What do hurricane season and Y2K preparedness
have in common? If you're ready for one,
you're ready for both

Y2K savvy or bust

By Burl Burlingame
Star-Bulletin

INDEPENDENCE Day has passed, and you undoubtedly took time over the holiday to reflect on the many freedoms we have, liberties won by our ancestors' hard work and positive thinking. But imagine what it would be like if we were truly independent, left on our own, even for a few days.

No community infrastructure. No utilities. No roof over your head. No protection from fire. No protection from your neighbors. No food. No water. No television.

Where's your pioneer spirit now?

This isn't speculation. Ask anyone on Kauai who survived Iniki. During hurricane season, roughly June through November, the chances of your neighborhood being devastated by a natural disaster remain the same as they've always been -- iffy, but possible.

Add to that the possibility of a year 2000 breakdown in public services if the Y2K computer glitch proves to be more powerful than imagined.

By David Swann, Star-Bulletin

A little hurricane preparation now makes good practice for any Y2K dilemma. The goal is the same, stowing away enough water and food to keep you going for about a week in case of disaster. We've culled information from a variety of sources to make assembling your disaster-readiness kit easier.

The Oahu Civil Defense office, underground at the municipal building at 650 South King St., has shelves full of free informational brochures available. Drop by and stock up, or call -- 523-4121 -- to get some. Don't be shy. Your tax dollars paid for them, and this is one of the prime reasons we have government.

The OCD has been sitting in on Y2K planning meetings, and is preparing a brochure on the subject that will be available in late July.

Another good guide is "Information Handbook for Emergency Preparedness" prepared by the local electric company on your island. It's available for free at state libraries, satellite city halls, local civil-defense offices and all City Mill, Costco and Foodland stores.

The telephone book has some cursory emergency information, and it's not well-marked. These are the pages with the yellow edges. It's useful primarily for the maps of potential tsunami-inundation zones.

Most such guides focus on earthquakes, which strike without warning. "That's the only good thing about hurricanes -- we have a little lead time," said Paul Takamiya of the Oahu Civil Defense Office. His office prepares for all manner of potential catastrophes, from hurricanes to tsunamis to oil spills to "accidental missile launch." The Big Island edition also plans for volcanic eruptions. Whatever your disaster, preparations are about the same.

If anything, a hurricane will make any Y2K glitches seem like a picnic. In Hawaii we're lucky because we won't have the problems of extreme cold and need for heating that will affect those of the mainland should problems arise. If stores or banks are shut due to electronic problems, or if there's no water or electricity service, you probably won't have to evacuate your home, but you will have to rough it a bit with bottled water and canned or packaged food.

Before the disaster

Practice disaster drills at home, with at least two escape routes memorized by the whole family. Make sure everyone knows where the flashlights, fire extinguishers and emergency supplies are kept. Have a rendezvous point.

Have a designated person in another state as a contact in case everyone is separated. Often, long-distance calls will be possible but not local calls. Cellular-phone technology is a bit more robust than wire-transmitted phone calls, and if the antennaes survive, some cellular calls may be possible before the batteries wear out.

Extra flashlight batteries hold their charge longer if kept in the refrigerator.

If a member of the family or a neighbor is hard of hearing or blind, pre-arrange signals so that they can be kept informed.

Prepare a place for emergency supplies that can be moved and accessed even if the house collapses. "It should be portable, maybe broken down into adult and kid backpacks so that everything can be moved in case you have to evacuate," said Takamiya.

This includes water for each person. Since there will be some warning if a hurricane looms, Takamiya suggests keeping quart or liter bottles available and filling them during hurricane "watches," so that the water is fresh. Tap water is OK. Opaque-plastic bottles are preferable to clear plastic bottles.

Supplies can be kept in a 33-gallon trash barrel with a tight-fitting lid to keep out pests, or a large ice chest or duffel bag. This should be transportable. Keep it in the garage or in a backyard storage shed for easy access. Break down the supplies into three groups -- the bottom of the barrel is bedding, clothing and tools, the middle for food (store water separately); the top of the barrel for flashlights, radios and first-aid items.

Some businesses, such as Emergency Product Kits, sell pre-packaged outfittings through charity organizations. The $125.95 EPK "Family Pack," for example, contains enough food, water, lights, first aid, radio, emergency blankets, ponchos, gloves, hand warmers, a knife and other supplies to support four people for three days, and has a shelf life of five years. These are available through Internet sales or in California earthquake supply stores

Keep a variety of foods. "Appetite fatigue" is a real phenomenon, and is prevented by rotating meals, even freeze-dried sterile meals. Many of the Hawaii-based checklists contain "essential" foodstuffs such as Spam, Vienna sausage and rice. These items don't have a long shelf life, but can be found fresh on the pantry shelf just before the big one blows in.

You might want to keep a generator. "But the problem with generators is they they need to be constantly maintenanced, and if you don't do that, it might not work properly when you really need it," said Takamiya.

It's a good idea to have the generator professionally installed and serviced, because as it pours power back into your house, it can also "back-feed" into the neighborhood power lines, and can electrocute repairmen.

Actually, everyone has a very inefficient generator and electrical power source -- their car. There are a variety of 12-volt electrical items that can be operated by plugging into the car's cigarette lighter jack. Check at automotive stores such as NAPA or mail-order outfits like JC Whitney.

Keep a mini-survival kit in the car. You have a good chance of being caught in your car or at work if a disaster strikes.

During the disaster

Be prepared to treat injuries, and stay away from windows and glass doors. Most injuries in a hurricane are from broken glass and wind-blown projectiles. Turn off gas and water if directed to. (Do NOT turn gas back on without relighting pilot lights.)

Be prepared to rough it on your own for three days to a week -- government agencies will be swamped with those less prepared than you are. Take inventory of your remaining survival supplies and keep them protected. Follow the advice of local authorities for shelter.

Downed power lines should be treated with extreme caution. Electricity from a live line dissipates in the ground about 30 feet from the source, so if you're within this zone, shuffle away without lifting your feet. Doing so might cause an electrical arc when you step back down. Electricity on metal fences or guard rails can travel for thousands of yards, so stay away from these even if you don't see a line on them.

Pets can be a problem. If you have a pet carrier, keep the animal in it. Make sure your pet is wearing proper tags. If you evacuate, take your pet with you.

After the disaster

Don't use more of your survival supplies than you need to. It will take several days for authorities to stabilize the situation in your areas. Hawaii's topography increases the relief problem, said Takamiya. "We have a lot of valleys with just one road in and out -- like Pacific Palisades -- and that will cause a lot of people to be isolated for a while."

Don't waste the liquid from canned fruit and vegetables, but don't drink water from pools or waterbeds. Eat the surviving foods from your pantry first and save the emergency rations if possible.

Sewage services will most likely be unavailable, so be prepared to dig holes in the yard. Bury solid waste immediately. Urine smells, but it is sterile.

And wear shoes. Most disaster injuries are caused by broken glass.

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