Project SPLAT for May 2010: Flashlights

January: Introduction to “Project SPLAT”
February: Water storage
March: Disaster food
April: Communication
 

The month of May 2010, “Project SPLAT” is encouraging every home to have a good quality alternative light source for when electricity is unavailable. 

Most homes have flashlights and batteries, however, in a disaster you will need these lights for many hours and many days.
If you buy batteries and throw them in the cupboard or drawer with your “other” batteries, you may have a problem in a disaster with batteries that are old and leaking or dead, or the wrong size. This could be very frustrating. Take time this month to look at your flashlights and check out the bulbs and batteries they take. Make sure you have additional on hand.

If you have camping equipment, you probably have lanterns and fuel for those.  Remember propane should NOT be used inside an enclosed area since it displaces oxygen and could cause asphyxiation.

There are many types of lights that are available for use, however the newer flashlights that use LEDs put out a brighter light.
If you want to have your hands free, you may want to get a “head-lamp” that fits on an elastic strap on your head. Then you can accomplish tasks and see up close without holding on to or trying to balance a flashlight.

If you want to light up an area or room, you can get A light created to light up the inside of a tent. They are not as bright as your home lights, but they can lighten up a room for everyone at the same time, so everyone may not need a flashlight if you place them in the rooms most occupied. Contact: OUTBACK FLASHLIGHTS to order these.

For a flashlight that is rechargeable and can be recharged and used for 100 years you may want to invest in a real good one. These are tough and will work after it is dropped or driven over.  For these check out the LA Police Gear website.

Remember: After a disaster you could be without electricity for weeks, or months.  Depending on the time of year, you could spend many mornings and evenings in the dark. Having a good dependable light source could help make these hours bearable for you and your family. 

“Project SPLAT” is brought to you by your local CERT Team!
The Millard Co. Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Dekker support CERT.

>>Project SPLAT<<August 2010

Cooking with FIRE is our topic this month!

Seems only natural we would follow our Rocket Stove project in July with Cooking with Fire this month. In the event of a disaster always remember the safety of yourself and those around you. If you are asked to evacuate an area – even if your home seems to be intact – the reason could be due to gas leaks, risk of explosion or fire. Please heed those warnings until the area has been deemed safe for you to return.

Regardless of where you are making your home at this time, you may be "camping" for several days or weeks. Being self_sustaining during this time, having some sense of a family unit, goes along way in helping your attitude and outlook and those of your family.

Cooking with fire requires a way to start that fire and fueling it to keep it going. For cooking you will need cookware designed to be used for this purpose, along with a few utensils, pot hooks, etc. Many of you already have Dutch ovens. For this month we will use the letter "L = Learn" (from our SPLAT acronym) by asking you to attend a free class on "Cooking with Fire," by Mr. Sid Ogden, of Oak City. This class will be taught twice in August: The first class will be at the Millard Co. Fair on Friday August 6th, 9:30am under the outdoor pavilion. He will be speaking on several ways of cooking with fire and demonstrating our "Rocket Stove" from July’s Project SPLAT.

Since interest was high, we will offer the Rocket Stove through August, for those who missed the opportunity to order one in July.

The Second Class will be at Oak City Days on Saturday, August 21st.  I recommend attending one or both classes, that way if you have a question that you forget to ask at the first demonstration, you have a second chance to talk to Sid on the 21st!

Project SPLAT is brought to you by Millard County CERT, the Millard County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Robert Dekker.

(For additional presentations on "Cooking with Fire" from Sid Ogden, please contact him directly.)