Category Archives: Be Prepared

From the “Go Bag” or hunkering down, escape plans and sheltering in place or just an evening with no electricity, we have what you need to know about emergency preparedness.

What is a Bug Out Bag?

Do you have a bug out bag? Do you even know what that is? Bug out bags are gaining in popularity these days. Find out if it makes sense for you to have one. A bug out bag is a portable bag that contains all of the items that you would need to survive for 72 hours in the event that you need to evacuate from a disaster, such as the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when so many were stranded without food, water or medical care. “Bugging Out” is the practice of taking your bug out bag and going to … Continue reading →

How to be Prepared for a Grocery Shopping Trip

Sometimes you know when you are going to go grocery shopping and other times you just have to grab a few things on the way home. Either way, it helps to be prepared. If you are prepared for your grocery shopping trip, you will save money, save time and have all of the groceries that you need to make your meals and snacks for the week. Keep These Items with You Have a bag stored in the car with a couple of items to make it easy to do your grocery shopping. Carry your coupons everywhere you go. You never … Continue reading →

Prepare Your Calendar for Summer Vacation

If you have kids then you know that it is never too early to prepare for summer vacation. Your home life will change as the evenings grow longer and the children are home from school. Here are some ways that you can plan out those days and get your self prepared. The transition will be easier and less stressful that way. Make Note of Important Dates Do you know when the last day of school actually is? Are there half days coming up before then? Will there be parties, dances, fairs, last ditch school fundraisers going on. Make note and … Continue reading →

Building a Storm-Safe Shelter

As part of being prepared, should you build a storm safe shelter? Here is some information about shelters and some things that you should know. Why Build a Storm Shelter The main reason to build a storm shelter is to protect you and your family from severe weather, such as tornados and hurricanes. Having a safe place that you can get to when you are home can mean the difference between life and death. If your area is prone to these type of weather phenomena, for example, if you have ever had a tornado touch down near your home, then … Continue reading →

Which States Are Most Prone to Which Disasters?

Wondering where your state falls in terms of natural disasters? Knowing what you could possible expect in your area can help you be prepared. The National Weather Service and USA Today put together a map of where common natural disasters are most likely to occur. That said, keep in mind that natural disasters can occur anywhere in the country. For example, while Connecticut is not listed as particularly vulnerable to blizzards, I saw my fair share of them while living there years ago. Blizzards Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, … Continue reading →

Be Prepared for Wildfire

Analysts say that this year is going to be a very active one for wildfires. Residents and visitors in vulnerable areas should be prepared to take precaution and to have a a safety plan in place. What are the states most prone to wildfires? Western states from Washington to New Mexico plus Texas are most prone to wildfires. On the east coast, Florida is also prone to wildfires. If you live or visit one of these states, take precaution. There is plenty that you can do right now to reduce the risk of loss of property and loss of life … Continue reading →

Get Your SmartPhone Password Protected Now

If you lost your smartphone, what do you think your chances are of recovering it? More importantly, what are the chances that no one would peek into your private information, from your online banking apps and personal files to your email and social networking? Computer security firm Symantec Corp. recently conducted a social experiment about stolen smartphones and the honestly of the people who find them. The results are really surprising. The project loaded smartphones with various apps and files that were meant to tempt prying eyes, such as password file, cloud files, etc. A contacts file was also included … Continue reading →

Solar Storms Could Affect Our Planet Today

Okay, here is a new one folks, one of the biggest solar storm to hit our planet is in full force today. The solar flare was released from the sun late Tuesday and is expected to cause disruptions across the planet through the next 24 hours. There are two strong solar flares that erupted and sent plasma and charged particles to Earth at 4 million miles per hour! The combination of intense radiation, radio and magnetic material is expected to cause problems for satellites, communication networks and power grids. What this means is a slew of interesting events may occur … Continue reading →

Taking a Minimalist Approach

There was a study I read about a while ago which has stuck with me. Unfortunately, I cannot remember where or when I read this, so I can’t quote the original source. It went something along the lines of how the more possessions someone has, the more stress he also had in his life. People in third world countries who had just the minimal amount of possessions, if any at all outside of the clothes on their backs, tended to be happier than most of us in the richer parts of the world. Hmmm. The more possessions one has, the … Continue reading →

Tips for Preserving Staples

You can extend the life of your staples, your food, if you just follow a few guidelines. Storing food the right way will keep it fresh. Making sure that your emergency food supply is good and ready to eat is important in any emergency preparedness plan. For a good overall tip for preserving staples is to store them in a cool, dark location, but make sure that this location is also dry. Basements are idea for storage, as long as you have a dehumidifier that can take the moisture from the air and prevent the growth of mold. Whenever you … Continue reading →