Category Archives: First Person Accounts

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For three days, I spent some time enjoying some active rest along California’s Central Coast (aka, the 805) with some friends of mine.  I had time off between Christmas and New Years to get out of town for some exploring.  A friend of mine suggested that we fly out to San Luis Obispo for a few days to get in some hiking and sightseeing.  Since he works for an airline, all of us (me, him, and his girlfriend) were able to get inexpensive tickets to fly out there.  To make things even better, I have a friend from swimming who lives in Arroyo Grande that let us stay with him.  All of this set the stage for a fun California adventure.

However, we had to deal with several unexpected challenges during our three day getaway.  The good news is we were able to successfully deal with these by making adjustments to our plan.  What this post is going to concentrate on is telling a story about how preparation combined with flexibility allows people to overcome adversity.  While the circumstances were not life-threatening, the principles we applied can be used in many situations.

Friday – things start off well and end well.  This was one of those days where you truly enjoy the ride and all the blessings that come with a satisfying day.  The flight out to San Luis Obispo was smooth and trouble-free.  After landing, we grabbed food and drink at the Creekside Brewery Company before we set out towards Morro Bay.  We did a short hike to the top of a hill that overlooked the area, it was great exercise and a fantastic view.  The weather was perfect too, it was just the right conditions for outdoor activities along the coast.  After we got done, we met up with my friend Rob at his place to get settled in.  We ate at a REALLY good Thai place in Arroyo Grande and ended the day swapping stories until bedtime.  As it turned out, this was the easy day.

Saturday – things start off bad and get worse.  The plan was to do a hike in the Montana del Oro State Park, which would take us both along the coast and on the highlands overlooking the beaches.  However, my friend (hereafter referred to as Z to protect his identity) reported that he wasn’t feeling well that morning.  He was coughing and feeling congested in his lungs.  We decided not to hike and partake in more leisurely activities, like visiting the Monarch Butterfly Grove in Pismo Beach.  Z’s girlfriend (hereafter referred to as J to protect her identity) likes butterflies and we decided this would be a good, relaxing activity.  After that, we checked-out Pismo Beach for a while, then headed up to Montana del Oro to drive along the coast road.  However, that is when things got worse.

Z started to feel really bad, and J thought that he may need to visit an urgent care facility to determine what is wrong.  We decided to find the nearest one and get him in before he got worse.  Thankfully, there was one less than five miles away that could get him in immediately.  After a short while we got the news, Z has bronchitis and needs medication to begin treating it.  Thankfully, there is a drug store close by and within another half hour, Z gets his prescriptions filled.  However, both Z and J decide that it would be best if they stayed at a hotel instead of Rob’s that night.  Since Rob was hosting a party, Z did not wish to infect anybody else.  After some searching, Z and J were able to find a hotel close to Rob’s place where they could stay the night.  I dropped them off and had a chance to visit with some of Rob’s friends at the party.

Sunday – things start off better, then got bad, then end well.  After waking up, I texted Z to find out how he was feeling.  He said better and we decided to have a late breakfast then go to one of the local wineries.  Even neither Z nor I could drink there, we thought J could enjoy some good wine while we learned more about Central Coast vineyards.  It was a great day and spent some time outside talking politics before we decided to head to the airport for our afternoon flight back.  We grabbed a bite to eat, fueled the car, returned it to the rental lot, and arrived at the terminal in plenty of time for the trip home.  However, things were about to get strange.

First, the flight gets delayed by almost three hours.  But before those three hours passed, the flight got cancelled and we had to make some decisions.  Do we stay another night in SLO and take the 0620 flight on Monday morning?  Do we drive to LAX and catch a late flight on Sunday night?  Or do we drive to Santa Barbara and grab the last flight out on Sunday evening?  Also, what will we do for transportation since I already turned in the rental car?  If we have to stay another night, can we find a room?  These questions had to be answered…quickly.

Z immediately checked his Blackberry for flight information, load factors, and other details.  While he was doing that, I went back to the rental car desk to see if I could get the car back.  I told the desk agent our dilemma and since I had already paid for three days, she let us have the car until noon on Monday.  That meant we had wheels, which gave us options.

After discussing the situation, we decided to drive to Santa Barbara in the hopes of catching the last evening flight.  It would be tight but we decided to risk it.  Our alternative would be to continue on to LAX if we missed the Santa Barbara flight.  Since time was of the essence, we left the airport and got on CA-101 heading south.  The good news is that there were plenty of seats available on the flight, we just had to get to the airport…

Its about 100 miles between the two airports so there was a lot of ground to cover.  We got caught in traffic for a few minutes just north of Pismo Beach but after that cleared, we didn’t have any more issues.  Both Z and J are quiet people like me so we focused on the task at hand without any drama.  Once we got to the airport, we saw our plane parked at Gate 2 in the main terminal.  Thankfully, Santa Barbara is a small airport so it wouldn’t take us long to get to our flight.

The denouement to this adventure is that we were able to return the rental car, get through security, and get seats on the last flight out of Santa Barbara with about twenty minutes to spare.  We arrived in Phoenix a few minutes early and were able to get back to our respective homes before it got too late.  Overall, it was a good ending to a hectic afternoon and evening.

There are some principles from this adventure that can be applied elsewhere, they include:

  • Things can change suddenly, know that reality can veto any plan
  • Flexibility and adaptability are crucial attributes to have when the unexpected happens
  • Initiative is important when circumstances change because decisions have time limits
  • Division of labor is a catalyst for getting things done when time is short
  • Having a positive outlook is an asset during potentially stressful times
  • Use technology to find information and communicate it quickly

Thanks for reading this story, hopefully you learned something you can apply in the future.

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Over the last few weeks I’ve spent time swinging an axe, using a wedge, and wielding a hatchet while chopping wood.

Firewood

The reason is simple, I wanted to have enough firewood and kindling for the winter.  After all, having an ample supply of wood on hand is a good practice for anyone with a fireplace.  So I spent two out of the past three weekends splitting, hauling, and stacking the wood I need.

Besides the aesthetics of using a fireplace, there are some practical uses for it during an emergency.  If electricity or natural gas supplies are interrupted, the fireplace can keep your house warm.  It can also serve as a means to prepare food when the power is out.  Plus, it is a good central gathering place for when the lights are out during a winter storm.  That’s why for centuries the fireplace has occupied a central position in the home.

There is also a practical reason to spend time getting firewood.  I spend several hours outside in the fresh air getting the wood ready.  Not only is this good exercise but its a good connection between work and result.  One appreciates the work that goes into a good fire more when your own sweat helped make it happen.  Its a primal activity that remains a valuable skill today.

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A while back I mentioned that you need to keep certain items on-hand in case certain systems (ex. Banking) become unavailable.  Having cash and coin will allow prepared people to make purchases when the cards and online payments are unavailable.  But where to keep it?

HPC Wall Safe

I decided to purchase an HPC wall safe to store valuables.  I keep cash, transit cards, credit cards, and other valuables in it both for security and availability.  Having a wall safe makes it more secure because it is mounted to the frame of my house.  Its also small enough to be installed in a difficult to find place where it can remain hidden from view.

My important documents are stored in my safe deposit box because I don’t need them immediately.  However, I do plan on scanning and saving them on an encrypted, secure USB memory device that I can keep on-site.  My wall safe is designed to contain only certain high-value items, the rest are stored in other places.

As with most important items, I recommend spending the extra money to get a high-quality safe.  My preference is on American-made products, which I was able to realize this this particular unit.  Instead of looking for an inexpensive, consumer-grade safe at your local big box store, go for the commercial-level that is sold through industrial supply companies.  The extra money you spend will be worth it and be a small price to pay compared to the robust security that a quality wall safe offers.  Give it some thought and see if this makes sense for your house.

Click here to order an HPC WS-100 Wall Safe, Key Lock

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Being able to find the right key in a timely manner is a small yet important step in becoming better prepared.

HPC KeKab

I know this from personal experience.  Like most adults, I have keys for many different locks and its hard to keep track of all of them.  There were keys on my dresser, keys in my office, keys in the garage, the darn things were all over the place!  Figuring out which key went to which lock could also be a bit of a problem because many of them looked similar.  This is the reality I struggled with for years decades.

But my learning curve was not entirely flat.  No, I learned from my non-existent key management practices that there had to be a better way.  The solution was to install a cabinet (in my case an HPC KeKab 65) that could store the various keys I had in an organized fashion.  Here’s how I did it:

  • Estimated the number of keys I had (over three dozen!) and allowed for future growth
  • Searched for a commercial-grade, Made in the USA steel key cabinet that could accommodate 50-70 keys
  • Purchased the HPC KeKab 65 from Grainger
  • Gathered all my keys
  • Identified which keys were associated with a given lock
  • Wrote down the key information and entered it into a spreadsheet
  • Tagged each key with the plastic tabs that came with the cabinet
  • Installed the key cabinet (actually my handyman did while I was at work)
  • Put all the keys in the cabinet
  • Set the combination lock
  • Hid the key to the cabinet in a safe place

Now all my keys are in one, safe location where only I can get to them.  That means when I take one out, there is a missing slot and a number associated with it.  If a key is missing, now I know which one it is.  This is actually a good security measure to implement since anybody who has a key can duplicate it and use it without your knowledge.

It may take a few hours and a few hundred dollars but managing your keys can save you a lot of headaches.  I strongly suggest you do this if you have not already.

Click here to buy an HPC 65-Key Cabinet with Combo Lock

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$230 won’t buy you much these days, but it can purchase enough fire extinguishers to protect your home and auto.

Used Fire Extinguishers

Now why would I spend this money on eight fire extinguishers?  The reason is simple, having fire extinguishers on-hand is one of the best ways to save lives in the event of a fire.  In 2012 there were over 1.3 million fires reported in the USA, which caused over 2,700 deaths, over 15,000 injuries, and over $12 billion in damage.  This is why corporations and governments take measures to prevent, fight, and mitigate fires.  You should do the same in your home.

Some newer homes have built-in sprinker systems but most domiciles don’t have any form of automatic fire suppression installed.  This means fire extinguishers will be the primary means of fighting fires in most homes.  You can read up on how to choose and use a fire extinguisher by going here, but I’ll recount my story of how I selected and purchased my fire extinguishers.

I decided that my house needed better protection than I was giving it, so I first examined the layout of my home to determine what I needed.  I wanted to have multiple fire extinguishers within easy reach so I could quickly put out a small fire before it spread.  With this in mind, I decided upon the following locations to install my newly acquired items:

  • Kitchen (most-important)
  • Garage (very important)
  • Living room
  • Dining Room
  • Master Bedroom
  • Office
  • Hallway

I also decided to get one for my car to replace the unit that was in my emergency kit.

Now, seven fire extinguishers for the house seems like a lot.  Perhaps it is but I wanted to have more than I needed since the cost-benefit ratio (not to mention the value of human life) in favor of purchasing additional is massive.  Plus the costs of the regular inspections are minor when compared to the damage even a small fire can cause.  In other words, having fire extinguishers is relatively cheap insurance.

I was able to save even more by going to my local fire protection company and asking them if they had any refurbished units for sale.  They had enough for my needs and I was able to purchase them for a fraction of the cost of new ones.  For example, the 5 lb. ABC units cost me $27 per unit used compared to around $60 new.  Plus, the ones I bought were from the Ansul Sentry line, which is commercial-grade equipment.  The bottom line is I was able to purchase 1-10 lb, 6-5lb, and 1-2lb extinguisher for $230 total.  This is less than half of what it would have cost had I went to my local big box retailer and procured similar units.

Regardless of where you buy them, having fire extinguishers are a crucial part of your preparation plan.  If you don’t have any right now or the ones you have are more than a few years old, consider getting replacement units.  Have your old fire extinguisher checked if you have one by a licensed fire protection professional, which you can find in the Yellow Pages or online.  Do it now so you won’t have to regret not doing so later.

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If you don’t have a security system, I suggest you get one as soon as you are able to.

GE Simon XT Home Security System

First, a few caveats.  Owning a security system will not make your home impervious to burglars.  It also won’t decrease police response times if the alarm is triggered.  Plus, most municipalities charge fees for security systems and fine you if a false alarm is triggered.

So why have one?  The short answer is that it adds another layer to your home’s security.  An alarm system provides some additional benefits on its own, but combined with high-grade locks, reinforced door jambs, lighting, window security film, and other measures, it becomes an integral part of a robust domicile.  A multi-layered approach towards hardening your home is less prone to being compromised because a potential burglar would have to defeat all security measures before being able to break-in.  More layers means more time and effort, which makes a secure home a less desirable target for a thief.

There are a myriad of different systems out there but most use three techniques to detect an intruder.  These are:

  • Motion sensors
  • Glass-break sensors
  • Door/window sensors

Also, the security system will use two primary means of contacting the alarm company if these sensors detect a problem.

  • Landline (telephone wire)
  • Wireless (cellular telephone)

Which one is right for you?  That’s outside the scope of this article but any reputable security company will send out a technician to evaluate the proper setup for a given home.  There are a lot of different options to choose from so carefully consider your home’s needs before making a decision.  What is important is that you add a security system to your home if you don’t already have one.  It will help deter criminals and give you greater peace of mind.

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Confession time, this series on “Hardening Your Home” is going to be a bit like a Tarantino movie.  No, these posts won’t involve snappy dialog coupled with bloody violence!  What I mean by that is the story will not be told in a chronological fashion.  For example, the deadbolts that are currently installed on my exterior doors.

Schlage Light Commercial Deadbolt

These were installed a few weeks ago, which was before I installed the EZ Armor I mentioned in the previous post.

While the timing isn’t important, the reason why I opted to update my lock hardware is.  Not long ago, I read some articles on lock bumping and decided to take measures to prevent this from happening.  Essentially, a criminal can defeat most locks in less than a minute using a bump key and a hard impact.  You can watch a video of it by going here, which shows how simple and fast this technique is.  Since my lock hardware was purchased from a big box retailer after I purchased my home, I decided it was time to upgrade and improve my defenses.

I decided to get Schlage Light Industrial deadbolt locks and passage handles.  These are only available from locksmiths and are constructed from higher quality materials than normal locks.  These locks are designed to be bump and pick resistant, which makes it more difficult and time-consuming for a would-be intruder to break into my home.  Another great feature is they can be re-keyed by a non-locksmith.  A set of these locks is about twice what a normal set would cost at a home improvement store, however the added security and peace of mind you gain is worth it.

Better locks combined with door reinforcement added an additional layer of security to my home.  In my next post, I’ll discuss how I use lighting to deter crime.

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Most of us have cards in our wallets and purses.  How many of us have a few of these laying around?

Metro Transit Authority MetroCard

If you live in a city, you might want to purchase a few transit passes to have on-hand in case you need them.  Most transit authorities issue daily passes that don’t have expiration dates, meaning they hold their value over time.  Some passes can be “recharged” with additional funds in order to keep a balance on the card.

But why would you need transit passes when you already have a car?

Let’s say your car breaks down or you are unable to get to/from work.  What do you do?  Sure, if a family member or a friend is nearby and has the time they might be able to take you.  What if nobody was immediately available and you had a schedule to meet?  Sure, you could call a cab or rent a car but for much less ($3-5 per day) you could take the bus/trolley/train to get around.

Having transit cards (plural) gives you options when your primary mode of transportation is unavailable.  It may not be the most convenient or the fastest way to get around, but it will get you where you need to be.  Consider it if you live in a major metropolitan area where there is a mass transit system.

For me, I have ten one-day passes for my local transit authority.  I have a few in my car, one in my wallet, a couple at home, a couple at the office, and one in my go-bag.  If nothing else, I will be able to get home if my automobile stops working.  Your situation may be different but give it some thought and act accordingly.

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Yes indeed, preparation is going corporate.

Credit: Christopher Wink

Today, there was an emergency preparedness event where I work that featured a handful of exhibitors.  This was a part of National Preparedness Month which is a part of FEMA‘s effort to get more Americans better prepared.  Overall it was a modest event with a handful of participants, but the more important aspect of the event was the fact it was taking place.

The company I work at is a large (>18,000 employee) investment brokerage company headquartered in…San Francisco.  Normally one would associate financial firms to be more concerned with golf, fine arts, and feel-good commercials about investing in the future.  However, issues like business continuity are a major concern for large Fortune 500 companies, so having prepared employees makes sense.  After all, businesses can’t run for very long without people.

This shows that being prepared for disasters is not just for loners who live in rural counties.  Everybody can benefit from being better prepared, especially those of us who live and work in major cities.

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Over the last month or so, I’ve spend time reading various books, blogs, and other information sources regarding preparation.  One common theme in several of them is the importance of staying employed.

You would think this would be a relatively straightforward proposition, but times are tough and keeping a job can be a challenge.

However, not having a job can severely hamper your preparation efforts.  Not only does employment provide money to purchase the things you need, it also offers social contacts and learning opportunities.  All are important when turbulence hits.

I’ll have more to write on this subject later but one thought to keep in mind is that “job” doesn’t necessarily mean working for somebody else…