Junk in trunk could save your life

PUBLIC SAFETY



Ever since a landslide wiped out 13 homes and killed 10 people in La Conchita in January 2005, Ventura County Fire Department Capt. Michael Weisenberg makes sure his family members keep an extra set of clothes in their car emergency kits.

As in the TV commercial that asks, “What’s in your wallet,” emergency preparedness experts like Weisenberg say residents should pay attention to what’s in the trunks of their cars in the way of emergency supplies.

“You want to make sure you have a change of clothes, things you can be comfortable in. An extra pair of socks is good. Water is really key,” said Weisenberg, who oversees the department’s Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, a disaster preparedness program.

When the next major earthquake, landslide or other disaster hits, the family car could end up doubling as a temporary shelter, so keeping a well-supplied emergency kit in the trunk makes sense, especially for residents living in slide-prone areas, officials say.

“I just bought my son a firstaid kit for Christmas to keep in the trunk of his car,” Ventura County Fire Department spokesperson Capt. Mike Lindbery said.

The American Automobile Association and the American Red Cross sell car emergency kits of various sizes for $20 and up that can be purchased online.

Weisneberg’s wife was driving home to Ojai when the La Conchita slide hit and shut down the 101 Freeway. Along with thousands of other motorists, she was stranded in the traffic tie-up that followed, he said.

“She ended up being stuck in her car on the highway for over nine hours,” Weisenberg said.

“You do not want to get caught without tires, brakes and windshield wipers in good condition,” said Dave Skaien, auto repair program manager for the Automobile Club of Southern California.

Over 8,600 people were killed or injured on roads and freeways during the last rainy winter in Southern California in 2011, the California Highway Patrol said.

Water, batteries, protein bars and a radio are good to have in the car when a disaster hits home, officials said.

“You want to keep some flares in the trunk to warn other motorists, and a flashlight,” Weisenberg said.

A battery-operated or handcranked radio is also an essential emergency tool, he said. He recommends investing in a weather radio that can receive updates from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Available for under $30, weather radios can tune into NOOA’s nationwide network broadcasting continuous weather updates and emergency information.

Other trunk-kit essentials include a survival blanket or sleeping bag, chemical hand warmers, cloth or paper towels, toilet paper, rain boots and rain gear.

For general winter preparedness, AAA also recommends having jumper cables in the car; a cellphone with extra batteries; rolls of quarters, dimes and nickels; winter-formula windowwasher solvent; an ice-scraper; tire chains; and extra car fuses.

Some experts recommend keeping nonclumping kitty litter in the car when driving in the snow. The litter can be sprinkled under a car’s tires to gain traction if the vehicle gets stuck. It can also be sprinkled on icy sidewalks to reducing slipping, according to a disaster preparation guide that can be found at the Ready Nutrition website.

Drivers in lower elevations should be careful of street flooding this winter, officials said.

“Never try to drive through flowing water,” Weisenberg said. “Stay aware of your surroundings, and make sure you have alternate means of getting in and out of your neighborhood.”



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