Be Prepared Come Rain or Ruin

This week’s must-read articles address various ways to keep you and your family safe in a variety of dangerous circumstances.

You’ll learn how to escape a landslide, the best way to keep critical devices running during a power outage, the only self-defense tool I trust to keep my family safe — and more.

Take a look.

1. Japan Floods: 155 Killed After Torrential Rain and Landslides

Torrential rains in western Japan have triggered deadly landslides and flash floods across the region. Currently, the death toll is at 155 — however, that number is expected to rise as rescue crews continue to search for dozens of missing persons.

Landslides can occur anywhere there are hillsides, gullies or any narrow channel that rain can easily flow through. There are hundreds of thousands of homes across the U.S. built near these danger zones — yours may be one of them.

You should be ready to evacuate your home at a moment’s notice. If there’s a wall of dirt and debris headed your way, you won’t have time to get your things together. Pack a bug-out bag now for each member of your family so all you have to do is grab them and go.

Be sure to plan several evacuation routes in case one or more of them are rendered inaccessible by flood or mud.

2. The Only Self-Defense Tool I Trust to Keep My Family Safe

Hands down, the tactical pen is the best self-defense weapon I’ve ever come across (besides a firearm). The great thing about the tactical pen is that anyone can carry one anywhere. It doesn’t require a permit or any special training and you can take it many places where guns aren’t allowed.

Every single member of my family carries one of these powerful, covert self-defense tools. They’re perfect for those who travel often, anyone who isn’t comfortable carrying (or able to carry) a gun, students walking across campus late at night and anyone who works late hours.

Click on the link above to get one for every member of your family. For a limited time, these rugged pens are available for 80% off. Claim yours now.

3. Homesteading Skills: Five Old-Time Practices You Need to Know Now

The five skills outlined in this piece by The Prepping Guide will go a long way toward making you more self-sufficient whether the SHTF or not. Plus, learning these traditional methods can help you save money on food, clothes and electricity.

Now, many people in the older generation may be familiar with some of these techniques, but I guarantee most kids these days aren’t. Brushing up on these old-time practices is a great way to get kids involved in prepping by making it a fun family activity.

In this article, you’ll discover three ways to preserve food without modern refrigeration, how to make your own versions of two delicious diet staples and three easy hand-sewing stitches to make your garments last.

4. New Jersey Woman Dies After Electric Company Shuts off Her Power

This is a truly tragic story: Despite sending in more than the minimum amount to keep her power on, Linda Daniels died after New Jersey’s Public Service Electric and Gas Co. cut off electricity to her home.

Linda was in hospice care and relied on an electric-powered oxygen tank to breathe. Without it, she struggled for air and finally passed away due to congestive heart failure. If you rely on an essential electric medical device, I suggest investing in a generator so you can keep it running if the power goes out for any reason.

I highly recommend getting a propane generator because you can easily store propane and you don’t have to worry about it going bad like gasoline. You can buy a propane generator from most hardware stores, including Home Depot or Lowe’s. I myself own a Sportsman 7,000-watt propane generator that I purchased for around $700 at my local hardware store.

5. Trauma Medicine: How to Use and Apply a Tourniquet

In situations where you must control heavy bleeding — and FAST — using a tourniquet is one of the best ways to buy yourself time to get to a proper medical facility. If a major artery has been damaged, you could easily bleed out in a matter of minutes. Every second counts.

Our resident special operations physician Omar Hamada recommends the SWAT-T tourniquet. In addition to putting one of these in each of your bug-out bags, I also recommend keeping one in your car. If you are involved in a car accident — or you simply arrive on the scene of one — this simple device could help you save a life.

The article above provides links to several videos that show you how to properly apply a tourniquet and gives a few alternatives if you don’t have one readily available. Check it out — because having the right gear is useless if you don’t know how to use it.

Stay safe,

Jason Hanson

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