RB Community Watch
by
Jacquie Nelson

 
April is Earthquake Preparedness Month

April is Earthquake Preparedness Month. Are you prepared? Would you know how and where to turn off: your main water supply, your hot water heater water supply, the hot water heater gas valve, electric circuit breaker, gas meter, gas clothes dryer, washing machine water supply, and your garage door electric mechanism. Obviously, you might not need to turn all these things off, but could you, if necessary?

April is Earthquake Preparedness Month. Do you know what to do yearly to keep your emergency supplies up to speed? Well, you do remember that the fresh water needs changing, But have you remembered that your over-the-counter products such as nosedrops, cough medicine, aspirin, etc. need changing, too? Check the expiration date on your canned goods and dry goods. Make sure your prescriptions are up to date. Have you purchased at least two fire extinguishers, one for the kitchen? How about the batteries in your smoke alarms, for your flashlights, radios, cell phone? What about another pair of prescription glasses . And more batteries.

April is Earthquake Preparedness Month. Remember to inspect your home at least once a year to fix potential hazards. Ordinary objects can cause injury or damage. Anything that can move, fall, or break is a home hazard. Check your hot water heater, bookcases, pictures, curio cabinets, and large dressers. Make sure they are attached to the wall with braces.

April is Earthquake Preparedness Month. After the emergency, when you know that your home and family members are safe, what to do next. Make sure you show your neighbors that everything is A-OK with you and hang a white towel or cloth at the front of your house visible to the street. You may now want to see if you can be of assistance to others. You may not know who needs help, but you can be sure your community center does. It will be manned by volunteers who have received training in emergency techniques and CB and amateur radio transmission. They can use your help in a myriad of ways.

March was Preparedness month, as well, for five members of the Rancho Bernardo Amateur Radio Services (RBARS) who operate the amateur radio station in the National Weather Service office located here in Rancho Bernardo. During the past weeks, the NWS has twice activated their SKYWARN program. The heavy rain and storm activity we experienced required assistance in both soliciting weather condition reports, and broadcasting the reports to San Diego, San Bernardino, Orange, and Riverside counties. Activation of SKYWARN occurs each time that serious storm ,rain, flooding, snow or ice activity is forecast. Active in this effort were Jim Scanlan, Sam Miller, Wally Thompson, Everett Harris and Bruce Leonard.

 Jim Scanlan reminds all Citizen Band (CB) operators that RBARS would like to encourage their participation in RBARS’s up-coming April 15 Exercise in all community centers and the Library headquarters. Call Jim for more information - 485-0879.

-Courtesy RB NEWSJournal
March 23, 2000


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