Time to remember this: Add to your prep list these must have items:

1. battery operated smoke detectors

2. battery operated carbon monoxide detectors

3. fire extinguishers

4. extra pails to hold water

5. extra 9 volt batteries for the detectors

6. burn treatment first aid stuff

Be very careful with your woodstoves, fireplaces, sterno, oil lamps, and candles. Chances of fire will escalate and the fire department and emergency services may or may not be there!

-- Libby Alexander (libbyalex@aol.com), June 22, 1999

Answers

ps -- read up now on first aid procedures for handling burns!

-- Libby Alexander (libbyalex@aol.com), June 22, 1999.

Another concern is fuel storage, especially gasoline and pressurized propane containers.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), June 22, 1999.

A few buckets of sand might be prudent. Bill in South Carolina

-- Bill Solorzano (notaclue@webtv.net), June 22, 1999.

Baking soda next to the stove will put out a small grease fire.

The real problem with a fire is the incredible toxicity of man made materials that are everywhere. One of my friends has been living in a motel for 3 weeks, and has another 2 weeks to go, while their house is professionally scrubbed, repainted, rewallpapered etc. The cause? A candle melted some nearby CDs which put off an oily plastic smoke that covered everything in the house. They lost a lot of stuff to this toxic goo that covered everything, and that got on their hands etc. Dangerous!

That is why you see the firemen come into your house wearing breathing apparatus.

For myself, its hard to even imagine living without plastic...my white buckets..my gamma lids, laundry baskets, kitchen implements etc. etc. Scary.

-- seraphima (seraphima@aol.com), June 22, 1999.

THanks for the additions. What exactly should go in to a first aid kit to treat burns? I can think of aloe vera gel, sterile dressings, and pain medication. Anybody else have some things to add?

-- Libby Alexander (libbyalex@aol.com), June 22, 1999.

Hi Libby,

Agree completely with your warnings on fire safety. I have spoken to my doctor regarding burn treatment and he has recommended Silvadene Burn Cream. It's expensive, requires a prescription (in Australia anyway, but he's giving me one, (he might yet become a GI, he's asked for reading material!!)) and is a specialized antibiotic for burns. I have used it some years ago and it also considerably reduces the pain of minor burns.

I plan to get some!

RonD

-- Ron Davis (rdavis@ozemail.com.au), June 22, 1999.

Burns were a big concern to me when I knew we would have lots of flames with alternate heat & cooking. I purchased a wonderfully complete burn kit at Emergency Essentials site, delivery took about 3 weeks. I then added extra burn bandages, pre-medicated & moist, along with a few trusty first aid books (old and new editions), some extra ointment especially for burns and lots of vaseline for chapped hands, etc. Oh yes, and 4 fire extinguishers to put in the house & RV (added to those we already had). Take extra care!

-- Sammie Davis (sammie0@hotmail.com), June 22, 1999.