Milpitas earthquake 4.1 wake-up call: did you hear it?

Did you feel it? That gentle nudge (4.1 on the Richter scale) today? It was a cosmic snooze button going off (yet again) to remind you to get up and throw together that earthquake kit for yourself and those you love. So did you hit the Sleep button and roll back over into deep, unconscious denial? Or are you feeling Tasered out of your slumber and ready to spring into action? Or, like most of us, are you kind of staggering around, not sure where to start now that you’re up and interested (is that your underwear on the floor)?

To help you get going, here are some crucial tips to keep in mind if you’re waking up to the issue: 1) Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good – if you’re overwhelmed at the idea of making a Martha Stewartesque uber-version of an earthquake kit, squelch that thought. Some is better than none. Good enough is WAY better than nothing. 2) If you’ve got the money, heck, buy a basic one! Sometimes, putting a little money into your safety is like priming a pump – your denial starts to unblock, you get into the flow and before you know it your off-the-shelf kit is a great one for you and yours.

And here are some excellent resources on what, exactly, you might want to put together:

1) A Doc Gurley article on advanced health tips for putting together your emergency kits

2) Excellent information (with videos!) on practicing what we all should do when the earth moves

3) Lists of items for your kits – at that wonderful resource of a site, 72hours.org

What do you think? Got some tips to share? Post them in the comments section – and keep up on the latest health issues in the news, and healthcare reform insanity/hilarity by signing up for a Doc Gurley RSS feed with the tiny orange button at the top. Look for future weekly Dodging Death articles here at Doc Gurley – discover the weird, the wacky and the everyday symptoms you want to know about, as well as practical expert tips on staying well. And do you want to be on the inside, fast track of news and tips? Get on the Twitter bandwagon and follow Doc Gurley! Also check out Doc Gurley’s joyhabit and iwellth twitter feeds – so you can get topic-specific fun, effective, affordable tips on how to nurture your joy and grow your wellth this coming year.

Got a thingie on your doohickey? Or are you pondering how to tell your doctor he’s a jerk? Send your burning healthcare questions to Doc Gurley by emailing docgurleyatgmaildotcom. Doc Gurley cannot answer every question, and she cannot practice medicine through a keyboard (not even with her stethoscope pressed firmly against the monitor) but be assured – your questions will be kept strictly confidential and identifying traits are changed.