5 Ways To Keep Alerted During Severe Weather

It's tornado season here. So far I have been lucky. I have not been in the path of one. But I have helped with relief efforts after one of these devastating storms has passed through. They can be deadly.

I am more impacted by the flash flooding that often comes during severe weather. I had not realized how quickly this can become an issue. I guess that's why they call it "flash" flooding. But water can suddenly be dangerously deep before you even realize it. I have only been truly scared during a severe weather event once in my life and it was because of flooding. I'll spare you the details, but I will say this. It takes less water than you think to push a Jeep Gladiator off the road!

Thankfully, I am always aware...now...of what's happening weather-wise. Severe weather is just one more thing we prepare for here. If you are lucky, you've never experienced truly frightening weather events. But more than likely, at some point in your life, you will. More than once. And weather or not you survive can depend on how prepared you are.

That's why it's some important to to be able to access reliable weather warning. Fortunately, there are several ways to do this. 

First is your cell phone. Most cell phones today are WEA (Wireless Emergency Alert) capable. This is a nationwide text emergency alert system. These emergency texts are sent by authorized government authorities through your mobile carrier and will alert you when a weather emergency threatens. It will tell you what the emergency is (for example, a tornado or flash flood) and what action you should take. The best part is you don't even have to sign up for these. They are sent automatically to all WEA-capable phones located in the geographic area impacted by the emergency.

You can, however, opt out of receiving these alerts. Which would be a very dumb thing to do. These alerts can save your life.

Another way your cell phone can alert you to weather emergencies is through weather apps. Our local TV Station has a weather app I use. I feel like I'm carrying Darby Bybee (TV news meteorologist) in my pocket! But I also have the Emergency:Alerts app. It's from the American Red Cross. Not only does it alert me to weather emergencies, it allows me to check if my family is safe and to let them know that I am ok. 

Speaking of local TV stations, they are a great way to keep up to date on the weather in a severe weather situation. Whenever there is a threat, most stations interrupt any scheduled programming for al long as necessary to keep viewers informed of conditions in their area. 

You know me. I never put all my eggs in one basket. TVs can lose power. Stations can get knocked off the air. We can forget to keep our cell phones charged. So in addition to my cell phone and the TV, I have a NOAA Weather Radio. A weather radio is a smart addition to your emergency preparedness kit. It will definitely help keep you and your family safe during severe weather. They aren't foolproof. Nothing is. But you should definitely have one as a backup to WEA alerts on your phone.

The weather radio I use is the Midland ER310. I like the fact that it can be charged through either hand-cranking or solar. It has great reception and can receive NOAA extreme weather alerts and provide notifications. Not all weather radios can. It's flashlight is bright and the convenient size makes it easy to grab and carry in an emergency.

And don't forget good old broadcast FM radio. When the F5 tornado hit Joplin, MO, the first word I had of it was from my radio while I was sitting in my car...charging my phone!

With five different ways to keep abreast of weather emergencies, you should feel comfortable knowing you can keep yourself and your family safe. 

"But wait...aren't there six?" you ask. "What about tornado sirens?" Here's my advice on those. Don't count on them! They are not designed to be heard indoors. Wind direction, power outages, and equipment failure can make them useless. Please do not rely on them for weather alerts. Use a combination of the methods listed above. In fact, use all of them...just to be safe.

You May Not Think It's That Important But You'd Be Wrong. Fire Extinguishers!

You may not think a fire extinguisher is an integral part of your survival gear, but you'd be wrong. Whether you are sheltering in place or bugging out, the possibility of a fire increases under either of the these situations.

Just because you are sheltering in place, that doesn't mean accidents can't happen. Stressful situations can make us less attentive to detail. If you are fortunate to still be able to cook normally in your kitchen, grease fires or something placed a bit too close to a burner can quickly spread into a fire out of control. And if you have to resort to using a propane stove or campfire, that can make the situation even riskier. When is the last time you actually cooked over an open fire?

If it's gotten down to an outright emergency situation, you may not be able to count on the fire department. So let's be sure you have the proper equipment on hand.

We all learned the basic science of fires in school. We know they need fuel. And the need oxygen. Remove either of these and the fire goes out. That's how fire extinguishers work. They either cool the fuel or displace the oxygen. 

There are four types of fire extinguishers, each for a different type of fire. The four types are:

• Class A: for common materials such as paper, cloth, wood, rubber and some plastics
• Class B: for combustible liquids such as kitchen grease, gasoline, oil, or oil-based paint
• Class C: for electrical fires
• Class D: for combustible metals such as potassium or magnesium

It is unlikely you will need a Class D fire extinguisher - unless you are sheltering in a chemical warehouse! But it is very likely you will at some point have need for the other three types. Does that mean you have to buy all three types? No. Fortunately, you can purchase a fire extinguisher that has an ABC rating. I'll give you my recommendation at the end of this post. 

Be sure the fire extinguisher you choose does have an ABC rating. These are good on any type of fire. If you have only a Class A or even one each of a Class A, Class B, and Class C, you could actually make matters worse if you use the wrong one. In an emergency situation, you don't want to run the risk of accidentally grabbing the wrong extinguisher and electrocuting yourself by spraying water on an electrical fire for example. 

Once you have purchased your fire extinguisher, READ THE INSTRUCTIONS! Everyone needs to be familiar with how to use it, if necessary. Like performing CPR, it needs to become an automatic response. You won't have time to learn once a fire has started.  There are basically four steps:

1. Pull the pin
2. Aim at the base of the fire. Always aim at the base of the fire. Aiming at the flames won't work. the base is where the fire is getting its fuel. Aim at the base.
3. Squeeze the lever slowly
4. Sweep the hose from side to side

It's that easy - as long as you don't panic. Practice makes perfect so have everyone go through the motions until it becomes second nature. Just don't pull the pin while practicing!

I keep a fire extinguisher in my kitchen, one in each garage, one in each vehicle, and one in our boat. At a minimum I would keep one in the kitchen and one in the garage. And make sure you inspect them monthly to make sure it's pressurized. Nothing worse than a fire extinguisher that doesn't work when it's needed!

Now as for which one to purchase? These are the ones I recommend:

Amerex B402, 5lb ABC Dry Chemical Class A B C Fire Extinguisher: I have only had to use a fire extinguisher once...and that's another story. But the one I used was an Amerex that hadn't been inspected in years. And still worked great. Talk about reliability. Gets my vote! It is more expensive than other brands but if you can afford it, this would be my choice.

First Alert HOME1 Rechargeable Standard Home Fire Extinguisher UL Rated 1-A:10-B:C: If you're on a bit of a budget, this would be my second choice. It's affordable, plus it's rechargeable, which means it's reusable provided you get it recharged by a certified professional. It's also Coast Guard approved for marine use and is the one we carry on our boat.

Buckeye 13315 ABC Multipurpose Dry Chemical Hand Held Fire Extinguisher with Aluminum Valve and Vehicle Bracket, 2.5 lbs Agent Capacity: This is the one we carry in our cars. It's DOT compliant, which is important to us. Plus it has a vehicle mounting bracket which makes it easy to carry. Buckeye has always been a reliable brand. I've never had to use mine, but I trust it will work when needed!