The following list is compact, cheap and lightweight, all which you need if you are trying to grab a kit during an emergency disaster. You can have this in a spare backpack and keep in easy access. Read more »

Having a September 11th situation calls to remembrance the vulnerability everyone felt that day and days ensuing. If family is at home when a disaster strikes it is worthwhile to have identified a room that will protect you as much as possible in the event of a terrorist attack that may involve chemical exposure. Read more »

There are a lot of people out there with ability and desire to donate a lot. There are also some people willing to pay their own way to Haiti during their vacation days, or any days, simply to help out with specialized skills or just sheer muscle and determination. There are many organizations out there at the moment. Read more »

After searching buildings and rubble for Haiti earthquake survivors, there were some people who were discovered because they were able to text for help. Some people have an emergency cell phone for that purpose only, and others, like most people in developed countries, have one for that and convenience. In these earthquake scenarios, it has been a reason to hope, to look, to stay alive, to have a location to start searching in. Read more »

Since avalanches are traveling at over 100 miles per hour, you have very few milliseconds to decide what action to take. The snow is coming down more fully and faster in the center of the fall, so moving to the side is definitely a good choice to avoid an avalanche disaster. Read more »

An avalanche can also be called a snow slide. Fast moving snow train might be a more accurate term and rightly so considering the speed it moves.  Snow slides at a fast moving pace down a mountain that is usually around 25 to 50 degrees. Did I mention these are the prime degrees for skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling? Read more »

So we’ve all been wondering what it would be like to actually have H1N1, and what the swine flu symptoms are that should send us to the hospital? Well, after having it since the end of October 2009, I can now give some first-hand experience of this. Read more »

Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS, DRM, DNB and has over 20 years clinical experience. The following information is some of the best I’ve seen for swine flu precautions: Read more »

I love this handy kit. Working in an office of over 20 people, it makes sense to have these in stock. The reason I like this one the best, is because it carries more than just the masks, gloves and sanitizers. Read more »

I liked this well laid out chart and am providing it from a health unit. Read more »

To answer the question of what makes the H1N1 flu so different from the other flu we see each year, we have to consider what a pandemic is. Read more »

As per the World Health Organization’s latest August 2009 stats, the H1N1 flu is hitting South Africa and Bolivia hard. It has peaked off in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina. Read more »

I recently had the unpleasant experience of finding myself in the vicinity of a tornado on August 20,  basically throwing me into the scenarios I write about on this site. The several tornados that went through the Vaughn and Durham County area of Toronto wreaked havoc on many homes and shut down power to many more. Read more »

Having extended family in Illinois, my ears are always tuned into tornado alerts on the national news during summer periods. I know that there are more Illinois tornados and Kansas tornados in one summer than what I may have in my neck of the woods for the entire decade, or so it seems. Read more »

The World Health Organization has declared the H1N1 virus is now at a pandemic stage. This is no news for the medical profession who have simply not been able to call a spade a spade for a while, Read more »

Children are particularly vulnerable after an eruption, from fine ash particles. Read more »

Swine flu spreads through coughing and sneezing by others infected. Most people have had the normal flu several times in their life, and the symptoms are similar in either case: a fever of over 100 degrees farenheit, chills, stuffy nose, coughing, sore throat, aching body, tiredness. There are some differences however with H1N1 flu.

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For the population in North America living along the west coast, the California earthquake and British Columbia earthquake zones are very informed compared to the rest of the population on average, about earthquakes. For those who are not, a few facts would help: Read more »

For people who like to put together their own first aid kits, the metal tackle boxes are great, as are metal lunch boxes for smaller kits. Here is a list of items you absolutely should keep in your kit of emergency supplies: Read more »

Why is our food supply of paramount worry when wondering how we’ll keep our family or ourselves going? So many of us live in developed countries with stores full of food, yet we know they would easily be depleted of essentials if an emergency hit us. Read more »

Not only are we dealing with slickness of roads after an ash fallout, moving ash into the air again and scratching our windows with our wipers against the ash, but our vehicles will require special maintenance. Read more »

Trying to avoid volcano ash fallout is like trying to avoid air. It will make its way into the most sealed buildings and equipment. It can effect our lungs, our ability to travel due to the slickness from it on the roads, impairing our vision while driving, damaging vehicles. Read more »

You may not want to go, thinking you’re not close by enough, or there is too much to do, your livestock need you, etc. The alert that goes on via radio and television however, means this is the time to plan your exit. Read more »

When you’re hearing about a volcano in your area, state or island being carefully watched, you know there are steps that should be taken for preparation: Read more »

Everyone has their eyes on this volcano today. Mount Redoubt erupted in 1989, and the ash compromised at least one flight, especially the well-documented KLM jet that was 150 miles away from the volcano. The Redoubt Volcano is 100 miles southwest of Anchorage. It has been observed more closely in the last months due to changes, but is now on Alert Orange, which is the highest alert prior to an eruption. Read more »