Functional Friday: 10 Things to Schedule RIGHT NOW for This Fall

As Labor Day week-end arrives, tipping us into the unofficial start of autumn, my mind is busy concocting all sorts of fall fare.  As my own favorite season, fall enjoys prestige and privilege in our home. Today's list includes ten fall-ish festivities that I am making plans for right now.  Call a friend, make a plan and save the date now to enjoy the season's best. 

Gift Giving with Preparedness in Mind

A popular concept within the Church of Latter Day Saints is having a “Food Storage Christmas”. Families will take the money that they might have spent on a new TV or diamond earrings and instead invest it in their family’s preparedness.

If you exchange gifts with extended family, you can give gifts that promote preparedness without giving a year’s supply of freeze dried lima beans. Here are some examples:

Fancy Olive Oils are all the rage these days. Buy freshly harvested, in a green bottle to keep out harmful light. It will last over a year, and up to 2 years if stored properly. Olive oils have a lot of healthful and beneficial fats, and one infused with an herb (such as rosemary) is something a little nicer than usual.

Dried fruits have so many uses. My favorite is baked in a pastry puff with brie. It makes an indulgent appetizer. Try adding it to a beef roast in the crock pot. The sweet addition to the meat, makes for a complex flavor. Dried fruits have a long shelf-life if stored properly. They are a good source of nutrition and even the little ones will eat them.

Shelf stable smoked salmon is a fantastic source of protein and heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids. Served up with a little bit of cream cheese on a cracker, this too makes for a great appetizer.

A fancy whole bean coffee or a tin of exotic tea would be appreciated by the most discriminating recipient. 

Maybe you can spread a little holiday spirit with someone's favorite bottled beverage.

For the gadget-minded, a new LED keychain flashlight is energy efficient and just plain cool.

Multi-tools are shrinking smaller and smaller, so that they too are keychain size. Some even have a little flashlight on them.

Who couldn't use an extra pair of gloves, a hat, and scarf to throw in their car?

Skip the gift-wrap this year and give gifts in a reusable grocery bag. Heartier than the plastic ones from the grocery store, everyone can use one of these.

You'll experience the joy of the season, giving gifts with a purpose.

(Early) Functional Friday: Preparedness Project - Give Thanks!

The official origins of Thanksgiving are often disputed - was it really in Plymouth, Massachusetts? Before that back in England? And the traditions have almost certainly changed. Why turkey? I highly doubt our ancestors had cranberry-orange relish or hash brown casserole. But, the same theme remains – a thankful heart and a grateful spirit for whatever blessings that we might have: health, home, family, medical care, food, safety, excess or even “just enough”.

This week’s preparedness project is to spend time with those whom we value: family, friends, a neighbor, the needy. Do a good deed, say a kind word, make someone feel wanted and appreciated and valued.

No amount of food or water stored, degree of financial stability, number of first aid kits are as valuable as the people in our lives.

And for that we are truly Thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Home Fire Escape Plan

I am passionate about home and office fire safety.  I'm a risk taker by nature, and I love to play with fire. But I am heart-broken when I hear of needless injuries related to preventable fires. I have to admit I've been burned a few times, but never seriously.  However, my friend's son was recently burned quite badly in a home fire that started in the garage with a legitimate car repair project.  Fortunately, no one lost their life, but the suffering that this family has endured in the past few months has been heavy on my heart.

If you didn't catch Monday's post, start reading there.  Fire safety always starts with prevention, and Monday's post contains lots of links and tips to keep you home (and office) safe from accidental fires.  This post is about what to do if you find yourself in the midst of a home or office fire.  I'm keeping it VERY simple.  There are so many possible twists and turns to a home fires that I get bogged down in the details at first.  However, many home fire injuries and fatalities could be avoided by following a few simple rules.

• Practice your fire plan.  Can everyone in your family tell you what to do and where to meet?  Know who may and may not use a fire extinguisher.  Know who will lead children under 5 years and others who may require assistance.  Everyone should practice two ways of escaping from every room in the house.  Call 9-1-1 immediately!

• Only use fire extinguishers if the fire is smaller than a small trash can. A home extinguisher only lasts 10-15 seconds.

• Get down!  Smoke and heat rise to the ceiling.  Fire victims are significantly more likely to perish from smoke inhalation that actual burns. 

• Check doors before you open them.  If the door or the handle are hot, don't open it.

• Get out and stay out! Everyone should get out of ANY HOUSE with a fire.  Don't wait.  Don't go to another room.  Don't see IF you need to leave.  Seconds count.  Get out now!

Here are a few other tips to keep in mind.

Know who will respond to your home's fire and how to contact them.  (Some areas do not have 9-1-1 yet.  Some areas don't have public protection and require that you pay and register in advance.)

Sprinklers save lives.  Home installation of a sprinkler system is becoming more affordable, especially during new construction.

Security bars on windows present special considerations for fire escape planning. 

Fire planning and drills are critical for the elderly, in offices, and multi-story or larger buildings.

Fires spread fast.  Seconds count.  You don't have time to make decisions.  You will do what you have practiced.  Watch this 5 minute video that brings it all home.

Home Fire Safety

As we approach a festive season full of delicious feasts, baked treats, warm fires, and fragrant candles, everyday Providence will be taking this week to look at home fire safety.   Simple precautions will greatly reduce your family's chances of suffering a fire this season.  Thanks to heightened safety and awareness, the numbers of house fires, injuries, and fatalities has declined significantly in the past 20-30 years.  Let's take a look at a few potential causes of house fires.

• Smoking in bed is NEVER a good idea.  Don't do it.  One in four fire deaths starts with a cigarette.
• Cooking fires account for the most house fires and usually begin when food is left on the stove or in the oven unattended.
• Many homes begin to turn on the furnace to break the chill of cool autumn nights. Most heating related fires occur in December, January and February.
• Electrical fires are often caused by faulty wiring, electrical appliances, and extension cords, and light fixtures starting fires.
• Candles cause 15,000 fires each year.  Burning candles must be attended at all times, away from flammable objects, and safely held in an appropriate candle holder away from children and pets.
• Other areas for concerns for household fire safety include generators, fire places and chimney fires, outdoor fires (fire pits and grills) and space heaters.

What’s on your home's Fire Safety Checklist? Here are some suggestions:

• Ensure that you have adequate smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors. Change the batteries ever 6 months. Test monthly.
• Locate home fire extinguishers near every exit door and in the room with each heating device (furnace, space heater, oven/stove, water heater, etc.)
• Schedule an inspection and cleaning for your furnace, fireplace, and fire extinguishers.
• Take a careful look at your home’s potential fire hazards – flammable liquids, combustible materials – ensure that they’re stored safely (never in glass) and away from ignition sources.
• Do not burn candles while they’re unattended.
• Do not overload circuits; electric heaters can be a huge fire hazard. Use only UL Listed electrical devices. Avoid permanent use of extension cords or hiding them beneath rugs.
• Review your evacuation plan and exit routes in case of a fire. Make sure that your exit doors and windows can be easily accessed and opened by everyone in the house.
• Teach everyone what to do if the smoke detectors or CO detectors alarm. Practice it.  And when the alarm goes off, follow your plan, even if the fire is small.
• Ensure that emergency response numbers and your contact information (including your address and directions to your home) are posted near the phone.
• Make copies of important documents and store them at a secure location other than your house.
• Purchase a fire-rated safe for other important items and documents.
• Consider keeping some emergency clothing and other items away from your home – work, a detached garage, etc.
• Go to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) for much more safety information. 

Consider supporting your local fire department's efforts by providing fire safety equipment to local residents that may not be able to afford (or simply may not make the effort) to include smoke detectors, carbon monoxide (CO) detectors or fire extinguishers in their home safety plans.  Most of these items cost less than $20 each.  They can make a life and death difference in homes in your community because nearly two-thirds of home fire deaths occurred in homes with no (or non-working) smoke detectors.  Simply purchase an item and drop it off (in the original packaging) at your local fire house, or stop by and make a donation to provide equipment, batteries, or training and education for local families.

Fire safety and preparedness should involve more than just preventing fires; next post we'll consider what you should do if a fire does break out in your home or work.

Functional Friday: Preparedness Project - Daylight Savings Time Checks

Have you started some emergency preparations? A stash of extra food and water? An emergency evacuation bag? An extra $20 in your glove compartment? First, give yourself a pat on the back. Then, mark your calendar for November 7th. That's the day, this year, when Daylight Savings Time ends.

It’s a great time to review the preparations that you’ve already made and make any seasonal updates.

- Inspect First Aid Kits for expiration dates, ensure that nothing has spilled and compromised that box of bandaids.
- Review your Emergency Food for expiration dates. (Plan to eat or consider donating any items that are approaching their expiration.)
- Review your Evacuation Bag emergency food. While you’re unpacking everything, inventory it. Write down the item description, expiration, calories, protein and fat. (Next time, you can just pull out the list and buy appropriate replacement items before you unpack anything.)
- Review your emergency water supply and replace expired water.
- Replace your home’s smoke and Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector batteries. Test them while you’re at it. This time of year is when most people start turning on their heat, electric blankets, fireplaces, etc.
- Have your furnace and fireplace inspected for any hazards.
- Switch out clothing in your emergency bags to ensure you have cold weather clothes and accessories (hats, gloves, scarves, chemical hand warmers).
- Perform garden winterizing.
- Switch out any storm windows from screens to glass. You’ll be glad your house is retaining as much heat as possible in the event of a winter storm power outage.
- Make sure you have rock salt, a good shovel, and ice scrapers.
- Make sure your snow blower (or snow shovel) is in good condition and gassed up.
- Get ready to enjoy the season knowing that you’re prepared.
- And don’t forget to reset your clocks!

Week-end Preparedness Project   Time: Cost:   Difficulty:  ☐  First Aid Kit check.  ☐  Check dates and rotate emergency food (home, work, evacuation bag).  ☐  Check stored water supply.  ☐  Replace smoke and CO detector batteries.  ☐  Clean, check, inspect furnace and vents.  ☐  Check cold weather gear in car.  ☐  Home and garden winterizing.  ☐  Check snow and ice removal equipment.  ☐  Set your clock back an hour on November 7.

Trick-or-Treat Alternatives

Do you feel like giving out Halloween candy is more of a trick than a treat? Consider handing out something that your trick-or-treaters will find fun, but might bring to mind safety, as well.

Whistle – Besides annoying Mom and Dad, whistles are often used by backpackers and hikers who are lost. A whistle can be heard much further away than a yell, and it’s much less fatiguing.

Flashlight keychain – You don’t need an emergency to find this handy, especially as trick-or-treat night gets dark and there are lots of kiddos out walking around.

Chemical Glow Stick – or necklace or bracelet. This is a fun way for kiddos to be easily seen.

Reflective stickers – Put these on a treat bag or back pack or shoes to be highly visible.

Safety Bookmarks – Fire Prevention, Bike Safety, etc. Kids who are just learning to read will find these particularly interesting, regardless of the topic.