Category Archives: General Preparation

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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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Let’s face it, some in the preparedness community are a little out there.  You read about them on the internet or see them on TV shows and your immediate reaction “that’s not me!”  Whether its civilians armed to the teeth and wearing camouflage or eccentric people building elaborate retreats far from civilization, they don’t seem normal.  The focus is on preparation at the expense of other aspects of life, which leads to imbalance.

Dr. Arthur Bradley wrote about this subject on his blog a while back.  He discusses the responsibility we have to prepare as well as the importance of living a balanced life while doing so.  As he says:

…disaster preparedness should never distract you from meeting life’s other needs and responsibilities. Your kids will still need to go to college; your family will continue to benefit from the yearly getaway vacation; and you will undoubtedly have a better chance of advancing in your job if you remain vigilant at keeping your boss happy. People who neglect important areas of their life in order to focus on uncertain doom are losing sight of what’s important—not to mention failing to see life’s daily joys.

So keep everything in balance and enjoy the blessings you have been given today.

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I am going to give two pieces of free advice regarding fire prevention this holiday season:

  1. Purchase fire extinguishers for your home (more here)
  2. Learn how to use them

Credit: City of Statesboro (GA)

There is no excuse for lacking proper fire suppression tools.  New and used fire extinguishers are relatively inexpensive and readily available.  Learning how to use one is a snap too, just use the PASS method described above.  You may also want to check with your local fire department to see if they offer any training sessions for fire extinguishers.  Many fire safety companies offer hands-on training for their clients so see if your employer can get you in this training.  Either way, familiarize yourself with operating a fire extinguisher.

Oh, and make sure you have multiple ones throughout your house!

For more information, read this article on home fire safety by the US Fire Administration.  It provides a good overview of the five types of extinguishing agents along with guidelines for using fire extinguishers.  Read it over and determine what you need to do next to become better prepared in this area.

These two items could save life and/or property in the future so acquire both today!

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Wondering what to give during this holiday season?  Here is the first annual Smart Suburban Survival Holiday Gift Guide to help you out.

Credit: Country Living

If you and/or somebody on your gift list is interested in preparation, here are some gifts to consider:

Hopefully the items you give this season will serve a purpose and allow someone you care about to become better prepared.  The gift you give this holiday season may really come in handy sometime in the future so choose wisely.  Happy shopping!

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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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Prepping has definitely gone mainstream.  Increasing numbers of people are figuring out that preparing for life’s unexpected events is a good idea.  Events like 9/11, Hurricane Katrine, Super Storm Sandy, and other events make it clear that regular people need to be ready when bad things happen.

Yes, even left-of-center tree-huggers get it.

So if you are in the midst of becoming better prepared, you are not alone.  My encouragement would be to continue to learn and take constant steps towards greater readiness.  Doing so will make you an asset to your family, your community, and your country.  Let others know about this blog as well so we can all become better prepared.