WILDFIRE! CAN IT HAPPEN TO YOU? 

The Washington Post reports:  

"As 14 large fires rage across California, the U.S. Forest Service is sounding the alarm about the exploding cost of protecting people and property from a growing wildfire threat.

In a new report released Wednesday, the agency says that while it spent 16 percent of its total budget on preparing for and fighting fires in 1995, it will spend more than half its budget this year on the same task — and a projected 67 percent or more by 2025 under current funding arrangements.

The fact that people are building more structures in harm’s way only compounds the problem, the agency adds."

Over half of the United States is vulnerable to wildfires. Hikingware.com wants you to be prepared for this kind of natural disaster if it occurs in your area. Here are some federal government-approved tips to prepare for wildfire before it happens:

• To begin preparing, you should build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan.
•  Design and landscape your home with wildfire safety in mind. Select materials and plants that can help contain fire rather than fuel it.
• Use fire-resistant or noncombustible materials on the roof and exterior structure of the dwelling, or treat wood or combustible material used in roofs, siding, decking or trim with fire-retardant chemicals evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
• Plant fire-resistant shrubs and trees. For example, hardwood trees are less flammable than pine, evergreen, eucalyptus or fir trees.
• Regularly clean roof and gutters.
•  Inspect chimneys at least twice a year. Clean them at least once a year. Keep the dampers in good working order. Equip chimneys and stovepipes with a spark arrester that meets the requirements of National Fire Protection Association Standard 211. (Contact your local fire department for exact specifications.)
• Use 1/8-inch mesh screen beneath porches, decks, floor areas, and the home itself. Also, screen openings to floors, roof and attic.
• Install a dual-sensor smoke alarm on each level of your home, especially near bedrooms; test monthly and change the batteries at least once each year.
• Teach each family member how to use a fire extinguisher (ABC type) and show them where it's kept.
• Keep handy household items that can be used as fire tools: a rake, axe, handsaw or chainsaw, bucket and shovel.
• Keep a ladder that will reach the roof.
• Consider installing protective shutters or heavy fire-resistant drapes.
• Clear items that will burn from around the house, including wood piles, lawn furniture, barbecue grills, tarp coverings, etc. Move them outside of your defensible space.

PLAN YOUR WATER NEEDS

• Identify and maintain an adequate outside water source such as a small pond, cistern, well, swimming pool, or hydrant.
• Have a garden hose that is long enough to reach any area of the home and other structures on the property.
• Install freeze-proof exterior water outlets on at least two sides of the home and near other structures on the property. Install additional outlets at least 50 feet from the home.
• Consider obtaining a portable gasoline powered pump in case electrical power is cut off.

Your best resource for proper planning is www.firewise.org which has outstanding information. Firewise workshops are offered for free all across the nation in communities large and small and free Firewise materials can be obtained easily by anyone interested.

Volcano Safety

If you live in Alaska, Hawaii, or the Western half of the United States, you are probably within 200 miles of an active volcano.

An important clue to understanding volcanoes is knowing the location of the volcanic bands. Many of the world's active volcanoes are located around the edges of the Pacific Ocean: the West Coast of the Americas; the East Coast of Siberia, Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia; and in island chains from New Guinea to New Zealand--the so-called "Ring of Fire" (diagram to left). 

Recently, active volcanoes were also found in Iceland, the Kenya Rift Valley in Eastern Africa, Italy, and Hawaii. Looking at the locations of these volcanoes through the glasses of plate tectonics, we also notice that most volcanoes occur near the edges of the large "plates" that comprise the solid surface of Earth. Looking even more closely, we also notice that the dangerous explosive volcanoes, such as Mount St. Helens and Mount Pinatubo, that make the evening news are located where plates are crunching together. The quieter, "effusive" volcanoes, like Iceland and Hawaii, are found mostly where plates are coming apart or in the middle of a plate.

Hikingware.com wants you to play it safe if you are in a volcanic zone. Here are the procedures to follow, approved by the American Red Cross:

Before:

• Learn about your community warning systems and emergency plans.
• Be prepared for the hazards that can accompany volcanoes:
• Mudflows and flash floods
• Landslides and rockfalls
• Earthquakes
• Ashfall and acid rain
• Tsunamis
•     Make evacuation plans.                     
• If you live in a known volcanic hazard area, plan a route out and have a backup route in mind.
• Develop an emergency communication plan.
•   In case family members are separated from one another during a volcanic eruption (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), have a plan for getting back together.
•   Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the "family contact," because after a disaster, it's often easier to call long distance. Make sure everyone knows the name, address, and phone number of the contact person.
• Have disaster supplies on hand:
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit and manual
• Emergency food and water
• Non-electric can opener
• Essential medicines
• Dust mask
• Sturdy shoes
•    Get a pair of goggles and a throw-away breathing mask for each member of the household in case of ashfall.
•   Although it may seem safe to stay at home and wait out an eruption, if you are in a hazardous zone, doing so could be very dangerous. Stay safe. Follow authorities' instructions and put your disaster plan into action.

During:

• Follow the evacuation order issued by authorities.
• Avoid areas downwind and river valleys downstream of the volcano.
• If caught indoors:
• Close all windows, doors, and dampers.
• Put all machinery inside a garage or barn.
• Bring animals and livestock into closed shelters
•  If trapped outdoors:
• Seek shelter indoors.
• If caught in a rockfall, roll into a ball to protect your head.
• If caught near a stream, be aware of mudflows. Move upslope, especially if you hear the roar of a mudflow.
• Protect yourself during ashfall:
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
• Use goggles to protect your eyes.
• Use a dust mask or hold a damp cloth over your face to help breathing.
• Keep car or truck engines off.
• Stay out of the area defined as a restricted zone by government officials.
• Effects of a volcanic eruption can be experienced many miles from a volcano. Mudflows and flash flooding, wildland fires, and even deadly hot ashflow can reach you even if you cannot see the volcano during an eruption. Avoid river valleys and low lying areas. Trying to watch an erupting volcano up close is a deadly idea.
• If you see the water level of a stream begin to rise, quickly move to high ground. If a mudflow is approaching or passes a bridge, stay away from the bridge.
• Mudflows are powerful "rivers" of mud that can move 20 to 40 miles-per-hour. Hot ash or lava from a volcanic eruption can rapidly melt snow and ice at the summit of a volcano. The melt water quickly mixes with falling ash, with soil cover on lower slopes, and with debris in its path. This turbulent mixture is dangerous in stream channels and can travel more than 50 miles away from a volcano. Also intense rainfall can erode fresh volcanic deposits to form large mudflows.
• Listen to a battery-operated radio or television for the latest emergency information.

After:

• If possible, stay away from volcanic ashfall areas
• When outside:
• Cover your mouth and nose. Volcanic ash can irritate your respiratory system.
• Wear goggles to protect your eyes.
• Keep skin covered to avoid irritation from contact with ash.
• Clear roofs of ashfall:
•   Ashfall is very heavy and can cause buildings to collapse. Exercise great caution when working on a roof.
• Avoid driving in heavy ashfall.
• Driving will stir up more ash that can clog engines and stall vehicles.
• If you have a respiratory ailment, avoid contact with any amount of ash. Stay indoors until local health officials advise it is safe to go outside.

Remember to help our neighbors who may require special assistance -- infants, elderly people, and people with disabilities. 

Scouting with Hikingware

The Boy Scouts of America program is now over 100 years old. It has proven to be a solid benefit to the boys and men who have participated in it, as well as to the communities in which it functions.

Part of the Scout Motto is “Be Prepared”. The Scouting Program in the United States emphasizes that scouts should be willing and able to offer help during times of crises and emergency.

Hikingware.com urges parents and others concerned with the welfare of their community to actively support the Boy Scout Program through membership and donations. In a disaster, anyone who has developed required skills is going to be an important member of any relief program.

Emergency preparedness means being prepared for all kinds of emergencies, able to respond in time of crisis to save lives and property and to help a community—or even a nation—return to normal life after a disaster occurs. To encourage Scouts of all ages to be prepared for emergency situations, the BSA has approved an Emergency Preparedness Award program for members of all ages.

When a member has fulfilled the requirements, a completed application is submitted to the council. Upon approval, the Emergency Preparedness Award is awarded. The pin may be worn on civilian clothing or on the uniform, centered on the left pocket flap. The award may be earned more than once; for instance, as a young person advances through the ranks and is capable of more complex preparedness activities, but only one pin should be worn.

It is a challenge to be prepared for emergencies in our world of man-made and natural phenomena. The Emergency Preparedness BSA program is planned to inspire the desire and foster the skills to meet this challenge in our youth and adult members so that they can participate effectively in this crucial service to their families, communities, and nation.

The emergencies of today's world demand more than ever that our young people and adults be trained as individuals and as units to meet emergency situations. The importance of this training is not new to the Boy Scouts of America, as Scouting has always taught youth to be prepared for all types of emergencies. Since Scouting began in the United States, Scouts have responded to the needs of their communities and nation in time of crisis.

When an emergency occurs, it affects every youth and adult member of BSA in the immediate area, creating the responsibility to respond first, as an individual; second, as a member of a family; and third, as a member of a Scouting unit serving the neighborhood and community. Because of these multiple levels of responsibility, the Emergency Preparedness BSA plan includes training for individual, family, and unit preparedness. Special training in all three areas is a prerequisite for BSA members conducting any type of emergency service in their communities.

Individual Preparedness

• The primary emphasis of this initial step in the program is to train members to be mentally and emotionally prepared to act promptly and to develop in them the ability to take care of themselves.
• Teaching young people to know and be able to use practical survival skills when needed is an important part of individual preparedness.

Family Preparedness

• Since family groups will be involved in most emergency situations, this part of the plan includes basic instructions to help every Scouting family prepare for emergencies. Families will work together to learn basic emergency skills and how to react when faced with fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, explosions, warning signals, fallout protection, terrorism attacks, and other emergency situations.

Community Preparedness

• The program fosters the desire to help others and teaches members how to serve their communities in age-appropriate ways. By taking the age-appropriate First Aid for Children course (Tiger Cubs) and Basic Aid Training (Wolf and Bear Cub Scouts), these boys help ease the burden on the family and community resources. Through all Scouting ranks and for adult members, the responsibilities and skills for community service increase with the members' maturity.

A community with a strong Scouting program is going to be a strong community in a disaster.