Family Preparation & Survival Guide

Earthquakes are caused by continent sized tectonic plates moving and rubbing against each other hundreds of miles beneath the earth’s surface.  It is near impossible to predict an earthquake, thus when one occurs, it can cause widespread panic and fear.  The most important piece of disaster information all guides offer is to remain calm.  During and after an earthquake, there are a number of steps you should take to protect yourself.  When an earthquake hits, ensure you get under a desk or table to prevent falling objects from hitting your head.  If there is no desk or table near, standing in a door frame is the next best thing. 

When the earthquake stops, it is important to be wary of aftershocks, which can be near as powerful as the earthquake.  You will want to check yourself for injury, and get outdoors as quick as possible.  Stay away from glass windows or objects which could fall and cause you harm.

Planning for emergencies should be a top priority amongst corporations.  It is important to keep employees and assets safe should a disastrous situation arise.  Several corporations have an emergency preparation guide; a standard flipchart or notebook accessible by a manager should a disaster occur.  The guide will teach what to do for emergencies such as fires, fatal accidents, biological warfare, and terrorist attacks.  In addition to addressing specific emergencies, planning is important for employees to remain calm, after all, the unknown tends to be the greatest fear. 

When considering an emergency guide, it is possible to make your own, or to purchase a premade version.  Whichever you choose to do, it is wise to consult with a specialist before you commit.

In order to reduce the stress and panic caused by an emergency situation, it’s always good to have a plan in place.  Whether for a family, or yourself, emergency planning is a sure way to stay safer.  Here are a few ideas of preventative measures you can take to avoid harm to yourself and loved ones:

~Select a meeting place; for family and friends it is wise to have a meeting place in case separation occurs and communication is not possible.

~Have an escape route; out of your house, out of an apartment building, make sure you know the best ways to get out and that you ensure they are usable. 

~Keep supplies on hand; have an emergency survival kit, or keep supplies stashed somewhere else.

In recent years the IPhone and IPod have become the standard media devices for music, video, and even internet access.  Recently Apple released their programming code for the IPhone and IPod so that third parties could create applications for consumer use.  From this have come a surge of fun and useful programs.  You can download a program which will record any song, and identify its name and composer within the ITunes database in a few seconds, or download a text and picture based survival guide for everything from terrorist attacks to natural disasters. 

The IPhone and IPod have truly become the dominant computer devices of the twenty first century, soon they’ll become fully functional pocket sized PCs.