Tag Archives: disaster

Basic Emergency Supply Kit

Emergencies can vary from being inconvenient to being life threatening. While I hope that you will never find yourself in an emergency, having an emergency is always a possibility. The U.S. Government recommends that you become prepared by creating and having on hand a basic emergency kit. This kit will provide you with the essential needs that may become scarce in an emergency situation: fresh water, food, clean air and warmth. What should you include in your kit? Let’s go through the list. The most important item on the list is water. Without fresh water, it is nearly impossible to … Continue reading →

Disney and Disaster Preparedness

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This summer, Walt Disney World will have a new Innoventions exhibit at Epcot. The title of this exhibit will be “StormStruck: A Tale of Two Homes”. StormStruck will focus on disaster preparedness and how to make your own home safe for when the next storm hits. With the strange weather patterns we’ve been experiencing worldwide and the devastating effect of more and more storms, both warm and cold weather, the general public is beginning to realize that disaster preparedness is no longer for the seemingly crazy granola-crunching survivalists. Disaster preparedness is something that every family should consider and take very … Continue reading →

Of House and Home

There is a big difference between a house (or any living structure) and a home. This is even more clear when people are forced by things beyond their control to call a new space “home.” While various types of temporary shelter are often not what we would prefer for our families, even these spaces can be made to feel like home. There are many reasons people need temporary housing, from being unable to purchase a home, being away at college, or being in the military, to other more unfortunate reasons such as being displaced by disaster. The first, best way … Continue reading →

When Disaster Strikes

One great aspect of being a member of the church is the way that the ward gathers together when disaster strikes. This can be a small disaster that affects just one member or a larger disaster that affects the entire ward or stake. It is great because the entire ward works together to provide the help that is needed. Additionally wards and stakes will reach out to help neighboring areas when it comes to disaster relief and clean up. We also do not limit our help to just those who are members of the church. The home teaching and visiting … Continue reading →

In the News: Wedding Gift Disaster

In this case, it’s a real disaster that was sparked by a wedding gift. An Alaskan wildfire that has blackened over 86 miles of the Kenai Peninsula and destroyed 88 cabins and homes in the area. How? Because a couple were breaking ground to build a cabin for their son and his soon-to-be wife. Apparently, sparks from a shovel grinding against the dirt to begin breaking the ground for the foundation ignited dry grass. The fire began on June 19th. The bride’s mother donated the land and the groom’s parents were going to build the couple a cabin on it. … Continue reading →

Ask Anna:The Midnight Disaster!

Last night my phone rang just before midnight. The caller I.D. said it was my little brother in California, of course I panicked for a moment as I picked up the phone to talk. My brother’s and I are very close but generally don’t speak in the middle of the night. So naturally I knew something was wrong. The good thing was that no one was hurt, dead or dying. Once I knew everyone was safe, my brother started to explain what his problem was. Freezing temperatures are not the normal thing people in Southern California experience for long periods … Continue reading →

Mental Illness in Katrina Survivors

A year after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, researchers are finding — not surprisingly — that the rate of serious mental illness in areas ravaged by the storm has doubled. A survey of more than a thousand survivors shows that approximately fifteen percent of survivors were diagnosed with a serious mental illness after the storm. The survey was performed by researchers from Harvard, and appears to be the biggest mental health study done after the devastating hurricane. If the survey results are accurate, we may see as many as two hundred thousand people from the Gulf Coast — including … Continue reading →

Home and Family: The Aftermath of Katrina

It’s been a year since Katrina pounded the Gulf Coast and left a wake of destruction. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to live through that storm and to lose everything in moments. Some people even lost people they love. One of the saddest things for me is the fact that as of reports this spring, over 800 people are still missing. I think not knowing, not having closure, may be worse than knowing your loved one is gone. The whole situation is devastating and the area is still devastated. It hurts me to see such chaos … Continue reading →

Emergency Kits: Part 1

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Someone I know had to evacuate her house a few months ago. She lives near a busy road, and there was some kind of accident, nothing too serious except that the truck involved in the accident was carrying some kind of dangerous chemical. So there she was, with her small children and another child she was babysitting, when a police officer knocked at her door to tell her to get out of the house immediately. She explained that it would take her a few minutes to get everything together and the officer told her she didn’t have a few minutes. … Continue reading →

ServPro: Home Restoration Service

Unfortunately, it is an unpleasant fact of life that sometimes bad things happen to good people. If your home or the home of someone you love has been damaged by natural disaster, fire, smoke, water damage, mold or other biohazards, or has even been the scene of a crime or vandalism, there is someone you can call for help. The ServPro Company has been helping families restore their homes and belongings for over 36 years. Their motto is, “Like it never even happened.” ServPro professionals understand that damage in one area can affect more than just that area of the … Continue reading →