Security Tip Saturday

On my weekly Saturday trip to Kroger, I noticed something today.  I saw an older woman who had her purse in the child area of the shopping cart, and lo and behold, she had the child seat belt through her purse straps so nobody could snatch her purse.  But she left her purse wide open - available for a thug to take her wallet and phone.  I hesitated for a minute, but then I said something to her.  I prefaced by saying I was a licensed security consultant, and then urged her to keep her purse zipped up, or even better, to just take her debit card, keys, and cell phone in her pockets into the store and leave her purse at home or locked in the trunk of her car.  She thanked me so much, and even gave me a hug.  My work is done.  

Security Tip Saturday

With the current outbreak of Hepatitis A here in the 'Ville, I encourage everyone to get the Hep A vaccine.  You can get it at any of the local drugstores - Rite-Aid, CVS, Wal-Mart, Meijers, etc.  I apologize because I haven't done research to see if medical insurance would cover it, but if it doesn't, it would be well worth the money paid for the shot.  The 'Rents and I will be going to our local Rite-Aid on Monday afternoon and getting our vaccines.

Security Tip Saturday

It's been my pleasure to bring you 20 Weeks To Preparedness for the previous 19 weeks.  Today is the 20th and final list I will be posting.  I urge you to take the time and make a conscious effort and get all of the items I've listed in the past weeks to help you and your family make it through an emergency.  As I mentioned previously, there are thousands and thousands of people in the northeast that would have paid good money for an emergency kit for the family when last week's blizzard moved through. 

If you've been diligent for the previous 19 weeks, after you get the items on today's list you can rest a bit easier because you and your family will be prepared.

Week 20

Utility or camping knife
Work gloves
Safety goggles
Disposable dust masks

Security Tip Saturday

We're almost at the end of our 20 Weeks To Preparedness.  If you've followed the lists for the previous 18 weeks and have bought and gathered all of the items, you should rest easier knowing you and your family have an almost-complete emergency kit.  There's still time to catch up; just visit the TWIT archives for the previous 18 Security Tip Saturday posts. 

Week 19

1 box quick energy snacks

Comfort foods

Plastic wrap

Aluminum foil

Denture care items (if needed)

Security Tip Saturday

We're at week 18 of our 20 Weeks To Preparedness.  You know the drill by now. Each week for the past 17 weeks, I've posted a list of items to buy or gather so you can compile an emergency kit for you and your family.  At the end of the 20 weeks, if you've bought or gathered the items listed, you will have compiled the recommended items for an emergency kit for you and your family. 

It's not too late - just check the archives for the previous 17 weeks for the items you need to buy.

Week 18

Child proof lathches (if needed)

Double-sided tape (or Velcro)

Two Plastic buckets with tight lid

Plastic sheeting

Security Tip Saturday

We're coming down to the end of our 20 Weeks To Preparedness - we're on week 17.  Hopefully you've been able to buy or gather up the items for the previous 16 weeks.  As always, it's not too late to start.  Just check in the previous 16 Saturday posts for the items to get, and you will be able to put together an emergency kit for you and your household.

Week 17

1 box graham crackers

Assorted plastic containers with lids

Dry cereal

Anti-dirrhea medication

Rubbing alcohol

Antiseptic

Syrup of ipecac and activated charcoal

Security Tip Saturday

This is week 16 in our 20 Weeks To Preparedness.  We're coming down the stretch and in just four more weeks, hopefully you will have purchased and compiled the recommended items for your family's emergency kit.  As always, you can go back to the previous 15 Saturday posts and get caught up if you're just joining.  It's not too late to be prepared. 

Remember - when the list mentions cans of foods or a gallon of water, it means per person in your household.

Week 16

1 can meat
1 can vegetables
1 box facial tissues
1 box quick energy snacks
Dried fruit/nuts

Security Tip Saturday

This marks week 15 of our 20 Weeks To Preparedness.  For the past 15 weeks I've been posting a shopping list of items for you to buy for you family's emergency kit.  If you buy or gather all of the items I list each Saturday, at the end of the 20 weeks you will have gotten together the recommended items for an emergency kit for you and your family.

If you're just joining TWIT, please look in the archives for the past 14 weeks.  It's never too late to catch up.

Week 15

Extra flashlight batteries
Extra batteries for portable radio
Assorted nails
Wood screws
Labels for items

Security Tip Saturday

We're at week 14 of our 20 Weeks To Preparedness. By now, you know the drill.  But in case new readers are joining, each week for 20 weeks I will post a list of items for you to buy, and at the end of the 20 weeks you will have an emergency kit for you and your family. Remember when cans of fruit, meat, vegetables and juices or gallons of water are listed, you need 1 for each member of your household. As always, you can look back at the archives for the previous 13 Saturday posts to catch up.  It's never too late to plan and prepare.

Week 14

1 can fruit
1 can meat
1 can vegetables
1 package eating utensils
1 package paper cups

Security Tip Saturday

Here we are at Week 13 in 20 Weeks To Preparedness. Once again, if you're just joining us, for 20 weeks I will post a list of items to get each week, and at the end of the 20 weeks you will have compiled the recommended items for an emergency kit for you and your family.  Check out the previous 12 weeks in the archives to get caught up.

Week 13

Whistle
Pliers
Screwdriver
Hammer
Perforated metal tape
Crow bar

Security Tip Saturday

Here we are at week 12 of our 20 Weeks To Preparedness.  By now you all should be well on  your way to having an emergency kit for you and your family.

If you're just joining us, each Saturday for 20 weeks I will post a list of items to buy for you and your family's emergency kit.  At the end of the 20 weeks, if you've followed diligently, you will have compiled the recommended items for you and your family for a few days in the event of an emergency.  Look back at the posts and you'll be able to see the previous 11 weeks and be able to get caught up.  If you don't have any pets at home, this week will be useless for you.  So use the week to go over the previous weeks' shopping lists to make sure you've gotten everything. And while you're at it, it won't hurt to get another gallon of water for the kit. 

Week 12

Extra harness, ID tags, and food for pets
Litter pan (if needed)
Extra gallon of water for pets
Veterinary records for pets

Security Tip Saturday

Here we are on week 11 of our 20 Weeks To Preparedness.  I had a cool email this week from a faithful reader who said that they have started putting together their family's emergency kit, and thanked me for posting the information.  You don't know how happy you made me, faithful reader.  Thank you for reading every day and for caring about your family and putting together an emergency kit.  If you're just joining us, please look at the archives for the previous Saturday posts for the lists of items to buy and compile for your family's emergency kit. 

And to answer a question another faithful reader asked me, yes, I am following my advice and am putting together an emergency kit for me and the 'Rents.  We've always had some staple items together, but since I started the 20 Weeks To Preparedness, I have been following along and am putting together our kit. We are using a big heavy duty plastic garbage can on wheels and a rectangular plastic storage box with a water tight lid. 

Week 11

1 large can juice (per person)
Large plastic food bags (Ziploc)
1 box quick energy snacks
3 rolls paper towels
Medicine/eye dropper

Security Tip Saturday

We're at the halfway point in our 20 Weeks To Preparedness weekly shopping guide for items for your family's emergency kit.  Don't be caught off guard -  be prepared .

Take a few minutes this week to go back over the previous nine Saturday TWIT posts and make sure you have the items you need for your kit.

Week 10

Waterproof plastic container for important papers
Battery-powered radio
Extra batteries for the radio
Wrenches to turn off utilities

Security Tip Saturday

Here we at at week 9 of our 20 Weeks To Preparedness. Each Saturday for 20 weeks I will post a list of items for you to purchase or compile and at the end of the 20 weeks, your kit will be complete. And remember - when the list calls for one can of soup, vegetables, fruit or gallon of water, they mean one per person in your family. As always, go back into my post archives and get your lists for the previous 8 Saturdays to catch up.


Week 9

1 can ready-to-eat soup...
Liquid dish soap
Household chlorine bleach
Heavy duty garbage bags
Antacids
Contact lens care kit (if needed)

Security Tip Saturday

Here we are at week 8 of our 20 Weeks To Preparedness - a weekly shopping guide posted every Saturday to purchase items for your family's emergency kit.  At the end of the 20 weeks, you should have purchased and compiled enough food and supplies for you and your family in the event of an emergency.  Please visit the TWIT archives if you're a new reader and catch up on your shopping lists.

Week 8

Scissors, Tweezers
Thermometer
Tongue depressors
Liquid antibacterial soap
Disposable hand wipes
Needles (the sewing kind)
Petroleum jelly

To do:

Find your natural gas and water shut-offs, and place the appropriate wrench near the valves

Security Tip Saturday

It's hard to believe we're' one-third of the way into putting together the family emergency kit.  If you're new to TWIT, every Saturday for 20 weeks, I'll post a list of items to buy, and at the end of the 20 weeks, you will have compiled the recommended items for a family emergency kit.  Visit the archives for the previous 6 Saturdays to catch up.  Remember - when I list 1 gallon of water or 1 can of juice or fruit and vegetables, it's 1 per person in your household.

Week 7

1 gallon water
1 can ready-to-eat soup
1 can fruit
1 can vegetables
Sewing kit
Disinfectant (bleach, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol)

Security Tip Saturday

Here we are on week six of our 20 Weeks To Preparedness. As always, if you've missed a few weeks there's plenty of time to catch up by looking at previous posts.... For those just joining in, on Saturdays I will post a list of items to buy that will go into your emergency kit for you and your family. At the end of twenty weeks, if you've purchased or gathered the items every Saturday, you will have the recommended items for an emergency kit that will sustain you and your family in the event of an emegency. As I mentioned previously, if you're in the mood to buy on a week when there's not much to buy, you can always get a couple gallons of water or a few cans of fruit or vegetable juice.

Week Six

Sterile adhesive bandages
Safety pins
Adhesive tape
Latex gloves
Sunscreen
Gauze/roller bandages

Things to do:
Practice alternate methods of evacuation
Scan or make copies of birth certificates, licenses and passports. Store in a plastic bag, on a thumb drive, or send to an email account that is accessible from anywhere

Security Tip Saturday

It's hard to believe that "Prep-tember" is almot over.  This is week 5 of our "20 Weeks To Preparedness" - putting together an emergency kit for you and your family.  Just buy or gather the items on the list each week, and at the end of the 20 weeks you'll have compiled your kit. If you're just joining us, you can go back to the previous four Saturdays and get your lists.  And remember - when water or met, fruit or vegetables are listed, they mean one for each member of your household.

Week 5

1 gallon water
1 can meat
1 can fruit
1 can vegetables
2 rolls of toilet paper
Extra toothbrush/toothpaste

Security Tip Saturday

This is the third of twenty shopping lists of items to buy to make your own emergency supply kit. In case you missed the first two weeks, please go back and look at the previous two Saturday posts fin TWIW and buy the items. At the end of the twenty weeks you will have compiled the necessary items recommended by the Department of Homeland Security for you and your family in an emergency.

Before I give the third list, I need to clarify something I didn't mention in the first week. When the list calls for 1 gallon of water or 1 can of meat, fruit, fruit juice, or vegetable, they mean 1 for each person in your household. So for us here at The Compound, on the first week, I bought 3 gallons of water, 3 cans of fruit juice, and 3 cans of meat. You get the picture.


Week Three
1 gallon water
1 can meat
1 can fruit
Feminine hygiene supplies (if needed)
Paper and pencil
Map of your area
Aspirin
Laxatives

Things to do:
Find out about what kinds of disasters that can happen in your area
Encourage your neighbors and family members to develop their own plans

Security Tip Saturday

This is the second of twenty lists of items to buy/gather to make your own emergency supply kit. In case you missed the first week, please go back and buy the items. At the end of the twenty weeks you will have compiled the necessary items recommended by the Department of Homeland Security for you and your family in an emergency.


Week Two
Heavy cotton rope
Duct tape
2 flashlights w/batteries
Matches (waterproof container)
Permanent marker

Things to do:
Sign up for First Aid/CPR class at your local Red Cross
Using the permanent marker, write the date purchased on any canned goods