As our societies grow and we rely more and more on third party services to keep us safe and sound, the danger of suddenly becoming helpless and endangered increases. While there are literally thousands of ways to prepare for a disaster, you should primarily focus on the fundamental tips designed to protect you and your family.

The following tips and techniques were designed by emergency professionals are recommended for all persons in the event of a disaster. Don’t wait until the dreaded winter storm forecast or unexpected natural disaster strikes. Spend time today preparing you and your family for the worst, so you may have the best odds in your favour.

Understand the Most Likely Disasters

One of the fundamental levels of preparing for a disaster is knowing what kind of events you’ll likely face. Live in the mountains? Then you probably won’t have to worry about a tsunami; however, you should concern yourself with landslides, severe weather and health pandemics. The worst mindset you can have is thinking you live in a disaster-free zone. There is no such thing in this world. Review the most likely disaster’s for your area and create disaster-specific plans based upon this information.

Establish a Connection Method

What will you do when the cell networks go down? What happens when local telecommunication systems are non-operational? These are only a sample of questions you must ask yourself. It’s imperative to consider how you’ll connect with your loved ones when a disaster strikes, and traditional forms of communication aren’t available. Disaster relief organizations suggest confirming an out-of-area emergency contact, as local communications may be down while long-distance communications may still be available. Consider investing in satellite phones and battery-operated two-way radios to communicate during the peak of a disaster.

Receive Alerts During a Disaster

While your television and Internet connection may not be available during a major disaster, officials communicate with the general public through a variety of methods. The first step is to sign up for emergency alerts on your cell phone or via an emergency radio – sold at many electronics stores. Communicate with your local officials to uncover their communications plan should a disaster occur. Upon learning this information, adjust your emergency plan to incorporate these methods so you and your family can remain in-the-loop during an emergency.

Prepare Disaster Responses from Multiple Locations

In an ideal world, when a disaster strikes you and all your loved ones are packed safely in your home. However, this may not be the case. When an unexpected disaster occurs and you or your family members are not at home, it’s imperative to have a well-developed response plan for these situations. Plan to react from a variety of locations, such as your place of employment or your car. Plan evacuation routes, communication plans, and meet-up locations throughout the region with your family. Discuss emergency plans with your children’s school or daycare facility to determine how they’ll handle communicating with you during a disaster.

The notion of dealing with a major emergency is not one that many wish to dwell on. While there’s something to be said about positive thinking, when this form of thinking leads to a lack of action, it becomes a serious problem. Even if you believe you’ll never be involved in a serious emergency situation – whether a natural disaster or something more serious – it’s essential to prepare for the worst while hoping for the best.

You’ve likely scanned across articles on blogs, magazines or newspapers discussing the value of preparing your home and family. However, many of these tips are expensive and require a significant amount of time and dedication to accomplish. What would you say if the most effective tips are also the cheapest?

Continue reading to uncover the top 5 emergency preparedness tips designed to keep you and your family safe without having to spend an arm-and-a-leg on advanced supplies and costly provisions.

Plan an Escape Route Out of Your Home

Imagine there was an emergency within your home, such as a fire, and you need to escape quickly and safely. What are the best ways to evacuate your home in the fastest way possible? Take a moment to delve into possible escape routes, then write it down. Make sure all inhabitants within your home fully understands where to go and how to escape the house should it be necessary.

Create a Centralized Meeting Place

So you’ve managed to escape your home – or some other location – during an emergency, now what? In the ideal world, you and your family are together when an emergency happens; however, this isn’t always the case. Designate two different meeting areas. The first should be close to your home, such as at a neighbours house or at the neighbourhood park. The second should be a centralized place within your town or city. Write these locations down and make sure your family and friends understand where to meet should an emergency take place.

Create an Emergency Contact Card

Emergency contact cards are essential should a major disaster happen and you or your family members need to reach specific individuals or visit a specific meeting place, as described above. This card should contain the phone numbers of out-of-state relatives or emergency contacts as well as the locations of your two designated meeting areas. Copy this card and ensure each family member and friend has one for easy reference during a disaster.

Regularly Update Your SHTF Emergency Plan

One of the biggest mistakes many people make when it comes to creating an emergency plan is making it once and never returning to it. Much like life, the details in your emergency plan can, and will, need to change. Whether you move or change emergency contact information, make sure to re-visit your emergency plan every six months and make updates as necessary. What’s worse than not having an emergency plan? Having an outdated emergency plan.

Practice Your SHTF Emergency Plan

There are many times when an emergency plan is thorough and effective, but during an actual emergency you or your family members become disoriented and are unsure how to follow the established plan. To prevent confusion during these stressful and overwhelming times, it’s imperative to practice your emergency plan. Go through each step of your plan as if a real emergency was happening. Drive your planned evacuate route and spend time mapping out alternative escape routes. Practice exiting your home based upon the various escape plans and make sure to keep your emergency kits well-stocked.

Duct tape has gained almost a cult following due to its wide array of uses. Whether you wish to make a custom wallet or the most colourful dress at the party, duct tape does far more than secure and item. While it features many quirky and fun uses, duct tape has become the go-to item for survivalists throughout the world. Explore how this everyday item could potentially save your life if caught in an emergency situation.

Tent Repair

A leaky or drafty tent could mean the difference between staying safe and warm or being exposed to dangerous elements. Repair tears and holes with a roll of duct tape. Patch the tear or hole by covering with a layer of duct tape on the exterior and interior side of your tent. This is also an excellent fix if your tent zipper has broken. Simply place the tape along the zipper line of the tent.

Repair Your Water Bottle

Patch holes in your water container by placing a small strip of duct tape directly over the holes. IMPORTANT: Make sure the water bottle is empty and completely dry before applying the tape, as it doesn’t stick to wet surfaces. Enhance this fix by completely wrapping the water bottle with duct tape.

Create a Homemade Spear

Grab a pole and attach your camping knife to its tip by wrapping it with several layers of duct tape. This survivalist method turns these two common items into a deadly spear to ward off animal attacks or to catch dinner.

Secure a Sprained Ankle

Sprained ankles could potentially put you and your hiking group in serious danger, especially if you must escape a potentially dangerous situation. Secure a sprained ankle by wrapping it with duct tape. While not a permanent fix, the tape will secure the ankle enough to provide mobility.

Care for Blisters

Whether on your feet or hands, blisters can not only make common movements painful, but if left exposed to the elements, it could become seriously infected. Place a layer of cotton gauze or bandages over the blister and secure with duct tape.

Create Watertight Boots

Prevent water and/or dirt from entering your boots by wrapping the top of the boots with duct tape. Add an extra layer of protection by tightening the ends of your pants with duct tape. Tightly wrap duct tape around the ankle of your pants to prevent dirt, water or bugs from crawling up your legs.

Make Rope

While not the most ideal usage, create decently strong ropes by rolling several pieces of duct tape together in a spiral formation. This method creates a multi-layered rope ideal for securing items or stringing up between trees as a clothes line.

Secure Shelter

If you don’t have a tent, but need to escape the elements, duct tape can be used to secure items, such as a trash bag or a tarp, to trees. Use several layers of duct tape to ensure its security, especially if it’s raining.

Secure Bandages and Splints

Keep bandages (or broken bones) from moving, or being damaged or getting wet, by applying several layers of duct tape over a bandage or an emergency splint. Make sure a sterile dressing fully covers the wound before applying duct tape.

Reseal Cans of Food

Prevent food from going to waste by creating a makeshift can food lid. Fashion a lid out of duct tape by placing a single strip along the centre of the can. Add strips along the left and right side, making sure each strip overlaps the other, until the opening of the can is enclosed in tape.

Catch Flies Without Chemicals

In the summer months, flies in your tent can prove to be a real nuisance. Eliminate these pesky insects by securing 3 to 5 strips of duct tape from the roof of your tent. The sticky side of the tape acts as fly paper, without the harmful chemicals. As the strips become full of flies, simply crumple up into a ball and throw away.

Create a Belt

When your pants are too big, and you don’t have a belt, the sagging clothing can be not only annoying, but potentially dangerous in an emergency situation. Secure your pants by running a strip of duct tape through your belt loops. Allow the tape to overlap 4 to 5 inches and tighten.

12 Survival Uses For Duct Tape

Quick tip – if you want to carry duct tape with you in your hiking/camping or bug-out bag, don’t take the whole bulky roll; instead carefully wrap your water bottle in duct tape. This will protect your water bottle from bumps and allow you to carry some duct tape without any effort or too much additional weight.

Here is some of the best duct tape you can get: 3M Scotch Heavy Duty All-Weather Duct Tape

(Image from: Joe Loong)