Valuable Summer Emergency Preparedness Tips

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The summer months are fast approaching and you’re probably feeling the heat right now, literally and figuratively. Aside from dealing with the heat and humidity, you also have to think about the many summer emergency preparedness tips you need to know. That’s because natural disasters such as heat waves, hurricanes and tornadoes seem to like summer as much as we love going to the beach.

Below are some natural disasters and other emergency situations, which you should be preparing for. In fact, the summer emergency preparedness tips mentioned here should be applied even after the summer days have gone.

 

Heat Wave

During the summer period, the likelihood of a heat wave increases, particularly in North America. A heat wave is simply described as a prolonged period of excessive heat.

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One of the emergency preparedness tips in dealing with heat waves is simply to stay hydrated. Many casualties of excessive heat perished because their internal temperature became too high. To prevent such thing from happening, you should drink plenty of water and keep cool at all times.

Avoid going out and staying under the sun. If you have to leave the comfort of your home, make sure you have ample protection. Also, try to do your business inside air-conditioned buildings as much as possible.

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When you’re at home, you should take the necessary precautions to keep the heat out. An air-conditioner will be of great use in keeping you safe from the heat wave but it will leave huge dent on your bills. It’ll greatly help if you have your a/c cleaned regularly, especially before summer comes. You should also check your home for holes or cracks where the cold air can escape. Have these air leaks repaired.

Cover the windows with blinds or blackout curtains. You can also use reflectors, like the ones used in cars, to deflect the sunlight and heat. Eartheasy also advises to keep water bottles in the fridge and to stock up on “cool” foods or foods you don’t need to heat up the next day. For a more comprehensive guide on what to do survive a heat wave, click here.

 

Fire

A number of summer emergency preparedness tips deal on fires, which is just right considering an estimated 3,400 people died in 2017 from fires. With that in mind, you should take every fire safety tip you encounter seriously. These tips tell you how you can prevent fire at home and advise you on what to do in case there is fire.

First Alert Fire Extinguisher

The most common fire safety tip is to have fire extinguishers at home. Every member of the household should know how to use one. Another useful tip is to install smoke alarms at home or in your place of business. Also, you should avoid using candles at home. If you have to, keep them away from flammable materials. Keep your matches and lighters in places where small children can’t reach them.

2-Storey Fire Escape Ladder

You should also have an evacuation plan in case fire breaks out. If you’re in a building, memorize all the exits. Head to the nearest exit. If it’s compromised, go to the next nearest one. Also, remember that smoke kills more people than the fire itself. You need to stay as close to the ground to avoid inhaling the dangerous smoke as you try to escape.

Check this post by Gizmodo to learn what other tips you have to know to survive a burning home or building.

Wildfires are in a whole different level. These disasters affect a large area and can be dangerous to lots of people, animals and properties. As the 2018 wildfires attest, it is quite difficult to contain them. In many cases, even the firefighters fall victim to these disasters. As such, you should be familiar with the many summer emergency preparedness tips that focus on wildfires. Check this post out to know more about wildfires.

 

Hurricanes

Summer preparedness tips are not just about fire and heat. Amazingly, the summer months can get a little too wet for comfort. As mentioned, hurricanes and tornadoes are quite prevalent during this period, which makes it important to be prepared for such natural disasters.

Kaito Ka500 Voyager Solar Radio

Always stay posted if there is a threat of a hurricane. Stay glued to the TV or local radio and wait for possible announcements. In fact, you should have battery-operated or hand crank NOAA emergency weather radios so you can still receive news even if the power goes out.

Pocket Light Solar Rechargeable LED Camping Lantern & Portable USB Charger

Speaking of, you should always have flashlights, headlamps and other light sources. Matches and other fire starters will also come in handy in cooking your meals, boiling water, and staying warm. It’s also important to have a way to communicate with other people. Make sure you’re phones are always fully charged. Invest on a solar charger s you can still make calls even if the power is out.

Easypower 5,000mah Dual USB Solar Power Bank Phone Charger

Aside from stocking up on food, water and supplies, you should also be ready to protect your home from the strong winds and heavy rain plus the threat of flooding. Board up your windows before the storm hits to avoid too much damage. You can also install storm shutters instead of just using plywood.  Reinforce the doors by installing a deadlock bolt. It’s also better if the door has three hinges and the screws are at least three inches long. Check the garage doors. They’re one of the weakest points in your home. Once it’s taken down by the strong wind, you’re whole house and everything in it including you, will be easy targets. You may need to replace it with a sturdier one that is built to withstand strong winds and rain.

Make sure to keep trees near your house trimmed. This will at least lessen the risk of huge branches falling on your home. There are quite a number of summer emergency preparedness tips you can do to prepare for hurricanes. Click here to know more about the subject.

 

Emergency Kit

Warmth & Outdoor Shelter Kit

Whether you’re more vulnerable to hurricanes, floods, a heat wave or even an earthquake, you should always have at least one emergency kit at home. In fact, each member of the family should have their own bug out bag filled with basic needs such as food and water, as well as some survival gear and other necessities. Keep an emergency kit in the car and another at work.

Emergency Food & Water Kit

First, you should stock up your pantry at home. Make sure you have lots of non-perishable food. In the event of a disaster, you’ll find it difficult to put food on the table for various reasons. Don’t wait for that to happen. Make sure you have enough food and water at home so you can still survive while things are too chaotic outside.

Onyx General Purpose Boating Vest

You’ll also need particular gear and equipment to help you survive or at least cope with a particular situation. If you live near the coast, for example, there’s always the danger of flood and tsunamis. You should have life vests or other personal flotation devices in your emergency kit. An inflatable boat is also a good idea.

You should also have the means and skills to defend your home and family. Once chaos ensues, there’s a high likelihood that some people will take advantage of others. Since you have lots of supplies at home, consider yourself a primary target of such people.

First of all, you shouldn’t let anyone know that you’re stockpiling supplies at home or in your bug out location. You have to be discreet about this so you won’t paint a target on your back. Second, invest on weapons such as firearms, bladed weapons, and blunt weapons. Pepper sprays and tasers will also be useful in defending yourselves. Fighting skills are also important. Get some training in self-defense tactics and martial arts so you can handle yourself in dangerous situations.

 

Hopefully these summer emergency preparedness tips will guide you on the right path when it comes to disaster preparedness. However, there are lots of things you still need to know that were not discussed here such as the need for a family emergency binder as mentioned by Panhandle. Check out The Gentleman Pirate for more tips on disaster preparedness and survivalism.

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Valuable Hurricane Florence Lessons We Need To Learn Photo by aapsky/Bigstock

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Gentleman Pirate Club aims to share valuable knowledge and tips on how you can prepare and survive emergencies and other dire situations. We think of different scenarios and show you the many ways you can survive them. We also believe in self-sufficiency as a way to prepare for whatever lies ahead. As our ship sails in these waters, we look for valuable treasures. When we spot one, we tell you where it is.

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