5 Key Facts about Major Disasters by Matt Redhawk of My Patriot Supply

Matt Redhawk, founder of My Patriot Supply points out that the Fukushima nuclear meltdown, the Chernobyl disasters, Hurricane Katrina and the Sumatran earthquake in 2004, as well as the Bhopal plant disaster in India, all point to the fact that we live in an unstable world fraught with both man-made as well as natural disasters.

While the infrequency of such events makes them seem like a distant memory, there are a few things that we will have to embrace as we try to make the best of a geologically, economically and socially broken world.

It happens. Sometimes they take five years, a century or even once every few generations, but they eventually happen.  The major Japanese earthquake happens once every 90 or so years. It had never happened to nearly three generations of Japanese population, then it struck. It’s okay to budget for everyday disaster but it is also prudent to budget for the once-in-a-lifetime catastrophe.

You need to prepare for the worst. The effects of the Bhopal disaster are still felt up to today. The Sumatran earthquake changed the landscape and the Japanese disaster cost billions of dollars in loss and damage. Planning for worst case scenario is not pessimism, it is proper and informed allocation of resources, time and effort.

Help others out. Learn emergency volunteer skills because you might need them during an emergency. Much more importantly it will help you provide much needed support in the midst of a disaster. You have to combine your willingness to offer support with proper disaster management skills and appeal to resources for you to be truly effective.

Be flexible. After you have done all the preparation and training, when emergencies strike it will boil down to your capacity for resilience. The resources, skills and time that you acquire have their limits. Your inner resolve is just as important as all the preparations you can carry out.

Master your environment. Keep a keen eye on the goings-on around you. It is easy to become a self-distracted person who loses touch with his community, environment and events around him. You also need to learn to connect the dots. “Most emergencies tend to have tell-tale signs long before they strike”, says Matt Redhawk of My Patriot Supply.

Matt Redhawk From My Patriot Supply Lists Critical Supplies for Emergencies

When disasters strike there are a lot of things that fail. The infrastructural failures precipitate shortage of basic necessities including energy and accessibility to resupply. “Because of that, there are a few things you will have to keep away for the sake of your own safety and survival”, advises Matt Redhawk of My Patriot Supply.

Food Items. It is good to have dry foods kept away safely, stocked away from pest or destruction. Canned foods, flour, peanut butter, sugars, safe-drinking water, cereals, coffee as well as pet food are very critical in the first few hours and days after the emergency. Over and above everything, you will need to eat and rehydrate, so you need a good place to stash these items in the house.

Power and Light. Power lines tend to go down and fuel pumps shut down, even though you will still need to heat your food and keep warm. There are many alternatives for both heating and lighting. Flashlights, lamp oils, charcoal, candles, rechargeable batteries and propane stoves are simple, yet effective, supplies. They can keep you alive while you are off-grid for a few days before you can get help.

Fun and Recreation. When you are off the grid due to an emergency situation, it doesn’t mean you are necessarily at risk. There is still time for fun and games and a few recreational adventures. You can stash away wine and beers, cigarettes, indoor ball game kits and even contraception.

First Aid Supplies. Emergencies come with medical injuries, burns and scalds. The time between the injury and first proper medical attention can be mitigated by an emergency intervention. You might need to find cold medicine, pain relievers, antiseptic or first aid kits around you. You will also need hygiene materials like shampoos, toilet paper, soap, napkins and feminine hygiene products.

Improvisation. Sometimes survival will mean lots and lots of improvisation. You will need duct tape to bind broken things together. You will need plastic bags for waste disposal and as alternative storage. You will need plywood for joining structures and radios to keep abreast of what is going on out there. You will also need ropes for pulling and for tying things up. “This category might be the most critical after food”, says Matt Redhawk, founder of My Patriot Supply.

Fire Survival Strategies by Matt Redhawk From My Patriot Supply

Fires are some of the most destructive hazard. In just a few hours, fire can gut down an entire industrial facility, raze down a forest or destroy a neighborhood. “Few people take the time to understand the survival skills that are essential when dealing with fire emergencies,” says Matt Redhawk, from My Patriot Supply. Let's face it, when was the last time you read through a fire safety guide?

Account for the hazard. It is vital to list all the fire hazards, including highly flammable substances within your environment. Ensure there are no leaking fuels, exposed wires and mishandled matches and lighters.

Install smoke detectors. It is essential to have these on every floor of a building or your house. Know their locations and, more importantly, do a regular check to ensure that they are functioning. Smoke detectors save lives. They will warn you of impending fire before you get trapped in there.

Have functioning exit routes. Your facility or home needs to have pathways and spaces through which you can escape the raging heat of an emergency fire. Most people who die in a burning building could have easily been saved had the facility had exit doors and emergencies paths leading out.

Learn fire management strategies. In case of fire, there are a few things you should know. It is best to fall and crawl because most often smoke fills the upper atmosphere of a building towards the ceiling. If your clothes catch fire, stop, drop down and roll on the ground. If you see someone who is on fire and you have a fire blanket, cover them up to snuff out the fire.

Carry out a drill.  In scheduled time periods, for example, every three months, carry out a fire drill. Simulate a fire emergency situation and watch out how fast and quickly everyone made it out. Document the experience and repeat that as often as possible to keep score of how efficiently you can react to fire emergency situations.

Know local emergency numbers. It is vital to memorize the contact number of your local emergency rescue teams (i.e.: 911). “Make sure anyone trapped within or anyone who has made it out can quickly make a call and ask for help”, Matt Redhawk from My Patriot Supply advises.