Four questions for a “gas crisis”

Gas flames in a furnace. The orange filament is the pilot light.

Of all the topics I address, one that gets the most interest is questions about turning off the gas in an emergency. I’ve written about this subject before, so let me treat a few of the questions that haven’t been fully answered so far.

1. What is “off” position on a gas valve? How do I know that the gas is off?

The gas valve requires just a quarter turn to close or open. It is not like turning off a bath tub faucet, where you turn the handle until it won’t turn any further. The gas valve is more like a gate: swing it one way, it’s open; swing it the other way, it’s closed. When the valve is running along the same line as the pipe, gas can flow through and the valve is open. When the valve is lined up across the pipe, the valve is closed and no gas can flow.

2. If I can easily turn my gas off in an emergency, why can’t I turn it back on? Don’t I just use the wrench to turn it back the other way?

Well, yes – but don’t do it! When you shut off the gas valve, the pilot light, which ignites the flame that turns the gas into heat, goes out. To restore the flow of gas without restoring all the pilot lights in the house is to create a flow of unburned gas, which could easily be deadly. When a licensed plumber or utility repair worker restores your gas, they check and test all pilot lights. They make sure there is no air in the lines. They keep your house from exploding.

3. In case of an earthquake, I’m not taking any chances. I’m shutting off every gas valve in town. Problem?

Yes, problem. Because it takes a PG&E employee or licensed plumber to re-open a closed gas valve, your neighbors may not thank you if you turned off their gas needlessly. In a major emergency such as an earthquake, service may not be restored for days. Unless you want your neighbors using your fence boards and furniture for fireplace wood, don’t be hasty. Only turn off the gas if you smell gas or hear gas escaping.

4. How can I test my gas valve to make sure I can shut it off in an emergency?

Using a wrench, turn the valve just an eighth of a turn (from 12 o’clock to 1:30 position, for example). Then return it to the 12 o’clock position. This will allow gas to flow so the pilot lights will stay on, while also assuring you that in an emergency you will be able to turn it all the way off. Testing your valve every year or so by turning it slightly  is a good practice. The valves do get stiff, and if you should need to turn off the gas in the middle of the night, you’ll be glad you kept it loosened and movable over the years.

Can we count on our public officials in an emergency?

Kermit the Frog as "The Mayor" (photo courtesy of muppet.wikia.com)

Not long ago, I heard a man say, “If there’s an emergency, I’m not worried. Our fire and police departments will take care of me. They’d better. That’s what I pay taxes for.”

Here is the situation in his town of Burlingame, CA: The town of 50,000 maintains five fire engines and one truck, with four officers on patrol at any given time. The retired fire chief says that the department maintains its staffing at a level to meet day-to-day needs, but in the event of a major disaster the first responders (police, fire, and ambulance personnel) would be “totally overwhelmed.”

There is a well-resourced fire department for the city’s regular needs. But an emergency would swamp those resources.

Imagine that a major earthquake struck, breaking some water mains, toppling power lines, and shattering windows on every street. Fires may dapple the city from broken gas lines. The phone lines would immediately become jammed and could remain so for days. If someone was able to get a call through to 911 to report a house fire, gas leak, or medical emergency, for example, the emergency vehicles may not be able to get through because of road closures (think fallen redwoods, buckled pavement, and those power lines) or because they simply had more calls than they could respond to for days.

The simple truth is that citizens must be prepared to see to their own welfare for the first three days to a week. Making arrangements for our own food, water, shelter, and first aid will be required of us.

Here’s what the Department of Homeland Security  has to say on the subject:

“As uniformed emergency responders constitute less than one percent of the total U.S. population, it is clear that citizens must be better prepared, trained, and practiced on how best to take care of themselves and assist others in those first, crucial hours during and after a catastrophic incident.” (from the National Preparedness Guidelines, September, 2007)

In other words, our government will be counting on us to take care of ourselves. When the National Preparedness Guidelines refer to “those first, crucial hours”, they mean those first 72 or more hours, in other words, the first three days after a catastrophic event.

Our public officials will take care of us by doing their best to protect our hospitals, keep roads open, fight fires, and maintain a safe water supply. But with just four firefighters for 50,000 residents, there may be several days when we must rely only on ourselves and our neighbors for more local help.

• Make sure you have enough water for everyone in your household for at least three days, and build your supply up to a week – that’s seven gallons per person, plus some for pets.
• Keep a supply of non-perishable food and disposable dishes and utensils.
• Keep a first-aid kit, and consider taking a class in first-aid and CPR.
• Learn where your gas, electric, and water service enters your building and how to shut them off.
• Meet your neighbors.

These simple steps can go a long way toward keeping each of us safe and comfortable, so that we can count on our public officials for the bigger jobs.

Are US earthquakes just “a California thing”?

We talk about them, prepare for them, and sometimes we even feel a little proud of them – our California earthquakes. But are US quakes, like avocados and surfers, mainly confined to the Golden State?

Mission San Juan Bautista sits on top of a hill that is actually the fault scarp of the San Andreas Fault.

Well, the two costliest earthquakes (in terms of property damage) have been here. The Northridge quake (Los Angeles area) caused an estimated $13 to 20 billion in damage in 1984, followed by the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake (San Francisco Bay Area), which rang up $7 billion in damages.

But earthquakes don’t happen only on the West Coast. According to the Insurance Information Institute, “Since 1900, earthquakes have occurred in 39 states and have caused damage in all 50. About 5,000 quakes can be felt each year. The earthquake and fire that devastated San Francisco on April 18, 1906 was one of the worst natural disasters in the United States. It produced insured losses of $235 million at the time, equivalent to $5.4 billion in 2008 dollars. A study by AIR Worldwide estimates the loss at $108 billion, were the quake to hit under today’s economic and demographic conditions. “

So in terms of property damage, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake stands out as the most devastating.

Surprisingly,  by that same measure the second costliest quake was the one centered in New Madrid, Missouri in 1918. If that same 7.7 temblor struck the same location today, it would cause an estimated $88 billion in damage. And third place goes to an earthquake that struck Charleston, South Carolina in 1886, which would cause $38 billion in damages if it were to occur to day.

What can you do to prepare for earthquakes in all 50 states? Here are three quick steps to make you safer:

• Make sure tall shelves and cabinets are attached to the wall to they can’t fall forward. Use bolts, L-brackets, or velcro quake straps.
• Strap water heaters in place using heavy-gauge metal strapping. Fires caused by broken gas lines on water heaters have been a major source of property damage resulting from earthquakes.
• Keep a pair of thick-soled shoes near your bed. Should an earthquake cause broken glass while you’re asleep, you will be able to evacuate more safely once the shaking stops if you have sturdy shoes to put on.

Can emergency preparation be fun?

Short answer: yes (and I do my best to make it fun every time!)

Emergency preparation doesn't have to be scary

Tomorrow I’ll be speaking to folks at a neighborhood Halloween fair. The planners for this event are combining pumpkin carving, costume judging, and other seasonal activities with some timely emergency preparation education.

I’ll be demonstrating the Vital Records PortaVault (and raffling one off to a lucky Burlingame neighbor) as I give tips on “Regaining Your Financial Life After An Emergency.”

Whenever neighbors get together, it’s a great idea to combine a little learning with the festivities. Preparation works even better when the neighborhood pulls together.

Following Through for Do-It-Yourselfers

Do you look at emergency preparations and think  you should be able to do the job yourself?  Great! These posts have lots of information to help you get it done.

Make a pinky promise with yourself, and don't break it!

But emergency preparation is too important to leave until that someday that never comes, so if your preparations are not all you believe they need to be, make this follow-through contract with yourself:

Give yourself  a deadline, no more than four months to become ready to “file, flee, or freeze”. Mark your calendar for four months from today. And make this agreement with yourself:

“By four months from today, I will:

• protect my essential information and be ready to rebuild my financial life in case of fire or evacuation
  
• be ready to file an insurance claim for everything I own in case of theft, fire, or natural disaster
  
• assemble supplies to sustain me and my family for 3 days without additional services

If I am not prepared to “file, flee, or freeze”, then I will get help to make it happen. Because nothing would be worse than being filled with regret after a loss.”

If that future day comes, and you still have not made basic preparations, call Preparation Nation for hands-on help. Because we all do better with a little help.

No excuses! Commit to getting it done by posting your “ready” date in a comment here.

Camping food

Some people are okay with stocking their emergency supplies with freeze-dried food. They can foresee several days fueled by power bars and military style MREs. I am not like them.

I am fond of good food, and I cook for pleasure. If, like me, you have sometimes been put off your emergency preparations because you just couldn’t foresee eating that, that – what IS that? – this post is for you.

The truth about emergency preparations is that we never know exactly what sort of emergency we will face. Can I sleep in my house, or am I camping in the school parking lot? Can I reach my camp stove, or did a tree fall on the shed where it’s stored?

But let’s assume that you have a camp stove and supply of fuel. And let’s assume that water is scarce, which is likely. We won’t try to boil a big pot of pasta when we need to shepherd our water for a week or even more.

What are some meals that can be made from whole foods, maybe not fresh, but not dessicated or completely different from our regular fare? Here are some ideas to add to your emergency rations, followed by a shopping list. You can cycle these ingredients through your supplies, using up items that are near their expiration dates.

Emergency minestrone: combine 1 can white beans, 1 can tomatoes, and 1 can of mixed vegetables with green beans, carrots, and peas, including all liquid. Add a teaspoon of garlic paste, a teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of mixed Italian herbs such as oregano, parsley, and rosemary. Add enough water to cover. Heat thoroughly. Serve with crackers. Serves 2 to 4.

Emergency mac’ and cheese: Boil 1 cup water plus the liquid from a can of green peas. Using a box of macaroni and cheese mix (such as Kraft or Annies), pour the macaroni into the boiling liquid, stir, cover, and turn off the stove. Let sit for 5 to 6 minutes, until the pasta is cooked through. Drain any excess liquid and reserve for another use. Stir in the cheese packet, the green peas, and a spoonful of coconut oil. Stir until well mixed. Heat briefly and serve. Serves 2 to 3.

Breakfast for dinner: Boil 1 cup water. Add 2/3 cup oatmeal, stir.  Cover the oatmeal, and turn off the stove. Let sit for 5 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed. Top with milk (or soy, rice or almond milk) from an aseptic package, applesauce and a drizzle of maple syrup. Serves 2; may be doubled using less water.

To make these meals, add this list to your emergency supplies:

• canned goods: white beans, diced tomatoes, mixed vegetables, peas.
• grains: oatmeal, macaroni and cheese mix, crackers
• fruit: applesauce
• other ingredients: coconut oil (in solid form, lasts well when kept in a cool, dark place), garlic paste, maple syrup, Italian herb mix, salt, milk in aseptic packages.

Buy emergency supplies such as milk and applesauce in small, individual packages, so that they can be used in one serving and won’t need refrigeration for leftover portions.

I do have power bars in my emergency supplies, but I hope I never have to use them. I can keep the family fed for some time on real food under all but the most dire circumstances.

What to do with expired emergency supplies?

The food, water, first aid supplies, and batteries in your emergency supplies each has limited shelf life. We’re all conscious of avoiding waste. What to do with the things that are near their expiration dates?

Water – Water in large plastic containers will begin to taste like the container. Even aseptic packaging will flavor the water over time. You can improve the taste by running the water through a charcoal filter such as a Britta filter, or just use it on plants and in the toilet tank.

Food – Stock your emergency supplies with food that you are likely to eat, then rotate the emergency stock with your regular food. If you keep energy bars or ready-to-eat meals that you don’t really want to eat unless you must, then as they near their “use by” date, replace them and give the older packages to a food pantry.

First aid supplies – If they are at least six months from their expiration date, donate pain relievers and other medications to Los Medicos Voladores (Flying Doctors) for use in their clinics. Expired medications must be disposed of properly to avoid ground contamination. In the Bay Area, most police departments accept discarded medicines.

Batteries – Spent batteries can be recycled with the regular trash collection in many Bay Area communities. Use fewer batteries by equipping yourself with a hand-crank radio.

Review your supplies every six months to keep them fresh, so that when the unexpected arrives, you’re ready.

Get out of town!

When should you leave home? In case of fire, mudslide, or rising flood water – whenever there is an immediate threat to your safety – you need to evacuate immediately. After an earthquake, services may be severely disrupted for a week or longer, making evacuation a wise choice.

Sign post in Newfoundland, Canada

In order to evacuate safely, take these simple steps:

• Make it a habit to keep your car’s fuel filled; don’t let your gas tank fall below the half-way mark.
• Use the Vital Records PortaVault by Securita to protect your essential information. Keep it it a convenient place so you can grab it and go.
• Know alternate routes away from your home. If one road is closed, you’ll still be able to find a way to safety.
• Keep emergency supplies in your car, including a first aid kit, water, cash, and maps. Use the checklist here to assemble a permanent emergency kit for your car.
• Add some comfort items to your supplies – cards, books, and games will help pass the time.

It may not be as fun as a road trip, but at least you’ll be able to get out of town safely.

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: http://cmp.ly/4

The Slippery Truth About Liquefaction

In an earthquake, there are several sources of danger. Ground shaking is the obvious one. Liquefaction is another.

1979, San Francisco's Marina District (photo courtesy of USGS http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/qmap/)

Liquefaction occurs when certain types of soil become saturated and begin to behave like liquids rather than solid ground. The risk of liquefaction is highest on areas created by landfill and areas close to creeks and streams, where the ground is loose sedimentary soil. To see current maps of areas susceptible to liquefaction, visit the US Geological Survey website.

Even if you live in an area of moderate or low risk, liquefaction may still cause you major problems in the form of buckled roads and airport runways, ruptured water or gas mains, and damage to bridges.

What can you do to be better prepared?

• Know how to turn off the utilities at your home.
• Identify multiple evacuation routes.

These simple steps will serve you well if liquefaction occurs in future earthquakes.

Lessons from Hurricane Ike

Every disaster teaches lessons we can all use to become better prepared in the future. I’m not a regular reader of Popular Mechanics, but my Professional Organizer colleague Amanda Kovattana (thanks, Amanda!) pointed me toward the October issue, with its stories of four people who faced disasters and survived.

Hurricane winds toss a lot of debris. (photo courtesy of National Hurricane Adjusters)

Among the four stories in the article, those of us in earthquake country might take special note of the last one, “Rule 4: Outlast the Aftermath.”

In this article, Texas resident Mark Vorderbruggen tells of the steps he and his neighbors took last September as Hurricane Ike roared toward the Gulf Coast. Their preparations enabled them to survive and triumph in a storm that took dozens of lives and left tens of thousands without adequate food, water, or power for days.

For me, the most powerful lesson was the way in which Vorderbruggen and his neighbors took responsibility for their own welfare. They did not depend on anyone or anything to “bail them out.” They had prepared before the storm hit by knowing who among their neighbors had generators, chain saws, first-aid skills, and other assets. Together they cleared the neighborhood of lawn furniture and other loose objects that could have caused additional damage, reducing risk for all the property in the area.

Another useful reminder was that everyone in the neighborhood managed to pull through without injury or catastrophe in part because everyone pulled together, sharing food, fuel, tools, labor, and skills. This is the power of neighborhood groups. (See my earlier post, What’s so great about neighborhood groups?) As the article points out, “‘every man for himself’ is a terrible strategy for post-disaster situations.”

Vorderbruggen admits that he actually enjoyed parts of the aftermath, and based on my own experience with extreme storms (stories for another time) I understand his point of view.

What have past emergencies taught you? Leave a comment here.