Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is a great skill to know in case of an emergency. In fact, CPR doubles a person’s chance of survival after a sudden cardiac arrest.

Modern methods of CPR help the body maintain a flow of oxygenated blood to the brain and heart, keeping these organs alive until more help can arrive.

With sudden cardiac arrest, the heart changes from a normal beat to a fluttering beat called ventricular fibrillation (VF). This happens in nearly ⅔ of all cardiac arrest incidents. VF is fatal unless an electric shock can be given. CPR does not stop VF but it does extend the window in which a defibrillation can be effective.

Check out these instructions on the basics of CPR. You can also find a pocket guide to CPR that you can print here. There are also free iPhone and Android apps that you might find helpful.

1. Check the Victim
Check the victim. Did you see them collapse? If that’s the case be weary of your surroundings. Perhaps they were stung or bitten by a nearby insect. Be careful of the surroundings and check your victim to see if they are breathing, responsive or breathing normally.

2. Call for Help
If your victim is unresponsive and not breathing, you’ll need to call 911. A lot of people in the movies just yell “Someone call 911!” which isn’t a good idea. Make sure to single someone out and ask them specifically to call authorities. If you don’t do this, a lot of people will assume that someone else is calling 911. If you need to call yourself, do so. Many times an emergency dispatcher can also walk you through CPR instructions.

3. Pump the Heart
If the victim is still not breathing normally, not coughing or moving; begin chest compressions. Use your fingers to find the top of the rib cage and place your hand about four fingers higher than this point.
Use both hands, interlocking the fingers and keeping your elbows locked. Begin pushing down about 2 inches on the center of the chest 30 times. Pump hard and fast – at the rate of about 100 pumps per minute – faster than once per second.

If the victim is a child (ages 1-8), use one hand to pump the heart. If the victim is an infant use two fingers instead of an extended arm.

4. Rescue Breathing
After you’ve pumped the heart 30 times, provide them with some oxygen to circulate in their system. Tilt their head back and lift their chin. This will open up their airway system. Pinch their nose and cover their mouth with yours. Blow into their mouth until you can see the chest rise. Give two breaths with each breath taking about one second.

If the victim is a child (ages 1-8), use normal breathes. If the victim is an infant (less than 1 year), provide two gentle breaths instead of large ones.

5. Continue
If the breaths are going in, continue to alternate between pumping and breathing until help arrives. If the victim wakes up or becomes responsive, stop administering CPR.

Sometimes, an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) can be located after you’ve started CPR. Continue administering CPR until you can attach the AED correctly. Once it has been attached, follow the instructions on the AED.

Complications
Vomiting is the most common complication when administering CPR. If the victim begins to vomit, turn their head to the side and try and sweep out their mouth to keep the airway unobstructed.

Many times, people are afraid of catching a disease or infection by administering CPR. A spread of infection is extremely rare when administering CPR. Most cardiac arrests occur in the home where a family member would administer CPR. Even with CPR performed on strangers, there is an extremely low risk of infection. There are no documented cases of transfer of HIV or AIDS via CPR.

6. Once Help Arrives
When paramedics arrive, they’ll most likely have you back away from the victim – even if you’re in the middle of a pumping or breathing cycle. Provide them the space they need.

You don’t know when disaster will strike, and neither does the health care system. The emergency room may seem the epitome of preparedness, but Stephen Flynn, a former Coast Guard commander and author of The Edge of Disaster; thinks that medical care in the United States may be unprepared to cope with a catastrophic emergency, wide spread pandemic or a large terrorist attack.

During the economic downturn, hospitals have been doing what everyone else has been doing, says Flynn.

“The medical community has been moving in the direction of much of our economy,” he says, “which is wringing out the extra capacity in order to essentially focus on the bottom line.”

In the event of a major crisis and the likelihood that you may not have access to immediate medical care, it is important to be aware of medical care that you can do yourself at home, especially with first aid. There are many natural and homeopathic first-aid treatments used effectively for thousands of years that are still accepted by the modern medical community as viable and effective treatments, especially ointments, tinctures, and salves using essential oils from many different plants. Essential oils are particularly useful in treating insect bites and stings, burns, and wounds – perfect for first-aid at home in an emergency.

Insect Bites & Stings
Few studies have examined the effectiveness of specific homeopathic remedies. A professional homeopath, however, may recommend one or more of the following treatments for insect bites and stings based on his or her knowledge and clinical experience. Before prescribing a remedy, homeopaths take into account a person’s constitutional type. In homeopathic terms, a person’s constitution is his or her physical, emotional, and intellectual makeup. An experienced homeopath assesses all of these factors when determining the most appropriate remedy for a particular individual.

• Apis mellifica — for stinging pains with rapid swelling and affected area that is warm to the touch; this remedy is most appropriate for individuals who feel better with cold applications; Apis is recommended if hives are present or ifLedum does not reduce pain or swelling after 4 hours
• Hypericum — for bites accompanied by sharp, shooting pains that often occur in sensitive areas, such as at the ends of fingers or toes
• Ledum — most commonly used homeopathic agent for bites and stings from bees, mosquitoes, wasps, or spiders; affected area is cold to the touch but cold applications or immersion in cold water improves symptoms
• Staphysagria — for children with large, itchy mosquito bites that may create large welts
• Urtica urens — for red, swollen bites with itching and stinging; may be used instead of Apis to treat hives

Some essential oils may help repel insects. Dilute the oil before applying it to your skin. Never apply pure essential oils directly. Avoid contact with your eyes. These oils include:

• Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus)
• Clove (Eugenia caryophyllata)
• Citronella (Cymbopogon spp.)
• Neem oil or cream (Azadirachta indica)

Burns
Minor burns may be treated with herbs, but you should never take or apply any herb when you have moderate o severe burns. Call for emergency help first.

Herbs are generally a safe way to strengthen and tone the body’s systems. As with any therapy, you should work with your health care provider to diagnose your problem before starting treatment. You may use herbs as dried extracts (capsules, powders, teas), glycerites (glycerine extracts), or tinctures (alcohol extracts). Unless otherwise indicated, make teas with 1 tsp. herb per cup of hot water. Steep covered 5 – 10 minutes for leaf or flowers, and 10 – 20 minutes for roots. Drink 2 – 4 cups per day. You may use tinctures alone or in combination as noted.

These herbs may be applied topically (externally) to minor burns:

• Aloe (Aloe vera), as a cream or gel. Apply externally to the burned area, 3 – 4 times daily as needed, for soothing and healing.
• Calendula (Calendula officinalis), or pot marigold, as an ointment or a tea applied topically. To make tea from tincture, use 1/2 to 1 tsp. diluted in 1/4 cup water. You can also steep 1 tsp. of flowers in one cup of boiling water for 15 minutes, then strain and cool. Test skin first for any allergic reaction.
• Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) as a cream containing 1% of the herb, may help repair skin tissue.
• Propolis, a resin created by bees to build their hives, has been used historically to treat skin wounds. One study found that people given propolis to apply to minor burns healed as well as those treated with silver sulfadiazine, a prescription ointment. More research is needed, however. If you use propolis for a minor burn, test skin first for any reaction.

Wounds
Certain herbal remedies may offer relief from symptoms and help wounds heal faster. Herbs are generally available as dried extracts (pills, capsules, or tablets), teas, or tinctures (alcohol extraction, unless otherwise noted). People with a history of alcoholism should not take tinctures. Dose for teas is 1 heaping tsp. per cup of water steeped for 10 minutes (roots need 20 minutes), unless otherwise noted.

Applied to skin

Never apply herbs to open wounds unless under a doctor’s supervision.

• Aloe (Aloe vera), as a cream or gel. Aloe has been used traditionally to treat minor wounds and burns, but scientific studies about its effectiveness are mixed. In one study, aloe seemed to make surgical wounds take longer to heal.
• Calendula (Calendula officinalis), or pot marigold, as an ointment or a tea applied topically. To make tea from tincture, use 1/2 to 1 tsp. diluted in 1/4 cup water. You can also steep 1 tsp. of flowers in one cup of boiling water for 15 minutes, then strain and cool. Test skin first for any allergic reaction.
• Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) as a topical ointment to help wounds heal and fight inflammation.
• Tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) as oil or cream. Apply two times per day to reduce inflammation. Do not use tea tree oil to treat burns.
• Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) as a cream containing 1% of the herb, to help heal wounds.
• Chamomile (Matricaria recutita or Chameaemelum nobile), as an ointment or cream, to help heal wounds.
• Echinacea or coneflower (Echinacea spp.) as a gel or ointment containing 15% of the juice of the herb.
• Slippery elm bark (Ulmus rubra or fulva) as a poultice. Mix 1 tsp. dried powder in one of cup of boiling water. Cool and apply to a clean, soft cloth. Place on affected area.

Taken by mouth

• Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is an anti-inflammatory that makes the effects of bromelain stronger. Use dried extract 250 – 500 mg three times a day. Turmeric may increase the risk of bleeding. If you take blood-thinning medications such as warfarin (Coumadin) or aspirin, ask your doctor before taking turmeric.
• Gotu kola helps the body repair connective tissue and heal wounds, and prevents a scar from growing larger. Use standardized extract 60 mg one to two times daily, or 60 drops of tincture three to four times per day. Do not take gotu kola if you have high blood pressure or experience anxiety. Do not take gotu kola if you have hepatitis or liver disease.
• Coneflower and goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), used together, may help protect against infection. Use equal parts tincture 30 – 60 drops three to four times a day.
• Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale, 2 – 8 g per day) is another herb with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It may help with wound healing, although there are no scientific studies looking at dandelion for wound healing. Be sure you do not have an allergy to dandelion, and avoid taking the herb if you have liver or gallbladder disease, diabetes, or kidney disease, or if you take blood-thinning medication.
• Pycnogenol (Pinus pinaster, 200 mg per day), an extract of the bark of a particular type of pine tree, helps promote skin health.

Your Recommendations
So, what natural treatments have you used for fist aid at home? Let us know so we can benefit from your experience.

Thanks to the University of Maryland Medical Center for all their great information on Complementary Medicine
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/insect-bites-000095.htm
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/burns-000021.htm
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/wounds-000175.htm

Hydrogen peroxide can be a great tool in your emergency pack. It has hundreds of uses that can help you clean and disinfect in any situation.

Hydrogen peroxide has the chemical property

H₂O₂

It is a strong oxidizer and is often used as a bleach or cleaning agent. You can also use it to whiten clothes, fight infections, make your own toothpaste, etc. Check out these ideas below on how you can use hydrogen peroxide for multiple purposes around your home.

Purchasing Hydrogen Peroxide
When you’re purchasing hydrogen peroxide, you have a few different options. Hydrogen peroxide comes in a few different grades, the most common being 3.5% Pharmaceutical grade. This is sold in your local drug stores and supermarket and should not be ingested.

6% grade is used in beauty shops to color hair and shouldn’t be used internally. Higher grades like 30-32% are used to clean electronics and cars.

35% grade is the only grade that is approved for internal use. It’s used in the production of eggs, cheese and other food items.

The only other grade higher than 35% is 90% and is used as an oxygen source for rocket fuel! Ya, don’t eat that either.

Remember that using items over again and finding multiple uses is a great way to save money and help you become more self-reliant and self-sufficient.

Whiten Clothes
Add a cup of peroxide to your laundry as they wash. It gets rid of stains in clothes and carpet. Just pour directly onto the spot, let it sit for a few minutes and then rub and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary.

Foot Fungus
Have a nasty itch on your feet? Hydrogen peroxide can help. Simply spray a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water on them every night and let dry.

Infected Cuts
Soak the cut in a mixture of 3-5% hydrogen peroxide for five to 10 minutes several times a day. People have reported that soaking their wounds in hydrogen peroxide has healed gangrene, boils, and skin infections.

Sinus Infections
A tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide added to 1 cup of water (non-chlorinated) can be used as a nasal spray. For more severe sinus infections, increase the amount of hydrogen peroxide in the mixture.

Toothpaste & Mouth Care
Hydrogen peroxide is a great tool for mouth care. You can use it to create mouthwashes, relieve toothaches and make your own toothpaste. Start with a bit of baking soda and slowly add hydrogen peroxide until it creates a paste. Hydrogen peroxide is antiviral, antibacterial and anti-fungal, so it makes a very efficient toothpaste. However, some people have reported that the hydrogen peroxide reacts with amalgam fillings in their mouth, so be careful.

Food Cleaner
Some people add ¼ cup hydrogen peroxide to a full sink of cold water and allow their vegetables to soak and clean before preparation. You can also rinse your meat off before cooking.

Clean Mold
Use a hydrogen peroxide spray to wipe up mold in the fridge or in your house so that it doesn’t spread. Since hydrogen peroxide is anti-fungal and antibacterial, it should stop the mold in its tracks!

Your Ideas?
What have you used hydrogen peroxide for? Comment below and tell us what you’ve used the miracle liquid for.

If worse came to worse and the world was in chaos, where would you go?

Many people already have determined where they would go – a bug out location – a spot where they could lay low and live for a while if things got pretty bad. If you haven’t decided where you’d go during an emergency, or you already have an idea, here are a few points to consider.

1. How far away?
How far away is your bug out location going to be from your home? With some disasters it doesn’t need to be very far away. For example, a flood zone might only take up a few miles and you might be able to walk to your bug out location. Other disasters, like an economic disaster or nuclear one, might require you to get a little further away from your home.

2. What kind of shelter?
Once you get to your bug out location, what kind of shelter are you going to live in? Is there a house on the property? Are you going to be staying in a tent? The type of shelter that you have might affect how long you are able to stay in the location. If you have to go to your bug out location in the dead of winter, you might be moving if your only living in a tent.

Many people even considering purchasing land in a more remote location so they don’t have to worry about living on someone else’s property. This would allow you to build a home and place supplies there.

3. Do you have a emergency bag?
We’ve talked previously about what kind of items you’d want in an emergency bug out bag or 72-hour kit. Depending on what are you’re in, your emergency items might differ. For example, if your bug out location is right next to a river, you might want a water filter instead of large water containers.

4. Water
Speaking of water, it’s important to know where you will have access to water during an emergency. If man-made water sources aren’t working, you might need to choose a location that has it’s own natural water source. You might want to choose a location close to a lake, river, stream or natural well. Mind you, if man-made water systems are out of service, a lot of people are going to be looking for water in these locations. You’ll also need to consider how susceptible those sources are to contamination.

5. Nearby food
Depending on how long you plan on staying at your bug out location, food might be a major consideration. Are you going to have enough animal or plant life around you that you can just live off the land? Are you going to be packing in all your food? Is the ground suitable for planting?

6. Popular for other people
If you think you’ve found the perfect place for you, there might be others that think the same. While at times, preparing to defend yourself is necessary, you might have a leg up if you know how to barter and maintain a good relationship with other people who are also bugging out in the same location.

7. How are you going to get there?
Like we mentioned above, this really depends on how far away your location is from your home. If it’s close to your home, you might consider walking or riding a bike. If it’s far away, are you going to be driving? This also has an impact on your ability to prepare with food and water. If you are going to be packing in a lot of water and food, how far you have to travel might be a big decision.

8. How many people are you planning for?
Is it just going to be you? Your spouse? Your children? Friends? Extended family? Many times, people will join with a family friend to buy property and build a home on their bug out location. This is probably one of the first things you’ll need to determine because it has a huge effect on your food storage, water storage and other emergency supplies.

9. Communication
How are you going to get in contact with others? Going to bug out location doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t need to communicate. Are you going to be too far away that you don’t get cell phone coverage? Are you going to get radio and/or TV coverage? Staying in contact with people will help you know what is going on and help you stay prepared.

10. Medical Care
Are you going to have the right supplies at your bug out location? While you might have enough food and water, what if you have a large cut and can’t heal yourself? You might consider a bug out location that is close enough to civilization that you can go to a hospital or find the right drugs that you need but is also far enough away that you can escape if you need to.

What else?
What do you think? What other considerations did you take into account when you were determining your bug out location? Please comment below and let us know. Share your knowledge!

Part of being prepared is being able to repurpose and re-use items. That’s why vinegar is such a great thing!

You can use vinegar for cleaning, emergency situations, food storage and more! Take a look at 20 uses below. You can also comment below to tell us what you have used vinegar for.

1. Clear dirt off PCs and electronics
Your computer, printer, fax machine, and other home office gear will work better if you keep them clean and dust-free. Turn off your machine and wash with a mix of equal parts white vinegar and water. Wash with a cloth, not a spray bottle. You can use cotton swabs for tight spaces.

2. Get rid of smoke odor
If you’ve recently burned a steak or can’t get rid of that cigarette smell, remove the lingering smoky odor by placing a shallow bowl about three-quarters full of white or cider vinegar in the room where the scent is strongest. To get the smell out of the air, moisten a cloth and wave it in the air.

3. Wipe away mildew
Use undiluted vinegar to wipe away heavy mildew stains. Mix it with water to clean light mildew stains. You can even use a vinegar mist in a spray bottle to prevent mildew stains from forming in rugs and carpets.

4. Clean chrome and stainless steel
To clean chrome and stainless steel fixtures around your home, apply a light misting of undiluted white vinegar from a recycled spray bottle. Buff with a soft cloth to bring out the brightness.

5. Unglue stickers, decals, and price tags
Don’t you hate when you peel a sticker off of your new furniture or product and it’s still sticky from the glue? Worry no more! Use full-strength white vinegar and gently scrape it off the product. Use an expired credit card to scrape. You can also uses this solution to get glue off of glass, plastic and walls.

6. Brighten up brickwork
Have dingy bricks around your fireplace? Use 1 cup of white vinegar mixed with 1 gallon of warm water to scrub the area. Your bricks will be looking shiny and nice!

7. Revitalize wood paneling
You can also use vinegar to shine up your dull wood paneling. Mix 1 pint warm water with 4 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Let the mixture soak for a few minutes and then polish.

8. Remove carpet stains
You can lift out many stains from your carpet with vinegar:

• For light stains, mix 2 tablespoons salt with ½ cup white vinegar. Rub into the stain, let try and vacuum.
• For tough, ground-in dirt and other stains, make a paste of 1 tablespoon vinegar with 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and rub it into the stain using a dry cloth. Let it set for two days, then vacuum.

9. Keep car windows frost-free
Vinegar is a great way to keep frost from forming on your car windows. Spray the outside of your windows with a mixture of 3 parts white vinegar to 1 part water.

10. Refresh your refrigerator
Have you ever smelled a refrigerator that hasn’t been used for a long time? It’s gross! You can freshen up your fridge with a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water. You can use the solution to wash the interior and exterior of the fridge.

11. Steam-clean your microwave
Fill a bowl with 1 cup water and ¼ cup vinegar. Set the bowl in the microwave and cook on high for 5 minutes. Once the bowl cools down, use the solution to wipe off the walls of the microwave.

12. Disinfect cutting boards
Use full-strength white vinegar to clean wood cutting boards or butcher block countertops. This is a great alternative to dishwasher detergent because it can weaken surfaces and wood fiber. It disinfects against E.coli, salmonellsa and staphylococcus.

13. Clean china, crystal, and glassware
Have soap spots and dingy spots on your dishes after you put them in the dishwasher? Simply add a few ounces of vinegar to your dishwasher. It will prevent those hard-water stains from showing up.

14. Trap fruit flies
Did you bring home fruit flies from the market? You can make traps for them that can be used anywhere around your house by filling an old jar about halfway with apple cider vinegar. Punch a few holes in the lid, screw it back on, and you’re good to go.

15. Tenderize and purify meats and seafood
Soaking a lean or inexpensive cut of red meat in a couple of cups of vinegar breaks down tough fibers to make it more tender. You can also use vinegar to tenderize seafood steaks. Let the meat or fish soak in full-strength vinegar overnight.

16. Control your dandruff
Can’t wear those black shirts because your dandruff will show? Vinegar to the rescue! After shampooing, rinse your hair with a mixture  of 2 cups apple cider vinegar and 2 cups cold water.

17. Ease sunburn and itching
Gently rub a sunburn or rash with cotton balls or a soft cloth soaked with white or cider vinegar. Try to apply this before the sunburn begins to sting. You can use this to help treat insect bites or rashes from poison ivy or poison oak.

18. Clean your eyeglasses
When it’s more difficult to see with your glasses on than it is with them off, it’s a clear indication that they’re in need of a good cleaning. Applying a few drops of white vinegar to your glass lenses and wiping them with a soft cloth will easily remove dirt, sweat, and fingerprints, and leave them spotless. Don’t use vinegar on plastic lenses, however

19. Stop reds from running
Unless you have a fondness for pink-tinted clothing, take one simple precaution to prevent red washable clothes from ruining your wash loads. Soak your new clothes in a few cups of undiluted white vinegar for 10-15 minutes before their first washing. You’ll never have to worry about running colors again! This also works with other bright colors that you worry might run.

20. Speed germination of flower seed
You can get woody seeds, such as moonflower, passionflower, morning glory, and gourds, off to a healthier start by lightly rubbing them between a couple of sheets of fine sandpaper-and soaking them overnight in a solution of 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar and 1 pint warm water. Next morning, remove the seeds from the solution, rinse them off, and plant them.

(Hat tip  to Reader’s Digest for help with this article)

Your solutions!
What have you used vinegar for? Comment below and share your knowledge!

Last week, The Ready Store wrote a featured article in The Enterprise, a business journal, on how to prepare your business for an earthquake. Take a look:

In February 2008, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit near Wells, Nev., Fortunately, this large earthquake didn’t take any lives. Instead, the quake damaged half of the non-residential buildings in the town.

The disaster cost the city over $9 million dollars and steered businesses off track for months after the event. …

Your Responsibility to Prepare Your Business
If you are preparing your family for an emergency, why should your business be any different? …

When you think about it, an earthquake might not strike while you and your family are at home. Instead, it’s probable that you’ll be at your desk (or perhaps on the golf course if you’re lucky)! You have a responsibility to prepare your business and your employees to know what to do in case of an emergency.

There are a few things that you can do to prepare before a quake, train your employees on what do during a quake, and keep your business financially stable after an earthquake.

Prepare Your Location
The first thing you’ll want to do is assess how ready your business location is for an earthquake. This will help you develop a plan for your business.

Identify potential hazards. Does your office have a lot of pictures hanging on the wall? Is there more than one escape route out of the building? You should assess what concerns your location presents while you create a plan.

Also consider your businesses utilities. Is your water heater properly installed so that it won’t fall over in a quake? Are fire alarms and extinguishers in proper working order?

Your building. There are many factors to take into account to ensure that your building is ready for an earthquake. Even things like design, furnishings and when the building was constructed can have an effect.

The soil underneath a building can also have a major effect on its sustainability during a quake. Soft, clay-like soils tend to absorb the motion of an earthquake better than a rocky soil.

Emergency materials. If you and your employees were trapped inside of the building, would you have the supplies to survive? You should consider purchasing or creating emergency kits for your business. Include things like flashlights, collapsible shovels, first-aid materials, water and some snacks. Be sure to make a few extra kits for customers or guests who might be at your building that day.

These kits should be accessible and easy to grab if you need to exit the building.

Prepare Your Employees
The next step in preparing your business is to prepare your employees to know what to do during the earthquake.

Establish an emergency coordinator. Depending on the size of your business, you may want to establish one of your employees as the emergency coordinator. They can head up projects that deal with emergency planning and conducting drills.

Also consider providing incentives to employees who become CPR certified or take time to teach your customers and the community around you about emergency preparedness.

Under the desk. The best thing that you and your employees can do during an earthquake is get underneath a desk or some sturdy structure and hold on. You might have heard in the past that that getting under a door frame is the best idea. However, Steve Bowman, project manager for Utah Geological Hazards, sets the record straight.

“Getting to a door frame might be harder than you think,” Bowman said. “There might be a lot of falling objects around the room. We recommend getting under a desk and holding on – the ‘Drop, Cover and Hold On’ technique.”

Escape plan. Be sure to have a plan in place and practice it periodically with your employees. They should all know their escape route from the building. You should practice this plan at least once a quarter.

Establish a meeting location. Once the earthquake stops, you and your employees need to know where to meet. Have a location where your business can check in to make sure everyone is OK. This location should be outdoors and easy to access if emergency responders need to help you.

An emergency coordinator will have the responsibility of taking roll and making sure everyone is safe.

Communication. After you’ve made sure that everyone is accounted for. Have plans in place to ensure that your employees can reach their family members. While many times, phone lines are jammed after an emergency, the Federal Communications Commission recommends that you send text messages to ensure family members that you are safe. Many times text messages will go through the system easier than a phone call.

Prepare for the Effects on Your Business
There are many smaller business that don’t make it out of an earthquake financially.

“Many times, the impact of being closed for a few days or having their utilities or shipping interrupted for a few days can devastate a business,” Brown said. Remember that your mortgages and bills will not wait because of an earthquake.

Earthquake insurance. Would insurance cover your business location in case of an earthquake? Not all insurance policies do! Check out your insurance policy to see what kind of damage it covers. There are some types of earthquake insurance policies that can be purchased separately, which might be a good fit for your business.

Federal assistance. Interestingly, the majority of federal assistance money after an earthquake goes toward low-interest loans to qualified business.

FEMA assistance is only available when the government declares a federal disaster. Business can apply for loans to help against building damage, employee loss or other working capital needs. However, if a disaster is declared, your business will have to apply to FEMA or the Small Business Administration (SBA) for a loan.

Emergency power. If an earthquake strikes, the power grid might be knocked out. Be sure to have a contingency plan in place for electricity and power at your business. You might consider a generator or installing solar panels.

Helping your local community. As a business, you have a responsibility to your local community and customers. You can include plans to be able to help people in your local community clean up after the mess.

Your business would have to make plans to have access to tools, food, water, extra clothing and more to help the community. Besides fulfilling your duty to the local community, this will also establish a long-lasting relationship with customers and potential customers.

You’ll be prepared!
Once you’ve established a plan and ensured that your business will keep going – you’ll be ready to face an earthquake.

There are lots of resources out there including videos, brochures and reading material on ussc.utah.gov. You can also learn more and sign up to participate in the Utah Shake Out on April 17th at shakeout.org/utah.

We would encourage you to prepare for an earthquake by making plans now!

Read the original article here (subscription required).

One of the most important aspects of emergency preparations is plans for your emotional health! Disasters and emergencies can have a large impact on your stress levels. This is especially true if you’ve experienced a disaster previously.

Here are some tips on how to take care of your emotional health during a disaster or emergency.

What you feel during a disaster

You may feel a wide variety of emotions during a stressful event. Try to remember in the moment, that these emotions are temporary. Try to be patient with yourself and your emotions and be helpful towards your family and neighbors.

These are all common responses in an emergency situation:

• Feeling physically weak and mentally tired. Many times, people feel tired, sad, numb, lonely or worried.
• Difficulty making decisions or focusing
• Frequently becoming frustrated. Also feeling frustrated more quickly.
• Experiencing changes in appetite or sleep patterns.

How to get your emotional health back on track

One of the best things you can do to get back on track is to establish a routine. The emergency will have disrupted your daily routine and getting back into that will help you emotionally. Remember that this might take some time.

Basic necessities. Try to find a place to evaluate your situations. Find a safe location to assess your physical needs.

Eat healthy. During times of high stress, you’ll want to make sure that you are eating well. You’ll feel better than if you eat junk food. That is why it’s so important to have a healthy balance to your food storage supply. Read our previous post on steps to choosing a food storage kit.

Adequate rest. Be sure to get enough sleep and rest for your needs. This might be hard when your routine has changed so rapidly. However, rest will help you overcome your stress.

Be patient and loving. While many people are feeling frustrated, they can get moody. Be sure to be patient with others and yourself. However, this doesn’t mean that you can just go off by yourself. Staying connected, talking, with others can help you cope and feel support. Feeling others care and love is an important part of emotional health.

Make plans. During an emergency, you’ll find difficulty staying focused. For this reason, it’s important to gather information and set priorities on what you need to do. Have something to write down your list so that you can remember what you need to do. It’s also helpful to keep your family and friends involved with your plans so they can remind you what you need to do.

If depression continues

Most people will feel better after a few days. However, there are some that can’t seem to overcome their emotional stress. If you find yourself or others experiencing these symptoms, two weeks or more after an event, consider reaching out for additional help.

• Bursts of anger
• Difficulty sleeping
• Loss of appetite
• Emotional outbursts
• Headaches and stomachaches
• Fatigue
• Feelings of guilt, helplessness or hopelessness
• Avoiding the presence of loved ones

Your recommendations

What do you think? What plans have you made to take care of your emotional health during a disaster? We’d love to hear from you. Please share your tips below!

In the film “Cast Away,” Tom Hanks’ character is stranded on an island after his airplane crashes. On top of all the problems he has – learning to make a fire, finding food, water, shelter – he has  a toothache!

This scared me half-to-death when I saw the film. I wondered, in an emergency, would I be able to take care of a simple toothache?

With the help of the Special Operations Forces Medical Handbook, we have highlighted some things that you can do to treat cavities, fractures, extracted teeth and more, in an emergency. These techniques should only be used in an emergency and are not a replacement for a qualified dental professional.

The handbook recommends that you have cotton balls, anesthetic, an explorer, a spoon excavator and a mixing tools. You will need some of these in order to take care of the problems we have listed below.

Anatomy of a tooth
The first thing you’ll need to know about emergency dentistry is the anatomy of a tooth.

A tooth has two major parts – the crown and roots. The crown is the (hopefully) white part that is visible. The roots are embedded in your gums.

The crown has five surfaces: the occlusal (biting) surface, the lingual (tongue side) surface, the facial (cheek side) surface and two contact surfaces that touch the adjacent teeth.

Cavities
Symptoms. If you have a cavity, you’ll feel dull pain in the area. Heat, cold, sweet, or salty foods may enhance the pain. You’ll want to determine on which surface the cavity is located.

Treatment. Cavities can be very tricky to treat because of anesthesia.

The first thing you’ll do is apply an anesthetic agent. Be sure that you are trained on where the injection should be placed – which is near the top of the tooth’s root – in a mucobuccal fold. Do not inject into a blood vessel.

The Medical Handbook recommends the following anesthesia:

• 2% lidocaine with 1/100,000 epinephrine (Xylocaine)
• 0.5% bupivacaine with 1/200,000 epinephrine (Marcaine)
• 3% mepivacaine without epinephrine (Polocaine or Carbocaine)

After the anesthesia has been injected properly, begin to remove the soft decayed area with a spoon-shaped instrument. If they are properly anesthetized, they shouldn’t feel any pain.

After you remove the decayed content, wash out the cavity with warm water. Combine zinc oxide (IRM) powder with two or three drops of water – mix until it’s a putty texture. Then place the putty in the hole. If the cavity was on the occlusal surface, have the patient bite a few times to form the putty.

If IRM is not available, you can fill the hole with a cotton pellet impregnated with eugenol.

This is a temporary procedure. Only a dentist can provide definitive care.

Crown fractures
Your front teeth are more susceptible to fractures than your back teeth. A crown fracture will be a break in your tooth.

Symptoms. Usually someone with a crown fracture will have sensitivity to heat and cold. They might find tooth fragments in their mouth or feel jagged tooth edges.

Treatment. If the fracture is small, you can smooth the rough edges with an emery board or small flat file.

If the fracture is extensive wash the tooth with warm saline. Then, isolate the tooth with cotton gauze. After you’ve isolated the area, cover the fracture with Zinc Oxide-Eugenol paste (IRM). This will hold for about 6 weeks.

Dislocated tooth
Symptoms. You’ll probably notice that your tooth has moved or is wiggling.

Treatment. You can place local anesthetic on the tooth to relieve pain. After you’ve applied the anesthetic, manually reposition the tooth to its normal position. You can then use wire or heavy fishing line to bind the tooth the the teeth next to it. Splint the tooth in place.

Tooth out of its socket
Symptoms. You may have your tooth in your hand.

Treatment. If the tooth has been saved, do not let it dry out. Do not try and scrape anything off the tooth. Instead, place the tooth in a clean liquid like saline or milk.

Next, administer some local anesthetic to the socket. If there are blood clots in the socket, clean it out with saline solution. Replace the tooth in the socket. Then splint the tooth to the surrounding teeth with wire or heavy fishing line. Be sure to administer some type of pain reliever after replacing the tooth.

Tooth extraction
If you end up having to extract a tooth, after the extraction, compress the sides of the empty socket and place a folded sponge over the socket. Apply light pressure for 60 minutes. Do not rinse your mouth for 12 hours since this may disturb the clot.

This is a great graphic on how weeds – found in your own yard – can be used to help heal sicknesses, burns, sores and other ailments. Check out our posts on food storage and other topics by clicking on the categories tab to the right. You’d be surprised how many weeds you can find in your yard (but hopefully not) that can help heal your body and make you feel better.

Excerpted from Susan S. Weed and natureskills.com

Obviously, if you have a broken bone, you’ll want to go to a professional to have the bone reset.

However, imagine that you are out hiking or are in an emergency situation, and you break a bone. What can you do to set the bone or at least hold it in place until you can get some help?

Fractures
There are two types of fractures – open and closed. Open fractures typically have a bone protruding through the skin and includes an open wound. A closed fracture has no open wound.

If you have an open fracture, it is recommended that you manipulate the injury as little as possible. This is due to the fact that you can mess up nerve and blood vessels.

If you notice that there is a lot of swelling, numbness or discoloration below the break, this may be a sign that a major blood vessel has been severed. If this is the case, you’ll need to control the internal bleeding, allow the person to rest and provide them with lots of fluids.

If you feel that you need to quickly place the bone back in position you can use a tree notch to assist you in holding your arm in place while you adjust.

If the broken bone is in a very muscular area (ie. thigh), you’ll need to create a splint until you can get some help. Here is an example of a splint that you can make in the wilderness:

• Get two forked branches or saplings at least 5 centimeters in diameter. Measure one from the patient’s armpit to 20 to 30 centimeters past his unbroken leg. Measure the other from the groin to 20 to 30 centimeters past the unbroken leg. Ensure that both extend an equal distance beyond the end of the leg.
• Pad the two splints. Notch the ends without forks and lash a 20- to 30-centimeter cross member made from a 5-centimeter diameter branch between them.
• Using available material (vines, cloth, rawhide), tie the splint around the upper portion of the body and down the length of the broken leg. Follow the splinting guidelines.
• With available material, fashion a wrap that will extend around the ankle, with the two free ends tied to the cross member.
• Place a 10- by 2.5-centimeter stick in the middle of the free ends of the ankle wrap between the cross member and the foot. Using the stick, twist the material to make the traction easier.
• Continue twisting until the broken leg is as long or slightly longer than the unbroken leg.
• Lash the stick to maintain traction.

Note: Over time you may lose traction because the material weakened. Check the traction periodically. If you must change or repair the splint, maintain the traction manually for a short time. (Courtesy of Wilderness Survival.)

Dislocation
Dislocated bones are when bone joints have been separated. They can be very painful. They can push against nerve and blood vessels causing nerve tenderness and your circulatory system to have trouble.

You can tell if you have a dislocated bone because it will be tender along the joint, have swelling, discoloration, limited range of motion and sometimes deformity.

You can use simple weights to pull the bones back into place. If done properly, the pain should decrease and allow for natural function and circulation.

After you place the bone back in place, you should leave it immobilized for a few days. You can create a simple splint – holding the area in place to ensure proper healing.

Video

Please remember that these techniques can be used in extreme situations and we recommend that you seek out professional assistance if it is available.