New Year's Resolutions for Families
Have you established new year’s resolutions for 2017? Creating new year’s resolutions is a great method to hold yourself and your family accountable for the things you’d like to accomplish throughout the year ahead. Is improving your family’s safety among those resolutions? Have you developed a strong safety plan should an emergency or disaster situation occur? Even if you’re not a fan of setting new year’s resolutions, any step to help improve the safety of you and your loved ones should be implemented.
To strengthen your road towards family safety this year, you will want to:
- Get Informed
- Get Prepared
- Stay Motivated
Getting informed and staying informed on the many potential dangers within your area of residence is a key component to protecting yourself and loved ones this new year. According to a study by FEMA, “[only] one in three (32 percent) of the respondents reported being familiar with their local hazards.” These statistics indicate that a large percentage of families across the U.S. are simply unaware of the dangers their surroundings present. It remains that families of all sizes should be conscious of local hazards to able to prepare accordingly.
Since winter weather can change in an instant, it is also important to stay up-to-date with local weather changes as well. Not sure where to get the information you need? You are not alone. Structure your family’s safety and preparedness plan by utilizing information from trusted resources like FEMA and the American Red Cross.
As we know, natural disasters can strike at any moment. Right as we welcomed 2017, California experienced an “earthquake swarm” in Brawley, California where more than 100 earthquakes were felt across the region. The importance of being prepared for emergency situations like earthquakes is ever-increasing, yet still many Americans fail to take proper precautions. In the same FEMA study, they share, “52 percent of individuals reported having supplies set aside in their home for use during a disaster.” While we’re glad to be slightly above the halfway mark, as safety seekers, we should continue to work towards reaching the goal of 100 percent. Securing your home and vehicle with essential supplies not only increases family safety, but also increases the likelihood of survival should a disaster occur.
- Check out our First My Family’s 4 Person Premium Disaster Preparedness Survival Kit with 72-Hours of Survival and First Aid Supplies.
Strengthen your motivation to stay prepared throughout the year by setting a few safety-related new year’s resolutions. Keep in mind that emergency preparedness and family safety go hand in hand and do your part to stay prepared. Start the year off on a safe note, and continue that mentality all year-long!
We wish you a year full of safety for you and your entire family, we're here to help.
Pet Preparedness Tips for Summer
According to recent statistics, about 77 Million people in the US include dogs as part of their extended family. Dogs are great companions for both indoors and outdoors activities. Whether it’s a trip to the beach, camping, hiking, or even just out to the park, pups love every second of being out-and-about. Taking dogs along during summer trips can be fun and memorable, but make sure to consider their safety and well-being during the sizzling summer months.
Our dogs can’t tell us when they are getting too hot, too tired, or are generally uncomfortable. This prompts the need for us to prepare for the many unforeseen emergencies that may occur when outdoors, for both you and they could be affected by them. Be aware of how to care for your pets during these long hot days, here are some tips on summer outdoor pet preparedness.
Water & Snacks
If you are outdoors all day you’re going to want to have some pet food on hand to give your dog a snack when they feel fatigued. Remember, just like humans get hungry from using up energy while outdoors, our dogs do too! It is also very important to give your dog access to plenty of water to drink during outdoor activities. Having a collapsable water bowl or plastic tupperware to fill with water for your pup is an easy way to help with their hydration, make sure that’s added to your Pet Prep Kit.
Keeping Cool
Of course, summertime means it is likely to be hot hot hot! While humans are able to wear summer clothing and go out for fresh air, our dogs are not able to take off their fur coats. So, it’s up to us to make sure they aren’t getting overheated. To keep help keep them cool, again, make sure they are getting plenty of water, and be sure to never ever leave them in a hot car (overheating happens very fast). Also, don’t be opposed to a little mid-day water spritz, if they are getting too hot, spray them lightly with some water since water helps to cool their internal body temperature. Lastly, keep a lookout: signs of heat exhaustion include heavy drooling, panting, very low energy, and little to no urination.
LED Light or Collar
Summer nights can be very relaxing for all family members, even pets. When outside during those summer BBQ’s or camping trips, it’s a good idea to attach an LED light to your dog’s collar so you can keep an eye on them when the sun has gone down. Remember that dogs love to explore and can get lost very easily especially if they don’t know the way home. Having a light on them will keep you from losing track of them in case they get distracted by any number of things. It also may be a good idea to keep an extra collar and LED light in your Pet Prep Kit.
Critter Control
If you are spending any time outdoors, keep in mind that you may be inevitably accompanied by uninvited animals, reptiles, and insects. The summer months bring dry, hot temperatures which happen to attract a plethora of critters. Consider getting a rattlesnake vaccine from your veterinarian, and keep plenty of insect repellent in your dog’s prep kit. Dogs love water activities, If your dog goes swimming in a beach or lake, you’ll want to make sure you dry your dog’s ears afterwards, especially if they’re floppy. Keep in mind that ear infections are very common in dogs, keeping ears dry is the first step in prevention. Lastly, always check for ticks after coming home from an outdoor trip. Even if your dog takes a flea and tick solution regularly, one could still latch on, so it’s important to make sure.
Summer is an amazing time to have lots of fun in the sun with the entire family, that includes our pets. Make sure everyone is safe and prepared!