Earthquake Preparedness

Earthquakes can be very dangerous and can occur at any time of the year. Identifying potential hazards ahead of time and advance planning can reduce the chances of death, serious injury, or property damage. When preparing for an earthquake, plan on having enough food, water, clothing, medical supplies and other necessary equipment for you and your family for at least 72 hours. Assistance from local fire and police departments may not be available immediately following an earthquake. This checklist will help you get started on the essentials. (This information is taken from http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/faq/?faqID=77 ): 1. Fire extinguisher 2. Adequate supplies of medications that you or your family are taking 3. Crescent and pipe wrenches to turn off gas and water supplies 4. First aid kit and handbook 5. Flashlights with extra bulbs and batteries 6. Portable radio with extra batteries 7. Water for each family member for at least 3 days (allow at least 1 gallon per person per day) and purification tablets or chlorine bleach to purify drinking water from other sources 8. Canned and packaged foods, enough for several days and a mechanical can opener. Extra food for pets if necessary. 9. Camp stove or barbecue to cook on outdoors (store fuel out of reach of children) 10. Waterproof, heavy-duty plastic bags for waste disposal

Before The Earthquake Strikes

Pick "safe places" in each room of your home. A safe place could be under a sturdy table or desk or against an interior wall away from windows, bookcases, or tall furniture that could fall on you. The shorter the distance to move to safety, the less likely you will be injured. Injury statistics show that people moving as little as 10 feet during an earthquake's shaking are most likely to be injured. Also pick safe places, in your office, school and other buildings you are frequently in. Practice drop, cover, and hold-on in each safe place. Drop under a sturdy desk or table and hold on to one leg of the table or desk. Protect your eyes by keeping your head down. Practice these actions so that they become an automatic response. When an earthquake or other disaster occurs, many people hesitate, trying to remember what they are supposed to do. Responding quickly and automatically may help protect you from injury. Practice drop, cover, and hold-on at least twice a year. Frequent practice will help reinforce safe behavior. Wait in your safe place until the shaking stops, and then check to see if you are hurt. You will be better able to help others if you take care of yourself first, then check the people around you. Move carefully and watch out for things that have fallen or broken, creating hazards. Be ready for additional earthquakes called "aftershocks." Be on the lookout for fires. Fire is the most common earthquake-related hazard, due to broken gas lines, damaged electrical lines or appliances, and previously contained fires or sparks being released. If you must leave a building after the shaking stops, use the stairs, not the elevator. Earthquakes can cause fire alarms and fire sprinklers to go off. You will not be certain whether there is a real threat of fire. As a precaution, use the stairs. If you're outside in an earthquake, stay outside. Move away from buildings, trees, streetlights, and power lines. Crouch down and cover your head. Many injuries occur within 10 feet of the entrance to buildings. Bricks, roofing, and other materials can fall from buildings, injuring persons nearby. Trees, streetlights, and power lines may also fall, causing damage or injury. Inform guests, babysitters, and caregivers of your plan. Everyone in your home should know what to do if an earthquake occurs. Assure yourself that others will respond properly even if you are not at home during the earthquake. Get training. Take a first aid class from your local Red Cross chapter. Get training on how to use a fire extinguisher from your local fire department. Keep your training current. Training will help you to keep calm and know what to do when an earthquake occurs. Discuss earthquakes with your family. Everyone should know what to do in case all family members are not together. Discussing earthquakes ahead of time helps reduce fear and anxiety and lets everyone know how to respond. Talk with your insurance agent. Different areas have different requirements for earthquake protection. Study locations of active faults, and if you are at risk, consider purchasing earthquake insurance.

During an Earthquake

Drop, cover, and hold on! Move only a few steps to a nearby safe place. It is very dangerous to try to leave a building during an earthquake because objects can fall on you. Many fatalities occur when people run outside of buildings, only to be killed by falling debris from collapsing walls. In U.S. buildings, you are safer to stay where you are. If you are in bed, hold on and stay there, protecting your head with a pillow. You are less likely to be injured staying where you are. Broken glass on the floor has caused injury to those who have rolled to the floor or tried to get to doorways. If you are outdoors, find a clear spot away from buildings, trees, streetlights, and power lines. Drop to the ground and stay there until the shaking stops. Injuries can occur from falling trees, street-lights and power lines, or building debris. If you are in a vehicle, pull over to a clear location, stop and stay there with your seatbelt fastened until the shaking has stopped. Trees, power lines, poles, street signs, and other overhead items may fall during earthquakes. Stopping will help reduce your risk, and a hard-topped vehicle will help protect you from flying or falling objects. Once the shaking has stopped, proceed with caution. Avoid bridges or ramps that might have been damaged by the quake. Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you're sure it's safe to exit. More injuries happen when people move during the shaking of an earthquake. After the shaking has stopped, if you go outside, move quickly away from the building to prevent injury from falling debris. Stay away from windows. Windows can shatter with such force that you can be injured several feet away. In a high-rise building, expect the fire alarms and sprinklers to go off during a quake. Earthquakes frequently cause fire alarm and fire sprinkler systems to go off even if there is no fire. Check for and extinguish small fires, and, if exiting, use the stairs. If you are in a coastal area, move to higher ground. Tsunamis are often created by earthquakes. If you are in a mountainous area or near unstable slopes or cliffs, be alert for falling rocks and other debris that could be loosened by the earthquake. Landslides commonly happen after earthquakes.

After the Earthquake

Check yourself for injuries. Often people tend to others without checking their own injuries. You will be better able to care for others if you are not injured or if you have received first aid for your injuries. Protect yourself from further danger by putting on long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, sturdy shoes, andwork gloves. This will protect you from further injury by broken objects. After you have taken care of yourself, help injured or trapped persons. If you have it in your area, call 9-1-1, and then give first aid when appropriate. Don't try to move seriously injured people unless they are in immediate danger of further injury. Look for and extinguish small fires. Eliminate fire hazards. Putting out small fires quickly, using available resources, will prevent them from spreading. Fire is the most common hazard following earthquakes. Fires followed the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 for three days, creating more damage than the earthquake. Leave the gas on at the main valve, unless you smell gas or think it's leaking. It may be weeks or months before professionals can turn gas back on using the correct procedures. Explosions have caused injury and death when homeowners have improperly turned their gas back on by themselves. Clean up spilled medicines, bleaches, gasoline, or other flammable liquids immediately and carefully. Avoid the hazard of a chemical emergency. Open closet and cabinet doors cautiously. Contents may have shifted during the shaking of an earthquake and could fall, creating further damage or injury. Inspect your home for damage. Get everyone out if your home is unsafe. Aftershocks following earthquakes can cause further damage to unstable buildings. If your home has experienced damage, get out before aftershocks happen. Help neighbors who may require special assistance. Elderly people and people with disabilities may require additional assistance. People who care for them or who have large families may need additional assistance in emergency situations. Listen to a portable, battery-operated radio (or television) for updated emergency information and instructions. If the electricity is out, this may be your main source of information. Local radio and local officials provide the most appropriate advice for your particular situation. Expect aftershocks. Each time you feel one, drop, cover, and hold on! Aftershocks frequently occur minutes, days, weeks, and even months following an earthquake. Watch out for fallen power lines or broken gas lines, and stay out of damaged areas. Hazards caused by earthquakes are often difficult to see, and you could be easily injured. Stay out of damaged buildings. If you are away from home, return only when authorities say it is safe. Damaged buildings may be destroyed by aftershocks following the main quake. Use battery-powered lanterns or flashlights to inspect your home. Kerosene lanterns, torches, candles, and matches may tip over or ignite flammables inside. Inspect the entire length of chimneys carefully for damage. Unnoticed damage could lead to fire or injury from falling debris during an aftershock. Cracks in chimneys can be the cause of a fire years later. Take pictures of the damage, both to the house and its contents, for insurance claims. Avoid smoking inside buildings. Smoking in confined areas can cause fires. When entering buildings, use extreme caution. Building damage may have occurred where you least expect it. Carefully watch every step you take. Examine walls, floor, doors, staircases, and windows to make sure that the building is not in danger of collapsing. Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and quickly leave the building. Turn off the gas, using the outside main valve if you can, and call the gas company from a neighbor's home. If you turn off the gas for any reason, it must be turned back on by a professional. Look for electrical system damage. If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you smell burning insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If you have to step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker, call an electrician first for advice. Check for sewage and water line damage. If you suspect sewage lines are damaged, avoid using the toilets and call a plumber. If water pipes are damaged, contact the water company and avoid using water from the tap. You can obtain safe water from undamaged water heaters or by melting ice cubes. Watch for loose plaster, drywall, and ceilings that could fall. Use the telephone only to report life-threatening emergencies. Telephone lines are frequently overwhelmed in disaster situations. They need to be clear for emergency calls to get through. Watch animals closely. Leash dogs and place them in a fenced yard. The behavior of pets may change dramatically after an earthquake. Normally quiet and friendly cats and dogs may become aggressive or defensive.

whats going on

with the Holiday season over, still in the middle of winter, and yearning for spring and summer, we always find ourselves in an odd mix of busy and hibernating.

We've been busy on and off with Racquetball tournaments as the season winds down. Yet as it winds down, we start up the summer league for the youth, and when that winds down, the season starts up again. So, it seems that we stay busy with racquetball all year long. So, this activity is in spurts, on and off, but usually somewhere on our agenda. A couple weeks ago we hit a new level of play, with Kylie and myself playing in a doubles match in the UVU tournament. We played in a round robin and ended up playing 4 other teams, for a total of quite a few games, which tuckered out Kylie something fierce. She had a blast, and is looking forward to another tourney and another chance for us to play together. Next week, in fact, will be that chance. We'll be playing sometime between Wed and Saturday, hopefully multiple times.

Not much on the motorcycle front is occurring, since its wet or frozen everywhere. We did get out in January for a big bike ride and get muddy and cold, and had a blast riding.

We are in full swing preparations for our trip to Greece, which is less than a month away at this point. Much excitement and planning still occurring to ensure that we pull off the trip successfully.

I was able to go to Colorado Springs recently for a Professional Development event (SQLSaturday) and it was paid for by work, which was a blessing and another tick in the PRO column for my new job. Oh, I have a new job. Should detail that. But since it seems to happen every few years, you know the drill. Got frustrated, found something better, moved to the new place, loving it, honeymoon still going on, still loving it.

is thankful for

• existing and being able to be thankful
• a Heavenly Father who knows him and is allowing him this earthly experience
• ability to read, in 2 languages
• ability to work with my hands to create
• ability to envision something, work hard to achieve it
• innovative products that enhance our lives
• people who he connects with that feel like they've been friends for millenia
• family, both present and distant
• friends who become family
• family who become friends
• an old table that has stayed unused for many years and returns as a new office table
• being able to connect with people physically, emotionally, spiritually thru multiple means and media
• seeing other people struggle and learn, and learning from them
• ability to want more, to become more, and to slowly achieve more
• being older, yet still feeling young at heart
• a sweet daughter that connects with him so easily
• a sweet daughter that takes care of everyone around her so thoroughly
• a son that is so terribly happy all the time one must comply to his state of happines to truly enjoy being in his presence
• a sweet wife that works so hard at the family, at her newfound love with her job, and basically still lets him hang around her
• his house, a house that seemed too much at one time, then not quite big enough, now is just right
• his toys, both large and small, that allow him small diversions into that childhood he so richly enjoys to escape from adulthood
• friends to play with, learn from, grow with, and experience life together
• a warm electric blanket on cold nights
• leather gloves that shield his hands from the outside chill
• a new streetbike that will take him on journeys away from reality, once its warm enough to enjoy it again
• books, stories and tales that transport him to another plane for brief momments
• neighbors who step up to help out when needed
• new and exciting opportunities on the horizon
• his ability to enjoy racquetball, dirtbiking, motorcycling, waterskiing, snowskiing, paintballing and other activities that keep the heart pumping and young
• his ability to teach, train, mentor and share his knowledge with others
• his ability to learn from others and add to his store of knowledge
• jim the boatwrap guy that protects his little ski boat each year, so come summer, play can ensue on the water once again
• waking up late on Thanksgiving morning, and feeling overwhelmed by thankfullness

Emptying the Storage Unit

Back in June, we got a storage unit to hold all the junk we had in the basement for the last decade. It was quite a bit of stuff. The highlights are as follows:

• Christmas stuff
• Halloween stuff
• Easter stuff
• Camping stuff
• various hobby stuff
• Waterski/boat stuff
• junk, lots and lots of junk

Its amazing what accumulates when you have a storage area like a basement to simply put stuff in. It accumulates. And its seemingly all important stuff. With the storage available, its hard to get rid of any of it. So, it all went into the storage unit.

Before extracting it from the storage unit, after the basement was completed, we made a few rules. It had to go through a QA process. We had to justify anything that we brought back home. Everything. This has been quite the chore, and has been spread out over various evenings and days. For example, the Christmas stuff... It was contained in various boxes, i think about 6 containers in total. Each of those containers was opened, and each item was transferred from that box to another box. We actually purchased some new containers that would stack better, were simply newer, and much more sturdy that previous containers. The plan was to transfer into these containers anything we wanted to keep, while discarding the rest. Either to the trash or to DI. Quite a bit has gone to both locations.

I am proud to announce that the Christmas, Halloween and Easter stuff all went thru the rigorous process of QA first, and were successful. We cleaned a fourth to half of the stuff we had been saving all these years. With limited space now available to us to use in the basement, some cleaning and pruning was necessary.

As the weeks have marched on, and we continue to pay the fee to store stuff, some of which is not anything we really need, while other is necessary, its obvious that this can be addicting, and we could simply quit and keep the storage unit. Paying out monthly payments to keep the stuff. However, that was another of the goals of this task. Have the storage unit during the summer, maybe into the fall, but not much after that. We are now dangerously close to 'after that'. This next week will see the last of the items removed from the unit and placed in their final resting home. Be it our home, or elsewhere. In fact, one item we were particularly sad about throwing out actually got placed last night in a good home. We pulled all the carpet from the basement when we finished it. A large green carpet that had covered those floors for over a decade. Last night, another family was in the storage unit place, and came wondering by to talk to us. We offered them the carpet, on a whim, and they accepted. It will now live in their basement, covering their floors.

We should have taken pictures of this process, similarly to the pics of the basement progress. It would have been fun to see the items disappear from basement, rematerialize in the storage unit, then disappear again.

Soon, we'll be back to just our house and surrounding property that contains all of our worldly possesions. Soon.

Semi annual conference

Every six months we get the opportunity to listen to LDS Church leaders expound on topics that they feel we should hear. The topics are always interesting, and oft times they are exactly what we need to hear. But the overwhelming reason to listen to conference for me is to hear those things that I need to hear, and feel the spirit confirm them to me. We all need repeated reminders of where we are headed and how to get there.

I grew up in California and didnt have the chance to simply wake up and watch conference on the TV. Ever since my time at BYU, I have felt blessed to live in a place that allowed me to watch it so easily. Yeah, I can read it later or even rewatch it on TV or over the internet. But there is something in me that says I need to watch it as it occurs. Be there, in case I miss something. Besides, the repetition of rewatching it will need to occur anyway to ensure it gets pounded into my skull.

For our family, we try to watch each session, or listen to each session. Since 6 of the 10 hours occurs on a Saturday, and Saturdays are either play or work days for us, its always interesting to find ways to listen and learn, as well as implement some sort off fun or todo list crossing off. In the past, we've spent Saturday conference time in the basement, cleaning and organizing it.

However, with the basement now finished, this is unnecessary. So, I woke up early Saturday morning and made myself a list of random tasks. 16 in total. Most of which could be done while listening to conference. With various radios and TV's turned on throughout the house, we could come and go from different areas in the home and outside working on tasks, yet still listening. By breaking us up into groups, it makes it easier to listen and not spend the entire time yelling at each other to be quiet so that we can listen to conference and be edified. ;)

Sunday typically finds us watching it on the TV in the family room as a family together. Its always a challenge to keep the kids either not making too much noise or actually listening, or preferably somewhere in between. Its funny after the first sunday session, we typcially need a break, and our breaks usually involve watching TV. But having spent the last two hours glued to the TV, watching TV isnt really a break. Finding something to do, that only takes 2 hours is always interesting.

This time, after the last session finished, and our naps concluded, we grabbed our books, some drinks, some blankets and headed up Provo Canyon to chill out. We spent a few hours hanging out, reading, playing tag and enjoying the time together.

All in all, the weekend came and went, lessons were learned, the spirit was felt, fun was had, time spent together as well as 6 out of 16 tasks completed on Saturday.

our back yard is on fire

We've been slowly making progress on the backyard patio for a while now (read:years).

A year or so ago, we pulled the trigger on some of the design of the patio and purchased some large blocks to put in the patio as steps. this was a bit premature, as the actual patio floor wasnt yet in place. This was forcing us to kick it in gear and get it completed. The upper patio got completed first, while the lower patio was still undone for quite some time.

Last month significant progress was made on the lower patio, and we got the firepit put in as well. The lower patio now has a floor completely finished up to the waterfall. In the middle of this floor is a firepit. Last night was its maiden voyage, in celebration for Kylie's birthday. We got the fire going, and enjoyed sitting at home, yet seemingly out in the wilderness enjoying a roaring fire. You can see a picture of it on Facebook here.

We have already enjoyed using this patio for various activities. the main one i enjoy it for is working from on those days when i stay home in the morning. And evenings when I sit out there, listening to music, and just chillin. Now, add fire to the mix, and you got yourself a very enjoyable escape pod located within feet of my back door. Here's to many years of use. Next project, finish up the waterfall to add an even more zenlike quality to the outside of our home. Imagine listening to music, with the soft melody of water falling, while a fire warmly soothes your toes... you wanna come and visit on one of those crisp fall evenings with me, huh?

My Little Girl

This weekend, she turns 14. I continue to be amazed to hang out with her, and interact with her, as a parent and often times as a peer. We have built quite the relationship of peerness surrounding our racquetball interests. She often attends games of mine and coaches me, successfully. I return the favor and coach her.
This peerness has migrated to other places of our relationship. Its amazing to see her turn into a real person with her own values and habits and goals. She is still a child, but the adult she will become peeks thru on occasion, often catching me by surprise to see who she will be and realize we will be adults together at some point. In the not so distant future.
Her birthday is this weekend, and in preparation for this momentous event (all birthdays should be momentous) she is planning her planning for Friday night with friends. We took a trip down to the park nearby to see about using a pavilion, and to make sure that it had power for the radio and music that she 'needs' to be present at the activity. We rode our bikes down there, and it was odd for me to simply be along for the ride as she made her plans, and envisioned how the party would occur. Very much in control of what she wants to happen, and able to see the vision of how to accomplish it, i stand back in awe as she takes the reigns and gets it done. A joy to participate in this transition from child to adult.
We had a great time looking at the park, riding our bikes around, and simply being together. She allowed her little sister to tag along, and i could go on and on at the amazing things that this child does to cause me to stand in awe and wonder as well. But this post is mainly about my eldest. My soon to be 14 year old. The amazing experience it is to participate in her life and help her 'become' whom she will be. I always thought that parents had a little more control over what their children became. But that is not so. We can point the rope in the direction we want, think it should traverse space, ensuring its headed in the right direction, but we must realize that its a greased rope that we are unable to grasp and control. Gentle nudging does the trick, if its started at an early age, and followed thru continuously.
I mentioned before that she has her own values and habits and goals. I love to see her stand up for herself, even against her parents, when something conflicts with her values. She is persistent in reminding anyone the way it should be. Amazing. I stand in awe.

Happy birthday daughter. Thanks for sharing your life with me.