Natural incidents are not uncommon, but when the earth seems to be shaking the Mother Earth finger, we all seem to shake and roll.  There will be changes in the world this year as FEMA and local/city/state governments have depleted budgets for 2012.

While you would like to think the government would protect and help you rebuild, that is simply not going to be the case going forward.  Communities of devastation may be better set if they relocated and build from scratch, a new community.  I know that sounds absolutely horrid to many, it may be the answer of the few.

Debris removal, rebuilding costs and remediation, temporary cities and support services could expect to triple or quadruple the budget of rebuilding by adding these costs on.  Sometimes it is just quicker to start in a new place than wait for all the cards to stop falling from the sky and arrange in an orderly fashion.

Are you ready for this year if you are affected by a natural incident?  Have you prepared your family and business for what you should do in the seconds immediately following an event?  How are your survival plans and kits doing?

Remember, hoarding coupon busting items in your garage is NOT a survival plan.  Ten freezers among you and your friends will defrost in 24 to 36 hours following an event depending on the location you live in.

Personal and small business consulting plans are available now to discuss your concerns prior to an event.  Submit a request for support now, before an event, for best results.

Be safe.  See you through the year safely.

Many projects that were in the process of rebuilding from hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, have been stopped due to decreased funding.  While the money was alloted for projects at the time they were approved, it can’t sit there forever in a box to be accessed indefinitely.  Politicians and the private sector thought the money was a given and they could get what they needed from FEMA and other grants to rebuild the city to what it was before the natural disaster.  Umm, no.  While that was the ‘thought process’ in the think tanks that worked to design what should happen after a big event, the reality and the dreams are totally different.

Why are we talking about Katrina still?  Because it is giving us lessons to learn by.  Tons of things worked, tons of things did not work and no, the city and the people are not “back” to normal or what ever picture you are painting in your head.  Life changes.  To expect to take a picture today of your street, have an event, and then submit that picture to the insurance company or FEMA to copy is never going to happen.

So, why am I bringing this up?  The year 2012 is starting out so far behind the eight ball, it may not be recognized by many as the days tick tock by.

Start now!  Realize what is important and forget the rest.  Let things go by that do not serve you.  Live with less, clean out what can go and hold on dearly to the loving things you hold in your heart.  Copy all the important items to disc and scan/email them to family and friends now.  Stock piling?  While that may work for some events, do not put your heart and soul into it, an event may come and destroy it.

You can prepare for the worst, and that is comforting, however, life is not a book that can be written with events, it is ever-changing.  Expect only that events will change the world, each and every day.  You are the only constant.  Cherish what is important.

Sign up for email notifications when I post and you will know when the new site is live and all preparation products are available.  Be safe.

Immediately following the 9/11 incident, government agencies were asked to hurry and check what was in the ash that everyone had covering them.  The results of testing were meant to curtail the heightened fear of danger in the smoke and ash.  The government came through with the answers that nothing was over dangerous and unusual.

Immediately following Hurricane Katrina, government agencies again came as requested and found the flood waters had ‘stuff’ in it, but it was not an immediate danger to the people.

Following the Joplin tornadoes, people started to show up with a fungus infection and the agencies came in again to test.  Again, the same answer, it is not dangerous and they do not know anything more.

Following the tsunami and earthquake in Japan, radiation leakage and possible affects on the US were thrown around in the media.  Hype started fast and furious.  What happened?  It is not in the news anymore.  Radiation does not just vaporize, like the BP oil spill that is so magically disappeared from the Gulf of Mexico.  Really, you are kidding?

So, cause and effect:  Katrina/staph, lung, mold, asbestos, lead, cadmium etc.  Joplin/fungus.  9/11, lung, cancer, allergies, sinus/brain disease, debilitating chronic breathing issues.  Is it real?  Is it false?  Is it something to know?

In this case, the government did deliver, it said all was ok and you can go about your business.  The government will take care of you.

To people affected by the incidents, danger, after effects and living in the wreckage, is a daily event.  Is it safe?  Who are you kidding.  One way to deal with lead, drop a ton of dirt on it, that will take care of it.  No further questions asked.

Brownfields Super Funds are raking in the projects after disasters.  What a better place to find a toxic dump in one place and federal/state/FEMA money flowing like red ants in the sand.  Buyer beware, are you living on, in, around a Brownfield area?  Ummmm……….

Are you sick?  Are you dying?  Have you buried someone who survived these events?  Were you taken care of?  We have many family members in all these situations, we know.  Every event seems to be in the yard of us all.

Tell us!!  Comment below!!  Or if you wish, you can send your comments by going to the website for this blog:  www.lifepockets.com and click on the contact us page.  Send me your story or comments and I will respond.

Cause and effect?  or just bad luck?  Think again.  Either way, sign up with me and you will know the minute the next book comes out.  Be safe.

If the area is water-logged and mold is starting to appear, five small areas of mold spores does not indicate that is all that has to be cleaned.  Mold spores act like roaches or termites, one means you have tons and they are where you cannot see.

Areas that are affected:  floors, rugs, furniture, walls, ceilings, books, almost any where.  To visualize how it spreads, find a dandelion that has gone to seed, meaning the white dusty plums are showing after the flowers.  Hold the flower stem up to the air and blow.  See how it disperses, that is how mold spores disperse.  They are everywhere in the air.  You know the dust you see flying around inside your house when the light shines in, that can be mold spores also.  They are not like mushrooms in their most dangerous form, big and obvious.  They are dust in the wind.

Bleach does not clean mold, it bleaches it, dah!  Water and soap may clean a few small surface spots.  If you wash the area and in two or three days you see more, do not wash again, replace.  Rugs, sheet rock and all other items in the area should be disposed of.

It is further important never to touch, clean or inspect areas of mold without glasses, rubber gloves and a face mask.  Example:  if you are using a large fan to dry out the basement and you start to see spots of mold, be guaranteed there are mold spores flying around in the air already and you will have them all over you and breathing them in.  Get out of there and shut off the fan.  You now need a complete pull out to get all the mold spores out.  Full personal protection at that point should be required.

It is also important to note about working on older homes that have flood damage:  lead paint and asbestos insulation.  As soon as these have been touched, they are released into the air and cause human health concerns.  The results will be seen over many years.  Please note 9/11 with the ash that blanketed their faces.

Anything that is in the air will block air flow through the lungs as it clogs the filter sheet of the lungs.

Do not allow any one under 18 to be exposed to these toxins.  Their bodies are growing every second and these air-borne items will settle into their bodies.

“Be safe, replace, and take healthcare precautions.”

What do you do first when you see your property is damaged:

Cry, cry and cry some more.  It is the best thing for you to do at this first view.  Cry until you feel like you can take a breath.  Then and only then, look around and take stock of what has occurred.  Make a memory of what is there, revisit what was and keep doing this until you feel it is ok to possibly entertain other possibilities in life.  This process can take hours to days and weeks.  I can tell you of many people who have not completed this process and put blinders on what they will let into their lives.  Hurricane Katrina memory and their life as it used to be is in a silver box with chains all around it to prevent ever opening that box.  They plan to take those memories to their graves and never go there again.

Next, think:  do I have insurance to help pay for repairs?  If there is wind damage, your homeowners policy may kick in part or whole of the costs.  If there is no wind damage and only flood, your homeowners and renters policy will not cover flood.  You need to have flood insurance with the government.

Either way, insurance or not:  DOCUMENT!!!  Even if you do not think anyone will help you and you do not know where anything will go next in rebuilding, document.  Find someone with a camera or video camera.  Be sure to have the first picture or beginning of the video with you in it and have a card with the date on it.  FEMA and other agencies may request them later.  Do not assume there will be no one to help you.  Miracles happen and it is important to foster that thought.

Register with FEMA if you have any damage.  Why?  Because that will alert them to how many people have suffered damage.  Even if you do not have to require any funds from them, please register with them.  The registration process is what will define what FEMA will pay your local area to start repairing their infrastructure.  If you do not register, you are not supporting your community in their rebuilding process.

Register with the Red Cross.  If you need anything, they have many resources.  They too need to know how many people are needing help and where.  It will also help to support where food trucks and other supplies get distributed.  Please register.

Call your insurance agent.  Get on that list.  You will find out if there is even a possibility of getting paid.  Some policies will pay for temporary facilities to stay and others will not.  It is important to remember, if you do not have electricity or air conditioning or gas services, this does not render you not being able to live in your home according to the insurance rules.  However, it still does not mean you should live in your home.

When cleaning up water or walking in flooded areas, please wear boots.  You can also put large heavy-duty plastic garbage bags over your feet and hold them up as high as they can go.  Water is not safe, period.  There is no other way to present that.  Water has sewer debris, cars gasoline and other pollutants, mercury and lead from local businesses, hospital waste that may have flooded in those areas, animal shelters that have other waste, and food/ restaurant spoilage.  All of this is poured into the rivers and lakes along with other bacteria into water flooding several communities.  Even using the current source of community water may be compromised because all pipes under the ground have shifted and cracked causing leaks.  Please take all precautions.

Before you take items out to the street, be sure documentation is done, right down to the fixtures in your bathroom.  They will be expensive to replace.  Then think about how old the house is.  Why?  Lead paint, asbestos walls, and other toxins in the structure that has stood for centuries.  Do not assume, take precautions.  Wear masks and goggles when pulling anything out.  Yes, I know that argument:  only kids have issues with lead.   Buzz, no.  If you are exposed and breathing in lead, it can accumulate in your system also.  While some people may state adults can clear lead in their body, many more people do not clear lead.  Do not risk a health condition later in life.  Mask, goggles, boots, camera.  These are essential.

Ask for help and there will be droves of people coming from all over the country.  Be well and be careful.  This day will pass.

WARNING!!  If you are thinking about that, don’t.  If you need someone to rescue you in a boat during a hurricane, think again.  It will depend on the severity of the storm, the nature of the emergency and if the local government actually has people to go out and help you.   You are putting not only yourself and family in direct harm’s way, but you are potentially harming the rescue fleet coming to get to you.  There are no heroes here, do not ride a storm out on a boat.

While it does take make sense to some people who may have lost their homes and are living in their boats as a last resort, it is not safe.  If you have a boat, put it in safe shelter.  If you can move the boat to another area of safety, that is best.

If you need to know where your boat is and you are not on it, get a GPS for the boat.  You can follow it on your computer no matter where you are.  This will help during a storm, but if the storm has already occurred and you did not prepare, there is still time.  Get a GPS after the storm to be sure you can identify where your boat is and be your own security patrol.  After a storm and if there is moderate damage, people tend to migrate to different areas and take opportunities to help themselves to what ever is not guarded.

Check the blog listing below for further information about the GPS we recommend.  A gps can be put on a person, place or thing.  See what you need.

Be active in getting your own security protection.  Local government and private security forces will be limited in the recovery phase of disasters.  Take action.

Please visit:  www.blogtalkradio.com/dr-jeanette-gallagher  for a taped show on volunteering after natural disasters.

The book, “Volunteer after a Natural Disaster:  What to know before you sign up and how to take care of yourself during disaster recovery”  will be available for publishing before the end of 2011.

If you sign up to volunteer now, please read and take precautions.  What is so overlooked when being pulled to help others is the fact of your own health and safety.  Many of the buildings that have damage are very old and hold many potential environmental exposure concerns.  While getting your hands into the piles of destruction after a hurricane or other natural disaster is fine, the piles themselves may be harming you.

Find out what to know before you sign up to help after a natural disaster.  Sign up for this blog to have a note sent to you when it is posted.

Be careful and review these warnings carefully.

Bring very little personal items.  Do not expect to just walk out of the shelter immediately after the last cloud has departed.  You MUST take care of your family and know what to do to be safe.  NEVER allow any person in your party to move about the shelter on their own.

After the storm, no one will be allow to begin roaming around on the roads and going back to normal.  Public transportation may be shut down for 24 hours or more to evaluate the system and path they take.  Roads may be closed for many hours to days if there is moderate damage.  Some roads and bridges may be closed until they are inspected.

When the storm passes, time and frustration will begin to take its toll.  Do not be a victim of this.  Wait and see what you are safely told to do.  It is not the place to make execuative decisions and be a Chief when you are an Indian.  Do what the authorities tell you, they have the bigger picture.

The book:  Aftermath will have more information about what happens when you experience moderate to severe damage from a hurricane or other natural disaster.  In all instances, recovery is very similar.

Be safe!!!

The number to call is:  218.339.2699  access code:  912092

We will remain on the line for approximately 30 minutes or earlier if all questions are answered.

Call in to get help in figuring out what to do.  Just ask for hurricane help.  Irene will be here for a while.

Do not bring perishable food items, no electronics that need to be plugged in, no televisions, no large computers, no big bags of stuff, no alcohol, no illegal drugs, no firearms, and ask before bringing animals.

DO bring medications that are in your name only or those of your family, your own dry food in individual containers, individual water bottles, one small blanket, two forms of identification, one electric-cable-or telephone bill (verifies your address), two pictures of your children you are responsible for, two pictures of any adult that you are responsible for that cannot take care of themselves, some sort of id for kids, and closed toe shoes for all(shelter will not be cleaned during the storm and there are many people in a closed space).

Do not expect to have services that you can just ask for.  Expect to be on your own, just under their roof.  Do not put others and yourself in harm’s way by inappropriate behavior, you will be banned from the shelter.  If you have teens that are illegal substance dependant, alert the authorities at the location should you have a problem with controlling them.  There may be many people in the shelter who do not have their meds, prescribed or illegal, and others in serious medical conditions.  Be courteous, keep to yourself and do not demand anything of anyone.  It will not work.

See this blog for the full ‘Shelter living after a hurricane‘ ebook to be published tomorrow.

Be safe!!