A couple of years ago I spent two wonderful weeks in a beach house in South Carolina during September. Beautiful, warm, Atlantic water, palmetto palms, sea turtles, shrimp and grits for breakfast – and the possibility of hurricanes. North Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1st to November 30th, making it coincide with prime vacation…
Category Archives: Power outage
No land line? Charge your mobile phone with solar power
Mobile phones are great, but if your power is out for a couple of days in an emergency, so is the charge on your phone. Here’s a well-designed and useful product to add to your emergency supplies. The Solio solar charger is a compact powerhouse that harnesses the sun. It stores power, holding a charge…
What to do after an earthquake
Tens of millions of people in the US and Mexico felt Sunday’s 7.2 quake that rocked Baja California, as buildings swayed and windows broke. Southern California shook harder than it has in many years. Part of being prepared for these events is knowing what to do after one occurs. A few things to keep in…
File, Flee, or Freeze
Here’s a question I hear from time to time: How do you know when you’re prepared for emergencies? When can I say, that’s enough? Different types of emergencies demand different actions, but they all boil down to just three: file an insurance claim, evacuate your home or area, and stay where you are without basic…
Oh, baby! El Niño is back.
Last month scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced the return of El Niño, the climate pattern which begins with the periodic warming of the eastern Pacific Ocean. The pattern, occurring every two to five years, brings a mixture of beneficial and devastating climate effects throughout the world. Here in Northern California,…
Four ideas for passing the time without power
Imagine that a natural disaster has brought the Bay Area to a standstill. Your family is safe and sound, all your neighbors are okay. You’ve got your food and water supply, but there is no power, and probably won’t be for who-knows-how-many days. What now? When you’re making your emergency preparations, consider including a little…