Posts Tagged ‘Weather’

Why It Is Easy And Wise To Put Together A Hurricane Kit

Nowadays the threat of a hurricane seems more prevalent than ever. One possible explanation for this is the phenomenon of global warming. Regardless of cause, the prospect of getting caught up in a category four or five hurricane unprepared is a grim one indeed. As such, for those living in vulnerable areas, it would be prudent to have a hurricane kit on hand. In fact it would be wise to be prepared no matter where one lives.

Especially in the wake of some recent disastrous storms like Katrina and Rita, people are starting to realize that being prepared in the case of such a deadly storm is worth the effort. Folks who live in hurricane zones should make any necessary repairs to their homes well before hurricane season comes. This means checking for leaks all over the house: roofs, ceilings, windows, basements and cellars. Cracks need to be repaired as does anything that might make a home more vulnerable to the heavy rain and fierce winds that come with hurricanes. A specific plan of action should be planned out so that everyone knows what to do should the time come. Make certain that provisions are made for the elderly, the disabled or any small children.

Being prepared includes having a hurricane kit that contains all the basic necessities. This would include a supply of non perishable food as well as several gallons of clean drinking water. Every six months, it would be a good idea to go and check the food for expiration dates and replace the water with a fresh supply. Outdated, stale food will be of no use when the time comes that you need it. Likely, there will be no electricity for at least a while. Kits should thus contain candles, waterproof matches, flashlights and a transistor radio. The hand cranked versions of radios and flashlights are the best choices since there will be no worry about having to have enough batteries.

The possibility exists that your home might not last the duration of the storm. For that reason, make sure that all of your important documents are part of the kit. They can be stored in waterproof, sealed bags. Tools like a shovel, machete or axe might come in handy. An axe may be used to collect wood to use in cooking. Tools may also be the only way you can get out of the house in the event that fallen trees or other debris have trapped you or a family member inside.

Do not forget any medicine. That is one thing that people often forget but sometimes literally cannot live without. In addition to medicine, you also want to include anything related to children, the elderly or pets. Other stuff to have ready are blankets, clothes, personal hygiene items and sanitary products.

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Some Outdoor Survival Tips You Need to Know

You may be planning to spend lots of time taking camping and backpacking trips if you’re a person who wants to be in the outside. If so, to be sure that you will have a safe time if you are in the wild, you’ll definitely need to create a certain set of outdoor survival tips.

Firstly, you should make sure that you always let a person know where you’re going, just how long you’ve planned to be gone, and the things they ought to do if they do not hear from you. It may sometimes be a fatal blunder when individuals do not tell anyone where they are going. If you get harmed, you may well be struggling to move or get to somewhere where you could get help. Getting help may very well be easier if someone knows your location.

Learning the proper way to employ a compass is another excellent tip to remember. Also, it is recommended to bring a guide with you and study the various landmarks. The two of these things will assist you to always have a concept of your location. Whenever you need to find your way back to civilization, you’ll definitely be able to.

Next, it is always a good idea to understand the area where you are going. You should absolutely be aware of potential dangers and hazards. What type of animals are in the location? What about the weather? Is the area vulnerable to storms? Will you be going in a specific season which is popular for storms? You need to ensure you thoroughly organize your camping or backpacking trips and make intelligent decisions.

There are some things that you should know in an effort to stay safe and survive if things get really challenging. It is best to avoid stagnant water. Try to look for water that is moving if you are searching for drinking water. If you can, treating the water with iodine or boiling the water is always a good idea. If you get in really dire straits, urine can be consumed, but only once or twice before it really becomes toxic. You should avoid ingesting plants unless you have to or unless you are able to recognize the plant and know that it is safe. Eating meat from the majority of mammals, though, is safe.

These are a few helpful items to know with regards to outdoor survival tips. Nevertheless, knowing exactly where you’re going and what you will really be doing and plan out your camping or hiking trip totally beforehand, you definitely should not have to resort to these things.

A guide to camping in the rain

It’s always preferable to attempt to plan a camping trip for a time when the weather will be warm and dry. The fact is, however, that the weather isn’t easy to predict in many parts of the world, meaning there’s a strong possibility you’ll find yourself camping in the rain at some stage. If you’re properly prepared, though, wet weather camping needn’t put a total dampener on your experience.

Whatever the weather forecast says, ignore it, and assume it’s going to rain. That way, you’ll always be ready for the worst-case scenario. Find a raised area of ground on which to pitch your tent, so as to avoid being positioned where puddles might form, and insert a waterproof ground sheet beneath the tent to stop moisture leaking inside. You should also remember to check that no objects are touching the sides of the tent, as this will draw water through the pores in the material.

If rain is expected, be sure to leave your bedding and belongings in the centre of the tent, away from the edges, and throw a plastic sheet or tarpaulin over the items inside the tent, before leaving your campsite. Additionally, you should erect a tarpaulin over the tent itself, ensuring that it slopes to the sides so that water doesn’t collect. Furthermore, a dining fly is perfect as an additional form of shelter outside the tent itself – providing you with an ideal refuge for cooking meals etc.

It’s always worth taking plenty of plastic bags with you on a camping trip, as this will help you keep clothing and other items dry, especially when you’re loading or unloading your vehicle. Bin-bags are ideal for packing sleeping bags and pillows.

Finally, don’t forget to pack suitable waterproof outwear to enable you to participate in other outdoor activities when it’s raining.

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Sufficient Preparation Needed Before Embarking On A Backpacking Event

I have had backpacking trips where I experienced rain, snow, lightening, rockslides, altitude sickness and twenty-mile days – all in a summer weekend. Having the following ten basics, you can make the wilderness trips less dangerous.

Knowledge, having it may save you more than a gadget. Will a campus aid you without having the knowledge of using it? Can you make fire without fire making skills? Have the knowledge of what to do when you see a bear. Read a little, practice a little.

Map and compass, together they are and together will you need to sue them.

Matches and lighter. Bring them all whether waterproof matches and fire starter of some sort. It is much safer to have two ways of starting a fire.

First aid kit. Build your own or buy a pre-packed one. Ensure that it has pain relievers, bandages, disinfectant and notes on the essential first aid procedures.

Foot care. Moleskin is required in your first aid kit. It may be a pin to treat blisters. You need to care for your feet while hiking miles from the nearest road.

Water filtration. Filters work but you need to have a small bottle of iodine tablets or other water purification as back up since they block and break so easily.

Rainwear. Endeavour to stay dry as on of the biggest killers in the woods is Hypothermia which starts when you get wet.

Shelter. Just be sure that you know how to use the shelter. It may be a tent, tarp or bivy sack.

Sleeping bag. You can either bring a synthetic bag or use down bags which are warmest because of their weight. But you need to be sure that you know how to keep the down bag warm.

Specific items. Always think of specific conditions for the place and time of your trip. For backpacking trips in Michigan in the month of May, carry insect repellent. For trips in Arizona in the month of June, carry sun block

If you take regular backpacking trips, make your own list. You need to plan so as to reduce worries and have a better trip.

Access various other articles written by this same author dealing with areas including backpacking trips in North America and white water rafting trips.

Are There Any Good Reason To Have Disaster Preparedness Supplies? Ask Your Children

Think back across the last 10 years and about disasters that caused disruption of the fragile food supply chain that brings everything to the supermarkets. What if you were in the Gulf Coast area when Hurricane Katrina hit? How about within a few hundred miles of Mount Saint Helens and the ash fall area? Now ask yourself if you are a place that could be affected by a natural disaster like an earthquake, hurricane, flooding or anything else that can disrupt the food supply chain.

Do you have loved ones in your family that depend on you to provide for them? How would you feel if you can not take care of your family and children? Visualize what it would be like day after day looking at your hungry and thirsty children and not being able to do anything about it. The time to stop something like that from taking place is now.

Here are three tips to help you get started on putting together a plan.

Make sure you have a safe location that everyone knows to go to. For most people this will be their home, but it also could be a house up in the woods, or a relative’s house. It is a good idea to have a location that is easy to get to and won’t have lots of people that will try to take your stores.

Have a source of water, a way to keep it, and a way to get fresh water. A good way to do this is to have a well dug on your property. Another is to find a river or pond close by and ensure you have water filtration equipment on hand.

Have a reserve of food available. You can begin by getting some cases of canned soup and meat locally, but to do this well you should calculate the amount of calories that you would need based on the quantity of people that are dependent on you and how long you think food will be needed. Moreover, make sure that food does not spoil by rotating it regularly or buying food prepared for long-term storage.

The time to get ready for an emergency so you can plan for the survival of your family is before the disaster hits. Make a plan and take action now.

Find out more about disaster preparedness supplies so you can properly prepare your family for an emergency at http://disasterpreparednesssupplies.org This article, Are There Any Good Reason To Have Disaster Preparedness Supplies? Ask Your Children has free reprint rights.

What Goes Into Your Childrens 72 Hour Survival Kits?

72 hour survival kits could make the difference between life and death of you and your family in an emergency. There are many types of disasters and emergencies: fires, hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes, and tornadoes. The government action plan for a major disaster is three to seven days to begin providing workers to the area. 72 hours is three days – it would be a good idea to consider a survival kit that you could live on for five to seven days.

Instead of dismissing this kind of planning immediately; remember the type of emergencies that occurred in the last 15 years. Think about what one of these would be like if you had nothing with you but what you were wearing. Even worse, think about the elderly or children that are in your care and how they would cope. To ease your mind, start preparing your survival bags immediately.

Before you start packing or buying anything, consider what the most probable situation is based upon where you are. This will lead to what you plan to do in the case of an emergency. For example, if your house is near the coast and the most likely problem is a hurricane, then your plan should include packing your vehicle with what you need and driving to safety. If you live in a city then you probably will be walking to safety either because you have no vehicle or the streets will be so jammed that walking is the only option. If you live in a relatively safe area inland, then you will probably be safe in your house.

Even though you should get ready for the most likely event, you should also have a backup plan. There may come a time in your life when you have to get out of town as fast as possible, and you will be unsure as to what help and support you will get while on the way. That is when you need to have one of these kits ready to go.

Make 72 hour survival kits for every person in your family. Start by getting a rucksack that is a size and capacity that the person can carry all day. You do not have to buy the backpack to start putting together the items of the kit, however. Choose two complete sets of rugged clothes that you no longer wear, but would do well in a disaster. Then plan on what you are going to need for food, water, and shelter, and get it. Pack light so you can carry it all.

Start planning right away, and be ready for when disaster strikes.

Create your emergency preparedness checklist for you and your family. See how to do it at 72 hour survival kits.