Consultant radiologists from Glasgow, Cambridge, and London offer simples and systematic approaches to evaluating emergency room radiographs. They have revised the 1995 first edition with additional radiological information, new explanatory drawings, improved illustrations, different layout, enlarged glossary, and other changes. They have in mind relatively inexperienced doctors who may have to make a radiological assessment at times when expert advice is not immediately available.

Ulijn (innovation, entrepreneurship, and culture, Eindhoven U. of Technology, The Netherlands) et al. assemble 12 research studies that examine issues linked to the emergence, cooperation, and survival of European start-ups, specifically those in the high-tech sector. European and American scholars, practitioners, and members of public institutions consider aspects relating to the firm; technology and innovation; sustainability at the institutional level; the role of the individual, including national culture and diversity; and the European context. The book does not deal with the pre-founding stage of a company. Many of the studies were drawn from papers given at a meeting presented at Montpellier Business School in France in March 2005 that was part of the research group SURVIE (Start Up Research and Valorization/Valuation of Intra- and Entrepreneurship in Europe). The book is aimed at innovation and entrepreneurship policy makers at government levels, those in research programs on entrepreneurship, innovation, and organizational change, and academics, researchers, and practitioners.

The Royals emerge as champions after surviving 'crazy' first weekend

RIGHT: Steven Brown dunks during Saturday's 3-on-3 basketball competition at Hillcrest Park.

BELOW: Kevin Smith dribbles past Joe Leiker during Saturday's semifinals.

Photographs by LISA LAUCK

The Capital-Journal

By Tiffany L. Woods

The Capital-Journal

The basketball courts at Hillcrest Park looked a little different this weekend than last weekend.

The heat wasn't as fierce and there weren't as many 3-on-3 basketball players.

"Last week was crazy," said Kama Lightfoot, Sunflower State Games sport coordinator. "They played from like 3 to 11 p.m."

When all of the madness ended one week later, only a team called The Royals was left unscathed. The Royals defeated That Team to win the 3-on-3 championship.

Lightfoot, who kept score, said the weekend was going according to plan.

Valance Jones, State Games basketball commissioner, said a co- worker told him about the Games and he wanted to get involved.

"This is a nice thing for Topeka," he said. "I just volunteered to help out and do the best I could in the community."

Dan Barnes, 18, said he participated in the Games to show off his on-the-court skills.

"My friend needed a guy for his team, and I wanted to dominate the court," said Barnes, a Seaman High School student.

When asked if he cared about winning a gold medal, Barnes said, "Of course."

"We don't want the gold, we're in it for the silver," he said jokingly to a teammate.

There are many kinds of gears available to protect you while you go for camping, during swat and assassination. Hence, it is better to carry all kinds of these protective gears when you step out of your home. Below mentioned are some of the protective gears:

Camping Gears: You can make the camping journey an unforgettable memory and have a high quality time with your family members. In addition, you will also enjoy getting off from the usual daily life to breathe the outdoor air and will feel relaxed and refreshed.

Nonetheless, before you go for camping, ensure that you have all the necessary arrangements with essential camping gears. Camping gears include food, tents, pillows, first aid kit, flashlight, utility penknife, rain gear, lantern, camp stove and water. These camping gears are of utmost important, when you plan to go for a long excursion.

Swat Gears: Swat gear is a type of equipment designed especially for specific divisions in several US police departments. With swat gear, the military divisions feel safe and secure while performing risky operations.

Swat gear with tactical clothing provides ideal and durable service during high-risk operations such as preventing assassination, rescuing and captivating criminals. It also includes specialized safety equipment, entry tools, heavy body armor, steel reinforced boots, and nighttime vision optics.

Bulletproof vests: Bulletproof vests come in all shapes and designs to meet the needs of an individual's requirements and the level of protection. Mostly, the bulletproof vest is available for every situation such as, from hiding it beneath the clothes and to defense against terrorists. If you are residing in a dangerous area or work in a risky urban locale on a daily basis, it is necessary to protect yourself against endangerment.

Bulletproof vests keep you protected from several threats that a brutal urban location may force you to experience. You can buy these kinds of vests from local outlets or from online stores, which are specialized in offering these types of protective gears.

If you buy from online stores, you have the option of selecting from wide arrays such as body armor, bulletproof jackets, tactical ballistic screens, and Kevlar helmets of all safety levels.

Storms can be a result of pending weather conditions. If a hurricane is coming, do you stay? Or do you leave? That is one decision that you must make yourself. If you decide to stay, here are some helpful tips to get you prepared to buckle down. The idea is to be self contained.

First, fill up your gas tanks including vehicles, chain saws, or any other equipment that requires fuel. If the power goes out, you won't be able to pump fuel at your local gas stations.

Next, go grocery shopping. Stock up on water. You will need at least one gallon per person per day for two weeks. Also stock up on food for everyone. I recommend can goods, dry cereal, protein bars, peanut butter, etc. Pick up a portable (nonelectric) can opener. While you are at the store, pick up flash light batteries in assorted sizes.

You may need to shop at your local home center store, too. Pick up boards and duct tape for windows. Board up all windows. Use the duct tape as a back up for the boards.

Next, pack up like you are leaving. Gather clothes, medications, toys, pillows and blankets, and important papers. Put the important papers in a sealed plastic bag. If your roof leaks, your papers are covered. If something happens to your house while you are there, you may need to leave in a hurry. You won't want to go looking for things.

If you stay, make sure you are not in the path of a tidal surge. Hurricane Katrina had an 18' tidal surge. How high is your house built up? If you house is ten foot above sea level, an eighteen foot surge will still cause flooding.

Trees are beautiful and give shade to your home. But they are terrible in a hurricane. Pins trees have deep roots so they snap in high winds. Water oak trees have shallow roots. If the hurricane brings a lot of rain that accumulates around a water oak, they will fall over, tree, root ball and all. Beware.

These are minimum requirements to keeping safe and being self contai. Keep an eye on your local weather stations and news. If the TV stations go off the air, tune into your radio station. Be alert at all times.

The outdoors is a beautiful place in which nature is at its best. While the places you may spend your time in at the wilderness seem very safe, there are certain precautions that every person, even the seasoned hiker or camper needs to take. A first aid kit is absolutely essential on even the shortest outdoor excursions. A simple collection of antiseptic, bandages, and hydrocortisone cream should meet the needs of most minor injuries. For more serious injuries a cellular phone will prove to be very valuable or know the locations of the nearest phones that provide service to ranger stations.

Aside from having your first aid kit and way to communicate, the best way to protect you from perils of the outdoors is to know the area in which you are camping or hiking. You would not want to be dropped off in the middle of a huge city that you were not familiar with and the woods should be treated with same respect. By knowing your area, the climate for that particular time of year is very crucial. Not having the appropriate clothing to withstand the weather could cause great harm to you and your family. Remember that a lot of areas temperature range can vary by as much as 40 to 50 degrees between daylight and nighttime hours. To help combat temperature changes the proper equipment can make life out on the terrain a little easier. There are tents and sleeping bags designed for particular temperature ranges that will help keep your body temperature at a safe level. Hypothermia and heat exhaustion are two serious concerns that happen readily to unprepared campers and hikers.

The next point of interest is food and water. Your body will require water to survive. At least 2 liters of water needs to be available daily to sustain your body need for water. While this can be obtained from streams, wells, and other natural resources, it is always a good idea to add some bottled water to your pack. Dried foods can also be packed which are typically light such as MRE (Meals Ready to Eat), and dried fruits and vegetables. A little research can also provide you with naturally occurring food sources for the area you plan on scouting. Do not eat anything that you have not thoroughly researched, as many fruits and plants can look absolutely delicious but prove to be poisonous. Wild game can also be captured for those with knowledge of trapping or hunting. An important thing to remember when eating wild game is that you risk infection of diseases but will help keep the pack weight down and provide you with the variety of diet that you need for longer excursions.

For those skilled and experienced campers and hikers, creating a fire may not be that difficult. However, depending on climate and amount of materials available to start a fire could prove a hard task for the more inexperienced hikers or campers. To make life out in the wild a little easier, waterproof matches would help start a fire easily. Two blocks of flint could also be used and of course if all else fails two dry sticks can give you that little amber you need to start your cooking fire. Pine straw and other dried vegetation are ideal for getting a fire started, but you will also need to locate larger wood sources to keep your fire going for an extended period of time. When you go out venturing for wood, do not travel alone. When possible, always try to travel with a friend in case danger does arise.

Navigation can make or break an experience in the wild. The surroundings are all typically the same no matter what direction you walk in. Landmarks are few and far in between. A compass is highly suggested along with a small map of the area in which you will be staying. Long sleeves and pants will help keep you from being injured from briars and other hazards as well as limit fresh skin available for insects. If you get completely lost this attire should be able to get through the night in many terrains, and leave items that are not needed as landmarks to help others track you or to let you know if you have been walking in circles. When all else fails, a flare gun should have been a part of your survival kit. This should then be fire when times are getting hard. Once the flare has been fired you need to stay at that location.

Some of the more common insects and animals that could pose a problem in the wild are leeches, mosquitoes, and bears. If for any reason you pick up a few leeches on your skin, it is important not to remove them without use of salt or alcohol. This is due to the jaws being left in the skin which can then become infected. Bug spray and netting should be used to prevent an abundance of mosquito and other insect bites as they are prone to diseases and infections. For addressing bears, all food needs to be kept in sealable containers to prevent the scent traveling and inviting a bear into your campsite. This is only a few of the many dangers that the wild possesses. It is important to research the natural inhabitants of any new area you plan to visit.

Another primary concern is animal bites such as spiders, snakes, and scorpions. Many breeds of these animals come packed with a toxic bite. Whether it be a black widow spider, rattlesnake, or other animal you need to know how to handle yourself. The vital part to helping a fellow camper or hiker that has been bitten is to clean the infected area well, and tie a piece of material or belt above the wound. This will help prevent infection and slow the movement of the poison throughout the body. Emergency officials need to be reached immediately if the bite is determined to come from a poisonous animal. An easy way to tell with snake bites are if a row of teeth appears it is typically a non-venomous snake, while if two distinct puncture marks are shown with or without the row of other teeth, it is a good assumption that the snake was poisonous. The next step is to assure that someone is monitoring the bitten person for changes in status. It often takes some time for symptoms to begin to appear. Treat the symptoms as best as possible with your first aid kits and seek help. The myth of sucking out venom is simply that and not suggested.

Now that we have covered the basics of outdoor survival, it is up to you to educate yourself on the specific surroundings that you will be camping or hiking. Knowledge is what will keep you alive out there, while ignorance does not have a pleasant ending.

There are many steps that can be taken to prevent harm to your family when a disaster strikes. The primary key to ensuring the safety of your family is to plan ahead. While every disaster is different the steps that need to be taken for safety purposes are very similar. A simple cycle will help prepare you and your family for what needs to be done. This cycle includes four easy step, planning, testing, practice, and maintenance.

The first portion of this critical cycle is of the utmost important. It is planning an evacuation or reaction plan appropriate for the natural disaster. If a fire was to take place in your home an evacuation plan would be more suitable while if a hurricane was approaching a safety plan directed at the in home safety would prove to be more valuable. For this reason, it is advised that an evacuation plan and severe weather plan be created. A few things to remember when creating your emergency plan is to designate a single location for all the family to seek out when an emergency arises. This will make is easy to account for all family members and help save valuable time in trying to move the family to a safer location. Secondly, this plan needs to be discussed on a regular basis with the whole family to make sure everyone understand the plan and also knows the importance of following the plan and not deviating from it. Finally, a good way to help refresh younger members of the familys memory is by posting your emergency plans on the refrigerator and in their bedrooms. That way there in a stressful situation when it is time to implement these plans they can easily be located and followed.

Before the final plan is put into place, it is important to test the plan and make sure that it is effective and can be accomplished by all family members. This is especially important when smaller children or elderly are within the home. The designed emergency plan should be tested under various pretend emergencies to make sure it is suitable for all major emergencies or to let you know that the plans need to be revised under certain circumstances.

Now that the plan has been designed, tested, and ready to be used in case of emergency, it is time to remind all the members of the family of what needs to be done. We never want an emergency to occur, but when it does it is time to get down to business. To make sure there is no delay in family response, a monthly test should be run. This way all the procedures stay fresh in everyone's mind. So when that emergency does occur there is no doubt that everyone knows exactly what they need to be doing.

Finally, the last part of the cycle is maintenance. The portion is just as important as the first. The reason being for maintaining your emergency plans is that sometimes house layouts change, family members switch rooms, or they simply become ineffective. This is also a good time to check those first aid kits and emergency supplies such as bottled water, canned goods, and conditions of the home. An emergency plan should be evaluated annually to make sure you and your family are doing all that they can to stay safe in a state of emergency.

Storms can be a result of pending weather conditions. If a hurricane is coming, do you stay? Or do you leave? That is one decision that you must make yourself. If you decide to stay, here are some helpful tips to get you prepared to buckle down. The idea is to be self contained.

First, fill up your gas tanks including vehicles, chain saws, or any other equipment that requires fuel. If the power goes out, you won't be able to pump fuel at your local gas stations.

Next, go grocery shopping. Stock up on water. You will need at least one gallon per person per day for two weeks. Also stock up on food for everyone. I recommend can goods, dry cereal, protein bars, peanut butter, etc. Pick up a portable (nonelectric) can opener. While you are at the store, pick up flash light batteries in assorted sizes.

You may need to shop at your local home center store, too. Pick up boards and duct tape for windows. Board up all windows. Use the duct tape as a back up for the boards.

Next, pack up like you are leaving. Gather clothes, medications, toys, pillows and blankets, and important papers. Put the important papers in a sealed plastic bag. If your roof leaks, your papers are covered. If something happens to your house while you are there, you may need to leave in a hurry. You won't want to go looking for things.

If you stay, make sure you are not in the path of a tidal surge. Hurricane Katrina had an 18' tidal surge. How high is your house built up? If you house is ten foot above sea level, an eighteen foot surge will still cause flooding.

Trees are beautiful and give shade to your home. But they are terrible in a hurricane. Pins trees have deep roots so they snap in high winds. Water oak trees have shallow roots. If the hurricane brings a lot of rain that accumulates around a water oak, they will fall over, tree, root ball and all. Beware.

These are minimum requirements to keeping safe and being self contai. Keep an eye on your local weather stations and news. If the TV stations go off the air, tune into your radio station. Be alert at all times.

Looking back at 2007, it sure seems like nature had it in for the suburbs. The whole country was beset by weather related disasters. We had wildfires in Southern California, ice storms in the Midwest, and flooding in the Northeast. It was devastating for those affected, and chilling for everyone else. The damaged homes on the news were ordinary suburban homes. It was so easy to imagine it happening to us or someone we loved. The truth is that our homes are susceptible to fire and water damage. They are lovely straw houses, waiting for an accident, a little negligence, or the perfect storm.

So what should we do to prepare?

If you want to recover financially from a home disaster, there are two things you need to protect: your digital information and your physical possessions. Vanessa Wood of Design to Spec, LLC was one of those unlucky people whose home was flooded on four separate occasions in 2007. She gives us three tips for protecting our digital files and connections:

1. Don't touch that computer! Whether your computer has been under water, smoke damaged, or hit by debris, it might not be safe to touch immediately after a disaster. Unplug your computer so it will not experience a power surge when downed power is turned back on. Allow a professional PC consultant to examine the hard drive. A good consultant can recommend a sterile lab that is expert at the recovery of valuable data and files.

2. Store hard to replace records and files on a server. This could even be the same server that hosts your website. Taking this extra step may entail scanning documents and choosing to accept bank records in a digital format. Not only will you have your records in a safe location, but you will free up space in your filing cabinets and shelves. Check with your tax advisor to verify which records can be held as digital records, rather than paper.

3. Stay mobile. Stay flexible. You may not be home for awhile. You might have to handle your finances or an insurance claim from a friend's house, library or hotel. Be sure your laptop has the programs you use everyday. Know how to forward your phone numbers to your cell phone. If you use an email address that's derived from your internet cable service (for example, janedoe@optonline.net) know your service password so you can read emails as web mail because a storm, fire or other disaster may knock out your local cable service connection. Remember, too, that online banking services can be invaluable when trying to manage bill payments in a crisis.

What about your physical possessions? You should ask yourself how much it would cost if you had to replace all your belongings yourself. Even if you have home insurance, your initial estimate might be closer to reality than you thought. A client of mine, Julie, lost all the contents of her home when her condo complex burnt to the ground. She offers three tips for protecting and recovering your physical belongings:

1. Do not be underinsured. If you purchase big ticket items, or remodel, make sure you update your insurance policy to cover all your new additions.

2. Keep detailed records of all estimates, transactions and conversations. Julie had to go over her agent's head to a supervisor to get the rest of the money that she was owed for her insurance claim. She was able to do this because she kept notes and copies of everything she mailed and faxed.

3. Don't keep your important documents in your home. Keep your passport and other important documents in a safe location. Julie's home safe didn't withstand the heat of the fire and all was lost. If you must keep the originals at home, keep copies in a separate safe location, like a safety deposit box at your bank.

Everyone has begun to notice the impact that the gas prices are having on the economy, but that is just the tip of the iceberg.

Our whole society has been designed to consume massive amounts of petrochemical products because of the profits that it produced for the handful of people who control these resources. This business has become so big that it has taken over virtually everything in our economy as well as the government.

The people who are in control want to remain there at any cost, especially if that cost is merely at the lives and fortunes of the American people. Our government has gone spend crazy and the rest of the world is going to stop taking our promise to pay. When this happens the dollar will collapse along with the stock market which will also cause interruptions in the transportation system and possibly municipal utilities.

The prices of everything will skyrocket as the supply drops. This will allow them to declare martial law and force us to accept whatever they want to give back to us after they take all that we have.

If this is hard for you to believe, Do some research, the right information could save your life.

And even if I am wrong and it does not happen that way, look at all of the other things that can put you in a position of needing to provide for your own substance for a while such as natural disasters and/or terrorist attacks. What I'm trying to convey to you here is not the mindset of fear but of awareness of what is going on around you.

You can only survive for a very few days without water and a few weeks without food.

Think about where your food comes from and how it gets to your grocery store. Are you willing to bet your life that system can not get interrupted for a month or longer? How long do you think it will take the grocery store to empty if the trucks quit rolling? Again I want to emphasize that fear, doubt and worry are unproductive. As you become aware of these threats to your family use it as motivation to act toward preparation.

Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

You must either store or have access to water 2 gallons per day per person is recommended. If you have a well make sure you have a way to get it out of the ground other than with your electricity unless it is generated on-site. even with on-site water you still need to have a good water filter.

Next I recommend getting food stuff. Buy extra portions of the things you normally have in the house and fill your cabinets, then get long-term storable food which I feel an urgency to do because some food supply houses are already rationing food.

Store up and get at least a 3 month supply for your family, More is better. Grow food, although you may not have room for a garden plot, most people can be creative and find ways to grow some food for their family. Take responsibility and Protect your loved ones.

A disaster has occurred in your home, in your neighbourhood, in your city or your state.

Being prepared for a disaster, before it happens, will help you and your family through the danger when it does occur.

Evacuation:

1. An Immediate risk to you and your Family:

If you smell gas, smoke or see fire in your home, evacuate everybody immediately. Do not call for help from inside your home or go back to retrieve an item. In an emergency of this type, only the lives of your family are important. , Call 9-1-1 and report the emergency only from a safe location.

2. Official General evacuation orders:

If local officials issue general evacuation orders, immediately prepare to leave your house.

· Wear sturdy shoes, long-sleeve shirts and pants.

· Bring your Go-bag.

· If you have a pet, make sure it is wearing a collar, use a pet carrier labeled with your name and the pet's name. Bring your pet's Go-bag.

· Lock your home and shut off the water and electricity, but leave gas on unless instructed otherwise.

· Leave a note and tell a neighbor where you are going.

· Use the evacuation routes and methods specified in the evacuation order.

· Carpool with neighbors whenever possible.

· Once you arrive at a safe location, call your out-of-area emergency contact. This is a person that you know and have previously designated as your emergency contact person. All family members should call this person as soon as they in a safe location.

Disaster Shelters:

Immediately following a large disaster, suitable shelter sites will be selected from a list based on areas of need and estimated numbers of evacuees. Because each site must be inspected prior to being opened, it is not possible to say, which sites will actually be opened then a disaster does strikes.

As soon as disaster sites have been designated, their locations will be announced by your local news media.

If you do not have an alternative, evacuate to a designated emergency shelter.

· Tell your out-of-town-contact where you are going.

· Take your Emergency Kit (First Aid kit and Go Bag) with you to the shelter.

· Initially, emergency shelters may not be able to provide basic supplies and materials. Consider bringing extra items (e.g. blanket, pillow, air mattress, towel, washcloth, diapers, food and supplies for infants.)

· Provide for your pet: only service animals are allowed in "human" shelters. If you cannot make other plans for your pets, Animal Care staff will be available at "human" shelters to help with pet sheltering needs.

Electrical Power Failure:

Power cuts can occur due to blackouts, extreme weather conditions, or can accompany other disasters such as earthquakes or terrorism. If there is no power in your neighborhood:

· Turn off and unplug appliances and computers. Leave one light on to indicate when power has been restored.

· Avoid using regular wax candles; they are fire hazards.

· Do not use a gas stove for heating or operate generators indoors (including the garage.) Both can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

· If traffic signals are not working, treat them like a stop sign.

Earthquake:

If you are indoors when shaking starts:

· Get on the floor, cover your head and hold on. If you are not near a strong table or desk, drop to the floor against an interior wall or doorway and cover your head and neck with your arms.
· Avoid being under or near windows, hanging objects, mirrors, tall furniture, large appliances and cabinets filled with heavy objects.

· Do not try to exit the building during strong shaking.

· If you are downtown, it is safer to remain inside a building after an earthquake unless there is a fire or gas leak. Remember that there are no open areas in downtown San Francisco far enough from glass or falling debris to be considered safe. It may be the same in your town.

· Broken glass from high-rise buildings can travel great distances when caught by the wind.

· If you are in bed, stay there and cover your head with a pillow.

· Do not use elevators during or after a quake.

· If you are in a wheelchair, lock the wheels and cover your head.

If you are outdoors when shaking starts:

· Move to a clear and open area if you can safely walk. Avoid power lines, buildings and trees.

· If you're driving, pull to the side of the road and stop. Do not stop under an overhead hazard.

· If you are on the beach, move to higher ground as soon as possible. An earthquake can cause a tsunami.

Once the earthquake shaking stops:

· Check those around you for injuries and provide first aid to the injured. Do not move seriously injured persons unless they are in immediate danger.

· Check around you for dangerous conditions, such as fires, downed power lines and structure damage, before you move.

· If you have fire extinguishers and are trained to use them, put out small fires immediately.

· Check your phones to be sure they have not shaken off the hook and are tying up a line.

· Turn off the gas supply only if you smell gas.

· Inspect your home for damage.

If you are trapped in debris and can not free yourself:

· Move as little as possible so that you don't kick up more dust. Cover your nose and mouth with a handkerchief or piece of clothing.

· Tap on a pipe or wall so that rescuers can hear where you are. Use a whistle if one is available. Shout only as a last resort.

Severe Storm / Flooding

Severe storms can cause landslides, flooding, uprooted trees, and downed utility lines. Be aware of these potential dangers in and around your neighborhood.

· Tune to local Radio/TV channels for emergency information and instructions.

· If you are asked to leave your property, shut off electric circuits. If advised by your local utility, shut off gas service as well.

· If water has entered your garage or basement, do not walk through it - it may contain hazardous materials.

· Never try to drive over a flooded road. This one mistake is the major cause of death during and after severe flooding.

· If your car stalls, abandon it immediately. Attempting to move a stalled vehicle in flood conditions can be fatal.

· Do not walk through moving water. Unexpected water depth and current can carry you away. If you must walk in water, walk where the water is not moving and use a stick to check the ground in front of you.

· Stay well clear of downed power lines.

· Do not allow children to play around fast moving water, storm drains or flooded areas.

I hope that this information will help you and your family through any emergency situation that you may encounter.

Remember, and I cannot stress this enough, nothing can help you and your family through a disaster as much as being prepared before it happens.

In the event of an emergency there is some documentation that you would want to have readily available and readily visible. Some sort of photo ID might be a prime example. A map of the area could prove invaluable as would be a list of family phone numbers and contact information. Photos of your immediate family members could assist authorities and others in locating any of those members who might become separated from the rest of your group during the initial stages of the emergency.

The time to ready all of these papers, of course, is not during an emergency, but before it.

Other possible candidates for inclusion in this list of important documentation might incorporate bank and credit card information, copies of wills, lists of medications being taken, and insurance information. You might also consider such things as your

* Marriage License,
* Birth Certificates,
* House Mortgage,
* Vacation Home / Property Ownership,
* Automotive Ownership,
* Motor Home Ownership,
* Pictures of valuables being left at home,
* Jewellery Appraisals;
* Trailers, Snowmobiles, Boat Ownerships; and
* Other important family papers and records.

As can be seen, the list can be quite extensive, and most emergency preparedness organizations and survival experts, when providing guidelines, will have any number of suggestions to make in this regard. When it comes to 72 hour kits, however, weight and space limitations must always be considered.

Yet, there is very little if anything that needs to be eliminated from the list of documents that you wish to have preserved and protected. As has already been said, there are some documents that you will wish to have immediately on hand. Other things such as those invaluable family photos and other memorabilia are unlikely to play any role in sustaining you during that emergency. They may, however, be irreplaceable and well worth protecting and preserving in some manner.

The answer lies in those little devices popularly known as flash or thumb drives.

They eliminate the space problem. They eliminate the weight problem. Your 72 hour kit can easily accommodate a flash drive which will take up no more space than a small pen knife or a pair of nail clippers. They are that tiny. Yet, they are large in capacity. Newer models can now hold several gigabytes of information, meaning you could, if you wish, fill them with an entire encyclopaedia's worth of information and still have room to spare.

You will need a computer. You will need a scanner or a digital camera. And you will, of course, need that flash drive. After that it is relatively simple. If your photos and documents have not already been digitized you will need to

1. Scan or photograph them using a digital camera. A scanner is the best option in most cases.
2. The scanning or photographing has created digital files of the originals. These files need to be transferred to your computer where they can be organized and placed into folders. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for doing so. It is not difficult.
3. Attach your thumb drive to one of the USB ports on your computer. Copy your completed files and folders onto that flash drive.
4. Once you have verified that these newly transferred files are correctly in place, unplug the flash drive. It is now ready for inclusion in your 72 hour or emergency survival kit.
5. Repeat steps three and four with additional drives if you wish multiple copies.

During the emergency, these photos and documents will be inaccessible to you, unless you happen to have a notebook or other computer available to you, but the USB connection is a common one, and as soon as you do have access to a computer, those files will be accessible as well.

Similar results can be obtained using a computer disk, but disks are more prone to being scratched or damaged in other ways. As well, your little drive can be used multiple times, and, as the need to update files arise, you can do so with relative ease whenever you feel it appropriate to do so.

For added protection, you may wish to store your flash drive in a small, empty pill bottle or other waterproof container to further protect the information which has been placed upon it. That too is unlikely to take up much space within your 72 hour kit. Many flash drives now offer password protection, which will provide you with another degree of security.

The end result of this paperless paper storage is that, once done, you can preserve and protect all of the valuable documents to which you might have access. The need to pick and choose will have been eliminated.

Hurricane season is fast approaching for those of us living in Florida. With it comes the risk of heavy winds and floods that can do plenty of damage to our homes. It's time to dust off disaster supply kits and make sure they're full of all the supplies you might need, and make sure your family knows what to do in the event of a hurricane.

Your Family Disaster Plan

A disaster plan is simply an action plan that you'll carry out if a hazard affects your home and family. It includes preparation activities you do before the hazard becomes a threat, and activities you might need to carry out during a storm or other emergency.

* Determine the types of hazards you might be affected by, and how your home is most vulnerable. Check out some ways in which you can minimize the risk of damage or safety threats during a storm.
* Check your insurance and make sure you're covered for flood damage in some way (standard homeowner's insurance rarely covers floods).
* Take classes in CPR, first aid, and disaster preparedness.
* Locate rooms or areas in your home which are safe from hurricane hazards. Generally this will be an interior room which has no windows.
* Determine escape routes from your home (these might vary depending on the hazard involved) and choose one or more meeting places where your family can gather if separated.
* Plan what to do with your pets if you have to evacuate your home.
* Choose a contact person-a friend or family member who lives out of state-that family members can contact if needed. Make sure you have at least two ways to contact that person (such as email, home phone, cell phone).
* Create and maintain a disaster supply kit, and make sure your family knows where it is and what it's for.
* Check your disaster supply kit when a hurricane watch is issued and make sure you have all necessary supplies on hand.
* Discuss all of these issues with your family to make sure everyone understands what to do during a storm.

Creating a Disaster Supply Kit

A disaster supply kit is full of all the things you might need in the event of a storm doing enough damage that you lose your electricity supply or become isolated from the rest of the world.

When creating and maintaining disaster supply kit, it's important to make sure that everything that goes in the kit stays in it. Don't be tempted to remove items from the kit for any reason-it's far too easy to forget to replace them. (Of course, you can use your own discretion when deciding whether or not to buy items such as blankets, pillows, and clothing especially for the kit.)
What should you include?

* Plenty of water-a good rule of thumb is one gallon per person per day, with at least three days' worth for each person in the household.
* Enough food for three to seven days. Include only non-perishable food such as canned or dehydrated items, and also add some plastic utensils and paper plates, as well as a can opener and cooking implements.
* First aid kit
* Toiletries and personal care items
* Blankets and pillows
* Clothing
* Battery-operated flashlight and radio, and plenty of spare batteries
* Books and toys for you and the kids
* Important documents, including insurance policies, social security & bank account numbers, wedding and birth certificates. Keep these in a waterproof document sleeve.
* Tools (battery or hand-operated)
* Pet care items for any pets you own, including a leash and muzzle for dogs, and a cage or carrier for any small pets.

You may also want to have on hand items that you may need for emergency repairs if windows and other household fixtures are broken during a storm.

Some items, such as prescription medication and documents, won't be a part of your disaster supply kit at all times, but you can gather these items when you hear of a hurricane watch and add them to the kit.

Store kit items in a safe and secure location, in water-tight boxes or bags, and make sure everyone in the family knows where your emergency supplies are located.

Some items may need to be replaced periodically even if you don't use the kit-this includes batteries, and may include first aid and food items.

What should you do when a Hurricane Watch is Issued?

If a hurricane watch has been issued for your area, your actions will depend on whether or not you need to evacuate your home.

If you're able to stay in your home, assemble your disaster supply kit and check for any items that need to be replaced. Stock up on any supplies you need, fill your car with gas, and grab some extra cash (in case ATMs and banks close). Carry out your pet plan, notify your contact person of the hurricane watch, and check up on your neighbors, too. If a hurricane does show up, gather your family in your home's safe room, along with your disaster supply kit.

If you've been ordered to evacuate, or live in a vulnerable area, you'll need to decide on a destination and inform family and friends (including your out-of-state contact) where you're headed. Evacuate to the home of family members or friends in a safe area if possible, or try a motel or hotel in a safe location. Shelters will usually be a last resort, as these may be uncomfortable, and many don't accept pets.

One of the worst feelings for family and friends is not being able to reach you and know that you are alright. Decide on one out of state contact and let your family and friends know ahead of time who that is and how to reach them.

Assemble your disaster supply kit, take care of your pets, grab extra cash, fill up your car's tank, and secure your home. Before leaving, map out a route you'll take to get to your destination-don't get on the road until you know where you're going and you have a safe route to get there. Be patient and leave as early as possible.

Just about everyone stores candles for emergencies however very few people really know how many to store up on. To judge the time it takes for a candle to melt you must consider its diameter as well as the length. A candle which is ¾ of an inch in diameter and 4 inches long will burn for approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, while one which is 7/8 of an inch but the same length will burn for 5 hours. The two inch diameters will maintain a light for approximately 7 hours per inch.

It is important to remember that when storing your candles they should be kept in a cool location. You should store up on at least three candles per day. I keep my candles in a small plastic tote box under my home.

If you happen to have a need for Canned Heat these tend to store easily and can safely be stored indoors. A small seven ounce can will burn continuously for 1 ½ hours. If these items are stored within a warm environment they will evaporate over a period of time. Therefore once again you may consider placing these in a basement or under your home.

Everyone should have flashlights for quick and immediate light. A dual battery flashlight with two new batteries will operate continuously for up to 6 hours. These flashlights should also be stored within a cool location. I try to keep one operating flashlight in every room of the home within easy reach.

Four newspaper logs will burn for approximately one hour. They produce compatible heat as do the same quantity of the wooden logs. Occasionally you may find log rollers at local yard sales or order them from the internet.

Charcoal should be reserved for use in outdoor cooking only. You can store the charcoal in a moisture resistant container in order to keep it dry. I maintain it in several large trash cans with tight fitting tops. If you use the charcoal inside of a foil oven you would use one briquette to obtain a 40 degree increase in temperature. If using them in a Dutch oven to cook, use the size of the oven measured in inches and add three additional briquettes on the top plus the oven size measured in inches and minus three briquettes placed upon the bottom. This will provide approximately 350 to 375 degrees of heat.

Now we come to kerosene. If you have a kerosene lantern with a 1 inch wick it will burn for approximately 45 hours on one quart. Therefore if you burn it 5 hours per day you can expect to use the following quantities of fuel.

Quarts per day would be 1/9

Quarts per month would be 3 1/2

Quarts per year would be 10 gallons

For cost kerosene is currently the least expensive of the liquid fuels. It will store for a long period of time and can safely be used indoors provided you have good ventilation. In order to avoid the usual kerosene smell you should start as well as extinguish your lanterns outside. If you can obtain several 55 gallon drums you can store your kerosene for several years if not longer.

I do not use white gas however I have included the information here for those who may wish to use it. In order to burn a two mantle lantern for five hours per day on white gasoline the following quantities of fuel will be consumed:

Per day would be 5/12 quarts

Per month would be 3 1/4 gallons

Per year would be 38 gallons

If you happen to be using a dual burner stove for 4 hours daily the following quantities of fuel will be consumed:

Per day would be 1 quart

Per month would be 7 3/4 gallons

Per year would be 91 gallons

Note that white gas is the costlier of the fuels and must be used in the outdoors only.

Lastly we come to propane. Propane is a very portable fuel. It may safely be used indoors if you provide good ventilation and if your equipment is created for indoor use. Keep in mind that the propane grills or the camp stoves should be operated only outdoors. Propane bottles should only be stored outdoors with ventilation. Butane is another gas which can be employed indoors if you provide good ventilation.

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail."
-Benjamin Franklin

Over 92% of school-based police officers believe that schools are a "soft target" for terrorist attacks, according to a 2004 National Association of School Resource Officers survey. The report also states "half of the respondents say that emergency plans for their schools are not adequate."

On April 20, 1999, the unthinkable happened at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Two students, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, detonated home made bombs and opened fire on fellow students in the school's cafeteria. The two stalked the hallways and library armed with an arsenal of semi-automatic weapons and explosives. The killing spree took the lives of twelve students and a teacher and injured dozens more before they turned the guns on themselves, taking their own lives.

The Columbine school massacre marked a turning point for American schools. The rampage became one of the most publicized and recognized incidents of school violence in American history, jolting school officials across the country to evaluate school safety and preparedness issues.

The Columbine incident sparked a wave of school violence on campuses across America that continues until today...

School safety is a major issue in communities across America. While dealing with a human-caused attack may be more unsettling than a natural disaster such as a storm, tornado or an earthquake, it is imperative to be prepared for the worst.

In the event of an emergency, your school could be called upon to provide shelter, food, medical attention and guidance to students for extended periods of time beyond typical school hours. While dealing with the unspeakable and unimaginable may be frightening, the question must be asked: Are you prepared for the worst?

In many school districts it is becoming mandatory to have a lockdown kit for each classroom. A Classroom Lockdown Kit is the first step in emergency preparedness for a school.
In the unfortunate event of a natural disaster or attack, the Classroom Lockdown Kit provides everything you need should the unthinkable happen. Each fully customizable kit includes food, water, first aid kit, even a toilet to meet your students' sanitary needs.

There's no telling how long a lockdown will last. Without the proper survival tools your students can suffer further emotional trauma. With the Classroom Lockdown Kit, both you and your students will have peace of mind knowing that you are prepared for any shocking event. Don't get caught off guard!

How many of you out there are feeling the pain and distress of hearing how these tornadoes, cyclones, earthquakes and wildfires are destroying many people lives? What can you as an individual or group do about this? How can America support these victims of disasters? (Something to think about) I think we should have some type of Disaster Fund from one source that supports the victims, right away.

Businesses, Families and Individuals should be able to access these funds when needed. This fund should be available in all countries and cities at one local department or business; maybe non-profit organizations can make it available. Or what about funding it through the payroll system. What do you think? Remember these disasters, whether tornado, earthquake, cyclone or wildfires can put a financial strain on those who do not have insurance. If this fund is funded through the payroll system, can it be tax deductible at the end of the year. What about setting up this account through the IRS.gov website. With these recent events we should all support in some way.

In addition, are we listening to the warning coming right from the Weather Channel? The experts Steve Lyons, who is a Hurricane Specialist and Greg Forbes a Weather Specialist constantly from day to day give us updates on this channel. It is important to listen to these experts on a day-to-day basis before you walk out you front door. We should also invest in a weather radio if we live in tornado or earthquake zone.

With so many natural disasters happening around the world and right here at home, more and more people are thinking about the risks in their community. If there's one thing the nation learned from Hurricane Katrina, it's that you can't always count on the government to be able to respond immediately. It's up to each of us to prepare our families as best we can.

Know the Risks

What are the risks in your area? People on the west coast have a higher risk of earthquakes and tsunamis than those on the east coast where cyclones and flooding are of larger concern. When you know the local hazards you can better prepare for them, thus lessening the effects. For instance, in an earthquake zone, mitigate danger by securing heavy objects that might topple over and removing from mirrors and heavy items hanging above sleeping areas. In cyclone-prone areas, clear property of loose debris that could become deadly in high winds, and build storm shutters.

Make a Plan

Discuss the risks with your family and make a plan for different scenarios. Make sure everyone knows what to do in event of disaster. Practice the evacuation routes in your house and make sure there are two exits from every room, in case one is blocked. Choose a local nearby spot where all family members will meet if you have to evacuate the house. Designate an out-of-town contact that all family members can check in with. This way you'll know that your family is safe, even if you are away from home or separated during the disaster.

Make a Kit

This will include things like non-perishable food and water, basic tools, a first aid kit, hygiene items, comfort items and snacks, books and games, a flashlight and extra batteries, a spare set of warm clothes, extra keys, family photos, some money or travelers checks (in case ATMs aren't working) and copies of important documents like wills, insurance, and banking info. You can find more detailed lists on the Internet. You should be prepared to survive for up to a week without help, and should include two weeks of essential prescriptions. Don't forget to pack extra food and water for your pets.

Now this may seem like an expensive undertaking, especially if you're on a limited budget. Don't despair. Just because you can't afford to put it together all at once does not mean you should give up on the idea altogether. Start small: try to buy an extra can of food every time you go to the grocery store. Find supplies at garage sales and second hand stores. Look around the house for items you already have. Should disaster strike you'll be grateful for whatever you've managed to get together, and it may be just what you need to get you through until help arrives.

Develop a Network

Get to know your neighbors and develop at least three contacts in the area. Make an agreement to check on each other in case of a disaster. You may want to exchange keys or make arrangements to share the cost of bigger items such as generators. In a real disaster, having a strong network of prepared neighbors will help everyone weather the storm better.

With a little pre-planning you can take some of the fear out of a major disaster. You can never predict what will happen, but you can help soften the blow.

It is natural that with the threat of biological or chemical terrorism comes a lot of talk about gas masks. Before making the decision to buy and use a gas mask it is important to understand the technology behind the different types of available equipment. It is also important to understand that a gas mask alone will not give adequate protection from biological or chemical contamination. Even the use of a protective suit will only give some protection from airborne contaminants. The only way to be fully protected is to use a suit that entirely covers the user and seals air tight, which means the use of SCBA gear is required. Unfortunately, this type of gear is very expensive and is not practical for civilian use (see discussion below). You should not expect to be able to stay in an affected area for any period of time without this type of gear.

A Look at the Different Types of Gas Masks

The least effective type of gas mask is known as a half-mask air-purifying respirator. These cover the nose and mouth allowing the user to breathe through the filtration system of the mask. However, many chemical and biological agents use the eyes as an entry point, causing contamination.

A more effective type of mask is known as a full-face air-purifying respirator. These Gas Masks provide a clear face mask or clear eye pieces that protect the eyes, as well as the nose and mouth. The issue with these air-purifying respirators is that they may leak from either a poor fit or from a crack or hole on the mask.

Solving the leak problem is the supplied-air respirator. These use the same sort of filter attached to a battery-operated canister with a fan forcing air through it. The advantage is the positive pressure created by the system ensuring that any leak in the mask releases purified air rather than allowing contaminated air from the environment to enter. This is often the only option for infants and children because their small faces make masks difficult to fit reliably. Anyone considering using this type of gas mask should consider that the constant flow of air through the filter means that the filter needs more frequent replacement. Also consider that if the batteries wear out, the system will no longer operate.

The most effective system is known as an SCBA, or Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus. In an SCBA system, the air tank contains high-pressure purified air providing constant positive pressure to the face mask. While providing the best protection, an SCBA system is expensive and impractical for civilian use. The tanks are heavy and bulky and only contain, at best, 60 minutes of air. They may make sense for diving or firefighting, but for civilians or soldiers on the battlefield, an SCBA system is nearly impossible to manage.

How the Filtration Works

Because of the problems with SCBA systems, the respirator you are most likely to use will have a filter that purifies the air you breathe. Air filters can use one (or more) of three techniques of removing poisonous chemicals and deadly bacteria from the air.

Particle filtration is the simplest of the three. Holding a cloth or handkerchief over your mouth to keep from breathing dust is an example of an improvised particulate filter. In a gas mask designed to guard against a biological threat, a very fine particulate filter is useful. An anthrax bacteria or spore might have a minimum size of 1 micron. Most biological particulate filters remove particle sizes as small as 0.3 microns.

A chemical threat requires a different approach due to the fact that chemical mists or vapors are largely immune to particulate filtration. The most common approach with any organic chemical is activated charcoal. Activated charcoal is charcoal that has been treated with oxygen to open up pores between the carbon atoms. These so-called active, or activated, charcoals are widely used to absorb odorous or colored substances from gases or liquids. When certain chemicals, such as paint fumes or nerve toxins like Sarin, pass next to the carbon surface, they attach to the surface and are trapped. Activated charcoal is good at trapping these organic chemicals, but many other chemicals are not attracted to carbon at all and pass right through. This means that an activated-charcoal filter will remove certain impurities, while ignoring others. It also means that once all of the activated charcoals bonding sites are filled, the filter stops working and must be replaced.

The third technique involves destruction by chemical reaction. This technique was adopted in some of the earliest protective equipment. In industrial respirators, you can choose from a variety of filters, depending on the chemical that you need to eliminate. The different filters are color coded by NIOSH standards for things like acids and ammonia. It may be difficult to decide which filtration to use, since in an attack, the chemical used is unknown beforehand.

Nargis formed into a tropical cyclone on April 27, 2008, in the central Bay of Bengal about 360 miles off of the southeast coast of India. Cyclone Nargis was, when it made landfall around the mouth of the Ayeyawaddy (Irrawaddy) river, about 220 kilometres south-west of Rangoon, a Category four storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale of hurricane strength, with sustained winds of 132 mph. Nargis is the deadliest cyclone to hit Asia since 1991, when 143,000 people perished in Bangladesh from a land-falling cyclone that year. The formation of Tropical Cyclone Nargis in the Bay of Bengal coincides with the start of cyclone season in the North Indian Ocean, which typically runs from April through December.

Burma, devastated by Nargis, is undergoing a natural and human disaster. As Tropical Cyclone Nargis swept over the Irrawaddy River Delta, pummelling the area with high winds, storm surge, and heavy rains, many tens of thousands of people have lost their lives. The Associated Press noted that a Burma state-run radio station reported on May 5, that more than 22,464 people were confirmed dead, and thousands were missing. Burma is isolated from the rest of the world at the best of times. Due to the nature of the disaster, the large area involved and the secrecy and mistrust of the Burmese government, it is impossible to get an accurate recording of the tragic human loss, but some are estimating lives lost in the hundreds of thousands, rather than the tens. This puts the Nargis disaster on a par with the 2004 boxing day tsunami which killed 300,000 people.

Tropical cyclones are amongst the most powerful and destructive meteorological systems on earth. They are a product of the interaction of between the atmosphere and the oceans. The pressures recorded at the centres of tropical cyclones are among the lowest that occur on Earth's surface at sea level.

Despite the long season, the region, which includes the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, on average has just over five named storms per year, with only two becoming full tropical cyclones. Tropical cyclones are compact, circular storms, generally some 320 km (200 miles) in diameter, whose winds swirl around a central region of low atmospheric pressure. The winds are driven by this low-pressure core and by the rotation of the Earth, which deflects the path of the wind through a phenomenon known as the Coriolis force. As a result, tropical cyclones rotate in an anti-clockwise (or cyclonic) direction in the Northern Hemisphere and in a clockwise (or anticyclonic) direction in the Southern Hemisphere.

During World War II, tropical cyclones were informally given women's names by US Army Air Corp and Navy meteorologists (after their girlfriends or wives) who were monitoring and forecasting tropical cyclones over the Pacific. From 1950 to 1952, tropical cyclones of the North Atlantic Ocean were identified by the phonetic alphabet (Able-Baker-Charlie-etc. While tropical cyclones can produce extremely powerful winds and torrential rain, they are also able to produce high waves and damaging storm surge. Although their effects on human populations can be devastating, tropical cyclones can also relieve drought conditions.

Tropical cyclones are known by various names in different parts of the world. In the North Atlantic Ocean and the eastern North Pacific they are called hurricanes, and in the western North Pacific around the Philippines, Japan, and China the storms are referred to as typhoons. In the western South Pacific and Indian Ocean they are variously referred to as severe tropical cyclones, tropical cyclones, or simply cyclones. All these different names refer to the same type of storm.

With increasing global temperatures adding energy to the earth's weather systems there is a chance that storms on the scale of Nargis may become more common place, once again hugely impacting vast populations living in vulnerable coastal and delta regions of the world.

Earthquake survival is one of the most difficult natural disasters to prepare for. The difficulty is in the fact that a tremor can happen anywhere and at anytime. The key here is to be prepared for this event as with anything else, but earthquakes more so than any other natural disaster. With any kind of survival we can break down the stages you will need to be aware of.

Before an Earthquake

Before an earthquake happens you should be prepared with emergency equipment and supplies. This includes but not limited to a radio, flashlight, food, and any number of items that will help you survive. A plan is a must. If part of you surviving is dependent on helping people you live with or care about, an established plan of how to survive during a quake should be reviewed and solidified with all the people you care for. Having a rally point will aid in the confusion that often occurs after an earthquake. It only takes mere seconds to throw your household into chaos and having a cool head and understanding of the situation will benefit you in any type of disaster.

The plan should include the safe zones to hide during an earthquake. You want to stay away from windows and heavy furniture that may fall on you. I am reminded of electric football games where the field continuously shakes while the players seem to just move around in no set order. In order to win this game you must have everyone on the same page.

You should also prepare your home for this kind event by storing heavy items at the bottom of your shelves and keep all flammable items away from potential fire hazards. Know where all your emergency shut off valves are like gas, water, and electricity.

During an Earthquake

If you are driving during an earthquake it would be wise to safely pull over. Avoid stopping under a bridge or on top of one. Do not stop near trees, power lines, or buildings as any of these could fall on top of you. It is also wise to stay in your vehicle. If you happen to be outside and are not driving, try to find an open area where you can avoid falling debris from the above mentioned sources. Earthquakes often come in waves with subsequent after shocks. So be aware that if all seems okay it's best to wait a little longer.

If you are inside find a safe place to hide that will not break if something heavy falls on it. A glass coffee table is ill advised but a solid oak one will help immensely. If in the event you can not find something to hide under stay along the walls or in a door frame. I repeat stay away from windows and glass. The immense pressure caused by a tremor could cause glass to shatter and fly across the room. If you happen to be cooking then it would be most certainly wise of you to turn off the stove and then take cover. An earthquake is bad enough without having to deal with a fire.

After an Earthquake

The first thing you should do is check yourself for injuries and check if any loved one have any. Tend to those that need tending and move outside the building if possible. Most building's structural integrity is compromised during an earthquake and you would not want an after shock to bring it down on top of you. If you are unsure about the viability of the building you are in then vacating the premises is highly advised until a professional can inspect it and offer up advice post inspection. If the power is out it is recommend that you unplug any major appliances and turn off your gas in case of a gas leak.

Overall being prepared before an earthquake happens is your best bet for survival. Having a plan will keep your head cool while everyone else is running around not knowing what to do. The most terrifying aspect of an earthquake is the suddenness of the event. In many cases is leaves the unprepared in daze of wondering what to do next. It is the wise people that keep calm you want to become or attach yourself to.

Pop quiz... When your students arrive on campus, does your university ensure that students have all the information they need, to be taken care of in case of medical or other emergency? Of course it depends on the university, but for most schools, the answer is no!

To examine this question more carefully, let's take a look at two scenarios.

Scenario One

Students sitting in a lecture hall, are critically injured in a hail of sudden gunfire. The shooter is captured, but it takes ten to fifteen minutes for first responders to reach and begin to treat the injured. One student, not as badly injured as the rest, waits his turn. Moments later he realizes he's beginning to lose consciousness, before he's able to tell the paramedics that he is on a special regimen of strong allergy medications.

The university has that information in the student's medical history file at the health clinic, but even though school administrators are trying their best to deal with the crisis, they simply don't have the personnel available right now, to locate and transmit every injured student's emergency contacts and medical information to the hospital. Without that history, the hospital unknowingly gives our injured student a drug that interacts with his allergy medication. He falls into a coma and dies two days later, from medication-related complications.

Scenario Two

One warm spring evening, a group of students are having an impromptu party in a friend's dorm room on another floor. Tornado sirens break the air's stillness and the girls barely have time to grab their cell phones, let alone their belongings, before running to the safety of the storm shelter. When they return, the dorm is leveled and their most cherished and valuable possessions are destroyed.

A week later, the students are stunned to find out that without descriptions, serial numbers or warranty information for their laptops, TVs, cameras and iPods, the chances of getting an insurance company to replace their possessions is slim. And the loss doesn't end there - one girl lost the list of passwords and IDs she needs to complete term papers for school and log in to the computer at work. Another, discovers that all of her ID, membership and credit cards are completely gone. Without those numbers, they'll be difficult, if not impossible to replace.

Those scenarios may be scary, but similar things happen on university campuses every day. In fact, each year in the United States...
# 599,000 college students are injured

# 1,700 college students die from alcohol-related emergencies,

# Over 30,000 students need emergency health care for alcohol overdose

# More than 696,000 college students are assaulted

# More than 97,000 college students are sexually abused

# There are more than 110 million emergency room visits total in the US

# 98,000 people die from medical errors that could have been prevented with a detailed medical history!

When students are living away from home for the first time in their lives, they no longer have mom or dad right there as keeper of the vital information. So when they become injured, or are the victims of a crisis that harms or destroys their property, that information isn't just important, it's critical to recovery.

The first hurdle is figuring out what information is actually necessary for the students to have. The next hurdle is finding a way to make the information secure yet accessible to them (and the hospital that will be treating them) in time of emergency.
Here is the information that hospitals need to have if your students are injured or become ill:

# Three to four current emergency contacts, with multiple contact numbers, email and notes that indicate where contact can be reached on specific days or at certain times.

# Current doctors, dentists and specialists your student visits, like dermatologists and orthodontists

# Current prescriptions, and any past prescriptions that might provide necessary insights into the student's medical background

# Allergies, inoculations and details of any serious illnesses or bad reactions to medication or treatments

Insurance information, policy numbers and agent names
# Basic medical history

# Any details that might influence treatment decisions

# Blood type, identifying marks, or details that might help identify the student in case of mass casualties

# Diseases, major medical procedures performed and any outcome
And for the recovery of personal property or financial emergencies, students need to have:

# Every insurance policy number, member ID and agent contact for anything that affects the student (car, rental, medical, product replacement insurance)

# Credit card numbers, toll free numbers, passwords, credit limits

# Loan numbers, toll free numbers, passwords, terms and payment information

# Important membership numbers and passwords that might become lost or be forgotten and difficult to recover.

# Warranty numbers, serial numbers of expensive equipment like laptops, stereos or televisions.

So how does your emergency contact card or medical history form measure up?
Even if your university does capture all or most of this information, ask yourself what actually happens if a student becomes injured or ill.

# Does the university get in touch with the hospital, or does the hospital get in touch with them?

# If the hospital ends up calling the university, is there a specific place that hospitals need to call, like the registrar, or the health clinic to access a student's emergency information?

# What happens if an emergency occurs after business hours?

# Who is usually responsible for calling the parents or next of kin for an injured student?

The problem is, universities frequently don't have specific written procedures on who needs to do what, when a student becomes ill or injured. We've heard many stories about student's medical histories never arriving at the hospital that is treating them, or parents who aren't notified of their child's severe injuries for hours, or worse days, because the university thought the hospital was notifying them or vice versa.

Problems often occur when information is stored in different departments. Let's say the emergency contact information is stored in the admissions office and the medical history in the health center. This can easily cause a situation where both departments think the other has notified a parent or transmitted a medical history over to a hospital, only to have the hospital end up having to treat the student without a medical history or his specific needs in mind. It's tragic that schools go to the trouble of gathering this vital information only to have it sit unused, when it's needed most. And if this information flow doesn't work effectively when just one student is injured, just think what would happen in a full scale emergency.

Answering these questions honestly and discussing problems that are uncovered, with all of the departments involved, is the first step in designing a student safety system that will ensure maximum efficiency in any emergency, whether it be a student injury or a full blown mass casualty situation.

As we approach the anniversary of the Columbine tragedy, it is still apparent that our nation's schools are still in desperate need of formal threat assessment programs to help predict - and thereby prevent- targeted school violence. The first step in implementing your school's (or district's) program is to develop a formal threat assessment policy.

A solid policy should set a baseline that establishes what type of behavior will be assessed or investigated. It is important to remember that the key is not who makes a threat but rather who poses a threat. Your policy may be to investigate and assess every threat of violence, no matter how unlikely. However, you should never wait for a threat. Inappropriate behavior and communications, while not a threat, are often a much better predictor or violent behavior. An example of inappropriate behavior is demonstrated in this poem written and submitted to a teacher weeks before the author opened fire on his classmates and teachers: Sinking into bed Homicidal feelings fill my head Suicidal thoughts not gone but not fleeing Because it is other people's death I'm seeing Suicide or Homicide Homicide or Suicide Into sleep I'm sinking Why me I am thinking Homicidal and suicidal thoughts intermixing I know my life's not worth fixing.

Now matter what the media "experts" say, the behavioral process leading to violence is observable; if you are in a position to observe the behavior and you know what to look for. Teachers and counselors are almost always in the position to observe the indicators of this building process. That is why providing training in identifying pre-incident indicators is critical in the success of a good threat assessment program. By knowing what to look for and reporting indicators of violent behavior, teachers and counselors allow the system to work. Another important aspect of your policy is the development of a threat assessment team. This team can be comprised of administrators, school counselors, teachers, mental health professionals and law enforcement, and will review cases to determine if the student in question poses a threat and what course of action to take with the student. Case management is an often overlooked aspect of threat assessment. As Gavin de Becker points out in his book "The Gift of Fear", an assessment is looking at a snap shot in time of that person's life, as the person's life changes (for better or worse) so does the assessment.

Threat assessment is certainly a new area for most school administrators, but there is help. The United States Secret Service has developed a school assessment program and Gavin de Becker, who is widely regarded a world leader in security and predictive behavior has a comprehensive system and several books on the subject of predicting violence.

Brad Spicer began his career in the United States Army as an intelligence analyst. After completing airborne school and receiving specialized training in military intelligence and linguistics, he served as a squad leader in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During his 11 years with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Mr. Spicer served five years on the Patrol's Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) and five years in the Governor's Security Division. With SERT, he responded to numerous critical incidents in southwest Missouri and developed contingency plans for high risk facilities. During his five years on the State's Governor's Security Detail, Mr. Spicer became a nationally recognized expert in the fields of dignitary protection, security and emergency planning. Mr. Spicer coordinated security operations for the Missouri State Highway Patrol during Presidential visits and other high profile events. He has received advanced threat assessment training from the United States Secret Service and Gavin de Becker & Associates.

In 2001, Mr. Spicer developed the Emergency Response Information Portal (ERIP™), a comprehensive web-based emergency preparedness application. He has implemented the ERIP system nationwide for school districts, government facilities and private industry.

In 2003, he played a critical role in the Station Nightclub Fire After Action Report; developed the comprehensive report for the Department of Homeland Security. This report, which detailed the emergency response operations of the catastrophe in which 100 people lost their lives, was written at the request of Rhode Island Governor Carcieri.

On Monday, April 28, a series of violent tornadoes ripped through communities in SE Virginia. Authorities estimated that as many as six tornadoes are responsible for the widespread damage. Striking as they did in the late afternoon probably saved many lives. Most people were working or shopping at the time and many houses were empty. Had the tornadoes struck during the night, casualties and fatalities might have been much greater. Although as many as 200 people were injured in the town of Suffolk, most suffered only cuts or scrapes. A day after the storms, only about a dozen residents remained hospitalized with six people in critical condition. Miraculously, no fatalities were recorded. Many folks were reminded of the importance of planning ahead: where will you go when a tornado hits, in a storm cellar, a room in the center of the house, or even just a bathtub. Wherever, be sure that you have some kind of a disaster kit close at hand.

Although not unknown, this area rarely encounters tornadoes. In this case, however, the tornado zigzagged for about 10 miles and, with its mother storm, ravished a 25-mile slash through central and southeast Virginia. In Suffolk, a city of about 80,000 people, about 140 homes and businesses were destroyed, severely damaged or wrecked to inhabitability. The 138-bed Sentara Obici Hospital was hit by the storm, however, the facility remained fully operational and was accepting patients. In some cases damage was unbelievable. Cars and SUVs were turned completely over or strewn about like wind-blown leaves. Some were even stacked on top one another. The powerful winds actually threw two smashed cars into a shopping center. In Suffolk some roads were still blocked Tuesday. No one knew when residents and business owners would be allowed to return to their properties.

A tornado can cut you off from electricity, friends and neighbors, and your usual sources of food and water. During normal, good times, people rarely think about emergency preparedness. But when disaster strikes, it's too late to prepare. At a time like this, emergency-preparedness-kits, survival-kits and first-aid-kits can make a big difference in helping you and your family to survive for up to 72-hours.

The average person does not think about fire safety unless they have recently seen a training commercial or a specific program at work or at school. This is serious business and you need to know what you can do to make your home and workplace a safer place to be in. There are several things you can do to make sure your family and coworkers are safe from the dangers of fire and educate them in the procedures, the equipment, and how the extinguisher operates. You and your family cannot depend on the fire department or rescue crews to help you in your time of need. You should be proactive about evacuation plans and practice them at least three times a year.

To be proactive you should know where your fire extinguisher is at all times. Walk around your home or business and show your coworkers or family exactly where each extinguisher is and how to use it. At least once a year you should have a Fire Marshall or a fire professional speak at your business or school and explain how fire extinguishers actually works. A real-life demonstration with a real fire extinguisher can open the eyes of many people. Once people understand the importance of a fire extinguisher they will be more apt to use the fire extinguisher properly when an emergency arises.

One person in your home or business should be designated to be in charge of fire extinguisher inspections. This person would check the levels with gauges and check the tags to make sure that they are up to date. If you do not know how to check the levels in your fire extinguisher or to have a refill, you can receive instruction from a fire extinguisher professional. Even if you have never used your fire extinguisher you should always check the pressure within the canister and the inspection tags on the extinguisher itself.

Hydrostatic testing should be used to see if your extinguisher is up to code. Hydrostatic testing is a way in which you can find leaks in the canister from the pressure inside. When new, an extinguisher has full pressure and is able to expel the fire retardant at full force. Through time the pressure may weaken due to weaknesses within the metal of the canister or weaknesses within the hoses and connector points. By using hydrostatic testing you are able to maintain safety standards and the durability of your extinguisher overtime. The extinguisher would not perform as well or at all if the pressure is below the standard. This would put you and those around you in danger if you're extinguisher fell below the standard norm.

Checking your fire extinguishers is just one way in which you can be proactive about fire safety. Replacing old fire extinguishers and changing your smoke alarms is the first step in keeping your family safe and your workplace free from harm. You can purchase fire safety equipment online or you can talk to a fire safety professional to find a local fire safety merchandise outlet near you.

Most of us want to take action to mitigate risk of trouble in life for us and our families. That is why most of us have home and car insurance, buy smoke detectors and gas alarms, and have periodic safety maintenance of our homes and cars.

Yet when it comes to disaster prepardeness only 7% are prepared. Why?

For most the perceived risk level is much lower than a house fire or other events that happen more frequently than a disaster so there is less desire and interest in taking action.

Another factor however is the perceived significant, huge, dedicated, effort involved to be "food prepared". Where does this perception come from?

Do a Google search on survival food or food preparedness and you will find a lot of information from survivalists. Many of these survival sites provide good expert advice on survival and food preparedness.

However much of that survivalist advice is for those who are committed and dedicated to spending a huge amount of time and effort to be prepared.

Advice you often see at these survival websites is to buy in bulk at big box stores. That is buy the grains, flour, and other food products in large 50 lb bags. Then you need to spend a lot of time dividing it into food storage containers, labeling those containers by date, use dry ice to increase storage life, the effort goes on and on.

What you need to do next is spend a lot of time to cook and consume that bulk food every day on a regular basis and periodically "stock-up" to keep your "not so fresh" inventory from going bad. You need to monitor your labeled, bulk food "home warehouse" and maintain a FIFO (first in, first out) inventory system to make sure the food you use today is the oldest in your home warehouse. Does this sound appealing? Will your current lifestyle easily accommodate this continuous effort to be prepared?

What if there is a shortage when you need to re-stock on bulk grain? Timing is everything in this system and you could be spending a lot of effort to be prepared but end up unprepared because of bad timing.

Do you think you are prepared to do all of the above to be "prepared"? Even if you are motivated now at this time and ambitiously say "yes", what is the chance you will give up this "preparedness is my life" dedication and send most of the 200 lbs of bulk rice you just bought to the garbage dump?

While I can admire the dedication that these people follow to be prepared, I know that most of us are not inclined to go to these extremes to be food prepared. Not everyone wants to nor obviously will they, make a such a drastic lifestyle change to support food preparedness.

Is the above survivalist system the only way to be food prepared for months or even a year?

Is there an easier way that is not extremely expensive?

How can a much greater number of Americans than 7%, really become food prepared and thus decrease the burden relief agencies need to support in a disaster?

The simple answer is freeze dried food. Buy it once, Mountain House #10 cans can last up to 25 years. Store it in a cool dry place, forget about it till you need it. You can mark 'Expires in 2033′ on the boxes in case you never use it in the next 25 years.

Then you won't be clearing out pallets of rice at the big box every 6 months like the survivalist's recommend you do. You won't be caught off guard when there is a shortage at the time you need to re-stock your 200 lbs of bulk grain.

Since the dawn of man, people have learned to use techniques for surviving in any condition. One only has to look at a map of the globe and see that any habitat that nature can throw at humans has been turned into livable terrain. Even the polar extremes have hearty bands of people crossing their vast expanses.

What separates people in different habitats at times are the specific techniques for finding the three basic elements required to sustain human life: water, food, and shelter. In this series, we take a brief look at different habitats and how each one can present a challenge in obtaining one of the three key resources.

Cold Regions:

Polar temperatures can drop to as low as -60 degrees C and never eclipse the freezing point. Travel in these regions is extremely tough on the body and if you find yourself in a survival situation in this climate it is advised not to do more traveling than is absolutely necessary. The biggest risk is being caught out in an area where no suitable shelter can be obtained to protect from the harsh elements. Another problem with traveling is that compass use in cold regions is generally not an option due to inaccuracy relating to the magnetic pole proximity. The best travel guide is the sky in these areas but in order to use this method one would have to travel during the frigid night when stars are visible. A tip for necessary travel, if trees are available one can attempt to make snowshoes from small trees by bending a fresh branch in a teardrop shape, secure it with local rope-like material and make a platform to stand on.

The key to finding quick shelter in cold regions is locating either natural shelter such as rock or ice formations that protect from the wind or trees that can serve as shelter from the wind and are free from heavy snow accumulation. If out in the open, generally the only option is to construct a barrier to the elements such as an igloo using the available snow and ice.

Finding suitable fire material also can present a significant challenge, especially if no trees are available. If fuel is available from a disabled vehicle can it serve as a temporary source of fuel for a fire. Other options include animal fat and any plant material that can be scavenged. One word of advice is to be extremely careful in starting a fire near any ice/snow shelter as the heat can quickly melt the structure leaving one further exposed.

Food sources in cold regions can be hit or miss. Generally, animals such as rabbits and squirrels can be easily tracked by tracks in the snow. If no firearms or hunting equipment is available, imitating prey animal noises through a variety of means such as pursing ones lips can aid the patient survivor by luring an animal into arms reach. Coastal regions offer opportunities for fishing as well as seals which can be used not only for food but also for fuel and clothing. Look for holes in the ice that may serve as breathe holes for diving seals. Arctic plants are generally edible, a few noteworthy exceptions are Baneberry and Hemlock which are poisonous so be sure to be aware of what they look like.

Finding a source of clean water is the easiest task in cold regions due to the usual abundance of fresh snow and ice to utilize as water. Just remember to melt the ice before consuming it not only to keep the body temperature up but also to prevent injury and to boil any water from standing bodies to remove organisms.

When filling a sandbag at least two people, ideally three should take part in the process. All people should wear gloves to protect their hands as some sandbags are treated with chemicals to make them last longer. One member of the team should place the empty bag between or slightly in front of their widespread feet with a flat back and arms extended. The opening of the bag is folded to form a collar, and steadily held for the other person to shovel in the sand. Sandbags are commonly filled completely with sand, this is incorrect. The sand bags should be filled no more than two-thirds full to allow effective shaping and wall building.

The person holding the bag should be standing with bent legs and keeping their back straight to prevent future back pains and keep their head as far away as possible from the hovel to avoid the shovel missing the sandbag and cutting the face of the bag holder.

If the bags of sand are filled with too much sand then they could be too heavy to lift and can cause injuries after a prolonged exposure to sandbag work. Leaving room in the bags means that the sandbags can be maneuvered to form a tighter seal from the flood water.

Ideally, to speed up the operation more people should be involved. Two people will be able to fill more sandbags if they have a third helper handing the bag holder the empty sandbags from the bale of sandbags and then taking the filled sandbags when they are done. If the filling of the bags is being done near to where the flood is happening then a line of people can be formed and people can take the filled sandbags from one person and pass the filled sandbag to the next person and so on, forming a constant stream of sandbags on the wait to their destination.

Sandbag Placement

Before making a wall of sandbags, it is essential that any debris from the area if removed. Fold the open end of the unfilled portion of the sandbag to form triangle. If tied sandbags are used, flatten or flare the tied end.

Place succeeding bags on top, offsetting by one-half filled length of the previous bag, and stamp into place to eliminate voids and to form a tight seal. Stagger the joint connections when stacking lots of sandbags on top of each other. Stacking three high is the maximum recommended for single file walls of sandbags, if you require a wall of sandbags higher than three sandbags, the pyramid method is essential to build a foundation large enough to support whole sandbag structure.

What Type of Sandbags to Use

Hessian sandbags are the oldest and most common sandbags, constructed from woven jute material in a bag measuring approximately 13'' x 30''. Hessian has been used and is still being used for its biodegradable qualities. Hessian sandbags will disappear naturally into the ground over a short time period which is why they are used by many for their disappearing qualities. Because hessian breaks down it is not advisable to use this type of sandbag for continual flood defense surrounding a river as they will probably break down before the flood comes.

Polypropylene sandbags are more useful for a permanent flood barrier as they do not degrade from the ground and weathering, however sunlight will break down the plastic material. It has been known for a polypropylene sandbag to completely disappear after two weeks of extreme sunlight exposure. For this reason is it advisable to build the wall using the polypropylene sandbags and then cover the wall with black sheeting to protect the sandbags from the sunlight.

Also, a heavy duty polypropylene sandbag does exist which has a UV stabiliser added to the material to reflect the sunlight. This makes the bags last longer, but does not make them invincible, it would still be recommended to cover the heavy duty polypropylene sandbags with black sheeting to protect the life and functionality of the sandbags and save you from having to replace them all.

Sandbag construction is a centuries old technique that has changed little. Sand bags are made from different materials, the most common being hessian. More recently woven polypropylene sandbags have been introduced and are proving more effective for certain operations involving these flood defence sandbags.

Sand is by far the easiest and most effective material for filling and shaping sandbags. In a time of flooding the rain also helps to saturate from the rain and also makes the bags heavier. During emergencies, sand may not be available and so silt, clay, gravel or a mixture of these may be used, but none work as well as sand. Sometimes during a flood there may be no vehicle access to a flood site, and this is when materials other than sand may be used.

Sandbags can be used to:

- Prevent overtopping levees

- Direct a river's current flow to a specific are

- Construct ring dikes around boils on a levee

- Use as a weight for holding down traffic signs for example

- Stacking sandbags by home gates and doors can greatly diminish flood damage

It is commonly thought that sandbags should be built as a wall to completely block water, this is a misunderstanding. It is possible to completely block water, but this requires enough time to construct a pyramid styled wall many sandbags thick. This takes time and the very nature of flooding means that people rarely have time to prepare. The force of the water can be so great it is much more advisable to quickly build a much thinner wall with the aim of redirecting the flow of the water away from the location being targeted by the water flow. Using this method gives you a much greater chance of preventing flood damage to your property as opposed to attempting to build a blocking wall, which will probably get washed away.

The flow of water is greatly underestimated, people trying to block will probably be happy with how it goes to start with, but if the water has nowhere to go, it will build up, rise and rise. The great build of force will mean the water will start finding gaps in the sandbags and also moving some of the bags out of place and if you do not keep building the wall higher, the water will very surely overflow your wall and surge into your property causing painful damage.

If you live in a flood risk area or feel that there is a probability of your home or property being flooded it is highly recommended to keep some sandbags in your garage or the downstairs of your home.