Mt. Redoubt....Where have all the virgins gone? (LOCALISM FEATURED)

Yesterday while standing in line at the grocery store I overheard two fellows talking about Mt. Redoubt. I was thumbing through the latest National Enquirer Alaska magazine while waiting on the cashier to figure out what the produce code for a yellow squash was when I overheard...

"All we need is to find a few good virgins and the volcano gods will be happy again."

After a round of hearty laughter the other fellow looks at him and says "yea right, do they even make them anymore."

The official news from the Alaska Volcano Observatory is that we're still experiencing significant seismic activity and runoff on the north side of the mountain, but no eruption yet. From the AVO website:

"A high intensity burst of volcanic tremor occurred from about 2:44 through 2:50 AST this morning at Redoubt. The tremor episode appears to have ended for now. There was no eruption associated with this tremor."

Today it's Mt. Redoubt, tomorrow it could be an earthquake or a power grid failure. Are you prepared for even a short term disaster?

• Is your pantry stocked with enough food to feed your family for a week or even a few days? Did you know there are only a few days of food supplies on the shelves of the local grocery stores? What happens in the event of a disruption in the supply lines?
  

• Do you have drinking water for everyone in the family? One gallon per person per day is recommended. Don't forget about our furry four legged friends. They'll need water and food as well.
  

• How will you heat your home in the event of a power failure at 20 below? A backup generator system is relatively inexpensive to install. Even a small 2000 watt generator will run most boilers/furnaces, circulating pumps and well pumps (provided you're on a well) and a few lights. Larger 5000+ watt generators will run an entire house. Don't forget to stock fuel for them as well to the tune of 1/2 gallon per hour of use. (Figure 10-12 gallons per day x at least 5 days) 55 gallon drums are available at the Sourdough bulk fuel plant on Illinois Street. (907-452-0691 - $48 for reconditioned/$67 for new)
  

• Do you know CPR and basic first aid? Do you have a stocked first aid kit? In a disaster you'll need to know how to treat minor and potentially life threatening injuries. Take a first aid course or better yet, enroll in an EMT course at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Hospitals and clinics will fill up fast and you could face an extended wait time for treatment.
  

• Do you have enough essential medications if you couldn't get to a pharmacy for a week or longer? At best, running out of essential medications could make life uncomfortable but it could also become life threatening.

• Do you have any cash on hand? What would happen if the ATM machine wasn't operable... or empty? Do you have enough cash on hand for basic needs? It doesn't have to be a lot, but having some good 'ol greenbacks handy is always a good idea.

• Are you prepared to defend your home/family? While I don't expect the world to fall into an abyss moments after a natural disaster strikes, being armed could mean shooting dinner as well as an intruder. Some will cite this as proof I've been in Alaska too long but I'm a firm believer in being prepared.

The Alaska Department of Homeland Security has a great website dedicated to emergency preparedness. The site contains a guide that will show you how to build a seven days survival kit over the next twenty-four weeks. The Centers for Disease Control and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have voluminous information on disaster preparedness.

Wilderness Medicine by Paul Auerbach is a great medical reference for your home library. It's a no-nonsense guide to treating just about any medical issue you could possibly have. Dare to Prepare, Emergency Food Storage & Survival, and Crisis Preparedness, are all good reference books.