Putting Together a Home Earthquake Kit

If you live in an area prone to seismic activity, it’s vitally important that you have an earthquake kit in your house or in your car so that you’ll have emergency supplies if you need them.  Even if you don’t live in an area that is prone to earthquakes, you might want to create a basic disaster survival kit to be used in case of tornados or other types of natural disasters.

Ideally, your earthquake kit should contain enough supplies for you and your family to survive for a period of up to three days.  Beyond the basic considerations of food and water that are physically necessary for survival, you will also need a few additional items to help you make it through the aftermath of an earthquake.

One of the first things that you’ll need is some sort of light source in case the electricity has been knocked out in your area.  Since you’re going to want to make sure that your light will work when needed, your best bet is to choose an LED flashlight or lantern since they have a drastically reduced energy usage and will keep a charge longer in storage than most standard flashlights.  Test any LED flashlight that you have every few months to make sure that it still works, and if you’re using an LED lantern that has multiple lighting modes then you should take the time to test every one of its modes.

Another essential piece of equipment is a multi-purpose tool that has knife blades, pliers, screwdrivers, and even saw blades and can openers in it.  Be sure to store your multi-purpose tool with your LED lantern or LED flashlights so that you can find it quickly once you’ve located your light source.  You’d be amazed at how useful a multi-purpose tool can be after an earthquake, and you may even find uses for it that you’ve never considered.

Also in your earthquake kit should be a fully-stocked first aid kit so that you can treat any injuries that might have occurred during the earthquake.  Make sure that you have common items such as blankets, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer with your first aid kit so that you can cover basic needs and provide warmth and sanitation for anyone who is suffering from shock as well.

Other useful things to include in your earthquake kit include enough money or traveler's checks to be able to meet any monetary needs that you might have in case the banks are closed due to the earthquake.  You should also have a safe with copies of any important documents that you don’t want to be lost or damaged in an earthquake, as well as clean clothes for both warm and cold weather so that you and your family won’t be forced to wear the same clothes for several days in a row.

Make sure that you check the expiration dates on any food or medicine that you keep in your earthquake kit, and change out any stored water that you have every few months.  This will prevent you or your family members from getting sick due to expired food or stale water.

Preparing an earthquake kit is an important activity that should be done as a family to ensure that everyone knows how to use the items inside and where to find it if an earthquake occurs.  Being prepared for a disaster may very well save a person’s life.

~Ben Anton, 2008

LED Lanterns: Include One in Your Emergency Planning

There are so many situations that can turn into an emergency it is impossible to describe each in detail but, the tools and supplies needed to be able to react appropriately to most emergencies can be collected in preparation for an emergency. It is critical to have access to an emergency lantern during an emergency as this can make the difference between life and death.

Many times an emergency creates a life and death situation making the situation a medical emergency.  If there is not the availability of an emergency lantern or emergency light source, the medical situation will be significantly compromised.  Having all the medical supplies in the world won’t make any difference if it is impossible to see what is going on to assess the situation.  When darkness compromises the assessment of injuries the ability to apply emergency medical procedures is also compromised. 

The same is true for search and rescue operations. It is almost impossible to conduct emergency rescue procedures in the dark.  Many times dealing with the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster means looking for survivors at night or in the darkness caused by searching underground or through rubble piles.  Being able to see what you are dealing with increases the degree of safety for the rescuers and victims.

Emergency action plans are an excellent way to plan for the unknown and to be prepared to respond efficiently as soon as possible. An emergency plan includes putting together lists of supplies and tools that will help in the event of a disaster.  When the list is final, the items should be collected or purchased and stored in an accessible place. Appropriate emergency lighting should be on everyone’s emergency planning list. To be able to determine the suitability of emergency lanterns, decisions need to be made after learning about and comprehending the pros and cons of the variety of emergency lanterns on the market as there are many emergency lantern options to consider.

Emergency lanterns come in a variety of models and types including: 12 LED light battery, 20 LED lantern battery, Windup LED, lantern and radio combinations, lantern, radio and television combinations, kerosene lanterns, and solar powered lantern etc.  Each of these types of emergency lanterns has individual strengths, benefits and limitations such as:

LED emergency lanterns are super bright and provide intense light for close-up work as well as useful for distributing light into the distance. 

Battery powered emergency lanterns can be bought with rechargeable batteries.
Windup or crank emergency lanterns can be used when any source of power is unavailable.

Solar emergency lanterns can be powered up by the sun without the use of batteries.  Most come with an adaptor for a car or home.

An emergency lantern can be used at times other than emergencies making them a more flexible resource to have around.  If using an emergency light for something other than and emergency, ensure when you put it back after use that you have recharged batters, solar panels and/or replaced low batteries. 

~Ben Anton, 2007

LED Lanterns: Include One in Your Emergency Planning

There are so many situations that can turn into an emergency it is impossible to describe each in detail but, the tools and supplies needed to be able to react appropriately to most emergencies can be collected in preparation for an emergency. It is critical to have access to an emergency lantern during an emergency as this can make the difference between life and death.

Many times an emergency creates a life and death situation making the situation a medical emergency.  If there is not the availability of an emergency lantern or emergency light source, the medical situation will be significantly compromised.  Having all the medical supplies in the world won’t make any difference if it is impossible to see what is going on to assess the situation.  When darkness compromises the assessment of injuries the ability to apply emergency medical procedures is also compromised. 

The same is true for search and rescue operations. It is almost impossible to conduct emergency rescue procedures in the dark.  Many times dealing with the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster means looking for survivors at night or in the darkness caused by searching underground or through rubble piles.  Being able to see what you are dealing with increases the degree of safety for the rescuers and victims.

Emergency action plans are an excellent way to plan for the unknown and to be prepared to respond efficiently as soon as possible. An emergency plan includes putting together lists of supplies and tools that will help in the event of a disaster.  When the list is final, the items should be collected or purchased and stored in an accessible place. Appropriate emergency lighting should be on everyone’s emergency planning list. To be able to determine the suitability of emergency lanterns, decisions need to be made after learning about and comprehending the pros and cons of the variety of emergency lanterns on the market as there are many emergency lantern options to consider.

Emergency lanterns come in a variety of models and types including: 12 LED light battery, 20 LED lantern battery, Windup LED, lantern and radio combinations, lantern, radio and television combinations, kerosene lanterns, and solar powered lantern etc.  Each of these types of emergency lanterns has individual strengths, benefits and limitations such as:

LED emergency lanterns are super bright and provide intense light for close-up work as well as useful for distributing light into the distance. 

Battery powered emergency lanterns can be bought with rechargeable batteries.
Windup or crank emergency lanterns can be used when any source of power is unavailable.

Solar emergency lanterns can be powered up by the sun without the use of batteries.  Most come with an adaptor for a car or home.

An emergency lantern can be used at times other than emergencies making them a more flexible resource to have around.  If using an emergency light for something other than and emergency, ensure when you put it back after use that you have recharged batters, solar panels and/or replaced low batteries. 

~Ben Anton, 2007

Emergency LED Lantern: The Features That Make It Important for Homes

Having a dependable light source that isn’t going to fail at a vital moment is essential, especially as inclement weather sets in this time of year. Winter emergencies can strike with little warning. It is therefore important that your home is prepared with the best lighting and survival tools possible. When it comes to a light source,  it is important that it not only cast a strong light when you need it most but one that also has a variety of features to make sure that you’re never stranded in the dark during an emergency situation.  Consider purchasing an LED emergency lantern which produces a strong white LED light at a fraction of the energy cost of traditional light bulbs.

What’s So Great about LED
An LED light like those available in emergency lanterns or flashlights are far superior to a standard incandescent flashlight.  LED’s are not like traditional bulbs because they contain no glass casing or a filament.  This means you don’t have to worry about the bulb breaking or the filament burning out at an inconvenient time.  A white LED light will burn for years longer than a comparable white light bulb at a much lower energy cost. You may also find that manufactures will combine LED’s in a lantern or flashlight to produce a brighter light in the same amount of space as a standard bulb would be able to create. This is why you can find small LED flashlights that put out a great light than some larger traditional versions. Because multiple LED’s are used in these lights you are also generally able to use different light settings easily as well.  The ability to dim an emergency lantern in the evening or at night at the push of a button is another great feature of a quality LED lantern. 

What to Look For
There are a few key features you should make sure to pay attention to when you are purchasing your LED emergency lantern. Look for a lantern that is convertible between a “lantern” mode and a “flashlight” mode. Also look for one that utilizes multiple LEDs.  Depending on the size of the lantern, 8-12 bulbs are recommended.  A hand crank to provide emergency power in case the batteries are low is a wonderful feature as is a rechargeable battery pack.  As mentioned above, the ability to adjust the light intensity either through different settings or a dimmer switch is a practical feature that can ensure that your lamp can be used for both emergency situations as well as general outdoor use.

Extra Bells and Whistles
As always, there are some additional LED lantern options and features out there that may prove useful to you. Some come with built-in radio systems for listening to news or weather reports.  Others have emergency road flare settings which blink orange or red lights should you keep the lantern in your outdoor survival kit or camping gear.  As always, check out product reviews online and read about other users’ experience with lanterns with these features to see if they prove useful or not.
Regardless of the brand or style of LED emergency lantern you choose, it is important that your home have one in its emergency tool kit.  The value of having a dependable light source in any emergency situation is immeasurable when it comes to the safety and comfort of your home and family.

-Ben Anton, 2007