Whether it's a violent nor'easter, forceful hurricane, heavy snowstorm, earthquake, utility emergency, major fire or lengthy power outage, it's disheartening and dangerous to find yourself and your family ill-prepared for natural disasters and municipal utility disruptions.
Many scientific experts, as well as environmental and urban planners, agree that with climate change impacts, there is a chance that sudden emergencies could happen more frequently.
Safeguarding your family and home becomes the immediate concern in these situations. Taking measures to prevent impact to your house and the local environment and preparing for rare times without energy or water is an important aspect of going green. The following Green Quick Fixes will help you build a smart, and greener, emergency kit and learn where to get information and what steps to take in extreme times.
Ensure that your home has smoke, fire and carbon monoxide detectors, as well as a fire extinguisher. Check function and recharge all batteries, at least annually.
Emergency kit items should be kept on hand in recyclable, waterproof plastic containers.
The kit should contain canned, dried and high-protein foods that do not require refrigeration, such as peanut butter. Lots of organic and no-pesticide, hormone-free foods are now available in recyclable cans and plastic.
Extra pet and baby foods and supplies are a must.
In the event that public tap water is inaccessible or not advisable to use, bottled water should be available for emergencies. Procure multigallon containers (small plastic bottles consume great amounts of water and energy resources to manufacture) and recyclable paper cups to reduce waste.
Add water disinfecting tablets, called halazone, to the kit in case of a prolonged emergency.
Extra medical prescriptions, first aid kit, eyeglasses and copies of important legal documents (health records, passports, wills, deeds, etc.) should be included.
Eco-friendly pest repellents and sunscreen and Castile soap will reduce toxic impact to local surface and ground waters. Note that in very rare cases of extreme emergency, these might be your water sources!
Some tools are needed in an emergency kit. A manual can opener, knife, whistle, flashlight and/or lantern with rechargeable batteries, a solar-powered clock, waterproof matches, and reusable plates, cups and utensils can make the kit Earth-friendly.
Also recommended are a tarp, nails and a basic tool kit, rope, an ax (for chopping up wood, a renewable heat energy), shovel and wheelbarrow for instances of impact to your home, at which you might need to stay, or for camping.
A broom, mop and bucket along with environmentally safe cleaners will keep things clean without releasing toxic chemicals contained in modern surfactants. Try a mix of Borax, hot water and Castile soap in a spray bottle for multipurpose cleaning. A spray made from white vinegar, a drop of Castile and water will kill about 99 percent of germs. Add hydrogen peroxide to kill mildew and for first aid and tea tree oil to kill germs.
A cooler and portable grill are also great to have on hand. Grills with coal briquettes release carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and soot. Opt for less toxic propane or natural gas, or seek out all-natural charcoal briquettes that lack coal and other dangerous chemicals. Also, try a "chimney starter" that uses lit newspaper to light briquettes rather than petroleum-based lighter fluid. You'll reduce impact on global energy supplies and avoid the fluid's environmental pollution.
Contact your local health department for community information and to ensure that you have accurate contact details in your emergency kit. These departments provide local environmental health protection as well as emergency preparedness and response services. Be familiar with the department's services and how to learn of its emergency alerts. Communities may use the Emergency Alert System, via radio or television, and these announcements may broadcast when you hear outdoor sirens in your town. Find out your local EAS radio frequency and television station.
Also, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Alert Radio and the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Broadcast are two places to pick up emergency news. For more information about NOAA radio, go to www.weather.gov/nwr. For information about the Coast Guard's marine safety broadcasts, go to www.navcen.uscg.gov/MARCOMMS/gmdss/msi.htm.
Check the Massachusetts Emergency Management Association Web site, go to www.mass.gov, click the "For Residents" tab, under "Safety," click on "Emergency Preparedness," then click "Emergency Preparedness and Planning," and select MEMA. You can also call 211 during times of emergency for the agency's disaster response and human services.
Develop a household emergency communications plan. Designate a contact person outside the region that everyone in your house would contact in the event of a widespread emergency. Pick meeting spots — locally, and then outside the region.
In the event of local or regional evacuation or emergency, make sure all those capable in your household know how to shut off your home's electricity, gas and water supplies at their main valves. In the event of a freeze, you can also drain faucets, turn off inside valves that operate external faucets, and drain exterior faucets. This will ensure that your house is not wasting any resources, running up any bills, or experiencing unnecessary water damage during times of emergency.
If an evacuation is scheduled, be sure there is enough gas in your vehicle in advance. Gas stations will close, too.
After an event, if you have a private well and your water is running cloudy or has a foreign taste, be sure to have the water quality tested. If your well was damaged and you have it repaired, you will also need to have the well tested. If your home is on public drinking water supply and you are having quality problems, contact your public works department for information.
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Andrea Fox, a Beverly resident, has been writing about environmental sustainability and eco-topics for eight years. She is a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists and a watershed protection advocate in Salem Sound Watershed.
