Putting together a home earthquake kit

If you live in an area prone to seismic activity, it’s vitally important that you have an earthquake kit in your house or in your car so that you’ll have emergency supplies if you need them. Even if you don’t live in an area that is prone to earthquakes, you might want to create a basic disaster survival kit to be used in case of tornados or other types of natural disasters. Ideally, your earthquake kit should contain enough supplies for you and your family to survive for a period of up to three days. Beyond the basic considerations of food and water that are physically necessary for survival, you will also need a few additional items to help you make it through the aftermath of an earthquake. One of the first things that you’ll need is some sort of light source in case the electricity has been knocked out in your area. Since you’re going to want to make sure that your light will work when needed, your best bet is to choose an LED flashlight or lantern since they have a drastically reduced energy usage and will keep a charge longer in storage than most standard flashlights. Test any LED flashlight that you have every few months to make sure that it still works, and if you’re using an LED lantern that has multiple lighting modes then you should take the time to test every one of its modes. Another essential piece of equipment is a multi-purpose tool that has knife blades, pliers, screwdrivers, and even saw blades and can openers in it. Be sure to store your multi-purpose tool with your LED lantern or LED flashlights so that you can find it quickly once you’ve located your light source. You’d be amazed at how useful a multi-purpose tool can be after an earthquake, and you may even find uses for it that you’ve never considered. Also in your earthquake kit should be a fully-stocked first aid kit so that you can treat any injuries that might have occurred during the earthquake. Make sure that you have common items such as blankets, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer with your first aid kit so that you can cover basic needs and provide warmth and sanitation for anyone who is suffering from shock as well. Other useful things to include in your earthquake kit include enough money or traveler's checks to be able to meet any monetary needs that you might have in case the banks are closed due to the earthquake. You should also have a safe with copies of any important documents that you don’t want to be lost or damaged in an earthquake, as well as clean clothes for both warm and cold weather so that you and your family won’t be forced to wear the same clothes for several days in a row. Make sure that you check the expiration dates on any food or medicine that you keep in your earthquake kit, and change out any stored water that you have every few months. This will prevent you or your family members from getting sick due to expired food or stale water. Preparing an earthquake kit is an important activity that should be done as a family to ensure that everyone knows how to use the items inside and where to find it if an earthquake occurs. Being prepared for a disaster may very well save a person’s life. ~Ben Anton, 2008

The truth about identity theft

The Federal Trade Commission reports that identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America. The term "identity theft" was not even coined until a few years ago. These days we seem to hear it every time we turn on the television or open a magazine. But what is the real truth about identity theft? The United States Department of Justice offers this definition: "Identity theft and identity fraud are terms used to refer to all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person's personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain." So how real is this threat? Several of the world's largest banks and data collection agencies have suffered fraud affecting millions of people. The IRS has stated that their networks of personal and financial records are not well protected. It appears that we are all at risk for identity theft, and there may not be anything we can do about it. In fact, many people who are at risk don't even realize it. So what are some ways to stop identity theft? How do you know if you are putting yourself at risk of becoming a victim? Take, for example, your driver's license or health insurance card. In many instances, the account or license number is the same as your Social Security number. Calling a pharmacy, doctor's office, or car insurance company will often lead to you being asked for your Social Security number as a means of identification. Your personal checks often include your name, address, bank account number, and signature. They're often supplemented at the store's request with your phone number and driver's license number or Social Security number. An unscrupulous store clerk may easily gain access to all this information. No matter what type of data you are providing, whether it's to your doctor's office, your pharmacy, your bank, stores you make purchases from, schools, or even the IRS, this information has a chance of being compromised. The internet has made spreading and selling the information not only easier, but more anonymous for the criminals. The volume of information in today's society makes identity theft an ever-present danger. Recently, companies have begun adapting to the changing environment and recognizing the very real threat that identity theft poses. Those with large databases of personal and financial information are being required to better protect that data. The United States government has joined by prosecuting identity theft criminals. Credit card companies, banks, and insurance companies have begun to offer identity theft insurance. Here are several places to search on the internet if you would like to learn more about identity theft and identity fraud, and what government programs have been implemented to help curb this financial threat. Department of Justice: usdoj. gov/criminal/fraud/idtheft. html Federal Trade Commission: ftc. org Identity Theft Resource Center: idtheftcenter. org Consult with your bank, your credit card companies, and your insurance company to see what steps they are taking to help prevent identity theft. Find out what coverage they can offer to protect you in case it happens to you. Make sure that you do business with companies which are supporting government legislation to curb identity theft and identity fraud. The truth is that identity theft is out there. It's not just a scare tactic used by insurance companies to sell needless coverage to unsuspecting clients. The threat is very real, but with research and information, you can help lower your risk of becoming one of its victims.

Additional features of a home security alarm system

The most basic home security alarm systems include a control panel, a keypad, a siren, access monitors and, in the case of monitored systems, an off site control station. These basic features are adequate for simple home protection against burglars but some people may opt for more advanced home security alarm systems that incorporate more advanced features. Home security alarm systems may include a smoke detection system, glass break detectors, panic buttons and motion detectors. When most people think of a home security alarm system, they think of a burglar alarm system. While it is true that the primary function of a home security alarm system is to protect your home and your possessions from burglars, this is not the only function of home security alarm systems. As the name home security alarm system implies, the system is devised to protect your home. This includes protecting your home from damage due to fires. For this reason, many people have a smoke detection system linked to their home security alarm system. This will sound an alarm and alert the control station if smoke is detected. Glass break detectors are another advanced feature that some individuals like to include in their home security alarm system. These systems are able to identify the sound of glass breaking and will activate the home security alarm system when this sound is identified. This is helpful because most home security alarm systems include access monitors that determine when doors or windows or opened. This makes your home vulnerable to burglars who break a window rather than opening the window to access the home. Installing glass break detectors in your home security alarm system will minimize this problem. Panic buttons are another optional feature in a home security alarm system. These are hand held devices that can be placed in strategic locations throughout the house. These panic buttons enable the homeowner to send and immediate message that they are in trouble to the monitoring center. This alarm can be sent silently or can be an audible siren that sounds throughout the house. Another feature that many individuals elect to incorporate into their home security alarm system is a set of motion detectors. These motion detectors act as a second line of defense in the home security alarm system. If the burglar is able to enter your home without triggering the alarm, the motion detectors will sense that he has entered your home and will trip the alarm, thus sounding the siren and sending a message to the monitoring center if your system is monitored. Your home security alarm system can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. Incorporating some of the more advanced features into your home security alarm system can provide your home with better protection. These home security alarm features can be very valuable in the case where a burglar knows how to work around the confines of a standard home security alarm system.