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Preparation is

your best chance

at survival if

there’s a crisis,

and your salon

is no exception.

Be ready for an

emergency by

assembling a

survival kit.

Are You Prepared?

B y J i l l C l a r k

You never know when an emergency is going

to strike; preparing a survival kit for your salon

keeps you from being caught off guard when

tornados form, flood waters rise or any other unimagi-

nable disaster roars around the bend. An emergency

survival kit ensures that your staff and clients will be

safe when the worst happens.

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A Simple Startfter a disaster, you may need to survive on your own for a while. Basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sew-age treatment and telephones may be cut off for days, a week or even longer. According to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), this means you should have enough food, water and other supplies for at least three days. After a catastrophe, local officials and relief workers will be on the scene, but they won’t be able to reach everyone immediately. Help could be a few hours or even a few days away. A fully stocked emergency kit for your salon can be a lifesaver and prevent further danger.

First, determine how many people to provide emer-gency supplies for. You will most likely not be alone; you’ll

have clients in the salon. Therefore, you will need extra supplies on hand for 5, 50 or 100 people, depending on the capac-ity of your salon or spa. It’s also important to have access to important personal information about your employees, including their home telephone numbers, the names and telephone numbers of their next of kin and pertinent medical information. Keep a list of local emergency phone numbers on hand, including the police, fire, health department, local hospitals, etc. so you can reach the appropriate people quickly.

After determining those basics, next decide what items to include in your emergency survival kit. Remember to make it portable and light enough to carry. A five-gallon bucket with a lid is a good choice for storing all the emergency items because it’s sturdy and portable. Use this guide as a checklist when getting prepared.

Flashlight with extra batteries Use a flashlight to find your way if the power goes out. Do not use candles or any other open flame for emer-gency lighting.

Battery powered, hand crank or NOAA weather radio News about the emer-gency may change rapidly as events unfold. Keep informed through radio reports; they will give information about the areas most affected.

Cell phone with standard or solar charger, or inverter Make sure you have a way to keep your phone charged. But remember, you may or may not have cell service.

Stock Up on Sustenance

Food The American Red Cross sug-gests having a three-day supply per person of nonperishable, easy-to-pre-pare foods. Select food that requires no refrigeration nor cooking, and little or no water to prepare. The organiza-tion recommends ready-to-eat canned meals, meats, fruits, vegetables, canned juices, peanut butter, nuts and high-energy foods (like granola bars and energy bars). If space is an issue, you can stock 2,400-plus calorie emergency food bars. Don’t forget paper plates and cups, plastic utensils and a manual can opener!

Water Store at least a three-day supply of water, which is one gallon of water per person per day, in plastic containers or purchase commercially bottled water, which FEMA recommends. FEMA guidelines also suggest keeping bottled water in original containers, not opening it until you need to use it and observing the expiration date. Avoid using containers that will decompose or break, such as milk cartons or glass bottles.

Batteries Required

Handy is Dandy

Unless you’re a salon owner who does handy

work on the side, you will likely need to stock these tools as well.

Heavy-duty work gloves

Utility knife or multi-use tool

Water shut-off tool

Duct tape

Pry bar

Fire ladder

Whistle

Waterproof matches

Glow sticks

Blankets

Ponchos

Mylar blanket

Fire starting kit

Pocket hand warmers

Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities

Moist towelettes or baby wipes

Dust mask Anything that fits snugly over your nose and mouth, including any dense-weave cotton material, can help filter contaminated air in an emergency. FEMA reports that some emergencies send tiny microscopic “junk” into the air. For example, an explosion releases fine debris that causes lung damage, and flooding creates airborne mold that can make you sick. A biological terrorist attack may release germs that cause illnesses if inhaled or absorbed through open cuts. Therefore, it’s very important that most of the air you breathe filters through a mask or cloth. The best ones to include in your kit are N95, but surgical masks are useful as well.

Heavyweight plastic garbage bags or plastic sheeting There are circumstances when staying put and creating a barrier between you and potentially contaminated air outside is necessary. According to FEMA, this process known as “shelter-in-place” is a matter of survival. You can use these items to tape up windows, doors and air vents if you need to seal off a room from outside contamination. Consider precutting and labeling these materials. Anything you can do before disaster strikes will save valuable time when it counts most.

For Convenience’s SakeHousehold chlorine bleach and a medicine dropper Bleach is a convenient disinfectant when diluted properly (nine parts water to one part bleach). In an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or cleanser-added bleaches. You can also purchase pre-made water purification tablets.

Garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation We certainly don’t want to think about this particular situation, but you may not have a toilet handy when you need it the most so these items are essential. These garbage bags can be inserted into the five-gallon bucket used to store your items and a specially made toilet seat can snap on and be used as a portable toilet. The plastic ties are used to seal the bag tight. Toilet paper is an excellent addition to this element of your survival kit.

Local maps In an emergency situation, you may need to find alter-native routes to get to where you need to go.

Keep the Outside, Outside

One Man BandIf you aren’t the owner of your salon or your salon doesn’t have the means or space for an emergency

kit, then prepare your own in a backpack and store it in your car. The same general items are recom-mended, but you’ll be tailoring it to your own personal needs. Include personal hygiene items, such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, comb or brush, soap, contact lens supplies and feminine supplies. You should also add a three-day supply of any medication you take regularly and at least one complete change of clothing, including a long sleeved shirt and long pants, plus closed-toed shoes or boots. If you wear glasses, keep an extra pair with your supplies. One last item that is essential for every emergency survival kit—nail glue. We know that it fixes just about everything!