Emergency planning

Got the earthquake jitters? This list of 23 tips will help you prepare and survive

May 28, 2020 / 2 Comments

Was yesterday’s quake near Los Angeles a one-time-only incident or could it be a foreshock to something much bigger? Either way, use this list to prepare, and download this Red Cross app for all kinds of earthquake alerts and survival information. Fore more information, take “Earthquake Basics: Science, Risk, and Mitigation,” from FEMA’s online Emergency Management Institute. 1. Keep inexpensive hard hats handy to protect your head, and your children’s heads, from falling items, including anything hanging on your walls …

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The West Virginia water crisis and how one family coped

May 27, 2020 / 13 Comments

Just in case you missed it, hundreds of thousands of people in Charleston, West Virginia, and the surrounding areas were without water in what is truly a worst case scenario. I’m sure many were prepared with stored water, but storing water for a week or more is something few people have considered. Bob Keller who runs a survival supply store in Charleston was right in the middle of this crisis. I asked him to write about how his family’s experiences …

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50 Last Minute Ways to Prepare for an Emergency

August 21, 2016 / 47 Comments

When disaster is “about” to strike, you may have a couple of days, hours or minutes to prepare. When the disaster is like that of Hurricane Sandy, people had a few days to “prepare” for it. Here’s a list of things you could do to prepare, even as the emergency is upon you. Fill your gas tank. Have a 72 hour kit for every person in your family. You should have cash in your 72 hour kits because if electricity is …

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Getting home during a natural disaster: Being prepared for Colorado’s floods and more

May 28, 2020 / 15 Comments

I live & work in north-central Colorado and the recent disastrous (and ongoing) flooding caused me to take a different look at my preparations for getting home in any situation. My vehicle is kept in good operating condition with: at least a half tank of fuel food & water binoculars extra clothing rain poncho coats head gear Bible (New Testament & Psalms) extra boots & shoes tent sleeping bag candles lighters & fire starters flashlights batteries spare water containers 2 …

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Wildfire Survival

May 28, 2020 / 1 Comment

Multi-year drought in much of the West has led to harsh summers recently.  Hundred of thousands of acres have been lost each of the last several years to wildfires, and there appears to be no end in sight. This year, the Yosemite fire has taken up the most space on the news, but there are wildfires raging at one place or another all from Memorial day to Labor day. What lessons are these fires teaching us? A simple one: You …

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Lesson Learned: Don’t Do These 10 Things in a Hotel Fire Emergency

May 28, 2020 / 19 Comments

Guest post by Julie Sczerbinksi who blogs at Home Ready Home. Riding in the car, on the way to a beach vacation, I listened to Lisa, The Survival Mom tell her radio show listeners that children can sleep through fire alarms. Right then, I had no idea that 2 nights later, on the 7th floor of the Marriott Hilton Head Resort and Spa, I’d have the chance to put her statement to the test. On Friday night, around 11 pm, …

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Practical advice for helping those who suddenly have nothing

May 29, 2020 / 4 Comments

One of my Facebook readers sent this information to me, and I thought it had some valuable guidelines when we want to help others who have lost so much during an event like the Moore, OK, tornadoes but aren’t sure exactly what to do. “I worked in a shelter for several days after the May 3rd, 1999 tornado – here’s my advice, for what it is worth: We had tons of items donated – clothing, small household appliances, toys, dishes, …

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My Story: Surviving a flood and planning for long-term survival

May 27, 2020 / 5 Comments

Guest post by Ann Johnston. I will first give you some brief things I went through in 1993 in West Des Moines, Iowa, then I wish to tell you what has changed my mind lately as I poo-pooed my husband with this survival stuff, what brought me back to taking a hard look at our future. In July 1993, a raging river flooded old downtown West Des Moines. I had just moved in to my soon-to-be new house as a …

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11 Lessons the Joplin Tornadoes Taught Our Family

May 27, 2020 / 10 Comments

Guest post by Kris. We “woke up” two years ago after an F-5 tornado obliterated our hometown: Joplin, MO.   What we learned in the wake of that disaster has been unbelievable, miraculous, heart-wrenching, but ultimately, extremely useful.  And while we were extremely lucky to miss the storm by about half a mile, we were all deeply affected on an emotional level.  I know it’s true whenever the sky turns gray, as it has this week.  Here are some valuable lessons …

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