Maplewood Ward - I Will Prepare



Emergency Preparation and Response PlanLesson #5 OutlineIn this lesson, your family will have the opportunity to:1)Discuss what to do in the event of a power blackout2)Discuss what to do in the event of a heat wave3)Discuss what to do in the event of a thunderstorm4)Family Activity Experience a BLACKOUT in your home!!5)Prepare a dessert for your Family Home Evening using items from food storage.3 Nephi 8: 20-2320 And it came to pass that there was thick darkness upon all the face of the land, insomuch that the inhabitants thereof who had not fallen could feel the vapor of darkness; ??21 And there could be no light, because of the darkness, neither candles, neither torches; neither could there be fire kindled with their fine and exceedingly dry wood, so that there could not be any light at all; ??22 And there was not any light seen, neither fire, nor glimmer, neither the sun, nor the moon, nor the stars, for so great were the mists of darkness which were upon the face of the land. Luke 21: 25-2625 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; ??26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. BlackoutsDiscuss the following information regarding Blackouts with your family.Blackouts, or power outages, occur when there is a cutoff of electrical power, especially as a result of a shortage, a mechanical failure, or overuse by consumers. Blackouts can also occur when there are power lines that are down due to storms or other accidents resulting in the lines disconnecting from their poles and the power flow is severed. There may also be rolling blackouts where the power company will cut off power to a certain block of customers for a period of time to reduce the amount of energy being used when there is a potential shortage.To prepare for a blackout:You will want to gather supplies together including the following:Flashlights with working batteries and extra batteries. If you are using candles, be extremely careful. Keep candles away from furniture, curtains, and other flammable materials. Also, keep children and pets away from the flames.Portable radio with extra batteriesPlenty of drinking waterAt least a 3-day supply of non-perishable food If you have space in your refrigerator or freezer, consider filling plastic containers with water and freezing them. These frozen bottles will help keep food cold if the power goes out for several hours.Have an alternate source of heat available for a wintertime blackout. Use space heaters only in well ventilated areas. Be prepared to cook outside on a grill, camp stove or solar oven. Never cook inside.Consider a battery back-up for your security system.Tips for during a BlackoutTurn off electrical equipment Avoid opening the refrigerator. Food can stay frozen in a fully loaded freezer for 36 to 48 hours if the doors remain closed. If the freezer is half full, the food will generally keep for 24 hours.Listen to local radio and television for updated information regarding power restoration.If you have an air conditioner, you can keep cool air inside your home by keeping doors and windows closed. Keep shades, blinds and curtains closed to prevent heat from coming in.Do not touch any downed power lines. Additional tips for a blackout include the following:Medication:If you use medication that requires refrigeration, most can be kept in a closed refrigerator for several hours without a problem. If you are unsure about this, check with your physician or puters:Keep files and operating systems backed up regularly. Consider extra batteries and a power converter for a laptop. A power converter allows most laptops to be operated from the cigarette lighter in a vehicle. Get a high quality surge protector.Garage Doors: If you have an electric garage door opener, make sure you know how to open the door manually. Also, keep a key to the house with you if you use your garage as the primary entrance for your home. You may be locked out if you come home after a blackout has started and your garage door has no power.Telephones:Many phones today require electricity to work. Plan for alternate communication. Make sure you have at least one phone that does not require electricity to operate, and keep cell phone batteries charged. Generators:Make sure the generator is in a well-ventilated area to reduce the risk of breathing in fumes. Never connect the generator to any home or building electrical outlets. Plug appliances directly into the generator. If your generator is connected to a breaker panel or fuse box, turn off or disconnect the main breaker to the house while you are using the generator.Heat WaveDiscuss the following information regarding Heat Waves with your family.A heat wave is a prolonged period of excessive heat and humidity. The extended heat can be very dangerous for our bodies if we are exposed to it for too long and are not able to keep our body temperatures at a normal, healthy range. High temperatures are very common in our area, and we must take steps to help protect ourselves during those times.To prepare for a heat wave:Reduce your activity level if possible. Do your strenuous activity during the cool hours of the day.Stay indoors as much as possible. If your air conditioning is not working, go to the lowest level of your home or building. Try going to a building that has air conditioning. Use electric fans whenever possible. Although fans do not cool the air, they do help sweat evaporate which cools your body.Wear light colored clothing when you go outdoors. Drink plenty of water, frequently, even if you are not thirsty. Drink plenty of water regularly and often. Your body needs water to keep cool. Water is the safest liquid to drink during heat emergencies. Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine in them, which can make your body feel worse, and dehydrate your body. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Light colors will reflect away some of the sun's energy.Eat small meals, eat frequently, avoiding high protein foods which increase your body’s metabolic heat. Avoid salt, salty foods, and salt tablets, unless directed by a doctor.Be aware of the following heat related situations:Heat crampsHeat cramps are muscular pains and spasms due to heavy exertion. Although they the least severe, they are an early sign that the body is having problems with the heat.TreatmentGet into a cool place. Gently stretch the affected muscle. Have the person drink cool water slowly. One-half glass every fifteen minutes. Have the person rest, monitor condition for changes.Heat exhaustion Heat exhaustion typically occurs when people exercise heavily or work in a hot, humid place where body fluids are lost through heavy sweating. Blood flow to the skin increases, causing blood flow to vital organs to decrease. The result is a form of mild shock. If not treated, the victim may suffer heat stroke.Symptoms of heat exhaustion include cool, moist, pale or flushed skin; heavy sweating, headache, nausea or vomiting; dizziness; and exhaustion. Body temperature at this stage will be near normal.TreatmentGet into a cool place. Remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet cloths such as towels or sheets. Have the person drink cool water slowly. One-half glass every fifteen minutes. Have the person rest, monitor condition for changes.Heat stroke Heat stroke is life-threatening. The victim’s temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working. The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly. (Sunstroke is another term for heat stroke.)Symptoms include hot, red skin, changes in consciousness, change in pulse, and rapid, shallow breathing. Body temperature can be very high, as high as 105 degrees. Skin may be wet is the person was sweating from work or exercise, otherwise, the skin will feel dry.Heat stroke (continued)TreatmentHelp is needed fast. Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. Move the person to a cooler place. Quickly cool the body. Immerse victim in a cool bath, or wrap wet sheets around the body and fan it. Watch for signals of breathing problems. Keep the person lying down and continue to cool the body any way you can. If the victim refuses water or is vomiting or there are changes in the level of consciousness, do not give anything to eat or drink.ThunderstormsDiscuss the following information regarding Thunderstorms with your family.Thunderstorms are very common in Arizona, especially during the monsoon season in the summer.Before Lightning StrikesKeep an eye on the sky. Look for darkening skies, flashes of light, or increasing wind. Listen for the sound of thunder. If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to the storm to be struck by lightning. Go to safe shelter immediately. Listen to the Radio or television for the latest weather forecasts.When a Storm Approaches...Telephone lines and metal pipes can conduct electricity. Unplug appliances. Avoid using the telephone or any electrical appliances. (Leaving electric lights on, however, does not increase the chances of your home being struck by lightning.) Avoid taking a bath or shower, or running water for any other purpose. Turn off the air conditioner. Power surges from lightning can overload the compressor, resulting in a costly repairs.Draw blinds and shades over windows. If windows break due to objects blown by the wind, the shades will prevent glass from shattering into your home. If Caught OutsideIf you are in the woods, take shelter under the shorter trees. If you are boating or swimming, get to land and find shelter.Find shelter in a building or car. Keep car windows closed and avoid convertibles. Protecting Yourself OutsideGo to a low-lying, open place away from trees, poles, or metal objects. Make sure the place you pick is not subject to flooding. Be a very small target! Squat low to the ground. Place your hands on your knees with your head between them. Make yourself the smallest target possible. Do not lie flat on the ground--this will make you a larger target! After the Storm PassesStay away from storm-damaged areas. Listen to the radio for information and instructions. If Someone is Struck by LightningPeople struck by lightning carry no electrical charge and can be handled safely. Call for help. Get someone to dial 9-1-1 or your local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) number. The injured person has received an electrical shock and may be burned, both where they were struck and where the electricity left their body. Check for burns in both places. Being struck by lightning can also cause nervous system damage, broken bones, and loss of hearing or eyesight. Energy Conservation TipsTo conserve power to help avoid a blackout, the power industry recommends: In heating season, set the furnace thermostat at 68 degrees or lower. In cooling season, set the thermostat at 78 degrees or higher. Consider installing a programmable thermostat that you can set to have the furnace or air conditioning run only when you are at home. Most power is used by heating and cooling, so adjusting the temperatures on your thermostat is the biggest energy conservation measure you can take. Turn off lights and computers when not in use. This is especially true about computer monitors - avoid using a "screen saver" and just simply turn the monitor off when you won't be using the computer for a while. Turn the computer off completely each evening. It is no longer true that computer equipment is damaged from turning it off and on. Close windows when the heating or cooling system is on. Caulk windows and doors to keep air from leaking, and replace old windows with new, energy-efficient windows. Clean or replace furnace and air-conditioner filters regularly. When buying new appliances be sure to purchase energy-efficient models. Wrap the water heater with an insulation jacket, available at most building supplies retailers. If you have to wash clothes, wash only full loads and clean the dryer's lint trap after each use. When using a dishwasher, wash full loads and use the "light" cycle. If possible, use the "rinse only" cycle and turn off the "high temperature" rinse option. When the regular wash cycle is done, just open the dishwasher door to allow the dishes to air dry. Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights. Use one large light bulb rather than several smaller ones. Family ActivityThis activity will help your family be prepared to deal with power failures that result in loss of light and heat.Materials NeededMatches and candlesBattery-powered radioFlashlight and batteriesFuses (if you have a fuse box that requires fuse replacements)If you would like to do this activity during a meal, and prepare your meal with no power, then you will need: food requiring no refrigeration or cooking such as crackers, canned meats, fruits, dried meats, fish, juices, water, and powdered milkActivityDuring your lesson, announce that you will be turning out the lights. Tell everyone that for a specified amount of time they will not be allowed to turn on the lights again because tonight your family will be learning what to do during a blackout. Have all family members follow these steps:1.? Don't panic and don't walk around in the dark. You can get hurt if you wander about in the dark, especially if you are outside or in a strange place.2.? Check the inside of your home to see if the problem originates there. Check the fuse box or circuit breaker box. Find the replacement fuses and make sure all family members know how to replace them. If your home is run from breaker switches, check them for malfunctioning circuits.3.? If you find the problem does not originate from these sources, look out the window to see if other lights are off in the neighborhood. If they are not working, turn on your battery-powered radio for information. Use your telephone only for serious emergency needs to avoid jamming the lines.4.? Get the flashlight, candles, batteries, and matches.If you are preparing a meal5.? Discuss how best to prepare your evening meal. Since you have no electricity, you must prepare food that requires no cooking. Also, you must prepare your meal from food storage or from food on hand. The water you will be drinking must also be supplied from your food storage. (Use purification tablets if necessary.) Use your creativity.6.? Plan some activities that will keep family members from feeling frightened or anxious. Following are a few suggestions you may wish to use:? ? ? ?Create shadow pictures. ? ? ? ?Tell stories. ? ? ? ?Whistle or hum songs, and play "Name That Tune." ? ? ? ?Play games. ? ? ? ?Create an add-on story. One person starts with the background, the next person adds the characters, the next states what they do, the next creates a problem, the next complicates that problem, and finally the last person solves the problem and concludes the story. Pudding Fudge1 Cup Sugar1 small package chocolate pudding? Cup evaporated milk2 Tbsp. butterMix all ingredients except the butter together. Cook until soft ball stage. Mix in butter. Add nuts if desired. Pour into a buttered baking dish. Cook and cut into squares. ................
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