GMRS & amateur radio frequencies

 

More information about radio frequencies here:

https://noji.com/hamradio/frequencies.php

Sanitation in a disaster

 

Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness

May 2024 – Emergency Bathroom

Our last challenge was to prepare 72-hour kits by getting a backpack for each family member. This month we will add our first emergency supplies into our kits.

Week #1—First Things First

What is the very first thing you will need in a large emergency? It’s not food—you can survive about a week without food. It’s not water—you can survive about 3 days without water. The very first thing you will need is a bathroom—you can only go a few hours without one, especially if you have children.

Week #2—Gather the Supplies

If you lose city water or sewer during an emergency, you will not be able to flush the toilet. Add these items into your 72-hour kit so you can make an emergency toilet.

·       5-gallon Bucket ($3 - $5)

·       Toilet Seat for 5-gallon Bucket (plastic, $13 - $15)

·       Garbage Bags (heavy duty kitchen)

·       Kitty Litter, Pine Bedding, or both (2 large bags, scented)

·       Toilet Paper (in plastic)

·       Paper Towels (in plastic)

·       Hand Wipes or Sanitizer

Week #3—Make an Emergency Toilet

Line the 5-gallon bucket with 2 garbage bags. To control smells, put some kitty litter or pine bedding in at the start and after each use. Snap the plastic toilet seat on the bucket and close the lid.

If your home is otherwise habitable, you can line the toilet in your home instead of a 5-gallon bucket. Replace the garbage bag at least once a day. Securely tie the top of the bag and carefully dispose of it in the garbage. For a 3 minute video, click here.

Week #4—Gather Other Bathroom Items

Get personal hygiene supplies for each family member and put them in their individual 72-hour backpacks.

·       Tissues (in plastic)

·       Comb or Brush

·       Toothbrush, Toothpaste, and Dental Floss

·       Mouthwash and Deodorant (travel size)

·       Wash Cloth

·       Mirror (small)

·       Feminine Hygiene Products

·       Cleaning Solution for Glasses/Contacts

·       Diapers, Baby Wipes, and Diaper Rash Cream

·       Litter Box and Poop Bags (for pets)

Extra Credit—Shave, Shower, and Laundry

Most people can easily go 3 days without shaving, showering, or doing laundry. However, if you would like to stay clean or prepare for longer emergencies, buy shave, shower, and laundry supplies for camping. For a 3 minute video, click here.

Bonus: This series of videos from a Utah-based expert in emergency preparedness is very informative! Sanitation in a Disaster Video Series

The Great Utah Shakeout- April 18th, 2024

 

The Great Shakeout annual earthquake drill will be on Thursday, April 18th, 2024. 

The Sandy Community 10 GMRS Radio Group will hold an emergency communication drill at 12:10 p.m. on GMRS Channel 22.

In a real emergency, the Sandy Community 10 GMRS communication plan is to get on the radio at ten past the hour on even hours (8:10, 10:10, 12:10, etc.) and call out for two minutes (in order to conserve battery life). To practice this emergency protocol for the Great Utah Shakeout, the Sandy Community 10 GMRS Radio Group will hold a radio net at 12:10 p.m. on GMRS Channel 22.

Recommended FRS and GMRS Radios:

https://onesteptoprep.blogspot.com/2022/05/recommended-frs-and-gmrs-radios.html

How to get your GMRS license: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuX_zx35VpU

How to participate in a net:

https://onesteptoprep.blogspot.com/2022/05/how-to-participate-in-gmrs-radio.html

Put together (or restock) your 72 Hour Kit/Go Bag

 Last month we finished making our general emergency plan. This month we’ll start the most important aspect of emergency preparedness, a 72-hour kit.

Week #1—Commit to Make a 72-hour Kit

During a large emergency (like a major earthquake) utilities, services, and even roads can be disrupted for an extended period of time. It can take three days for FEMA and the Red Cross to set up emergency shelters and distribute supplies.

During this time, you’ll need a 72-hour kit for each person in your household.

Ideas for what to put in kit:

-BYU Women’s Conference list: https://womensconference.byu.edu/sites/womensconference.ce.byu.edu/files/14d.pdf

- https://beready.utah.gov/family-preparedness/get-a-kit-family/

Week #2— Decide Where to Keep It

Based on your situation, decide where to store your 72-hour kit.

·       Camper or Motorhome—If you have a camper or motorhome and you store it on your property during the winter, then you could easily move into it if your home is not habitable.

·       Car—If the emergency happens while you are away from home, you will probably have your car with you. However, you need to insulate perishable items, like food and water, from hot and cold temperatures.

·       Garage or Shed—Because your home could be destroyed by fire or earthquake, you may want to keep emergency supplies in your garage or in a shed.

·       Home—Store it close to an exit, where you can quickly grab it if you need to leave in a hurry.

Week #3—Get a Backpack for Each Person

Because you may need to relocate to an emergency shelter or hotel, get a backpack, duffel bag, or suitcase for each person in your household. Make sure it is large enough for all your emergency supplies. If it is not waterproof, then store it off the floor so it will stay dry.

Week #4—Don’t Borrow from Your Kit

Have your 72-hour kit be for emergencies only. If you borrow items and forget to put them back, then you won’t have them when you need them the most.

Extra Credit—Buy a Premade Kit

If you can afford it, buying a premade 72-hour kit is a quick way to get some basic emergency supplies. If not, you can save money by making your own kit as we talk about it in the newsletters this year. However, don’t assume the kit contains everything you need, especially if it’s inexpensive. Also, make sure you know how to use all the items in your kit.

Neighborhood Radio Net: 2nd & 4th Sunday, 

Participate in a GMRS Radio Net on the 2^nd and 4th Sunday at 4 pm). Takes about 5 minutes, then you can stay on zoom for more emergency prep information. Contact Eric or Amy Dennison or Dan or DeeAnn Dodge for more information. Join us on GMRS Channel 22. 

· Zoom link: https://byui.zoom.us/s/4366630502 (Join as attendee). 

· Info about radio net: https://onesteptoprep.blogspot.com/2022/05/how-to-participate-in-gmrs-radio.html

Make a Plan- Part II- February 2024

 

Week #1—Set your Budget

Decide how much of your monthly budget will go toward emergency preparedness.  Over the next 2 years, $10 - $20 a month can make a difference! If you would like more than you can afford, tell friends and relatives you would like emergency preparedness items for birthdays and Christmas. For a 2 minute video: https://tinyurl.com/2d6tp82b

Week #2- Participate in a Neighborhood Net

https://onesteptoprep.blogspot.com/2022/05/how-to-participate-in-gmrs-radio.html

Participate in a GMRS Radio Net on the 2^nd and 4th Sundays at 4 pm. 

Zoom link: https://byui.zoom.us/s/4366630502 (Join as attendee)

Week #3 —Neighborhood Info and Emergency Alerts

·        Provide information about equipment or skills that would be useful in an emergency and about the needs of your family.

o   https://tinyurl.com/3te7zybe

·        Sign up for emergency alerts from Sandy City to get information about local hazards, severe weather and other emergencies.

o   https://sandy.utah.gov/1748/My-Alerts-Emergency-Routine-Alerts

·        Download the Red Cross Emergency app  for emergency alerts for our area and other places you care about. It has information on how to prepare for all kinds of emergencies and the location of emergency shelters.

o   https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/mobile-apps.html

·        If you are disabled, handicapped, or have special needs, use the Utah State Special Needs Registry (call 211 or visit www.SpecialNeedsUtah.org). Personal information is shared with emergency responders so they can serve you better during small emergencies. However, during large emergencies they will be overwhelmed, so make other plans too.

Week 4- Prepare Children (and grandchildren!)

During an emergency, kids need a sense of security. They will feel safer if you involve them in your emergency planning. Make sure they know how to call 911 and to only do it during a real emergency. Most important, during an emergency, stay calm and talk about positive things. This will reassure them and help them feel safe.

https://www.ready.gov/kids

Extra Credit- Plan for Pets

Most emergency shelters do not take pets. Sometimes they can accommodate them, but you should not depend on it. If you need to evacuate, will you take your pets to a friend/relative’s house, pet boarding business, or stay in a pet friendly hotel (instead of the shelter)? Because some roads may be blocked or bridges may be unstable, you should have several options.

You will need vet records, pet carrier, leash, and pet food. You should have your phone number on their collar, an implanted pet chip, and a current picture of your pet. For a 3 minute video, click here. https://tinyurl.com/269yyvb3

Make a Plan (Part I)

 Make a Plan (Part 1)

The best resource we have during an emergency is each other as neighbors. The biggest roadblock we have to being prepared and being able to help each other is feeling overwhelmed.

This monthly newsletter will help you complete small steps to become prepared for an emergency. The challenge for the week may take as little around 5–15 minutes. If you complete the challenge step each week, in two years your home and family will be better prepared for an emergency.

Here are the first few steps for this month. Let’s do this together so our neighborhood will be prepared!

Week #1—Decide to Prepare

Disasters can strike at any time without warning. The more you prepare, the better off you’ll be. Discuss the importance of emergency preparedness with your family and commit to spend a few minutes each week preparing. Talk about what you can accomplish if you spend a little time each week, and how good it will feel to be prepared!

 

Week #2—Choose your family meeting spot

Talk about where you’ll meet in the case of an emergency.

Pick two meeting places—one right outside your home for when your home isn’t safe and another a little farther away for when our neighborhood isn’t safe.

If you have children in school, talk with them about what they should do if you are not able to get to the school to pick them up. Plan a designated route for them to walk home.

Bonus: Plan a designated route for family members who commute to work, so you’d know where to find them as needed.

 

Week #3—Create a Family PACE Plan

Determine your family communication PACE plan: Primary, Alternate, Contingency and Emergency communication. How will you communicate if there is no cell service?

Week #4—Emergency Contact Card

Fill out and print the Emergency Contact Card for each family member. Have each family member put the card in their wallet, purse, backpack, etc.

https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/National/m4240194_ECCard.pdf

 

Extra Credit 1: Fill out the Family Emergency Communication Plan from Ready.gov:

https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2021-04/family-emergency-communication-plan.pdf

Extra Credit 2: Sign up for CERT training

-        Sandy City: https://sandy.utah.gov/1362/CERT

o   $15, meets over several weeks

o Tuesday nights, January 30-February 27, 6-8:30 pm

December 2023- Winter Car Kit and Emergency Prep for Christmas

Now that the weather has turned cold, make sure you have the essentials in your car:

- cell phone charger
- water and snacks
- flashlight
- warm clothing, including boots, mittens and a hat
- jumper cables
- tire chains or snow tires
- emergency flares
- bag of sand or cat litter
- shovel, ice scraper and snow melt
- tow rope
- blanket
- and, keep your gas tank full!

Here are some other ideas for emergency-prep related Christmas gifts:

1. First Aid Kit- for home or car

2. Fire blanket. These blankets hang on the wall in a small pouch ready to pull and use in an instant. Extinguish small fires quickly and easily with no mess (unlike fire extinguishers). Perfect for smothering stovetop fires, campfires and even to wrap someone whose clothing has caught fire.

3. Plug-in-flashlights. Plug into a wall socket and when power goes out the flashlight comes on. Some models come with a motion detector making them perfect for use as a night light. Another feature to look for is the ability turn off the flashlight if your outage is during the day saving the charge for use at night.

4. Portable phone charger or solar powered phone charger.

5. Manual can opener.

6. Emergency radio. More info about radios here: https://onesteptoprep.blogspot.com/2022/05/recommended-frs-and-gmrs-radios.html