Lose Your Phone?

Lose Your Phone or Camera?

Try this simple tip....take a picture of information needed in order for the person(s) who finds your device to notify you or safely return it.

You can add information you feel comfortable with and there is no need to subscribe to any service.  

Winter Vehicle Safety Kit Revisited 2013

Time for that yearly reminder about taking essential survival gear and food along for that winter ride.  Remember that in a storm situation you might find yourself considerably off course or off the roadway out of sight for a very long time. 

The simplistic - less than detailed suggestions that you might get from certaingovernment entities or the fluff safety sites do you a disservice and likely insult your intelligence.  Here are some pics and some basic tips.
 

Mobile Phone Charger - make sure it is for the phone YOU are using and Label it as such.
All current model phones if not activated - can be used for 911-ONLY Calls
Keep old phone programmed with Emergency Numbers and Charged/Spare Charger - Label With an ICE Sticker & 911-ONLY. Store in Sealed Clear Container




Blankets - Synthetic or Wool - NEVER COTTON.
Mylar Rescue Blankets Reflect Heat and Take Up Far Less Space
Best Bet - If You Can Afford Them - Sleeping Bag - Synthetic Fill or Down (Lighter-Smaller)

Flashlights - LED Headlamp would be a smarter choice - one that is powered by LITHIUM Batteries - CR123 Cells  Get High Quality Polymer Flashlight (Laser products) that operates on CR123 Cells - they function at lower temperature.  
 
Spare Batteries - Yes -  spare Phone Battery as well Place Purchase Date and Self Imposed refresh date on container.

Candle - Carry a 120 Hour 3 Wick Candle as Well for Heat/Cooking and Light Waterproof Matches Sealed in a Container With Strikers or even Better a Survival Butane Lighter - Windproof Model for Fire Starting

Tools: Good Survival Knife from Gerber, Buck, Leatherman Tool - Standard Tool Kit - once again, no junk as it will fail. Duct tape, paracord, screwdrivers/torx/allen/wrench/multisocket tools/fuses/plastic sheeting or tarp to name a few.
 
Signalling:  30 Minute Fusees, LED Flashers or Marine Strobe Lights - Especially Useful if on the move or you need to start a fire in wet weather.  A Survival Mirror wold be helpful but you can use the vanity mirror on your visor.

First Aid Kit - Make it Yourself - the store bought Ones are usually insufficient except for scratches - likely you are off the road and injured. Adventure Medical Kits are available in sporting stores and online - start there. If you take meds you better take a supply with you before you trek off through the mountains like some diabetics did last year....foolish.

Food - Solas Rations (Boat Rations) should be stored on board - they take up less room and are made specifically for this reason and spoil on you. U can get 3 days worth about the size of a laptop. If you are going for a ride of course take some food to eat along the way and to have for an emergency as well. you could store MRE's in the winter months if you have the room.

Food Prep: Get a small mess kit from Gander or Boy Scout Store or an old military surplus canteen and cup to cook anything else you might happen to acquire and be able to melt snow. You might be stuck longer than you think.

Water: Without Water You Die - Simple. store Treated Water on Board Have a Way of Purifying water you secure from melted snow or streams. Learn how to use it beforehand.

Clothing - Synthetics are Best - Thermal Underwear/Socks/Liners/Wool WatchCap/Sythetic Full Hood-Mask/ Mittens-Liners/Spare Underwear / Down Jacket - NO COTTON. Package in Stuff Sack or Backpack - Always carry a pair of season appropriate shoes/boots in a bag with socks inside already.

Sand/Litter - You call on that - consider rock salt mixed with the sand - carry in a durable container - you will get friction if you use it....best of both.

Jumper Cables - When you are rescued you likely will need a jump start - select the largest gauge cables you can find if you have a large battery (6 GA)

ICE Scraper - We would hope you had one of these already either part of the extendable snow brush or along with your snow shovel.

Snow Shovel - Don't rely on junk - it will break - instead get a short wood or plastic handled flat steel shovel (aka "banjo") for about the same price
Fire Starting Kit - Windproof Butane Lighter, Boat Matches, Striker Kit, Solid Fuel Bars, Magnesium Striker, Waterproof Case (like Military Decon Kit or Snap Lid Box)
 
Compass/Map:  Sure your phone had those features but it is broken...and maybe you subscribe to a vehicle safety system...or maybe not. Last resort....map and compass.

Sanitation: You will begin to stink in a few days and you will have to relieve yourself...go outside or stay inside - make preparations for that...Wag Bags, Old Drink Containers and of course - toilet paper.

You can certainly add more gear as you see fit but this is a minimum kit. 
Of course make sure your vehicle is up to the task and you have it properly serviced and all your spare tires and parts are functioning or on board.
 

Winter Fire Safety Pleas Unanswered ??

Happy New Year!

Every year after a large snowfall we hear the same lament by Fire and Public Safety Officials for people to clear out Fire Hydrants all over the county!

Think....if there was an incentive and more community pride inspiring people to get out and do this automatically we would likely not hear this repeatedly.

With less and less public services being the norm and fewer fire volunteers,  doesn't it make sense to encourage citizens of a town or city take part in their own safety? 

We think so.  We have a workable solution.

Consider that in a mere five minutes a fire chief is likely by policy to pull firefighters out of a structure where they are fighting a fire due to water running low (250 of 500 gallon tank) in the pumper......5 minutes.....then they fight the fire from outside.....
But if your fire hydrant was cleared away because neighbors pitched in to clear their adopted hydrant(s) it might be a different story.

We can provide communities with thousands of super durable outdoor reflective ICE Stickers, adoption forms, posters, banners and personal ICE Safety Kits that agencies can acquire inexpensively to solicit donations and get people interested in taking care of themselves......or they can continue this plea every year to no avail.

Community Groups or Private Businesses can so easily initiate such a program.
ICE is ubiquitous and there are so many other uses for this highly recognizable program.

Read the article about a Northern NY region where buried hydrants are the norm.

http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20121231/NEWS09/701029979

Fire Safety - Adopt-A-Hydrant

Did you all notice the SNOW?

We did.  Do you still think your Fire Department is responsible for removing snow around Fire Hydrants near YOUR Home??   Really? 

Ask yourself...how long will it take for a fire to consume your home or business while firefighters are shovelling out the nearest hydrant. 

Now ask yourself why your community doesn't have an Adopt-A-Hydrant Program promoted by ICE4SAFETY?  With the new Generation 2 Reflective ICE Stickers you too can have a seriously stylin' fireplug in your neighborhood!

Seriously though, you also don't need snow to sponsor a program - just being a responsible citizen will do.

Contact us and we can help you get this self sustaining fire safety program in your community ASAP!

New Fall Protection Rule for Roofers

Why Fall Protection?


For Roofers – falls are the number one cause of serious physical injury and death. There have been many different opportunities for workers to fall off roofs – be it roof edges, ladders, open holes, sky lights.

Over 70% of deaths in the roofing industry have been caused by falls. These were largely a result of not using any means of fall prevention for workers. 

New Fall Protection Regulations Governing Residential Roofing Contractors go into effect December 15, 2012.

Once a fall begins – it is virtually impossible to stop the fall yourself. It is impossible due to one of the unbending laws of physics – gravity.

Typical human reaction time is about ½ second - even in this short time, the distance and forces accumulated are considerable!

In .5 seconds you will fall roughly 4 feet and the force on impact (if you struck the ground) would be 3,200Lbs! There is no way a human can recover and self-arrest a fall when acting against these forces.

Let’s look at a chart of Fall Distance vs Arresting Force on Impact for 200 pound roofer.

Fall Distance           Time         Arresting Force7.6”                         .10 sec             512 lbs

17”                         .30 sec             1,152 lbs

31”                        .40 sec              2,048 lbs

4 feet                     .50 sec              3,200 lbs

6 feet                     .62 sec             4,800 lbs

8 feet                     .71 sec             6,400 lbs

10 feet                  .79 sec              8,000 lbs

As your fall progresses, the speed at which you fall increases as does the forces of impact that will be exerted upon you when you hit the ground.

You will only stop when you hit a lower surface – be it the ground or another roof/vehicle etc.

Impact of Storm and Preparedness

Cable Commentator and Long Island Resident Bill O'Reilly, captured the essence of the Storm Impact and being prepared last week:

Here's the big lesson from mega storm Sandy. Mother Nature sneers at high tech, mocks modern convenience and couldn't care less about what kind of person you are - she will smack you if she wants.


Many of us have forgotten about nature as we have become addicted to machines. We must have gizmos. Sandy laughed and took them away. Power, gone. Internet, dark. Cell phones, not happening. Even your landline phone - not available because "all circuits are busy."

Suddenly, it was 1850 with one exception: battery operated flashlights and radios.

So what is the lesson here?

Well, actually there are a few. First, that no government agency can help you when disaster strikes. Any assistance will be after the fact and painstakingly slow.

Second, that in order to ride out any storm effectively, you should be self-reliant and resilient. That means you have to anticipate problems and have some solutions at the ready.

For example, where I live on Long Island, the power infrastructure is a disaster and has been for years. The power company, LIPA, simply cannot keep the juice flowing under any duress. I have accepted that, so I bought a generator. However, during Sandy, the generator did not work. You can imagine how many four-letter words were uttered. But, I had a Plan B. I know some guys who can repair generators, and they fixed mine very quickly. I have a long-term relationship with these guys and will reward them.

So, I rode out the storm pretty well, and that's good because there are children in my home.

Never one time did I think the local, state or federal government was going to help me in any way. When President Obama speaks about government being there for you, I roll my eyes. In the history of mankind, no government has ever been there for the individual. Ever.

Sadly, we are becoming a nation dependent on other people, and very reliant on machines. Sandy's destruction brought us back to the 19th century, as the collapse of the machines was something to see. Many people were lost without their appliances because they are not self-reliant. They also do not think ahead. They do not figure out Plan B because they don't even have a Plan A.

Life is hard, and then you die. But, while you're alive, you'll be far better off if you forget about the big government nonsense, deemphasize the machines, and begin incorporating the discipline of self-reliance into your life.

Sorry for the lecture, but my father always said that out of bad things can come some good. Americans need to wise up, and with the election just a few days away, we have an opportunity to do so. We the people need leadership that will solve problems, be fiscally responsible, and promote individual responsibility. The charlatans that promise big government protection will always be around, but are no match for Sandy and her furious friends.

That is the lesson of this terrible storm.

Emergency Symbol Recognition

Emergency Symbol Comprehension


ICE4SAFETY’s trademarked emergency icon was created in 2005 by safety professionals wanting a “Best Practice” highly recognizable and memorable symbol to represent emergency preparedness.
This is especially important for our highly diverse as well as our aging members of society who may find some of the new safety symbology confusing.


We believe we created a very useful and easy to understand representative safety icon and here is the short form reasons why:



1. Symbols should be visually simple & representational. Simple and direct is best.
ICE symbol is comprised of bonified safety colors (Orange, Blue with White lettering) found on OSHA/ANSI signage. ICE represents medical emergency preparedness and reflects the extensively used NHTSA “Star of Life”.  ICE = In Case of Emergency.

Independent study has shown that the term “ICE” is widely recognized by the majority of American citizenry. The concept continues to get coverage in the national media. For those who may not be immediately cognizant of the symbol’s meaning it is a simple and easy task to understand and recall in an emergency situation.

2. Increased Complexity should be relevant and necessary in communicating the symbol’s meaning.
We kept the symbol simple. One need only recall that ICE and Emergency are synonymous.


Text denoting ICE is in plain sight – not obscured by any other symbology, notices, graphics or distracting irrelevant terms such as advertising.
In fact any such sponsorship of the printing of ICE images is relegated to one line (only) of non-distracting text on the bottommost edge of the symbol. Creations of promotional materials for community groups or EMS/Fire is strictly that – promotional. Actual use materials are strictly function oriented. Once again KISS.



3. Symbols should not be arbitrary if they are abstract.
The six bars of the NHTSA Star of Life and safety color scheme are representative of safety in all sectors of our society and have been for decades.

4. Using abstract or arbitrary symbols – using contextual or verbal cues in design may facilitate initial symbol comprehension and increase training effectiveness.
Training and awareness “uptake” for the ICE symbol representing emergency preparedness, workplace safety, emergency medical-contact and related safety/preparedness uses rapid and long term. We advocate KISS and REDUNDANCY as prime concepts of preparedness. The use of “ICE” is promoted for cell phone use and is incorporated in phone design and as an ITU international communication standard E.123 that electronic devices are programmed to recognize by design. 

5. “Learnability” can aid in selection of the best symbol from a set of symbols of similar comprehensibility.
One need only review a list of the various symbols used on jobsites and workplaces to see there are conflicting and confusing symbols that can be misunderstood. Not with ICE.


Learning what ICE represents can be as easy as one 5 second training at a visitor station at any hospital, workplace, business, school, vehicle safety, government facility or home. It IS that simple. A doctoral study in hospitals in Amsterdam has shown that even an uninformed medical professional easily comprehends ICE and immediately agrees to the use of this term and the concept of preparedness that is represented. 

ICE4SAFETY appreciates the support ICE has received and for the continued interest and use in community safety programs.


Recommendations for symbol design were adapted from an article by fellow ASSE members in the March 2012 Professional Safety Magazine - The Aging Workforce by Mary F. Lesch, William J. Horrey, W. Ryn Powell and Michael Wogalter. Page 45-49 www.asse.org

Distracted Driving Effort Kicks Off

Our good friend and safety professional Jay Anderson from Stay Alive Just Drive (SAJD) in Lee County Florida is a tireless and dedicated advocate of safe driving if there ever was one.

This Independence Day Holiday - SAJD kicks off what we hope will be another successful citizen's effort to stem the tide of unnecessary and preventable loss of life related to operating motor vehicles while distracted with other activities like cell phone use, applying make-up (yes), shaving, eating, reading the newspaper and a host of other things people do that cause horrific accidents.

http://tinyurl.com/37fn2km Watch the news video here....

If you can imagine doing something "stupid" while driving.... since 80% of accidents are caused by distractions - then these activities would be "stupid".

The scientific facts already exist - you cannot effectively drive and use a cell phone - no you can't.....you just can't. Period - End of Story - end of argument.

Stay Alive - JUST DRIVE! Find out more about this excellent effort..... http://www.sajd.org/

Priceless. Thanks Jay!

Don't forget to be prepared with ICE whenever you travel. www.ice4safety.com

Ambulance / Fire / Rescue / Business All Get New ICE Placard

THEY'RE HERE!

Brand New, large 8 x 8 inch square reflective weather resistant ICE Stickers for your ambulance, fire rescue, emergency action equipment, utility trucks, construction safety notice boards (EAP) or whatever other safety related use you had in mind!

If you want to prominently announce your ICE Program as you drive down the road - night or day? The 3M Scotchlite Reflective Sheeting Background makes "ICE" show up like it was back lit. This also removes any ambiguity as to whether your company has an Emergency Action Plan in place at your facility or job site and how it is represented.

We have posters (or make your own from templates) to support this as well on the website.

Large enough to be seen for quite a distance but not too big to be obnoxious, the new weather resistant sticker is a useful tool to "umbrella" all the various EMS/Safety Related Icons and one that can be instantly remembered and located in an emergency (important).

People can easily associate this symbol as the same one on their ICE Card or the ICE Sticker or Icon on their cell phone which dramatically reduces recognition time needed.

Ineroperability afficionados would agree that having one easily recognizable sysmbol in lieu of a plethora of confusing and conflicting icons representing safety in an emergency would make perfect sense.

As you can also see, there is no advertising on this symbol like something you'd expect from a drugstore promotion where the symbol is shared up to 50% by advertising which adversely hinders recognition.

If need be, special order stickers from the licensed provider can accommodate one line of text at the bottom if that is a must.

ICE4SAFETY is right now working with EMS/Fire/Utility providers to initiate their own ICE Programs and will have these stickers professionally placed on rigs in plain sight. We have seen them on the vehicles and they look real sharp too.

We appreciate the pride you take in caring for your equipment so we took the time to get this right. The edge of the sticker is just the backing showing....more pics shortly.

You will see these made available online straight away. Need one in a hurry, just send us an email. We ordered a lot so you can pay less....$18 each.

The delivery of emergency medical services just got easier.....stand by for ambulance photos to follow.....

Back to School - Mobile Phone Know How

Not very much in this publication about teaching your kids some safety tips for the "back to school" publication by AT&T. There is however a big emphasis on texting and options for your phone.

Nothing at all about using ICE or programming safety contacts or messages into your new phone. AT&T should be able to do better than that.

C'mon!

The phone giant might also be better served by making their sales staff more knowledgeable about some of the "other" uses for their products. Show us your know-how AT&T.

Prep Tip - Vehicle Survival Kit - ICE Fishing Sled

Winter might not affect all the sates in the union, but in the northern most states and Canada, Winter is a reality for 4-5 months of the year. If your vehicle breaks down on a remote stretch and for some reason you need to relocate - being able to carry all the gear you want or need may be hard to accomplish.

One way is for you to have a backpack/daypack/rucksack to assemble what you need and move on but having an ICE Fishing Sled in your trunk can make a world of difference.

This molded polyethylene sled can play many rolls in your day to day activities as well.

It can double as a trunk organizer, beach gear carry all, snow sled and it can be outfitted with an elastic cover and tow bar. Carrying a small child might exhaust you in short order but being able to slide them along with you to safety can now be accomplished.

It can also be the foundation of a shelter or sleeping quarters for young children. They come in various sizes as you will see from the link below and will fit in SUV's and most mid sized and even smaller cars. These were made to be towed behind snow machines, ATV's or by hand.

We would recommend you place DOT strip reflective stickers on the sides and back. They come with a tow rope installed but you might consider having a front and rear rope to facilitate a two person operation that has more control.

http://www.cabelas.com/hprod-1/0010509.shtml

About $25 in Gander Mountain/Bass Pro/Cabela's

Prep Tip - Emergency Power Source - UPS

Don't overlook this source of emergency power. Maybe your home or office has a few around to power down sensitive computer systems and offer surge and line protection for phone and fax/printer systems.

Depending on the unit, the UPS will most likely have 2 sealed 12V 7aH gel cell batteries connected inside that provide the power to an inverter. This unit is rated in the 600-800 watts range.

Short Term - you can power a 15 watt (60w equivalent) fluorescent bulb for 6-7 hrs or charge up some important devices like cell phones or lights for short periods.

Long Term - remove the battery pack and recharge with solar panel or small generators that might be in use. Run other 12v devices. You may want to take a mental note as well as use your labeling device to note the location and the ratings of the batteries for that potential use.

If you find one of these for free.....you could swap out the old batteries and exchange them for new ones at an electronics supply house or one of the 330 BatteriesPlus Locations near you or online at http://www.batteriesplus.com/

Prep Tip - Vehicle Safety/Survival Kits - Part One

Let's get to it.
Having suitable supplies on hand in your ride is important. With severe weather emergencies a daily occurrence, having preparations on hand can be a life and death difference in some emergencies. Having the right equipment on hand is critical.

We will cover this in a few articles to make it more palatable.

Pictured above are just a few components of a kit found in one SUV vehicle. When you think "kit" you might be conceptualizing a big duffel or box filled with all kinds of gear. In some situations that may be accurate.

With so many types and sizes of vehicles on the road, you have to balance the size of your supply on hand with the reality of where you are most likely to drive your car. Where you are going, how far, how long and what kind of climate you will encounter will dictate some of the kit contents .

In some parts of the world you could be subject to multiple road/weather/climate conditions - snow/rain/heat/elevation.....all in one day.

Vehicle "survival" kits should reflect the type of climate you expect to encounter and the anticipated radius of operations. You wouldn't prepare for a winter snowstorm packing summer shorts & sandals on board.... You could in fact get stuck in your vehicle less than a mile from your home or other safety - and not survive.

Having some supplies on hand can make the difference and some everyday annoyances less so. You might want to purchase one of those made up kits from local car stores or the AAA but they were designed solely on price consideration. The best kits are the one's you make yourself.

Might this kit be a substitute for a full blown "go bag"? The basic elements of the car kit should reflect the model followed by you extended evacuation or "go bag".
Let's start with some of the basics:

Basic Car Emergency Supplies
[ ] First Aid Kit
[ ] Road Fusees or Electronic Strobe Flares
[ ] Fire Extinguisher
[ ] Durable High Intensity Flashlight - Battery Powered
[ ] Spare Batteries for Flashlight (Lithium)
[ ] Reflective Safety Vest
[ ] Spare 911 Cell Phone
[ ] Prepaid Phone Card
[ ] Emergency Blankets for All Occupants
[ ] Duct Tape
[ ] Spare Change (Roll Quarters)
[ ] Jumper Cables ( 6 Gauge)
[ ] Tow Strap/Receiver Hook (if equipped)
[ ] Leather Work Gloves
[ ] Spare Electrical Fuses (assortment)
[ ] Spare Tire - Inflated Properly
[ ] Spare Wiper Fluid
[ ] Tool Assortment (more on this later)
[ ] Permanent Marker
[ ] Coolant Hose/Belt Repair Kit (older cars)

9/11 - Never Forget!

E.123 Standard - How To Program Phone Poster

This poster should prove useful when providing instruction on how to program your cell phones with emergency contact information. A lot of uninformed sources are still advocating the old and less advantageous method of using the prefix "ICE".
You can retrieve a PDF Version online at the International ICE Standard page of the website http://www.ice4safety.com/unstd.html

Prep Tip - Cell Phones - Sim Cards - E.123

Quickly - some phone service providers use SIM Cards to store data on and identify phones with. These cards can be interchangeable with other phones offered by the same provider ( for instance AT&T). If you change cards between phones - the phone with your SIM card now is identified as being yours by the carrier. Verizon does not use this technology

So, what does that mean for you in terms of safety and using ICE?

If your phone is found on your person and the battery is expended but it is marked as having ICE Information inside then someone may be astute enough to retrieve the card and place it in a functioning phone - which is much more realistic than finding a spare battery somewhere that powers your phone. Phone numbers should be able to be retrieved using this method.

E.123 Tip!
If you follow the E.123 Standard to list your contact names and numbers in your phone individually this will allow them to be viewed immediately in the phone being used to read your SIM Card.

If your contact numbers are stored in a folder in your phone there is a chance that a potentially lower-tech non folder capable phone could be used to read your card which will only display one of the numbers in your ICE folder(s) and not the others.

That could make a considerable difference and should be investigated with your current phone.
Check it out.

Preparedness Tip - Home Evacuation Bag

How many times have you watched TV to see fire victims in their jams or a blanket outdoors at the scene of a fire? That could very well be you - and without shoes or boots. Some of the worst fires are in the winter months and your survival may rely on your being able to function in the cold. If you have great neighbors - wonderful! If not, or they are quite a distance away in deep snow or rough terrain in the dark...get the picture?

This colorful and water resistant fishing bag can be loaded with sufficient supplies, stored next to your bed and be filled with essential items that will help you escape and survive....and not be found frozen to the pavement in your pj's.

Rule of thumb for Fires - Get OUT - FAST!

Short List:

[ ] Easy on Shoes - Boots
[ ] Long Pants - Socks - Shirt - Underwear
[ ] Light Jacket-Rainsuit or Stuffed Down Jacket in Winter
[ ] Face Mask- Hat - Gloves
[ ] Glasses
[ ] Emergency Contacts List - Medical Information
[ ] Insurance Company and Emergency Contractor Contact Information
[ ] Spare 911 Cell Phone
[ ] Lithium Battery Powered Flashlight - Spare Batteries
[ ] Prescription Medicines properly labeled and in a zip lock bag
[ ] Keys to House/Car on Whistle Ring - Neighbor Key?
[ ] Secure Keys to Bag Securely with Good Steel Ring
[ ] Rescue Blankets for all occupants
[ ] Small First Aid Kit
[ ] Small quantity of high energy food or ration bar
[ ] Water
[ ] Spare Identification / Drivers License / Cash $$
[ ] Large Plastic Garbage Bags - Easy Open & Close
[ ] Bright colored water resistant duffel like bag - durable.


You might be lucky and live in a ranch home and can jump out or walk out with no problem. If you are already injured or ill and can't move quickly then discuss how you will evacuate. Practice if you can (almost everyone does not) and have a bag for young children or teens and instruct them on evacuation. Second floor evacuation may require a chain ladder be deployed - that requires some practice on how to.

Toss your bag outside and go. Don't carry it with you - it will cause you to fall off the ladder. It is brightly colored and you can see it easily. We wrote a real life evacuation story a while back which is online that depicts a Katrina survivor who bailed out in an evacuation for a leaking tank car without shoes, clothes or his prescription medicines he needed....not good.

This is an easy one.

Preparedness Tip - Refrigeration to Go

This might seem like a luxury during an emergency situation, but then every situation is different and everyone has different circumstances. Your situation may require you to maintain something essential to your health during an emergency or as a part of medical treatment or therapy when the alarms sound. That is no time to make ice or stop at the shop and rob - but you see video of this every storm....

If you have medicines that require refrigeration and you live in the Gulf States you might recall the 14 hour ride in your car during the Hurricane Gustov evacuation of August/September.

While you may not be able to stuff a large cooler in your car as tempting as it sounds - you may have to provide a refrigerated source for ill children or elderly folks on board.

Forget ice or plastic freezer packs because this cryo-gel dry ice replacement is better because it lasts longer - up to 96 hrs in some ideal situations.

We've had them out in the open over 5 hours and in collapsible insulated containers for days. They are used to ship food and drugs via UPS or FedEx. Non-toxic, water soluble and can be disposed of easily, they can be molded to a degree of usefulness unlike solid plastic containers.

See if you can get them at shipping stores like the UPS Store and save those you do get with your next birthday cake or steaks in the mail. Keep them in your freezer. We suggest placing them in a Ziploc bag while storing and in use.

National Syndicate Exposes Benefits of ICE in Florida!!

Read all about it..the Sun Sentinel in Palm Beach, Florida has done a follow up article about how the use of ICE from ICE4SAFETY.COM has made a profound and positive impact on safety in that part of the country since being introduced in January!

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/community/news/palmbeach/sfl-flpsice0608psjun08,0,3230019.story

You will be hearing about this same effect happening again in Western New York very shortly.....

Simply OUTSTANDING!

In Case of Emergency - Lessons from Others - Helping Your Neighbors

Okay, time for a real life story....and a lesson in not being prepared.

If you have elderly or infirm neighbors or your relatives who are out of town rely on their neighbors for some day to day assistance with living...this may be for you.

Many of our older folks living alone in their homes on sometimes meager resources and barely managing - usually will have medical issues. When those issues become critical and require emergency medical intervention, there may be little warning or time to do much except call for help (911) and await the ambulance or fire department rescue. That is best case and what we have come to expect nowadays.

If you are not a relative or the executor of the estate, but one needs to be located - what better way than to have both a COMPLETED ICE Card and Emergency Info Form on hand ready to go. If you don't, and you are relying on that undated scrap of paper stuck on a cork board or basket with some barely legible names and numbers on it - you are in for an unpleasant experience indeed.

If you are not a particularly patient or resourceful type or have limitations of your own, there may be some choice words expressed during this urgent time. You will be upset about why there was so little preparation - or - that the information you did have was not VERIFIED or updated. Why? Because then YOU will have to go searching for people you may have no clue about. There is nothing as disconcerting as contacting a disconnected number or transposed phone number. More below...

So, here's the drill ... your elderly neighbor(s) may have some pride left and be highly resistant to your seemingly intrusive efforts to help them be prepared AHEAD OF TIME with having the proper medical/contact info on hand and making sure the contact numbers are indeed correct.

Your first approach will be to advise your neighbor/friend that if they want YOU to be of any use during an emergency, then they have to help YOU (or a stranger) have this info readily available and up to date.

If the soft touch doesn't work, then you may have to take a more aggressive approach to getting things done and insist on having these preparations in place. Time to set the pride aside for a moment and engage some tough love.

If you are going to be the one called upon to help, then take the 10-15 minutes NOW to get everything in order so you don't spend hours later attempting to locate relatives and important/vital info. These things always seem to happen when you least expect or desire them to happen - thus the term emergency. Maybe you are a kind gentle soul that can drop everything and come running.....and for this we applaud you...but many people today are so self-absorbed (aka selfish) and just plain unavailable...that you have to get this process done.

Worst case, if you need to contact the operator for phone assistance - you may be disappointed because without certain info your search will be unproductive - phone listings are updated daily and there is no way to access archival records. You can access land line phone number listings via your cell phone but it is the same service.

You CANNOT locate a person's cell phone number or have an operator from a wireless service contact a subscriber in an emergency.

Now can you see the VALUE in getting this contact preparation done beforehand? Because when you really need to get info, you will most likely have problems.....

Just got off the phone with AT&T and dropped a dime about them providing such an emergency service for non-police/ems/fire but don't hold your hand on your behind waiting for it. 911 and police have access - you don't - and for very good reason. You will have to let the police do this - and of course in a disaster situation do you really think this will be the first priority? No.

Here is another kicker...the people I have contacted at the various wireless phone services - never heard of ICE. Comforting isn't it?
Maybe the person I spoke with today in Tennessee will read this and pass it along to some functionary at the company who can actually make something happen. Verizon and Vodaphone already have.....get on the stick AT&T and you other providers.......