How to Survive a Hurricane: Evaluate Your Location
When it comes to hurricane preparedness as a storm approaches, you need to think about your location critically. Whether you're at home or on vacation, and you find yourself in an emergency situation, perform a “hasty hazard analysis.”
Ask yourself these questions.
Will Your Home Survive a Hurricane? The House Itself
How old is your home? Was it built before 2002? After 2002, hurricane codes were improved tremendously.
Will Your Home Survive a Hurricane? The Roof Design
What type of roof do you have? Is it a hip roof or a gable roof? A hip roof is one that comes down on all corners. A gable roof is the one that has a triangle at one end or the other. If you have a hip roof, you're probably a little better off than if you had a gable roof.
Will Your Home Survive a Hurricane? The Roof Materials
Is the roof made with shingles or tiles? Old shingles have a tendency to blow off in storms. Cracked tiles, even one or two, can cause damage to the entire roof if the wind gets underneath them.
Will Your Home Survive a Hurricane? Counting the Stories
For every 33 feet you increase in elevation (about every three stories up you are from the ground) you can actually add one category of storm intensity.
Will Your Home Survive a Hurricane? Debris
Watch for materials or structures that can blow into your home. Clear them prior to the hurricane if possible.
When we talk about prepping and survival, we often turn our attention to potential risks to our safety and well being, such as economic collapse, major severe weather events, or even pandemics.
Unfortunately, we have a tendency to overlook the more, shall we say, routine hazards that can crop up.
Fire prevention and related safety measures are important no matter what the economic climate is or whether martial law is on the horizon.
October is Fire Prevention Month, and this is as great a time as any to go through your home and ensure everything is up to snuff.
Fire Prevention Month Tip: Check Smoke Detectors
Start with your smoke detectors. You should have at least one on every level of your home. Personally, I like to have one in or very near the kitchen, another near the furnace area, and one near the bedrooms. Test each one to make sure the batteries are working. If you find one that isn’t operating correctly, replace the batteries or the unit as soon as possible.
Fire Prevention Month Tip: Don't Forget Fire Extinguishers
Every kitchen should have a fire extinguisher as well as baking soda in easily accessed locations. The baking soda is for tossing on small grease fires. Never use water to try and douse a grease fire as it will just cause the grease to splatter and spread the fire. Check the expiration date on the extinguisher and replace it if the date has passed.
Fire Prevention Month Tip: Replace Furnace Filters
Furnace filters should be replaced with clean ones every one to three months. Most filters are incredibly cheap and ridiculously easy to change out.
Fire Prevention Month Tip: Clean the Chimney
If you have a fireplace, the chimney should be swept and inspected every fall. If you’re not sure how to do it properly, spend the money on a professional. Chimney fires are not something you want to risk.
Fire Prevention Month Tip: Make an Evacuation Plan
Finally, this is a great time to review and practice your fire evacuation plan.
Everyone in the family should know how to get out of the house and where to go once outside.
Be sure to teach each family member to feel the inside of their door before exiting the room. If the door is hot to the touch, do not open it. Put a blanket or towel along the bottom to help keep out smoke and then exit through the window, if possible.
Pick a specific location outside where everyone is to meet, such as a certain tree in the neighbor’s yard.
Fire Prevention Month Tip: Take It Seriously
Proper fire prevention measures are also critical in the event of a major grid-down event. It's bad enough to have a fire during relatively normal times. But, if 911 isn’t an option, things could end up being far, far worse.
A collection of items necessary to survive in the aftermath of a hurricane
It's always great when readers of Living Ready‘s magazine and newsletter write in with questions. If the staff can't answer them, we usually know someone else with the right know-how. But this one has us stumped. Can you solve this riddle of cold weather car survival kits?
Jeff W. lives near Chicago, where the winters can get brutally cold. The summers can get just as hot. This makes it tough to balance the items in his car survival kit, or “go bag” as he calls it.
With the winter approaching, he wrote in with this question. It's a really good one.
When talking about go bags, most people think of being fully prepared for 72 hours or more. Up here north of Chicago, if I leave my bags in the car for a long shopping stop everything will freeze solid in the winter, and the inside of the vehicle will get north of 140 degrees in the summer.
Anything in a pressurized can, such as Fix-a-Flat, would not only freeze, but you run a real risk of it exploding along with your other supplies. Any cans of food, even solids like candles, can break to pieces at the slightest good bump.
In the summer, you have chances of your food spoiling or melting, fire starters possibility causing a fire, not to mention ammo and other flammables causing a fire.
Plus, all these huge swings in temperatures have to even affect items like tents, freeze-dried food, and other equipment shortening their life span also.
I have several go bags, but I really can't see a safe way to carry them on a regular basis in the above conditions in my vehicles. I guess you could always only carry the items that travel safely under the above conditions but that could leave you very short on supplies when you really need them.
I'm sorry but I can't figure an easy way around this issue.
Here was my suggestion:
You need two bags. One goes in the cab with you. The other one goes in the trunk.
The items that need to stay warm in the winter or cool in the summer (like a can of Fix-a-Flat) go in the bag in the front. That air will be conditioned to be cooler or warmer depending on the season. Even if you don't have AC, body heat or rolled down windows can help a lot.
The bag in the trunk is for things that need to stay out of the sun during the summer, aren't as sensitive to temperatures in the winter or just should stay in the trunk.
What about you? Have any suggestions? This riddle is the challenging reality everyone with car survival kits in a cold state (and warm states sometimes) faces with each extreme temperature swing.
From rolling blackouts to hurricanes, floods to tornadoes, power can go out at a moment's notice. If the grid fails, the PowerPot will keep you charging! The PowerPot thermoelectric generator converts any heat source directly into power that charges your USB handheld devices. Get Yours Now
Despite my initials, I have no intention of leading you into pastures of bovine manure when it comes to survival gear, friends. Neither does the rest of the Living Ready staff. Case in point: the Living Ready Store.
On a daily basis, we receive solicitations from survival gear companies to place products in our store. While this is certainly flattering, our response is always the same: Send a sample for us to test, and we'll add it if we like it. That leaves some products out in the cold and others straight to the highlight reel.
So when it seems like I and the Living Ready team are trying to sell you something, it's because that's exactly what we're doing. We're trying to put the best survival gear we could find into your hands. We don't want you to get lost on Amazon or Biff's Survival Website for Chumps and wind up with junk.
That said, it's about time for a rundown of the best survival gear in the Living Ready Store. The categories are:
Best Portable Generator (small)
Best Portable Generator (large)
Best Rocket Stove
Best Portable Water Filter Bottle
Best Insulated Cooler
Best Survival Knife for the Money
Best Gun Accessory
Best Survival Kit Item
1. Best Portable Generator (small): The PowerPot
The PowerPot is the reigning champ of innovative survival gear products. It converts hot water into electricity for charging batteries and gadgets. It's simple, easy-to-use and packs a massive “cool” factor.
Not that there's anything cooler than having electricity during an emergency in the first place. But when you think of the best survival gear innovations of the 21st Century, this is on top. You can read my full review here or order the PowerPot for $149 from LivingReadyStore.com right now.
2. Best Portable Generator (large): Goal Zero Yeti 1250 Solar Generator Kit
The great advantage of the Goal Zero Yeti 1250 Solar Generator Kit is what it doesn't do. Unlike gasoline- and diesel-powered portable generators, this one doesn't make noise or require it be used outdoors.
This is a bigger deal than some might think. Gas generators have a tendency to walk away, especially during a crisis where people are desperate.
The Goal Zero Yeti 1250 can be brought indoors where it's safe. It packs enough juice to run an entire house for a day or two. It can then be recharged with the included solar panels or a wall outlet prior to a disaster. That means no worrying about gas stations running dry.
Any rocket stove worth its weight must use scrap fuel (think twigs and branches) in the most efficient way possible. The EcoZoom Versa gets things hot in a hurry using minimal fuel sources and a smart design that actually doesn't try to kill the person using it (imagine that!). Living Ready contributor Charley Hogwood of P.R.E.P. reviewed the EcoZoom Versa with flying colors, and he has the bacon to prove it.
Even better, for each Versa sold, EcoZoom will donate a rocket stove to a needy family. Now that's a true commitment to preparedness.
4. Best Portable Water Filter Bottle: Aqua Vessel Insulated Filtration Bottle
While dedicated water filters like the LifeStraw are indeed phenomenal products, they don't often leave survival kits. The modern prepared person needs something that works well for survival, but doesn't scream “look at the weirdo” when you bring it everywhere you go.
The Aqua Vessel Insulated Filtration Bottle is the solution. It marries form and function into a stylish, insulated bottle. Inside is a filter that removes 99% of nasties. It'll fit in at the office, the gym, hunting camp or when the SHTF.
Boy oh boy, did I catch flak from readers the first time the premium Icey-Tek ice chests were featured in the Living Ready newsletter. “You want $325 for a cooler? A cooler!?” was about the gist of it. But sure enough, the Icey-Tek line of insulated ice chests proved to be the best-selling items at Living Ready Store for several months.
Here's the deal. Icey-Tek ice chests aren't like the coolers you find at the gas station. These are more like electricity-free refrigerators that keep contents cold for days and days – not just an afternoon of fishing. The passage of time means nothing inside an Icey-Tek cooler. I wouldn't be surprised if Keith Richards from the Rolling Stones slept inside one of these things.
6. Best Survival Knife for the Money: SOG Team Leader
I'm a knife nut. I originally started at F&W Media (parent company of Living Ready) as a print editor for BLADE magazine a few presidential elections ago. As such, I look at knives like I look at steak: If you have to melt a bunch of cheese on top to sell it, there must be something wrong with what's underneath.
Simplicity is deceiving. That's why the best knifemakers in the world are constantly churning out “oh, I could do that”-looking knives and selling them for thousands of dollars. It's harder than it looks.
The Living Ready team sorted through a ton of stellar survival knives to find the best. Then we crunched the numbers to see how we could get one of those to you for under $100.
We did even better than that and wound up with the SOG Team Leader for under $50. It's a full tang, fixed blade knife ready and willing to be beaten and pounded on like the Vikings defense (sorry, but I'm a Packers fan). But in this case, there's no cheese necessary. The SOG Team Leader is without a doubt the best survival knife for the money.
The SnagMag found its way to Living Ready from sister pub Gun Digest. Stock quickly fell to zero, and Living Ready Store immediately ordered extra.
The SnagMag‘s popularity comes from its “wish I'd thought of that” design. It makes carrying a spare pistol magazine in your pocket a breeze. Handgunners and concealed carry permit holders, this is one for you.
The four-gallon CanCooker came to the Living Ready Store from the folks at Deer & Deer Hunting. They had hunting camp meals in mind, but I found its true calling is as a survival kit canister.
Fill up all four gallons of the CanCooker with your survival kit essentials and a desiccant pack, then snap the lid shut for an airtight seal. This will keep gear dry and secure.
You could get the same functionality out of an ammo box, but you'd be missing what the CanCooker was designed to do all along: cook things. In an emergency, unpack your survival gear, then use the CanCooker to boil water and cook food. It doesn't get better than that.
Editor's Note: Living Ready has posted reviews of the EcoZoom Versa before, most notably with this omnibus of the best survival gear and this rocket stove review. But because this is such a great product with legions of fans, it's worth another review, this time from Jim Cobb. Convinced yet? Get one from the Living Ready Store here.
EcoZoom Versa: A Rocket Stove for the Rest of Us
If you have nothing more than a postage stamp for a yard, if any yard at all, building a nice campfire or firing up a grill might not be feasible or practical. Enter the EcoZoom Versa Rocket Stove.
EcoZoom Versa: Easy to Use
In the box, you receive the stove, a windscreen, and a metal support for fuel. The instructions are pretty bare bones, because really, this couldn’t be simpler. There are two doors on the front of the stove. The top one is where the fuel goes in, the bottom is the damper.
I started the stove using a piece of crumpled newspaper, some dryer lint, and a few small twigs. It took me less than four minutes to go from there to a roaring fire in the stove.
As it burns, you slowly feed larger sticks into the stove through the top door. This is where having that fuel stand is awesome. No need to prop anything up or monkey-rig anything.
Check out the video and photos above to see the the EcoZoom Versa in action.
EcoZoom Versa: Cons
Click here to get an EcoZoom Versa rocket stove from the Living Ready Store.
My list of cons for this product is very short. First, it is heavy. One person can easily pick it up by the attached handles and move it around, of course. But, at about 25 lbs., it isn’t something you’d want to strap to your back and go on a 10-mile hike.
The other thing isn’t really due to the stove, but if you are making stew or something, I’d suggest putting a lid on your cook pot. Ashes from the fire do tend to drift up as you add fuel to the fire. When I boiled the pot of water, I noticed a few ashes had settled into the pot.
EcoZoom Versa Final Thoughts & Where to Get It
All in all, this is a wonderful tool for any preppers out there concerned about preparing food off-grid.
The EcoZoom Versa Rocket Stove is available in the Living Ready Store. Click here to order one of the best rocket stoves on the market.
From rolling blackouts to hurricanes, floods to tornadoes, power can go out at a moment's notice. If the grid fails, the PowerPot will keep you charging! The PowerPot thermoelectric generator converts any heat source directly into power that charges your USB handheld devices. Get Yours Now
If living healthy means taking care of yourself as well as your family and friends, are you obligated to let them know about life-changing warnings? Let's say, the end of the world as we know it (TEOTWAWKI)?
It's not as irrelevant a question as it seems. Last week, Ukrainian astronomers predicted that a large asteroid may collide with Earth in 2032. The chances of this happening are slim, but they're still higher than the typical flyby (and there are a lot of them, check out this asteroid flyby chart and try to sleep tight tonight). Even more alarming, this 2032 asteroid is so large it's designated as a “minor planet.”
Did those scientists have a duty to report that dire warning to the world? With odds so low, it's easy to say yes. But what if the odds were 100 percent? Would it be responsible to tell others?
That's what Living Ready asked readers on its Facebook page. The most interesting answers are below.
Here's one last disturbing thought. Many people said they wouldn't tell a soul if they knew TEOTWAWKI was coming. By that reasoning, there could be someone – a scientist, politician, religious leader or just an average Joe – out there right now with that kind of knowledge and you'd never know it. If TEOTWAWKI was coming tomorrow, you wouldn't receive a heads up.
What Would You Do If You Knew TEOTWAWKI Was Coming?
“I'd tell everyone that I knew.” – Cheryl Lien
“If I was the only one who knew, I wouldn't tell a another soul.” – Jonathan Cooper
“Morally obligated to tell someone…problem is, as a known ‘paranoid' (someone who does a little prepping) no one would listen to me, any more than they give any regard to my suggestions to put some gear and food aside for simple prudence.” – Jcharles Tower
“I think the real question is, if all the world governments knew, would they tell us?” – Joyce L. Suich
“Odd question. How any ONE person could know this without anyone else knowing is impossible to imagine. On the other hand, I watch the weather where I have family living and don't hesitate to call if something bad is heading their way.” – Mike Phillips
“I'd tell everyone and have one hell of a week long party!” – Paul Kendall
“I'd tell my family members and announce it on my Facebook page. Probably my immediate neighbors, too. They're nice folks.” – Carrie Bartkowiak
“Well, if I was going to tell someone, it would only be people who could keep it a secret. And it would not be people in a city or in high population areas.” – James Thomas Hyde, Jr.
Which is more important to preparedness: hunting guns or survival food? Find out why a bullet might be better than a breadstick in this interesting feature.
All components of SHTF plans are important: survival communication, food, shelter, survival or hunting guns, medicine and gear are just a few. In a perfect world, a household would have enough money to purchase everything needed or all the skills to fill in the gaps. But that's just not the case.
With mortgages, insurance, day-to-day expenses and other financial burdens, prepared people have to make quick decisions about the preps they purchase. To put this into context, we asked readers to choose between survival guns and preserved food. The question was:
For long-term survival, would you rather have all the hunting guns, ammo and gear you could ever need and have to hunt for every meal you ate OR would you rather have all the food you could ever eat but never be able to use firearms, bows or other hunting gear?
Survival Guns or Food?
Many readers chimed in with their views. Just about everyone agreed that in the scenario above, hunting guns trump food.
“Firearms serve a dual purpose for both hunting and protection. So, truthfully, as tempting as an infinite food cache sounds, I'd stick with the firearms for the above reason.” – Steve Chapel
“I've never hunted a day in my life, but I would learn in a hurry.” – Ian Graham
“Either way you choose there is a good possibility that you will in the long run end up hungry and or dying. The food without any means of protecting it can easily be taken from you. Then you will have nothing. Having all the guns is no guarantee that you will be able to bring down game enough every single day or month. Balance is the key to life.” – Echo Moon
“Guns and gear. It's more work to hunt for your food, but you need protection.” – Julie Campbell
“You could trade gear for food VERY easy, not so much food for guns!” – Damon Stelly
“Hunting gear. It could serve dual purpose, like protection.” – Dale Durgin
“I'm going with the gear. Just have to get my wife to adjust her tastes a bit.” – Kyle Balek
Pictured: What you'll be doing after the outbreak. (artist's rendition) An outbreak of the zombie virus spread across the globe overnight. Some say it's man-made. Others claim it's from outer space. Either way, TEOTWAWKI is here.
If you're reading this, you're one of the few survivors still with Internet. The following is the best zombie gear for the apocalypse from the Living Ready Store. Good luck.
1) Best Zombie Machete: Woodman's Pal Military
Everyone knows that the only way to kill a zombie is through decapitation. And if you don't, you will soon. Zombies are squirrely sunuvaguns, so you'll need gear that can really pack a bite on contact.
Outfit yourself with the Woodman's Pal Military Premium with Canvas Sheath & Stone. The beefy blade was originally designed to clear brush, chop firewood, make kindling and a ton more. You'll need it close by for switching between camp work and old-fashioned zombie throat-bustin'.
Specs
16.5” overall length
5” Military style soft leather grip with steel knuckle guard
2) Best Zombie Emergency Radio: Eton American Red Cross FRX 3
For the latest news on the zombie outbreak, you'll need a radio that doesn't run out of batteries. So long as you can turn a hand crank 360 degrees, you'll always be in touch with the Eton American Red Cross FRX 3.
Here's what Living Ready‘s Corey Graff had to say in his Eton FRX 3 review shortly before joining the legions on the undead:
The FRX3 is small, just 7.875″ high x 7″ wide x 3.5″ deep, but it’s packed with useful features, including a built in solar panel and rechargeable Ni-MH battery (3.6V/600mAh) for extended use when grocery stores aren’t stocking batteries. It also plays on 3 AAA batteries, for times when the sun isn’t out.
Warning: Despite the world ending, this radio may still pick up Top 40 stations. Use with extreme caution.
3) Best Zombie Water Filter Bottle
With the zombie virus contaminating local water sources, having a portable filtration option is critical. The Aqua Vessel Insulated Filtration Bottle is your answer.
It eliminates 99 percent of zombie viruses, plus giardia, cryptosporidium and many more nasties, all on its own. Just fill the bottle with water, then drink. It's that easy. When paired with a purifying chemical or disinfected water, it's even more effective.
After a long day, sometimes you just don't feel like getting off the couch to hack up that grotesque walker lumbering through your front door. If you have the CRKT Kangee T-Hawk, there's no need to worry. Just give this tactical tomahawk a forehead-splitting toss and you're done.
Of course, there are many practical uses for the CRKT Kangee T-Hawk, too. It's perfect for quick chopping tasks outside – or in. The smart design keeps this tool firmly in your hand during smooth operation.
Specs
Overall Length: 13.75 inches
Weight: 1 lb. 8.4 ounces
Blade Length: 2.93 inches
Thickness: 0.23 inches
Material: SK5 Carbon Steel
Blade-HRC: 54-55
Finish: Black Powder Coat
Grind: Flat
Style: Axe Edge Front with Spike
Edge: Plain
Click here to get this best zombie ax from the Living Ready Store signed by its designer, Ryan Johnson.
5) Best Zombie First Aid Instruction
A zombie bite, just like any wound far from help, is serious business. The best thing to do is to quickly clean and close the wound, then see a doctor. But what if one isn't around and all you have are a few basic First Aid items?
If you've taken the How to Treat Wounds & Burns Online Course from Living Ready University, you'll know exactly what to do. Dr. James Hubbard, MD (aka The Survival Doctor) explains the must-know steps to take for treating wounds on the fly.
Click here to download the best zombie First Aid instruction, How to Treat Wounds & Burns, from Living Ready University.
Bonus: The Cure for the Zombie Virus
Experts are still working on a cure for the zombie virus, but that doesn't mean you can't up your immune system in the meantime. A healthy diet and exercise are keys to living well.
You'll get both with Recipes and Tips for Sustainable Living by Stacy Harris. This book explains how to live and eat with self-sufficiency in mind. It's as good a cure as you'll find.
The reaction to this comic book was mixed. On the one hand, it's reaching audiences that may not have otherwise considered preparedness seriously.
On the other, is it responsible for the CDC to blur the lines between fiction and reality in an age when there is so much misinformation on the Internet already?
The topic was examined in-depth last year in Living Ready‘s article, The CDC's Zombie Survival Guide PDF Could Cost Real Lives. In a nutshell, it's better to draw a clear line of distinction between reality and fiction when it comes to disaster preparedness. Just as Jaws stoked paranoia about sharks – one that actually impacted shark populations – the blurring of entertainment and reality can become a problem.
At Living Ready, zombies are treated as pure fiction. There's no confusion between what is real and what isn't. Even in the recent article, 5 Best Zombie Gear Items for the Apocalypse, there's no mistaking reality for fiction.
Where the line tends to blur is with survival gear and information designed specifically for zombie preparedness. Zombie ammunition, zombie guns, zombie knives, zombie everything.
Should someone actually use those items on another person, the legal consequences would be severe.
Self-defense cases, even where a person is justified in using force, will examine every aspect of the situation. Zombie gear calls into question the mental faculties of the defendant. You can bet a prosecutor will exploit that for all its worth.
Don't bother with zombie-themed survival gear. Stick with the perennial products that don't hinge on fads. They'll probably work better anyway.
It's easy to think the entire family will be together when a disaster hits, but that's not always the case. In most survival scenarios, logistics will be a challenge. Everyone, from big city dwellers to rural homesteaders, needs to figure out how to gather everyone in one spot.
That hinges on a family communications plan, but let's take a look at a survival scenario that could actually happen. Living Ready posted this question to its Facebook page:
A natural disaster (like a flood or a fire) is only an hour from hitting your home. You decide to evacuate your family to safer territory, but one of the kids is at a friend's house located more than an hour away. You know the friend's family doesn't practice preparedness and is in harm's way. Do you evacuate the family you have with you knowing you'll be completely safe from the disaster? Or do you risk driving through the disaster as it hits to pick up the kid at the friend's house?
Basically, is it better to have a 100 percent chance of survival for most of your family, or a 50 percent chance of survival for all of your family? You could adjust that 50 percent to a different percentage if you wish, but the question is the essentially the same.
Your Responses to this Survival Scenario
The responses overwhelmingly endorsed splitting the family up, with one person going to collect the stray kid. That would require two vehicles and at least two drivers. Does this change your own family's emergency plan?
Most responses advocated splitting up and keeping in contact. If cell service goes down, as it often does during disasters, a two-way satellite communicator will be essential. Living Ready endorses the DeLorme inReach, available at the Living Ready Store.
“Realistically, the wife and son/daughter would evacuate to safety with a 2-way radio, and I would go after the kid with the other radio.” – Justin King
“No child of mine would be left behind. I would go get them, regardless of the cost.” – Karen Walker Grummer
“If you must, rescue the child, but don't put the whole family in danger. Send as many of them on to safety as you can spare.” – Stephen Ledington
“Send the others to safety, and you are only risking yourself to rescue the kid.” – Laurie Blanchette
“Risk it all for my family.” – Janie Frieze
“I would go for the rescue of said kid BUT would also call and ask the people to meet me halfway with my child.” – Belinda Chedville Mason
“Number one, no way my child would be an hour away with someone that doesn't understand preparedness. That said, I would send everyone else on and go retrieve them myself. But, who would sit there knowing disaster is an hour away? Even those not in sync with reality would see it coming.” – Chet Castor
“Depends on the topographical map between you and your missing kid and on weather or not those folks are willingly leaving or not.” – Nick Kearney
“My family's plan is for mom and dad to go to our rally point while I move to extract my brother if he is unable to.” – Jesse VanderBie
“Easy. Split up. Send those I can to safety, and go get my child. No one gets left behind. Period.” – Jcharles Tower
“Split up, if there are two responsible adults or even one is an older teen. Send the family to safety while the adult goes after the remaining child. Keep in contact with each other via radio or text or what ever is available.” – Susan Anderson
New rules under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) are requiring some residents and business to purchase expensive flood insurance policies. The thinking is that being in a high-risk flood plain is too dangerous to not carry specialized disaster insurance.
As covered in a previous article about flood insurance, the NFIP had to undergo extensive reform because of the volume of claims recently, most notably Superstorm Sandy. Increasing the pool of high-risk insurance holders could prevent the NFIP from going bankrupt.
But should this kind of disaster insurance be a requirement? And does it set a precedent for other disaster-prone areas? Areas frequented by earthquakes, wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes and more could fall under the thumb of programs similar to the NFIP's forced disaster insurance.
Living Ready asked readers on its Facebook page that very question:
Should all homeowners and businesses be required to purchase extra insurance if they are located in an area frequented by natural disasters?
Should Disaster Insurance be Mandatory?
“I don't care if they decide to insure themselves or not, but if they don't, they should not be able to make a claim on the taxpayers to make up for it.” – Matt Pierce
“They would have to cover the whole country if they did a regional thing. For specific threats, like living in a specific flood plain that floods often, or living on the side of a volcano, yes. Choosing to live in OK, thus you might get hit by a tornado? nope.” – Jane MomwithaPrep
“No one should have to carry any insurance that they don't want, but they shouldn't expect, or receive, a government bailout if a disaster strikes them.” – Paul Kendall
“If you insist on building on an unstable cliff, yes. If you live below sea level, yes. If your house is in the middle of tornado alley, yes. Otherwise, everyone has to help pick up the cost of money lost by insurance companies when the odds catch up. If you drive every day in Dallas your car insurance is more than if you drive in the countryside for the same reason.” – Steven White
“Where is it safe to live that no ‘Natural Disasters' happen? Are we talking about only floods or Waves, Tornados, hurricanes, Fires, snow storms, earth quakes, Tsunami's, pick your poison? I live on the Gulf Coast and if you have to rebuild you have to meet new codes! It's not the same thing over and over!!” – Damon Stelly
“I live on Long Island IN Newyorkistan, all the insurance these people paid still hasn't helped them a year after SuperStorm Sandy. Ask the people of Katrina if they got paid as well. All the monies supposedly paid went right into government coffers for emergency management. Disgusts me as firefighter/EMT.” – Davy Poggi
“Hmmmmm, mandatory insurance, with a bit of grease for Uncle Sam's palm, you know, because what they mandate will be better than the junk you have now. Where have I heard this whole mandatory insurance bit before? It's a total win for the government, and a lose for all of us.” – W Toney Nikolatsopoulos
“No, but neither should they receive ANY tax dollars to rebuild when their house gets blown away. You take your chances, and you deal with the consequences.” – Carrie Bartkowiak
What Do You Think About Mandatory Disaster Insurance?
Should disaster insurance be mandatory? Leave your comment below or go the Living Ready Facebook page to join the conversation.
The Bushnell PowerSync SolarWrap is making a lot of buzz in the outdoors and survival markets. The SolarWrap's roll-out design comes in three versions: the mini, the 250 and the 400. This review will use the 400.
The 10.1-ounce SolarWrap 400 comes in a case that sports handles for straps and other carrying methods. It's compact, less than the size of an average hammer.
The product also includes a cord with micro and standard USB ends, as well as an adapter for charging the SolarWrap from an outlet. Opening the case, the actual SolarWrap itself comes with USB attachments at either end that open with a flip. One is for mini USB. And one is for standard USB.
Bushnell PowerSync SolarWrap Review: Using the device
The SolarWrap must be turned on to work. Blinking lights indicate how much charge is in the internal battery.
The SolarWrap rolls out to 29.25 inches. Once deployed, it can be positioned just about anywhere. From a tree. The hood of a car. A sidewalk. A post. Anywhere there is sunlight. Just be sure to have some kind of anchor so the roll doesn't curl up, a problem flat solar panels don't have.
Hooking up a device is simple. Just plug it into the USB port. Slip the device under the roll to protect it from the sun and you're done. The SolarWrap charged this iPod in about an hour.
While in the sun, the SolarWrap simultaneously charges its internal battery. That's an innovative feature. It means the SolarWrap's battery can be used when the sun isn't shining. The SolarWrap can also be charged using a wall outlet. Setting that up requires just a couple quick steps with the included adapter.
Bushnell PowerSync SolarWrap Review: Drawbacks
All of this adds up to a portable, versatile product that works great. Still, there were some drawbacks. The USB tabs kept popping open throughout the review of this product. This could cause those USB connections to become dirty. I hope Bushnell addresses this.
Update: Bushnell informed Living Ready the tabs are being addressed.
The included accessories don't fit inside the carry case. It'd be nice if they did so they won't become lost.
The rollout feature is slick, but I'm concerned that it may become torn. If that did happen, Paul Ahnold at Bushnell informs me that a break in one solar cell will not affect the rest. I can appreciate the foresight of that design element.
Bushnell PowerSync SolarWrap Review: Right for You?
So should you buy the Bushnell PowerSync SolarWrap? It depends on how much power you actually need. For charging phones and gadgets, it's a winner.
For heavy uses, such as running lights at night or charging a car battery, you're better off with a larger panel, like this Goal Zero Guardian.
Along those same lines, the SolarWrap may not stand up to exceptionally hard, rugged use. Go with something with a tough shell instead, like the Bushnell SolarBook or this Goal Zero Escape.
Still, sportsmen, hikers, campers, preppers, and even commuters will find a lot to appreciate in the Bushnell PowerSync SolarWrap.
Bushnell PowerSync SolarWrap Review: Pair It Up
Here's a bonus tip from Living Ready.
Pair any solar charging device with the PowerPot. The PowerPot uses heat and water to produce electricity.
Between solar and heat power generation, you'll stay juiced in just about any scenario.
From rolling blackouts to hurricanes, floods to tornadoes, power can go out at a moment's notice. If the grid fails, the PowerPot will keep you charging! The PowerPot thermoelectric generator converts any heat source directly into power that charges your USB handheld devices. Get Yours Now
Both dehydrated and freeze-dried emergency foods do significantly better in terms of shelf life and portability than food not processed these ways. But there are some significant differences.
Freeze-Dried Survival Food Lasts Longer
Taste the difference between dehydrated and freeze-dried survival food with this sampler pack from Wise. Click to get it from the Living Ready Store.
Dehydrating food will not extend the shelf life nearly as long as freeze-drying.
You can expect dehydrated food to store well for months rather than multiple years depending on how much moisture was removed. The more a food item is dried, the more brittle the texture becomes and the longer it can be stored.
Freeze-dried survival foods will have a longer shelf life, but keep in mind that storage conditions vary widely.
Why Does the Difference Matter?
This is important because over the last several years, some survival food companies have been using the two terms interchangeably. If they can’t explain how they make it, don’t buy it.
Rotate Emergency Food Supplies
Regular rotation is the key to proper survival food storage. Keep a record system detailing the age of all of your supplies.
Remember, temperature and moisture are two of the most common causes of spoilage in emergency food storage. Contamination, light and insects round out the list.
From rolling blackouts to hurricanes, floods to tornadoes, power can go out at a moment's notice. If the grid fails, the PowerPot will keep you charging! The PowerPot thermoelectric generator converts any heat source directly into power that charges your USB handheld devices. Get Yours Now
A staple of any mutual assistance group is a weather radio, such as this Eton American Red Cross FRX 2 Emergency Radio.
When it comes to considering new members the group will want to attempt to get a complete picture of the potential candidate. Of course if this is a “come as you are” situation you may need to make some judgment calls. When time is on your side, try to have a comfortable sit down interview/conversation in a comfortable, neutral location.
Here are some additional primer questions to ask of potential members after the pleasantries:
What are you looking for in a group?
Is there anything specific you are preparing for?
How many people would you want to bring into the group? Family, friends?
How is your preparedness going? Are you moving forward in collecting supplies? Skills?
How long do you think you might be able to survive with your current stores?
What kind of skills do you have and how long has it been since he or she actually tried to use them?
Do you have reliable transportation and time to participate?
Is there any concern or any disabilities that may become a problem in an active environment? What is the health of the candidate or family?
Has the candidate been in a group previously? Why did they leave?
While chatting with the candidate look for personality cues that may offer insight into his or her personality:
What is the person’s temperament? Do they seem overbearing or timid?
Do they have extremist views or views that contrast with the group’s stated goals?
Do they appear to truly be interested or are they just along for the ride (for example, a spouse dragged to the interview)?
Many people know that Living Ready takes a firm anti-zombie stance. As in, zombie preparedness is misguided and a waste of resources.
But then we saw this zombie First Aid kit infographic. We think it's time to reconsider. After all, no one has ever proven zombies don't exist.
Sure, government zombie prevention efforts have managed to keep the hordes at bay for now. You don't see them anywhere, do you? But you never know how many zombie-free days we have left.
Happy April Fool's Day. If you still have the itch to make a kit, check out this survival guide by John McCann. It's full of kit ideas for a variety of non-zombie emergencies.
For a lot of city dwellers, a bugging out in a vehicle isn't an option. Many urbanites don't own cars in the first place. Those who do might find roads chronically congested and impassable by vehicle – and that's before a disaster hits. The solution is a bug-out bike.
In Build the Perfect Bug-Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit, author Creek Stewart explains the benefits of bug-out bikes for city folks. He writes:
Bicycles, for example, can be outfitted to carry a surprising amount of extra supplies in addition to BOB on your back. They are also not dependent on fuel, which will be in limited supply during any large-scale evacuation. [Bikes] also have excellent maneuverability through traffic jams and congested traffic.
The same could be said for motorbikes to a certain extent. But despite being fuel sippers, they're still going to need to fill up at some point. The pedal power of a bug-out bike can function so long as the rider can.
That's one rider, which is a major downside of bug-out bikes. Bringing someone else along on the handlebars only works in third grade. When it comes to bug-out bikes, everyone in the family unit should have their own set of wheels. Two- and three-person bikes make a degree of sense, but we at Living Ready have yet to give this tactic a full evaluation.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 excellent concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
When it comes to hurricane preparedness as a storm approaches, you need to think about your location critically. Whether you're at home or on vacation, and you find yourself in an emergency situation, perform a “hasty hazard analysis.”
