Holiday Safety Tips
The holiday season is upon us and that means many of us are headed home to spend quality time with family, friends, and loved ones.
No matter your location, it cannot be denied that this is a beautiful time of year. However, just because it’s the holiday season doesn’t mean emergencies can’t occur without warning. So, it’s again tremendously important to take precautionary measures should the unexpected happen.
Keep Everyone Warm
Everyone likes to be warm, pets included!
As the months get colder and the days get shorter, be sure to have a strong supply of winter essentials like blankets, water-proof candles, coats, and sweaters. Be sure to add them to your home and car prep kits to help you conserve heat during the harsh winter months.
Stay Safe on the Road
Do you have an emergency preparation kit for your car? We sure hope so! For the many unexpected things that can happen while on the road, it's critical to have an up-to-date emergency prep kit at all times.
The 4 Person Premium Disaster Preparedness Survival Kit from First My Family is a perfect option for families looking to stay safe on the road. Should an emergency situation arise while out-and-about, this survival kit comes fully-equipped with 72 hours of survival and first aid supplies.
Running out of gas? Stuck in the snow? Plan ahead and stay prepared.
Great supplies may not be enough to stay fully prepared. Keep a list of emergency contact numbers in your vehicle should you need to call a tow truck, friend, or other emergency contacts.
Check Holiday Lighting
One of the things that can be easily overlooked is safety when it comes to our beloved holiday decorations. Make sure each connection is secure and kept at a safe distance away from small children and pets.
Additionally, keep an eye on the number of plugs you have from each outlet; overloading your outlets has the potential to cause a major fire emergency.
Lastly, if you are burning candles, keep them away from flammable objects like trees, decorations and gifts. Be sure to also use items like hot-pad holders and never leave your home without out putting your candles out completely.
Play Safe: Holiday Toy Safety
It is important to be safe when playing with toys this holiday season since there are many small, detachable parts that can be swallowed. Make sure to keep all toys away from small children and infants and/or monitor children when the toys are in use.
Also, we all know opening packages during the holidays can be a difficult task. Toys are often packaged tightly, prompting us to use sharp objects to open them. Take extra precaution when attempting to open all packages. Keep sharp objects away from children and do not allow them to open toys without adult supervision.
Be Prepared in Any Moment
Emergencies can occur at any time and in any moment, including the holiday season. Gather your family for a few moments to address your evacuation and safety plan for your home. Take the time now to prepare your family, and remember: there's no such thing and being too prepared!
Wishing you and your family a safe and happy holday season!
Winter Is Here: Family Winter Preparedness
Winter is finally here! Whether you’re on the east or west coast, the winter season is upon us and that means we need to take extra precaution when it comes to keeping ourselves and our loved ones safe. This season is characteristic of increased hazards on the roads and in daily life, so it is important we all have safety plans and procedures in place should a potential dangerous situation arise.
There are many preparation tips that you and your family can put into place this winter season. Here are a few:
- Place winter supplies, like shovels and rock salt, inside your home should you get snowed in.
- Store sufficient heating fuel in the case that your regular fuel sources are shut off.
- Learn how to properly shut off and close water valves should a pipe burst in your home. Insulate your pipes with newspaper and plastic or insulation and allow your faucets to lightly drip to prevent from burst pipes.
- Service your vehicle to prepare it for the winter weather.
- If you are using a portable generator, follow the instruction manual to ensure the carbon monoxide fumes produced by the generator are escaping properly and not entering your breathing air.
- A winter emergency kit which includes first aid resources should be placed in every vehicle you operate and in your home.
Also remember to:
Update Preparation Kits
With the winter season quickly approaching, now is the perfect time to update your home and car safety preparation kits for the new weather. Be sure to add extra blankets, extra warm clothing, and heat sources like waterproof matches to your kits to ensure you will have everything you need to stay safe.
Customize Preparation Kits
Find a time to meet with your family and ask your loved one what items they feel should be added to both the home and car safety preparation kits. As you brainstorm together with one another, make it a point to find these items and add them to the kits as soon as possible. Safety never sleeps, so it is vital to take action as quickly as possible to protect your safety and the safety of your loved ones. Having your family take an active role in the preparation process will encourage safety among all family members and promote togetherness.
The First My Family 4 Person Premium Disaster Preparedness Survival Kit with 72-Hours of Survival and First Aid Supplies has all the items you need to keep you and your family safe this winter. This is a great survival kit to begin with as it is prepared by professionals who know all about what is needed to stay safe in emergency situations. You and your family can then customize this kit further by adding additional items you collectively feel will be best for you such as additional blankets and warmers.
Take Care of Furry Family Members
Don’t forget about your fur family! If you have pets, remember they are part of your family too. Make sure you have survival items for them as well in the preparation kits you are creating with your family. It is important to customize and update a pet survival kit so your pets can survive this winter season alongside the family.
Bring your pets in from the cold as often as possible and be sure they have fresh drinking water at all times. Additionally, make sure you have a large stock of food for your pets and blankets; your pets get hungry and cold, just like us!
This winter, be sure you and your family are prepared for any potential emergency weather situations that may arise. Keep a customized preparation and survival emergency kit in your home and car at all times and learn what safety tips will help keep you, your loved ones, and your fur family safe.
Take extra precaution and ensure the safety of your family with these winter preparation tips!
Back-To-School Preparedness
Back-to-school season is here! You’ve enjoyed a long summer of relaxation, camping, and quality time with the family- now it’s time to put on those thinking caps and get back to studying. We’re prepared at home and on the road, but have you thought about emergency preparedness at school? Schools are usually equipped with supplies, but making sure you’re prepared with your own supplies is very important. Stay prepared by assembling a mini locker, desk, or backpack prep kit. Check out our suggestions on what to pack!
The Walking Dead TWDZPAK
Don’t know where to start? Our TWDZPAK has the perfect combination of items for emergency prep and everyday use; the custom water bottle comes with a light stick, emergency whistle, space blanket, poncho, and bandages. You can use these products as a great starting point in building your school emergency kit and use the water bottle for everyday use! The custom water bottle is perfect for all day hydration and It even comes with a custom carabiner to attach the bottle to any backpacks or bags your kids might use for school.
Emergency Drinking Water
Just in case an emergency situation results in a water shortage, and the water in your TWDZPAK has been consumed, it’s important to also have extra emergency drinking water in preparedness kits. Although schools usually have a water reserve, when it comes to preparedness, one must never rely on others. Adding drinking water to mini prep kits is a must.
Emergency Food
You never know how long an emergency situation will take to get resolved. It’s important to include food items like energy bars and rations in school prep kits in order to promote alertness and energy until help can arrive. Also, be make sure to keep an eye on product expiration dates to ensure freshness of the food items.
Emergency Contact Info
Including a card or sheet with all up to date emergency contact info is extremely important. While schools have family contact information on file, in the event of an emergency, they might not have the time to access that critical information. Having that information ready in their prep packs could help speed up the rescue process.
Build you prep kit and stay prepared this back-to-school season!
Stay Prepared While Traveling
The summer months are a perfect time to travel - the kids are out of school, the weather is great, and it’s a great way to spend some quality time with your family. We know you’re prepared at home for a disaster or emergency, but are you prepared while traveling? Whether you’re flying, road tripping, or going somewhere close to home, it’s important to always stay prepared for the unexpected, check out some tips below.
Always Carry a First Aid Kit
Wherever you’re traveling, be sure to carry a small first aid kit with you with items like band aids, over-the-counter remedies, and any other common items you feel you might need. Sure you may get the help you need if a problem arises, but take as much action as you can by being prepared. Afterall, at the very least it can help you feel much more comfortable and at-ease when traveling. Did you know our TWDZPAK includes several emergency and first aid supplies and doubles as a water bottle? Check it out here.
Keep Emergency Cash and Back Up Cards
When you’re traveling it’s important to have back up cash and credit cards in case your belongings get lost or stolen. Remember the unexpected happens at the worst times, prepare yourself from as many situations as you can. Stay prepared and make sure you have the means to get your family home.
Have Travel Insurance
A great preparedness step you can take is to get yourself and your family travel insurance. Travel insurance will cover you in case you or a family member gets injured, your belongings get stolen, in many cases of emergencies, if you have to head home early, or if there are any unforeseen cancellations in your itinerary. If you can, try to get a high coverage limit on your policy that also covers emergency evacuations or care if you happen to be hiking in the woods.
Mosquito Protection and ZIKA Awareness
Mosquitos are everywhere in the Summer, but areas near water are their favorite place to hang out. If you’re traveling to an area you believe might have some sort of mosquito population, it’s important to wear bug spray repellent and to wear long pants and shirts in order to protect your skin from bites. Usually, you’ll just get an uncomfortable lump that can itch, but will go away in a few days. Right now however, there is an outbreak of Zika Virus that you have to be very careful about if you’re traveling anywhere in the Caribbean, Central and South America, and The Pacific Islands. There also have been cases in the Wynwood neighborhood of Miami, Florida. It is often advised that pregnant women should NOT travel to those places - the most common effect of the Zika Virus is severe birth defects of unborn children. If you are traveling to these places use powerful bug spray, and again, wear long pants and shirts, sleep with the air conditioning on and make sure there are screens on every window. Zika is extremely dangerous and should be avoided as much as possible.
Have fun and stay safe for the remaining of the summer!
National Hurricane Preparedness Week 2016
National Hurricane Preparedness Week is May 15 through May 21, 2016. History has taught us that it is not enough to be aware of the many natural disasters that may threaten our families, we must prepare accordingly. With often speeds of over 160 miles an hour and more than 2.4 trillion gallons of rain a day, hurricanes are definitely among the deadliest of natural disasters. Is your family prepared for a potential hurricane threat? Even if you live nowhere near a hurricane zone, you never know what the future holds, which is precisely why preparedness is so important.
Peace of mind. Is that possible during or after a natural disaster? It may not be, but being prepared with a plan that includes specific steps for family members to take can definitely help provide direction during a time of uncertainty.
Download a family emergency plan today at: http://bitly.com/FamEmergencyPlan
A proper, functional preparedness kit could be the difference between life and death during a natural disaster. Injuries, lack of food, and of course weather are all situations that need to be anticipated, and therefore supplied in every preparedness kit. In the event that help is on the way to you and your family, tools for prolonged survival and are key.
Download a supply checklist today at: http://bit.ly/PrepSupplyChecklist
Whether you’re a preparedness pro or a curious beginner, we’re here to help throughout your entire preparedness journey. Begin building your family's emergency preparedness kit today: FirstMyFamily.com
Emergency Response At Your Fingertips: 3 Must-Get Apps
These days there’s an app for just about everything, even for emergency preparedness. But with thousands of high-tech iPhone and Android applications to choose from, how do can you know which ones can actually be useful for you and your family during an emergency situation?
Our team did some research, browsed through some of the top-rated apps on the market and came up with 3 apps we believe every family should consider downloading as an additional step in emergency/disaster planning.
Check them out below and happy prepping!
- FEMA
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) app takes the number one spot. This comprehensive app includes:
- Alerts from the National Weather Service
- Disaster Reporter
- Custom emergency safety information
- Maps of disaster resources
- Safety tips
- Access to apply for federal disaster assistance.
- Information in Spanish
Download here: https://www.fema.gov/mobile-app
- Pocket First Aid & CPR.
Runner-up is the app from the American Heart Association. A few things this unique app offers:
- Detailed videos with life-saving information on how to respond in first aid situations like choking, CPR, seizures, cuts and wounds, and more.
- Device storage so a user can access information without cell phone reception
- ‘My Info’ tab to store family members’ medical information
Download here: http://appcomm.org/pocket-first-aid-cpr/
- Shelter Finder by American Red Cross
Last but certainly not least, this application maps shelter locations across the United States. In the event of a natural disaster, a user can choose a location and zoom into a local area to view nearby shelters and details like who’s managing the shelter, how many people are there, and of course, the specific shelter address and location. Another great feature is that if you’re looking to make a contribution, they make it possible to donate and help the American Red Cross give aid to those in need.
Download here: http://appcomm.org/shelter-finder-app-by-american-red-cross/
Stay safe, but most of all, stay prepared!