YOU CAN’T OUTSMART NATURE

Mr. Prepared Says You Can’t Stop Disaster – But You Can Prepare For It!  

 The recent horrific floods in Iowa were worse than anyone could have ever expected – especially a guy named Mark Egly.  Mark owns a driving range on the outskirts of Des Moines.  He bought it six years ago – but checked it out thoroughly before he did.  The thing he was most concerned about?  Flooding.  In 1993, Iowa was hit by the most devastating floods since it became a state – and Mark wanted to make sure that the ultimate water hazard wasn’t going to happen to his new golf greens.

I’m Mr. Prepared, and I want to remind every reader that disasters can happen pretty much anywhere, no matter what you’re told.  As Mark recalled to Newsweek magazine, every state and federal agency swore up and down that that kind of flooding could never happen again.  They had installed new levees and water pumping stations in the area – and Mark was assured again and again that it was impossible for his driving range to turn into an instant swimming pool.  So he decided it wasn’t much of a risk – and bought the business.

Well, we all know what happened this past June.  The 1993 worst-flood-of-all-time suddenly became an also-ran – because the 2008 flood turned out to be the biggest in five hundred years, according to experts.  Mark’s entire driving range ended up under water – with a John Deere floating on top for good measure – despite all the official pledges that this would never happen.     

About a week earlier, in the western part of the same state, an unexpected disaster of another kind struck suddenly and savagely – at a Boy Scout ranch, where about 93 boys were expecting only a fun few days of camping.  Instead, they ended up facing a gigantic twister terror – a sudden onslaught by a tornado that went through the camp “like a bowling ball,” in the words of one survivor. 

Fortunately, these well-trained Scouts had practiced an emergency drill just the day before.  They also monitored the severe weather alerts on radio as the storm approached, and went to the lowest part of the camp – the safest place in a tornado situation – to ride out the storm.  After the tornado passed through, the boys then used their Boy Scout first aid training to treat the injured.  As awful as the experience was, it all could have been a whole lot worse – which is why I admire the Scouting program so much!   Any organization that has “Be Prepared” for a slogan has to be Mr. Prepared’s favorite!

Yes, weather-wise, June was a tough month for all of Iowa.  No one could have foreseen disaster on that scale – just ask Mark Egly.    But that’s exactly my point.  Be prepared for anything by taking the simplest steps – stocking food supplies and other emergency gear such as a generator, having an emergency preparedness plan in place for you and your loved ones, and knowing where nearby shelters are in case of approaching disaster. 

Hurricane season is still with us, as well as tornado season.  The American West is also facing drought conditions, which bring with them dangerous wildfires.  I don’t like to be a pessimist, but weather keeps getting more and more extreme – so all of us have to be more and more prepared!  Don’t assume you’re safe no matter where you are – but, please people, don’t sit in the corner, biting your fingernails in a panic either!  You’ll be okay if you prepare!  And my website can help you do just that.

This is Mr. Prepared, bringing Awareness to Preparedness!

Tornado Preparedness Is a Life-saver

Mr. Prepared Says Twister Survival Requires Preparedness Plus!

 Remember the flying cows in the disaster movie, “Twister” from a few years ago?   Well, let me tell you about another animal who recently went airborne – without the help of any special effects experts.  A Rottweiler named Chase was hanging out in a neighbor’s backyard in Richton, Illinois – when a tornado suddenly picked up the perplexed pooch, put him in flight and brought him in for a safe landing in the woods a block or so away. 

 I’m Mr. Prepared, bringing Awareness to Tornado Preparedness, and I want you to know that Chase was definitely a lucky dog.   We two-legged people don’t do nearly as well as our four-legged friends when a tornado decides to play pick-up artist. 

 Take tree-trimmer Rick Boland and his son Craig in St. Mary, Missouri – they were in their house, not a 747, when they ended up in flight.  Coming back to earth for them was a very rude awakening.  Rick ended up with thirty pieces of wood from the broken house stuck in various parts of his body – while Craig ended up with a punctured lung, three cracked ribs, a busted shoulder blade, plus one of his ears was almost taken off. 

 Rick and Craig lived to tell their story – and it’s a doozy – but you might not if a tornado comes to your town!  So be aware if you live in an area prone to the wind devils (or even if you don’t – in actuality, tornadoes can pop up anywhere at anytime!) you need to be prepared.

 So, watch out for storm watches and warnings!  Sure, those TV news people can go nuts sometimes about what just turns out to be a little rain – but sometimes, you see some big ugly colors on the weather radar and you know there’s going to be thunder from above!  And since tornadoes are often accompanied by thunderstorms, you know to be careful!

 When Tornado Watches and Warnings begin to be announced, that’s when you really need to pay close attention.  If you don’t know the difference, a Tornado Watch means conditions are right for a twister to form – and a Tornado Warning means there’s already been one spotted.  Obviously, then, it’s time to put your emergency plans into action!

 Wait – what’s that?  You say you don’t have an emergency tornado plan?  Well, Mr. Prepared is disappointed, but not surprised.  Many people just don’t prepare for the worst that can happen – then, when the worst does happen, it’s the absolute worst, because you have no idea what to do!

 So please, please, please, have a plan for you and your loved ones – decide where the safest place for shelter is – and be sure you have a survival kit stocked with food supplies and other crucial gear.  If you lose your power, gas, water and can’t get anywhere to buy food, you’ll need that survival kit to get through at least a day or two.

 I invite you to visit MrPrepared.com and download my free Top 10 Tornado Survival Facts report.  You’ll find a lot more great info about how to make sure you and your loved ones don’t end up like those flying cows during a tornado emergency!  This is Mr. Prepared, bringing Awareness to Preparedness!

What’s Your Disaster Personality?

Mr. Prepared Says Being Scared Makes You Safe!

Earthquakes in China. Cyclones in Burma. Tornados in the Midwest. Wildfires in California and Florida. There’s been a big run of horrible disasters all around the world this year, and hurricane season has just begun with 15 named storms this year forecasted by the Hurricane Center in Miami. It makes you think – and those of you lucky enough not to have ever been in a big disaster or emergency situation may wonder what you would do if you were in an emergency situation. One thing you can’t and shouldn’t avoid, believe it or not – is panic!

I’m Mr. Prepared, and yes, I’m actually saying that panic is good for you. The worst thing people do in a real disaster is never panicking. Panic actually makes you take action, which, of course, is much better than sitting around and doing nothing. But, believe it or not, almost everyone actually does do just that – nothing until an emergency arrives!

After interviewing hundreds of survivors of disasters, researches have found that most people don’t react – instead, they go numb and don’t move, because they’re in shock over what’s happening around them. And that’s how most victims get the worst of it. They think they’re helpless and it’s up to fate whether they live or die. Mr. Prepared thinks that most of the time, you can help fate work in your favor – by thinking through your options and helping to save yourself and those around you by being prepared and having a 72 survival kit!

So don’t ever bank your chances of surviving a natural disaster or emergency on luck get a kit now, don’t wait. Crossing your fingers doesn’t really help. In the majority of situations, your life is in your hands – it’s a matter of how you react and – as Mr. Prepared likes to remind you – how you prepare. That is why I said, get a kit now!! Because while many people fail to take action to save their lives during a disaster, many more fail to take action before a disaster – and that’s just as crucial!

So take steps now to make sure your emergency preparedness plans are up to snuff. A safely-stored supply of food and water is essential, as well as a good first aid kid, flashlights, a weather radio, even an electric generator is a great idea, because you don’t know which essential services could be cut off – or for how long! Get your emergency supplies now, it’s easy, click on the link www.mrprepared.com/products and find the emergency survival supplies that fits you and your family. You don’t have to make a big list and spend hours at the stores finding your emergency supplies, they are all right on my website. So, make it easy on yourself, get your family prepared now!

And think out of the box – go beyond thinking about yourself and your home. What about your pets? You do love your pets, don’t you? Get them prepared too! You need a Pet Emergency Kit to have on hand, in case of an emergency, click on www.mrprepared.com/products to get your pet prepared now. Or what about if you’re in your car when an emergency happens? Having a Car Emergency Kit in your trunk gives you peace of mind.

Mr. Prepared has rated his products on his “3P” system so families can know what they need to stay prepared. Mr. Prepared’s system is 1P “It’s a Start!”, 2Ps “You’re Getting There!” and 3Ps “You’re prepared.” You can even ask Mr. Prepared himself for advice.

If you don’t react properly during an emergency, you put yourself and your family in more jeopardy. If you don’t prepare properly for an emergency, the same thing. That’s why being scared keeps you safe – it makes you take the proper action by purchasing your emergency supplies prior to an emergency so that you can be prepared for anything. Bye for now, be safe be prepared! I’m Mr. Prepared – bringing Awareness to Preparedness!

PASS THE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS TEST!

Mr. Prepared Says Do Your Homework – Stock Up on Emergency Supplies!

 You can get a real schooling if hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters catch you unprepared!  That’s why I’m preparing you with my own personal “cheat sheet” (although the only person you’re really cheating is yourself if you don’t follow it!).  I’m Mr. Prepared and I want your Emergency Preparedness grade to be an A+, which means you have to do all your disaster homework and be ready to pass any kind of horrible pop quiz that Mother Nature throws at us.  So here’s a little lesson from the school of preparedness on how to be safe and not sorry.

 When disaster strikes (and may I remind you that 2008 is supposed to be an unusually active storm year?), the scary situation you may find yourself in is being cut off from basic services.  I’m not just talking about cable TV here.  I’m talking about being unable to buy food from stores, to drink water from your tap or to have electricity or power.  That’s a little more serious than not being able to get the Disney Channel!

 So how do you survive that kind of post-disaster scenario?  If you’re already a student of Mr. Prepared, you know the answer – Be Prepared!

 At the very least, you should have on hand a 72 hour Survival kit.  These are available in different configurations, some more extensive than others, and in various sizes, built for one to four people.  They contain food, water, first aid supplies, flashlights, a crank radio (hope you have strong arms!) and other very necessary supplies.  This hopefully is all you will need when the worst happens.

 To get an advanced degree in preparedness, however, you’ve got to listen to the experts.  And most emergency disaster authorities, including the Red Cross, say 72 hours of supplies is not enough to have on hand.  You should actually have a two week supply of food and water on hand.  And when I’m talking water, I’m not talking about two cups a day – I’m talking two gallons per person per day.  Trust me, you’ll use it!

 Now, if you want to be super-prepared for disasters and emergencies, you can purchase the Ultimate Emergency Kit.  It actually contains enough food to feed four people for three months.  If an emergency goes on longer than that, I’d move!  Owning one of these super kits is enough to give you a Masters in Preparedness-ology.  Just think what if your neighbors aren’t prepared like you are with the Ultimate Emergency Kit, you might have to help feed some of your neighbors.  Now you are the “Hero” in your neighborhood. 

So think about your emergency supply situation – what do you have on hand in case a disaster such as an earthquake or hurricane hits?   Prep and plan and you’ll always pass any preparedness test with flying colors.  This is Mr. Prepared, bringing Awareness to Preparedness!

Is Your 2008 Hurricane Preparedness in Place?

Mr. Prepared Wants YOU to BE PREPARED!

What’s huge and mean and could blow your house down?  No, I’m not talking about any big bad wolf – a mere animal can’t turn your living room into a swimming pool!   Only hurricanes, big gnarly hurricanes, can do that and endanger you and your loved ones.  If you don’t make the necessary emergency preparations now, you could be out of luck.  So prep and plan, people!

I’m Mr. Prepared and I specialize in trying to do everything humanly possible to make sure you stay safe!  As you all probably know, hurricane season is here – it runs from June 1st to November 30th (although, let’s face it, it ain’t like baseball season – storms can come before and after those cut-off dates!).

2008’s hurricane season is supposed to be a very, very active one, according to those meteorologist dudes (I think they went to school and got degrees – so they’re worth listening to!).  There’s a possibility of six to nine hurricanes this season hitting the good old USA – ouch!

“Planning and preparation is the key to storm survival and recovery.”  That’s not Mr. Prepared talking – it’s Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA administrator (when there are that many words after your name, you know you’re important!).   Now is the time to take the proper emergency preparedness actions, such as stocking preparedness supplies, making sure you know where shelters are, and having a preparedness plan for where family members should meet up if a big storm hits!

You can find many more safety tips, a preparedness checklist, what should be in your preparedness kit, what preparedness supplies you need and how to put together a preparedness plan in my free special report: The Top 10 Facts for Hurricane Survival (it’s all about the preparedness!) on my website at www.MrPrepared.com.

This information doesn’t just work for hurricane preparedness, much of it also applies to fire safety preparedness, tornado preparedness, earthquake preparedness, all kinds of disaster preparedness (except for perhaps a monster meteor coming at your house – even Mr. Prepared isn’t sure how to prepare for that!).

With the help of my free Special Report, you can put together a Preparedness Guide to suit you and your family’s needs and go over it with everyone!  Even that little six year-old who keeps watching the same Spongebob cartoon over and over – turn off the TV and maybe he’ll give it a look-see!

Your safety preparedness is important to me.  Natural dangers are lurking out there, involving earth, wind and fire (no, I’m not referring to the 70’s super group – but, kids, do ask your folks about the melodic wonders of “September” and the ultimate dance fave, “Boogie Wonderland”).  You can survive these threats by being smart and being prepared!  Until next time, this is Mr. Prepared, bringing awareness to preparedness!