8A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL FEBRUARY 8, 2017
Are you ready?
D ISASTER P REPAREDNESS
Disaster relief:
Guidelines for giving
Disasters are defi ned as ac-
cidents or natural catastrophes
that cause widespread damage
or great loss of life. Disasters
are often unpredictable and
can occur anywhere around the
world. When disasters happen,
survivors are often in need of
assistance.
Disaster relief support is char-
itable giving at its fi nest. But
helping after a disaster requires
both forethought and strategy so
donors can rest easy knowing
their donations are going to the
right place.
Work with reputable organi-
zations
If your fi rst inclination is to
provide fi nancial support, do
so by working with a reputable
charitable organization that has
a proven track record with di-
saster relief. Charities like Ox-
fam, the Red Cross and Direct
Relief International organize
relief efforts and are fi rst on
the scene when disaster strikes.
These groups may be more
trustworthy than groups without
a track record of success regard-
ing disaster relief. According
to the Center for International
Disaster Information, fi nancial
contributions allow professional
relief organizations to purchase
what is most needed by disas-
ter survivors, when it is need-
ed. Also, cash donations allow
relief supplies to be purchased
near the disaster site, avoiding
delays and steep transportation
and logistical costs that can
quickly eat up relief fund bud-
gets.
Confi rm the need before
sending materials
Many people feel a desire to
send material donations in ad-
dition to cash. Sometimes there
are opportunities to do so, but do
your homework before sending
supplies, as some organizations
ask that supplies not be sent.
If there is no need, unsolic-
ited materials can cause supply
delays, take up storage space
and/or require additional funds
to remove unnecessary items.
Furthermore, the cost to ship
material supplies (that may not
be useful) can be expensive. Di-
saster relief organizations typi-
cally can secure the necessary
supplies, which is why many
organizations request only fi -
nancial donations.
Get clearance before visiting
disaster zones
Images of disaster zones can
incite strong feelings that com-
pel people to travel and help out
in person. While that’s a noble
gesture, receive clearance be-
fore purchasing a plane ticket.
The website HelpInDisaster.org
can help people with specialized
skills learn if there is a need for
skilled workers or experts in a
particular disaster zone. This
ensures efforts can be sustained
for as long as is necessary, and
there will be no duplication of
efforts. Working individually
also may not be cost-effective,
and you may compound the
problem by causing more drain
on an already jeopardized infra-
structure.
Wait until media coverage has
subsided
Many people rush to give in
the fi rst days following a disas-
ter, only to have efforts trickle
away as time passes and the
limelight has stopped. Instead,
wait out volunteering oppor-
tunities. You may fi nd you are
more effective afterward as re-
building efforts begin anew.
Helping out after a disaster
can be a fulfi lling venture if
timed correctly and done in the
correct manner.
5 benefi ts of building an eco-friendly home
Environmentally
friendly
practices are trending every-
where — from our food to our
clothing to our homes. Im-
proved practices in the con-
struction industry today refl ect
the greening of building codes
across America, and can be seen
in advancements in window
daylighting, insulation, air infi l-
tration, and new wall-building
materials.
But if you want to reap all of
the benefi ts of an eco-friendly
home, choose methods and ma-
terials that are even more ener-
gy effi cient than the minimum
required by building codes. If
you want to reduce your ener-
gy consumption, conserve more
and increase your property val-
ue, be sure to choose a builder
who has a demonstrable record
in eco-responsibility.
“A huge step forward is to re-
place the traditional wood fram-
ing of your house with what we
call ICFs — insulated concrete
forms,” recommends Keven
Rector at Nudura, a leading
name in this technology.
More than a win for the en-
vironment, an eco-conscious
home also offers the following
surprising benefi ts to you and
your family:
1. Maximum energy effi cien-
cy. With growing energy costs,
building an insulated concrete
form house is more energy ef-
fi cient and can save you signif-
icant amounts of money on a
yearly basis. Walls that reduce
outdoor air infi ltration greatly
optimize energy performance.
2. Safety from natural di-
sasters. “Our advanced design
combines two panels of thick
(EPS) foam with the structur-
al strength and thermal mass
of concrete,” Rector explains.
“The resulting envelope imme-
diately gives your house hurri-
cane wind-resistance up to 250
miles per hour.” A home built
with this concrete system is
also fi re resistant for up to four
hours.
3. Less outside noise. If you
have noisy neighbors or live
near trains or high-traffi c areas,
this one’s for you — ICF con-
struction acts as an effective
sound barrier, dampening sound
vibrations and fi ltering out un-
wanted noise.
4. A more comfortable space.
Outside cold can easily travel
through a typical wood-framed
wall, causing thermal bridging
and creating uncomfortable
cold spots inside your home. If
you build the envelope of your
house with concrete instead of
wood, you can say goodbye
to cold spots, drafts and even
mold.
5. A faster building time. All
new homeowners can’t wait
to get into their new house,
but construction delays often
postpone move-in dates. But
ICF construction takes up less
shipping space and require less
manpower at the site, and the
assembly is faster than wood
framing. Time-strapped build-
ers and eager homeowners ben-
efi t equally from this effi ciency,
taking you to that new-house
smell that much sooner.
If you want your builder to
use ICFs, be sure to discuss it
early in the plans. Find more in-
formation online at nudura.com.
Organization leading responder in disaster areas
Mother Nature can be fi ckle
and hard to predict. This is evi-
denced by the number of natural
disasters that have taken place
in the last several years.
People need only recall the
tornado outbreak of April 2011,
Superstorm Sandy of October
2012 or the Colorado Wildfi res
of June 2012 to see what a ter-
rible toll natural disasters can
take on an area. The American
Red Cross is routinely one of
the fi rst organizations to arrive
to help the injured, homeless
and emotionally scarred in a
time of devastation.
Each year the American
Red Cross responds to roughly
70,000 natural and man-made
disasters across the United
States. These include, but are
not limited to, transportation
accidents, explosions, earth-
quakes, fl oods, and hazardous
material spills.
The assistance the Red Cross
provides is varied. The orga-
nization may provide blood
products to disaster victims,
and volunteers may help indi-
viduals get in touch with insur-
ance representatives or other
aid workers to gain access to
available resources. Not only
does it provide materials such
as food, clothing and toiletries
to the people directly affected
by a disaster, but the Red Cross
also will feed emergency work-
ers who are at disaster sites
around the clock. Because of its
strong commitment to the Unit-
ed States military, the Red Cross
will also provide communica-
tion conduits to connect family
members facing an emergency
or disaster with their relatives
in the military. Its also helps
support wounded warriors and
military hospitals.
According to their mission
statement, the American Red
cross prevents and alleviates
human suffering in the face of
emergencies by mobilizing the
power of volunteers and the
generosity of donors. The orga-
nization was founded in 1881
by nurse Clara Barton and a few
of her friends. Barton had heard
of the global Red Cross network
in Europe while traveling, and
after returning home, she cam-
paigned for an American ver-
sion.
Barton remained at the helm
of the Red Cross for 23 years,
providing aid to both Ameri-
cans as well as those affected
by disasters overseas. Through
the years the American Red
Cross has been instrumental
in helping with fi rst aid, water
safety and public health nurs-
ing programs. In the late 1920s
and early 1930s, the organiza-
tion also assisted victims of the
Mississippi River fl ooding and
those impacted by the Great
Depression. After World War
II, the American Red Cross in-
troduced the fi rst nationwide
civilian blood program that now
supplies more than 40 percent
of the blood and blood products
in this country.
In addition to working alone,
the Red Cross teams up with
FEMA and other aid organiza-
tions to go where assistance is
needed.
Individuals interested in tak-
ing life-saving classes can also
utilize the Red Cross for in-
struction. Each year more than
9 million people gain the skills
they need to prepare for and re-
spond to emergencies through
American Red Cross training.
The efforts of the Red Cross
are funded by donations and the
volunteer work of an army of
dedicated people. Learn more
about the American Red Cross
and how to donate by visiting
www.redcross.org.
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CHIMNEY
TOPS &
SWEEPS!
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LANDSCAPE AND
BUILDING MATERIALS
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79149 N. River Road
541-942-4664
Make sure all the pieces are in place to render you and your family prepared in the event of a natural disaster.
• Listen to radio or television newscasts for the latest weather information, and follow all evacuation directions and suggestions.
• Keep a stock of non-perishable food items as well as bottled water on hand inside your home.
• Keep a 72 Hour Kit on hand inside your home that is easy to get to in the event of a disaster.
For more information and tips on disaster response and preparedness, contact your local emergency services center.
South Lane Fire & Rescue • 233 Harrison Ave, Cottage Grove 541-942-4493 • 55 South 1st Street, Creswell 541-895-2506
Twitter: @southlanefi re
Facebook: southlanecountyfi reandrescue