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Flood Preparedness – What you NEED to know

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Don't be a dumbass about flood preparedness!
Don’t be a dumbass about flood preparedness!

Flooding is the #1 most common type of natural disaster worldwide, accounting for almost 40% of natural disasters. In terms of fatalities, it is the leading cause of natural disaster deaths. 44% of all people killed worldwide due to natural disasters/weather are killed due to flooding. In 1931 alone, over 3.7 MILLION Chinese died in a series of flooding incidents.

It is the most costly natural disaster in terms of damage. In 1993, flooding caused an average of $2.4 billion dollars damage a year in the US. Between 2003 and 2013, insurance estimates on damage from flooding rose above $4 billion per year. Today those numbers are even higher!

There are three different types of flooding:

  • Coastal Flood – typically occurs near oceans, is caused by storm surges and/or tidal waves. Waves can reach as high as 25 feet due to the strength of the storm
  • River/bank Flood – occurs when rain or snowfall cause a river to swell past its banks and move inland. In flatter areas, the water could last for days. In mountainous areas, the water is faster but dissipates more quickly. This can also happen when the ground is over saturated and can no longer dissipate it quickly enough
  • Flash Flood – a sudden excess of water, generally fast moving. This could be from a huge amount of rain upstream, a sudden release of water from an ice jam, or damage to a dam or levee.

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Threats to your Ammo storage, and what YOU can do about it!

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ammo, ammo storage

In these uncertain times, when our fundamental gun rights are under attack, the availability of ammunition seemingly fluctuates daily. If you are like me, you tend to buy extra when the availability is normal and prices are reasonable. Then, when some event happens that kicks off another gun scare; where ammo prices sky rocket while … Read more

Water and Boating Safety Tips to keep your family safe!

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waterSummer is just around the corner. So for millions of Americans that means the beginning of “Beach” season. Whether they are headed to a lake, the ocean, or even a river, people love the water. It is a great vacation destination.

Though you might be on vacation, your preparedness should not be. The CDC reports over 3400 people a year drown in the US. Nine out of ten of those victims drown in inland waters, and had access to a flotation device but did not wear it. Why? A lack or preparedness and a lack of the use of safety equipment…..ie a life jacket.

Water Safety Equipment

There are 5 different types of flotation devices, with Type III life jacket being the most commonly worn. For simple outings on the water, where it is calm, these jackets do the trick. One thing to keep in mind is that they lack the ability to turn an unconscious person face up.

For longer outings in deeper waters, a Type I jacket is what I recommend. It can maintain buoyancy for much longer periods of time, and it will keep an unconscious person face up, preventing them from drowning.

Another device I would recommend for those on large bodies of water, (like an ocean), for long periods of time is an Aqualink Firefly. A waterproof strobe light that could help rescuers find you, especially at night. They also make one that sends out a radio distress beacon that can help rescuers pinpoint your location within a couple hundred meters.

Water Safety Skills and Knowledge

Your ability as a swimmer is one skill that many people either never consider, or vastly overestimate. Swimming in your backyard pool is not the same as emergency swimming at a lake or in the ocean. Your body will tire and fatigue much sooner than you think. So developing your swimming skill can be vitally important.

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