Emergency planning

Image: cold hands, hands in snow, hands holding snow, hands in winter

How to Keep Your Hands and Feet Warm in Cold Weather

March 25, 2021 / Leave a Comment

My friend’s husband is recovering from a stroke in a long-term care facility. Because of Covid restrictions, when we go to visit him, we have to trudge around the perimeter of the building and stand outside his window to talk to him. I only do this for an hour or so once a week, but winter here in the Pacific Northwest serves plenty of cold, wet weather with a side of soggy and miserable. I learned pretty quickly I had …

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image: people walking in blizzard

26 Ways to Stay Warm Without Electricity

February 21, 2021 / 4 Comments

  Wear wool socks and a wool cap. Set up a tent in a room that connects with a bathroom and spend time/sleep inside the tent. Sit in your car with the heater on. NOTE: This is a short-term solution and should only be done with your car parked in a well-ventilated garage or in an otherwise open area. If you have a gas range, boil/heat water and then pour it into a hot water bottle. Wear layers of clothes, …

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image: cars driving in snow, winter driving, snow on highway

Make Your Own Winter Survival Food Kit

February 11, 2021 / 10 Comments

A couple of years ago, my family spent 2 weeks camping around the beautiful and very cold country of Iceland. (You can read about our adventures in this article.) We had a cozy camper van with a propane stove, a small sink, table, and bunks, and as you might imagine, coming up with plans for hot meals every day became an interesting challenge! There’s something deeply satisfying about a hot drink or hot meal on a cold day, but have …

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Last-Minute Hurricane Prepping

August 24, 2020 / 3 Comments

As I sit here on the humid, warm day, awaiting the arrival of Hurricane Laura, still out in the Gulf, still not quite an official hurricane, I’ve been going through all our preps, wondering, “Is there something I’ve missed?” Hurricane prepping isn’t new to me, but I still get the jitters of uncertainty. I guess we all second guess ourselves at times, and really, no matter how well prepared we think we are, it takes just one major crisis of …

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Don’t Just “Fall Back” This Month! Get Prepped for the Winter!

May 29, 2020 / 5 Comments

Every fall, Americans across the country gain an extra hour each day when they “fall back” and reset their clocks one hour later with the end of Daylight Savings Time. Our family enjoyed that extra hour of sleep, especially since the temperatures outside have turned chilly and those warm, cozy blankets had us wrapped in Dreamland, not wanting to wake or get out of bed! Whenever Daylight Savings Time rears its ugly head (I am no fan of this insane …

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VIDEO: Home Fire Safety with The Survival Mom

May 28, 2020 / Leave a Comment

This post sponsored by Smoke Shield. My opinions of the product are my own after researching and verifying its value to my readers. One of my favorite tasks as The Survival Mom is compiling the best information, the best advice, and the best resources for my readers. In this video, I discuss home fire safety and multiple ways you can prepare your home and your family for an event that is surely a worst-case scenario. I’d also love to share …

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A House Fire Changed My Family Forever

May 28, 2020 / 3 Comments

This post sponsored by Smoke Shield. My opinions stated here are my own after researching the product and verifying its value to my readers. I was never concerned about a house fire all the years we lived in the Phoenix area. We always lived in newer homes and I don’t recall a single incident in which a home in our neighborhood caught fire. Moving to an almost 50-year old house in Texas though is another matter. Every couple of months …

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How to Prepare for an Earthquake

May 29, 2020 / 8 Comments

You can prepare for an earthquake by taking just a few steps. Everyone in the family should know what to do when an earthquake strikes. Know where utility shut-off valves are located and how to turn them off. A packed emergency kit should be ready to go and be prepared for aftershocks. I have honestly never been more scared than when I was on the second floor of our house with two little children when I felt the entire house …

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Ready for SUMMER SURVIVAL SCHOOL?

May 28, 2020 / Leave a Comment

I grew up in Phoenix and know a thing or two about summer heat. It can be miserable. It can also be deadly. When I was about 8 years old, I suffered an extreme form of heat exhaustion when I spent way too much time in our brand new swimming pool. If you can imagine an excited little girl, jumping into her backyard pool for the first time, and then spending ALL DAY LONG in the sun and water — …

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flood fire evacuation

Flood – Fire – Evacuation

May 28, 2020 / 5 Comments

Two of the most common reasons to evacuate your home, workplace, or any other safe area are flood and fire. In the Los Angeles area, nearly 90,000 people were evacuated due to the Blue Cut wildfire that is virtually out of control, still. Where do 90,000 people go? That’s the first question that crosses my mind. Are they all headed to hotels? The homes of friends or family? How many have nowhere to go and can’t afford even a single …

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