Store Important Items In Dishwasher In An Emergency
If you live in hurricane country, put important papers and photos in ziplock bags the dishwasher when a storm is approaching. The home appliance is heavy, attached to the house, and waterproof, which makes it easy to find after a storm.
Have Emergency Food Box On Hand
Every year we have no idea what the weather will bring in the winter months. I have a special box just for this occasion. I buy soups, canned meats with pastas and other non perishable items to go in it.
Old Cell Phone for Emergencies
I have an elderly mother who likes to work in her garden, often when I'm not at home. Rather than have her carry an awkward portable phone outside for emergencies, I wanted to buy her an economical cell phone, but was annoyed with all the charges and limitations.
These fires can become very dangerous and can get out of control quickly. A fire extinguisher is very helpful in situations such as this, but a simple remedy can save your home.
Lake High School (Ohio) Destroyed In Tornado
Lake High School, Lake Township Municipal Building and over 100 homes were destroyed or damaged in a tornado in Ohio. Kohl's in celebration of their 10 year birthday is sponsoring a $500,000 give away to 10 most deserving schools until the end of this month.
These tips are in addition to the American Red Cross tips for dealing with storms and power outages.
I realized that an excellent way to reuse 2 Liter pop bottles after we had a storm and had no electricity. We're on an electric well pump so I wasn't able to get a cup of coffee or even a little sponge bath to freshen up that morning.
I take a lot of medication due to my illnesses. To help me sort my medications, I mark the top of the identical bottles with an AM, NOON, or PM and some with both (with a permanent marker).
Photograph Each Room's Contents in Case of Disaster
My daughter and her family recently experienced a house fire; it was an entire loss (home, furnishings, vehicles, documents, and pet). She was able to save a three-ring binder with all of her important documents, bills and other pertinent information.
LED Key Chain Lights as Emergency Flashlights
Those little LED key chain lights are great! They are about two dollars each and give or take a little change, and they are much better for walking through the house when the electricity goes out.
Kerosene Heater For Power Outages
We have been experiencing a lot of power loss lately. When this happens, I heat with a kerosene heater. Not only does it keep me warm, but it's my cooking source as well. You can't cook everything this way, but you can make do with many foods.
Store Water for Possible Power Outage
If we are having threats of power loss, I place bottles of water in my freezer. I use 2 liter soda bottles, laundry detergent bottles, or any bottle that has a tight sealing cap. This keeps the items frozen for quite some time.
Keep Food Cold Outside During Power Outage
This past weekend, my power went out and I was not expecting that to happen. We had quite a few inches of snow on the ground. I took my food out of the fridge and placed everything into a large plastic storage crate.
Touch Lights for Power Outages
Another idea for power outages: I buy those touch lights. You know the ones you stick on the wall. They are battery operated, and you press them to get a soft glow. Often they are used for night lights or inside closets.
Use Your Cellphone as an Alarm Clock
Keep your cell phone on vibrate beside your bed, and set the alarm, should there be an impending storm, and the electricity go out during the night. This takes care of people like me who can't stand the ticking alarm clock.
Use Battery Lights Instead of Candles For Power Outages
Whenever we have a power outage, instead of candles, I use battery powered lights. You can buy battery powered lanterns, flashlights of course, and battery powered push lights. I have a push light for every room in the house.
Keep an Emergency Envelope in Your Purse
My family knows if I am ever in need of medical help and can't speak for myself to get the orange envelope out of my purse. Orange is my favorite color and easily found in my purse.
The weather outside is frightful. A nice gift to your family this time of year is a homemade car heater.
Stock and Rotate Emergency Supplies
Since you never know when an emergency is going to happen, I stay stocked up and prepared year round. I have a specific cabinet set up with canned foods, cereals, powdered milk, water, pet foods and other necessities.
Emergency Cards to Help Locate People and Pets
Most of us practice fire drills with our family members periodically to make sure everyone knows how to get out of a burning home, and where to meet. But what about your pets? They don't understand the idea that you are trying to teach.
Practice Drills Before A Disaster
I teach in an international school in Tokyo. At 2:45 p.m. on Mar. 10, we had an earthquake and evacuation drill. At 2:46 p.m. on Mar. 11, we had the 8.9 earthquake. Because we had just "rehearsed" the same thing the day before, everyone knew exactly what to do.
Disaster Preparedness for Dogs And Cats
Disaster can strike at any time. When it happens, the pets in your care are going to have to depend on you to take care of their needs. If a disaster strikes your area today, are you prepared to take care your pet for however long it takes to recover?
Be Prepared For Winter Weather
Here are some things I learned from the Missouri ice storm of 2007 and recent blizzard:
This is the time to prepare for winter if you live in one of our colder states. Waiting until the last minute to prepare for the cold or an outage most often results in spending extra money or putting money out for repairs.
