With fall rolling in at full force
and winter soon on the horizon you can expect certain environmental changes to
occur. The Most obvious changes are temperature drops, leaves falling and the
usual rain and snow that accompanies the season. What most people don’t expect
are the possibility of flooding, fire or wind, rain and thunder storms. Mother
Nature never stops and so it’s good to remember that Preparation shouldn't stop
either. Here are a few quick tips to get your winter preparation underway.
1. Food storage – This is something
that really applies traditionally to winter time but is something to even think
about throughout the year. Ensuring you have enough water and food to last you
in case any of the public works fails is essential. The last thing you need is
to be in a situation where you've become dependent on them to supply you what
you need. We call this a “single point of failure” in the military and it’s a
bad situation to be in. Having enough food and water for at least 72 hours is a
must and enough for two weeks is ideal. Most public works issues are limited to
under two weeks but it couldn't hurt to be more prepared.
2. Heating – Knowing how best to
heat your home is essential. A significant chunk of money is spent annually on
heating your home and there are a few tips out there that can help lower the
cost. If you have a fireplace then having sufficient firewood is always
important since this is very easy to find for free on sites like Craigslist.com.
Look into high efficient portable heaters to place in the rooms you occupy
most. There isn't a huge need to heat the whole house when you spent most of
your time in only part of it. Look into homemade/DIY style heaters like my
favorite “terracotta pot” heater (instructions for this can be found just by
doing a web search). Also ensure that you have curtains that help hold in the
heat. Check the attic to ensure you have proper and sufficient insulation.
Renew your weather stripping around doors and windows if needed. Sealing up the
house might take most of an afternoon but saves you on so many energy costs
that makes it plenty worth it.
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| Terracotta Pot Heater |
3. Contingency Planning – Most people
think of the first two items but they forget that there are many other things they
need plans for. Flooding and fire can occur frequently during fall as the
seasons change and precautions should be taken. Have evacuation plans and thoughts
of a secondary location if you need to leave for an extended period of time. Inventorying
your valuables is one that most people forget. This is not only good in case of
burglary but also for insurance purposes. Have a plan for every possible
disaster. Most of these plans will look exactly the same but it’s good to
consider them each individually.
4. Know your neighbors – I've found
great value in knowing your neighbors and I encourage everyone to get to know
theirs. There are some people that might live in areas where it’s a little frightening
to become close to them. Each situation will be different but knowing who they
are, what they do and their willingness level to assist you if you need it is
paramount to a complete contingency plan. With a lot of people taking time off
to travel during the holidays a good neighbor can help keep an eye on things
while you’re gone.
5. Learn – Don’t be afraid to go
out and do some research. I don’t believe that you can’t teach an old dog new
tricks. I think that there is so much that can be learned and so little time to
learn it. YouTube.com has become one of my favorite sites to learn about new
and innovative ways of taking care of home issues. There are thousands of quick
fix and DIY videos on a wide range of topics. Go to the library and pick up
some books about any survival and preparation topics.
Being prepared is the best way to
have peace of mind over the things you can’t control. By expecting a wide range
of possible occurrences you’re diminishing the potential danger to yourself and
family. Please comment below about your own winter preparation preferences and
what you plan to do this fall before the cold comes.
