Your Family Disaster Supplies Kit

After a disaster, local officials and relief workers will be on the scene, but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, or it may take days. Would your family be prepared to cope with the emergency until help arrives?

Your family will cope best by preparing for disaster before it strikes. One way to prepare is by assembling a Disaster Supply Kit. Once disaster hits, you won't have time to shop or search for supplies. But if you've gathered supplies in advance, your family can endure an evacuation or home confinement.

To prepare your kit review the checklists in this document. Gather the supplies that are listed. You may need them if your family is confined at home. Place the supplies you'd most likely need for an evacuation in an easy-to-carry container. These supplies are listed with an asterisk (*).

Disasters happen anytime and anywhere. When disaster strikes, you may not have much time to respond. A highway spill of hazardous material could mean instant evacuation. A winter storm could confine your family at home. An earthquake, flood, tornado, hurricane or any other disaster could cut off basic services--gas, water, electricity, and telephones--for days.

*Water

Store water in plastic containers intended for storing water.. Avoid using containers that will decompose or break, such as milk cartons or glass bottles. A normally active person needs to drink at least two quarts of water each day. Hot environments and intense physical activity can double that amount. Children, nursing mothers, and ill people will need more water.

    * * Store one gallon of water per person, per day (two quarts for drinking, two quarts for food preparation/sanitation).

    * * Keep at least a three-day supply of water for each person in your household.

Food

Store at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food. Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and little or no water. If you must heat food, pack a can of sterno. Select food items that are compact and lightweight.

    * * Include a selection of the following foods in your Disaster Supplies Kit:

    * * Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables

    * * Canned juices, milk, soup (if powdered, store extra water)

    * * Staples--sugar, salt, pepper

    * * High energy foods--peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars, trail mix

    * * Vitamins

    * * Foods for infants, elderly, or persons on special diets

    * * Comfort/stress foods--cookies, hard candy, sweetened cereals, lollipops, instant coffee, and tea bags

First Aid Kit

Assemble a first aid kit for your home and one for each car. A first aid kit should include:

    * Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes

    * Hypoallergenic adhesive tape

    * Triangular bandages

    * Sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)

    * Scissors or Tweezers

    * Needle

    * Moistened Towels

    * Antiseptic

    * Thermometer

    * Sunscreen

    * Non-prescription drugs

    * *Aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever

    * *Anti-diarrhea medication

    * * Antacid (for stomach upset)

    * *Syrup of Ipecac (use to induce vomiting if advised by the Poison Control Center)

    * *Laxative Activated charcoal (use if advised by the Poison Control Center)

Contact your local American Red Cross chapter to obtain a basic first aid manual.

Supplies

You should stock these six basics in your home:

    * * Water

    * * Food

    * * First aid supplies

    * * Clothing and bedding

    * * Tools and emergency supplies and special items

Keep the items that you would most likely need during an evacuation in an easy-to-carry container. Suggested items are marked with an asterisk (*). Possible containers include a large, covered trash container; a camping backpack; or a duffle bag.

Tools and Supplies

    * * Mess kits, or paper cups, plates and plastic utensils

    * * Emergency preparedness manual

    * * Battery-operated radio and extra batteries

    * * Flashlight and extra batteries

    * * Cash or traveler's checks, change

    * * Non-electric can opener, utility knife

    * * Fire extinguisher

    * * Small canister, ABC type

    * * Tube tent

    * * Pliers

    * * Tape

    * * Compass

    * * Matches in a waterproof container

    * * Aluminum foil

    * * Plastic storage containers

    * * Signal flare

    * * Paper, pencil

    * * Needles, thread

    * * Medicine dropper

    * * Shut-off wrench, to turn off household gas and water

    * * Whistle

    * * Plastic sheeting

    * * Map of the area (for locating shelters)

Sanitation

    * * Toilet paper, towelettes

    * * Soap, liquid detergent

    * * Feminine supplies

    * * Personal hygiene items

    * * Plastic garbage bags, ties (for personal sanitation uses)

    * * Plastic bucket with tight lid

    * * Disinfectant

    * * Household chlorine bleach

Clothing and Bedding

    * * Include at least one complete change of clothing and footwear per person.

    * * Sturdy shoes or work boots

    * * Hat and gloves

    * * Rain gear

    * * Thermal underwear

    * * Blankets or sleeping bags

    * * Sunglasses

Special Items

Remember family members with special needs, such as infants and elderly or disabled persons.

For Baby

    * * Formula

    * * Diapers

    * Bottles

    * Powdered milk

    * * Medications

For Adults

    * Heart and high blood pressure medication

    * Insulin

    * * Prescription drugs

    * Denture needs

    * Contact lenses and supplies

    * Extra eye glasses

Entertainment

    * Games and Books

Important Family Documents

Keep these records in a waterproof, portable container.

    * Will

    * Insurance policies

    * Contracts

    * Deeds

    * Stocks and bonds

    * Passports

    * Social security cards

    * Immunization records

    * Bank account numbers

    * Credit card account numbers and company phone numbers

    * Inventory of valuable household goods

    * Important telephone numbers

    * Family records (birth, marriage, death certificates)

Suggestions and Reminders

Store your kit in a convenient place known to all family members. Keep a smaller version of the Disaster Supplies Kit in the trunk of your car. Keep items in airtight plastic bags. Change your stored water supply every six months so it stays fresh. Rotate your stored food every six months. Re-think your kit and family needs at least once a year. Replace batteries, update clothes, etc. Ask your physician or pharmacist about storing prescription medications.

Contact your local emergency management or civil defense office and your local American Red Cross chapter. Find out which disasters are most likely to happen in your community. Ask how you would be warned. Find out how to prepare for each. Meet with your family. Discuss the types of disasters that could occur. Explain how to prepare and respond. Discuss what to do if advised to evacuate. Practice what you have discussed. Plan how your family will stay in contact if separated by disaster. Pick two meeting places:

1) A location a safe distance from your home in case of fire

2) A place outside your neighborhood in case you cannot return home

3) Choose an out-of-state friend as a "check-in contact" for everyone to call.

Complete these steps:

1) Post emergency telephone numbers by every phone.

2) Show responsible family members how and when to shut off water, gas, and electricity at main switches.

3) Install a smoke detector on each level of your home, especially near bedrooms; test monthly and change the batteries two times each year.

4) Contact your local fire department to learn about home fire hazards.

5) Learn first aid and CPR. Contact your local American Red Cross chapter for information and training.

Meet with your neighbors. Plan how the neighborhood could work together after a disaster. Know your neighbors' skills (medical, technical). Consider how you could help neighbors who have special needs, such as elderly or disabled persons. Make plans for childcare in case parents can't get home.

Remember to practice and maintain your plan.

Which Cars Keep Your Insurance Rates Affordable

Do you consider the cost of insurance before you buy your dream car? You should. The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) analyzes the cost to insurance companies from theft, collision, and injury claims as they relate to cars. They look at the color of the cars, how many doors they have, and even break them down type.

The Highway Loss Data Institute is a nonprofit public service organization. It is closely associated with and funded through the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which is wholly supported by auto insurers. HLDI gathers, processes, and publishes data on the ways losses vary among different kinds of vehicles.

Four door cars have a 93% less chance of having a claim related to theft than their sibling 2-Door cars. Buy a Buick LeSabre and have relatively no chance of a theft loss. Compare that to the convertible Chevrolet Corvette that has over 5 times the average theft rate. You may have known that. However, did you know that the Toyota Celica has a 67% higher chance of theft than the Toyota Camry?

One of the factors that come into play with insurance claims is the cost of repairing a vehicle and the safety features a vehicle has that can keep down the bodily injury claims. To find out which cars are considered “Top Safety Picks” you can check with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The IIHS top safety picks category recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, and rear crashes based on good ratings in Institute tests. Winners also have to have electronic stability control (ESC), which research shows significantly reduces crash risk. Crash tests like the ones conducted by the IIHS have driven major improvements in the designs of all kinds and sizes of passenger vehicles and thus making cars safer for motorists.

The IIHS’s list of top picks for safety performance is something to check out when going to buy a car so that you can see not only if your car is rated in crash tests but what kind of damages are done to give you an idea of insurance. Each year the IIHS releases their information which is available to the public. As a motorist searching for the right car to keep insurance costs down, keep in mind that the more damage that is done is a crash, low impact to high, the likelihood insurance rates will be higher since the insurer knows it will cost more to repair that vehicle.

You may be surprised at some of the results. For example, the Porsche 911 has a 67% less chance for injury claims than the norm. Go figure. The Mitsubishi Lancer has almost double the injury claim rate over the norm.

Where does your car fit for injury theft and collision? What about your dream car? You need to check out the latest statistics on theft for a vehicle before choosing a car to buy. There are various sources you can search to find the most common vehicles stolen. One source is the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) which has studies showing the top 10 stolen vehicles in each state. While the list of top vehicles stolen may change each year there are some vehicles we continue to see on the list and are continual favorites of thieves. These cars include the:

    * Honda Accord

    * Toyota Camry

    * Ford F-150

    * Acura Integra

    * Nissan Sentra

    * Toyota Corolla

    * Toyota Pickups

Then the list of ones that have the most expensive theft claims include such vehicles as the:

    * Cadillac Escalade

    * Chevrolet Corvette Convertible

    * Lincoln Navigator

Vehicles with the least expensive theft claims include some of the following and as you may notice some are older vehicles:

    * Buick LeSabre

    * Volvo V70 Station Wagon

    * Mercury Grand Marquis 4-four

The NICB encourages everyone to follow what it calls a "layered approach" to auto theft protection by employing simple, low-cost suggestions to make vehicles less attractive to thieves. The four layers include common sense, a warning device, an immobilizing device, and a tracking device.

The Highway Loss Data Institute gives information on what vehicles have the most and least expensive claims for injury and collision claims. According to HLDI, the lowest injury claims are from large vehicles - cars, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles (SUVs). Small two and four door cars have the highest injury claims. Small cars also are among the highest in collision costs, along with sports cars.

Models in recent years that have had some of the most expensive claims for injuries include:

    * Suzuki Esteem 4-door

    * Kia Rio 4-door

    * Mitsubishi Mirage 2-door

    * Kia Spectra 4-doors

    * Vehicle Models with some of the least expensive injury claims include:

    * GMC Sierra 2500 2-wheel and 4 wheel drives

    * Chevrolet Silverado

    * GMC Yukon XL 1500 4-wheel

    * Chevy Tahoe 2-wheel

Models that are among the least expensive for collision claims include:

    * Ford Excursion 2-wheel drive

    * GMC 2500

    * GMC Safari 4-wheel drive

    * GMC Yukon XL 1500 4-wheel drive

    * Vehicles that are most expensive for collision claims include:

    * Subaru Impreza WRX 4-wheel drive 4-door

    * Lexus IS 300 4-door

    * Porsche 911 coupe

    * Acura RSX

As you can see the cars on the list for having expensive collision claims include many sporty or high performance vehicles. Insuring a high-performance car can easily cost two or three times the insurance amount for an ordinary model due to the high cost of repairs if they are damaged.

If you have the time and energy to do research on theft rates, cost of collision claims and bodily injury claims on a vehicle you can determine what the most affordable car is to insure for your needs. If you do not have this time than you can research the lists that come out each year or so from sources such as the IIHS, HLDI and NHTSA on the most and least expensive vehicles to insure where they take into account many factors such as the ones we mentioned. The lists can vary since the statistics and reporting tools they use in their research vary.

Typically when one is going to buy a car they have an idea of what type of vehicle they want - sedan, SUV, truck, sports car, etc - and one easy and efficient way to decide on the vehicle that will be affordable to you is to figure out what class of vehicle you want and then narrow done your choice to few models. You then can check the research to make sure they are not on the “worst” list for theft, claims, etc. In addition, maybe with luck they will be on the “best” lists. If not they may fall in between which is fine if the car is going to suit your needs the best.

Once your choice is narrowed down to a few vehicles to find out which is the most affordable of these vehicle to insure, just simply get online and search for auto insurance quotes on the various vehicles. Insurance companies or Insurance Marketplaces, such as CarInsurance.com, will allow you to get as many quotes as you need to determine which vehicle you thinking of purchasing is the most affordable. Once you decide on a car to buy it is easy to then just to go ahead and purchase your insurance policy online.