This Just In . . . Be Prepared

Vanity Post

While my wife and I have eight grandchildren, and we love each and every one, today we are celebrating a cover girl. Our youngest, only one year old, was selected and appears on this cover. We are very proud and I could not help but share the event.

 

This just in:

War in the Mid-East, Russia and U. S. at odds, China disregarding everyone else, our culture is going to hell, income is down, prices are going up, and young people can’t stop staring at their smart phones.

Some things never seem to change.

While it’s not my nature to be pessimistic, given all of the above same old news, and other recent events including terrorist threats and natural disasters, it’s sometimes difficult to be positive.

It was only last month when our phone rang at 3:30 a.m. and our youngest son was shouting into the phone, “Are you alright?” He and his family had just evacuated their shaking home in the midst of a terrible earthquake. A house nearby had caught fire and a man was yelling “help me” in the dark. Our son still cannot get into the building where his business is located and his young kids are still having nightmares. It was truly a frightening disaster.

So, what should we learn from all this? Well, as one of my favorite authors M. Scott Peck began his classic The Road Less Traveled, “Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths.”

We cannot predict disasters, we only know they can and will occur. The best we can do is to be as prepared as possible. After doing a review of several emergency preparedness materials and web sites, I decided to share the following information gleaned from a power company. I also looked at a number of government sites designed to give emergency instructions, the ones our tax dollars sponsor, and found most of them very confusing and complicated. That is, except the one that stated “This page not available.” It figures.

I hope this will be informative. Perhaps you can print it out and begin your plan or update an existing plan as needed.

I would add one thing to the items below. My son told me the man whose house caught fire and was yelling for help wanted someone to turn off the gas valve. It was difficult finding the right tool in the dark. I suggest tieing the appropriate wrench to the valve itself making it very easy to find, light or no light.

Emergency Preparedness

Get ready for natural disasters before they happen

• Prepare an emergency plan and conduct an emergency drill with your family.
• Prepare an emergency evacuation plan for your home. Each room should have at least 2 ways to escape in case one is blocked. Establish a place where your family can reunite after an emergency.
• If you live in an apartment, know the locations of emergency exits, fire alarms, and fire extinguishers.
• Make sure children, house guests and childcare providers know your safety
  By planning and practicing what to do, you can condition yourself and your family to react correctly when an emergency occurs.
• Establish an alternative way to contact others that may not be home, such as an out-of-the-area telephone contact. During some emergencies such as an earthquake, completing local telephone calls may be difficult, it may be easier to telephone someone out of the area.
• Prepare and maintain anemergency preparedness kit with enough supplies on hand to be self-sufficient for at least 3 days, and preferably up to one week.
• Know when and how to turn offelectricity, water and gas at the main switch and valves.
• Evaluate your homefor safety; including ensuring your home can withstand a serious earthquake or other emergency.
• Always store flammable material safely away from ignition sources like water heaters, furnaces and stoves.
• Be sure smoke alarms are installed throughout your home. If the smoke alarm runs on batteries, or has battery back-up power, replace batteries at least once per year. If the low battery warning beeps, replace the battery immediately. All smoke alarms in your house should be tested every month using the alarm test button.
• Keep fire extinguishers in your home, and know how to use them before they are needed. You should keep a fire extinguisher in high-risk areas such as the kitchen and workshop.

Know what to do after an emergency

• Ensure that everyone is safe.
• Inspect your building for damage. Do not use electrical switches, appliances or telephones if you suspect a gas leak since sparks may ignite gas.
• If you smell gas, hear gas escaping, see a broken gas line, or if you suspect a gas leak, evacuate the building. Find a phone away from the building and call PG&E or 9-1-1 immediately. If it is safe to do so,turn off the gas service shutoff valve normally located near the gas meter. Do not shut off the gas service shutoff valve unless you find the presence of any one of these conditions because there may be a considerable delay before PG&E can turn your service back on.
• If leaking gas starts to burn, do not try to put the flame out. Call 9-1-1 and PG&E immediately. If it is safe to do so,turn off the gas service shutoff valve normally located near the gas meter.
• Once the gas is shut off at the meter, do not try to turn it back on yourself. Only PG&E or another qualified professional should turn the gas back on.
• Check for downed or damaged electric utility lines. Never touch wires lying on the ground, wires hanging on poles, or objects that may be touching them. Downed wires may still be carrying current and could shock, injure or even kill if touched.
• Check for damaged household electrical wiring andturn off the power at the main electric switch if you suspect any damage. If the power goes out, turn off all electric appliances, and unplug major electric appliances to prevent possible damage when the power is turned back on.

Emergency Preparedness Kit

Prepare and maintain an emergency kit with enough supplies to be self-sufficient for at least three days and preferably up to one week.

The kit should include:

• Flashlights with extra batteries
• Battery-powered radio with extra batteries
• One-week supply of water
• One-week supply of non-perishable food and a manual can opener
• Alternative cooking source
• A first aid kit and handbook
• A-B-C multipurpose fire extinguisher
• Extra medication for those who need prescription drugs
• Adjustable pipe or crescent wrench to turn off the gas and water supply
• Chlorine bleach and instructions for purifying water
• Blankets, warm clothes, sturdy shoes and heavy gloves
• Candles and matches. If you must use candles, use extreme caution due to the risk of fire. Keep candles away from small children and do not leave candles unattended.

 

Trisha Update

Once again, I want to thank those of you who have been supportive of my wife Trisha since her surgery. Let me just say she is doing great and already planning our next travel adventure. I’m very proud of her and she has managed her rehab as she managed her business tasks in the past. Thanks again.

Trisha and John Parker

 

 www.TheBestofOurLives.com

 

Person of Interest

Over the last month, my wife Trisha and I have traveled extensively making a point of reconnecting with family and old friends. One of those old friends I’ve known since I was about 10 years old. His name is Danny Telford.

In every school class, there always seems to be one person who everyone likes and respects. In my class, it was Danny. Fact is, it’s still Danny. He’s the guy that heads up all the reunions and other class activities. If someone needs something, they call on Danny. If a classmate happens to be in town and needs a place to stay, they can always stay at Danny’s. Fortunately, he married a wonderful woman named Susan who is equally well liked and respected.

Danny is an example of someone who has reached retirement age, but decided to keep working. As young boys growing up in the Los Angeles area, we were all Dodger fans. Several years ago, Danny landed a job working at Dodger Stadium. He puts in long hours, works every game and event, and is completely dedicated. I don’t think there is anyone who works at the stadium who doesn’t know Danny. He is truly one of the good guys and I’m proud to have him as a friend. (By the way, if you get the baseball package on cable or satellite, you can see Danny on TV durinig every Dodger game. One of his many duties is setting up the microphones for the singers who perform the National Anthem and later God Bless America.)

 

Simplify

I know I’ve written about this topic before, but this week has made it more real for me. My wife and I have been spending time every day at our storage space. Yes, our storage space. I even hate saying the term. Hundreds of dollars a year to store a few dollars worth of goods we will probably never look at or use.

We started out by clearing my late parents storage space. I have to give them credit because they had done a wonderful job of downsizing and organizing. We just needed to go through and decide what to do with the remaining goods. We gave away most of it. We’re not big on garage sales and would rather see it go to people who have a need rather than trying to bargain someone for a few dollars.

Even though my folks did a good job, it’s still a pain in the rear going through stuff. When we were finished with their space, we decided to make it as simple as possible for our kids. That’s why we’ve been working so hard at our storage space. We are almost finished and it feels great. All I can say is, at this point in our lives it’s time to simplify, get rid of the stuff you don’t need, and get organized. You will have peace of mind and your family will be forever grateful.

I should add, our kids still don’t believe that hookah in our storage was a gift from a friend in Turkey. It really was.

 

Retirement Jobs and Second Careers for Seniors

http://www.TheBestofOurLives.com

The National Council on Aging reports that one out of three retired persons sixty-five or over has a retirement job. Many of these seniors are working because they find fulfillment in their jobs and don’t want to disrupt the life they currently enjoy. Still others, particularly in these difficult financial times, continue to work due to financial necessity. Whatever the reason, here are some guidelines seniors should consider if they decide to continue working:

1. Carefully evaluate your personal financial situation and determine if a desired job is financially feasible.  You need to know exactly how much you will make, how much you require, and any possible transition costs such as moving, housing, cost of living, insurance, etc.

2. Assess your personallity, interests, skills, and likes and dislikes to determine if you and your new job will be a good fit. It’s one thing to want a job, but quite a different thing to actually be a good fit for it. Both careerpath.com and Monster.com offer assessment tests online in their career advice section.

3. Do research on the company. Not all companies treat their employees in the same manner. Find one that treats their employees properly.

4. Network to make valuable contacts.  At this point in your life, you probably have more contacts than you realize. Once you have a comprehensive list put together, get out there and make those contacts.

5. Obtain the necessary skill upgrades or education for your new job. If you are convinced you have found the right job, then you may need to get additional training.

If you decide to start your own business as a second career, here are some excellent consideratons from Brad Sugars, author of fourteen books on business, including The Business Coach:

1. Find the market gap in the business you know. Find a need that isn’t being served by the business you came from and start a business that will fill it.

2. Turn your hobby or passion into a busines. This is a great idea. Like to fish, become a fishing guide. Known for your great desserts, start furnishing them to local restaurants. Love your favorite sports team, get a job at the stadium.

3. Use your connectons. Being a senior, you should know numerous people who can help you get started. Don’t be afraid to use these connections.

4. Investigate franchising.  The benefits are a low start-up cost and prebuilt systems and support materials.

5. Keep upfront expenses to a minimum. Start small and keep your debt low.

6. Avoid a forty-hour work week to start. While you might initially enjoy your new business, overdoing could burn you out.

The key to any job once you reach retirement age is to enjoy what you are doing. Working into the retiement years has both costs and benefits. If you decide to work, make sure the benefits are worth your time and effort. Money is surely important, but it should not be the only factor. This is your life, not the dress rehearsal. Value your retired life.

News:

We had a great time at our book signing at Barnes & Noble in Antioch, CA., on March 13. Thanks to all of those who came by to buy a book or just to say hello.

Have heard from many people about our television appearance, I’ve provided the link again.

Succesful transition to retired life from authors John and Trisha Parker – 2/2 

Don’t forget to visit Jen Parker photography.

Jen Parker | Family Photography | Child Portraiture | Newborn Photographer | B