The INDEPENDENT, December 21, 2011
Give the gift of peace of mind
Every year millions of Amer-
ican lives are disrupted by nat-
ural disasters ranging from
earthquakes
and
severe
storms to floods and wildfire.
But all disasters, large or small,
share a common theme, focus-
ing attention on the importance
of disaster preparedness and
the critical need to take action
before disaster strikes. The
trick is to convert good inten-
tions into good deeds, and ac-
cording to FEMA Regional Ad-
ministrator Ken Murphy, there’s
no time like the holidays.
“Disaster-ready gifts can
save lives, and are a wonderful
way of welcoming in 2012,”
said Murphy. “Helping to better
prepare neighbors, friends and
families for emergencies is a
great way to say ‘I care.’”
Emergency and prepared-
ness items that might make
great gifts this Holiday Season
include:
• NOAA Weather Radios
and extra batteries.
• Enrollment in a CPR or
first-aid class.
• GPS units for vehicles.
• Smoke detectors.
• Emergency cell phones.
• Appropriate fire extinguish-
ers (kitchen, garage, car).
• Disaster kits for homes, of-
fices and vehicles (first aid kits,
food, water and prescription
medications for 72 hours, extra
eyeglasses or contact lenses,
extra clothing, blankets, flash-
lights and spare batteries,
heavy-duty work gloves and
sturdy shoes).
• Foldable ladders for sec-
ond-story escape in a fire.
• Car kits (emergency flares,
shovels, ice scrapers, flash-
lights and fluorescent distress
flags).
• Pet Disaster Kits (food, wa-
ter, leashes, dishes and carry-
ing case or crate).
• A camp stove with extra
fuel.
• The gift of a gardener to
cut back combustible vegeta-
tion from wildfire-vulnerable
homes.
• National Flood Insurance.
A wealth of information and
preparedness tips is available
from the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security’s website
at http://www.ready.gov and
from FEMA at: www.fema.gov.
Oregon Zoo has many ideas
for last minute gifts
If you’re hoping to track
down some truly wild and in-
spiring holiday gifts, look no
further than the Oregon Zoo.
The zoo offers many unique
and eco-friendly gifts, and pur-
chases help raise funds for the
zoo’s animal care, conserva-
tion and education programs.
Are your loved ones hard to
shop for? Make gift-giving easy
and “adopt” an animal in their
honor through the ZooParents
sponsorship program. With the
zoo’s special $75 black rhinoc-
eros sponsorship, the “parent”
receives a plush toy, a person-
alized certificate, a color photo
of a black rhino, and more.
ZooParent packages begin
at $25 and are available online
at http://bit.ly/ZooParents. Doz-
ens of species are available for
sponsorships, and all ZooPar-
ent packages support the zoo’s
Future For Wildlife program
and the many conservation
projects it finances.
Oregon Zoo memberships
are always an appreciated gift.
Memberships include unlimited
zoo admission for a full year;
admission benefits at more
than 150 zoos nationwide; invi-
tations to member-only events;
a one-year subscription to
ZooTracks member magazine;
and discounts on zoo train
rides, camps, classes and Zoo
Store purchases. Memberships
begin at $49. For more infor-
mation and to purchase, go to
http://bit.ly/OZmembership.
Zoo gift certificates are
available at all entrance kiosks
in $5 increments up to $100.
Certificates can be used to-
ward admission, for food and
retail purchases, or for camps
and classes. Regular admis-
sion tickets are valid for one
year from date of purchase and
make great stocking stuffers.
And, of course, the Zoo
Store is bursting with unique
animal-themed gifts, from intri-
cate handmade ornaments to
cuddly plush toys. Offerings in-
clude a wide variety of eco-
friendly and fair-trade products.
Shoppers can visit the store
without paying zoo admission
or shop online at www.ore
gonzooshop.com.
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