55 Gallon Water Barrel

I recently installed a 55 gallon water barrel at my parents house.  I disguised the installation as a "fathers day present", but really, I thought this would come in handy for them in the big earthquake.  Here is an illustrated guide to my installation.

I ordered a new barrel from Baytec Containers in Texas.  It cost $99.99 (free shipping) and the best part was that they will install a faucet fitting at the bottom (see picture above) for an additional $7.  Having a hose bibb at the base facilitates changing the water out, which is supposed to be done every 6 months.

    

I ordered the "sink faucet" from Baytec, but what came was a cheesy plastic hose bibb.  As an upgrade, I bought a brass bibb from the my local hardware store for ~$8 (see picture above).  This will be much more reliable than the plastic jobbie.  Make sure to use plenty of Teflon Tape for a good seal.

I made a base out of redwood, some of it I had on hand, but I had to buy a bit more at the lumber yard.  The top is 2x6 and the frame is 2x4.  A good size for the base is 23"x23". If you need more vertical height to facilitate drainage, it is east you add 4x4 posts at the corners.  At our house, I raised my platform about 20" to help the barrel drain by gravity, since we live on pretty flat lot.

I also picked up water heater straps and a food grade supply hose at the hardware store.  The barrels are pretty strong, but it would be pretty sad for the water barrel to go flying in an earthquake and crack in half.  Sad, or ironic, depending on your point of view.

     

The holes on the top of the barrel are called "bung holes" and you need a special wrench to open them.  I fabricated a bung wrench from some angle iron I had laying around, but you can buy them on Amazon for $13 if you aren't a cheapskate like me.

Here is the water barrel installed at my parents house.  Notice the bung wrench hanging nearby - no way for it to get lost in the shuffle!  The straps are connected to the foundation with wedge anchors.

If you have any questions about this project, please let me know!

-Raza

Family Emergency Map

Make a family emergency map for you family and PRINT IT OUT.  Put copies in your emergency kit.  Don't forget that for most likely, the power will be out for many days if not weeks.  That means no computers, no internet.  I made this custom map with Google Maps in about 30 minutes.


Include:

• Home base
• Neighborhood Incident Command Center
• The closest fire stations (not just ones in your city)
• Work / school locations for family members
• Nearby extended family

Click HERE to see a sample family emergency map.

STEP 6: After the quake, check for injuries and damage.

Once earthquake shaking has stopped, follow your disaster preparedness plans (from Step 2). Most importantly:

Check for injuries

• Check yourself for serious injuries before helping others. Protect your mouth, nose, and eyes from dust.
• If a person is bleeding, put direct pressure on the wound. Use clean gauze or cloth, if available.
• If a person is not breathing, administer rescue breathing.
• If a person has no pulse, begin CPR.
• Do not move seriously injured persons, unless they are in immediate danger of further harm.
• Cover injured persons with blankets or additional clothing to keep them warm.

Check for damage causing hazardous conditions

• Fire—If possible, put out small fires in your home or neighborhood immediately. Call for help, but don’t wait for the fire department.
• Gas leaks—Only turn off the gas if you suspect a leak because of broken pipes or detect the odor or sound of leaking natural gas. Use a manual gas shut off wrench to close your main gas valve by turning it counterclockwise. Don’t turn gas back on by yourself—wait for the gas company or get a plumber!
• Damaged electrical wiring—Shut off power at the main breaker switch if there is any damage to your home wiring. Leave the power off until the damage is repaired!
• Downed utility lines—If you see downed power lines, consider them energized and keep yourself and others well away from them. Never touch downed power lines or any objects in contact with them!
• Falling items—Beware of heavy items tumbling off shelves when you open closet and cupboard doors.
• Spills—Use extreme caution; when in doubt, leave your home! Spilled medicines, drugs, or other relatively non-toxic substance can be cleaned up. Potentially harmful materials, such as bleach, lye, garden chemicals, paint, and gasoline or other flammable liquids should be isolated or covered with an absorbent material, such as dirt or cat litter.
• Damaged masonry—Stay away from brick chimneys and walls. They may be weakened and could topple during aftershocks. Don’t use a fireplace with a damaged chimney, as this could start a fire or trap toxic gases in your home!

If your home is seriously damaged...
If your home is structurally unsafe or threatened by a fire or other secondary disaster, you need to evacuate. However, shelters may be overcrowded and initially lack basic services, so do not leave home just because utilities are out of service or your home and its contents have suffered moderate damage.
If you evacuate, tell a neighbor and your family point-of-contact where you are going. Take the following, if possible, when you evacuate:
Bring to a shelter

• Personal disaster supply kits (see step 3).
• Supply of water, food, and snacks.
• Blanket, pillow, and air mattress or sleeping pad.
• Change of clothing and a jacket.
• Towel and washcloth.
• Diapers, formula, food, and other supplies for infants.
• Personal identification and copies of household and health insurance information.
• Books and games (especially for children).

However, do not bring

• Pets (service animals for people with disabilities are allowed—bring food for them).
• Large quantities of unnecessary clothing or other personal items.
• Valuables that might be lost, stolen, or take up needed space.

Check on your neighbors
If your family and home are in good condition, checking on your neighbors would be the next step. Your elderly or disabled neighbors may need your help. It will be important for citizens to help each other out after a major earthquake, but you should never put yourself in a dangerous situation. If it is too dangerous, get help.

STEP 5: Protect yourself during the earthquake

If you are indoors, when you feel strong earthquake shaking, drop to the floor, take cover under a sturdy desk or table, and hold on to it firmly until the shaking stops.
The previous posts have concentrated on getting you ready for future earthquakes in the Bay Area, but what should you do when the shaking starts?
If you are indoors...

• “DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON.” If you are not near a desk or table, drop to the floor against an interior wall and protect your head and neck with your arms.
• Avoid exterior walls, windows, hanging objects, mirrors, tall furniture, large appliances, and cabinets filled with heavy objects.
• Do not go outside until well after the shaking stops!

In bed
Hold on and stay there, protecting your head with a pillow. You are less likely to be injured staying where you are. Broken glass on the floor can cause injuries; be sure to put shoes on before stepping on the floor (see STEP 2)!

In a high rise building
DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON. Avoid windows and other hazards. Do not use elevators. Do not be surprised if sprinkler systems or fire alarms activate.

At work
DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON. Know your workplace’s earthquake safety plan and put it into action. When safe, move to a specified meeting location.
In a public building or theater
DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON if possible. If in a theater seat, duck down and protect your head and neck with your arms. Don’t try to leave until the shaking is over. Then walk out slowly, watching for fallen debris or anything that could fall on you in aftershocks.

If you are outdoors...
Move to a clear area if you can safely do so; avoid buildings, powerlines, trees, and other hazards. Always assume fallen powerlines are live!

Near tall buildings
Windows, facades, and architectural details are often the first parts of a building to collapse. Get away from this danger zone when shaking starts. Take refuge in a safe building or an open space.

Driving
When able, safely pull over to the side of the road, stop, and set the parking brake. Avoid overpasses, bridges, powerlines, signs, trees, and other things that might collapse or fall on the vehicle. Stay inside the vehicle until the shaking is over. If a powerline falls on the vehicle, stay inside until a trained person removes the hazard.

In a stadium
Stay at your seat and protect your head and neck with your arms. Don’t try to leave until the shaking is over. Then exit slowly, avoiding debris and watching for anything that could fall in aftershocks.

Near the shore
Tsunamis from local earthquakes may flood low-lying coasts within minutes of the quake. Distant, large earthquakes can produce tsunamis that may arrive hours later at California’s beaches. If you feel a strong quake, hear a tsunami warning, or notice the water suddenly withdrawing from the beach, evacuate immediately to higher ground. Tsunami waves may continue to arrive for hours, so do not return to the shore until an “all clear message” has been issued. For more tsunami survival tips go to http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/c1187/.

Below a dam
Dams can fail during a major earthquake. Catastrophic failure is unlikely, but if you are downstream from a dam, you should know flood-zone information and have prepared an evacuation plan. For more information go to the Association of Bay Area Governments Web site at: http://quake.abag.ca.gov/floods/.

HEAD FOR THE DOORWAY?

In the early days of California, many homes were made of adobe bricks with wooden door frames. After a powerful earthquake, door frames were sometimes only parts of these houses still standing. From this came the myth that a doorway is the safest place to be during an earthquake. Today, few people in the Bay Area live in old, unreinforced adobe houses. In modern houses, doorways may be no stronger than any other part of the house and do little to protect you from falling debris. You are safer under a table, so “DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON.”

STEP 4: Identify potential weaknesses and fix them

Is your house, condo, or apartment strong enough to withstand an earthquake? Many people assume that since the U.S. has good building codes, they make us safe. While it is true that good building codes are safer, the best building codes in the world does nothing for buildings built before the code was enacted. Although building codes used in California have some of the strictest seismic provisions in the world, many older buildings have not been “retrofitted” to meet current standards. Retrofitting—fixing problems in older buildings—is the responsibility of a building’s owner.

Earthquake insurance is also an option, but can be prohibitively expensive and I therefore I don't recommend it. In many cases, 2-3 years of earthquake insurance would pay for a full seismic retrofit. If your dwelling gets damaged in an earthquake, it might also take years to get everything rebuilt or repaired - assuming the insurance company pays up. Personally, I would rather rely on engineering than insurance companies. [disclaimer: I am the son of an engineer]

Structural-Safety Quiz for Single-Family Home or Duplex
If you live in a single-family home or duplex, the strength of your home depends on when it was built, its style of construction, and its location. Use the quiz below to see if your home is likely to be so badly damaged in a future quake that people might be injured or that it would be unsafe to occupy.

1. When was your home built?

• Before 1960 = 5 points
• 1961-1978 = 3 points
• After 1978 = 1 point

2. How tall is your home?

• 2 or more stories with living area above a garage = 5 points Split level, on a hillside or gentle slope = 6 points
• 1 story, 3 or more steps up to the front door = 4 points
• 1 story, less than 3 steps up to the front door = 1 point

3. How hard is the ground likely to shake under your home?

• Portions of the Bay Area shown as yellow or green in color on the shaking hazard map = 5 points
• Elsewhere in the Bay Area (shown as orange and red) = 7 points

TOTAL POINTS =_____

If your home scores 13 or more points on the quiz, you probably should have an engineer, architect, or contractor evaluate it unless it has been strengthened in the past few years.
They will check to see if it is strong enough to keep you and your family reasonably safe in a quake. The latest recommendations of structural engineers, contractors, and city building officials who are experts on retrofitting are available on the ABAG web site at: http://quake.abag.ca.gov/residents/steps/

The “soft” first story of this apartment building collapsed in the 1994 magnitude 6.7 Northridge earthquake, crushing cars below and severely damaging the floors above (FEMA photo).

If you live in a condominium or apartment...
Many condominiums and apartments have parking on the ground floor. These weak or “soft” first stories may lean or collapse in an earthquake.
Some multi-story buildings in the Bay Area can have problems because they were constructed before 1972 of concrete or brick that is inadequately reinforced. Many cities have requirements that these buildings be seismically retrofitted. You are less likely to be killed in a retrofitted building, but you may not be able to reoccupy it after a quake.

As a renter, ask your landlord these questions:

• What measures have been taken to ensure the seismic safety of this building?
• Have water heaters been strapped to the wall studs?
• Can I secure bookshelves and furniture to the walls?

Go to http://quake.abag.ca.gov/residents/homequiz/mf/ to take a quiz to see if your apartment building or condominium may need retrofitting. This Web site also has links to information that can help your landlord find appropriate ways to improve the strength of your building.

This chimney broke and nearly fell in the 1969 magnitude 5.6 Santa Rosa earthquake (photo courtesy NISEE).

Brick chimneys can collapse if shaken...
Stay away from chimneys and fireplaces during shaking! Collapsing chimneys cause many injuries in earthquakes—60,000 chimneys fell in the 1994 magnitude 6.7 Northridge earthquake.
You can reduce the chance of bricks falling through the ceiling in a quake by putting sheets of plywood above ceiling framing. However, “retrofitting” masonry chimneys with bracing or strapping is not an effective safety measure, because they may still fall as a unit when exposed to strong shaking. The best plan is to get rid of that dangerous old brick chimney and replace it with a modern metal flue. If you are concerned about how it looks from the street, you can put a wooden chase around the new metal flue to keep the architectural style the same.

-Paul

STEP 3: Create disaster kits

OK, here is the fun part because as Americans - we love to shop! Let’s put that credit card towards something that could really save our bacon some day. There are 3 types of disaster kits: 1 main household kit, 1 or more personal kits for places like your car or work, and 1 community kit (for your neighborhood) for larger items like generators, chainsaws and other tools.

Household Disaster Kit
Electrical, water, transportation, and other vital systems can be disrupted for several days after a large earthquake. Emergency response agencies and hospitals will likely be overwhelmed and unable to provide you with immediate assistance. To help your family cope after a strong earthquake, store a household disaster kit in an easily accessible location, preferably outdoors (not in your garage).
This kit, which complements your personal disaster kits, should be in a large watertight container that can be easily moved and should hold a 14-day supply of the following items. (Most agencies recommend a 1 week supply but I doubled it - just think of all the unprepared friends that will be coming over!)

Food & Water

• Drinking water: minimum one gallon per person (or pet) per day. This water should be changed every 6 months. Check out our 50 gallon barrel.

• Water purification: either iodine or water purifier.
• Canned and packaged foods to last everyone - including your pet - 14 days (don’t forget cooking utensils, including a manual can opener).
• Avoid food like rice, pasta and dry beans that require a great deal of water to prepare.
• Foods for infants, elderly, or persons with special dietary needs.
• Camping stove (and fuel) for heating food and water.
• Heavy duty aluminum foil

NOTE: Replace perishable items like, food, medications, and batteries on a yearly basis. Water should be replaced every 6 months.

First Aid

• First aid kit including latex gloves
• Essential medications
• A first aid book
• Sunscreen

Tools & Supplies

• A flashlight for every family member (and spare batteries).
• Candles and matches or possibly a propane lantern.
• A hand-cranked emergency radio
• Axe, shovel and broom
• Plastic sheeting and a staple gun for window replacement
• Extra pairs of house and car keys
• Garden hose for siphoning and firefighting
• Knifes or razor blades
• A city map (to get around without the internet!)
• Baby supplies like formula, diapers, etc (if applicable)

Sanitation

• Heavy-duty “contractor type” plastic bags for waste and to serve other uses, such as tarps and rain ponchos.
• Plastic bucket with tight lid
• Poop bags for pets
• Hygiene items, such as toilet paper, toothpaste, soap, and bleach.
• Baby wipes for water-free cleanup
• Medicine dropper to sanitize water with bleach.

Clothing & Bedding

• Items to protect you from the elements, such as warm clothing, sturdy shoes, extra socks, blankets, sleeping bags, and perhaps even a tent.
• Rain gear (becuase Murhpy’s Law says it will rain).
• Work gloves, safety glasses and dust masks.

Documents, Etc

• Cash money, because to power = no credit cards and closed banks.
• Copies of vital documents, such as insurance policies and personal identification.
• Inventory of valuable household goods for insurance purposes.
• Printed phone number list for when your cell phone battery dies.

Personal Disaster Kits
Everyone in your family should have their own personal disaster kits. These kits are collections of supplies they may need when a quake strikes, no matter where they are in the Bay Area.
Personalize these kits and keep them where they can easily be reached when away from home — in the car, at work or school. A backpack or other small bag is best for these kits so that they can be easily carried in an evacuation. Include the following items:

• Medications, a list of prescriptions, copies of medical insurance cards, doctors’ names and contact information.
• Medical consent forms for dependents.
• Small first aid kit and handbook.
• Spare eyeglasses and personal hygiene supplies
• Bottled water
• Whistle (to alert rescuers to your location)
• Emergency cash
• Personal identification
• List of emergency contact phone numbers
• Snack foods high in calories
• Emergency lighting—light sticks and (or) a working flashlight with extra batteries and light bulbs

Community Disaster Kits

If a few people in your community have the more expensive items, they can greatly help with the ability of your community to survive the aftermath of the earthquake. Please consult your neighbors or local community preparedness group to see if any of these items are available:

• 2-way radios for local communication / search and rescue
• A camping toilet (a nice upgrade from a bucket)
• A gas powered generator

• A chainsaw for clearing debris and rescue