Earthquakes: Are You Ready?
When disasters strike, it's up to you to survive until someone gets there.
Soldiers in China block access to earthquake-damaged school
Photo by Guang Niu/Getty Images
We get complacent in our everyday lives. There's really no need to be self-sufficient in these modern times. Need food? Go to the store. Need gas? Go to the pumps (although it'll cost you dearly). Need help? Dial 911.
That all changes when the earth moves.
Rescuers in China search for earthquake victims
Photo by Guang Niu/Getty Images
When disasters overwhelm emergency services, it's up to us to keep ourselves healthy and safe. It's best to be prepared, but since disasters don't politely ask if you're ready before they swallow your house in a giant sinkhole, you'd better give some thought to how you'll survive without any supplies.
- How to Prepare for a Disaster
- How to Survive a Disaster Without Preparation
- How Much Water Will I Need?
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Arachnophobia
The spiders are out.
You never know what these critters can do to you
Image © Melanie Martinez
It's warm and it's perfect spidey weather. The little 8-legged monsters are lurking under every woodpile and old tire just waiting for a chance to nibble on your nether regions.
Will you know?
Some folks report feeling a little pinprick. Others say they felt nothing at all. Many just show up to the emergency department with their skin rotting off.
Don't wait too long before you get help. Spider bites are real problems, but many wounds blamed on spiders aren't from arachnids at all. There aren't too many spiders known to leave massive wounds. The brown recluse is the best known for its nasty bite, but most of the disgusting, infected sores attributed to the recluse probably didn't come from a spider at all.
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Ready for Hurricane Season?
"Arthur" will kick off the 2008 hurricane season. That's the first name on this year's list.
Palm tree outside the Micasa Hotel in Yangon, Myanmar during cyclone Nargis
Image © Mohd Nor Azmil Abdul Rahman
No one knows when Arthur will get here -- or where he'll go.
The death toll in Myanmar, where cyclone Nargis hit on May 3, is expected to reach 6 digits. Many of those deaths will undoubtedly be blamed on the country's lack of infrastructure.
The U.S. is much better prepared, but if you're caught in a storm you'll likely be on your own for at least a while -- just ask residents of the Gulf Coast.
Hurricane season starts June 1; are you ready?
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Isn't That Why They Call It Survivor?
I'm a huge fan of Survivor, the rugged game show based on office politics and set in remote parts of the world. Usually, the way contestants leave the show is by being kicked out by their fellow contestants. It's cutthroat, backstabbing entertainment -- perfect for the whole family.
But this season the contestants aren't all leaving because they're getting voted off. Two were brought down by bugs (the microscopic kind) and one who just couldn't cut it emotionally.
They're dropping like flies.
A few seasons ago I wondered how the producers handled minor and major medical issues. I spoke with the doctor in charge of medical operations for the show. He was very candid about the behind-the-scenes jungle first aid -- including injuries suffered by Jeff Probst, the square-jawed host.
It turns out the contestants get a little more help than I realized. If you want to know more about it, read Surviving the Island.
Do you think it's fair that contestants can be given fluids for dehydration? Should they be left to the elements entirely, only having the options of survival or removal? Or, is it fair to give the weak ones a bit of a boost? Let's talk about it on the first aid forum.
Come on! The show's called Survivor. Shouldn't there be just a little possibility of not surviving?
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Terrible Twisters Toss Trucks
Several tornadoes have ravaged the midwest and south this year already -- tornado season is in overdrive. According to the National Weather Service, there have been nearly as many killer tornadoes so far this year than there was in all of 2007.
This antique shop lost its walls and inventory
Image © Alex Wong/Getty Images
76 people have been killed by tornadoes in 2008. The total for all of 2007 was 81.
Atlanta was hit with a tornado this year. New York City was hit last year.
There were almost twice as many total tornadoes from January through April this year than average. It's going to be a rough ride.
Tornadoes don't really know how to park
Image © Alex Wong/Getty Images
Here are some things FEMA wants you to remember about tornadoes:
- Wind is invisible. You can't see a tornado until dust, debris or clouds get sucked into it.
- Flying debris causes the most tornado injuries and deaths.
- Most tornadoes travel northeast, but can move in any direction.
- Tornadoes usually travel around 30 MPH, but can go up to 70 MPH.
- Waterspouts are just tornadoes over water.
- Most tornadoes happen east of the Rocky Mountains during spring and summer.
- Tornadoes mostly come in the early evening, but can happen any time.
Tornadoes have been recorded in all 50 states, and in a season like this it's not hard to imagine a tornado touching down almost anywhere. It's a good idea to be prepared for a natural disaster no matter where you live.
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Avoid Visit from those Measly Measles
Vaccines make a difference. Sometimes the best first aid is the kind you do before it's needed.
The classic rash of measles doesn't show up until about 2 weeks into the illness.
Image courtesy of the CDC
The CDC is reporting the largest outbreak of measles since 2001. So far this year there've been 64 cases of measles in the United States. Ten people got infected outside the U.S. and the rest are linked the those ten cases. Only one measles patient out of the 64 had a documented vaccination. Fourteen were kids too young to be immunized. The rest simply didn't have the vaccine for various reasons.
If you or your kids haven't been vaccinated, there's no time like the present. Immunizations not only help you; getting vaccinated keeps illness from spreading to others. It's like a firewall, once the illness gets to someone who's immune to it, it can't go any further.
The World Health Organization describes these symptoms for measles:
- High fever
- Runny nose
- Cough
- Red, watery eyes
- Small, white spots inside the cheeks
The rash so often associated with measles doesn't start until about 2 weeks after the initial infection, which means you can pass the virus along before you really know what it is. The rash will probably last 1-2 weeks and will eventually spread over the entire body.
Get vaccinated. It's your duty.
- Measles (About Pediatrics)
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Do They Call It Gas TV?
What's with television on top of the gas pumps?
I hope this isn't just a California thing; you all need to share in this odd experience. We're kind of in love with our cars around here, not to mention there's more than a few actors in the Golden State. I suppose it was inevitable that we would put TV at the filling station.
For those of you unfamiliar with the practice, many gas stations now play news clips and music videos -- complete with commercials -- on screens installed above each pump. It's not enough to see the tube mindlessly flickering along at work and at home, but now we have to endure TV's greatest inanity -- short meaningless video clips followed by ads -- even in transit.
Seeing the inherent safety in a new toy is both a curse and a blessing for me. When I look at those flat screens on top of the gas pumps I wonder how long it will be before someone gets hurt. It's positively Oregonion of me to think a distracted amateur pumper is likely to injure himself (only properly trained attendants may pump gas in Oregon).
A distracted commuter more intent on watching Top 3 Tips for Making Money in a Sideways Market will eventually manage to slosh 89 octane on his shoes. Inspired by the latest low-tar cigarette ad, the wayward driver will then climb back in his hybrid SUV and light up.
The next thing you know, ten more commuters will be seeing a talking head on top of the gas pump blabbering away next to dramatic video filled with rolling flames and thick, black smoke. The interview with the local farmer will end "...and all I saw was a great ball of fire!"
If you decide to catch up on the daily news during a fuel stop on the daily commute: don't spill, don't smoke and remember to stop, drop and roll!
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and join the discussion on the First Aid Forum.
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Beer, Jellyfish and Mermaids
Tell someone in Wisconsin that you live in California and they always ask the same thing.
"Do you surf?"
I'm not one to shoot the curl. For one thing, my home is two hours from Santa Cruz, the best surfing waves in northern California. Not to mention I've never surfed standing up. The closest I've come to really surfing is riding a skateboard (badly) as a kid.
I can't even snowboard well, but I like to ski -- that's kind of like surfing I guess. Sort of. Okay, not really.
I can body surf on a boogie board, but "real" surfers don't count that. Honestly, neither do I.
I like the water and boats and fishing. I like pirate movies. I drink Starbucks, and they have a mermaid on their logo (what's up with the new/old logo? It looks like a mermaid boudoir photo).
When I was a youngster fresh out of high school, I went marlin fishing in Baja California before you needed a passport to go south of the border. While snorkling near the dock, my buddy and I were stung by giant jellyfish (I really don't know if they were giant -- or if there was more than one -- but the story's kind of pathetic if they're little wimpy jellyfish, so let's go with giant).
I didn't know anything about vinegar's usefulness as jellyfish pain relief, so I just relied on beer. Of course, after a few rounds of brew it's a good thing I didn't know about peeing on a jellyfish sting either.
It's getting warmer here on the left coast, time to head for the breakers. Hopefully, I won't run into any jellyfish -- or freaky Starbucks mermaids.
- Jellyfish Sting Treatment
- Stingray Stings
- Shark Bites (beware of Bruce)
- Wrangling the Rip Currents
- Beach Party Survival Tips
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disaster preparedness and CPR,
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Salmonella in the Cereal Now
According to the FDA, Malt-O-Meal cereals have been linked to 21 Salmonella cases in 13 states. Puffed Rice and Puffed Wheat cereals sold under the Malt-O-Meal name and several other brands have the same DNA footprint as the illnesses.
The brands affected are Acme, America's Choice, Food Club, Giant, Hannaford, Jewel, Laura Lynn, Pathmark, Shaw's, ShopRite, Tops and Weis Quality. All of the cereals have "Best If Used By" dates from April 8, 2008 (coded as APR0808) through March 18, 2009 (coded as MAR1809).
Symptoms of Salmonella poisoning include:
- nausea
- vomiting
- fever
- diarrhea
- abdominal cramps
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To stay up to date on first aid,
disaster preparedness and CPR,
get the First Aid Newsletter
and join the discussion on the First Aid Forum.
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Carbon Monoxide. It's Not Just for Winter Anymore
Carbon monoxide; you never know when it's going to strike.
A whole wedding reception was ruined by a carbon monoxide leak from the boiler at the reception hall. Two people were sick enough to be transported to the hospital by ambulance and 40 more had symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.
I think the most impressive thing about this story was that someone figured out what was going on. So often it takes more than one call to 911 for authorities to guess at the reason for the symptoms. In this case, the mother of the groom collapsed on the dance floor. That's a big deal, but one down isn't always enough to set off alarm bells.
No one knows if the cause is carbon monoxide until either the environment or the patient is tested, and in today's world that only happens if somebody suspects it. Kudos to the responders for figuring this out.
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To stay up to date on first aid,
disaster preparedness and CPR,
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and join the discussion on the First Aid Forum.
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