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.

How Long Will Your Food Last

Storing food and stockpiling is a great idea for being prepared. One issue that can arise is how long is it before food expires? How long do canned goods last, and how long can you store your staples? I came across this dilemma just two days ago when I went through my pantry to rotate some food, having a plan to use up some older items in meals in order to add some new ones and keep everything fresh. I came across ajar of salsa. It contained no expiration date to guide me, and I hadn’t marked one on the … Continue reading →

Personal Workplace Disaster Supplies

If you are at work in the event of an emergency, don’t count on being able to go home or even to a shelter. You may be required to shelter in place at your workplace overnight or longer. Being prepared is important, and you can’t count on your employer to provide emergency supplies that you might need. Prepare an emergency kit and keep it in your workplace to be safe. Your kit should contain the following items. A flashlight with extra batteries. If the power is out, navigating the inside of an office building or other workplace can be very … Continue reading →

Secondary Source of Heat: Emergency Heat

According to a recent survey sponsored by a home generator manufacturer (of course), almost half of all Americans are in jeopardy because they live in an area with extreme winter weather yet do not have a secondary heat source. A secondary heat source is important in the event that you lose your primary hear source, such as when the power goes out. Many non-electric heat sources, such as an oil furnace, still rely on some electricity to run. You don’t want to be caught without heat, especially if your household includes the very young or the elderly. Beside loss of … Continue reading →

Bath Safety

There are so many accidents that occur in the bath, so it makes sense to prepare your home in such a way as to avoid these accidents, which in some cases can be really tragic. Bath safety is especially important in home with children or seniors, the two groups that are often affected by accidents in the bath. Here are some ways that you can be prepared to keep everyone safe. Install grab bars in bathtubs and showers to provide solid support. This will help prevent falls. People often grab for towel racks and soap dishes, either to get in … Continue reading →

Homesteading Skills to Learn Now

There is currently a movement toward homesteading, in which families go back to learning and practicing the practical skills that our ancestors knew. Cultivating certain homesteading skills can be very valuable, because they can prepare you and your family for living in less modern times, should an emergency or disaster strike. Why not try your hand at learning one or two of the following homesteading skills in the coming year? Gardening Learning basic gardening is an important skill to have. Through it, you can grow some of your own food, an important resource if you find that food become too … Continue reading →

Be Prepared for a Flu Pandemic

The 2009 appearance of H1N1, or Swine Flu, reminded us all of the real possibility of a devastating flu pandemic in our lifetimes. Because of this, it is good to be prepared. Knowing what to do in advance as well as how to prepare can minimize or eliminate the personal risk of a flu pandemic to you and your family. Here is what you need to know in order to be prepared. A flu pandemic is one that occurs worldwide. It could be made up of any kind of flu, from seasonal flu to bird flu to H1N1 to another … Continue reading →

Be Prepared for Frost

Winter is definitely underway, which means that you need to be prepared for frost, both for your family and for your home. Even if the cold weather has hit your area, you can still be proactive. It is never to late to be prepared. Prepare Your Pipes Frozen pipes are not good thing. If you have ever experienced a burst pipe, you know what I mean. There is water flooding everywhere causing damage to your home, and the fix and cleanup are often expensive. To prepare against a burst pipe, make sure that you know where your water shut off … Continue reading →

Applying for Energy Assistance

There are many programs out there that can help you if you need energy assistance. Some of these programs are state or local government funded, some are privately funded, and some are funded by energy companies. If you need energy assistance this winter, you’ll want to apply to one or several of these programs, depending on where you live and what your situation happens to be. Many other families may also be applying. In order to up your chances of being selected for energy assistance, you will need to be prepared with the information that will need to go on … Continue reading →

Create a Home Inventory

In the event of a disaster, you may wind up losing your belongings, from a few items lost to flooding in the basement, to an entire household full of stuff. That is why it is important to create an inventory of your things , so you can have a record of anything you might lose. For insurance purposes, you want to make sure that you have all of the information that you need. This way, you are more likely to be able to get the full replacement cost of your valuables. Creating an inventory can be done in as little … Continue reading →

The Importance of Cash in an Emergency Kit

Why do you need cash in your emergency kit, and how much should you have available? Where should that cash be stored? These are all questions that should be answered if you want to be prepared. In an emergency situation, cash can come in handy if there is no access to electronic transactions and you need supplies. In most emergencies, you will probably not need cash, since either stores will be closed or inaccessible. There are some instance where having cash would be invaluable. You might need cash for tolls or campground fees if you need to evacuate to another … Continue reading →