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Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst: Best Buys for the Borderline Paranoid

By on January 3, 2013 in Gear, Survival

Much to the chagrin of would-be zombie hunters everywhere, the Mayan calendar did not cause the world as we know it to come to a screeching, apocalyptic halt. Now those of you who have your coat closets lined with non-perishables, cross-bows and desalinization kits can breathe a little easier. For the rest of us, potential threats to us and our family’s daily life are slightly less dramatic…although just as important as ever, especially in the wake of recent national disasters like Hurricane Sandy.

Although there’s no reason to panic every time the door creaks or the wind blows, there are certainly some unexpected and awful things that can and have happened to anyone. Keeping you and your family safe and prepared should be a given for parents (and responsible adults) everywhere. No one wants to get caught in a proverbial storm without a raincoat!

Medical Cards: Handier Than You Think

According to LawCore.com, every 14 seconds someone in America is injured in a car accident, and every 12 minutes, someone dies. Car accidents number in the millions each year, and that’s not even counting other freak accidents, like say a piano falling on your head from a second story window (OK, that’s doubtful, but there are a lot of cautionary tales of freak accidents floating around).

Although it’s impossible to prevent every accident from happening, you can be cautious and prepared. It’s important to carry the standard Red Cross Blood Type, allergy bracelets, epi pens and other medical -related helpful-measures with you. If you want to take the next step in family protection (medically speaking), Fortune High-Tech Marketing offers MyLife ID, which is essentially a credit card sized digital storage device with your entire medical history on it. If you are in a worst-case-scenario situation and you’re unable to communicate with medical personnel, devices like this could change your life.

There are those who spend their lives making hats out of tinfoil to “block” government mind-reading devices, and those who stand in their penthouses laughing while a twister is headed right for them…there’s no need to spend your life worrying, but there are some simple steps you can take just in case the worst case scenario comes to call.

Disaster Supplies Kit

It’s easy to raise an eyebrow at all those “Doomsday Preppers” who obsess over storing supplies like it’s the end of the world, but there can be a happy medium. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Hurricane Sandy left over 1.3 million people without power. There have been a reported 796 tornadoes in 42 states alone in 2012, according to EveryTornado.net.

Statistics alone should be enough to motivate everyone to make a little preparation kit; you can buy pre-made by typing “disaster supplies kit” in any search engine, or put one together yourself using FHTM products and the supplies listed below (courtesy of Ready.gov):

  • Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
  • Water, one gallon per day per person, for at least three days
  • Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
  • Flashlight and extra batteries
  • First aid kit
  • Whistle to signal for help
  • Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter seams
  • Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
  • Wrench or pliers to turn off power, water, other utilities
  • Manual can opener for food
  • Local paper maps
  • Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger

A big thanks to our guest blogger,  Melody Schwartz, for this article!

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Undead Armageddon Survival: Build a Bollard Bastion

By on November 30, 2012 in Gear, Survival, Zombies

Hordes of decomposing corpses stumble through the apocalyptic remnants of Earth. They moan for flesh through atrophied mouths. Survivors huddle together in the last bastions of safety, desperate to live on amongst the undead. How will you survive in this decaying world?

Take Shelter

As movies and shows have taught us, survivors will want to congregate in structurally sound and easily barricaded locations that provide sustenance and tools. Shopping malls, department stores and farm houses — all effective places to dwell during the undead Armageddon. If you decide to stay at home, install some bollards around your home — you never know when maniacal looters may want to crash through your house and take what’s rightfully yours. Consider the installation of a chain link fence or perhaps, build a moat if your home isn’t surrounded by concrete. Aspire to create a fortress out of the location of your choice, so that you may find peace of mind in this zombie-roaming wasteland.

Choose Your Weapons

Lawnmowers, cricket bats, shovels, chainsaws — these tools have all been often used in the fight against the living dead with gory success. Firearms are a must-have against zombies, but there’s a caveat. Guns require ammunition (sure to be in limited supply), training and are prone to jamming. Shoot wisely: aim for the cranium. For most of us, melee combat will prove most effective and the tools easier to obtain. Baseball bats, axes and nail-studded boards are all far easier to find amongst the ruins and requires no training to swing into a zombie’s brain.

Seek Survivors

There is power in numbers; working in a unit will increase your chances of survival. The team should be balanced in skills sets: each person should be assigned a role. Scavengers, medics, soldiers, planners, sentinels — these are all integral roles from which a leader will arise. Prove your usefulness lest you want to become an expendable pawn to aid the group’s survival. Trust will come with time, but in a ruined world, always keep one eye open.

Supply Kit Checklist

  • Food: Canned goods, rations, non-perishables — all crucial chow for survival. This is about the only time where fresh fruits and vegetables aren’t going to cut it.
  • Water: Zombie apocalypse or not, you’ll need your eight glasses a day. A canteen will come in handy whenever you find a water source and are in need of a refill.
  • Medication: Stock up on prescriptions and painkillers to keep your body functional and pain-free. Raid the local pharmacy before all the good drugs are looted.
  • First aid kit: Adhesive bandages, antiseptic and saline, splint, gauze, trauma shears and tweezers should be the minimum contents in your kit.
  • Tools: Flashlight, Swiss Army knife, radio, batteries, duct tape, a coil of rope — take these, and whatever else you may need, with you at all times.
  • Toiletries: Pretend that you’re going to a sleepover — one that may never end. Get some soap, towels, a toothbrush and some deodorant, so that you don’t attract the walking dead.

A big thanks to our guest blogger, Dean Walpole, for this article!

 

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Zombie Protection

By on October 17, 2012 in Gear, Survival, Zombies

Whether you’re holed up at home or roaming the streets, chances are you’ll have an encounter. Be ready to protect yourself with these must-have weapons.

Hornady Zombie Max Ammo

The ultimate ammunition for taking out the undead, these 168 grain, .308 Winchester rounds zip through the air at 2700 fps. These are perfect for taking out any Zombies giving you trouble. At only $28 for a box of 20, you can afford to stock up. Just remember, aim for the head.

 

The Pathfinder Axe

For those of you who prefer to be more hands-on, this axe from Base Camp X is the ultimate must-have zombie weapon. With a steel head that weighs less than two pounds and a 26” hickory handle, this lightweight model is perfect for carrying around. It’s just the right size to get the job done and can smoothly split wood…or sever a head. Whatever your needs, the Pathfinder is a great deal priced between $175-$215.

 

Surviving the Zombie Outbreak 2013 Wall Calendar

Each month is packed with tips and tactics to ensure your survival through the zombie apocalypse. Make sure you know all of the identifying traits of a zombie and easy ways to raise your chances of survival with this official calendar for 2013…the year of the zombie. For only $14 at Calendars.com, you can’t afford not to buy this survival guide.

 

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Zombie T-shirts

By on September 21, 2012 in Gear, Zombies

Shirtoid.com has a great collection of shirts for my fellow zombie fans out there. Take a look and get yours today!

Here are a couple of my favorites:

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We’re Doomed!

By on June 25, 2012 in Gear, Humor

Check this great t-shirt from Cafe Press about our impending doom! It comes in a variety of colors and is only $31.

Read about the asteroid and supervolcano now, and stay tuned for explanations on the rest!

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Surviving the Volcano

By on June 20, 2012 in Gear, Survival, Volcano

While it is not really possible to prevent a volcanic eruption, you may be able to survive one. With some planning ahead, you might just make it through the eruption and nuclear winter that would follow.

The first thing to do is have a shelter. You’ll need to get as far away from the volcano as possible because of lava flow, vents, and earthquakes. Also, the shelter should not be anywhere near a fault line as earthquakes are a side effect of a massive eruption. Make sure that wherever and whatever your shelter is, you have the ability to recycle and recirculate air. There really is no telling how long you would be stuck there (think District 13 for those Hunger Games fans out there).

Once you have a shelter picked out and ready, you’ll need to stock up on water and non-perishable food. Make sure that you and anyone you take in could be self-sustained for at least a few months. Remember, even if you want to venture out in the aftermath to search for food, the plants and animals (if even still alive) will be toxic.

You’ll also need to have some basic survival gear like goggles and filter masks to protect you from the ash. Make sure to have plenty of towels so that you can dampen them and stuff them anywhere air might get in. The damp towels will work as a sort of filter for the outside air making sure that the ash does not inundate your shelter. Lastly, until the ash clears it will be very much like a nuclear winter. Make sure you have plenty of warm clothes and blankets. If for any reason you go outside, have an outer layer you can strip off before you reenter your shelter. Once the volcanic ash is in, you won’t be able to get rid of it.

It may not be a perfect solution, but if you have the above in place, you have a better chance of surviving a volcanic eruption than most. Is there anything else you can think of that you would need?

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Outlast an Asteroid

By on March 13, 2012 in Asteroid, Gear, Survival

If you don’t want to rely on winning the lottery process like in Deep Impact, then you should probably consider having your own underground shelter in case of an asteroid impact. Now you can buy a prefabricated bomb shelter and just bury it somewhere, or you can have a house-like bunker constructed to your specifications on your property!

Disaster Bunkers offers you a hand in the design project and will construct a safe shelter for you and your family that actually looks and feels like a house. If you are going to have to live there for the next ten years or more, you want to be comfortable, right? These bunkers aren’t just stylish though, they offer blast doors and air filtration systems as well.

While the shelter is a good place to start, you have to remember the other basics. You can go ahead and start shopping at Costco or Sam’s Club now, or you can check out OnlineSurvivalSupplies.com. Here you’ll find freeze dried food, ready to eat meals, first aid kits, and hygiene products to keep your family and friends full and fresh.

You’ll also want to think about entertainment. You can only enjoy each other’s conversation for so long before you start to go crazy. Stock up on some old-school board games, decks of cards, puzzles, and maybe coloring books for the little ones. You can try a few electronic travel games, but remember batteries could be better used for necessary survival items.

What else would you stock in your bunker?

 

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Get Your T-Shirts!

By on March 12, 2012 in Asteroid, Gear

Check this great t-shirt from Cafe Press about an Asteroid Impact. It comes in a variety of colors and is only $24.50.

Why does the shirt mention April 13, 2036?

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