As many of you know, we were not home when the massive earthquake hit on Monday, February 21st.
A 6.3 magnitude earthquake ripped through the city of Christchurch, only 192 miles from our home in Dunedin.
Although the quake wasn't as large as the 7.2 quake in September, the depth of the epicenter was very shallow, only 5km below ground which is the reason why this quake had made so much damage.
Luckily, we were far away on a backpacking excursion in Fiordland National Park.
Today, it has been a week for the devastating earthquake. Today March 11th, there is confirmed death toll now 166 - however, it could rise to 200. The first funeral was today for a 5 month old baby. These stories just are so sad and make me put all the little silly things in life into perspective.
On Tuesday, the country observed a Two minutes' silence at 12.51pm. Before the silence, I watched the news showing a Maori woman singing a song of grief that was so haunting, my heart felt like it was going to break.
Yesterday, i was in a parking lot (locked out of my car unfortunately) and I met a woman who was downtown in Christchurch working when the quake hit. She was clearly traumatized. She stated that she left Christchurch for Dunedin. She could not take amy more aftershocks, and her home was was destroyed. What do you say to someone that has just lost their work, home and way of life?
However, we have noticed with ourselves that the country is bonding together the same way the US did after 9/11. The unity and love is outpouring in every direction. There are many stories of compassion and kindness. What I really like is how the Kiwi's take care of themselves. Their civil defense mindset is really impressive. Folks are rolling up their sleeves and not relying alone on the government to take care of everything.
As a result, I have worked on my Emergency Kit (
http://72hours.org/build_kit.html )
After a major disaster the usual services we take for granted, such as running water, refrigeration, and telephones, may be unavailable. Experts recommend that you should be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least three days. Store your household disaster kit in an easily accessible location.
Put contents in a large, watertight container (e.g. a large plastic garbage can with a lid and wheels) that you can move easily.
Your basic emergency kit should include:
- Water – one gallon per person per day
- Food – ready to eat or requiring minimal water
- Manual can opener and other cooking supplies
- Plates, utensils and other feeding supplies
- First Aid kit & instructions
- A copy of important documents & phone numbers
- Warm clothes and rain gear for each family member.
- Heavy work gloves
- Disposable camera
- Unscented liquid household bleach and an eyedropper for water purification
- Personal hygiene items including toilet paper, feminine supplies, hand sanitizer and soap
- Plastic sheeting, duct tape and utility knife for covering broken windows
- Tools such as a crowbar, hammer & nails, staple gun, adjustable wrench and bungee cords.
- Blanket or sleeping bag
- Large heavy duty plastic bags and a plastic bucket for waste and sanitation
- Any special-needs items for children, seniors or people with disabilities. Don’t forget water and supplies for your pets.
A component of your disaster kit is your Go-bag. Put the following items together in a backpack or another easy to carry container in case you must evacuate quickly. Prepare one Go-bag for each family member and make sure each has an I.D. tag. You may not be at home when an emergency strikes so keep some additional supplies in your car and at work, considering what you would need for your immediate safety.
- Flashlight
- Radio – battery operated
- Batteries
- Whistle
- Dust mask
- Pocket knife
- Emergency cash in small denominations and quarters for phone calls
- Sturdy shoes, a change of clothes, and a warm hat
- Local map
- Some water and food
- Permanent marker, paper and tape
- Photos of family members and pets for re-identification purposes
- List of emergency point-of -contact phone numbers
- List of allergies to any drug (especially antibiotics) or food
- Copy of health insurance and identification cards
- Extra prescription eye glasses, hearing aid or other vital personal items
- Prescription medications and first aid supplies
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Extra keys to your house and vehicle
- Any special-needs items for children, seniors or people with disabilities. Don’t forget to make a Go-bag for your pets.
