GI can Opener 1 Duct Tape 1 1 Work Gloves (pair) 1 1 5 Wrecking Bar 12 1 5mm x 50 Rope 1 1 @ 30 Weatherproof Zip Lock 1 Pencil 1 Folding 1L Water Container 1 Water Purification Powder 5 Water Purification Instruction 1 Guide Water Purification Tablets 1 (50 per bottle) Toothbrush 2 Toothpaste 1 Comb 1 Razor 1 Shaving cream 1 Shampoo 1 Soap Bar 1 Feminine Pad 2 2oz hand sanitizer 1 Sanitizing Hand Towelettes 5 6
Washcloth 1 Toilet paper 1 5 5 Kleenex 5 Sewing kit 1 53 piece First Aid Kit 1 1 (unknown size) 3 Folding N95 Mask 2 5 5 Self Stick Bandage 1 Tweezer 1 Trauma Scissors 1 Instant Ice Pack 1 5 Nitrite Gloves 1 1 box Qty 10 Braidner also has a line of Emergency Preparedness Kit New Premium Series (Part Number #KE04-001- 21) ranging in price from a 1 person $483 to a 6 person $616. This duffle bag type of kit is everything in the Braidner kit listed above and additional search and rescue supplies. To see the list of materials see their website.
Pet Emergency Kit: Not only do you have yourself and family to prepare for but your pet(s) as well. They are part of your family so taking some time to make sure they are considered during a disaster is also recommended. The following list of materials is an example of what can be created to suit your pet(s). There are not too many companies that offer this kit but Krasicki & Ward have a great example of what a kit could have. Or make your own using the example below. Life 472 Dog or Cat Kit Krasicki & Ward Pet Survival Kit #PET-KIT Cost (subject to change) $55.00 $64.99 Food Water Repellent Bag 1 1 Solar Blanket 1 Pet Injury Pamphlet 1 Pet Identity Tube 1 Collar Adjustable 1 Leash 1 Rope 30 long 1 Poop Bags 60 Toy 1 Forceps 1 Instant Cold Pack 1 3x4 Non-Adherent Pads 2 Tongue Depressors (for Splints) Can Opener 1 First Aid Cream 1 4x4 sterile Gauze Pads 6 Antiseptic Swabs 8 15ml sodium Chloride 1 125ml Water Packets 6 8 Q-Tips 12 Universal Scissors 1 Pairs if Nitrite gloves 3 1 Adhesive Tape 1 250ml Hydrogen Peroxide 1 8 x10 Abdominal Pad 1 Syringe 1 Plastic Bowl 2 1 Whistle 1 3 Self-Adhering Coban 1 Bandage Razor 1 4
Supply Company List: The following companies were contacted to obtain pricing and suggestions for this proposal. Company Name 1 Total Prepare Inc Contact Name Email Phone Website Cathi McGillivray cathi@totalprepare.ca 250-857-1678 www.totalprepare.ca 2 Life472 Nancy Bartlett sales@life472.com 604-302-5005 www.life472.com 3 Braidner Survival Kits Krasicki & 4 Ward SOS Emergency 5 Response Technologies Disaster 6 Survival Skills.com Wes Ambeau Office Manager bsk@preparecenter.com 604-254-0455 www.preparecenter.com Jennifer Thomas krasicki&ward@telus.net 604-739-9455 www.krasickiandward.com Stacey Friedman stacey@sostech.ca 604-277-5855 www.sostech.ca - wayne@disastersurvivalskills.com 1-888-705-2184 www.disastersurvivalskills.com Other companies that deal with Emergency Preparedness supplies: Western Safety Pickering Safety Advanced Mobile First Aid & Safety Costco
Preparing Your Home: This list has been taken from the Province of BC Emergency plan. In most cases it s a common sense approach to your home. -Go through your home, imagining what could happen to each part of it if it were shaken violently. -If you live in a condo or apartment building, you may experience more sway and less vibration than in a single-storey building. -Work with your building or strata corporation manager to help quake-proof your home. Seek advice from professionals (insurance, engineers, architects) if you are unsure what to do. Previous earthquakes have proven that these items need attention: -Check for home hazards: Is the house bolted to its foundations? Are the walls braced? -Chimneys weak? Are roof tiles loose? Make necessary repairs now! -Tie down your water heater and other appliances that could break gas or water lines if they topple. -Secure top-heavy furniture (eg: shelving units) to prevent tipping. Keep heavy items on lower shelves. -Fix mirrors and other hanging objects so they won't fall of hooks. -Locate beds away from chimneys, windows, heavy pictures, etc. Closed curtains will help keep broken window glass off nearby occupied beds. -Put anti-skid pads (eg: Velcro) under TVs, VCRs, computers and small appliances. -Store valuable documents and special small keepsakes in a fire-resistant place. -Keep sturdy shoes and outdoor clothing handy. -Use child-proof or safety latches on cupboards to stop contents from spilling out. -Keep flammable items and household chemicals away from heat and where they can't spill. -Keep them in a safe cupboard if they can't be stored in an outside shed. -Put plywood up in the attic on joists around each chimney to help prevent bricks and mortar from coming through a ceiling. For the most part the items listed above will not pertain to most homes in the community which are newer construction and will have a better design based on newer building code regulations. The falling of items off shelves and walls is the most concern. Proper storage of chemicals and flammable items will reduce the chance for issues after a disaster.