Foolish Myths

For April Fool's I'll bring back a post from two years ago about Disaster Prep Myths...

The first of April, some do say
Is set apart for All Fool's Day;
But why the people call it so
Nor I, nor they themselves, do know,
But on this day are people sent
On purpose for pure merriment.
- Anonymous

MYTH: “Disasters are Random Killers”
FACT:  Disasters are more likely to kill those living in substandard housing and the uninformed. Japan with strict building codes survived the earthquaking (the Tsunami caused most damage). While in Haiti an earthquake caused massive damage with cheaply made building. – Pan American Health Organization

MYTH: “If something happens all I have to do is call 911.”
FACT: “Security, like charity, begins at home and the responsibility for your family’s safety rests on your shoulders.” – Paul Purcell, security analyst and preparedness consultant. 911 will be overwhelmed (if functioning at all). There are not enough rescue workers to rescue everyone immediately.

MYTH: “All I need is a 72-hour kit with a flashlight, first aid kit, some food and water and a radio to hear further instruction.”
FACT: You need to be self-sufficient for a minimum of one week.

MYTH: I don’t need to prepare because when “big one” hits, I’m dead anyway
FACT: “Mass Destruction” does NOT mean “Total Destruction.” When the atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Eizo Nomura survived in a basement just 100m from ground zero. Akiko Takakura survived 300m from the blast center inside a solidly built bank.

MYTH: I don’t need to prepare because nothing like that could ever happen here.
FACT: Each part of the world has its own unique disaster potential. I wrote earlier about a preparedness specialist in the Chicago suburbs who knew he was unlikely to ever experience earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. Imagine his surprise when ordered to evacuate his home because an abandoned train car had caught fire and potentially deadly fumes were drifting through his neighborhood.

MYTH: “Food shortages are inevitable after every disaster”
FACT: Food is usually available but frequently not accessible. (Hence the need for family supplies until roads are clear.) The real shortage after most disasters is clean drinking water. - Jean Luc Poncelet, MD

MYTH: “I received money for another disaster or from another agency or I make too much money, so there’s no point in applying for aid”
FACT: Every disaster is considered separately. And while FEMA will not duplicate insurance benefits, you may be eligible for help with losses not covered or with damages in excess of your coverage ("under-insured"). Most federal and state disaster assistance programs are available to ALL who suffered damages regardless of your income. - FEMA

MYTH: “I gave my information to a local emergency manager (or the Red Cross) so FEMA already has my case details.”
FACT: To be eligible for federal and state disaster assistance, you must apply online at http://www.disasterassistance.gov/ or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) (TTY 1-800-462-7585).

MYTH: “When a foreign disaster occurs, send ASAP every available volunteer (especially doctors) and send supplies of everything as quickly as possible.”
FACT: “The myth that the affected local population is helplessly waiting for the Western world to save it is also false, especially in countries with a large – but unevenly distributed – medical population. In fact, only a handful of survivors owe their lives to foreign teams. Most survivors owe their lives to neighbors and local authorities.” - Dr. Claude de Ville de Goyet. Unplanned and unorganized humanitarian aid supplies can be useless and clog distribution sites from receiving supplies that are critical. It is best to ASK what is needed before leaping to conclusions.

MYTH: “Life will be back to normal in a few weeks”
FACT: Long after the media cameras have moved onto the next big story, people will be rebuilding homes and local infrastructure. “The greatest need for assistance appears several weeks and months after the event. It takes several years to rebuild a badly damaged area.” - Pan American Health Organization

BOTTOM LINE

Don't be caught looking foolish. Read the articles linked to above. There’s a lot to learn about preparing your home and what NOT to do when helping others.

The return of Swine Flu

“Love is a medicine for the sickness of the world; a prescription often given, too rarely taken.” - anon

At our recent Scout Pack Meeting, one family emailed to say they could not attend – the family has Swine Flu – (now called H1N1 as our top Cub told me authoritatively.) So on this Day of the Dead (Mexico) or All Saints Day, let's consider the morbidity and mortality of Swine Flu.

Here are 8 Swine Flu Myths that could endanger your life from NewScientist.com

• The symptoms are like regular flu. You've got it if you've got a fever
  False – Up to half the people who get swine flu never got a fever. For many doctors the official line remains: if you don't have fever, you don't have flu. This is dangerously shortsighted - if you don't know you have swine flu you might miss the signs of the severe and deadly form of H1N1: shortness of breath, chest pain or blue lips.
  
• This is just mild flu. The death rates are even lower than for normal flu
  False - Swine flu is killing young people rather than the very elderly, and although winter is just starting, more young people have already died of flu than normally die over the entire winter.
  
• You're safe as long as you're healthy. Only sick, weak people get really ill
  False – see #2. The flu is killing the young and the healthy.
  
• I'll be OK if I just eat organic food, take vitamins, wear a mask, wash my hands a lot and drink plenty of fluids
  False – the article recommends vaccination
  
• The danger of over because we have a vaccine. In fact, we have several
  False – It will be months before everyone in first world countries can get the vaccine. Some poor countries may never see the vaccine in time.
  
• The vaccine isn't safe. Why take the risk to prevent mild flu?
  False – this flu packs a punch and is likely to be wide spread. The flu danger is greater than those of the vaccine.
  
• This virus won't get deadlier – it hasn’t changed much in a year
  False – random mutation is in fact “random”. There is no telling how or when a virus will change.
  
• Once this pandemic is over we'll be safe for another few decades
  False – We got lucky this time that Swine flu is not a super-bug. But an increasingly crowded world with more people with greater mobility makes it far too easy for something new to be created and spread.

Bottom Line
Swine Flu is nastier than your average flu in many ways: it kills the young, it kills the healthy, it is more resistant to heat and lasts into spring and summer. It’s nothing to sneeze at.

Summertime Auto Myths

“If all the cars in the United States were placed end to end, it would probably be Labor Day Weekend.”
- Doug Larson

Popular Mechanics looks at Seven Summertime Auto Myths:

1. "Does turning the heat on really help cool an engine?" Yes. But if you have to do this on a regular basis, then you have an engine problem.
   
2. "Does the summertime require thicker oil?"
   Yes, but not too thick. Modern cars don’t need anything heavier than 10W-30.
   
3. Should I thin the engine coolant for summer? No, always use a 50-50 mix of pure coolant and water to maintain anticorrosion and antiwear additives. Check the label of your coolant to see if it’s been pre-diluted with water.
   
4. Should I buy gasoline in the morning before it expands with heat of day?No, the gas is stored in underground tanks that remain a constant temperature.
   
5. Do open windows use more gas than air conditioning?Perhaps. If you are traveling at highway speeds in an aerodynamic car then the AC is more efficient. For low speeds or blocky cars like SUVs, use open windows instead.
   
6. Can I save money by using low tread tires in the summer? Yes, but only if the road is dry. Tread is necessary to grip the road on raining days. This could be an option for a friend of mine who drives his Corvette only on sunny days. For everyone else, why risk a crash with low tread?
   
7. Is it safe to stay in a car during a lightning storm?
   Yes, the car’s metal bodywork should safely conduct lightning to the ground around you IF you are not plugged into the electrical system with headphones, etc. Keep your arms inside the car!

Bottom Line

Before traveling on long summer trips, get your oil changed and have your car checked. Carry a cell phone so you can call for help if you break down.