Luck is not a Plan

Top o' the afternoon to you!  St. Patrick's Day is almost here, a day filled with clovers, rainbows, green beer, fake Irish accents, gratuitious pinching and rampant cultural stereotypes.  We would all like to have a little bit of St. Patrick's Day luck in an emergency situation.  Luck, blessing, karma, faith, kismet, coincidence...call it whatever want, but don't use it as your lifeline in an emergency.  Emergency kits, stored water, family plans, insurance;  these are real, tangible things that could make a huge difference in whether or not your family thrives during a large scale disaster, or merely survives. 

Luck?  Sure, there's some luck involved, but good fortune tends to favor the prepared.  Want to learn more about preparedness?  Check out our website at www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/dem. 

Rainy Thursday

Today we received quite a bit more rain than was anticipated from this storm. Our director talked with Andy Bryant at the National Weather Service (NWS) in Portland and he said the worst of the rain should be over for the day. The rain we saw was supposed to have hit south of Portland but changes in the jetstream caused it to come further north.

The Cowlitz at Kelso is predicted to crest at about 20 feet without flooding. We will be watching the rivers carefully in case any of this should change. Keep an eye on the NWS river forecast website for updates.

Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny

Emergency Kit!  This cute little kit won't help you if you're hungry or thirsty, but it can pack enough to start a fire and treat injuries.  Check it out here, you could probably even make your own.  Thanks to blog reader Sam for sharing!

The Winter That Won't Go Away

Directly from National Weather Service:

... Low snow levels very late Monday night and Tuesday morning in the lower elevations of southwest Washington and northwest Oregon...

In the wake of the very strong Pacific frontal system that was moving through on Monday... colder air will spread in and will bring another round of very low snow levels to the lower elevations of southwest Washington and northwest Oregon very late Monday night and on Tuesday morning.

Snow levels could get close to 500 feet or lower Tuesday morning... and possibly close to the valley floor in brief heavier showers. Amounts at higher elevations around the valley such as The West Hills of Portland could see one or two inch accumulations. Amounts at the valley floor should be spotty and lighter.

Solar Storm



Creative Commons Image via
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center


A solar storm that began Tuesday evening could disrupt satellites and power grids on Earth this week. Great article by the Chicago Sun-Times (no pun intended) explaining this phenomenon at http://bit.ly/wSC9un .

This is a great example of another reason to be prepared for power outages regardless of the weather outside!

Emergency Planning--Dr. Seuss Style

Tomorrow is Dr. Suess' birthday and in honor of this auspicious occasion, I would like to talk about emergency food storage in the manner that Dr. Suess would discuss it. I am a picky eater, I'm getting better (as in, I no longer exclusively order off the children's menu) but I'm still not sure that I would eat some of the "emergency rations" that come in some emergency kits.

I know, I know, if I was hungry enough I would eat anything (case-in-point: reduced fat frozen "entrees"), but why punish myself or my family? That's why I have a sweet little butane burner that is rated for indoor use, a case of extra butane and a selection of foods that can be made on one burner with no electricity. Why would I subject myself to canned meat, Coast Guard food pellets or protein bars when the wonders of Velveeta Shells and Cheese are right at my finger tips?! Anyway, happy birthday to Dr. Suess, this one's for you!

Powdered Eggs and Spam

I do not like powdered eggs and spam

I do not like them DEM-I-Am

I will not eat them after a flood

I would not eat them if I was stuck in mud

I will not eat them in a quake

I would not eat them, I want a steak

I would not eat them in a storm

I will not eat them in any form

That is why I have a plan

A stove, some butane and not canned ham

I have a pot, I have a pan

I have a burner, I could make some flan

Well, ok, that’s a bit of a stretch

However, some nice soup I could certainly fetch

Some pancakes, some noodles, some chili with beans

Eating lousy food in an emergency? There’s just no need.

I do so like emergency plans

Thank you, thank you DEM-I-AM!

There you have it. You're welcome.

March is Red Cross Month!

March is American Red Cross month, a month long celebration of Red Cross accomplishments and a look forward to future goals. The month long commemoration was created in the 1940’s when the Red Cross started a Roll Call drive to increase public support during wartime. After discussions with President Franklin Roosevelt, the honorary chairman of the Red Cross, an official call for support was issued and he declared the whole month of March Red Cross Month. Each president since has issued a proclamation for the month of March. You can find out more info at redcross.org.