Shelter and Heating

Why consider shelter important? You never know what is going to happened just last week there was a 5.8 Earthquake in So. Cal about a month ago there was one in Japan over 6 on the Richter scale. It did not do a lot of structural damage, but it did displace some people. Parts of the Country are prone to flood, fire or tornado. Several times a year during the Spring and Winter people can not live in their homes because high winds blowing trees over, ice storms or any number of other things. Homes become uninhabitable because fire or loss of electric also. We talked last Saturday about getting your financial house in order. Now we need to look at our physical one in order.

Do you have a plan for what you will do? Do you have tools on hand to remove a fallen tree and material to temporally patch the roof? What will you do with your family and or pets?
Think about what you have available to you;
1. Do you have a ladder and gloves on hand?
2. Do you have a chainsaw or bow saw on hand?
3. Do you have tarps or building materials on hand?
None of this will help you if don’t have it on hand. You won’t be able to run to the hardware store and grab a tarp during the storm. It would not take much room to have this stuff available to you.
What is your plan if the electric goes out? If you have a electric stove, do you have an alternate way to cook and bake? What about your heater, does it require electric for the motor to run or to ignite the fuel, you won’t have heat or ac. If you don’t have heat, you will freeze, the pipes will freeze. If you don’t have ac, your better off, but you don’t want heat stroke. Without electric most modern phones won’t work, get an old non-electric one. Without electric you don’t pump water. With out electric you can’t open cans, unless you have a manual can opener.
Generator will solve some of those problems on a limited scale at least. But you still need to make the house habitable. So scrap plywood and tarps can be made to make a good temporary fix, once you remove the tree. What if it is a flood, do you have a means to pump out the basement it is filled with water? That is a lot of five gallon buckets. Do you even have some empty five-gallon buckets lying around?
Can you see anything around the yard you could drape a tarp over to keep the rain off you and your family? In a pinch the swing set in the yard, put a tarp or poly sheeting over it and weigh the ends down and you have a big tent. Do you have a shed, empty it and find shelter in it.
Think out side the box now, because if or when the time comes for you to need it, you will be under enough pressure, think about it now, before you have to.
Do you have camping gear? There is the best of the temporary solutions. Set up and camp in the back yard. Do you have a camper, set it up and use it.
Do you have a friends house you could go to, or a safe place to retreat to?
There are a lot of things that our homes provide that we take for granted. What will you do for sanitation? Most people in the city of suburbs need electric for the septic system to work right. What about light to read by or walk safely by, at night? We will cover all these topics later in future blogs.
Not trying to make a big production out of it this time like I said last week my plan is to just introduce you to the idea of what is needed now and go further into depth in later blogs.
About heating, not such a big deal unless it is cold outside. As i said a lot of homes when you don't have electricity you can't cook, heat water, heat your home or in some cases you can't get out (because of electric locks).
You need to consider how you will safely heat your home without elect, it seems every year we hear about some family asphyxiating themselves trying to use a grill indoors (http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/111-07032008-1558135.html). Carbon monoxide us a big deal and should be very careful with it. A regular gas grill will alleviate some of those concerns, like cooking and heating water. Just do it safely, do it away from the sides of the house. There are a lot of products in the stores that will heat safely, but again won't do you much good if they are on the stores shelves and not yours when you need them. Kerosene heaters are safe and good, propane heaters work well, a fireplace is ok but an insert in the fire place is better or a wood stove. That way you at least have a use for the tree that fell on the house, right? When you are trying to heat, try to block off several rooms, instead of trying to heat the whole house. Just keep in mind your pipes if you can, but in the end pipes can be fixed, but you and yours can't.

Here are the results of the last seven days for earthquakes (22 over 5.0)
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/quakes_big.php

Floods
http://www.noaawatch.gov/floods.php

Forrest fires
http://www.nifc.gov/fire_info/nfn.htm

Fire victims 'ran for our lives'
By Janet Kornblum, USA TODAY
MIDPINES, Calif. — When a wall of flames shot up a canyon and forced Steve and Linda Hakanson to run from their home of 20 years they barely had time to grab a few photos, clothes and some of their pets.
"We basically all ran for our lives," said Steve Hakanson, 58, a contractor newspaper distributor.
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wildfires/2008-07-31-wildfire_N.htm

Storm and Hurricane
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

We did not even talk about some of the ings that will make you evacuate, like Chemical spills or a problem at a nuclear reactor. Again just something to think about. This from FEMA

Evacuation Plans
When community evacuations become necessary, local officials provide information to the public through the media. In some circumstances, other warning methods, such as sirens or telephone calls, also are used. Additionally, there may be circumstances under which you and your family feel threatened or endangered and you need to leave your home, school, or workplace to avoid these situations.
The amount of time you have to leave will depend on the hazard. If the event is a weather condition, such as a hurricane that can be monitored, you might have a day or two to get ready. However, many disasters allow no time for people to gather even the most basic necessities, which is why planning ahead is essential.
Evacuation: More Common than You Realize
Evacuations are more common than many people realize. Hundreds of times each year, transportation and industrial accidents release harmful substances, forcing thousands of people to leave their homes. Fires and floods cause evacuations even more frequently. Almost every year, people along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts evacuate in the face of approaching hurricanes.
Ask local authorities about emergency evacuation routes and see if maps may are available with evacuation routes marked.
Evacuation Guidelines
Always:
If time permits:
Keep a full tank of gas in your car if an evacuation seems likely. Gas stations may be closed during emergencies and unable to pump gas during power outages. Plan to take one car per family to reduce congestion and delay.
Gather your disaster supplies kit.
Make transportation arrangements with friends or your local government if you donot own a car.
Wear sturdy shoes and clothingthat provides some protection,such as long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and a cap.
Listen to a battery-powered radio and follow local evacuation instructions.
Secure your home:Close and lock doors and windows.Unplug electrical equipment, such as radios and televisions, and small appliances, such as toasters and microwaves. Leave freezers and refrigerators plugged in unless there is a risk of flooding.
Gather your family and go if you are in- structed to evacuate immediately.
Let others know where you are going.
Leave early enough to avoid being trapped by severe weather.

Follow recommended evacuation routes. Do not take shortcuts; they may be blocked.

Be alert for washed-out roads and bridges. Do not drive into flooded areas.

Stay away from downed power lines.

Important DocumentsStore important documents such as insurance policies, deeds, property records, and other important papers in a safe place, such as a safety deposit box away from your home. Make copies of important documents

You need to have a plan to care for your pets and animals

If you evacuate your home, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PETS BEHIND! Pets most likely cannot survive on their own; and if by some remote chance they do, you may not be able to find them when you return.

Plan for Pet Disaster Needs
Identifying shelter. For public health reasons, many emergency shelters cannot accept pets. Find out which motels and hotels in the area you plan to evacuate to allow pets -- well in advance of needing them. There are also a number of guides that list hotels/motels that permit pets and could serve as a starting point. Include your local animal shelter's number in your list of emergency numbers -- they might be able to provide information concerning pets during a disaster.
Take pet food, bottled water, medications, veterinary records, cat litter/pan, can opener, food dishes, first aid kit and other supplies with you in case they're not available later. While the sun is still shining, consider packing a "pet survival" kit which could be easily deployed if disaster hits.
Make sure identification tags are up to date and securely fastened to your pet's collar. If possible, attach the address and/or phone number of your evacuation site. If your pet gets lost, his tag is his ticket home. Make sure you have a current photo of your pet for identification purposes.
Make sure you have a secure pet carrier, leash or harness for your pet so that if he panics, he can't escape.

Prepare to Shelter Your Pet
Call your local emergency management office, animal shelter, or animal control office to get advice and information.
If you are unable to return to your home right away, you may need to board your pet. Find out where pet boarding facilities are located. Be sure to research some outside your local area in case local facilities close.
Most boarding kennels, veterinarians and animal shelters will need your pet's medical records to make sure all vaccinations are current. Include copies in your "pet survival" kit along with a photo of your pet.
NOTE: Some animal shelters will provide temporary foster care for owned pets in times of disaster, but this should be considered only as a last resort.
If you have no alternative but to leave your pet at home, there are some precautions you must take, but remember that leaving your pet at home alone can place your animal in great danger! Confine your pet to a safe area inside -- NEVER leave your pet chained outside! Leave them loose inside your home with food and plenty of water. Remove the toilet tank lid, raise the seat and brace the bathroom door open so they can drink. Place a notice outside in a visible area, advising what pets are in the house and where they are located. Provide a phone number where you or a contact can be reached as well as the name and number of your vet.

During a Disaster
Bring your pets inside immediately.
Have newspapers on hand for sanitary purposes. Feed the animals moist or canned food so they will need less water to drink.
Animals have instincts about severe weather changes and will often isolate themselves if they are afraid. Bringing them inside early can stop them from running away. Never leave a pet outside or tied up during a storm.
Separate dogs and cats. Even if your dogs and cats normally get along, the anxiety of an emergency situation can cause pets to act irrationally. Keep small pets away from cats and dogs.
In an emergency, you may have to take your birds with you. Talk with your veterinarian or local pet store about special food dispensers that regulate the amount of food a bird is given. Make sure that the bird is caged and the cage is covered by a thin cloth or sheet to provide security and filtered light.

After a Disaster
If after a disaster you have to leave town, take your pets with you. Pets are unlikely to survive on their own.
In the first few days after the disaster, leash your pets when they go outside. Always maintain close contact. Familiar scents and landmarks may be altered and your pet may become confused and lost. Also, snakes and other dangerous animals may be brought into the area with flood areas. Downed power lines are a hazard.
The behavior of your pets may change after an emergency. Normally quiet and friendly pets may become aggressive or defensive. Watch animals closely. Leash dogs and place them in a fenced yard with access to shelter and water.

If you have large animals such as horses, cattle, sheep, goats, or pigs on your property, be sure to prepare before a disaster.
Preparation Guidelines:
Ensure all animals have some form of identification that will help facilitate their return.
Evacuate animals whenever possible. Arrangements for evacuation, including routes and host sites, should be made in advance. Alternate routes should be mapped out in case the planned route is inaccessible.
The evacuation sites should have or be able to readily obtain food, water, veterinary care, handling equipment and facilities.
Make available vehicles and trailers needed for transporting and supporting each type of animal. Also make available experienced handlers and drivers.Note: It is best to allow animals a chance to become accustomed to vehicular travel so they are less frightened and easier to move.
If evacuation is not possible, a decision must be made whether to move large animals to available shelter or turn them outside. This decision should be determined based on the type of disaster and the soundness and location of the shelter (structure).
Cold Weather Guidelines:
When temperatures plunge below zero, livestock producers need to give extra attention to their animals. Prevention is the key to dealing with hypothermia, frostbite and other cold weather injuries in livestock.
Making sure your livestock has the following help prevent cold-weather maladies:
Shelter
Plenty of dry bedding to insulate vulnerable udders, genitals and legs from the frozen ground and frigid winds.
Windbreaks to keep animals safe from frigid conditions.
Plenty of food and water
Also, take extra time to observe livestock, looking for early signs of disease and injury. Severe cold-weather injuries or death primarily occur in the very young or in animals that are already debilitated. Cases of coldweather-related sudden death in calves often result when cattle are suffering from undetected infection, particularly pneumonia. Sudden, unexplained livestock deaths and illnesses should be investigated quickly so that a cause can be identified and steps can be taken to protect remaining animals.
Animals suffering from frostbite don’t exhibit pain. It may be up to two weeks before the injury becomes evident as freeze-damaged tissue starts to slough away. At that point, the injury should be treated as an open wound and a veterinarian should be consulted.

Imaine enforsing the laws has effect on how many stay? Why did not we try this earilier, how about trying it everywhere?
Study: Illegal residents decline
Updated 7/30/2008 11:08 PM
By Emily Bazar, USA TODAY
The number of illegal immigrants in the USA has fallen sharply as state and federal officials intensify a crackdown on undocumented migrants and jobs grow scarce in the faltering economy, according to a report Wednesday by a group that advocates reduced immigration.
Using Census data, the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) estimates that the illegal immigrant population dropped by 10% to 11.2 million from August 2007 through May.
"Illegal immigrants are responding to changing conditions and leaving the country in significant numbers," says Steven Camarota, director of research at CIS.
His study found that the number of legal immigrants rose from 26.6 million to 27.6 million over the same period.
"It doesn't seem like America is more unpleasant for immigrants," he says. "It seems more unpleasant for illegal immigrants."
Camarota acknowledges that the study has limitations. The Census may undercount immigrants, he says, and his estimate of illegal immigrants calculates that 80% of those people counted by the Census as foreign-born Hispanics ages 18 through 40 with a high school education or less are in the USA illegally.
Jeffrey Passel, a demographer at the Pew Hispanic Center, uses the same Census data in his work. Camarota's analysis "makes a lot of assumptions from what he's actually measuring to what he's concluding," Passel says. "I don't know if it's right or not."
The study says stepped-up enforcement is the primary reason for the exodus.
Pat Reilly, spokeswoman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, cites her agency's workplace raids, deportations and efforts to track down illegal immigrants with criminal records. Tougher enforcement "has made entering and staying in the United States illegally less attractive as the probability of being arrested and detained is greater than ever before," she says.
Groups that advocate for immigrants dispute the study's findings.
Angela Kelley, director of the Immigration Policy Center in Washington, D.C., says the illegal immigrant population is "nearly impossible" to measure. She faults the study for ignoring non-Hispanics.
She questions whether immigrants are leaving the USA or just moving from one place to another within the country to find work.
"Once folks have their roots here, it's very difficult to just go all the way back to their country," she says.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-07-30-immigration_N.htm


Some still rail over U.S. fence
Updated
670 MILES OF FENCE ALONG U.S.-MEXICO BORDER
By Emily Bazar, USA TODAY
McALLEN, Texas — Opponents of the U.S.-Mexican border fence in the Rio Grande Valley have launched a last-ditch volley of lawsuits to stop construction of the barrier, which began Sunday.
Mayors, environmentalists, landowners and shopkeepers say the fence will destroy plant and animal species, hurt the local economy and encroach on private property.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), rushing to meet a Dec. 31 congressional deadline, argues it will keep out illegal immigrants, drug runners and terrorists.
On Thursday, the University of Texas-Brownsville and Texas Southmost College settled its legal battles with DHS. The department agreed not to condemn any university land or build fencing on campus. The university pledged to raise the height of existing fencing and install cameras and other devices.
Opponents say the fence won't stop people who are determined to cross. In a region linked with Mexico through family and economic ties, they say, the fence sends a message that Mexicans, including those who enter legally, aren't welcome.
"The fence is already taking its toll," says Monica Weisberg-Stewart, owner of Gilberto's Discount House here. She says about 60% of her customers are Mexicans. Many have told her that they feel insulted by the fence.
"My customers say, 'We think twice now whether to come,' " she says.
At stake: Balancing security, economic links
Weisberg-Stewart is part of the Texas Border Coalition, a group of communities, judges and others who sued the government. The suit argues in part that officials failed to negotiate with landowners as required when acquiring land.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff says his department followed the law and has taken pains to consult voluntarily with landowners in more than 100 meetings and contacts with more than 600 property owners.
He says, however, that DHS must balance negotiations with deadlines. "We know the smugglers are not going to pause while we sort out all the varying viewpoints," he says.
"We have a right as a country to determine who gets admitted and who doesn't," Chertoff says. "We have to have the tools in place to let the Border Patrol do the job."
Congress ordered DHS to build 670 miles of fence along the 2,000-mile border by the end of this year. As of July 11, it had finished 335 miles.
About 70 miles will be in the Rio Grande Valley.
The entire border will not be fenced. Fencing is intended to deter or slow illegal crossers, so it will go where agents need more time to catch them, says Ronald Vitiello, chief of the Border Patrol's Rio Grande Valley sector. It will be used in conjunction with technology such as night-vision cameras and ground sensors.
McAllen Mayor Richard Cortez shares Weisberg-Stewart's concern that the fence alienates legal visitors and hurts the economy. He says 36% of all city sales are made to Mexicans.
Cortez says the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency doesn't need the fence because it has other means of control, such as clearing riverbanks of brush so agents can spot people crossing. "What American doesn't want" secure borders? he asks.
Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies, which advocates less immigration, questions Cortez's argument. "It's simply not plausible to say you favor border enforcement and then oppose all of the actual steps needed to have the border enforced," he says.
'I don't want money'
An Associated Press-Ipsos poll in March found Americans split: 49% supported the fence and 48% opposed it.
In June, environmental groups joined the city and county of El Paso, a Native American tribe and others to file a lawsuit challenging Chertoff's waiver of environmental and land management laws to speed construction. In part, the suit says the waivers violated the Constitution because they are not subject to judicial review. The Supreme Court declined to hear a similar case.
Frontera Audubon, an environmental group, is a plaintiff. Executive Director Wayne Bartholomew says the valley is home to a delicate ecosystem that exists nowhere else in the country. Endangered and threatened species such as ocelots live there.
Development, farming and other pressures mean only 5% of the original ecosystem remains, he says, and the fence would further fragment it.
About 25 miles west of here, Aleida Flores Garcia, 48, owns 30 acres in Los Ebanos, home to the last hand-operated ferry on the Rio Grande that shuttles passengers to and from Mexico.
She and her husband, Jorge Garcia, 43, have built the property into La Paloma Ranch Retreat. They built a boat ramp and put in picnic tables and playground equipment. They host fishing derbies.
They planned cabins, but Garcia realized the fence would cut off about 25 acres. The government tells her she'd still have access to most of it through a gate.
The government offered Garcia $8,800 for the land it needs. Garcia won't sell and has received a letter of condemnation. She plans to fight in court. "I don't want money," she says. "The sentimental value is worth a lot more."
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-07-31-borderfence_N.htm

Saudi religious police ban pet cats and dogs
Wed Jul 30, 9:43 AM ET
RIYADH (AFP) - Saudi Arabia's religious police have announced a ban on selling cats and dogs as pets, or walking them in public in the Saudi capital, because of men using them as a means of making passes at women, an official said on Wednesday.
Othman al-Othman, head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in Riyadh, known as the Muttawa, told the Saudi edition of al-Hayat daily that the commission has started enforcing an old religious edict.
He said the commission was implementing a decision taken a month ago by the acting governor of the capital, Prince Sattam bin Abdul Aziz, adding that it follows an old edict issued by the supreme council of Saudi scholars.
The reason behind reinforcing the edict now was a rising fashion among some men using pets in public "to make passes on women and disturb families," he said, without giving more details.
Othman said that the commission has instructed its offices in the capital to tell pet shops "to stop selling cats and dogs".
The 5,000-strong religious police oversees the adherence to Wahabism -- a strict version of Sunni Islam, which also forces women to cover from head to toe when in public, and bans them from driving.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080730/wl_mideast_afp/saudireligionanimaloffbeat