Do You Have The Complete Emergency Preparedness Supply List?

Are you overwhelmed by everything you need to do to prepare for a natural or man-made disaster? Everyone is at first! That's why we're sharing a simple to use checklist of everything you will need when #SHTF. We followed the recommended supply list from FEMA and turned it into a free, easy to follow checklist. The list covers the essentials and suggested items to have at home, at work, and at school. Have peace of mind knowing your family can be ready anywhere you are!


You can download the free list here: Complete Emergency Preparedness Supply List

18 Things You Need In Your Pet Emergency Survival Kit

When we’re making plans for worst case scenarios, we plan for ourselves and our human family members to ensure our safety. But what about our pets? If you’re like millions of Americans, you probably have a pet dog or cat (or several pets if you’re lucky). The bond you have with your pet is special and unique. No two pet/owner relationships are the same, just like no two human friendships are the same. Our pets are important members of our families. We may not be able to communicate in the same language, but they want to feel safe and secure too.

Fortunately, preparing your pet for an emergency is very similar to what you prepare for yourself, with a few modifications.

We’ve put together this guide to help you and your pet stay safe, and stay together, in an emergency.

Prepare a kit with these emergency supplies:

1. Food supply for 72 hours: Pets don't eat the same food as us. Human food can be poisonous to pets, and it doesn't give them the nutrients they need. It is important to have a kit where your pet can have food to keep it healthy.
2. Water supply for 72 hours: You won't always have access to clean water, so having water set aside in any kit is vital, and the same goes for your pet.
3. Food and water dishes: Sure, a pet can eat food off the floor, but what about water? It is important to have something that your pet can drink out of so they can stay hydrated.
4. First aid kit: Accidents happen. Your pet deserves to be taken care of, and this includes making sure that its injuries can be treated. Specific things in the kit?
5. Pet emergency guidebook: a guidebook specifically geared towards helping you know how to care and plan for your pets in the event of an emergency.
6. Medications: If your pet is on any medication, they will still need it when an emergency arises. Make sure that your pet emergency kit has all the medications they will need.
7. Collar and leash: Your pet is going to need to move around. If you don't have a leash, then when frightened, your pet may run away. Pet-friendly shelters will almost always require your pet to be on a leash.
8. Pet waste bags and/or litter box: Preventing the spread of bacteria and disease is one of the most important considerations during a disaster. All animals create waste, and it is important to clean up after your pet. Having a way to do that will help you maintain a clean shelter.
9. Emergency reflective blanket
10. A picture of your pet and you: Your pet might get lost or run away during the frightening emergency situation. Having a picture of your pet is a great idea, but it is even better if you are in the picture as well. This can be further proof to others that your pet belongs to you.
11. Records: Having documentation is important. Shelters may need a vaccination record and documentation that your pet does indeed belong to you. You may also consider having your pets chipped by your veterinarian. Having information on your pet can also help if you are sheltering your pet at a pet motel or with a friend.
12. Carrying case: When a pet gets frightened, it might be difficult to get them to safety. They might not walk on their own, and if you simply pick them up they might jump out of your arms. By having a carrier, you can eliminate these problems. In addition to this, the CDC advises that you get your pet familiar with the carrier ahead of time. This will help them understand that it is safe for them to be in.
13. Rope and stake: By having a rope and stake, your dog will be able to move around freely in a restricted area. This can help keep them at your camp, or wherever you may be, and still have a bit of freedom. This will also take the worry off your mind of keeping an eye on them, or always holding a leash.
14. Blanket: Having some comfort for your pet can make a huge difference when their world collapses. If you have to evacuate, this can hold a lot of security for them.
15. Treats: Helping your pet be at ease can make a huge difference for them. Adding treats to your emergency kit can help give your pet comfort and a reward for being good.
16. Toys: Giving your pet a little security can go a long way. By having toys it can help calm your pet when they are in a stressful environment. If you have small children, it can also help distract them as they play with their pet.
17. Whistle: There is a possibility that you will get lost, or your dog will. Dogs tend to react to whistles, and it can help them find you. If you and your dog are lost, it can help rescuers find both of you. Take some time to train your dog to come to the sound of the whistle
18. Bag to store and carry all items easily

You can use this list to build a pet emergency kit on your own, or use it as a guide to purchase a pre-built kit. Purchasing a pre-built kit will allow you to have more time to focus on other aspects of your emergency preparedness plan. You can see our line of pet emergency kits HERE.

For a FREE Pet Emergency Guide, follow the link below. In it you will have access to the information that was discussed here, as well as more in depth information on first aid, sheltering, and other ways to keep your pet safe. It also has places to write down documentation you may need, and a place for that picture of your pet and you.

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What to Know About Hurricane Harvey

By: Todd Norman, Emergency Zone

It's Hurricane season, and Hurricanes are not an uncommon threat along the coasts. It is more rare for a hurricane to actually make landfall. The average of is 1.73 a year over the past 165 years.

On occasion though there are hurricanes that can leave a more lasting impression. Some of us may recall Hurricane Katrina, which devastated Louisiana; and then Hurricane Rita, which hit the same region only one month later.


A new hurricane threat is looming over the Gulf Coast, and here's what you should know...

1. As in any emergency remember people tend to panic and rumors abound. Make sure to look for  
    accurate news and news updates.

2. Hurricane Harvey is major hurricane that is sweeping towards the Texas gulf coastline as of Friday.

3. According to the New York Times and CNN, the Hurricane has developed into a category 2* and
    could hit landfall as a category 3, the first to hit the nation in 12 years.

4. In a recent report by the Weather Channel Hurricane Harvey will reach landfall either late tonight
    or early Saturday morning.

5. There are two major threats currently. They have catastrophic amounts of rainfall and flooding, and the already strong tropical storm strength winds and speeds of 110mph.


What you need to do if you are affected...

1. If your home lies dangerously in the path of Hurricane Harvey, local authorities would have already issued a warning of evacuation. It is important to listen to these warnings. Here is a link to the warnings current to the time of this posting.

2. If an evacuation is not necessary, and you haven't been prompted to evacuate, it is best to stay in your home. You have your supplies and necessities there. It also frees up the roads for emergency responders.

3. If evacuating, take essentials with you: food, extra water, extra clothing, toiletries, and cash if you have some handy.

4. If remaining in place but in an effected area keep a radio or news station playing. Keep up to date on the path of the storm.

5. There are a few things you can do to that ready.gov recommends prepare yourself and your home if you are staying put during the hurricane.

• Trim or remove damaged tree limbs from around your yard.
• Secure and reinforce windows, doors, and roofs. If you don't have time to go out and buy anything, use what you have. Plastic sheets and blankets can protect against shattering glass and rain seeping in.
• Review items you might have in a disaster kit: First Aid, Food, Water, Hygiene Supplies.
• Review escape routes in case an evacuation becomes necessary.
• Make sure you have gas in your car.

The most important thing in an emergency is to keep a cool head. If you listen to the local authorities, keep an eye on the storm, and have basic supplies; you will be okay.

An additional resource in an emergency is knowing where safe houses are. Here is a link to the Hurricane Harvey crisis map. It has useful information about the warning areas and safe houses. Crisis Map

*Hurricanes are categorized on a scale from 1-5 with 5 being the strongest.

A Hurricane of Prizes: Giveaway for $780 in Gear!

June 1st marks the beginning of the 2016 hurricane season, and to help raise awareness we are teaming up with some great companies for a huge giveaway. This is our thank you to you, the customer. We've teamed up with LuminAid, LifeStraw, PrepareWise food storage, and PowerPractical for some really awesome products at a total retail value of over $750!


a Rafflecopter giveaway
The giveaway goes from June 1st to June 15th. The winner, who will be picked randomly, will be announced June 16th. We will contact them via email.

Stealth Tactical Bug Out Bag X1
With all the tactical features and without the showy looks, you can wear this bag anywhere without people realizing you have a gun in your backpack. It has MOLLE straps around the edges, a hidden gun compartment, a stow away water proof cover, and to top it off it is hydration bladder compatible.

LuminAid PackLite 16 x2
Clip this on your backpack while you hike and by the end of the day you'll have a LED lantern with 30 hours of battery life. Not only that, this solar charged lantern is waterproof and floats, providing 65 lumens of bright light at full power. Using it's 4 settings, including emergency flashing, you'll have all the lantern you need. 

LifeStraw Go x1
The famous and trusted LifeStraw, an innovation in portable filtration, is now in bottle form. Simply fill your LifeStraw Go bottle with water and as you drink the internal filter cleans 99.9 percent of bacteria and protozoans.

MegaOne Meal Replacement Shake x6
A food storage solution in powder form, MegaOne meals taste great. It has 27 grams of plant-based proteins, 20 grams of fiber, and a host of super foods. As a plus, it's non-GMO, gluten free, and all natural.

Power Pot 5 x1
Its a pot that generates electricity while boiling water. Weighing in at only 14oz, and putting out 5 volts of charging power, the Power Pot 5 comes in handy while camping, hiking, or just during power outages. And in case you're worried, it charges your phone just as fast as at home!



Enter Contest Here

3 Tools for Surviving After a Hurricane Has Hit

Do you know how to survive a hurricane? The bigger question is: do you know how to survive after the hurricane has destroyed your home? You will find great websites about how to prepare for hurricanes, but the following 4 items don't make it on most people's lists. They are tools that help with surviving after a hurricane has hit. When the hurricane passes and has left you without a working home like you had before, you'll want these items. Enjoy!

N95 mask

You've survived a hurricane and now you are left with flooding and having to clean up your house. Flooding following a hurricane can take weeks and mold and dangerous bacteria can develop. You don't want to be caught breathing that. I pulled this from www.mold-help.org about the effects that breathing mold has on your health: "Molds that produce airborne toxins . . . can cause serious symptoms, such as breathing difficulties, memory and hearing loss, dizziness, flu-like symptoms, and acid reflux." When you are cleaning heavily molded items, wearing an N95 mask for protection will greatly increase your chance of staying healthy. The 95 means it blocks 95% of harmful particles. You can clean up the mess and stay healthy at the same time.

4 in 1 tool

Designed and tested by professional fire fighters, this is handy for shutting off your gas and water valves before a hurricane, and then it also doubles as a cleaning tool after a hurricane. You can dig through debris and you can also pry open doors. This tool is manufactured using heat treated metal compounds that are used by the aerospace industry, which is why it's so tough yet so lightweight. Using heat treated metal means the tool won't make a spark, which is useful if you're digging through debris and there's a gas leak. Nobody want's to cause an explosion. It won't rust, either, which is nice to have after a hurricane for obvious reasons.

Portable Toilet

This one is so obvious it sneaks up on most people.  If your house is severely damaged after a hurricane, using the restroom can get real messy really quick. The above toilet set is an inexpensive solution because it takes a regular 5 gallon bucket and transforms it into a toilet! Use the Blue Gel to keep the smell and mess from getting out of hand. You can get just the toilet seat here, or you can check out the complete toilet set as shown above by clicking here.

Another alternative is the potty box. It folds down so you can store it easier, then it unfolds when you need it. Despite being cardboard it has a durable construction and can hold up to 250lbs. Click here for more on a complete potty box set as shown above.

What do you think?

This isn't a complete list (for example, I didn't include food storage or water filtration methods) but these are a few things that shouldn't be overlooked. I bet there are lots of other great hacks for post-hurricane survival.  Comment below on what you think are important hurricane survival tools! We can all help each other to be a little more ready in case a disaster does occur.

What You Need To Know About Hurricanes

To Be Fully Prepared, One Must Have Knowledge
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” (Sun Tzu) Knowing more about hurricanes is important because they are, in a sense, our enemy. After this post you'll finally understand what they are talking about on the news when they say, "tropical depression," "category 3" or other technical term.

Why do they Name Hurricanes?
Up till the mid-20th century we named hurricanes based on which number hurricane it was in the year it occurred. It changed because it got too confusing when discussing 2 hurricanes that happened at the same time. We officially started using girl names in 1953. It wasn't till 1978 that boy's names were also used. The names are recycled through every 6 years, and particularly bad storms have their name retired. And it's not NOAA that names them, it's the World Meteorological Organization that takes care of the job.

How do Hurricanes Start?
Ever wonder where a hurricane comes from? Like most major problems, they start small. They are born as a "tropical disturbance," then they grow from there.

Tropical Disturbance- When a moving column of warm air clusters with thunderstorms.
Tropical Depression- Winds start spiraling around the eye of the hurricane, between 25 and 38 mph.
Tropical Storm- Winds greater than 39 mph.
Tropical Cyclone (Hurricane)- Winds greater than 74 mph. By this phase a lot has happened, the storm has reached 50,000 ft high and 125 miles across.

What do Hurricane Categories Mean?
So someone tells you that there's a category 4 hurricane that's about to hit the coast. What should your reaction be? Here's a chart to help you figure that out:

Category        Wind Speed                           Damage at Landfall

1	74-95	Minimal
2	96-110	Moderate
3	111-130	Extensive
4	131-155	Extreme
5	Over 155	Catastrophic

What is the Difference between a Hurricane, Typhoon, and a Cyclone?
All you need to know is that they are the same thing! Here's a table to explain that they are named different things in different places of the world:

Name	Where it's Used
Hurricane	Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, Central and Northeast Pacific
Typhoon	Northwest Pacific
Cyclones	Bay of Bengal and Arabia Sea
Tropical Cyclone	Southwest Inida Ocean
Severe Tropical Storm	Southwestern Pacific and Southeastern India Ocean

I hope this information has been useful and interesting. By knowing what we're up against we increase our chances of survival.