Category Archives: Emergency Preparedness

Foil Pouch Chicken

Foil Pouch Chicken

The following are some of the potential benefits for choosing ready-to-eat foil pouch chicken over home canned chicken.

  • Requires no cooking or primary packaging (canning)
  • Saves time
  • Less breakable (for bug out or during an earthquake, unlike glass jars)
  • Potentially safer
  • Ready to eat from container with no draining
  • Protected from light exposure
  • Lighter weight
  • Stores in less (more compact) space

Foil packaged chicken is usually found in the canned meat (tuna) isle of major chain grocery stores.

Idea
Consider secondary (additional) packaging to enhance the shelf life.
Smartphone Documents

Smartphones for Emergencies

In the event of a power outage, a smartphone or tablet PC will be easier to charge and power up than most laptop and desktop computers.

A great amount of information can be stored on a smartphone or tablet.  Consider the following:

  • First Aid Instructions
  • Survival Manuals
  • Plant & Animal Identification
  • Helpful Photos & Videos
  • Electronic Copies of Personal Documents
  • Important Phone Numbers
  • Maps & GPS Imagery/Coordinates
  • General Emergency Preparedness Notes

It’s not a good idea to rely solely upon electronic devices for this information.  Preferably, there are printed copies and memory recall available if needed.

Electronics can fail. They are subject to malfunction, data loss, dead batteries, EMP*, and other general damage and failure. [*Note: Small faraday cages can be easily constructed for smartphones and tablets.]

In comparison to larger computers, smartphones and tablets are lighter, smaller, easier to power/charge, discreet (covert), and more convenient overall.

Again, it’s not a good idea to be completely dependent upon these devices.  However, they can be very powerful tools in emergency situations.

 

Emergency Preparedness

Emergency Preparedness

An easy way to approach emergency preparedness is to plan, prepare, and practice.  The following is a basic overview of this preparedness construct with a few suggestion to get you started.

PLAN – Create a plan based upon what could go wrong

As the saying goes “fail to plan, plan to fail.”  Sit down and write out a plan, taking into consideration the types of disasters that could potentially happen in your area or circumstances.

Here are a few possible calamities for you to consider:

Floods • Tornados • Hurricanes • Volcanic Eruptions
Tsunamis • Earthquakes • Terrorist Attacks (Chemical, Nuclear, Grid)
Severe Storms • Health Epidemics • Fires (Wildfires)
Transportation Problems (Strikes, Fuel Shortages) • Vehicle Breakdowns
Road Closures (Accidents, Avalanches, Mudslides, Bridge Out)
Celestial Catastrophes • Wars • Technological Crisis (Widespread)
Economic Collapse • Riots • Anarchy • Radiological Accidents

Make note of the type of supplies and sustenance you’ll need to have on hand.  What type of training will you need?

Discuss and list evacuation routes and family rendezvous points.

PREPARE – Prepare a kit and develop skills based upon what could go wrong.

Gather all the emergency supplies, food, and water that you’ll need for you and your loved ones.

Attend classes (as listed in your plan).

Learn how to shut off gas and electric for your home, and familiarize be sure that all household members know how to use a fire extinguisher and other safety and personal protection equipment.

PRACTICE – Practice using (testing) preparedness items and skills

Test all of the gear in your emergency kit, as appropriate and feasible.  For example, practice using emergency communications devices and setting up an emergency shelter..
Memorize important phone numbers.

Conduct periodic emergency drills or evacuations.

One of the main principles or concepts of emergency preparedness is to be ready (pre-pared) before disaster strikes.

For whatever excuse or reason, many people put off doing what they know they should do. Perhaps they believe they’re too busy to prepare.

However, when something terrible happens, they’ll wish they had taken the time – perhaps more than they’ve ever wished for something before.

All other activities or tasks that we have to do are dependent upon us being alive to do them.

Don’t put this off!

In putting off what one has to do, one runs the risk of never being able to do it”. – Charles Baudelaire