Women Self Defense

On 11^th March 2011, around 2.45 p.m., a giant earthquake struck Japan, triggering tsunami waves that were almost 10 meters high.

It was like a disaster movie – except it was real.

One month later, Christchurch on New Zealand, was severely damaged by quakes. On March 24, Myanmar was also hit by quake, which killed over 70 and injured 111.

A lot may think the authorities and emergency services will be prepared for anything but as Japan and New Zealand show, a huge natural disaster can temporary overwhelm even the most well-organized civil defense force.

It is strongly recommend that you have the means to look after yourself and family for at least 72 hours, until help arrives. In an emergency, knowing what to do will make the crucial difference between life and death.

What to do if a Major Earthquake Strikes?

3 Ways To Stay Alive Indoors:

(1)    Move away from windows. Take cover under a sturdy table or item of furniture. Stay there until the shaking is over.

(2)    If no furniture is available for shelter, move to an inside corner of a building or an interior wall. Stay away from windows or shelves with ornaments that can fall on you. Crouch down and cover your head with your arms to avoid cuts from falling window glass or light fittings.

(3)    Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you are sure it’s safe to exit. Do not use the elevator as the power lines may be damaged. Use the stairs instead.

3 Ways To Stay Alive Outdoors:

(1)    Stay away from buildings, street lights and electricity wires.

(2)    If you are driving, stop as soon as safety permits. Try to avoid parking near buildings, trees, overhead bridges and electrical cables. Stay in your vehicle and tune in to the radio for situation updates.

(3)    Stay put in an open space until the shaking stops.

4 Ways To Stay Alive Under Debris:

(1)    Crawl under a sturdy piece of furniture which gives breathing space and protection against falling objects. Or brace yourself against an interior wall with no windows or shelves. Try to use blanket or boxes and other similar materials for protection against falling windows glass or light fittings.

(2)    Do not turn on light switches or light matches, fires or glass stoves

(3)    If the building is badly damaged, stay put if you are in safe area. Do not use the stairs or elevators as you will expose yourself to dangers such as faking debris.

(4)    Do not shout unnecessary as you may inhale dangerous amount of dust while weakening yourself. Use a whistle, torchlight or tap on a pipe or wall to attract attention.

Remember, in the aspects of safety and survival in emergency situations, the knowledge of survival skill and be prepared can make a critical difference between life and death.

Disaster can strike quickly and often without warning. It is a good idea to be prepared for emergencies that might affect your home, such as a gas leak, tsunami or hurricane.

Evacuation kit is a smaller version of your household supply kit which covered in previous post. If you have to leave your home, you won’t have time to think about what you should include, so it’s worth planning what to take now. Keep it in a large bag or case near your front door and make sure that each family member knows where to find it.

Emergency Disaster Evacuation Kits include the following:

o Baby gear – Check that you have adequate food, nappies, bottles and medications.

o Bedding – Pack plenty of blankets and/or sleeping bags.

o Candles – Take at least two 36-hour candles.

o Cash – Make sure that you have enough money to last you and the family for about two weeks. Include some small change.

o Clothing – Pack at least one change of clothes for everyone, along with sturdy boots and waterproof jackets.

o Eating utensils – Include the same utensils as in your household supply kit.

o First-aid kit – Take the one from your household supply kit or create a duplicate kit.

o Torch – Include extra batteries.

o Mobile phone – Make sure that it’s charged.

o Other personal items – Add prescription medicines, glasses or dentures, according to your particular family’s needs.

o Penknife-  Make sure that it has a can opener.

o Radio –  Get a radio that is portable and battery ­powered to enable you to Iisten to official status reports following a disaster.

o Toiletries – Include soap, toilet paper and other personal hygiene items.

o Water – Store enough for each family member to last three days

o Whistle – Use this to attract attention.

Emergency planning is a current concern in the United States following events on September II, 2001. In fact, this has been of concern to most of the world countries today in view of the various natural disasters  in Japan and China, social unrest such as Libya and Thailand. However, you might wonder how anyone can be ready for every emergency when fires, floods and man-made disasters all have such different effects. Yet the preparations you can make for one type of event are similar to those that you might need in another.

The following is based on advice from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (www.fema.gov) and the Red Cross (www.redcross.org):

(I) Assemble An Evacuation Kit

If you have to leave your home because of a major disaster, you won’t have time to think about what to include. Plan what to take now, and keep it in a large bag or case near your front door.

(II) Do Your Research

Get to know the emergency plans at your workplace, children’s school or nursery, or other places where you or your family spend time.

In large-scale disaster situations, the procedures will be coordinated by the emergency services, local authorities and utility companies. Public warnings are usually communicated by television, radio and the press, but there may also be sirens or telephone-messaging or loud¬hailer warning systems in your area. To find out more, look on your local council’s website or contact the emergency planning officer. You can also research potential flood zones on the website of the Environment Agency and look for daily flood and severe weather warnings on the website of the Met Office.

(III) Devise A Plan

Take time to discuss with your family the disasters that may happen and the importance of sticking to a plan. One of the most important things to consider is how you can contact each other after an event. Ask a friend or relative in another town to act as contact person for phone calls because it’s often easier to phone long distance than locally in disaster situations.

Make sure that everyone in the family knows the phone number of this person or keeps it with them at all times.

Note all your family members’ e-mail addresses, as well as that of your out-of-town contact person; if the phone lines are busy following a disaster, e-mails may still get through.

Establish two meeting points, one dose to your home – perhaps a tree in your road or a neighbour’s house – and the other farther away, such as at the home of a relative in another town or city. Bear in mind, however, that it’s often safest for everyone to follow the evacuation procedures of your office or school. Type up your communication plan and meeting points and display a copy in a prominent place. Also, consider the preparations that you can make in your home.

Once all your safety measures are in place, don’t get complacent. Remind everyone of the plans and practise home evacuations every six months. Keep your records and phone numbers up to date, and don’t forget to restock food and water supplies in emergency kits.