Whether they’re earthquakes on the West Coast or hurricanes on the East Coast, disasters are getting a lot of air time these days, and for good reason. They’re scary, they cause damage and death, and they cause a lot of stress on families. A few days ago I wrote about items you can have on hand to get ready for a disaster. However, disaster preparedness is a lot more than stuff. A good disaster plan also involves thinking about how you’ll keep your family safe and connected during and after a disaster. Think about your typical day. If you’re in … Continue reading →

Hurricane Sandy is bearing down on the US East Coast today, and it’s likely to move inland, sweeping up toward Canada over the next 72 hours. There’s a huge population in the storm’s path. While many have been evacuated, others will be riding out the storm at home. What should you have in your home to prepare? Store enough water for at least 72 hours, as you may be without potable water for that long. If you don’t have stored water on hand, place tap water into temporary containers such as lined bins and bottles. Check to make sure that … Continue reading →

For a couple of weeks, I was canning nonstop. I’d say that I’m really into canning, but that would not be telling the truth. The truth is that I am really into eating, and I really like supporting local farmers and good food. To preserve much of this food, I can, freeze, and sometimes dehydrate it. After the weeks of canning ended recently, I discovered that I had a few jars that didn’t seal properly. I also had some jars that had lost a lot of liquid. What happens when you suffer a canning mishap? You pick yourself up, and … Continue reading →

It’s day two of no water for us today. We live in an older home in a townhouse complex. At the moment, they’re fixing up our aging water pipes, and they decided to do this by turning off the water to all 62 homes in our complex. Hopefully, this will prevent us from having trouble with burst pipes once the water goes back on. It’s also a day of a lot of muddy water for Florida residents, since Tropical Storm Debby has been moving wind and rain in at a rapid pace over the last few days. When there’s a … Continue reading →

In seven days, it will be the Atlantic hurricane season. Now, Mother Nature doesn’t really read the calendar, and this past weekend Tropical Storm Alberto came to visit. He didn’t stay long, though, and quickly dwindled into a tropical depression. Alberto was a good warning to get ready, though! What should you be doing now to get prepared for hurricane season? Get your emergency kits ready. A good emergency kit will have canned food and water for at least three weeks. While canned food can last for several years, it’s best to change it every year so that you can … Continue reading →

Basements can be scary things, and I am not just talking about the pretend monsters that kids imagine being down there. In fact, recent estimates state that there are almost 17,000 basement fires each year. Basement fires can be particularly worrisome, since they usually have limited ways to get out of them, making escape in an emergency difficult and sometimes tragic. With the economy and home prices being what they are, we are also using our basements more fully now, turning them into livable space, rather than upgrading to larger homes. Home theaters, man-caves, workshops, game rooms, play rooms, bars … Continue reading →

When does a fire hazard not look like a fire hazard? I would say at least 30 percent of the time. Hidden fire hazards are not obvious, and yet they cause tens of thousands of fires each year, maybe more. Make sure that your home is safe. In my previous two posts, I covered four hidden fire hazards that you may have in your home right now. Although I thought my home was safe, it turned out that we were guilty for exactly half of the hazards I already mentioned. Now here are two more that might need to be … Continue reading →

Have you eliminated all of the hidden fire hazards in your home? I have to tell you that there were a few that I didn’t catch until I learned about them from an interactive exposition about fire safety. Yesterday, I covered two hidden fire hazards that are commonly overlooked in the home, one of which I was guilty of having. I want to share some more of these, in the hopes that it will keep everyone safe. The Clothes Dryer The dryer we currently have spews lint out at me every time I open the door after a load. I … Continue reading →

When my family went to Disney World last year, we participated in an exercise at Epcot about fire safety. There were two teams that were divided up and armed with flashlights. When the monitor said go, we had to rush through a three-dimensional home filled with different rooms and look for possible fire hazards and put them out before the house burst into flame. The team that found the most fire hazards won. This really got me thinking about the hidden fire hazards in our home. Sure, we know enough not to leave the Yankee Candles unattended or to place … Continue reading →

We’re mostly water. Water is essential to people, both for drinking and for cleaning. As the winter approaches it is good to be prepared with extra supplies in our home and at work. While you only need to drink 2 quarts of water per day, we often forget about the water that we use for cleaning ourselves, washing our hands, and cleaning our pots and pans. Even in an emergency you still need to keep clean. This is why emergency preparation organizations recommend that you store a gallon of water per person per day. Store at least a 3 day … Continue reading →