The secret to coping as calmly as possible with an emergency is to be ready before it happens. Earthquakes, hurricanes, blizzards, and other natural disasters are unnerving enough. When they cut off access to power, water, groceries, and other necessities, they can be both frightening and disorienting. But if you’ve stockpiled essentials ahead of time and coached your family on disaster preparedness, you will have as much protection as you can.

A 30-gallon trash can, a large plastic storage bin, or any other durable, reasonably light container with a tight-fitting lid will make a fine disaster kit. Store the kit in a garage, basement, or any out-of-the-way place that is large enough to accommodate it and reasonably easy to get to. (You won’t want to climb into the attic in some types of emergencies.)

1. Tools. Pipe and crescent wrenches, screwdriver, crowbar, and any tools required to turn off utilities if necessary. Ask your utility companies how to turn off gas, water, and electricity in an emergency. Don’t turn off the gas unless you’re certain there is a leak. You may have to wait days to have it restarted by the gas company.
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Every family should have at least two well-stocked first aid kits. Keep one in your car and one at home, in a spot where you can get to it easily but small children cannot. (And don’t forget to take the first aid kit when your family goes away on vacation.) Check your kits every few months and replace any missing items or expired medications. Buying a preassembled first aid kit can be a convenient starting point, if you add any items that are on this checklist but not in the kit. Items that overlap with the contents of your medicine cabinet need only be kept in your car kit.

1. First-aid manual.

2. Sterile gauze pads (4×4 and 2×2 size) and rolls of gauze for wrapping.

3. Adhesive tape.

4. Adhesive bandages in various sizes.

5. Scissors.

6. Elastic bandage (Ace, for example).
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When you’re stocking your medicine cabinet, think about common illnesses and discomforts. First shop for those and then add any other over-the-counter medications required by members of your family. If you stock up on the items on this checklist, you’ll be prepared to cope with a wide range of minor maladies. It’s also a good idea to check with your doctor and your pharmacist for other medicine cabinet suggestions.

1. A fever reducer and pain reliever such as Tylenol or other aspirin substitutes containing acetaminophen. Many medical experts recommend taking nonaspirin remedies for fever and pain because they’re less likely to irritate or upset the stomach.

2. Ibuprofen. An anti-inflammatory used to reduce pain and swelling. It should be given only to adults because its use has not been proved safe in young children. Advil and Motrin are common brands.

3. Aspirin. It is wise to keep aspirin on hand in case someone in the house has a heart attack. Aspirin is a blood thinner and chewing one while dialing 911 could save a life. Aspirin should never be given to children or teenagers because its use by young people has been associated with Reye’s syndrome, a rare but sometimes fatal condition.
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Here are the top twenty home-safety items recommended by the National Safety Council. Every item you have on hand decreases the risk that someone in your home will die or be injured in a preventable accident.

1. Smoke detectors. Change the batteries twice a year when you change your clocks. The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) recommends that you replace your smoke detectors after ten years and test them once a month to be sure they work.

2. Carbon monoxide detectors. The NFPA recommends these alarms for households with attached garages and those with fuel-burning appliances or fireplaces.

3. Ground-fault circuit interrupters. These electrical outlets with quick-tripping circuit breakers help prevent death or injury from electrocution and can be installed by an electrician. (more…)

No matter what kind of work you do, or how good it feels to come home after a rough day at the office, safety statistics suggest you’d be better off staying at work. More people in this country die from accidents at home than at work—five times as many! More people are disabled in home accidents than in work injuries and car crashes combined. National Safety Council president Jerry Scannell stresses that all home accidents are preventable. Here are the most common home accidents and the NSC’s recommendations for preventing them.

1. Falls.

• Fasten carpet edges securely and put nonslip mats under area rugs.
• Keep telephone and electrical cords where they can’t be tripped over.
• Put away toys, clean up clutter, and move obstacles out of walkways.
• Wipe up all spills immediately.
• Use nonskid tub and shower mats and install grab bars in toilet and bath areas.
• Equip all indoor and outdoor staircases with securely fastened handrails along both sides. When it snows, use salt or cat litter on sidewalks and driveways to prevent slipping.

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Do you think you will be able to work forever? Being an optimist is a must. However, there’s time when you should also become realist. Should you sick or experience illness that prevent you from earning an income in your occupation, you really need to have something to back you up. With disability insurance, you will get anywhere from 45%-60% of your gross income on a tax-free basis.
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Since you can’t guarantee an intruder won’t get into your home, it’s important to think strategically about hiding valuable items inside. Indoors, your best defense is a good offense: make the burglar’s job as difficult as possible.

THE WORST PLACES TO HIDE VALUABLES

1. Jewelry boxes. If you use a traditional jewelry box, hide it. Consider storing jewels in less obvious containers (see below).

2. Dresser tops and accessible drawers. Don’t keep cash or jewelry on dressers, in sock or underwear drawers, or in any drawer that’s in easy reach and can be rummaged through quickly.

3. Under the mattress or beside the bed. Many burglars look in these places first, especially when they’re checking for weapons.

THE BEST PLACES TO HIDE VALUABLES
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In addition to the burglar-proofing tips, take the following precautions whenever you’re going to be away for an extended time. You can discourage intruders by creating the impression that someone is in the house or will return shortly.

1. Keep drapes and shades as you normally have them. Don’t make the mistake of giving your house that “closed for the season” look with every window shuttered.

2. Hire a house sitter or have a neighbor come in to turn on lights and open and close drapes.

3. Stop your newspaper delivery and have your mail held at the post office. Piles of papers are a sure sign that no one is home.

4. Set a few timers and set them to turn lights on and off at different times in different parts of the house, echoing your typical patterns.
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There’s no foolproof way to foil a clever or determined burglar. But there are several things you can do to protect your home from a crook who’s looking for an easy mark. According to the National Crime Prevention Council, half of all burglaries occur because residents have neglected to lock doors and windows—proof that minimal security can make a big difference. Take these easy steps to secure your home.

1. Lock doors and windows before leaving the house. Make it a habit to check them at night.

2. Get pick-proof locks for all your windows.

3. Install dead bolts on your front and back doors. Anything else can be more easily broken.

4. Put a dowel or broom handle in the track of sliding-glass doors so they can’t be opened even if the lock is tampered with.
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Look up the numbers below before you need them (most emergency numbers are on the first page of your local phone book) and keep them near your home telephone. To make sure emergency numbers are easy to find when you need them, laminate a list and attach it to the refrigerator, or tape it inside a cabinet door near the phone. Include important information that anyone calling from your home would need to report in an emergency, such as your street address and phone number.

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

1. 911. This number should only be used when you need immediate assistance from the police, the fire department, or an ambulance. If you’re tempted to use it for less serious reasons, imagine getting a 911 busy signal if you or a family member needed immediate help. Teach your children how to dial 911 and make sure they know how to give their home address.

2. Police emergency. Most cities have a number to call other than 911 for situations that are urgent, but non-life-threatening, such as traffic accidents.
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