Survival and Emergency

What Should Be Included in a Doomsday Survival Guide?

2009-11-04T04:56:00.003-08:00

Are you shopping around for a doomsday survival guide? Unfortunately many people are today. There are predictions that the world will end in 2012 and of course there are many other reasons to worry about what might be called a doomsday. The environment continues to be eroded every day, there is a proliferation of nuclear weapons around the world, and things like terrorism, crime, and economic collapse can make anyone think about their very survival. So what should you look for in a guide that is meant to help you survive these things?

A practical guide is one thing you should consider. It's not enough to just scream that the world is going end; a guide should tell you how to keep yourself safe and how to survive in the toughest of circumstances. It might include a checklist of items you should always have in the house such as bottled water, canned goods, a can opener, matches, candles, flashlights, fresh batteries, blankets, duct tape, plastic sheeting, basic medicines and first aid materials like bandages and rubbing alcohol, and so on.

Some guides even go so far so as to teach you how to grow your own food, whether in a soil garden or with hydroponics, which is a water based solution of food for plants. Your guide should never encourage you to do anything illegal or downright dangerous, such as tapping into a city's water supply or living in the hills away from society when you have no idea how to survive in such an environment. But a good doomsday survival guide will give you some practical pointers and advice for how to get through and make the best of any difficult situation.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nicholas_Chow

Where to Find All You Need to Know About 2012

2009-11-04T04:56:00.001-08:00

Where can you find all you need to know about 2012, the year when supposedly the world or just society in general is going to crumble? Some say that according to Mayan calendars and predictions by Nostradamus and others, this year will be very significant and will be marked by collapses of different societies and social structures overall. Do you believe this? Would you like to find out more?

Of course no one can say absolutely what will happen in 2012, at least not until the year 2013, but sometimes it's better to be prepared than to be sorry! And of course people are always facing disasters and crises of one type or another, regardless of the year or predictions and prophecies.

To find out about 2012, of course you can consult the internet as it has a wealth of information about these predictions and how to survive any disaster. While you may at first be skeptical of making certain plans for yourself, remember that disaster preparedness is always a good idea no matter what. There's nothing wrong with finding out how to survive a terrorist attack, invading army, natural disaster, or anything else that are unfortunate parts of our world today. If you consider how what may happen in 2012 is already being foreshadowed by terrible and tragic events today, then you may realize how important it is to at least be informed, and then of course you can make up your own mind about appropriate action.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nicholas_Chow

Protect Your Personal Documents Against an Unexpected Emergency Disaster

2009-11-04T04:55:00.002-08:00

Your personal documents may not survive an emergency disaster that comes unexpectedly. You may find that you don't have time to gather them up at the time of the disaster. No matter where you live, no one is immune from the possibility of become a victim of flood, fire, or earthquake.

Your priceless possessions, such as your family photos, baby pictures, wedding albums, scrapbooks and other keepsakes, are the irreplaceable documents that cannot be recovered.

Birth certificates, passports, insurance papers can eventually be restored to you but the headache of replacing them is time consuming and can be very costly.

The following are the items that you should protect.

1. Wills. In most cases you need the original for a will be legally binding. You should made several copies since no state or city office keeps a record of wills.

2. Trust documents

3. Birth and Death Certificates

4. Titles and Deeds

5. Licenses such as vehicle, professional, marriage etc.

6. Legal and financial documents

7. Business files

8. Personal and Family Records

9. Personal family photos and keepsakes

10. Account Numbers

11. Household inventory. This is a especially valuable in case of fire.

12. Key, jewelry

13. Cash. During a major emergency check and credit cards often are ineffective.

Placing your documents and valuables in a fire-proof, waterproof safe provides the best protection. However, if you can't afford a safe, make sure your personal documents are enclosed in heavy plastic, placed on a high shelf and the family is aware of its location.

Keeping copies of vital documents such as birth certificates and insurance papers and some cash should be kept with your 72 hours kit or in a location that is quickly accessible if you have to leave your home quickly.

Bottom Line: Advance preparation is your only insurance policy against disappointment and heartache. Make sure you protect your personal documents and valuables in the best manner you can afford.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathy_Griffiths

Disaster Risk Assessment - Your First Step in Your Emergency Preparedness Plans

2009-11-04T04:55:00.001-08:00

The first step in preparing for a natural disaster is to make a disaster risk assessment. Being aware and informed about the type of disaster, both natural and man made, that is most likely to occur where you live will increase your survival.

The West and West Coast regions of the country are the most likely to have earthquakes. If you live in "Tornado Alley" which consists of Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, South Dakota and Northern Texas, you are more prone to experience tornados and high winds than earthquakes.

The Southeast coast and the Gulf coast are the most susceptible to hurricanes. Florida is the most vulnerable state for hurricanes because it has two coastlines.

Even though high water can occur almost anywhere, low lying areas near the Mississippi and Missouri rivers are inclined to have frequent flooding. Also, flooding and mud side disasters can occur in all mountain areas because of heavy rainfall or early snow melt.

You can be forewarned of some natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornados, flooding and fire, by being alerted via TV broadcasts, emergency radio, or the Internet. Perhaps in your community, you will receive a phone call or hear a special siren. Emergency workers have been known to go door-to-door in isolated areas to notify citizens of pending dangers.

Other natural disasters, such as earthquakes, and some fires are hard to predict.

Regions that are vulnerable to these types of crisis generally have emergency disaster centers that are equipped with disaster risk management information. All you need to do is ask.

Bottom Line: By making a disaster risk assessment and getting information from your local Emergency Disaster Center, you will reduce your survival risks substantially. Protect yourself and your family by becoming educated about your community vulnerability disaster risks.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathy_Griffiths

Hurricanes - Emergency Preparedness

2009-09-21T09:47:00.001-07:00

The first step to emergency preparedness is to educate yourself about your community's emergency plans, warning signals evacuation routes and shelters.

If your saying to yourself, you don't live near an ocean, just remember the effects of a hurricane can be felt 100's of miles inland. This can cause flooding and severe rainstorms. Every home should have a well stocked emergency survival kit that can accommodate 3 days. Along with well stocked emergency kit you should have a full prescription medications available. If your family is young you should have adequate supply of baby food, formulas, diapers and other needed supplies for babies. A large container of wipes for the whole family and hygiene products to keep clean. Along with these supplies you have an emergency survival kit for your car that contains food, flares, battery cables, tools, first aid kit, sleeping bags etc..

Hurricanes can be predicted through the national weather service and they can warn coastal areas within 24-36 hours. This gives you time to stock up on gas, medications, food, flares, cover windows and doors with ply wood, fill sinks and bathtubs with water as extra supply for washing.

According to the CDC the great majority of injuries during a hurricane are cuts caused by flying glass or other debris. Other injuries include puncture wounds resulting from exposed nails, metal or glass and lastly bone fractures.

The CDC recommends 5 actions to get through a hurricane.

Monitor radio or television if possible
Stay indoors until authorities declare the storm over
Do not go outside even if the weather appears to have calmed because the eye of the storm can pass quickly.
Stay away from windows and exterior doors seeking shelters in bathrooms or hallway or closet
Prepare to evacuate to shelter or neighbors if your home is damaged. Hurricanes can be very scary, however if you have an emergency preparedness plan and well stocked emergency survival kit, the chances for survival for this kind of disaster increase dramatically.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Melissa_Servello

Food Safety After a Flood

2009-09-21T09:46:00.001-07:00

Food that has come in contact with flood waters may be contaminated. It is important to know what you can and cannot eat after the flood. Screw caps, snap lids, pull tops, and crimped cap food containers are not waterproof and are not safe to eat after the flood if they came in contact with the water.

Canned foods exposed to flood waters - discard any cans that are leaking, punctured, dented, swelling, or rusting. Some foods can be salvaged after the flood. But steps must be followed to ensure their safety.

• Remove the label. It may harbor dirt and germs. Use an indelible marker to write the contents of the can on the lid.
• Wash the can with hot soapy water.
• Rinse it well.
• Sanitize by either: Immersion in water and then allowed to boil for 2 minutes OR placed in a bleach solution (1 tablespoon bleach per gallon of water) and allowed to sit for 15 minutes.
• Allow the can to air dry thoroughly. At least one hour.
• Use the canned item as soon as possible.

Cleaning your cooking utensils thoroughly is very important.

You should:

• Thoroughly wash them with hot soapy water.
• Rinse completely.
• Sanitize by immersing in bleach solution (1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water)
• Allow to air dry completely

Your counter tops should be:

* Thoroughly washed with hot soapy water
* Rinsed completely
*Sanitized the bleach solution and allowed to air dry.

Special note: always use unscented plain bleach. No lemon (or any other flavor) scented bleaches should ever be used to sanitize your canned foods, cooking utensils, or counter tops.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lu_Young

Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency - The ABC's

2009-09-21T09:45:00.000-07:00

Disasters such as fire, flood, hurricane, snow or ice storm could jeopardize your foods' safety. Loss of power is common after a disaster. To reduce the risk of food borne illnesses, it is important to know how to determine if your food is safe.

A is for always. Always keep your meat, poultry, and fish at or below 40 degrees and frozen foods at or below 0 degrees. If the power is out, this may become very difficult. Keep the door closed on your refrigerator and freezer. The refrigerator will only stay cold for about 4 hours if the door is kept closed and significantly less than that if it is opened. A freezer will hold the temperature for about 48 hours (if it is full and 24 hours if it half full). Again, the amount of time the temperature will hold is significantly less if the door is opened.

B is for be prepared for any emergency. You can do this by keeping on hand items that are shelf stable (don't require refrigeration). These include items such as canned goods, pasta, and other ready to eat items. Be sure to not leave out your pets and keep plenty of their food on hand. Don't forget to keep a hand held can opener available. If you plan on cooking any of these items on your grill - make sure you have gas or charcoals for your grill.

C is for consider. Consider what you can do to store your food safely for an emergency. If you live a flood prone area, you may want to plan your food storage on shelves that are high off the ground. Coolers are a great idea. Keep frozen gel packs to keep your food cold in case of a power outage. Consider keeping water frozen in used milk containers if your freezer is not full. This will help keep your freezer cooler.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lu_Young

Survival Kits Q&A

2009-09-10T06:18:00.002-07:00

Q: What is the cost difference between buying a survival kit and building one on my own?
A: Surprisingly, preassembled kits are less expensive than piecing one together on your own. Each item in a kit may only cost a dollar or two at a box store, but preassembled survival kits contain many items that cost-wise can add up quickly. Due to wholesale discounts that are available to many online retailers, preassembled kits give you more for your money.

Q: Is there a difference in quality between online and store-bought products?
A: Yes. Online retailers have access to high quality specialty products through wholesale that are not available at local box stores.

Q: How many items come in a preassembled kit and are they all necessary?
A: Most preassembled survival kits sold online are assembled to contain only the essential items that will be needed during an emergency. Even though emergency situations are unpredictable, items in a survival kit can be utilized in any type of emergency. Experts who have determined what items and how much of an item will be necessary in an emergency put preassembled survival kits together. Each kit is built for a specified amount of time, usually 24 or 72 hours.

Q: How much time would it take me to build my own kit?
A: Assembling your own survival kit will take a variable amount of time, but you can plan on it taking a significant amount of your attention. Before purchasing supplies, you would want to research how to build a kit, finding out what items are necessary and how much of an item is best for your needs. Once your research is completed, you would be required to spend time in various stores picking out the best items and for the best prices. And some items, which can be found in a preassembled kit, cannot be found at your local big box store. Locating items in a store takes time. On the other hand, preassembled kits include everything you need for an emergency and can be purchased in just a few minutes through an online retailer.

Q: Will I be able to find all the same items in a local store that are included in a preassembled kit?
A: Some items found in preassembled kits cannot be found elsewhere as they are specifically designed for the survival kit and are not sold separately. Also, preassembled survival kits contain items that are sized to easily fit into a survival pack. Items in a preassembled kit are also quantized for a specific time period.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Preston_Lembke

The Wilderness Survival - Altoid Stove

2009-09-10T06:18:00.001-07:00

There are a variety of different stoves you can employ when you are practicing wilderness survival from MSR stoves to the humble tea light stove. And the large range in cost means you can find just the right thing to fit your pocket book.

A stove really only needs to contain two items - a fuel, and a container in which the fuel burners. Added components can be used to increase efficiency.

The simplest stoves are the tea light, cat food, and Altoid stoves. This article will discuss the bare bones Altoid stove, however the technique can be applied to just about any metal container you have lying around for wilderness survival.

The first item discussed will be the fuel used in the stove. At present, my current preferred fuel is the automotive additive called HEAT. You can get this at any gas station for about 2 or 3 dollars. It will easily ignite but does not produce fumes that can flare up light gasoline (do not EVER use gasoline as a fuel in a stove).

The stove itself is an empty Altoid tin with the top of the container removed prior to use. You do not want to have your cooking container sitting directly on the stove, as this may put the flames out. So you will need to either find an item that will allow your billycan or canteen cup to sit above the flames or you can just dig a small trench in the ground. This will house your stove and you can use the earth as your pot stand.

Place the stove in the trench or under your pot stand and add your fuel. With my test I found that 3 oz of fuel provides about a 20-minute burn, which should be sufficient to boil your water and heat your food. You can then light the fuel with your preferred method (match, lighter, ferro rod) and you are good to go. Just place your billycan or canteen on the pot stand and heat your food.

I thought that 3 oz of fuel was a lot to use in this stove, and you may be able to make the stove more efficient by adding some fiberglass insulation inside the tin. This will hold the fuel and provide a more even burn - but I have not yet tested this.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_E_Hodge

Wilderness Survival - Fire Making

2009-09-10T06:17:00.000-07:00

Fire making is a need-to-know skill if you are planning on spending any time in the wilderness. Fire is the second most important need when in a survival situation, shelter being the first, and once obtained it can be used for many things including: boiling water to make it drinkable, hardening wood for spears, arrows, digging tools, firing pottery, keeping you warm, and the list goes on.

This article will discuss the different methods of fire creation that you should know about when venturing into the wild. We will cover flint and steel, ferro rods, lighters, matches, and different drill methods. This will not cover all the fire making methods in detail, but should be enough to inform you of the pro's and con's of each method and give you a place to start when choosing how you want to create fire when making camp.

Hand Drill Method

The drill methods for creating fire create a coal, which can then be blown into a flame, by using friction between two pieces of wood. A hearth board is placed on the ground and a spindle is then rotated back and forth onto the hearth board. The friction created between the two pieces of wood produces dust, which will heat up enough to form an ember or coal. This ember can then be moved into a bundle of tinder and blown into a flame. When using the hand drill method, the spindle used is usually a dry wood or vegetation (such as a mullien or cattail stalk) that has a very soft and pithy center. As the name implies, the spindles is turned with the power of the hands. The bow drill method utilizes a bow (much like a the type used to shoot arrows) to spin the spindle. This allows much more speed and power to be put into turning the spindle and it has less chance of blistering your hands. These drill methods are very reliable once you have the skill, however they can take some time to prepare.

Flint and steel have been around for ages. The basic concept is that you have a piece of flint, and a piece of steel - like that which metal files are made from. By striking the two together, sparks are created. These sparks are then caught by your tinder and can be blown into an ember and then into flames. It's a fairly easy method to use, and also compact and lightweight to carry. The only thing you need in addition to the flint and steel is charcloth. Charcloth is a natural fiber, such as cotton, which has been heated to the point that its chemical makeup changes, but the air is kept from the fibers so that it will not burst into flame, but rather just char. The reason you need charcloth is because it catches a spark extremely easy. You can then place your red hot charcloth into your tinder bundle and blow it into flames. You can usually use the container in which you carry your fire kit (i.e. an altoid tin) to make the charcloth. You just place the natural fiber into the container, close it up, and stick it in the fire. After awhile you can pull it out and it will be black but not burned up.

A ferrocerium rod (aka a ferro rod) is the next step in the flint and steel evolution. The rod will throw off a lot of sparks when a piece of steel (such as the back of your knife blade) is run down the rod. These sparks can then be caught in charcloth or another tinder and be blown into flames. The advantage of the ferro rod ofer flint and steel is that it is a smaller package and easier to use.

Matches take the "spark" step out of fire making and go directly to flame. Although matches generally work OK, if they are wet they will not light. They can also snap easily. Its not a bad idea to carry some on you, but don't depend on them.

Lighters are a step above matches. They also go directly to flame, but have the advantage of having a much larger fuel source (i.e. they can produce more flames for longer) and if they are wet, some can be dried out and used. Just as with the matches, its never a bad idea to have a lighter on you, just don't depend on it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_E_Hodge

Back Up Systems

2009-08-30T10:21:00.004-07:00

There are many different techniques that can be used to start a fire under emergency conditions. The traditional techniques that involved a fire stick or fire drill which is rotated is certainly beyond my use. I feel it is a slow and labor intensive method. For many thousands of years people would bang stones together that containing iron in order to get a sparks to light some lose tinder. In addition, there are several other means by which fire could be produced such as a hand drill, bow drill, fire plow, fire pump, by use of sunlight and a lens, a fire piston or through the process of chemical reactions.

As a survivalist my main goal is naturally to survive and as such I believe in having alternate plans and backup actions in the event that the first one should fail. A typical situation concerns my ability to light a fire. I have water proof matches safely stored and an abundance of inexpensive cigarette lighters that I have purchased from the dollar store. Even though I have these reserves I still prefer to have a conventional means of making fire such as magnesium fire starters, after all cigarette lighters do not last forever.

A friend of mine sells miscellaneous items that he chances upon at a local flea market on the weekends and knowing that I was into survival he generously gave me one of his cigarette lighters that he had recently acquired. This lighter was a refillable kind and even had a small led light enclosed on it. It cost a mere .99 each and seemed to work forever. I contacted my friend and purchased several additional cigarette lighters to give to a few of my fellow survivalists. We are all using them to this day.

The same is true regarding my lighting arrangements. I have many different flashlights and lanterns however in this respect I am slowly converting to rechargeable batteries as well as to the crank type lighting equipment.

Another situation is my survival products. I have many 12 volt appliances such as a coffee pot, frying pan, taster oven, etc., however I try to keep in mind that I may not have access to 12 volts indefinitely so I have backups of manual pour over type coffee pots and normal frying pans. As long as I have a properly functioning vehicle I see no problem in these appliances however in the event that I can no longer procure gasoline to start and run my car then I would not have appliances to use.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Parish

Setting the Standards of Emergency Response

2009-08-30T10:21:00.003-07:00

The Central Station Alarm Association is responsible for the monitoring of home security systems and business alarm systems throughout the United States and Canada. Although the organization does not sell or install any equipment they are responsible for the detection and dispatching of emergency personnel and law enforcement authorities for a number of alarm company providers.

Throughout North America the Central Station Alarm Association, CCAA responds to alarm signals sent out by security system sensors whenever trouble or danger is detected. Once an alarm is activated the monitoring staff of the CCAA goes into action. By immediately calling into the office or residence of the alarm signal the trained dispatchers can quickly determine the validity of the alarm and dispatch the appropriate resources to deal with the emergency.

The CCAA operates monitoring stations throughout the country in strategic areas so that several states are assigned to one central operations office. Geographically situated to meet the demands of the alarm and security industry the CCAA sets the standards by which alarm companies and monitoring resellers communicate with emergency channels and security system owners as customers. The professionalism and response times of the entire industry are regulated by the CCAA so that in the event of a crisis when and where an alarm system is activated the end customer is able to get the assistance that they need within the shortest amount of time possible.

Like any other organization of its kind the CCAA is made up of an executive committee that meets with a board of directors to regularly update and improve the quality of service and training that the alarm industry is known for. The committee and board are made up of members that have years of experience in the alarm industry and have been successful in their own ventures as providers of home and business security products.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Billings_Farnsworth

Three Gorges Dam and Plate Tectonics

2009-08-30T10:21:00.001-07:00

In China they have built the World's Largest dam project to go with their world's largest Great Wall project of past periods. Still, there is significant risk in building such a huge dam, what about a huge Earthquake? They are known to occur in that region, and putting that amount of water weight (8.2 lbs per gallon times Quadrillions of gallons of water) should be just enough to trigger it too.

There are places in China where the continental shelf over reaches and there is water underneath from the sea too. The potentials of a floating continental shelf collapse from manmade re-distribution of surface water is possible you know. The Chinese do in fact need the water for their ever growing civilization and super power, but if that dam causes everything to come crashing down and floods to occur, who is served?

The Chinese have had horrific floods in their history and it's been devastating. Will future floods be partially man-made, due to dam construction that did not take into consideration plate tectonics? It's true that mankind had never built a dam that big over an Earthquake fault so no one knows what might happen.

However, now that humankind has, perhaps we should be talking about it and really look into this reality, at least that way perhaps it can be partially mitigated in the future, otherwise millions could die, and once it occurs it will happen so fast, it will be too late. This article is neither a prophesy, nor a wakeup call, it's merely a statement of fact, and more questions without answers. Please consider all this.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow

Traveler Security - How to Stay Safe While Out of Your Comfort Zone and Survive While Traveling

2009-08-30T10:20:00.000-07:00

The enclosed recommendations are a result of my travel throughout the world on business for 20+ years. These observations are offered as a helpful supplement to other sources on the web dealing with personal security issues while traveling. My apologies to those who do not find these observations pertinent to their particular situation. Allow me to say that these suggestions are offered freely and without restriction so they may be passed around with no obligation. Very little of this information is original to me, and I apologize if anyone has written anything similar. Also, I am not a security professional and make no claims of expertise. This stuff works for me... each reader's mileage may vary. Some of my ideas might actually get people in trouble with the authorities and/or cause physical harm. Please read this with an open mind and a critical eye. .

Lots of US Embassy staff, host country Federal Police and Army staff gave me input, horror stories and advice regarding personal safety issues while I was visiting and working in overseas markets... mainly, Latin America, but including trips to Western European and Pacific Rim countries.

I also have input from international and US expatriates living and working there. I know that many people have a lot of experience in many different countries, and may honestly laugh at all these ideas and issues presented here as stupid and alarmist. How you take it is your business... it is submitted in serious concern for the safety of all international travelers.

It was necessary for me to learn this stuff because I have lived and worked outside the US most of my life. I first traveled internationally in the 1960s and retired in 2005 to live in Argentina. I hope you can understand that the world in post 9-11 has really changed. Radicals of the right, the left and the lunatic religious extreme and NarcoTerrorists all celebrated when the twin towers went down. You should also be aware that even pre 9-11, international travel was seriously more dangerous than it was in the 1960s. Now, bad guys all over the world have become more encouraged by their perception that bad guys can get away with bad stuff... hence, have become more aggressive.

* TRY TO FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF with the area you plan to visit. There are various aggregates of news that allow one to program their search "bots" to look for keywords involving your area of interest. I use Yahoo News, DogPile News Search element and some others. I also look for the local news sources for the area in question on the web. Here are some questions you should consider when seeking information about your geographical area of interest.

* Are terrorist/organized criminal groups currently active in the area?
* Do they aggressively attack visiting foreigners? Or, is it more local-on-local crime?
* How active are they? How violent have they proven to be within the last 4 - 12 months?
* How sophisticated are they? Do they use military weapons and tactics?
* Are they predictable? Can you expect to be safer by staying out of known areas of operation?
* Will local citizens warn visiting foreigners? Do you have local contacts who can advise you?

Groups and individuals have demonstrated their willingness to employ terrorist/criminal tactics to further their agendas. While some threats have a regional focus, others have become international and affect multiple areas. Foreign visitors, military and diplomatic staff are seriously targeted in virtually every region of the world.

ALWAYS PLAY THE "WHAT IF... ?" SCENARIO GAME
Consider ways you might become a victim of a criminal/NarcoTerrorist attack. Several factors to keep in mind include:

LOCAL TRANSPORT

Taxis: Try to never travel alone in a taxi. Try to never take a taxi off the street. Try to ALWAYS have a taxi company card on you and call or have someone call the cab for you. If not, a taxicab stand is the next best solution. Even US embassy marines have to take these precautions, and we know they're in good shape... pretty tough in a fight. They are also excellent sources of good local information. Unfortunately, one of the thriving businesses in criminal/NarcoTerror Land is to pick up a rich guy (you) off the street in a taxi, and around the corner are two additional thugs with guns who escort you to a quiet place, strip the rich guy, take his luggage, etc.

If a Visa or debit card is found, they will escort you to an ATM and make you withdraw the daily limit before they strip you naked and leave you on the side of the road. Unless... if they are impressed with what they find among your effects, the thugs may decide it's worth a try to sell you to the NarcoTerrorists (drug traffickers). They may ask for US$5,000 - US$15,000, knowing the NarcoTerrorists' usual minimum demand for ransom is US$250k. Then, you may spend the next several years of your life chained to a tree in the jungle swatting mosquitoes and eating undercooked beans. If you or your taxi driver notices a suspicious vehicle or two in the vicinity, consider asking the taxi driver to take you to the nearest police station... or high traffic area.

If you must drive a car and your budget does not include an armored vehicle with "run-flat" tires preceded by a "chase" car and a following "blocker" van full of armed bodyguards, try to rent/select an 4-wheel drive vehicle with high clearance. A heavy-duty bumper is a good idea for running through barricades. If you see a police roadblock manned by only one or two officers and one (or NO) clearly official vehicle, consider running the roadblock or going around it. You may prefer to reverse out of the area quickly to a place where you can turn around and leave the area. If it is really a fake-cop scam (or, off-duty/retired cops pulling a scam), you should be OK. You may really need a heavy duty vehicle for this maneuver. If is a legitimate control point/official police roadblock and they catch you, humbly and VERY politely explain that you are sorry and will never do it again, but a friend of yours warned against false roadblocks by criminals/NarcoTerrorists. All around the world, official roadblocks usually have many, many clearly marked police vehicles and uniformed/heavily armed officers. Don't forget that NarcoTerrorists have Police uniforms and equipment, too... but, usually not too many official vehicles.

If you happen to be driving down a street and one or more people run out in front of the car in an attempt to stop you, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE to slam down the accelerator as if you are trying to hit them. They will get out of the way.

If you are in a known area for auto-related crime and someone rear-ends your vehicle as if on purpose, consider leaving the scene as rapidly as possible. This is a serious "What if... ?" scenario.

In many countries, police understand if you slow down but fail to stop at traffic lights and stop signs after dark because it is known to be too dangerous at night.

PLEASE BE AWARE that motorcycles and scooters are not always a good idea if you have to try to escape while someone is shooting at you. Car sheet metal isn't much, but every little bit helps.

ATMs: Try to only go to an ATM in the daytime ANYWHERE in the world. Even in the US. Also, pay attention to who is in the area before, during and after getting your money. Situational awareness is difficult when you're trying to get the pesky machine to work... so, consider not going to an ATM alone.

Buses: Until 1995, I always felt safe taking the bus. I would still take the Nuevo Laredo - Monterrey bus, but probably think twice about taking one in the Juarez or Sinaloa state areas. Why? The various Colombian and Mexican NarcoTerror groups stop buses full of people as bait to get the government forces to move into kill zones where IEDs take them out. I have seen the results first hand, and seeing where 40+ teenage army guys got brutally cut to pieces by home-made bombs will mess up your whole life.

If you happen to be one of the poor guys shivering naked on the side of the road with 20-30 others watching the NarcoTraficantes molest the women passengers, understand that you will spend the next SEVERAL YEARS of your life eating beans in the jungle. Poor folks get to go home...except for the young and pretty girls and teenage boys they want to draft for paramilitary service for the NarcoTraficantes .

The NarcoTraficantes are studying in the same Islamic extremist terror schools as Al-Qaida, and Colombian/Mexican NarcoTraficantes' IEDs (improvised explosive devices) are really starting to show up a lot more... in recent cases, bait and blast techniques were used in the south of Mexico to kill lots of soldiers and Federal Police.

At an outdoor table at any restaurant, don't leave your phone, camera, purse or any other valuables in plain sight or within reach of the walking public. Try to sit as far from vehicular/pedestrian traffic as possible. As always, play the "What if... ? Game" and remain alert to your surroundings. Jenna Bush's purse was jacked in full daylight in Buenos Aires, surrounded by agents.

When leaving a high-end location, such as an electronics store, Armani, etc, an expensive restaurant or nice hotel, you may have just identified yourself as a potential high-end target. If you are carrying packages, and you put them into an automobile, please try to secure the items in the trunk or a lockable compartment and be aware that you will possibly be followed by thugs with evil intent to your next location. If you are in a Range Rover or Cadillac Esplanade, you should understand that you are in a rolling high-value target, with little or no secure storage. If you stop and leave the vehicle in any unsecured location after being seen exiting a high-end location, don't be too surprised if you come back later to find the locks broken or the vehicle stolen.

A wallet is a liability, and I never carry one. I wear a slim, zippered pouch between my T-shirt and external shirt/sweater for credit cards, driving license and copies (NOT originals) of my passport, birth certificate, travel or residency documents. Sometimes, I prefer a photographer's vest with lots of internal/external zippered or Velcro pockets. This vest can contain as much as a small suitcase... currently, about 4 kilos of stuff. Fanny packs are less secure, so I usually just put reading material, inexpensive sunglasses, gum, etc in them. Cameras/GPSs and other high-end items are secured in Velcro pockets in the vest or coat pocket. As a side note, I have copied and reduced in size all my important documents for daily carry and emailed these copies to several of my web-based email accounts so I can replace them at any time from any internet/print location.

The amount of cash I carry is as small as possible. I keep large denomination bills in a money clip in the bottom of one front pocket with a handkerchief crushed down on top of it. Another money clip contains the daily allotment of small bills is in another front pocket, so I don't have to flash large bills for most purchases. It is also crammed down in the bottom of the front pocket with another handkerchief crammed on top of it. The bulk of my funds, original passport and other documents, valuables, etc are kept in a WalMart small combination safe that fits in my luggage, which I check in at the front office safe at the hotel when traveling. PLEASE NOTE that I do not agree with several recommendations that a "decoy wallet" stuffed with paper be carried to toss away so as to distract attackers. I prefer throwing my decoy stash of small denomination bills to scatter everywhere as a more time consuming distraction for a better chance of escape.

Luggage security: Most complaints regarding theft, damage or loss involves the contents of luggage. Savvy travelers will make a written inventory of items in their luggage and photograph it in case of loss. Carry important items like medication, eyeglasses, and expensive jewelry in your hand luggage, a traveler's vest like photographers use to carry their small equipment items, etc. My vest holds up to 8 kilos of goodies. Photocopy the contents of your wallet and your passport. Carry a copy in your hand luggage and leave one at home as back up. Keep luggage under your control until you check in at your destination. Consider traveling with sturdy plain-looking luggage. Expensive looking luggage may be targeted for its perceived contents. External bag tags should not list your full home address and telephone number. I put my cell phone number, my phone number and email address on my tags. I do not put my name or any affiliations on bag tags. Consider defacing your beautiful luggage with big bands of tape all around the outside, laterally, with your phone numbers, email, etc in case of loss.

Consider durable luggage that is capable of being locked or secured and that will withstand being at the bottom of a pile of hundreds of other pieces of luggage without popping open. It is a good idea to add extra banding... $5 for a wide nylon strap with side snap locks at WalMart... or airport plastic wrap or duct tape to your luggage locks to prevent anyone from opening your luggage without detection. When flying, I do NOT lock my bags. I only use self-locking plastic tie-wraps. They work well for securing my luggage. All airport inspectors have replacements if they have to cut your ties to inspect your bags. You can buy these at any home improvement store for about a dollar. The reason for this is that smugglers have been known to slip drugs/weapons, etc into luggage only to retrieve it later and maybe with force. Passengers have unknowingly transported illegal substances/firearms that were slipped into their suitcase by baggage handlers only to be arrested later by authorities. What explanation you would give to prove your innocence to a foreign government of why you are carrying drugs or guns? If your luggage was properly sealed, you should see if it has been tampered with prior to opening it. Report any luggage tampering immediately to security before opening the case.

Luggage locks: If there is a combination lock on the bag, I put a piece of tape on the bag under the lock with the combo... usually, 0-0-0. This is because my bag was seriously harmed by customs forcing the bag open EVEN THOUGH IT WAS UNLOCKED. A sign of the times, no?

Airplane security: Beyond the obvious precautions, I would suggest trying to reserve a window seat as close to the middle of the cabin as possible. The rear and front of each cabin is where the bad guys congregate to watch over the victims. Consider what you can do to avoid being obvious about your business/military/nationality/religious affiliations.

Cruise Ship Security: Cruise ships are like a small city where passengers are encouraged to forget their troubles and relax once onboard ship. It is natural for passengers on vacation to let their guard down, especially when out to sea in a resort-like setting. Try to not let a false sense of security aboard a cruise ruin your vacation by becoming a crime victim. Before you ship out, consider taking some of these preventative steps:

After you enter your cabin, and while the door is still open, always check inside the bathroom or closest before sitting down inside. Don't assume that your cabin is as secure as a hotel. Many people have keys to your cabin and your cabin door may be left standing open for hours while the cleaning crews or cabin steward services the room. Cabin doors locks are sometimes horribly outdated and are not re-keyed as frequently as hotel rooms. Obviously, don't leave valuable items lying around. It is a good idea to have inventoried your luggage and photographed expensive items at home, and even emailed the info to your web email account for easy retrieval anywhere before you packed them at home in case of loss. Since most ship passengers are set up on a charge account system, be sure to use the ship safe deposit box for storage of valuable items, papers, credit cards or extra cash. Use all locks on the cabin door including the night latch. Consider carrying a hardware store door stop in your luggage and deploying it for extra security while in the cabin. Some are available with alarms from web suppliers. Don't open your cabin door to strangers. Whatever the person wants can be expressed from the other side of the closed and locked door. Be sure to teach children about this important procedure.

Just like in a hotel, protect your cabin key and cabin number. Dishonest crew or passengers will look for the opportunity to snatch a loose key or one that is left unattended. When in port, be sure to leave your key with the registration desk before disembarking.

Remember the phony hairspray/deodorant can safe if small items need to be secured and no safe is available. Once on board and out to sea, don't assume that you are totally safe from criminal acts. While there is little danger of an outside predator robbing or attacking you on a cruise ship, crimes can just as easily be committed by crew members or by fellow passengers. Many cruise lines hire transient and seasonal employees at low wages. Because of this, turnover is high and cruise lines struggle to keep a ship fully staffed. While most crew members are hardworking and honest people, you cannot assume that the ship has properly screened that nice cabin attendant, waiter or below deck crew.. Consider a Family Security Plan: If you bring your children aboard, be sure to establish family rules in advance. Set curfews and restrictions...just like at home. Teenagers especially should be told never to accompany crew members into non-public areas nor should crew members be allowed inside your cabin. Being at sea can cause a false sense of security. Even though the crime incident rate per thousand is relatively low, there can still be predators on board. Ship nightclubs, casinos, swimming pools and jacuzzis are favorite spots for those looking for a victim.

You also need to keep your guard up with intoxicated passengers. Food and liquor consumption peaks on board ships and cause bring out the worst in some people not used to it. Just because passengers are dressed up, doesn't mean they will act appropriately or not be overly aggressive. It is not unheard of for a ship passenger to slip a drug into your drink and take advantage of you just like on shore. There are pickpockets, purse thieves, and cabin burglars on board waiting for you to let your guard down or become careless. There are also scam artists who seek and prey on rich vacationers if given the chance.

Your family security plan for children might include bed checks, curfews, restrictions, and special meeting places. Beware of which children they hang out with, just like at home. Your children can be exposed to other children who use drugs or like to get into mischief, just like at home. Try to limit your child to ship sponsored activities in public areas. You should make contact with your children periodically even if they are supervised. Giving them the run of the ship while you are otherwise engaged is not a good idea. Always have a backup plan and identify a ship crew member as a contact person in case your child fails to show up or you get separated at a port. Make certain that the kids understand there is nothing you can do to retrieve a kid from the police if they are caught in a foreign country with contraband.

You are not in Kansas anymore. Although you boarded a ship in a US port doesn't mean that you are protected by the US justice system. Most ships are registered in non-US countries and travel in territorial waters where US laws might not apply. The cruise industry does not report crime data consistently, if at all, to the FBI or have a database of ships with the most crime problems. Shipboard crimes sometimes fall into a "no man's land" of law enforcement. A crime can occur between two people of different nationalities, on a ship from a third country, and in the territorial waters of a fourth country. The governing law is the International Maritime Law and is not as well developed as US law. Reporting a crime on board a cruise ship doesn't mean anything will be done or that the crime will ever be investigated. The FBI is the only US law enforcement agency that can investigate a major crime but only if it occurs in International waters, otherwise crimes are reported to the jurisdiction of the closest foreign country and to the embassies of the parties involved. Prosecution of crime, in many cases, will be left in the hands of the local port authority where no one can predict the outcome.

Be aware that if you or your family member gets into trouble on board a ship or in a port, you may be held accountable to the laws of a foreign country. The thing to do is to stay alert, be cautious, and stay safe while at sea. For details on the safety record of your cruise ship or how your ship will handle problems such are lost luggage or crime acts, contact the cruise line directly and ask for written disclosure of their policies and regulations. You can also contact the Cruise Lines International Association in New York City who represents the twenty five largest cruise lines for more information.

AVOIDING DISASTER

Location: Local terrorists may target locations frequented by foreigners or foreign military personnel such as certain hotels, apartment buildings, public transportation centers, and nightclubs. Avoid possible target locations. They often use the employees of foreigner frequented establishments, taxi drivers, airport staff (especially banking/money changing establishment personnel) and adult entertainment workers as associates or sources of information about possible lucrative targets.

Opportunity: Terrorists and criminals look for "soft targets"... so, learn to avoid appearing so. It is difficult to over stress the need to maintain vigilance, practice good personal safety, and to alert the proper authorities of suspicious behavior. If you find yourself unable to avoid being outdoors at night, try to walk down the middle of the street (not always possible). Be especially watchful if passing a large van or a vehicle with people in it, courtyards and deep doorways near your path. Walk purposefully with strong, determined strides... shoulders back, head erect, head and eyes constantly moving. Use windows/mirrors near the street to check your surroundings. Under no circumstances allow anyone to engage you in conversation at this time. Criminals will try to slow you down while their helpers get into position to assault you. Keep moving, speak into your cell phone as if carrying on a conversation... preferably in a language you think the possible attackers don't know. To attack you, terrorists generally must perceive you, your association, or your location as a target. Put serious thought on the subject of how to avoid appearing to be an easy target.

Be alert for how criminals/NarcoTerrorists prepare and conduct attacks through predictable steps. Through vigilance, you might be able to recognize preparations for an attack before it is executed. Be alert to unusual behavior that may indicate intelligence gathering, surveillance, collecting materials for attack, dry runs, and rehearsals. For example:

* Taking photos or videos of potential targets
* Writing notes or sketching details about a possible target
* Showing abnormal attention to details of routine activities and security measures
* Using false identification
* Paying cash for items normally bought on credit
* Purchasing large quantities of items that could be used as part of an attack (e.g., chemicals or cell phones)
* If you see something unusual, report it immediately to security officials for further investigation. Make a note of the individual's description and activities, the time of day, and equipment being used.

TRAVEL TIPS
Terrorist/criminal attacks at the Spanish/English/Japanese rail systems, Mexican border towns, Bali, Indonesia, Luxor, Egypt, London, England, and other tourist locations signal an increased threat to foreign travelers. While visiting a new location, it is natural to tour local sites of interest. While sightseeing, you should keep good anti-crime/anti-terrorism practices in mind.

Plan Ahead

* Research any known potential threats in the area. If the threat is elevated, take extra precautions or postpone your activities.
* Plan activities and a route that includes safe locations. Keep thinking, "What if..."
* Ask a friend or coworker to join you - small groups are usually safer than individuals.
* If sightseeing with others, pre-designate a location to meet at if separated during an emergency. Make sure someone knows your itinerary (acquaintances, business contacts, hotel staff?) and what time you may be returning.

BLEND IN TO YOUR SURROUNDINGS

* Conceal your national/business/religious affiliation and try to blend in with other tourists. USA red white and blue t-shirts, soccer/baseball logo clothing and religious jewelry are overly conspicuous in many instances.
* Observe and conform to local culture. Activities such as public displays of affection, drinking alcohol, or wearing shorts or skirts may be inappropriate.
* Do not bring undue attention to yourself. Avoid loud or boisterous behavior. Walking the streets at night in an inebriated state in very dangerous in many locations.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ricardo_DeLeon

Surviving a Disaster, Prepare a Survival Kit For Your Children

2009-08-16T10:13:00.003-07:00

Regardless of where you live, there always seems to be some kind of natural disaster looming over your at some time of the year, often more than once. When these threats are imminent, you begin to realize how woefully unprepared you really are, and you think to yourself "I really should have an emergency bag already packed". After several hours the danger passes and you go on about your daily business, and you moment of clarity is dismissed.

Unfortunately, for too many victims of natural disasters go through this thought process, and it really should be acted upon. This is especially important if you have children. You may not be in a position to protect your family and children after a disaster. By having a your emergency supplies already packed and ready to go, you could be saving your children's lives. The good news is that it is easier than you think. The first thing you need to procure is good list. Again good news, several emergency response experts have put together lists for you. Several of the items are common sense, and you probably don't need anyone to tell you that water should be part of any emergency kit. Other items, although obvious, may not occur to you. A short list of items you should have are

Radio with batteries
Flashlight battery operated, and non-battery operated
Sleeping bags
Flint
Signal Mirror
Emergency whistle
Water purification tablets
High Calorie food bars
Dust masks
Anti-bacterial wipes, or gel
First aid supplies
Toilet tissue

This of course, is not an exhaustive list. Most experts agree that the first 72 hours after an emergency or disaster are the most important. If you able to survive and enable your family to survive for 72 hours, it is very likely emergency first response providers will rescue you. Simply having a 72 hour supply of these emergency items is enough to deal with almost any contingency. Even so, the cost of these supplies can begin to pile up quickly, especially when creating multiple packs, one for each of your family members. Some items such as water purification tablets may be difficult to find.

Luckily, many companies specializing in emergency preparation kits have developed pre packed kits of different sizes at costs that are usually much lower than what you would spend buying each item individually.

Next time there is a imminent threat from a natural disaster, be prepared and have a 72 hour survival kit ready for each member of the family and ensure they know where it is.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alex_Sandoval

Make Your Plans to Deal With a Blackout - 7 Essential Tips You Need to Know Now!

2009-08-16T10:13:00.001-07:00

In our current society, people typically take it for granted that electricity to their homes will always be available to run their TVs freezers and air conditioning units, until the time comes that the lights have gone out. Our society is not prepared to handle long term power outages and should become more aware of the exposure. Make your plans today to prepare for an eventual outage that may last more than several days.

Tip 1 - Develop a Strategy
There are alternative sources of power that can supplement or even replace the power received from local utility companies, but these are long term strategies that many do not plan for. Wind, Solar and other technologies are becoming more mainstream as new products come to market to meet the demands of consumers. A long term strategy to supply free energy to your home is an important aspect of self sustaining power independence.

Tip 2 - Create a Blackout Kit
Power outages can generate widespread chaos and panic. If you and your family are not prepared for the worst case scenarios, it could lead to real safety issues. Having a blackout emergency kit is a prudent way to be ready if the emergency situation occurs. Essential items for your kit should include items focused directly on; food, water, communication abilities and light and heat generation.

Tip 3 - Alternatives to Standard Batteries
D Cell batteries are not an option for long term power generation for radios and flashlights. Of course they are good in a pinch for short term usage, but long term outages require a more sustainable source of power for generating power for your portable devices. As panic sets in, a rush on the local stores for batteries and other items will be obvious. Do not get caught in the herd by having prepared yourself with devices that use kinetic energy for light and radio communication.

Tip 4 - Purchase a Power Inverter
A power inverter may also be something that would be added to your blackout kit. This small portable device will take a normal DC battery from a car or boat battery and convert it into an AC current sufficient to run items in your home like a microwave or other small appliances. It could be invaluable to supply the small electric power needed to run your well water pump or oil boiler.

Tip 5 - Create an Emergency Storage Space
Set aside a location in your home or garage to keep the necessary survival items. Having an area like this set aside prior to an emergency will which will be much better than trying to hunt down these items in the dark. Your inventory of blankets, batteries and can goods will be kept in a specific area when needed.

Tip 6 - Stock up on necessary Items
Storing the right food for surviving a power outage should be part of your strategy. Can goods are the obvious choice to keep in your emergency storage space, but storing grains like rice or cornmeal in plastic 5 gallon containers may be something to consider as well.

These grains can easily be part of your meal planning during a power outage. Do not forget to keep a manual can opener in your survival space. Dried lentils and beans are other staples to have on hand. They can be easily soaked in water and added to a variety of meals.

Access to drinking water is crucial when current systems are down. Bottled water should be one of the major items you keep in your inventory. If your water supply is affected, you want to ensure safe water is available for drinking and cooking.

Do not waste your drinking water for flushing the toilets. If they do not work during an outage, you can use water from your rain barrel as a source of water for your tanks. This may not be an option in the winter, due to freezing temperatures, so plan accordingly.

Tip 7 - Plan to cook your food without electricity

One additional thing to consider when thinking about meal preparation; how will you cook when the stove or oven are inoperable?

The answer is your gas or charcoal grill. These are great alternatives that can be used as a backup oven and stove when needed. Even though most people have a grill for backyard functions, most people have at least one when needed. Your gas or charcoal grill can even act as a temporary oven for baking breads and other meals during the outage. Having spare propane or charcoal on hand is essential in being able to cook your food during this period.

In conclusion, it is important to make your plans for riding out a long term power outage. Adopting some or all of these tips can help you make the best of a bad situation if and when it occurs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Montgomery_Emerson

How to Make and Use a First Aid Kit

2009-08-16T10:12:00.002-07:00

A first aid kit is essential for every household and there should be one at a reachable place. When a person is hurt severely, finding all the things that you need in one single box is a time saving and convenient thing to have.

A first aid kit should not be very complicated with hundred things in it. In fact, it should be simple and quick. It prepares you to face minor injuries and take immediate care for major injuries. It should contain essential tools, bandages and emergency medicine. You cannot have the whole medicine cabinet in your first aid kit. Also keep small amounts of it because you can refill supplies as they get used up.

Here is a brief list of first aid tools you would need to put in a kit.

• A pair of scissors to cut crepe bandages and gauzes. Keep the size of scissors compact and small.
• Cotton swabs or a ball of cotton to clean wounds and cover them.
• One gauze bandage so that you can dress the wound.
• Doctor's adhesive tape to stick the bandage, if necessary.
• One tube of antibiotic cream to apply on wounds after cleaning them
• One antiseptic solution to be used while cleaning the wounds

That is it and you are done building your first aid kit. However, use a white plain box that is in a good shape and sturdy enough to last you long. There are several readymade kits available in the market in case you find it difficult to make one yourself.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pauline_Go

Your Medical Library

2009-08-16T10:12:00.001-07:00

If we have to evacuate our homes and live in a bug out environment for a period of time it is very unlikely that we will have the luxury of our usual medical professionals. As such it will be entirely our own responsibility to respond to any sort of medical emergency that may arise. The question I would like to pose to you is are your up to that?

Initially any survivalist should have a vast library for which to fall back upon in the event that they encounter a situation that exceeds their knowledge. This is particularly important when it comes to the medical field. I have taken the liberty of listing a few medical related books to provide you a start in this category. This is merely a beginning and you should expand on it whenever you are able to.

One of the most important books you can have in your collection is entitles "Where there is no doctor" and of course its companion "Where there is no dentist". These are a couple of critical books for the survivalist. Several other good books that you should have around are listed below:

* Where Women Have No Doctor
* A Book for Midwives
* A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities

I always keep one of the American Red Cross First Aid handbooks in my bug out equipment. In addition you can find many great books available from the federal government. Since I use nothing but digital copies of everything I also have included several Army manuals dealing with medical emergencies such as "Emergency War Surgery".

Let's face it, you can have a room full of medical books but if you lack the basic understand related to them then they simply do you no good what so ever. Therefore, in addition to the books you need to obtain as much medical education as you can. At a minimum you should be qualified in First Aid and CPR. When visiting your family doctor ask questions. If you are currently studying something relating to medicine and come to a road block merely ask him. I am certain he will be more then willing to answer your request.

In addition to your conventional medical books and supplies don't underestimate the alternative treatments as well. Herbs provide many possible remedies for both the common illnesses as well as the not so common. Keep your supplies readily available with access so you may act at an instants notice. Keep in mind that a few natural remedy textbooks would not hurt in the least. Another vital alternative that I always keep close at hand it my colloidal silver maker. Without it I would be lost.

I will not go into the necessary medical supplies at this time but it would be vital for your survival if you had a good selection of supplies readily at hand. I have the usual bandages, tape and the like as well as oxygen tanks, nubulizers and electronic pain machines. Planning ahead may save your life or someone you love.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Parish

Survival Fire - Man's Best Friend in Survival Situations

2009-08-16T10:11:00.000-07:00

Call it survival fire or whatever you want to, there is nothing that can compare to the comfort of a nice, warm, crackling fire whether indoors or out.

You would be amazed at how many folks have a nice fireplace in their home and don't have a clue how to start a fire in it!

It may be because of fear or just plain never having a need for using it but just let something happen like a power outage for several days in the middle of winter and they will be glad for any little bit of advice on how to build a survival fire, as by then that is really what it is!

In the outdoors a fire is a very vital in an emergency situation, and the basis to survival as a means of cooking food, heating water, signal for help, heat, and just plain for comfort.

Waking up in the morning to a warm crackling fire and the smell of coffee makes anything more bearable. =)

HOW To Start a Survival Fire...

First of all, make sure your fire area is clean of debris and safe to use. Circle it with rocks if you have those available and scrape the ground bare.(make sure they are dry as rocks from a creek or riverbed are often full of moisture and will explode when they get heated up),

If you want to use your fire mainly for heat, you will want to have it close to your tent or whatever you are staying in but if you only need it to cook some food with, then you may want to move it further away so you won't be fighting smoke and get your belongings all smokey as well.

NEXT, it depends on what you HAVE to start a fire with. Do you have some kindling? Fire starters?? (Magnesium fire starters work really well as you can start a fire in almost ANY kind of weather and don't have to worry about wet matches, etc...

Gather small kindling if you are in a woodsy area....bark, dry grass, small twigs, old birds nests, dry rotted logs, pine needles... all work really well as kindling. If you don't have any of this, a small scrap of clothing works as well.

You can make your own tinder that can be packed into your wilderness pack....stick cotton balls into Vaseline as they ignite and burn quick...stash them into an old film container or other small container. Plus, you can find home-made tender recipes online that can be made into a cake like bar and stuffed into your backpack.

As you make a small tee-pee shaped pile of kindling, remember that fire needs oxygen so don't pile it too tight.

Light it from the bottom, never try to start a fire from the top down and as it starts to burn, carefully lay bigger twigs crisscross over the top of it, being careful not to smother your newly lit fire.

I always like to have some bigger wood gathered BEFORE I start a fire as it is really frustrating to finally get a fire started only to have it go out as you are looking for more wood!

Survival Fire Starter Methods...

There are various ways to start a fire and if you have not done so already, I recommend adding a magnesium fire starter to your survival kit.

Imagine yourself in the worst kind of weather at the worst possible time and you find yourself forced into a survival situation, and it will help you determine what kinds of survival fire starters to pack for YOUR needs...

Matches is the first thing people think of when starting fires and rightfully so. It is the easiest way, in most cases, especially if you have water-proof matches. you can make your own water-proof matches by dipping the ends of wooden matches in melted wax

Once your matches get wet, they are the most frustrating way to get a fire going!

Lighters are great but you also need to keep them dry. A good idea for any survival kit is to have a few lighters, along with your water-proof matches, and a magnesium starter sealed in a plastic bag.

Magnesium fire starters is a great way to get a fire going. It burns really hot and is better in wet conditions than matches or a lighter, and also in my opinion than the old fashioned flint and steel method.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Viola_Bontrager

Is There a Mole Living Next Door to You?

2009-08-03T07:40:00.001-07:00

Generally the common man has no idea as to what a mole is. I don't mean those furry little animals which tend to make it's home within the ground and destroy your lawn but rather a mole in the sense of international espionage.

Let's start our discussion on just what characteristics make up a mole. A mole is usually an intelligence officer that is working for one agency while covertly feeding critical information to the agencies rivals. Moles are most likely to be individuals who perhaps carry some sort of authority within their agencies that employ them. In this way the information which they supply is more then likely reliable and of high caliber.

Since high rank is one of the vital characteristic of a good mole this fact alone generally eliminates most of the enlisted personnel. This is generally the major difference between moles and spies. A spy such as those Marine guards that were employed at our embassy in Moscow in the 80s was seduced into performing spy routines by female KGB agents. These people did not serve as moles even though the information that they provided did in fact prove valuable to the enemy. Another term that we need to differentiate is that of the sleeper agents that are merely in a location with nothing what so ever to do until they are instructed to act. These agents are also not considered to be moles in any sense of the word.

You may be wondering why I even bother to mention moles at this time. The answer is that due to the status of our country these days it only stands to reason that in the event of a major crisis the appearance of moles is certain to increase. Knowledge will need to be obtained concerning survival groups in general and one of the best methods of doing so is to employ a modified version of the militaries mole.

The problem here is that in order to identify and isolate a mole we must be very careful that we do not drop to the same level of what Senator Joseph McCarthy had done. In fact we must move at a snails pace and be just as quite. The less attention that we bring to ourselves the better off our survival group will be.

It is ironic how many people fail to have the slightest ability to root out the intelligence sectors within our society. It is totally true that in order to dig out the various facts relating to moles one will have to bee extremely diligent in their quest for information.

At this time I would like to fill you in on a few bits of "mole history". Moles do not necessarily perform their deeds for monetary values. A typical example was the Cambridge spy ring that simply refused to accept any sort of pay. This reasoning was primarily because most of them honestly believed that spying for Russia was the correct thing to do. These moles and spies cost many brave men their lives which usually occurred at the end of a long torturous ordeal. Moles which are motivated by ideology usually consider themselves free to avoid any sort of orders which contradicts their beliefs.

One of Americas most well known moles was Oleg Penkovsky who was a KGB Colonel. Here we have a man who was so terribly disillusioned with his countries political system that he sought out the assistance of the United States. The colonel was originally assigned by the KGB to operate as a trade delegate. It was during this masquerade that he first contacted the US agents. The list of moles could go on and on with an endless supply of names such as Michael Goleniewski or perhaps Anatoly Filatov.

As survivalists it is important that we understand these people and their purpose. If our current infrastructure should collapse information would be vital to both those groups attempting to take over our nation as well as to those patriots that want to preserve our current style of living. In such cases it is to our best interests to watch our neighbors very carefully and to ensure that they are not assuming the identities of moles.

The major point that I wish to make here is that when dealing with moles we should be very careful. As a survivalist never openly advertise your intents. Don't let people know about your potential bug out plans unless they are part of your immediate survival group. Try to conceal your preps that you have been actively putting away and never publicize what supplies you have stored. The current administration appears dedicated to having neighbors turn against neighbors and as such the appearance of moles is sure to increase particularly when a crisis develops. Be prepared!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Parish

Best Survival Food is Whatever the Weevils Can Not Get to IMO!

2009-08-03T07:39:00.000-07:00

What do we look for in finding the best survival food for our own individual situation...?

My pet peeve is finding weevils and bugs in my food storage, so to me the best survival food is whatever will last for years with no fear of that! :)

How LONG and How MANY?

How long do you need to prepare ahead for - and how many mouths are you preparing for?

That is the first step in determining what foods are best and what type of food storage system to use.

Budget and Timeline

What is your plan as far as ... do you plan to buy it all at once or are you wanting to buy a little at a time.

If you are wanting to just bite the bullet and store enough food to last for a year or more, then you are a kindred spirit of mine. :)

However, here are a few things to bear in mind with long term food storage.

WHERE and HOW are You Planning to Store Your Survival Food?

There are several options available. My personal preference is the freeze-dried food,(and the best for long term) as it is prepackaged to last for 30 years, so all you need is a cool dry place to store it.

WHERE to Purchase Freeze Dried Foods?

I would like to really caution you here as because of the economical situation we are finding ourselves in, there are countless scammers online that are taking advantage of uneducated people that are simply wanting to get a little ahead of the deal, by marketing so-called year supply food units and if you examine them closely you will be surprised at what it is.

I would also highly recommend getting that food supply SOON as many of the food companies are back on track with shipping again after having to tell folks their orders were on back-order for several weeks.

All it takes is some emergency situation or pandemic deal, and people will panic again. Don't be one of those that will be waiting on their food supply, and wondering if they will even GET it!

Wherever you purchase your best survival food at, make sure they offer free shipping as the food units are heavy and shipping can be a huge cost.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Viola_Bontrager

Emergency Telephone Failure

2009-08-03T07:38:00.000-07:00

Imagine for a moment that you are preparing to make your emergency rounds at 7 PM in the evening. It is just beginning to get dark and when last listening to the police scanner you noted some suspicious activities along your route. You don your proper gear and get ready to embark upon your task when all of a sudden the telephone system goes dead. You no longer have your primary means of communicating with other team members.

Whether you are participating in a practice drill or experiencing a real life emergency situation the lose of telephone communications can be devastating. When such an event occurs it is vital that you have some sort of backup plan prepared to place in motion.

Suppose that your city is now in the middle of a possible dam breaking or flooding is imminent. Not having a means of contacting the emergency essential members of your team can often times be fatal.

Let's for a moment take a training session from the professional planners and consider how the Town's Emergency Actions Managers would handle this problem. For the sake of simplicity let's say that a major telephone exchange has just been damaged or even blown up as a result of local terrorist activities. They would of course still have some communications facilities however they would be severely limited in their nature. We as survivalists should also look at our telephone outage in the same light - limited in capability but not completely wiped out. After all we still have walkie-talkie capability; we have cell phones and even two way radios.

The major hurdle in all this planning is that we must ensure that each member of our team has the same capabilities and has been trained in the proper procedures needed to accomplish the mission.

Does each team member know to instinctively turn on their cell phone or two way radio when they fail to make contact with their main command center? Are they familiar with the frequencies that they should use to make initial contact? Will the equipment that you have for use as a backup be capable of the distances that must be covered? Are there dead spots in your city or town where wireless telephone service would be useless?

These are questions that must be considered and it would be to every survival group's benefit to bring up these and similar questions during your next survivalist meeting. Don't take chances on being caught without communications as in most situations the problem can be critical.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Parish

Chef Class - Five Steps to Pass With Flying Colors

2009-05-23T07:54:00.003-07:00

Passing a chef class is easy for some, difficult for many. The culinary arts are complex, with many methods, recipes and tools a new cook needs to learn how to use properly. As there is a lot more to cooking than a microwave or throwing random ingredients into a pot and hoping it tastes good, knowing how to approach your classes will be of great use to you.

1: Remember the Details

Details are a fundamental part of cooking. One of the first things you need to keep in mind in order to pass a chef class is that your mentor will be watching for how attentive to detail you are. It is the small things, such as the placement of garnishes, the final touch of spice, and the presentation of a dish that separates an amateur cook from a professional one. Cooking is not a race, but an art that should be treated as so.

2: Take your Time.

You cannot rush cooking. If a recipe calls for a marinade of three hours, you need to marinade for three hours. Cutting the corners will destroy the flavor that you are attempting to make. A master chef knows this, as do the instructors teaching you. If you desire to pass your chef class, follow the recipe to the letter. Once you advance, improvisation will occur. When you are learning, however, you need a fundamental grasp on the basics of the culinary arts. An established cookery that may hire you will also not allow variances in their recipes, as the variances will affect the customer's dining experience.

3: Ask Questions.

You are participating in classes to learn. Learning requires exercising your mind and asking questions you may have. Your instructor is being paid to answer questions. Ask them. The only stupid question is the one you do not ask.

4: Come prepared.

If your instructor tells you to read about a cooking method, chances are you will be using that method in the next lab. Skipping your assigned work can cause you confusion, and earn you a failing grade for the course. Come prepared. It will save you headache and time.

5: Don't give up.

Learning how to cook can be challenging and tedious. Even master chefs had to begin somewhere, and that somewhere was a kitchen. It may take you time to grasp the more challenging concepts and get a feel for how to cook. If you give up, you will never succeed.

Passing a chef class takes a great deal of time and effort, but the rewards will last a lifetime. As there is always a need for chefs, you will be entering a stable career, as well as giving you skills that you can use at home on a daily basis.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dean_Forster

Thinking of Starting a Plumbing Training Course?

2009-05-23T07:54:00.001-07:00

Good choice. Plumbing is one of the few trades always in demand - no matter how much the economy wobbles. There are over 22 million households in the UK and most will need plumbing services at some stage! In fact if you've ever tried to find a good plumber yourself, you'll know that they're pretty scarce.

A plumber training course can give you all the qualifications you need to enter the industry - and even start working for yourself. Whether you want to switch careers, or get your first step on the job ladder, a course in plumbing is a great way to gain the skills to succeed.

Is now a good time to start a plumbing course?

UK plumbers are in decline. Thousands of Eastern European migrant workers are returning home because of the downturn in construction and the weakening pound. Add to that the hundreds of plumbers attracted to Australia through recruitment drives, and it's predicted there will be a big shortage of NVQ skilled plumbers in the coming years.

So, now is a great time to consider starting a plumber training course. Equipping yourself with the right skills could put you in a very strong position to take advantage in future.

What to look for in a plumbing course

UK workers should look for courses that offer qualifications through the City & Guilds, BPEC, LOGIC and CITB certifications, all the way to NVQ Level 2 and Level 3. That might seem like a long list of letters, but in other words it's all the certification you need to become a qualified plumber.

These days you don't have to attend your local college to get the qualifications you need. There are now online plumbing courses that allow you to work through the theory in your own time - while still offering hours of practical training. This is ideal for those looking for a fresh new career change later in life.

The advantages of NVQ plumbing courses

NVQ is a seal of quality. NVQ plumbing courses not only equip you with the skills you need to become a plumber, they give you qualifications which are attractive to employers and customers alike. You may find that you're able to secure larger contracts on more high-profile construction jobs than plumbers without qualifications.

Fitting a course in plumbing around family commitments

The internet has opened up a whole new way of learning. You can gain key skills in your own time, from your own home - then combine them with practical and on-site training. You should expect at least as many workshop hours as a local college plumbing course, but with added flexibility.

Although it can be daunting trying to switch careers with a family to support - with online and flexible learning, you can now easily fit NVQ plumbing courses around your family commitments.

After your plumbing training course - what to expect

Where you go next after you've completed your course is up to you. You could start working for a larger company. You might join a smaller specialist outfit. You may want to break out on your own and enjoy the freedom and financial rewards of being your own boss.

Whatever you end up choosing to do, with the right skills and plumbing training qualifications, you should find that there are lots of opportunities available - and this looks set to grow in the future.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J_Neilston

4 Hot Tips to Get Schooled About Nursing Schools

2009-05-23T07:53:00.000-07:00

Have you done your nursing school homework? If you want to become a registered nurse, you must find the perfect nursing school for you. Whether you are a new high school graduate or an adult who wants to switch careers, a nursing school will help your dreams to come true.

Of course, the very first step is to ensure that nursing is the profession for you. Quite frankly, while nursing can be a rewarding profession, it can be equally demanding. Another reality to consider is that not everyone can be a nurse. That is not to say that it is an elitist profession. Some people simply do not have the temperament to become an effective nurse. After verifying that you want to become a nurse, follow these tips to find the best nursing school for you:

1. Choose whether to become a practical nurse or a registered nurse

It is important simply to remember that these two types of nurses exist. Although some practical nurses later become registered nurses, the vast majority of them do not take that step. Becoming a practical nurse requires schooling that lasts between 10-12 months. Meanwhile, to become a Registered Nurse (RN), you must attend nursing school for at least two years. To specialize in a particular field, you may need to attend schooling for up to three times that time length.

2. Consider a Bachelor of Science in nursing

One path to become an RN includes a college degree as well. This way is particularly ideal for seniors who are graduating from high school. It allows you to kill two birds with one stone-earning a four-year degree, and simultaneously becoming an RN.

Many of your options in selecting a four-year nursing program via college are the same as for any other college students. You must decide whether you want to attend a college closer to home, or farther away. This is basically up to your personality. If you are somewhat of a homebody, going away to school could be overwhelming.

3. Stay closer to home if you are an adult education student

Typically, this will be your best option, as you can stay closer to your home and workplace. When you are juggling a career, a family, AND schooling, then your time and energy are precious. You might even consider distance learning, as you could study from the convenience of your own home.

4. Talk with alumni from particular nursing schools

To get a better overview of a particular nursing school, talk to roughly five nurses in your area who graduated from that school. This will allow you to learn which schools best prepare their students for state tests and the rigors of nursing. They are already performing nursing duties, while wearing cheap urbane scrubs.

When choosing a nursing school, the key is to choose the right one for you. By following the aforementioned tips, you can help to find schools that meet your schooling and professional needs. Get schooled about nursing schools, before choosing one!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brent_McNutt

Learn Why Smoke Alarms Are Important

2009-04-15T00:07:00.001-07:00

Thinking about fire and the havoc it can wreak on homes and families is a devastating thought. Many of choose to ignore the though altogether in an attempt to not have to deal with the coinciding harsh realities of fires within the home. However simply ignoring the topic is one of the worst things you can do. Being informed and prepared in case of a fire within your home can be one of the best ways to ensure the future safety of not only your belongings but your family as well.

Smoke alarms are paramount to the safety of any home and having them installed in the right places and working properly can be the single greatest fire prevention tactic you can use. Following a few simple tips and suggestions when it comes to installation and prevention of smoke alarms can be the difference between life and death in many instances.

The most important tip, and for good reason, is to outfit your home with a number of working and reliable smoke alarms in a number of different places throughout your home. While many people do indeed follow up with the installation, a number of people forget to maintain them or check the batteries to ensure the alarms are working in the way they were intended. I'm sure you have heard all this before, but it simply cannot be said enough; check your smoke alarms regularly. If you are unsure, check them again. The protection smoke alarms can offer your family is immeasurable.

The best places to install smoke alarms are near appliances that can be fire hazards and as close as possible to the areas where you or anyone in your family sleeps. You should have at least one alarm on each floor and preferably one in each bedroom or guest room just to be safe. Some people will argue that smoke alarms are simply not that important. Many people think that they will know if there is a fire and do not need an alarm. This is simply untrue.

Most deaths that are related to fire are caused through smoke inhalation and not actually through burns. By the time you or your family feels the heat or smells the fire, you will already be breathing in smoke. Smoke alarms can warn you and help you get out of the house before the smoke has taken over your room. These extra few minutes can truly make the difference in terms of getting outside and to a safe place before the toxic gases from the fire start to damage your health.

While some people see smoke alarms as a nuisance, there is simply no set value that you can place on you and your family's safety. Sure it might get annoying to check on the alarms once a month or to turn them off if you happen to burn something, but this is a small price to pay when it comes to a piece of equipment that can save your life.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darren_W_Chow

How Well Are Your Valuables Protected From a Fire?

2009-04-15T00:06:00.003-07:00

You may have heard many stories of homes ruined by fire and you may have seen enough footage of houses being burned to the ground because of accident fires. You may have seen the pain on the faces of the families who have lost their shelter and everything they owned to fire, burglary and natural calamities. Surely, you do not want those things to happen to your family and your home. By simply installing reliable fire alarm systems, you can protect your family as well as your home from being harmed by fire and minimizing the risk of accidental fires. This can be done by sorting through and disposing of any fire hazard items not needed in your home. Similarly, you will need something to protect all your important and personal valuables. For centuries now, the use of home safes has been one of the most reliable devices to protect anything of value to its owners.

There is a saying that goes, "no amount of protection can last indefinitely". No matter how many gadgets we have installed in our homes or how much we have already spent on fire proofing our homes, there is still a lingering chance for the possibility of it getting caught by fire; to some extent, home building materials can stand up to fire. Their capacity of being fire-proof diminishes with age or direct and prolonged exposure to open fire and whilst that saying applies to home building materials, it didn't apply to home safe constructions. If only we can build our homes with similar materials as to their construction. Thanks to modern science, home safes are now easily concealed and fully resistant to fire.

The modern exterior and interior constructions of a typical home safe have been fully developed to absolutely resist fire. Commercially speaking, there are two types of home safe construction in terms of fire protection; the fireproof safe and the fire-resistant safe. Many home safe brands would claim that their safes are fireproof; experts agree that there is no such thing as a fireproof safe. Although their products are heavily insulated, the material construction of the safes still succumbs to the damaging effects of fire with prolonged exposure or at certain level of temperature. In the real world, there is only the fire-resistant safe- the one provides the safest and most secure place to store family valuables and documents for any home. With the ingenuity in the design and construction of fire-resistant home safes, it can now be installed at the corners or spots of your home, which burglars and thieves will definitely find it hard to locate.

When you decide to buy your very own fire-resistant safe, you may choose among a number of designs which are intended to be installed at the typical portions of your home. You may choose among the varying fire-resistant features and sizes of wall safes and floor safes. You may choose at a varying range of fire resisting features or protection ratings, ranging from 800-1200 degrees Fahrenheit peak temperature resistance. Just make sure that the floor or the walls of your home can accommodate the size and the weight of your selected design of home safe. Have it installed by a professional safe installation officer to optimize your valuable's security and safety against fire as well as theft.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Derek_Rogers

2012 - Surviving the End of the World Or the Next Y2K

2009-04-15T00:06:00.001-07:00

As we approached the year 2000, there was much anxiety and dread over what would happen. The usual "the end is near" crowd warned us, of course, but then we had real world concerns over our computer systems. What chaos might befall us if the machines we had come to rely on suddenly stopped working or, worse, stopped working properly!

Of course, we survived all that with hardly a scratch.

Now, we face the next potential doomsday: the year 2012.

The Mayan clock runs out in December of 2012. There are some interesting astronomical alignments coming in the year 2012. These things, and others, have some warning of impending doom, once again.

Will we be blasted with gamma rays from a distant galaxy? Will the Earth's crust shift, moving the continents into different temperature zones and causing massive land changes? Will some doomsday minded people bring about the end through man-made catastrophes? If any of these things happen, how can we survive?

The first thing we can do is to be prepared. Even without the potential end of the world hanging over our heads, we are always at risk of natural disasters, from tornadoes and hurricanes, to earthquakes and flooding, and so on. Disaster preparedness should be a practice of every household! It definitely should not be something you only think of when prophecy comes knocking at your door.

Be ready to stay put! If a disaster occurs, you may need to be able to survive at home for days or even weeks, depending upon the type and extent of the disaster. You should make sure that you have enough food and water, as well as medicines and other necessities, sufficient to make it through several weeks without outside contact. You might want to keep supplies stored in a mobile plastic container that can be moved easily. In the event of a tornado, you may seek refuge in your basement but, in the event of flooding, you might seek safety on your second floor. So, keep an emergency container where it can be easily found and moved as the disaster may require.

You should also develop an emergency plan for your home with plans for different types of disasters. Have an evacuation plan too. For example, in the event of a tornado, where is the safest part of your house? If you have sufficient notice, will you be safer at home or seeking shelter at a neighbor's home or community shelter?

Be ready to be mobile! Some disasters may require that you abandon your home. Such disasters may include chemical spills, wild fires, earthquakes, etc. You might use the emergency supplies container you store in your home, moving it to your trunk or back seat if leaving your home becomes required. Alternatively, you might want to keep a separate emergency supplies kit in your car. That way, too, if disaster strikes when you're not at home, you won't need to run home to fetch your supplies.

Be kind to each other! If you believe that the end of the world will be a man-made event, then simple acts of kindness may be your best safety net. Spread the kindness around. You may not be able to change the world, but you can change your neighborhood. As the kindness moves along, you may just find that you can change the world after all!

If disaster does strike, whether it's a "normal" disaster or an end-of-the-world-type catastrophe, all the survivors will need to work together to ensure their long-term survival.

If worries about 2012 and the "end of the world" motivate you to get a disaster preparedness kit together, that's a silver lining on the clouds of worry. But, if the end doesn't come, don't abandon or neglect your preparedness plans and kits, as many did after the year 2000. No part of the world is immune from disaster of some form occurring, so be prepared and don't get caught off-guard!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_C._Rinnert

Emergency Long Term Food Supply - Freeze Dried Foods & Dehydrated Foods

2009-04-15T00:05:00.000-07:00

I'm sure most people have heard all the news about obesity problems in America. So in the era of news stories that tell us that we are facing an obesity epidemic, talking about potential food shortages might seem a little strange. But there seems to be a problem evolving and the majority of America may not have grasped the hard truth. With the economic issues of the day - plunging stock market, unsure international crises, potential civil unrest within our country, and others - we need to rethink what we assume to be an unlimited abundance of food producers and distribution network. However, most people don't understand that how fragile this system is, with multiple stress points that could break. It's really simple: if trucks can't get through to deliver merchandise, there will not be food on the the shelves of food stores, and they will empty in a matter of days.

According to most government studies, most people have enough food on hand in their home to only get by one-three weeks. So if you have not taken care of long term food storage, you can get started relatively easy by purchasing pre-packaged food supply. Today there are multiple options available with all the specially prepared canned and dried foods available, making it fairly cheap and easy. Freeze dried foods, dehydrated foods and canned foods are the less expensive option. MRE's are another option but they are are more pricey. I prefer to have a a variety of food options so I have stocked up on a variety of all the above.

General Guidelines For Your Long Term Food Supply

-- Getting the right calorie requirements is very important, and the rule-of-thumb is to consume 1500 to 2000 calories per person/per day.
-- Optimize storage by buying bulk and using foods that pack a lot of volume in small spaces - in other words freeze dried foods, dehydrated foods and canned foods.
-- Spend the majority of your survival money on food that has long shelf lives, again with freeze dried foods, dehydrated foods and canned foods.
-- Keep some portion of your food lightweight in the event you need to evacuate.

The following are question that you need to consider as you finalize your long term food storage plans:

-- do you have space for food storage and how much?
-- are there any special dietary issues that you need to manage?
-- are you willing to make the necessary effort to prepare your food storage plan?
-- what is the emergency strategy you are most likely to make -- staying in your house or going somewhere else?

Although every person will have different issues to consider with long term food storage because of size of house, closet space, etc., choosing the right products will help you keep your family safe even in the worst of times.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rob_Brown

Fire Protection Systems Which Should Work at Sea and in Port

2009-01-29T21:58:00.001-08:00

Following a serious fire which claimed the lives of three fishermen in Fraserburgh Harbour, the Marine Coastguard Agency have investigated the need for fire safety equipment to be as effective on boats when they are in harbour, as when they are at sea. Apparently, many smoke and fire alarms do not function as they should, whilst a boat is docked.

With this in mind, the Marine Coastguard Agency have been warning skipper owners that they should be more mindful of allowing people to sleep on boats, when the fire protection system may not be working as it should be. When the boats are at sea, there does not appear to be this problem. The alarms work as they should and do warn people of any danger through fire.

The two Filipinos and one Latvian died in the tragic fire, because the fire protection equipment, which had been fitted, failed to warn them as the fire swept through their living quarters. The Marine Coastguard Agency believed that these deaths may have been avoided if the men had been warned through the smoke alarm going off.

Clearly, fire protection equipment needs to be effective whilst a boat is in harbour. The boat could be equipped with ordinary, battery operated smoke alarms which would provide a suitable warning if a fire were to break out. Automatic fire extinguishers are ideal for use on boats. They are particularly effective in unsupervised areas where there may be an increased risk of fire. One such example on a boat, would be the engine room or compartment.

Once the temperature reaches 79 degrees Celsius and over, the automatic fire extinguisher is activated and will release a powder to put out the fire. This type of fire extinguisher would provide ideal fire protection equipment for a boat. Within the living quarters on the boat, ordinary fire extinguishers should be fitted and fire blankets can be just as useful to have handy.

Whilst the Marine Coastguard Agency continues to investigate this matter, skipper owners will have to ensure that they are far more careful about the fire safety protection that would be available to anybody that they are allowing to sleep on their boat. The installation of smoke alarms that will work effectively, whilst the boat is not at sea, would seem to be a very sensible suggestion. They should also make other fire safety equipment available, like fire extinguishers and fire blankets, for example.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Butt

Fire Prevention Tips For the Holidays

2009-01-29T21:56:00.000-08:00

During the holidays, all too often in our rush to get everything done to make the season special we overlook some of the basic safety precautions necessary to make everything magical. Home fires is one of the leading causes of holiday disasters and these fires are more often than not, completely preventable. Rapid Refile, LLC, a document restoration and disaster recovery service, has put together a very helpful fire prevention guide for home owners to follow this holiday season to ensure a safe and disaster-free celebration.

The following is some of the recommendations they have compiled (see full article for references):

Christmas Tree Safety and Fire Prevention:
• Keep trees securely upright in a stand to ensure that it will not accidentally tip over or be knocked over by children or pets.
• Keep your tree away from any and all heat sources.
• Make sure natural trees are well watered.
• If you have purchased an artificial tree, please make sure it is labeled "fire retardant".
• Unplug the tree lights before leaving your home or before going to bed.
• Avoid using real candles on a tree. Real Christmas trees contain natural oils that are very flammable, especially if the tree is dry.
• Use a maximum of three strands of tree lights on a single extension cord.

Holiday Lighting Safety:
• Unplug any lighting, indoor and out, before going to bed.
• Never leave any candles unattended.
• Avoid using live candles with a flame on windowsills and mantles.
• Do not let pets or children chew on strands of lights.
• Make sure the cords used for lights and other decorations are not frayed.
• Do not run electrical wires under rugs.
• Make sure all candles are in sturdy holders that will not tip over and are placed away from furniture and other home accessories.
• Trim candle wicks to a ¼-inch in height.

Fireplace & Woodstove Fire Prevention:
• Have a professional inspect your fireplace annually.
• Inspect your stove or fireplace for any cracks regularly.
• Always use a screen in front of your fireplace while it is burning.
• Do not burn your Christmas tree, wreaths, or leftover wrapping paper in a fireplace or stove.

Additional Fire Prevention and Fire Safety Tips:
• Exercise caution if using a space heater in a bedroom. Never place a heater next to a bed, as blankets could ignite. Place the heater in a place where a sleepy person getting up in the middle of the night will not trip over it.
• Keep fire extinguishers handy on every level of your home in a place where they can be easily accessed. Keep an extinguisher in your kitchen and by any fireplaces or stoves.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ben_Anton

Scouting Out on Your Own

2008-11-08T02:18:00.003-08:00

You were forced to evacuate your home and you have been on the road for several days now. Finally you have safely got out of the city and have arrived at your retreat location without undo problems. Now while the rest of the family is getting the retreat prepared you decide to take off and explore the area for any potential dangers or liabilities.

This is all and fine except you should go prepared. When you are planning to take off on an excursion to survey the immediate area always make sure that you are prepared for any sort of emergency should it arise. We already know that you have the necessary courage and the patience to withstand the test of the great outdoors now you need to properly outfit yourself fro the task.

These patrols will not only pit your survival skills to the ultimate test but will total evaluate your psychological endurance. In an emergency you will be left to your own devises to survive the elements, pitch your own tent or create a dwelling of some sort as well as possibly providing your own food. You should by now be well prepared for this challenge.

There are several items that you should ensure that you have with you. The first item I would like to talk about is your Backpack. An efficient backpack is a must have for any sort of outdoor venture which you may be planning. The ideal survivalist will have one backpack per person. These units should have many compartments that you can store your survival gear in safely. There should be sufficient space for items ranging from water bottles to wool or thermal blankets. All your survival products should be stuffed into these bags for your use in an emergency.

The next item that I would like to cover is your Sleeping Bag. The best type of course is the cocoon-like sleeping bag which will keep you warm regardless of how low the temperature will drop in the evening. A well constructed bag will help save your life even if the temperatures drop down below zero degrees. These bags should also be as lightweight as possible.

Now we can discus your tent which you will be taking with you. Since it is only you that are running this recon mission you can travel light and not be burdened down with extra weight. In short, you will need far less items then if you were traveling with one or two other people. An extra light tent can save your back drastically as you walk all those miles carrying your survival gear. You will want a tent which can be erected quickly and disassembled rapidly. A one man tent is all the comfort that you will need.

No recon plan can be complete without discussing your cooking utensils. After you have completed a difficult trek across the outlaying lands you are certain to be hungry and after you have setup your tent and settled around your newly built campfire you will most certainly want to eat. You can reach into your backpack and cook up a nice bowl of hearty chili or perhaps settle for a cup of hot black coffee.
Lastly I would like to mention first aid kits. It really doesn't matter if you purchase on already made or you build one up from just an empty box. When you cut yourself or develop some sort of medial emergency you will certainly wish you had one available.

Please don't think that this is all the items that you should be concerned with when you plan to go out on your own maneuvers. I have merely scratched the surface and with a little research and thought you can easily come up with additional items to add to your backpack.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Parish

Survivalists Five Year Plan

2008-11-08T02:18:00.001-08:00

Just as successful businesses have projected five year plans created to plot and monitor their potential progress and to achieve maximum growth potential, the active survivalist should have a similar plan in existence. Successful provisions for the survival of yourself and your family do not happen overnight but require a long term personal commitment by you as well as your family members. These commitments will necessitate making any sort of changes in your survival plans as needed in order to meet your set survival goals.

Often you will see your survival results begin immediately as you build up your food supply or create your bug out bags; however the long-term payoff will require a more elaborate strategic plan. You will need to continually monitor and modify your bug out route as required to keep them it up to date as well as to account for changing situations. As members of your group grow in age the bug out bag requirements also become different. No longer are your children toddlers but have progressed the seven to ten year old range. Perhaps your parents are no longer in their prime of life but quickly approaching the senior age group. These changes are constant and your five year plan will take many of them into account. Your coordination between other survivalists as well as with various survival agencies will vary as the months roll on in order to maximize your program results.

Your five year plan should contain the following types of elements for consideration. Fully map out your revenue generating and cost savings goals which you plan to achieve within the next five years. It only makes good sense to realize that your financial situation will change somewhat within five years. You may receive raises which would increase your possible input to your survival program or on the other hand you may foresee a decrease in your expendable income as a result of a pending retirement. Make your goals as clear and precise as you possibly can. Make use of any experience that you have gained in your survival resources to create an achievable five year plan.

Review these plans on a monthly basis to see just where you stand with your survival progress. When accomplishing your plans you should fully understand that the process continuously changes as it applies to the survivalist, therefore break your survival program down into phases. Phase one may be food storage, phase two may be bug out bags, etc. It is important to use these phased type approaches to effectively achieve your survival requirements so you may add additional capabilities in your later phases. As an example, phase one - food storage. In a five year period your requirements may be different. Perhaps you have added another family member. Do you now need to stock up on baby foods of some sort? Has someone developed a particular problem at consuming one of the foods you have stored up on previously? These things change and must be reviewed in your five year plan. The end result is the achievement of maximum survivability for yourself and your family.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Parish

Seven Special Safety Tips That Your Mother Should Have Taught You

2008-11-05T04:53:00.001-08:00

Hello boys and girls. Nobody likes to get hurt, yet accidents happen every day. If you remember the following safety tips that your mother should have taught you, you will be much more likely to avoid trips to the hospital.

1. Don't run with scissors or any other sharp object for that matter.
When you run, you could fall, if you run with scissors in your hands, you could fall on them and stab yourself. That would really hurt not to mention make a real mess as blood would gush out everywhere. Don't do it.

2. Don't play with matches or lighters.
Not only could you burn down your house, a forest or your school but you could burn yourself as well. Getting burned hurts and can also be very dangerous if the burn gets infected. It can also cause blisters that can ooze with puss. It's really gross. It also stinks. Human flesh was not made to be cooked.

3. Always look both ways before you cross the road.
There is an old joke that goes like this...

Q: What is the last thing that goes through a flies mind before it hits your windshield?
A: his butt.

No ambulance driver ever really wants to scrape you up off the side of the road and no driver of a car wants their insurance rates to go up. You have to make sure that there are no cars coming before you cross. Sometimes the driver won't see you or can't stop in time. This would really be a bumbler as you could also break your neck and end up in a wheel chair for the rest of your life. You really don't want to become the next fly.

4. Don't take candy from strangers.
In fact, you shouldn't go anywhere near strangers. There are bad people out there who could grab you and drag you off in their cars and take you away never to be heard from again. You could be taken out in the woods, raped and murdered. You never know who the wacko's really are. It's always best just to avoid them.

5. If somebody is trying to hit you, duck.

It's always best to get out of the way of a flying fist. You could get a broken nose or a couple teeth knocked out. If it's a TKO quality punch, you could fall to the ground and bang your head off of a rock. You could also end up with a black eye, and everybody would know that you lost the fight.

6. Don't stick a fork in an electrical outlet.
This is the quickest way to fry human flesh imaginable. Millions of electrons would shoot through your body. Your feet would leave burn marks on the floor. You will end up looking like a half cooked piece of chicken from a microwave. Just don't do it.

7. Don't get too close to the edge.
You could fall off a cliff cracking your head off of the rocks splitting it open while your brains gush out.

Follow these seven safety tips and you are that much more likely to live a good long healthy life.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patrick_Rafferty

Fire Safety Preparedness - An Ounce of Prevention!

2008-11-05T04:52:00.000-08:00

Each year there are many residential fires resulting in the loss of life and damage to property. The majority of fires are caused by incidents of smoking, cooking, children playing and the deliberate setting of fires. Most of them could have been prevented if proper fire safety precautions had been taken.

A few important and easy steps can be taken to prevent the majority of fires or to contain the damage to a minimum when a fire occurs.

Smoking:
• use large ashtrays to eliminate ashes
• check in and around furniture for dropped butts
• dampen and dispose of butts into large tin cans as quickly as possible
• do not smoke lying down or when drinking alcohol as drowsiness may occur
• keep cigarettes, cigars, matches etc. out of reach of children
• safely dispose of old matches and lighters

Cooking:
• never leave cooking unattended - turn off the burner when leaving or answering the phone
• don't cook while drinking alcohol or on medication that can cause drowsiness
• wear tight fitting clothes when cooking
• always use oven mitts when handling hot pots and pans - no dish towels please
• never put flammable towels, mitts, etc. on the stove
• never use the oven as storage space
• keep pot handles turned in to prevent bumping or children grabbing them
• heat cooking oil slowly while supervising carefully
• if a pot catches on fire put a lid on it and turn off the stove - do not attempt to move the pot
• call 911 if the flames do not go out

Children Playing:
• keep matches, lighters and smoking materials out of sight and reach of small children
• teach older children the responsible and safe way to use matches or lighters
• teach children not to play with the stove or other electrical heating elements
• never leave lighted candles unattended or in reach of small children

Other Fire Hazard Precautions:
• have the fireplace chimney swept by a professional every spring
• use extension cords with circuit breakers - never overload a circuit breaker
• do not have electrical cords under carpets or hung from hooks
• consider having your electrical panel inspected regularly by a master electrician

Deliberately Set Fires:
• have a quality security system in your home
• have good lighting around your home and yard
• when away have a someone monitor your home regularly
• make sure your home always appears lived in
• keep your home, garage and yard clear of rubbish and combustible items

If a fire does occur in your home:
• get down on hands and knees and crawl out - stay below the smoke
• keep doors and windows closed
• if clothes catch fire STOP, DROP AND ROLL to smother the flames
• use a damp towel or cloth to protect exposed skin and/or cover nose and mouth to facilitate breathing
• get out and stay out - call the fire department from outside

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!!

Some things to keep in mind include:
• plan and regularly practice a fire escape plan including an area to meet family members if you should get separated
• have an emergency survival kit within easy reach if you need to evacuate your home - in the trunk of your vehicle is also a good place
• always sleep with bedroom doors closed - this provides some protection against fire
• keep at least one fire extinguisher within easy reach on each level of your home - know how to use it
• keep doors and windows clear of obstructions for safe, easy exit
• install a smoke detector on every level of your home - one close to bedroom doors
• test your battery and electric smoke alarms each month
• carefully clean your alarms every 6 months
• charge the alarm battery at least once a year - twice is better
• replace old alarms that no longer work
• if alarms go off regularly for no apparent reason, consider moving them to a different area - away from direct heat sources

Be Prepared - Before Disaster Strikes!

At Survival Street our goal is to help you prepare for possible disasters. We aim to take the stress out of your emergency situation.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lorrie_Streeter

Why What You Think You Know About CPR is Wrong

2008-10-29T09:13:00.001-07:00

CPR is an excellent life saving tool that has saved many lives and has existed in many forms for hundreds of years. However, our current method of CPR was not taught to the public until the 1970s. Before that, it was determined that artificial respiration and chest compressions could save a person's life, but the method before our current one consisted of laying a person on their stomach. Fortunately, our current method is the adopted method because of its high success rate.

However, there are plenty of misconceptions when it comes to CPR because of what we see in movies and on television series set in hospital environments. The reason why CPR is portrayed the way it is on television is for dramatic effect, but what that does is give people the wrong impression about how it is really done. Could you imagine sitting there and waiting for the person performing CPR to breathe into the victim's mouth twice and then do 30 chest compressions? That would be rather boring, wouldn't it? We usually see them breathe twice and do anywhere between 5 and 15 chest compressions.

How to perform CPR

CPR isn't the quick and glamorous lifesaving technique we see in Hollywood. There are steps to be taken. Those steps are:

• You must try to wake the victim. You can rub your knuckles against their chest in a brisk manner. Any moaning or moving means CPR doesn't need to be done.

• If they're not breathing, tilt their head back so their chin is lifted, and put your ear to their mouth to ensure they are still not breathing. Use your cheek to make sure they're not breathing and look at their chest. Pinch their nose and then seal their mouth with yours. Use a CPR mask if you can. Give breath for one second, let their chest fall, then give breath another second and let their chest fall.

• Do chest compressions in the middle of the chest with the heel of one hand and the other hand on top with fingers interlaced. Compressions should be about 1 ½ to 2 inches in depth and do 30 compressions. Each compression should take less than a second, but ensure the chest rises before the next compression.

• Repeat this process until help arrives unless the victim begins breathing again.

This may seem easy by reading it, but if you didn't know the steps, you now know what to do. However, it is good to gather some experience on performing CPR in case you do need to do it in a real life setting.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_Nutt

The Survivalist and Ham Radio

2008-10-29T09:12:00.000-07:00

In the event of a national emergency of any sort you can safely make use of the FRS for several weeks until such time as the available food and supplies begin to run out at which time RF hunters will begin searching for individuals to victimize. These searches will be conducted mostly on the FRS/CB frequencies since they are limited in numbers and often used.

FRS units are not just your common set of walkie-talkies. We all can remember as children how our walkie-talkies did not work any better than tying a couple of tin cans together with a piece of string. Like many of the wireless electronic items our 2-way radio systems have grown up and transformed into high-tech communications devices which far out perform its ancestors.

The FRS radios of today are quality, compact transceivers which transmit and receive over greater distances while providing superior clarity. They operate on UHF radio frequencies which are not as prone to the usual static and interference which has traditionally plagued the CB frequency bands. This means that you may be fully justified in placing an FRS 2-way radio in your BOB or in your BOV.

These FRS 2-way radios represent a great way of keeping in constant touch with members of your group. Since they have the abilities to talk and hear other similar radios within range of course they are a lot like having personal short-range cell phone but free.

These little radios have a vast array of uses from maintaining communications with members of your party when they roam from the base camp, when members are exploring areas ahead of the unit for safety and advanced information, when hunting for food or for general communications between several BOV's that are traveling together.

There are several advantages associated with the FRS radios over the more common CB radios or even cell phones. These advantages include no airtime charges, no per call charge, freedom from static and interference, they are compact and lightweight and easy to operate.

FRS is commonly known as Family Radio Service and they are handheld, compact, wireless radios which provide good clarity over a short range. The FRS radios have 14 dedicated channels that they operate on. Their legal maximum power is 0.5 milliwatts or 1/2 watt.

Unlike citizens band radios there is no license required for use of FRS radios and you will encounter no fees for its usage.

Closely associated are the General Mobile Radio Service radios (GMRS) which have 8 channels of operation. Their power rating is 1 to 5 watts with a maximum power of 50 watts. These radios are similar to the FRS radios except that the GMRS radio requires you to purchase an operator's license, they usually have a greater range, and they may be outfitted with optional car antennas to extend their range. You can easily communicate with any additional users of either the FRS or the GMRS radios if the operators are within range regardless of the make or model of the unit.

Often you will hear the term "privacy codes" mentioned when dealing with FRS radios. This is a bit of a misleading term since anyone who may be tuned to that channel may hear the conversation. Privacy codes tend to expand the actual number of channels which you can use on your FRS by adding 38 CTCSS codes. Therefore, in the case of your FRS radio instead of having a mere 14 channels to choose from by using these sub-channels you can effectively have 532 available channels. It certainly makes it much easier to find free channels of communications.

There are many features often found on the FRS or the GMRS radios such as a built in GPS system, weather band, Backlight, Adjustable squelch, a VOX system hands-free operation, Auto scan and more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Parish

Disaster Recovery - The Days After Flooding

2008-10-20T02:39:00.001-07:00

The days immediately following a flood are the most crucial to the potential for recovering any personal property that may be damaged by the floodwaters. Hurried recovery tactics, however, can lead to further damage of your property and potential harm to yourself and your loved ones. To recover from a flood safely and affectively:

1. Determine the type of flood experienced

2. Assess the damage that has occurred

3. Determine the safest way to salvage belongings

Determine The Type of Flood Experienced

Floods vary by origin and damage. Floods can develop slowly and take days to reach their final peak. Flash floods, on the other hand, come about within a matter of minutes from seemingly nowhere, typically caused by a surge in rainfall in dry areas. Floods that occur near a defined lake or river are called overland floods and are often weather related. Levee and dam breaks can also create flooded areas.

Stagnant floodwaters can be contaminated by oils, fuels or sewage. If the flood is accompanied by a hurricane, earthquake or severe storm, downed power lines can also electrically charge the water making it entirely unsafe. Also, be wary of any wild animals in post-flood areas. Experts recommend residents avoid all areas with remaining floodwater until it recedes and never enter moving floodwater as it can very easily cause a loss of footing.

Dry areas may also be potentially dangerous after a flood, depending on the severity. Floodwaters can erode roads and walkways, making them dangerous to traverse. Buildings can also be damaged.

Assess the Damage That Has Occurred

Never immediately enter your home or office after a flood - the floors and stairs may have sustained damage and may no longer be safe. Instead, walk a safe distance around your home's foundation and check for loose or downed power lines, gas leaks, structural damage, and any other potentially dangers. Call a qualified building inspector or structural engineer if you suspect your building has sustained any dangerous flood damage.

Once it has been determined that entering your home or office building is safe, the next step is to assess the damage sustained to your valuables and personal belongings. Not all damage means utter ruin. Water damaged photos, books or documents may not necessarily need to be thrown out. Proper document recovery techniques and document restoration companies can help you stem the loss of your most beloved belongings. Seek out a professional to help you determine if any of your essential materials can be saved, even if you believe them to be beyond repair. Quick response and attention to important pieces may make the difference in its potential for restoration.

Determine The Safest Way To Salvage Belongings

A dedicated document restoration service will be able to help you determine the best system for saving your belongings. Many believe that the best technique for recovering your water-damaged personal effects is the desiccant air dry distribution system. Not all companies offer this recovery service. The desiccant air dry technique is an energy-efficient and safe way of removing moisture from the air surrounding your belongings, allowing the water that is trapped inside them to evaporate quickly and harmlessly.

When looking for a restoration specialists make sure the system they use completely dries the materials. Mold damage can occur long after a flood if valuables are not completely dry before they are returned.

Simple steps taken in the first few days after a flood can make a big difference in the long-term detriment the waters cause a family, home or office.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ben_Anton

Home Protection - Preventing Fire Damage

2008-10-20T02:37:00.000-07:00

It is essential that no matter where you live you take care to protect your home and family from fire. Homes in areas that experience high temperatures and dry conditions are even more susceptible to fire dangers, especially during the summer. There are a number of safety measures you should consider as fire season is in full force around the country to protect your family and your personal property from the potential for fire damage.

Advanced Planning

The simplest and easiest way to prevent fire damage is to think ahead. Educate yourself on the high-risk areas around your home, the type of vegetation surrounding it, and how fire-resistant your land may or may not be. If you live in a wooded area, know the history of wildfire in your area. Is there a history of drought during the summer? Have there been fires near your property in the past?

Evacuation

Homes in areas at high risk for wildfires should have a proper emergency evacuation plan - this may be the surest way to protect your family. Plan several escape routes in case a fire blocks main roads and have emergency kit materials ready to go at a moments notice.

Safety Zone

Creating a safety zone around your house and property can help reduce the amount of damage done to your home by flames. Minimizing the amount of vegetation within thirty feet of your home will lessen the risk of fire damage to your possessions. It is recommended that trees and shrubbery be pruned to fifteen feet of fireplaces, stoves, and chimneys. Brick walls, stone patios, and swimming pools can also act as barriers against flames.

Making sure the area immediately around your home is clear of combustible material is also very important for fire disaster prevention. Home and business owners should try to install electrical lines underground if possible. They should also notify the electric company if branches start to interfere with power lines. Keep firewood and gas grills away from any structure and combustible or flammable materials in approved safety containers. Overhangs are high risk items for fire; using the area under them for storage greatly increases that risk. Some property owners encase their overhang or porch stilts in non-combustible material such as brick, concrete, or metal to reduce the risk of fire damage.

Home Materials

Wire mesh added to air vents and chimneys will help prevent embers and flaming debris from entering a building. Fire-resistant siding, such as stucco, metal, or brick helps a home resist catching fire if flames get too close. Dual- or triple-pane thermal glass helps reduce the risk of heat passing through your windows and igniting materials inside your home.

The roof is the most vulnerable part of your home during a fire. Wood, shake, and shingle roofs are particularly risky. It is best to stick with fiberglass, slate, metal, clay, or concrete tile.

Proper disaster preparation could mean the difference between losing everything - property, possessions, lives - and salvaging your home and everything you hold dear. Take the time to learn the fire history of your area and implement proper fire damage prevention measures in order to drastically reduce the risk of damage and the need to restore your home, documents and important materials completely. Contact your local fire department and find out what they recommend for fire protection if you have any questions about your particular area.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ben_Anton

Surviving Hurricanes by Using Government Manuals

2008-10-13T04:12:00.003-07:00

It is crucial that in the event that a hurricane strikes your city and state that you are properly prepared to take care of yourself and your family. By prepared I mean having the necessary knowledge that would enable your family to survive this ordeal. Specific skills are necessary if you plan to make this happen since you can not rely upon luck or outside help - You must learn to help yourself!

The frequency and severity of hurricane are increasing with each passing season. Hurricanes are considered tropical storms which have wind velocities of over 75 miles per hour. Depending upon where in the world you make your home a hurricane will be known by different names. They may be referred to as typhoons or tropical cyclones but they all mean the same thing, a danger to you and your family.

You have always heard about the eye of the hurricane which is the center of the hurricane where everything seems to be calm and can deceive many people into believing a hurricane is over. When the eye of the hurricane passes over you never comes out of your home in fact remain indoors until you are instructed that it is safe to come out by the proper authorities.

There are five designated categories of hurricanes which relate to their relative wind velocities or speeds. These categories range from a cat 1 with its wind speed in excess of 75 miles per hour up to a cat 5 which has wind speeds of 155 MPH or more.

In order to be safe from the forces associated with a hurricane you must develop a hurricane plan. Discuss this plan with your family and ensure that every member knows exactly what they must do in the event of a hurricane striking your city. If you have to evacuate it is important that you have a detailed plan laid out in order to escape the city quickly and safely. You should have already created a kit which you should maintain in a safe place or possibly store it in your car which would include items such as a first aid kit, several flashlight, a battery operated radio, extra batteries, easily prepared food, a supply of water, raincoats for the family, sleeping bags and any necessary medications.

A weather radio comes in handy in situations such as these and will provide you with adequate instructions on what you must do. Always keep a full tank of gasoline in your vehicle for a quick evacuation of the area should it become necessary.

One of the best ways to protect yourself and your family in the event of a hurricane is by the use of knowledge and knowledge comes with learning. Our military and government agencies have made this knowledge available to us in the form of manuals which you can purchase. These manuals are affordable and provide you with an abundance of knowledge to handle any sort of emergency. The manuals may cover situations such as natural or man-made disasters and contain quick action checklists or instructions for creating various emergency supply packages all on a two DVD package.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Parish

Surviving a Rattlesnake Bite

2008-10-13T04:12:00.001-07:00

A Rattlesnake bite doesn't have to be deadly. It's possible to survive a bite without even seeking medical attention. However, you're better off following some simple steps which will greatly reduce the risks of dying from a Rattler bite.

Tips for surviving a Rattlesnake bite:

• Don't go around Rattlesnakes.

I know. This is like saying if you don't want to get STDs don't go around women. Easier said than done. You're a man. You need to adventure outdoors, hunt, fish, ranch, farm, whatever. But, just don't do anything stupid. Don't go sticking your bare hand inside cracks and crevices, in wood piles, and in your nose (just had to slip that one in there). In warm seasons, be careful walking through fields. Be aware.

• Don't panic

You just got bit by a Rattler. I don't expect you to start a celebratory dance. But I do expect you to NOT act like a sissy girl. You need to cowboy up. Suck it up. Stay calm. You don't want to help the venom move through your system.

• Call an ambulance

You need to get to a hospital. An ambulance is your best bet. If that doesn't work, get someone to drive you. It's probably not a good idea to drive yourself. It's already a bad enough day that you got bit by a freaking snake. You don't want to also pass out, drive into a tree, and decapitate yourself. That would really suck.

• Remove any clothing or jewelry that may be constrictive.

You don't want to constrict any of your extremities, since it could exacerbate the swelling.

• Immobilize the wound area.

The idea here is that you want to put a splint or something on the wound area so that you won't move it. The more you move it, the more the swelling, the more the venom moves through your system, the more chance you'll die...oops did I say 'die'. I meant the more chance you'll get severely sick, pass out, and never regain consciousness - but not 'die'.

• Don't try to suck out the poison.

Don't slice open the wound with your pocket knife and try to suck out the poison with your mouth. It may infect the wound. It's also a good way to get snake venom in your mouth and stomach.

• Don't try and catch the snake and bring it to the emergency room.

I don't know where this idea got started. But I'm guessing there's been more than one fool who got bit by a snake, then got bit again trying to catch it. There's also probably been some guy who took a snake in to the ER dropped it on the floor and got someone else bit. You don't need the snake. Most doctors will be able to tell what kind of snake bit you, and if you live in Rattlesnake country, it's likely the only poisonous snake, so they'll know.

Dying from a Rattlesnake bite is rare. Only about four people per year in the United States die from a snake bite. You can greatly reduce your risk of dying from a Rattlesnake bite by staying away from them, not panicking if you do get bit, and following the simple steps above.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Franklin_D_Pierce

Be Prepared - Survival Gear

2008-10-06T07:23:00.002-07:00

I believe in being prepared. No one likes not knowing what to do in a situation. Not knowing what to do can produce an uncomfortable, stressful, anxious and debilitating feeling that could result in panic. When you are prepared and armed with knowledge, resources and equipment that you'll need to handle a situation, the panic is minimalized and you are able to make quick and accurate decisions. You can function in a way that helps to solve problems and maybe even saves a life.

A natural disaster can create a situation where preparedness is essential. The most critical decisions have to made quickly and the first inclination is flight. We all want to get away from the disaster as fast and as far as possible. Let the professionals deal with the situation so we can return when it's safe to do so. In the meantime though, how to survive and for how long? Be prepared ahead of time by collecting some of the items necessary for survival. Create your own survival kit and store it in the most easily accessible place. Store your survival kit in your basement, the trunk of your car, in a closet in your RV or as close as possible to your escape route so you can grab it and go. You should plan to acquire enough supplies for 2 people (multiplied by the number of people in your family) to last 3 days. Some of the things you'll need include food and water, light and communication, shelter and warmth, tools, hygiene kits and sanitation supplies, first aid, entertainment items, and an infectious waste bag just to name a few.

A family survival kit should provide you with the resources and information that will maintain you and your family until it is safe to return home or seek other assistance. 93% of Americans are unprepared for an emergency requiring multi-day survival. Don't be caught in this statistic. Be prepared.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cathy_Burt

Tornado - What Could I Have Done?

2008-10-06T07:23:00.001-07:00

Surviving a Tornado

Cows are flying by, there is a witch on a broom cackling at you and you can see Dorothy's house being flung through the air, Yes, you're in the middle of a tornado! Now how do you get out alive?

Planning, planning, planning. It is the most important key in any harmful situation. Of course we want you to of planned an escape plan BEFORE the situation strikes so let's start there. As with any survival tactic sit down and make a plan with your family of general things you all will need to remember if the time comes to do so. Where will you meet up if you are all out and about? The ideal place is the spot you plan to take shelter to avoid the tornado. Basements, cellars and anywhere underground is usually the best place to seek safety. However, if you don't have underground accommodations finding a place that is farthest away from any windows and the outside is the best idea, such as a hallway or bathroom. If you've read the article on how to prepare for any natural disaster you should be well prepared for a tornado. Make a kit that contains things like canned food, fresh water, first aid, batteries, flashlights and a battery operated radio for an optimum survival rate.

If there is time shut off the utilities in your home. If the tornado decided to claim your home you can avoid further harm to you or your family if that gas line is shut off! For insurance purposes take a video of your home in pretty good detail. Jewelry, electronics, upgrades, anything that will help you get your claims correct heaven forbid your home be claimed in a storm. Also, if that should happen and if you're able to, take pictures and / or video of the damage done to your home or land for these same purposes.

Know the area you live in and know it well. When you are in a basement listening to a radio the chances are they will talk about areas around your home and the better knowledge you have of the area, or state, you live in the better chances you have of being better informed. Staying calm and knowing when to leave the home for safe shelter will play a bigger role then you think in your survival. If when you look up the skies are black and the wind is picking up that is usually a great indication you should get underground as soon as possible!

When the tornado strikes and if you're able to find a piece of heavy furniture to crawl under. You can use various cushions or bedding to protect your skin from getting scathed. Make sure your head and neck are protected if not anything else. Never go outside to check to see if the tornado is over. Keep a good listen to your battery powered radio for any updates. When they say the coast is clear, cautiously move for the exit. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for injured people and if you're able to assist in first aid. I'm hoping you have shoes on, but if you don't, and even if you do, keep an eye out for broken glass, and metal and any other debris scattered about the area. You've survived the worst part so let's not get hurt being clumsy!

DO not think that you can out run a tornado in a car. You can't! Your best bet is to seek shelter in a low level building. Winds can easily go above 300 miles per hour which means clinging for life to a tree will be pointless when the tree ends up being sucked into the tornado! Keep your family close and a plan in mind if this horrible act of mother nature strikes. Stay alert and you'll stay alive!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mo_Plante

Emergency Preparedness Should Not Be a Disaster

2008-10-06T07:22:00.000-07:00

Natural disasters (or acts of nature) are considered to be the consequence of a natural hazard which affects human activities. They are termed a disaster if they cause financial, environmental or human loss due to lack of planning or lack of appropriate emergency management.

Acts of nature come in many varied forms. Land movement disasters include avalanches, earthquakes, lahars, landslides, mudflows and volcanic eruptions. Blizzards, droughts, hailstorms, heat waves and cyclonic storms (including hurricanes, tropical cyclones and typhoons) are all considered to be water disasters. Other disaster situations include fire, health and disease (including epidemics and famine), and space (impact events and solar flares).

Natural disasters are often related. Drought can lead to famine and disease, tsunamis are caused by earthquakes under the ocean, and volcanic eruptions can result in lahars and fires ravaging the land. All of these natural disasters can cause environmental emergencies. They can strike quickly and without warning. It can force you to evacuate your neighborhood or confine you to your home. What would you do if basic services--water, gas, electricity or telephones--were cut off? Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone right away.

Emergency management or disaster management involves preparing for a disaster before it happens. You cannot put an emergency on hold. Effective emergency preparation relies on a well thought out plan of action that will help you and your family know what to do in case of an emergency situation. Every household, school and business needs an Emergency Plan.

As part of your emergency plan you should consider the following guidelines:

-Safe exits from your home, school, place of business and neighborhood -Meeting places to reunite with family members, roommates, colleagues, etc.
-A designated person to pick up your children if you are unable to do so
-A place for your pet(s) to stay
-Contact person(s) close by and out-of-town
-Pertinent health information for you, your family and pet(s)
-Location of fire extinguishers, water and gas shut-off valves, electrical box and floor drain -Possible risks in your area

What you have on hand when a disaster happens could make the difference between surviving or not surviving the emergency. Plan to store enough supplies for everyone in your household for at least 72 hours (3 days). It is important to have an emergency survival kit that contains all the products families (schools or businesses) would need to comfortably stand firm against an emergency situation. Emergency kits should be kept in the home (near the front door if possible), car and workplace for unexpected emergencies such as power outages, break downs, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, blizzards, earthquakes and other potential disasters.

Some items to consider for your survival kit should include:

-easy-carry backpack or duffel bag
-emergency food and water for 72 hours (3 days)
-first aid kit, medications (if required)
-flashlight(s) and batteries, emergency whistle
-heavy-duty leather work gloves, disposable vinyl gloves
-FM radio and batteries or crank radio (no batteries required)
-tooth paste and toothbrush (one per person)
-disposable razors (double-blade), antibacterial deodorant soap,
-paper tissues and toilet paper rolls, terry towel(s)
-multi-purpose scissors, note pad(s) with pencil(s) and pencil sharpener
-rain poncho(s), tube-tent, emergency blanket(s) to retain body heat
-camping stove
-can also be used as heat-source
-waterproof matches
-pocket warmers, comfortable shoes, extra clothing
-some extra cash

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lorrie_Streeter

Accident and Emergency Radiology: A Survival Guide, 2d ed

2008-09-29T04:40:00.001-07:00

Consultant radiologists from Glasgow, Cambridge, and London offer simples and systematic approaches to evaluating emergency room radiographs. They have revised the 1995 first edition with additional radiological information, new explanatory drawings, improved illustrations, different layout, enlarged glossary, and other changes. They have in mind relatively inexperienced doctors who may have to make a radiological assessment at times when expert advice is not immediately available.

Entrepreneurship, cooperation and the firm; the emergence and survival of high-technology ventures in Europe

2008-09-29T04:39:00.001-07:00

Ulijn (innovation, entrepreneurship, and culture, Eindhoven U. of Technology, The Netherlands) et al. assemble 12 research studies that examine issues linked to the emergence, cooperation, and survival of European start-ups, specifically those in the high-tech sector. European and American scholars, practitioners, and members of public institutions consider aspects relating to the firm; technology and innovation; sustainability at the institutional level; the role of the individual, including national culture and diversity; and the European context. The book does not deal with the pre-founding stage of a company. Many of the studies were drawn from papers given at a meeting presented at Montpellier Business School in France in March 2005 that was part of the research group SURVIE (Start Up Research and Valorization/Valuation of Intra- and Entrepreneurship in Europe). The book is aimed at innovation and entrepreneurship policy makers at government levels, those in research programs on entrepreneurship, innovation, and organizational change, and academics, researchers, and practitioners.

The Royals emerge as champions after surviving 'crazy' first

2008-09-29T04:38:00.000-07:00

The Royals emerge as champions after surviving 'crazy' first weekend

RIGHT: Steven Brown dunks during Saturday's 3-on-3 basketball competition at Hillcrest Park.

BELOW: Kevin Smith dribbles past Joe Leiker during Saturday's semifinals.

Photographs by LISA LAUCK

The Capital-Journal

By Tiffany L. Woods

The Capital-Journal

The basketball courts at Hillcrest Park looked a little different this weekend than last weekend.

The heat wasn't as fierce and there weren't as many 3-on-3 basketball players.

"Last week was crazy," said Kama Lightfoot, Sunflower State Games sport coordinator. "They played from like 3 to 11 p.m."

When all of the madness ended one week later, only a team called The Royals was left unscathed. The Royals defeated That Team to win the 3-on-3 championship.

Lightfoot, who kept score, said the weekend was going according to plan.

Valance Jones, State Games basketball commissioner, said a co- worker told him about the Games and he wanted to get involved.

"This is a nice thing for Topeka," he said. "I just volunteered to help out and do the best I could in the community."

Dan Barnes, 18, said he participated in the Games to show off his on-the-court skills.

"My friend needed a guy for his team, and I wanted to dominate the court," said Barnes, a Seaman High School student.

When asked if he cared about winning a gold medal, Barnes said, "Of course."

"We don't want the gold, we're in it for the silver," he said jokingly to a teammate.

Protective Gears

2008-09-26T05:05:00.003-07:00

There are many kinds of gears available to protect you while you go for camping, during swat and assassination. Hence, it is better to carry all kinds of these protective gears when you step out of your home. Below mentioned are some of the protective gears:

Camping Gears: You can make the camping journey an unforgettable memory and have a high quality time with your family members. In addition, you will also enjoy getting off from the usual daily life to breathe the outdoor air and will feel relaxed and refreshed.

Nonetheless, before you go for camping, ensure that you have all the necessary arrangements with essential camping gears. Camping gears include food, tents, pillows, first aid kit, flashlight, utility penknife, rain gear, lantern, camp stove and water. These camping gears are of utmost important, when you plan to go for a long excursion.

Swat Gears: Swat gear is a type of equipment designed especially for specific divisions in several US police departments. With swat gear, the military divisions feel safe and secure while performing risky operations.

Swat gear with tactical clothing provides ideal and durable service during high-risk operations such as preventing assassination, rescuing and captivating criminals. It also includes specialized safety equipment, entry tools, heavy body armor, steel reinforced boots, and nighttime vision optics.

Bulletproof vests: Bulletproof vests come in all shapes and designs to meet the needs of an individual's requirements and the level of protection. Mostly, the bulletproof vest is available for every situation such as, from hiding it beneath the clothes and to defense against terrorists. If you are residing in a dangerous area or work in a risky urban locale on a daily basis, it is necessary to protect yourself against endangerment.

Bulletproof vests keep you protected from several threats that a brutal urban location may force you to experience. You can buy these kinds of vests from local outlets or from online stores, which are specialized in offering these types of protective gears.

If you buy from online stores, you have the option of selecting from wide arrays such as body armor, bulletproof jackets, tactical ballistic screens, and Kevlar helmets of all safety levels.

Survival and Emergency - Hurricane Ready - Evacuate Or Stay?

2008-09-26T05:05:00.001-07:00

Storms can be a result of pending weather conditions. If a hurricane is coming, do you stay? Or do you leave? That is one decision that you must make yourself. If you decide to stay, here are some helpful tips to get you prepared to buckle down. The idea is to be self contained.

First, fill up your gas tanks including vehicles, chain saws, or any other equipment that requires fuel. If the power goes out, you won't be able to pump fuel at your local gas stations.

Next, go grocery shopping. Stock up on water. You will need at least one gallon per person per day for two weeks. Also stock up on food for everyone. I recommend can goods, dry cereal, protein bars, peanut butter, etc. Pick up a portable (nonelectric) can opener. While you are at the store, pick up flash light batteries in assorted sizes.

You may need to shop at your local home center store, too. Pick up boards and duct tape for windows. Board up all windows. Use the duct tape as a back up for the boards.

Next, pack up like you are leaving. Gather clothes, medications, toys, pillows and blankets, and important papers. Put the important papers in a sealed plastic bag. If your roof leaks, your papers are covered. If something happens to your house while you are there, you may need to leave in a hurry. You won't want to go looking for things.

If you stay, make sure you are not in the path of a tidal surge. Hurricane Katrina had an 18' tidal surge. How high is your house built up? If you house is ten foot above sea level, an eighteen foot surge will still cause flooding.

Trees are beautiful and give shade to your home. But they are terrible in a hurricane. Pins trees have deep roots so they snap in high winds. Water oak trees have shallow roots. If the hurricane brings a lot of rain that accumulates around a water oak, they will fall over, tree, root ball and all. Beware.

These are minimum requirements to keeping safe and being self contai. Keep an eye on your local weather stations and news. If the TV stations go off the air, tune into your radio station. Be alert at all times.

How to Prepare For Outdoor Survival Tactics For Hiking and Camping

2008-09-26T05:04:00.000-07:00

The outdoors is a beautiful place in which nature is at its best. While the places you may spend your time in at the wilderness seem very safe, there are certain precautions that every person, even the seasoned hiker or camper needs to take. A first aid kit is absolutely essential on even the shortest outdoor excursions. A simple collection of antiseptic, bandages, and hydrocortisone cream should meet the needs of most minor injuries. For more serious injuries a cellular phone will prove to be very valuable or know the locations of the nearest phones that provide service to ranger stations.

Aside from having your first aid kit and way to communicate, the best way to protect you from perils of the outdoors is to know the area in which you are camping or hiking. You would not want to be dropped off in the middle of a huge city that you were not familiar with and the woods should be treated with same respect. By knowing your area, the climate for that particular time of year is very crucial. Not having the appropriate clothing to withstand the weather could cause great harm to you and your family. Remember that a lot of areas temperature range can vary by as much as 40 to 50 degrees between daylight and nighttime hours. To help combat temperature changes the proper equipment can make life out on the terrain a little easier. There are tents and sleeping bags designed for particular temperature ranges that will help keep your body temperature at a safe level. Hypothermia and heat exhaustion are two serious concerns that happen readily to unprepared campers and hikers.

The next point of interest is food and water. Your body will require water to survive. At least 2 liters of water needs to be available daily to sustain your body need for water. While this can be obtained from streams, wells, and other natural resources, it is always a good idea to add some bottled water to your pack. Dried foods can also be packed which are typically light such as MRE (Meals Ready to Eat), and dried fruits and vegetables. A little research can also provide you with naturally occurring food sources for the area you plan on scouting. Do not eat anything that you have not thoroughly researched, as many fruits and plants can look absolutely delicious but prove to be poisonous. Wild game can also be captured for those with knowledge of trapping or hunting. An important thing to remember when eating wild game is that you risk infection of diseases but will help keep the pack weight down and provide you with the variety of diet that you need for longer excursions.

For those skilled and experienced campers and hikers, creating a fire may not be that difficult. However, depending on climate and amount of materials available to start a fire could prove a hard task for the more inexperienced hikers or campers. To make life out in the wild a little easier, waterproof matches would help start a fire easily. Two blocks of flint could also be used and of course if all else fails two dry sticks can give you that little amber you need to start your cooking fire. Pine straw and other dried vegetation are ideal for getting a fire started, but you will also need to locate larger wood sources to keep your fire going for an extended period of time. When you go out venturing for wood, do not travel alone. When possible, always try to travel with a friend in case danger does arise.

Navigation can make or break an experience in the wild. The surroundings are all typically the same no matter what direction you walk in. Landmarks are few and far in between. A compass is highly suggested along with a small map of the area in which you will be staying. Long sleeves and pants will help keep you from being injured from briars and other hazards as well as limit fresh skin available for insects. If you get completely lost this attire should be able to get through the night in many terrains, and leave items that are not needed as landmarks to help others track you or to let you know if you have been walking in circles. When all else fails, a flare gun should have been a part of your survival kit. This should then be fire when times are getting hard. Once the flare has been fired you need to stay at that location.

Some of the more common insects and animals that could pose a problem in the wild are leeches, mosquitoes, and bears. If for any reason you pick up a few leeches on your skin, it is important not to remove them without use of salt or alcohol. This is due to the jaws being left in the skin which can then become infected. Bug spray and netting should be used to prevent an abundance of mosquito and other insect bites as they are prone to diseases and infections. For addressing bears, all food needs to be kept in sealable containers to prevent the scent traveling and inviting a bear into your campsite. This is only a few of the many dangers that the wild possesses. It is important to research the natural inhabitants of any new area you plan to visit.

Another primary concern is animal bites such as spiders, snakes, and scorpions. Many breeds of these animals come packed with a toxic bite. Whether it be a black widow spider, rattlesnake, or other animal you need to know how to handle yourself. The vital part to helping a fellow camper or hiker that has been bitten is to clean the infected area well, and tie a piece of material or belt above the wound. This will help prevent infection and slow the movement of the poison throughout the body. Emergency officials need to be reached immediately if the bite is determined to come from a poisonous animal. An easy way to tell with snake bites are if a row of teeth appears it is typically a non-venomous snake, while if two distinct puncture marks are shown with or without the row of other teeth, it is a good assumption that the snake was poisonous. The next step is to assure that someone is monitoring the bitten person for changes in status. It often takes some time for symptoms to begin to appear. Treat the symptoms as best as possible with your first aid kits and seek help. The myth of sucking out venom is simply that and not suggested.

Now that we have covered the basics of outdoor survival, it is up to you to educate yourself on the specific surroundings that you will be camping or hiking. Knowledge is what will keep you alive out there, while ignorance does not have a pleasant ending.

How to Protect Your Family With Pre-Disaster Planning - Emergency Preparedness Plan

2008-09-23T03:00:00.002-07:00

There are many steps that can be taken to prevent harm to your family when a disaster strikes. The primary key to ensuring the safety of your family is to plan ahead. While every disaster is different the steps that need to be taken for safety purposes are very similar. A simple cycle will help prepare you and your family for what needs to be done. This cycle includes four easy step, planning, testing, practice, and maintenance.

The first portion of this critical cycle is of the utmost important. It is planning an evacuation or reaction plan appropriate for the natural disaster. If a fire was to take place in your home an evacuation plan would be more suitable while if a hurricane was approaching a safety plan directed at the in home safety would prove to be more valuable. For this reason, it is advised that an evacuation plan and severe weather plan be created. A few things to remember when creating your emergency plan is to designate a single location for all the family to seek out when an emergency arises. This will make is easy to account for all family members and help save valuable time in trying to move the family to a safer location. Secondly, this plan needs to be discussed on a regular basis with the whole family to make sure everyone understand the plan and also knows the importance of following the plan and not deviating from it. Finally, a good way to help refresh younger members of the familys memory is by posting your emergency plans on the refrigerator and in their bedrooms. That way there in a stressful situation when it is time to implement these plans they can easily be located and followed.

Before the final plan is put into place, it is important to test the plan and make sure that it is effective and can be accomplished by all family members. This is especially important when smaller children or elderly are within the home. The designed emergency plan should be tested under various pretend emergencies to make sure it is suitable for all major emergencies or to let you know that the plans need to be revised under certain circumstances.

Now that the plan has been designed, tested, and ready to be used in case of emergency, it is time to remind all the members of the family of what needs to be done. We never want an emergency to occur, but when it does it is time to get down to business. To make sure there is no delay in family response, a monthly test should be run. This way all the procedures stay fresh in everyone's mind. So when that emergency does occur there is no doubt that everyone knows exactly what they need to be doing.

Finally, the last part of the cycle is maintenance. The portion is just as important as the first. The reason being for maintaining your emergency plans is that sometimes house layouts change, family members switch rooms, or they simply become ineffective. This is also a good time to check those first aid kits and emergency supplies such as bottled water, canned goods, and conditions of the home. An emergency plan should be evaluated annually to make sure you and your family are doing all that they can to stay safe in a state of emergency.

Survival and Emergency - Hurricane Ready - Evacuate Or Stay?

2008-09-23T03:00:00.001-07:00

6 Tips From Home Disaster Survivors

2008-09-23T02:59:00.000-07:00

Looking back at 2007, it sure seems like nature had it in for the suburbs. The whole country was beset by weather related disasters. We had wildfires in Southern California, ice storms in the Midwest, and flooding in the Northeast. It was devastating for those affected, and chilling for everyone else. The damaged homes on the news were ordinary suburban homes. It was so easy to imagine it happening to us or someone we loved. The truth is that our homes are susceptible to fire and water damage. They are lovely straw houses, waiting for an accident, a little negligence, or the perfect storm.

So what should we do to prepare?

If you want to recover financially from a home disaster, there are two things you need to protect: your digital information and your physical possessions. Vanessa Wood of Design to Spec, LLC was one of those unlucky people whose home was flooded on four separate occasions in 2007. She gives us three tips for protecting our digital files and connections:

1. Don't touch that computer! Whether your computer has been under water, smoke damaged, or hit by debris, it might not be safe to touch immediately after a disaster. Unplug your computer so it will not experience a power surge when downed power is turned back on. Allow a professional PC consultant to examine the hard drive. A good consultant can recommend a sterile lab that is expert at the recovery of valuable data and files.

2. Store hard to replace records and files on a server. This could even be the same server that hosts your website. Taking this extra step may entail scanning documents and choosing to accept bank records in a digital format. Not only will you have your records in a safe location, but you will free up space in your filing cabinets and shelves. Check with your tax advisor to verify which records can be held as digital records, rather than paper.

3. Stay mobile. Stay flexible. You may not be home for awhile. You might have to handle your finances or an insurance claim from a friend's house, library or hotel. Be sure your laptop has the programs you use everyday. Know how to forward your phone numbers to your cell phone. If you use an email address that's derived from your internet cable service (for example, janedoe@optonline.net) know your service password so you can read emails as web mail because a storm, fire or other disaster may knock out your local cable service connection. Remember, too, that online banking services can be invaluable when trying to manage bill payments in a crisis.

What about your physical possessions? You should ask yourself how much it would cost if you had to replace all your belongings yourself. Even if you have home insurance, your initial estimate might be closer to reality than you thought. A client of mine, Julie, lost all the contents of her home when her condo complex burnt to the ground. She offers three tips for protecting and recovering your physical belongings:

1. Do not be underinsured. If you purchase big ticket items, or remodel, make sure you update your insurance policy to cover all your new additions.

2. Keep detailed records of all estimates, transactions and conversations. Julie had to go over her agent's head to a supervisor to get the rest of the money that she was owed for her insurance claim. She was able to do this because she kept notes and copies of everything she mailed and faxed.

3. Don't keep your important documents in your home. Keep your passport and other important documents in a safe location. Julie's home safe didn't withstand the heat of the fire and all was lost. If you must keep the originals at home, keep copies in a separate safe location, like a safety deposit box at your bank.

Food and Water For Survival - You Have Insurance But Are You Really Prepared?

2008-09-16T04:04:00.002-07:00

Everyone has begun to notice the impact that the gas prices are having on the economy, but that is just the tip of the iceberg.

Our whole society has been designed to consume massive amounts of petrochemical products because of the profits that it produced for the handful of people who control these resources. This business has become so big that it has taken over virtually everything in our economy as well as the government.

The people who are in control want to remain there at any cost, especially if that cost is merely at the lives and fortunes of the American people. Our government has gone spend crazy and the rest of the world is going to stop taking our promise to pay. When this happens the dollar will collapse along with the stock market which will also cause interruptions in the transportation system and possibly municipal utilities.

The prices of everything will skyrocket as the supply drops. This will allow them to declare martial law and force us to accept whatever they want to give back to us after they take all that we have.

If this is hard for you to believe, Do some research, the right information could save your life.

And even if I am wrong and it does not happen that way, look at all of the other things that can put you in a position of needing to provide for your own substance for a while such as natural disasters and/or terrorist attacks. What I'm trying to convey to you here is not the mindset of fear but of awareness of what is going on around you.

You can only survive for a very few days without water and a few weeks without food.

Think about where your food comes from and how it gets to your grocery store. Are you willing to bet your life that system can not get interrupted for a month or longer? How long do you think it will take the grocery store to empty if the trucks quit rolling? Again I want to emphasize that fear, doubt and worry are unproductive. As you become aware of these threats to your family use it as motivation to act toward preparation.

Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

You must either store or have access to water 2 gallons per day per person is recommended. If you have a well make sure you have a way to get it out of the ground other than with your electricity unless it is generated on-site. even with on-site water you still need to have a good water filter.

Next I recommend getting food stuff. Buy extra portions of the things you normally have in the house and fill your cabinets, then get long-term storable food which I feel an urgency to do because some food supply houses are already rationing food.

Store up and get at least a 3 month supply for your family, More is better. Grow food, although you may not have room for a garden plot, most people can be creative and find ways to grow some food for their family. Take responsibility and Protect your loved ones.

The Worst Has Happened - Are You Prepared?

2008-09-16T04:04:00.001-07:00

A disaster has occurred in your home, in your neighbourhood, in your city or your state.

Being prepared for a disaster, before it happens, will help you and your family through the danger when it does occur.

Evacuation:

1. An Immediate risk to you and your Family:

If you smell gas, smoke or see fire in your home, evacuate everybody immediately. Do not call for help from inside your home or go back to retrieve an item. In an emergency of this type, only the lives of your family are important. , Call 9-1-1 and report the emergency only from a safe location.

2. Official General evacuation orders:

If local officials issue general evacuation orders, immediately prepare to leave your house.

· Wear sturdy shoes, long-sleeve shirts and pants.

· Bring your Go-bag.

· If you have a pet, make sure it is wearing a collar, use a pet carrier labeled with your name and the pet's name. Bring your pet's Go-bag.

· Lock your home and shut off the water and electricity, but leave gas on unless instructed otherwise.

· Leave a note and tell a neighbor where you are going.

· Use the evacuation routes and methods specified in the evacuation order.

· Carpool with neighbors whenever possible.

· Once you arrive at a safe location, call your out-of-area emergency contact. This is a person that you know and have previously designated as your emergency contact person. All family members should call this person as soon as they in a safe location.

Disaster Shelters:

Immediately following a large disaster, suitable shelter sites will be selected from a list based on areas of need and estimated numbers of evacuees. Because each site must be inspected prior to being opened, it is not possible to say, which sites will actually be opened then a disaster does strikes.

As soon as disaster sites have been designated, their locations will be announced by your local news media.

If you do not have an alternative, evacuate to a designated emergency shelter.

· Tell your out-of-town-contact where you are going.

· Take your Emergency Kit (First Aid kit and Go Bag) with you to the shelter.

· Initially, emergency shelters may not be able to provide basic supplies and materials. Consider bringing extra items (e.g. blanket, pillow, air mattress, towel, washcloth, diapers, food and supplies for infants.)

· Provide for your pet: only service animals are allowed in "human" shelters. If you cannot make other plans for your pets, Animal Care staff will be available at "human" shelters to help with pet sheltering needs.

Electrical Power Failure:

Power cuts can occur due to blackouts, extreme weather conditions, or can accompany other disasters such as earthquakes or terrorism. If there is no power in your neighborhood:

· Turn off and unplug appliances and computers. Leave one light on to indicate when power has been restored.

· Avoid using regular wax candles; they are fire hazards.

· Do not use a gas stove for heating or operate generators indoors (including the garage.) Both can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

· If traffic signals are not working, treat them like a stop sign.

Earthquake:

If you are indoors when shaking starts:

· Get on the floor, cover your head and hold on. If you are not near a strong table or desk, drop to the floor against an interior wall or doorway and cover your head and neck with your arms.
· Avoid being under or near windows, hanging objects, mirrors, tall furniture, large appliances and cabinets filled with heavy objects.

· Do not try to exit the building during strong shaking.

· If you are downtown, it is safer to remain inside a building after an earthquake unless there is a fire or gas leak. Remember that there are no open areas in downtown San Francisco far enough from glass or falling debris to be considered safe. It may be the same in your town.

· Broken glass from high-rise buildings can travel great distances when caught by the wind.

· If you are in bed, stay there and cover your head with a pillow.

· Do not use elevators during or after a quake.

· If you are in a wheelchair, lock the wheels and cover your head.

If you are outdoors when shaking starts:

· Move to a clear and open area if you can safely walk. Avoid power lines, buildings and trees.

· If you're driving, pull to the side of the road and stop. Do not stop under an overhead hazard.

· If you are on the beach, move to higher ground as soon as possible. An earthquake can cause a tsunami.

Once the earthquake shaking stops:

· Check those around you for injuries and provide first aid to the injured. Do not move seriously injured persons unless they are in immediate danger.

· Check around you for dangerous conditions, such as fires, downed power lines and structure damage, before you move.

· If you have fire extinguishers and are trained to use them, put out small fires immediately.

· Check your phones to be sure they have not shaken off the hook and are tying up a line.

· Turn off the gas supply only if you smell gas.

· Inspect your home for damage.

If you are trapped in debris and can not free yourself:

· Move as little as possible so that you don't kick up more dust. Cover your nose and mouth with a handkerchief or piece of clothing.

· Tap on a pipe or wall so that rescuers can hear where you are. Use a whistle if one is available. Shout only as a last resort.

Severe Storm / Flooding

Severe storms can cause landslides, flooding, uprooted trees, and downed utility lines. Be aware of these potential dangers in and around your neighborhood.

· Tune to local Radio/TV channels for emergency information and instructions.

· If you are asked to leave your property, shut off electric circuits. If advised by your local utility, shut off gas service as well.

· If water has entered your garage or basement, do not walk through it - it may contain hazardous materials.

· Never try to drive over a flooded road. This one mistake is the major cause of death during and after severe flooding.

· If your car stalls, abandon it immediately. Attempting to move a stalled vehicle in flood conditions can be fatal.

· Do not walk through moving water. Unexpected water depth and current can carry you away. If you must walk in water, walk where the water is not moving and use a stick to check the ground in front of you.

· Stay well clear of downed power lines.

· Do not allow children to play around fast moving water, storm drains or flooded areas.

I hope that this information will help you and your family through any emergency situation that you may encounter.

Remember, and I cannot stress this enough, nothing can help you and your family through a disaster as much as being prepared before it happens.

Your 72 Hour Kit - Flash Drives and Document Storage

2008-09-16T04:03:00.000-07:00

In the event of an emergency there is some documentation that you would want to have readily available and readily visible. Some sort of photo ID might be a prime example. A map of the area could prove invaluable as would be a list of family phone numbers and contact information. Photos of your immediate family members could assist authorities and others in locating any of those members who might become separated from the rest of your group during the initial stages of the emergency.

The time to ready all of these papers, of course, is not during an emergency, but before it.

Other possible candidates for inclusion in this list of important documentation might incorporate bank and credit card information, copies of wills, lists of medications being taken, and insurance information. You might also consider such things as your

* Marriage License,
* Birth Certificates,
* House Mortgage,
* Vacation Home / Property Ownership,
* Automotive Ownership,
* Motor Home Ownership,
* Pictures of valuables being left at home,
* Jewellery Appraisals;
* Trailers, Snowmobiles, Boat Ownerships; and
* Other important family papers and records.

As can be seen, the list can be quite extensive, and most emergency preparedness organizations and survival experts, when providing guidelines, will have any number of suggestions to make in this regard. When it comes to 72 hour kits, however, weight and space limitations must always be considered.

Yet, there is very little if anything that needs to be eliminated from the list of documents that you wish to have preserved and protected. As has already been said, there are some documents that you will wish to have immediately on hand. Other things such as those invaluable family photos and other memorabilia are unlikely to play any role in sustaining you during that emergency. They may, however, be irreplaceable and well worth protecting and preserving in some manner.

The answer lies in those little devices popularly known as flash or thumb drives.

They eliminate the space problem. They eliminate the weight problem. Your 72 hour kit can easily accommodate a flash drive which will take up no more space than a small pen knife or a pair of nail clippers. They are that tiny. Yet, they are large in capacity. Newer models can now hold several gigabytes of information, meaning you could, if you wish, fill them with an entire encyclopaedia's worth of information and still have room to spare.

You will need a computer. You will need a scanner or a digital camera. And you will, of course, need that flash drive. After that it is relatively simple. If your photos and documents have not already been digitized you will need to

1. Scan or photograph them using a digital camera. A scanner is the best option in most cases.
2. The scanning or photographing has created digital files of the originals. These files need to be transferred to your computer where they can be organized and placed into folders. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for doing so. It is not difficult.
3. Attach your thumb drive to one of the USB ports on your computer. Copy your completed files and folders onto that flash drive.
4. Once you have verified that these newly transferred files are correctly in place, unplug the flash drive. It is now ready for inclusion in your 72 hour or emergency survival kit.
5. Repeat steps three and four with additional drives if you wish multiple copies.

During the emergency, these photos and documents will be inaccessible to you, unless you happen to have a notebook or other computer available to you, but the USB connection is a common one, and as soon as you do have access to a computer, those files will be accessible as well.

Similar results can be obtained using a computer disk, but disks are more prone to being scratched or damaged in other ways. As well, your little drive can be used multiple times, and, as the need to update files arise, you can do so with relative ease whenever you feel it appropriate to do so.

For added protection, you may wish to store your flash drive in a small, empty pill bottle or other waterproof container to further protect the information which has been placed upon it. That too is unlikely to take up much space within your 72 hour kit. Many flash drives now offer password protection, which will provide you with another degree of security.

The end result of this paperless paper storage is that, once done, you can preserve and protect all of the valuable documents to which you might have access. The need to pick and choose will have been eliminated.

Get Ready For Florida Hurricane Season

2008-09-13T02:44:00.001-07:00

Hurricane season is fast approaching for those of us living in Florida. With it comes the risk of heavy winds and floods that can do plenty of damage to our homes. It's time to dust off disaster supply kits and make sure they're full of all the supplies you might need, and make sure your family knows what to do in the event of a hurricane.

Your Family Disaster Plan

A disaster plan is simply an action plan that you'll carry out if a hazard affects your home and family. It includes preparation activities you do before the hazard becomes a threat, and activities you might need to carry out during a storm or other emergency.

* Determine the types of hazards you might be affected by, and how your home is most vulnerable. Check out some ways in which you can minimize the risk of damage or safety threats during a storm.
* Check your insurance and make sure you're covered for flood damage in some way (standard homeowner's insurance rarely covers floods).
* Take classes in CPR, first aid, and disaster preparedness.
* Locate rooms or areas in your home which are safe from hurricane hazards. Generally this will be an interior room which has no windows.
* Determine escape routes from your home (these might vary depending on the hazard involved) and choose one or more meeting places where your family can gather if separated.
* Plan what to do with your pets if you have to evacuate your home.
* Choose a contact person-a friend or family member who lives out of state-that family members can contact if needed. Make sure you have at least two ways to contact that person (such as email, home phone, cell phone).
* Create and maintain a disaster supply kit, and make sure your family knows where it is and what it's for.
* Check your disaster supply kit when a hurricane watch is issued and make sure you have all necessary supplies on hand.
* Discuss all of these issues with your family to make sure everyone understands what to do during a storm.

Creating a Disaster Supply Kit

A disaster supply kit is full of all the things you might need in the event of a storm doing enough damage that you lose your electricity supply or become isolated from the rest of the world.

When creating and maintaining disaster supply kit, it's important to make sure that everything that goes in the kit stays in it. Don't be tempted to remove items from the kit for any reason-it's far too easy to forget to replace them. (Of course, you can use your own discretion when deciding whether or not to buy items such as blankets, pillows, and clothing especially for the kit.)
What should you include?

* Plenty of water-a good rule of thumb is one gallon per person per day, with at least three days' worth for each person in the household.
* Enough food for three to seven days. Include only non-perishable food such as canned or dehydrated items, and also add some plastic utensils and paper plates, as well as a can opener and cooking implements.
* First aid kit
* Toiletries and personal care items
* Blankets and pillows
* Clothing
* Battery-operated flashlight and radio, and plenty of spare batteries
* Books and toys for you and the kids
* Important documents, including insurance policies, social security & bank account numbers, wedding and birth certificates. Keep these in a waterproof document sleeve.
* Tools (battery or hand-operated)
* Pet care items for any pets you own, including a leash and muzzle for dogs, and a cage or carrier for any small pets.

You may also want to have on hand items that you may need for emergency repairs if windows and other household fixtures are broken during a storm.

Some items, such as prescription medication and documents, won't be a part of your disaster supply kit at all times, but you can gather these items when you hear of a hurricane watch and add them to the kit.

Store kit items in a safe and secure location, in water-tight boxes or bags, and make sure everyone in the family knows where your emergency supplies are located.

Some items may need to be replaced periodically even if you don't use the kit-this includes batteries, and may include first aid and food items.

What should you do when a Hurricane Watch is Issued?

If a hurricane watch has been issued for your area, your actions will depend on whether or not you need to evacuate your home.

If you're able to stay in your home, assemble your disaster supply kit and check for any items that need to be replaced. Stock up on any supplies you need, fill your car with gas, and grab some extra cash (in case ATMs and banks close). Carry out your pet plan, notify your contact person of the hurricane watch, and check up on your neighbors, too. If a hurricane does show up, gather your family in your home's safe room, along with your disaster supply kit.

If you've been ordered to evacuate, or live in a vulnerable area, you'll need to decide on a destination and inform family and friends (including your out-of-state contact) where you're headed. Evacuate to the home of family members or friends in a safe area if possible, or try a motel or hotel in a safe location. Shelters will usually be a last resort, as these may be uncomfortable, and many don't accept pets.

One of the worst feelings for family and friends is not being able to reach you and know that you are alright. Decide on one out of state contact and let your family and friends know ahead of time who that is and how to reach them.

Assemble your disaster supply kit, take care of your pets, grab extra cash, fill up your car's tank, and secure your home. Before leaving, map out a route you'll take to get to your destination-don't get on the road until you know where you're going and you have a safe route to get there. Be patient and leave as early as possible.

Emergency Storage Quantities For Fuel Related ItemsEmergency Storage Quantities For Fuel Related Items

2008-09-13T02:43:00.002-07:00

Just about everyone stores candles for emergencies however very few people really know how many to store up on. To judge the time it takes for a candle to melt you must consider its diameter as well as the length. A candle which is ¾ of an inch in diameter and 4 inches long will burn for approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, while one which is 7/8 of an inch but the same length will burn for 5 hours. The two inch diameters will maintain a light for approximately 7 hours per inch.

It is important to remember that when storing your candles they should be kept in a cool location. You should store up on at least three candles per day. I keep my candles in a small plastic tote box under my home.

If you happen to have a need for Canned Heat these tend to store easily and can safely be stored indoors. A small seven ounce can will burn continuously for 1 ½ hours. If these items are stored within a warm environment they will evaporate over a period of time. Therefore once again you may consider placing these in a basement or under your home.

Everyone should have flashlights for quick and immediate light. A dual battery flashlight with two new batteries will operate continuously for up to 6 hours. These flashlights should also be stored within a cool location. I try to keep one operating flashlight in every room of the home within easy reach.

Four newspaper logs will burn for approximately one hour. They produce compatible heat as do the same quantity of the wooden logs. Occasionally you may find log rollers at local yard sales or order them from the internet.

Charcoal should be reserved for use in outdoor cooking only. You can store the charcoal in a moisture resistant container in order to keep it dry. I maintain it in several large trash cans with tight fitting tops. If you use the charcoal inside of a foil oven you would use one briquette to obtain a 40 degree increase in temperature. If using them in a Dutch oven to cook, use the size of the oven measured in inches and add three additional briquettes on the top plus the oven size measured in inches and minus three briquettes placed upon the bottom. This will provide approximately 350 to 375 degrees of heat.

Now we come to kerosene. If you have a kerosene lantern with a 1 inch wick it will burn for approximately 45 hours on one quart. Therefore if you burn it 5 hours per day you can expect to use the following quantities of fuel.

Quarts per day would be 1/9

Quarts per month would be 3 1/2

Quarts per year would be 10 gallons

For cost kerosene is currently the least expensive of the liquid fuels. It will store for a long period of time and can safely be used indoors provided you have good ventilation. In order to avoid the usual kerosene smell you should start as well as extinguish your lanterns outside. If you can obtain several 55 gallon drums you can store your kerosene for several years if not longer.

I do not use white gas however I have included the information here for those who may wish to use it. In order to burn a two mantle lantern for five hours per day on white gasoline the following quantities of fuel will be consumed:

Per day would be 5/12 quarts

Per month would be 3 1/4 gallons

Per year would be 38 gallons

If you happen to be using a dual burner stove for 4 hours daily the following quantities of fuel will be consumed:

Per day would be 1 quart

Per month would be 7 3/4 gallons

Per year would be 91 gallons

Note that white gas is the costlier of the fuels and must be used in the outdoors only.

Lastly we come to propane. Propane is a very portable fuel. It may safely be used indoors if you provide good ventilation and if your equipment is created for indoor use. Keep in mind that the propane grills or the camp stoves should be operated only outdoors. Propane bottles should only be stored outdoors with ventilation. Butane is another gas which can be employed indoors if you provide good ventilation.

Classroom Lockdowns - Are You Prepared For The Worst?

2008-09-13T02:43:00.001-07:00

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail."
-Benjamin Franklin

Over 92% of school-based police officers believe that schools are a "soft target" for terrorist attacks, according to a 2004 National Association of School Resource Officers survey. The report also states "half of the respondents say that emergency plans for their schools are not adequate."

On April 20, 1999, the unthinkable happened at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Two students, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, detonated home made bombs and opened fire on fellow students in the school's cafeteria. The two stalked the hallways and library armed with an arsenal of semi-automatic weapons and explosives. The killing spree took the lives of twelve students and a teacher and injured dozens more before they turned the guns on themselves, taking their own lives.

The Columbine school massacre marked a turning point for American schools. The rampage became one of the most publicized and recognized incidents of school violence in American history, jolting school officials across the country to evaluate school safety and preparedness issues.

The Columbine incident sparked a wave of school violence on campuses across America that continues until today...

School safety is a major issue in communities across America. While dealing with a human-caused attack may be more unsettling than a natural disaster such as a storm, tornado or an earthquake, it is imperative to be prepared for the worst.

In the event of an emergency, your school could be called upon to provide shelter, food, medical attention and guidance to students for extended periods of time beyond typical school hours. While dealing with the unspeakable and unimaginable may be frightening, the question must be asked: Are you prepared for the worst?

In many school districts it is becoming mandatory to have a lockdown kit for each classroom. A Classroom Lockdown Kit is the first step in emergency preparedness for a school.
In the unfortunate event of a natural disaster or attack, the Classroom Lockdown Kit provides everything you need should the unthinkable happen. Each fully customizable kit includes food, water, first aid kit, even a toilet to meet your students' sanitary needs.

There's no telling how long a lockdown will last. Without the proper survival tools your students can suffer further emotional trauma. With the Classroom Lockdown Kit, both you and your students will have peace of mind knowing that you are prepared for any shocking event. Don't get caught off guard!

Are You Disaster (Tornado, Cyclone, Earthquake) Ready?

2008-09-11T02:37:00.003-07:00

How many of you out there are feeling the pain and distress of hearing how these tornadoes, cyclones, earthquakes and wildfires are destroying many people lives? What can you as an individual or group do about this? How can America support these victims of disasters? (Something to think about) I think we should have some type of Disaster Fund from one source that supports the victims, right away.

Businesses, Families and Individuals should be able to access these funds when needed. This fund should be available in all countries and cities at one local department or business; maybe non-profit organizations can make it available. Or what about funding it through the payroll system. What do you think? Remember these disasters, whether tornado, earthquake, cyclone or wildfires can put a financial strain on those who do not have insurance. If this fund is funded through the payroll system, can it be tax deductible at the end of the year. What about setting up this account through the IRS.gov website. With these recent events we should all support in some way.

In addition, are we listening to the warning coming right from the Weather Channel? The experts Steve Lyons, who is a Hurricane Specialist and Greg Forbes a Weather Specialist constantly from day to day give us updates on this channel. It is important to listen to these experts on a day-to-day basis before you walk out you front door. We should also invest in a weather radio if we live in tornado or earthquake zone.

Prepare To Survive

2008-09-11T02:37:00.001-07:00

With so many natural disasters happening around the world and right here at home, more and more people are thinking about the risks in their community. If there's one thing the nation learned from Hurricane Katrina, it's that you can't always count on the government to be able to respond immediately. It's up to each of us to prepare our families as best we can.

Know the Risks

What are the risks in your area? People on the west coast have a higher risk of earthquakes and tsunamis than those on the east coast where cyclones and flooding are of larger concern. When you know the local hazards you can better prepare for them, thus lessening the effects. For instance, in an earthquake zone, mitigate danger by securing heavy objects that might topple over and removing from mirrors and heavy items hanging above sleeping areas. In cyclone-prone areas, clear property of loose debris that could become deadly in high winds, and build storm shutters.

Make a Plan

Discuss the risks with your family and make a plan for different scenarios. Make sure everyone knows what to do in event of disaster. Practice the evacuation routes in your house and make sure there are two exits from every room, in case one is blocked. Choose a local nearby spot where all family members will meet if you have to evacuate the house. Designate an out-of-town contact that all family members can check in with. This way you'll know that your family is safe, even if you are away from home or separated during the disaster.

Make a Kit

This will include things like non-perishable food and water, basic tools, a first aid kit, hygiene items, comfort items and snacks, books and games, a flashlight and extra batteries, a spare set of warm clothes, extra keys, family photos, some money or travelers checks (in case ATMs aren't working) and copies of important documents like wills, insurance, and banking info. You can find more detailed lists on the Internet. You should be prepared to survive for up to a week without help, and should include two weeks of essential prescriptions. Don't forget to pack extra food and water for your pets.

Now this may seem like an expensive undertaking, especially if you're on a limited budget. Don't despair. Just because you can't afford to put it together all at once does not mean you should give up on the idea altogether. Start small: try to buy an extra can of food every time you go to the grocery store. Find supplies at garage sales and second hand stores. Look around the house for items you already have. Should disaster strike you'll be grateful for whatever you've managed to get together, and it may be just what you need to get you through until help arrives.

Develop a Network

Get to know your neighbors and develop at least three contacts in the area. Make an agreement to check on each other in case of a disaster. You may want to exchange keys or make arrangements to share the cost of bigger items such as generators. In a real disaster, having a strong network of prepared neighbors will help everyone weather the storm better.

With a little pre-planning you can take some of the fear out of a major disaster. You can never predict what will happen, but you can help soften the blow.

What You Should Know About Gas Masks

2008-09-11T02:36:00.001-07:00

It is natural that with the threat of biological or chemical terrorism comes a lot of talk about gas masks. Before making the decision to buy and use a gas mask it is important to understand the technology behind the different types of available equipment. It is also important to understand that a gas mask alone will not give adequate protection from biological or chemical contamination. Even the use of a protective suit will only give some protection from airborne contaminants. The only way to be fully protected is to use a suit that entirely covers the user and seals air tight, which means the use of SCBA gear is required. Unfortunately, this type of gear is very expensive and is not practical for civilian use (see discussion below). You should not expect to be able to stay in an affected area for any period of time without this type of gear.

A Look at the Different Types of Gas Masks

The least effective type of gas mask is known as a half-mask air-purifying respirator. These cover the nose and mouth allowing the user to breathe through the filtration system of the mask. However, many chemical and biological agents use the eyes as an entry point, causing contamination.

A more effective type of mask is known as a full-face air-purifying respirator. These Gas Masks provide a clear face mask or clear eye pieces that protect the eyes, as well as the nose and mouth. The issue with these air-purifying respirators is that they may leak from either a poor fit or from a crack or hole on the mask.

Solving the leak problem is the supplied-air respirator. These use the same sort of filter attached to a battery-operated canister with a fan forcing air through it. The advantage is the positive pressure created by the system ensuring that any leak in the mask releases purified air rather than allowing contaminated air from the environment to enter. This is often the only option for infants and children because their small faces make masks difficult to fit reliably. Anyone considering using this type of gas mask should consider that the constant flow of air through the filter means that the filter needs more frequent replacement. Also consider that if the batteries wear out, the system will no longer operate.

The most effective system is known as an SCBA, or Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus. In an SCBA system, the air tank contains high-pressure purified air providing constant positive pressure to the face mask. While providing the best protection, an SCBA system is expensive and impractical for civilian use. The tanks are heavy and bulky and only contain, at best, 60 minutes of air. They may make sense for diving or firefighting, but for civilians or soldiers on the battlefield, an SCBA system is nearly impossible to manage.

How the Filtration Works

Because of the problems with SCBA systems, the respirator you are most likely to use will have a filter that purifies the air you breathe. Air filters can use one (or more) of three techniques of removing poisonous chemicals and deadly bacteria from the air.

Particle filtration is the simplest of the three. Holding a cloth or handkerchief over your mouth to keep from breathing dust is an example of an improvised particulate filter. In a gas mask designed to guard against a biological threat, a very fine particulate filter is useful. An anthrax bacteria or spore might have a minimum size of 1 micron. Most biological particulate filters remove particle sizes as small as 0.3 microns.

A chemical threat requires a different approach due to the fact that chemical mists or vapors are largely immune to particulate filtration. The most common approach with any organic chemical is activated charcoal. Activated charcoal is charcoal that has been treated with oxygen to open up pores between the carbon atoms. These so-called active, or activated, charcoals are widely used to absorb odorous or colored substances from gases or liquids. When certain chemicals, such as paint fumes or nerve toxins like Sarin, pass next to the carbon surface, they attach to the surface and are trapped. Activated charcoal is good at trapping these organic chemicals, but many other chemicals are not attracted to carbon at all and pass right through. This means that an activated-charcoal filter will remove certain impurities, while ignoring others. It also means that once all of the activated charcoals bonding sites are filled, the filter stops working and must be replaced.

The third technique involves destruction by chemical reaction. This technique was adopted in some of the earliest protective equipment. In industrial respirators, you can choose from a variety of filters, depending on the chemical that you need to eliminate. The different filters are color coded by NIOSH standards for things like acids and ammonia. It may be difficult to decide which filtration to use, since in an attack, the chemical used is unknown beforehand.

Cyclone Nargis - A Tsunami Scale Disaster?

2008-09-11T02:33:00.000-07:00

Nargis formed into a tropical cyclone on April 27, 2008, in the central Bay of Bengal about 360 miles off of the southeast coast of India. Cyclone Nargis was, when it made landfall around the mouth of the Ayeyawaddy (Irrawaddy) river, about 220 kilometres south-west of Rangoon, a Category four storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale of hurricane strength, with sustained winds of 132 mph. Nargis is the deadliest cyclone to hit Asia since 1991, when 143,000 people perished in Bangladesh from a land-falling cyclone that year. The formation of Tropical Cyclone Nargis in the Bay of Bengal coincides with the start of cyclone season in the North Indian Ocean, which typically runs from April through December.

Burma, devastated by Nargis, is undergoing a natural and human disaster. As Tropical Cyclone Nargis swept over the Irrawaddy River Delta, pummelling the area with high winds, storm surge, and heavy rains, many tens of thousands of people have lost their lives. The Associated Press noted that a Burma state-run radio station reported on May 5, that more than 22,464 people were confirmed dead, and thousands were missing. Burma is isolated from the rest of the world at the best of times. Due to the nature of the disaster, the large area involved and the secrecy and mistrust of the Burmese government, it is impossible to get an accurate recording of the tragic human loss, but some are estimating lives lost in the hundreds of thousands, rather than the tens. This puts the Nargis disaster on a par with the 2004 boxing day tsunami which killed 300,000 people.

Tropical cyclones are amongst the most powerful and destructive meteorological systems on earth. They are a product of the interaction of between the atmosphere and the oceans. The pressures recorded at the centres of tropical cyclones are among the lowest that occur on Earth's surface at sea level.

Despite the long season, the region, which includes the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, on average has just over five named storms per year, with only two becoming full tropical cyclones. Tropical cyclones are compact, circular storms, generally some 320 km (200 miles) in diameter, whose winds swirl around a central region of low atmospheric pressure. The winds are driven by this low-pressure core and by the rotation of the Earth, which deflects the path of the wind through a phenomenon known as the Coriolis force. As a result, tropical cyclones rotate in an anti-clockwise (or cyclonic) direction in the Northern Hemisphere and in a clockwise (or anticyclonic) direction in the Southern Hemisphere.

During World War II, tropical cyclones were informally given women's names by US Army Air Corp and Navy meteorologists (after their girlfriends or wives) who were monitoring and forecasting tropical cyclones over the Pacific. From 1950 to 1952, tropical cyclones of the North Atlantic Ocean were identified by the phonetic alphabet (Able-Baker-Charlie-etc. While tropical cyclones can produce extremely powerful winds and torrential rain, they are also able to produce high waves and damaging storm surge. Although their effects on human populations can be devastating, tropical cyclones can also relieve drought conditions.

Tropical cyclones are known by various names in different parts of the world. In the North Atlantic Ocean and the eastern North Pacific they are called hurricanes, and in the western North Pacific around the Philippines, Japan, and China the storms are referred to as typhoons. In the western South Pacific and Indian Ocean they are variously referred to as severe tropical cyclones, tropical cyclones, or simply cyclones. All these different names refer to the same type of storm.

With increasing global temperatures adding energy to the earth's weather systems there is a chance that storms on the scale of Nargis may become more common place, once again hugely impacting vast populations living in vulnerable coastal and delta regions of the world.

Surviving an Earthquake

2008-09-09T00:51:00.001-07:00

Earthquake survival is one of the most difficult natural disasters to prepare for. The difficulty is in the fact that a tremor can happen anywhere and at anytime. The key here is to be prepared for this event as with anything else, but earthquakes more so than any other natural disaster. With any kind of survival we can break down the stages you will need to be aware of.

Before an Earthquake

Before an earthquake happens you should be prepared with emergency equipment and supplies. This includes but not limited to a radio, flashlight, food, and any number of items that will help you survive. A plan is a must. If part of you surviving is dependent on helping people you live with or care about, an established plan of how to survive during a quake should be reviewed and solidified with all the people you care for. Having a rally point will aid in the confusion that often occurs after an earthquake. It only takes mere seconds to throw your household into chaos and having a cool head and understanding of the situation will benefit you in any type of disaster.

The plan should include the safe zones to hide during an earthquake. You want to stay away from windows and heavy furniture that may fall on you. I am reminded of electric football games where the field continuously shakes while the players seem to just move around in no set order. In order to win this game you must have everyone on the same page.

You should also prepare your home for this kind event by storing heavy items at the bottom of your shelves and keep all flammable items away from potential fire hazards. Know where all your emergency shut off valves are like gas, water, and electricity.

During an Earthquake

If you are driving during an earthquake it would be wise to safely pull over. Avoid stopping under a bridge or on top of one. Do not stop near trees, power lines, or buildings as any of these could fall on top of you. It is also wise to stay in your vehicle. If you happen to be outside and are not driving, try to find an open area where you can avoid falling debris from the above mentioned sources. Earthquakes often come in waves with subsequent after shocks. So be aware that if all seems okay it's best to wait a little longer.

If you are inside find a safe place to hide that will not break if something heavy falls on it. A glass coffee table is ill advised but a solid oak one will help immensely. If in the event you can not find something to hide under stay along the walls or in a door frame. I repeat stay away from windows and glass. The immense pressure caused by a tremor could cause glass to shatter and fly across the room. If you happen to be cooking then it would be most certainly wise of you to turn off the stove and then take cover. An earthquake is bad enough without having to deal with a fire.

After an Earthquake

The first thing you should do is check yourself for injuries and check if any loved one have any. Tend to those that need tending and move outside the building if possible. Most building's structural integrity is compromised during an earthquake and you would not want an after shock to bring it down on top of you. If you are unsure about the viability of the building you are in then vacating the premises is highly advised until a professional can inspect it and offer up advice post inspection. If the power is out it is recommend that you unplug any major appliances and turn off your gas in case of a gas leak.

Overall being prepared before an earthquake happens is your best bet for survival. Having a plan will keep your head cool while everyone else is running around not knowing what to do. The most terrifying aspect of an earthquake is the suddenness of the event. In many cases is leaves the unprepared in daze of wondering what to do next. It is the wise people that keep calm you want to become or attach yourself to.

Do Your Students Have the Information They Need to Recover From a Sudden Emergency?

2008-09-09T00:50:00.002-07:00

Pop quiz... When your students arrive on campus, does your university ensure that students have all the information they need, to be taken care of in case of medical or other emergency? Of course it depends on the university, but for most schools, the answer is no!

To examine this question more carefully, let's take a look at two scenarios.

Scenario One

Students sitting in a lecture hall, are critically injured in a hail of sudden gunfire. The shooter is captured, but it takes ten to fifteen minutes for first responders to reach and begin to treat the injured. One student, not as badly injured as the rest, waits his turn. Moments later he realizes he's beginning to lose consciousness, before he's able to tell the paramedics that he is on a special regimen of strong allergy medications.

The university has that information in the student's medical history file at the health clinic, but even though school administrators are trying their best to deal with the crisis, they simply don't have the personnel available right now, to locate and transmit every injured student's emergency contacts and medical information to the hospital. Without that history, the hospital unknowingly gives our injured student a drug that interacts with his allergy medication. He falls into a coma and dies two days later, from medication-related complications.

Scenario Two

One warm spring evening, a group of students are having an impromptu party in a friend's dorm room on another floor. Tornado sirens break the air's stillness and the girls barely have time to grab their cell phones, let alone their belongings, before running to the safety of the storm shelter. When they return, the dorm is leveled and their most cherished and valuable possessions are destroyed.

A week later, the students are stunned to find out that without descriptions, serial numbers or warranty information for their laptops, TVs, cameras and iPods, the chances of getting an insurance company to replace their possessions is slim. And the loss doesn't end there - one girl lost the list of passwords and IDs she needs to complete term papers for school and log in to the computer at work. Another, discovers that all of her ID, membership and credit cards are completely gone. Without those numbers, they'll be difficult, if not impossible to replace.

Those scenarios may be scary, but similar things happen on university campuses every day. In fact, each year in the United States...
# 599,000 college students are injured

# 1,700 college students die from alcohol-related emergencies,

# Over 30,000 students need emergency health care for alcohol overdose

# More than 696,000 college students are assaulted

# More than 97,000 college students are sexually abused

# There are more than 110 million emergency room visits total in the US

# 98,000 people die from medical errors that could have been prevented with a detailed medical history!

When students are living away from home for the first time in their lives, they no longer have mom or dad right there as keeper of the vital information. So when they become injured, or are the victims of a crisis that harms or destroys their property, that information isn't just important, it's critical to recovery.

The first hurdle is figuring out what information is actually necessary for the students to have. The next hurdle is finding a way to make the information secure yet accessible to them (and the hospital that will be treating them) in time of emergency.
Here is the information that hospitals need to have if your students are injured or become ill:

# Three to four current emergency contacts, with multiple contact numbers, email and notes that indicate where contact can be reached on specific days or at certain times.

# Current doctors, dentists and specialists your student visits, like dermatologists and orthodontists

# Current prescriptions, and any past prescriptions that might provide necessary insights into the student's medical background

# Allergies, inoculations and details of any serious illnesses or bad reactions to medication or treatments

Insurance information, policy numbers and agent names
# Basic medical history

# Any details that might influence treatment decisions

# Blood type, identifying marks, or details that might help identify the student in case of mass casualties

# Diseases, major medical procedures performed and any outcome
And for the recovery of personal property or financial emergencies, students need to have:

# Every insurance policy number, member ID and agent contact for anything that affects the student (car, rental, medical, product replacement insurance)

# Credit card numbers, toll free numbers, passwords, credit limits

# Loan numbers, toll free numbers, passwords, terms and payment information

# Important membership numbers and passwords that might become lost or be forgotten and difficult to recover.

# Warranty numbers, serial numbers of expensive equipment like laptops, stereos or televisions.

So how does your emergency contact card or medical history form measure up?
Even if your university does capture all or most of this information, ask yourself what actually happens if a student becomes injured or ill.

# Does the university get in touch with the hospital, or does the hospital get in touch with them?

# If the hospital ends up calling the university, is there a specific place that hospitals need to call, like the registrar, or the health clinic to access a student's emergency information?

# What happens if an emergency occurs after business hours?

# Who is usually responsible for calling the parents or next of kin for an injured student?

The problem is, universities frequently don't have specific written procedures on who needs to do what, when a student becomes ill or injured. We've heard many stories about student's medical histories never arriving at the hospital that is treating them, or parents who aren't notified of their child's severe injuries for hours, or worse days, because the university thought the hospital was notifying them or vice versa.

Problems often occur when information is stored in different departments. Let's say the emergency contact information is stored in the admissions office and the medical history in the health center. This can easily cause a situation where both departments think the other has notified a parent or transmitted a medical history over to a hospital, only to have the hospital end up having to treat the student without a medical history or his specific needs in mind. It's tragic that schools go to the trouble of gathering this vital information only to have it sit unused, when it's needed most. And if this information flow doesn't work effectively when just one student is injured, just think what would happen in a full scale emergency.

Answering these questions honestly and discussing problems that are uncovered, with all of the departments involved, is the first step in designing a student safety system that will ensure maximum efficiency in any emergency, whether it be a student injury or a full blown mass casualty situation.

Preventing Targeted School Shootings - Tips for Educators & Parents

2008-09-09T00:50:00.001-07:00

As we approach the anniversary of the Columbine tragedy, it is still apparent that our nation's schools are still in desperate need of formal threat assessment programs to help predict - and thereby prevent- targeted school violence. The first step in implementing your school's (or district's) program is to develop a formal threat assessment policy.

A solid policy should set a baseline that establishes what type of behavior will be assessed or investigated. It is important to remember that the key is not who makes a threat but rather who poses a threat. Your policy may be to investigate and assess every threat of violence, no matter how unlikely. However, you should never wait for a threat. Inappropriate behavior and communications, while not a threat, are often a much better predictor or violent behavior. An example of inappropriate behavior is demonstrated in this poem written and submitted to a teacher weeks before the author opened fire on his classmates and teachers: Sinking into bed Homicidal feelings fill my head Suicidal thoughts not gone but not fleeing Because it is other people's death I'm seeing Suicide or Homicide Homicide or Suicide Into sleep I'm sinking Why me I am thinking Homicidal and suicidal thoughts intermixing I know my life's not worth fixing.

Now matter what the media "experts" say, the behavioral process leading to violence is observable; if you are in a position to observe the behavior and you know what to look for. Teachers and counselors are almost always in the position to observe the indicators of this building process. That is why providing training in identifying pre-incident indicators is critical in the success of a good threat assessment program. By knowing what to look for and reporting indicators of violent behavior, teachers and counselors allow the system to work. Another important aspect of your policy is the development of a threat assessment team. This team can be comprised of administrators, school counselors, teachers, mental health professionals and law enforcement, and will review cases to determine if the student in question poses a threat and what course of action to take with the student. Case management is an often overlooked aspect of threat assessment. As Gavin de Becker points out in his book "The Gift of Fear", an assessment is looking at a snap shot in time of that person's life, as the person's life changes (for better or worse) so does the assessment.

Threat assessment is certainly a new area for most school administrators, but there is help. The United States Secret Service has developed a school assessment program and Gavin de Becker, who is widely regarded a world leader in security and predictive behavior has a comprehensive system and several books on the subject of predicting violence.

Brad Spicer began his career in the United States Army as an intelligence analyst. After completing airborne school and receiving specialized training in military intelligence and linguistics, he served as a squad leader in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During his 11 years with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Mr. Spicer served five years on the Patrol's Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) and five years in the Governor's Security Division. With SERT, he responded to numerous critical incidents in southwest Missouri and developed contingency plans for high risk facilities. During his five years on the State's Governor's Security Detail, Mr. Spicer became a nationally recognized expert in the fields of dignitary protection, security and emergency planning. Mr. Spicer coordinated security operations for the Missouri State Highway Patrol during Presidential visits and other high profile events. He has received advanced threat assessment training from the United States Secret Service and Gavin de Becker & Associates.

In 2001, Mr. Spicer developed the Emergency Response Information Portal (ERIP™), a comprehensive web-based emergency preparedness application. He has implemented the ERIP system nationwide for school districts, government facilities and private industry.

In 2003, he played a critical role in the Station Nightclub Fire After Action Report; developed the comprehensive report for the Department of Homeland Security. This report, which detailed the emergency response operations of the catastrophe in which 100 people lost their lives, was written at the request of Rhode Island Governor Carcieri.

Twisters Savage Southeast Virginia

2008-09-09T00:49:00.001-07:00

On Monday, April 28, a series of violent tornadoes ripped through communities in SE Virginia. Authorities estimated that as many as six tornadoes are responsible for the widespread damage. Striking as they did in the late afternoon probably saved many lives. Most people were working or shopping at the time and many houses were empty. Had the tornadoes struck during the night, casualties and fatalities might have been much greater. Although as many as 200 people were injured in the town of Suffolk, most suffered only cuts or scrapes. A day after the storms, only about a dozen residents remained hospitalized with six people in critical condition. Miraculously, no fatalities were recorded. Many folks were reminded of the importance of planning ahead: where will you go when a tornado hits, in a storm cellar, a room in the center of the house, or even just a bathtub. Wherever, be sure that you have some kind of a disaster kit close at hand.

Although not unknown, this area rarely encounters tornadoes. In this case, however, the tornado zigzagged for about 10 miles and, with its mother storm, ravished a 25-mile slash through central and southeast Virginia. In Suffolk, a city of about 80,000 people, about 140 homes and businesses were destroyed, severely damaged or wrecked to inhabitability. The 138-bed Sentara Obici Hospital was hit by the storm, however, the facility remained fully operational and was accepting patients. In some cases damage was unbelievable. Cars and SUVs were turned completely over or strewn about like wind-blown leaves. Some were even stacked on top one another. The powerful winds actually threw two smashed cars into a shopping center. In Suffolk some roads were still blocked Tuesday. No one knew when residents and business owners would be allowed to return to their properties.

A tornado can cut you off from electricity, friends and neighbors, and your usual sources of food and water. During normal, good times, people rarely think about emergency preparedness. But when disaster strikes, it's too late to prepare. At a time like this, emergency-preparedness-kits, survival-kits and first-aid-kits can make a big difference in helping you and your family to survive for up to 72-hours.

Be Proactive About Fire Safety By Inspecting Your Fire Extinguishers

2008-09-05T22:53:00.003-07:00

The average person does not think about fire safety unless they have recently seen a training commercial or a specific program at work or at school. This is serious business and you need to know what you can do to make your home and workplace a safer place to be in. There are several things you can do to make sure your family and coworkers are safe from the dangers of fire and educate them in the procedures, the equipment, and how the extinguisher operates. You and your family cannot depend on the fire department or rescue crews to help you in your time of need. You should be proactive about evacuation plans and practice them at least three times a year.

To be proactive you should know where your fire extinguisher is at all times. Walk around your home or business and show your coworkers or family exactly where each extinguisher is and how to use it. At least once a year you should have a Fire Marshall or a fire professional speak at your business or school and explain how fire extinguishers actually works. A real-life demonstration with a real fire extinguisher can open the eyes of many people. Once people understand the importance of a fire extinguisher they will be more apt to use the fire extinguisher properly when an emergency arises.

One person in your home or business should be designated to be in charge of fire extinguisher inspections. This person would check the levels with gauges and check the tags to make sure that they are up to date. If you do not know how to check the levels in your fire extinguisher or to have a refill, you can receive instruction from a fire extinguisher professional. Even if you have never used your fire extinguisher you should always check the pressure within the canister and the inspection tags on the extinguisher itself.

Hydrostatic testing should be used to see if your extinguisher is up to code. Hydrostatic testing is a way in which you can find leaks in the canister from the pressure inside. When new, an extinguisher has full pressure and is able to expel the fire retardant at full force. Through time the pressure may weaken due to weaknesses within the metal of the canister or weaknesses within the hoses and connector points. By using hydrostatic testing you are able to maintain safety standards and the durability of your extinguisher overtime. The extinguisher would not perform as well or at all if the pressure is below the standard. This would put you and those around you in danger if you're extinguisher fell below the standard norm.

Checking your fire extinguishers is just one way in which you can be proactive about fire safety. Replacing old fire extinguishers and changing your smoke alarms is the first step in keeping your family safe and your workplace free from harm. You can purchase fire safety equipment online or you can talk to a fire safety professional to find a local fire safety merchandise outlet near you.

Why Popular Survivalist Food Advice is a Disaster

2008-09-05T22:53:00.001-07:00

Most of us want to take action to mitigate risk of trouble in life for us and our families. That is why most of us have home and car insurance, buy smoke detectors and gas alarms, and have periodic safety maintenance of our homes and cars.

Yet when it comes to disaster prepardeness only 7% are prepared. Why?

For most the perceived risk level is much lower than a house fire or other events that happen more frequently than a disaster so there is less desire and interest in taking action.

Another factor however is the perceived significant, huge, dedicated, effort involved to be "food prepared". Where does this perception come from?

Do a Google search on survival food or food preparedness and you will find a lot of information from survivalists. Many of these survival sites provide good expert advice on survival and food preparedness.

However much of that survivalist advice is for those who are committed and dedicated to spending a huge amount of time and effort to be prepared.

Advice you often see at these survival websites is to buy in bulk at big box stores. That is buy the grains, flour, and other food products in large 50 lb bags. Then you need to spend a lot of time dividing it into food storage containers, labeling those containers by date, use dry ice to increase storage life, the effort goes on and on.

What you need to do next is spend a lot of time to cook and consume that bulk food every day on a regular basis and periodically "stock-up" to keep your "not so fresh" inventory from going bad. You need to monitor your labeled, bulk food "home warehouse" and maintain a FIFO (first in, first out) inventory system to make sure the food you use today is the oldest in your home warehouse. Does this sound appealing? Will your current lifestyle easily accommodate this continuous effort to be prepared?

What if there is a shortage when you need to re-stock on bulk grain? Timing is everything in this system and you could be spending a lot of effort to be prepared but end up unprepared because of bad timing.

Do you think you are prepared to do all of the above to be "prepared"? Even if you are motivated now at this time and ambitiously say "yes", what is the chance you will give up this "preparedness is my life" dedication and send most of the 200 lbs of bulk rice you just bought to the garbage dump?

While I can admire the dedication that these people follow to be prepared, I know that most of us are not inclined to go to these extremes to be food prepared. Not everyone wants to nor obviously will they, make a such a drastic lifestyle change to support food preparedness.

Is the above survivalist system the only way to be food prepared for months or even a year?

Is there an easier way that is not extremely expensive?

How can a much greater number of Americans than 7%, really become food prepared and thus decrease the burden relief agencies need to support in a disaster?

The simple answer is freeze dried food. Buy it once, Mountain House #10 cans can last up to 25 years. Store it in a cool dry place, forget about it till you need it. You can mark 'Expires in 2033′ on the boxes in case you never use it in the next 25 years.

Then you won't be clearing out pallets of rice at the big box every 6 months like the survivalist's recommend you do. You won't be caught off guard when there is a shortage at the time you need to re-stock your 200 lbs of bulk grain.

Outdoor Survival - Learn Some Basic Techniques For Surviving In Cold Conditions

2008-09-05T22:52:00.002-07:00

Since the dawn of man, people have learned to use techniques for surviving in any condition. One only has to look at a map of the globe and see that any habitat that nature can throw at humans has been turned into livable terrain. Even the polar extremes have hearty bands of people crossing their vast expanses.

What separates people in different habitats at times are the specific techniques for finding the three basic elements required to sustain human life: water, food, and shelter. In this series, we take a brief look at different habitats and how each one can present a challenge in obtaining one of the three key resources.

Cold Regions:

Polar temperatures can drop to as low as -60 degrees C and never eclipse the freezing point. Travel in these regions is extremely tough on the body and if you find yourself in a survival situation in this climate it is advised not to do more traveling than is absolutely necessary. The biggest risk is being caught out in an area where no suitable shelter can be obtained to protect from the harsh elements. Another problem with traveling is that compass use in cold regions is generally not an option due to inaccuracy relating to the magnetic pole proximity. The best travel guide is the sky in these areas but in order to use this method one would have to travel during the frigid night when stars are visible. A tip for necessary travel, if trees are available one can attempt to make snowshoes from small trees by bending a fresh branch in a teardrop shape, secure it with local rope-like material and make a platform to stand on.

The key to finding quick shelter in cold regions is locating either natural shelter such as rock or ice formations that protect from the wind or trees that can serve as shelter from the wind and are free from heavy snow accumulation. If out in the open, generally the only option is to construct a barrier to the elements such as an igloo using the available snow and ice.

Finding suitable fire material also can present a significant challenge, especially if no trees are available. If fuel is available from a disabled vehicle can it serve as a temporary source of fuel for a fire. Other options include animal fat and any plant material that can be scavenged. One word of advice is to be extremely careful in starting a fire near any ice/snow shelter as the heat can quickly melt the structure leaving one further exposed.

Food sources in cold regions can be hit or miss. Generally, animals such as rabbits and squirrels can be easily tracked by tracks in the snow. If no firearms or hunting equipment is available, imitating prey animal noises through a variety of means such as pursing ones lips can aid the patient survivor by luring an animal into arms reach. Coastal regions offer opportunities for fishing as well as seals which can be used not only for food but also for fuel and clothing. Look for holes in the ice that may serve as breathe holes for diving seals. Arctic plants are generally edible, a few noteworthy exceptions are Baneberry and Hemlock which are poisonous so be sure to be aware of what they look like.

Finding a source of clean water is the easiest task in cold regions due to the usual abundance of fresh snow and ice to utilize as water. Just remember to melt the ice before consuming it not only to keep the body temperature up but also to prevent injury and to boil any water from standing bodies to remove organisms.

Sandbags - How To Fill Them and What Types to Use

2008-09-05T22:52:00.001-07:00

When filling a sandbag at least two people, ideally three should take part in the process. All people should wear gloves to protect their hands as some sandbags are treated with chemicals to make them last longer. One member of the team should place the empty bag between or slightly in front of their widespread feet with a flat back and arms extended. The opening of the bag is folded to form a collar, and steadily held for the other person to shovel in the sand. Sandbags are commonly filled completely with sand, this is incorrect. The sand bags should be filled no more than two-thirds full to allow effective shaping and wall building.

The person holding the bag should be standing with bent legs and keeping their back straight to prevent future back pains and keep their head as far away as possible from the hovel to avoid the shovel missing the sandbag and cutting the face of the bag holder.

If the bags of sand are filled with too much sand then they could be too heavy to lift and can cause injuries after a prolonged exposure to sandbag work. Leaving room in the bags means that the sandbags can be maneuvered to form a tighter seal from the flood water.

Ideally, to speed up the operation more people should be involved. Two people will be able to fill more sandbags if they have a third helper handing the bag holder the empty sandbags from the bale of sandbags and then taking the filled sandbags when they are done. If the filling of the bags is being done near to where the flood is happening then a line of people can be formed and people can take the filled sandbags from one person and pass the filled sandbag to the next person and so on, forming a constant stream of sandbags on the wait to their destination.

Sandbag Placement

Before making a wall of sandbags, it is essential that any debris from the area if removed. Fold the open end of the unfilled portion of the sandbag to form triangle. If tied sandbags are used, flatten or flare the tied end.

Place succeeding bags on top, offsetting by one-half filled length of the previous bag, and stamp into place to eliminate voids and to form a tight seal. Stagger the joint connections when stacking lots of sandbags on top of each other. Stacking three high is the maximum recommended for single file walls of sandbags, if you require a wall of sandbags higher than three sandbags, the pyramid method is essential to build a foundation large enough to support whole sandbag structure.

What Type of Sandbags to Use

Hessian sandbags are the oldest and most common sandbags, constructed from woven jute material in a bag measuring approximately 13'' x 30''. Hessian has been used and is still being used for its biodegradable qualities. Hessian sandbags will disappear naturally into the ground over a short time period which is why they are used by many for their disappearing qualities. Because hessian breaks down it is not advisable to use this type of sandbag for continual flood defense surrounding a river as they will probably break down before the flood comes.

Polypropylene sandbags are more useful for a permanent flood barrier as they do not degrade from the ground and weathering, however sunlight will break down the plastic material. It has been known for a polypropylene sandbag to completely disappear after two weeks of extreme sunlight exposure. For this reason is it advisable to build the wall using the polypropylene sandbags and then cover the wall with black sheeting to protect the sandbags from the sunlight.

Also, a heavy duty polypropylene sandbag does exist which has a UV stabiliser added to the material to reflect the sunlight. This makes the bags last longer, but does not make them invincible, it would still be recommended to cover the heavy duty polypropylene sandbags with black sheeting to protect the life and functionality of the sandbags and save you from having to replace them all.

Sandbags - The Best Tool For Flood Defence

2008-09-04T05:59:00.000-07:00

Sandbag construction is a centuries old technique that has changed little. Sand bags are made from different materials, the most common being hessian. More recently woven polypropylene sandbags have been introduced and are proving more effective for certain operations involving these flood defence sandbags.

Sand is by far the easiest and most effective material for filling and shaping sandbags. In a time of flooding the rain also helps to saturate from the rain and also makes the bags heavier. During emergencies, sand may not be available and so silt, clay, gravel or a mixture of these may be used, but none work as well as sand. Sometimes during a flood there may be no vehicle access to a flood site, and this is when materials other than sand may be used.

Sandbags can be used to:

- Prevent overtopping levees

- Direct a river's current flow to a specific are

- Construct ring dikes around boils on a levee

- Use as a weight for holding down traffic signs for example

- Stacking sandbags by home gates and doors can greatly diminish flood damage

It is commonly thought that sandbags should be built as a wall to completely block water, this is a misunderstanding. It is possible to completely block water, but this requires enough time to construct a pyramid styled wall many sandbags thick. This takes time and the very nature of flooding means that people rarely have time to prepare. The force of the water can be so great it is much more advisable to quickly build a much thinner wall with the aim of redirecting the flow of the water away from the location being targeted by the water flow. Using this method gives you a much greater chance of preventing flood damage to your property as opposed to attempting to build a blocking wall, which will probably get washed away.

The flow of water is greatly underestimated, people trying to block will probably be happy with how it goes to start with, but if the water has nowhere to go, it will build up, rise and rise. The great build of force will mean the water will start finding gaps in the sandbags and also moving some of the bags out of place and if you do not keep building the wall higher, the water will very surely overflow your wall and surge into your property causing painful damage.

If you live in a flood risk area or feel that there is a probability of your home or property being flooded it is highly recommended to keep some sandbags in your garage or the downstairs of your home.

Wilderness Travel Tips

2008-09-04T05:58:00.000-07:00

Staying for an extended period of time in the wilderness is not a walk in the park. It is certainly not like what we see in the movies. Forests and areas of dense vegetation are no Shangrila or paradise.

I live in South East Asia and I must say that I do not like the forests here. For wilderness travel there are a couple of considerations.

1. Get prepared. Get the necessary training for wilderness travel. Learn how to navigate. Learn the necessary jungle survival skills.

2. Carry along navigation equipments. Navigation is important in the forest. Forests do not often have well defined geographical markers such as roads. Learning how to read maps and using the compass is a must. Having a GPS is good too.

3. Sufficient water supply. You must have access to drinking water supply. A person cannot live beyond a few days without water. To be without water put the wilderness traveller in a very dangerous position. Learn how to acquire water from natural resources.

4. Food. Make sure you have sufficient food.

5. Shelter. This aspect is often overlooked but is also very important. This is especially important if you are spending overnight in the jungle.

6. Communication device. One must bring along communication devices such as mobile phones. Make sure that you have sufficient power supply to last for the entire duration of the trip.

7. Battery supply. Make sure you have enough battery supply.

8. Torch and lighting equipment. This is important especially if you are staying the night in the jungle.

9. Fire starting equipment. This is important for keeping warm, cooking and boiling of water.

Well, this is not an exhaustive list. But I guess the idea is there. Thank you for reading.

Lighting Options For Emergency Situations

2008-09-04T05:56:00.000-07:00

When the lights go out or when an emergency is upon us, getting proper lighting back in order is one of the most essential tasks we will need to tackle. Whether it's a major storm, a car hitting an electric pole or something even larger, like a hurricane, tornado or major traffic accident, we need to be prepared with emergency lighting backup options. Here are some lighting choices for these specific situations:

Electrical Outages

When the lights go out, it's important to have some supplies on hand to light up our way around the house. First and foremost, some flashlights and extra batteries are needed. Most people have a flashlight around the house, but does it work? Or does it need new batteries? If the lights go out and you grab for your trusty flashlight and it doesn't go on, then what use is it? Always keep extra flashlights around the house, preferably one in each room, where you'll know where to find them if you're rummaging around in the dark looking for one. Also, keep extra batteries on hand. Twice a year, when you check your smoke detectors, make it a habit to check the batteries in your flashlights at the same time. Even better, get a hand crank flashlight. These flashlights don't need batteries, but are powered by cranking either a lever or a crank on the flashlight case. The lighting time provided by just a few minutes of cranking varies, but this type of flashlight is very handy to have in emergencies, as they are far more reliable than battery powered flashlights.

Roadside Emergencies

For roadside emergencies or accidents, there's a number of lighting options for different situations. If you're broken down on the side of the road, then flares might be called for, especially if you're stuck in a precarious position on the road, are near a bend or are in a high traffic or dangerous area of the road. Flares will let people know to slow down and watch out for a disabled vehicle. In an accident situation, flares are certainly needed. In addition, if you're just broken down on the side of the road, having a flashlight in the trunk of your vehicle will certainly come in handy.

Natural Disasters

Whether a tornado, hurricane, storm or other natural disaster is affecting your area, it's important to have emergency supplies. Flashlights will be one of the most important items you will need. You'll need light in order to get around your home and neighborhood. In a natural disaster, emergency lights play an especially crucial role. When a road is flooded or is in danger of flooding, one of the first things local authorities do is place a barricade with a flashing light on top to block vehicles from entering the area and to warn them of the danger. When a road is too dangerous to pass due to rock or mud slides, a barricade with a flashing light is used to keep vehicles away and to reroute traffic in another direction.

Emergency Planning Basics

2008-09-01T04:44:00.003-07:00

No one really knows when or how the next emergency will occur but we can all take steps to help be prepared if it does happen. Making a plan and having an emergency supply kit made up could mean the difference between making it or not. At the very least it will help make the best out of a terrible situation.

Things you should have in your emergency supply kit

Water - 1 gallon per person per day for at least 3 days

Food - 3 day supply of non perishable foods. Canned meats, fruits and vegetables. Protein or fruit bars, dry cereal, peanut butter, dried fruit, nuts, non salted crackers, canned juices, non-perishable pasteurized milk, high energy foods, vitamins, comfort foods. Infant food if needed.

Flashlight - have extra batteries, light sticks are nice to have too

Whistle - In case you need to signal for help

Battery powered Radio - Also a NOAA Weather radio with a tone alert and extra batteries for both.

Cell Phone - Could also think about having a hand powered generator for it

Dusk Mask - also plastic sheeting and duct tape in case you need to build a shelter from contaminated air.

Moist Towelettes - also garbage bags with plastic ties for your personal sanitation needs.

Wrench or Pliers - Needed to turn of all your utilities

Can Opener

Local maps

Warm Blanket - or sleeping bag for each person

Kids activity supplies - Books, games, coloring books and crayons etc.

Paper and pencil

Matches - Keep in waterproof container

Complete change of clothing for everyone

Cash - Traveler checks and change

Pet Food - extra water for your pets

Household chlorine bleach & medicine dropper - you can use if for a disinfectant by using 9 parts water and 1 part bleach. Or to treat water by using 16 drops of bleach per gallon. Do NOT use scented, added cleaners or color safe bleach.

Fire extinguisher

Feminine & personal hygiene items

Paper towels - paper plates & cups, plastic silverware

Important family documents - keep in waterproof portable container.

Ax - In case you have to try and break through something like the roof.

Things to include in your First Aid Kit

2 pairs of sterile or latex gloves

Sterile dressings

Antibiotic towelettes to disinfect

Antibiotic ointment to help prevent infection

Burn ointment to help prevent infection

Adhesive bandages in different sizes

Eye wash solution to flush eyes or as decontaminant

Thermometer

Prescribed medical supplies like glucose

Prescribed medications

Aspirin or pain relievers, antacids, laxatives, Anti-diarrhea medication

Scissors, tweezers and petroleum jelly

First aid book

Family Plan

Have a plan and make sure everyone knows exactly what they need to do and practice the plan. Everyone should know escape routes and exactly where to go to the shelter in your house. Also have a plan if you are separated during the emergency so everyone knows what to do to get back together. Have a long distant phone number that everyone can call to check in because sometimes it is hard to get through to local numbers.

Being Prepared

By thinking about what to do, practicing your plan so it comes natural in a real emergency and having supplies on hand will help make a stressful situation a little more bearable. One never knows when it could happen so just be prepared.

Nature's Lesson in Disaster Preparedness

2008-09-01T04:44:00.001-07:00

Last Friday, a 5.2 magnitude earthquake shook the Midwest. The event was centered about six miles from the town of West Salem. The cities of Chicago, Milwaukee, Evansville, Des Moines - even Atlanta - about 400 miles away, all felt the shock. At least 22 wall-shaking aftershocks were recorded, some ranging as high as 4.0 magnitude The quake caused many in the area to start searching for their first-aid-kits and emergency survival kits from the post-911 days, or even Y2K. And there it was; one of the most exciting events of my life; and I slept right though it!

While not usually thought of as Midwestern events, earthquakes are really not new to the area. The most recent seismic event in the area occurred in 2002 when a 5.0 quake struck. Another hit the area with a 5.4 quake in 1968. But the granddaddy of them all were the quakes of 1811 and 1812 which reached estimated levels of 8 on the Richter scale. That's enough to cause really major damage to buildings, bridges, roads and other structures, disrupt communications and isolate whole areas.

The culprit Friday was the Wabash fault, a northern extension of the New Madrid fault (pronounced MAD-rid). The New Madrid fault is the greatest earthquake risk east of the Rocky Mountains. Earthquakes there occur much less frequently than in California but due to the geology of the area, can be far more devastating. The New Madrid seismic zone is actually a series of faults under the continental crust known as the Reelfoot Rift. It runs through five states and crosses the Mississippi River in at least three places.

The problem with the area is that no one really thinks much about it being an earthquake zone and so few people do anything about preparing for such an event. Keep in mind that an earthquake is a "no-prior-notice" kind of happening. An earthquake can totally isolate your area - cut you off from electricity, friends and neighbors, and your usual sources of food and water. At a time like this, earthquake-preparedness-kits, survival-kits and first-aid-kits can make a big difference in helping you and your family to survive.

First Aid Kit For A Family Vacation

2008-09-01T04:43:00.000-07:00

A first aid kit is an absolute must when you're a family on vacation. The kind of medication that you're used to might not be easily available at your destination. Your hotel might offer you emergency supplies, but beware that those hefty taxes will be applied to your emergency essentials as well. You don't want to be wandering about in a strange city in the middle of the night looking for stomach ache medication.

You can either buy a first aid kit that's easily available, or create your own box by throwing in a few essentials. A large plastic box that's easy to open will do. Use zip lock bags to compartmentalize pills, creams, ointments etc. so they are easy to find in an emergency. Remember to label each bag so a quick glance will tell you what's inside.

Here are a few things that your first aid box should contain:

Sterile gauze

Adhesive bandage

Anti septic ointment

Anti histamine medication (These can be used not just for allergic skin rashes and colds, but also for coughs and as a mild sedative for your child. They tend to make kids drowsy so don't give your child a spoonful just before you set off for sightseeing at the beginning of the day. A spoonful at night will give her a fitful sleep.

Moleskin. If you're going to be doing a lot of walking during your trip, blisters on the feet are a definite possibility.

Mild pain reliever (Keep in mind that not all chemists will carry the same medication. Also remember to keep the prescriptions of all your kids' medication. In case things go bad and you need to visit a doctor, knowing what medication he was on will help.

Diaper rash cream

Tweezers

Pair of scissors

Pain relieving gel or spray

Sun block

A mild antibiotic

Anti diarrhea medication

Anti nausea medication

Anti septic wipes

Disposable cold packs

Calamine lotions

Insect repellent

Disinfectant

Cotton

A happy vacation is one where nothing goes wrong through out the trip. For all those small emergencies that always seem to crop up when you're on the road with kids, just keep these essentials handy, and you have nothing to fear!

Beware of the Water

2008-08-30T03:18:00.001-07:00

As a survivalist you may encounter situations where you need to leave an area in an emergency. Weather conditions may be such that you have no time to make proper preparations. Therefore when you are traveling there are certain water and food safety issues that you must address.

One important point you will want to keep firmly in your mind is if the locals aren't drinking the water then you certainly do not want to either. Other then this fact it becomes very difficult to determine the safety of the local water supplies across our country. This becomes even worse in times of emergencies. In general, I would say it is better to rely upon the bottled water when in doubt.

Unfortunately, just drinking the bottled water is not always enough to curb the health hazards associated with local water supplies. Were the vegetables that you ate washed in the same local tap water that you dare not drink? If they were you just may not feel the greatest in a few hours. The Latin American's have a habit of dousing their salads with the juice of a lime which may possibly kill much of the bacteria from the local wash water used. I have applied this theory to a salad and found that I was lucky enough for it to work. There just may be some merit to this concept.

If you use ice cubes are in a drink that you purchase locally you may be finding that you are the same boat as many tourist to third world countries. The ice cubes may not have been made from purified water. Best that you order your drink without the benefit of ice. Make certain that you when you brush your teeth that you use bottled water and not the local's tap water. Bathing and showering should present no particular problem.

If you have to eat in the local establishments beware. Use common sense as it probably will be not be any cleaner within the kitchen area of the restaurant then in the dining portion. Remember, in emergencies they may not have refrigeration so meat would not receive the proper temperature storage that it should. It would generally be best if you could prepare your own meals with your BOB foods stored in the BOV.

My wife is a firm believer in the hand sanitizer gel. She keeps a container in the bug out van all the time and uses it before we have any meals. We eat out everywhere and so far have been healthy during any of our trips. It is often not the food but the bacteria contained on our hands that has previously handled dirty money etc that tend to get us sick. You can cut the chances of becoming ill in half by merely washing your hands often.

Many times you can watch what the local residences responses are to certain things. Observe carefully what they do when eating. Perhaps they may refuse to drink any of the milk. Maybe they bring with soup spoons of their own with them.

In conclusion, if you really desire to be safe in and emergency simply do not drink the water nor eat the local foods. If you planned your survival packages properly you should be able to eat very well from your packaged foods using your iodine pills to purify your water. Wash your fresh foods in the iodine-water that you have made. Use your survival training and you should be able to continue a healthy life.