During the month of September I have joined The Clorox Company and Consumer Queen, along with several other bloggers, to spread the word about emergency preparedness. This will be the final installment in our series on Emergency Preparedness. If you are just joining us be sure to click on the links for important information on creating an emergency preparedness plan and building an emergency preparedness kit.

Emergency Preparedness Plan: Check!

Emergency Preparedness Kit: Check!

So, what happens AFTER disaster strikes?  What do you do when you get home?

In the wake of disaster there is often confusion and chaos. The most important thing to do before you return home is to check communication channels to ensure that local officials have declared it safe to return home.
Cleaning up after a natural disaster can be a daunting task. Ensure the health and safety of your family with the following:

• Before entering the home, look outside for loose power lines, damaged gas lines, foundation cracks or other damage
• During cleanup, wear protective clothing, including rubber gloves and rubber boots
• Look for flooding or large pools of standing water surrounding your home. These waters can be contaminated with high levels of bacteria that can make you sick, so disinfecting with a solution of bleach and water may help to remove mold and prevent the spread of infections and illness

General Health & Safety Tips:

• Keep your hands clean, either by washing your hands or using a hand sanitizer
• If you feel feverish or sick after a disaster or during clean-up, see a doctor immediately
• Eat healthy foods and drink lots of clean water

REMEMBER – your emergency preparedness kit should include a minimum three-day supply of water for evacuations (2 weeks for home) for your entire household.  This means approximately one gallon per person, per day for washing and drinking. If water supplies are compromised and you are unable to boil water for one minute (three minutes at high elevation), you can create drinkable water by using un-scented disinfecting bleach such as Clorox. You can also use bleach to clean non-porous surfaces in your home

• To Disinfect Surfaces: Use 1/4 cup bleach to 1 gallon of water, or as directed on the label, to disinfect hard, non-porous surfaces in your home.
• To Disinfect Water: If you need to purify water during an emergency, (and do not have the means to boil it for 3-5 minutes), you must disinfect your water using bleach. If water is clear, add 8 drops (1/8 tsp.) of bleach per gallon of water. If water is cloudy, add 16 drops (1/4 tsp.) of bleach per gallon of water. Mix the solution thoroughly and let it stand for about 30 minutes before using it. Properly treated water should have a slight chlorine odor. If it doesn’t, repeat dosage and allow water to stand an additional 15 minutes. The treated water can be made drinkable by pouring it between clean containers several times.



For more information please visit www.clorox.com/redcross and download the preparedness guide: Prepare Yourself Now for Peace of Mind Later

UPDATE: Congratulations to winner #343

ENTER TO WIN $25 Visa Gift Card From Clorox

I’m giving away another $25 Visa gift card again this week! Wouldn’t it be nice to be $25 closer to a completed preparedness kit?

Bonus Entries (leave one comment for each):

1. Subscribe to Bantering Blonde

2. Follow @banteringblonde on twitter

3. Like Clorox on Facebook and tell them I sent you!

4. Tweet this:      Enter to win $25 Visa GC from @Clorox @banteringblonde http://bit.ly/cHLB0X #preparedness

Winner will be chosen by random.org 12pm CMT Wednesday October 6th.

*As a blog tour participant, I received information and giveaways from The Clorox Company and Consumer Queen at no cost to me. I was compensated for my time by The Clorox Company for participating in this project. All views are my own.