DPT--Personal Safety Habits

Habits, those things we do repeatedly and many times unconsciously, can be bad (smoking) or good (see below). Today's daily preparedness tip will focus on habits you can develop that will add an extra layer of safety to your daily life.

You may have developed a set of habits either through trial and error or through training that make you just a bit more prepared, just a bit safer and just a bit more aware than others. Here are some habits that I have developed over the years:

• I shred everything with personal information on it immediately.
• I lock doors as soon as I enter or leave--this includes car doors, the door to my home and the door to my office unless I am expecting someone.
• I am consistently inconsistent. I never leave my home or office at the same time, I don't frequent any particular place (ie: coffee shop, gas station, bars, deli), and I never have a "routine" day.
• I delete all web history (TIFs, browsing history, cookies) as soon as I exit my browser.
• I keep everything under lock and key (files, personal documents, weapons, etc).
• A few good habits: I exercise every day no matter what, I take vitamins daily, and floss my teeth daily.
• I generally don't eat at restaurants but if I must, I always sit where I have a good view of what is going on. Also, I rarely ever go to bars unless absolutely necessary.
• I plan ahead for the things I need to do (ie: if I need money I will get it from a public ATM in a busy location in the middle of the day--you'll never find me running out at midnight to an ATM in an isolated location). Ditto for any activity that could put me in a vulnerable situation (in foreign countries, I call up my local contacts to meet me as soon as I get off the plane; if I know that the flu may be particularly bad this year, I get a flu shot; if I have a meeting in an unfamiliar location, I check the place out ahead of time).
• I save money religiously. Every day I put money aside (whether it be into the bank, into an investment, or into my coin jar) and never spend it unless it is a dire emergency. If I must spend this savings, it is replenished as soon as possible.
• I pay cash for everything. The only time I will use a credit/debit card or a check is for renting a car or hotel room, paying for a flight or paying bills. Everything else (gas, food, weapons, other sundries) is paid for with cold hard cash.

Basic Fall Preparedness Checklist

Summer is quickly winding down. Here are a number of items that will require your attention this fall.

• Make sure your children as well as yourself have updated immunizations.
• Have your chimney cleaned, especially if you use the fireplace often during the winter.
• Clean out the gutters on your home prior to the first big rain storm.
• Plant fall bulbs, trees and vegetables.
• Prune shrubs, trees and roses.
• Get your garden ready for winter.
• Make sure your alternative source of heat (ie: kerosene heater or other) is ready for use.
• Check all of the smoke detectors in your home.
• Inventory, stock, and rotate stored food.
• Change out your stored water.
• Visit "shoulder season" attractions (zoo, tourists destinations) once the tourists have gone home.
• Make a fall exercise plan so you can continue with all of the progress you made this summer (ie: consider indoor exercise opportunities).
• Powerwash the roof, decks, driveway and walkways.
• Make any needed exterior repairs.
• Clean and organize the garage and get any winter equipment (skis, snowblower) ready for use.
• Have your furnace serviced/tuned up/cleaned.
• Sign up for a class at the local community college.
• Clean up/repair/prep for storage all summer items (boat, jet skis, camp stove, tools) that won't be used again until next summer.
• Weatherize your home if needed (add extra insulation, caulk, weatherstrip).
• Get your car ready for winter--have it tuned up, the oil changed, rotate the tires and ensure that you have the correct snow tires/chains on hand for your vehicle.
• Give yourself a major four month (September to December) challenge: pay off a debt, become fluent in a language, pay off a big debt, etc.

Another Good Reason to Not Believe Everything You Read

Most people know that Wikipedia is an open-source site where anyone is free to edit the content they provide on just about every subject you could think of. Unfortunately it seems that many people take the information provided by this site as gospel even though it could have been written by your neighbor's son who has been stoned most of his life. Obviously, on this site, there doesn't have to be research, editing by people with an armload of degrees, or any other sort of oversight that usually goes into an encyclopedic reference. So, the story which recently ran in maltaStar about a program which showed who really is editing this site cause quite a stir. Check out the article to see just who was adding or deleting what info--makes for interesting reading and is another good reason not to believe everything you see in print.

30 Simple Home Safety Tips

Home security is of the utmost importance. Considering that many people spend more than half of their lives in their homes and that it is the "cocoon" where we return to for comfort and safety. making our home as safe and secure as possible should be our highest priority. Here are 30 tips to help you get started:

1. Install peep holes in front and back doors.
2. All exterior doors as well as the door to the garage from inside your home and the door to your safe room should be solid core.
3. All exterior doors and the door from inside your home to the garage should should have dead bolt locks on them.
4. Take your name off of your mailbox, house, and any signs in your yard and leave only your address.
5. Install flood lights with motion sensors outside your home and out buildings.
6. Have locking screen doors and windows that can be locked into position when they are opened or closed.
7. Have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and in the garage.
8. Keep all doors (front, back, sliders, garage, and outbuilding) locked unless you are actively using them.
9. Have an interior light or two on a random timer.
10. Ensure all smoke detectors are working properly.
11. Have a completely fenced yard.
12. Have a locking doggy door that can be locked when you aren't home.
13. Protect sliding glass doors and windows with a "stop pin" or dowel in the slider track. Also consider security glass.
14. Keep the exterior of your home as "average" looking as possible.
15. Use a fireproof and waterproof safe for valuables and have it bolted to the floor or wall studs in an out-of-the-way location.
16. Trim brushes or trees that could hide someone trying to break into your home or better yet, plant roses or other thorny bushes under windows.
17. Have the chimney cleaned as needed.
18. Install a carbon monoxide detector.
19. Consider installing an audio and video surveillance system both inside and outside your home.
20. Change or re-key the locks to your home as soon as you move in and after roommates/service providers/other with keys are no longer working or living with you.
21. If you leave items such as air conditioners permanently in place, make sure they are bolted in place and not just balanced on the windowsill.
22. Put a simple slide bolt on the trap door to your crawl space and attic.
23. Don't leave items outside that could draw the attention of burglars or prowlers (ie: ladders, tools, expensive and easily stolen items, etc.).
24. If you decide to use a commercial security service for your home go for quality--not just the cheapest price or the one that all of the neighbors use.
25. Don't leave your spare key under the mat or in the flower pot, or any other spot that a burglar might find it.
26. Make sure people can't see into your home both during the day and at night (go outside during both of these times and see what others see when they look through the windows of your home).
27. Never have any outward-facing hinges on exterior or safe room doors.
28. Install an automatic garage door opener in lieu of opening the door manually.
29. Change any pre-set codes (ie: garage door opener, safe, gunsafe, answering machines, etc) to your own secure code.
30. Get a dog.

The Preparedness Bookshelf

As much as more and more of our reading, research and education is conducted online, it is still a good idea to have a basic set of actual *books* to refer to in times of emergency (or boredom). Here is a basic list of books that should reside on your preparedness bookshelf:

• The Encyclopedia of County Living by Carla Emery
• Back to Basics by Readers Digest Editors
• Where There is No Doctor by David Werner
• Wilderness Medicine: Beyond First Aid by William Fogery
• Where There is No Dentist by Murray Dickson
• Medicine for the Outdoors by Paul Auerbach
• SAS Survival Handbook by John Wiseman
• Putting Food By by Janet Greene
• Preparedness Now by Civilian
• Organize for Disaster by Judith Kolberg
• Edible and Medicinal Plants (look up this title on Amazon and order the version suited to your location)
• Primitive Wilderness Living and Survival Skills by John and Geri McPherson
• Primitive Technology by David Wescott
• US Army Survival Manual by Department of Defense
• New Fix It Yourself Manual by Readers Digest
• How to Be Invisible by JJ Luna
• Privacy Crisis by Grant Hall
• SAS Urban Survival Handbook by John Wiseman
• How to Survive Anything, Anywhere by Chris McNab
• Wilderness Survival by Mark Elbroch and Michael Pewtherer

The Digital Trail...Or How You are Are Being Tracked Day In and Day Out

Many people go about their daily business in a state of auto-pilot. Many of the things we do are routine and we do basically the same thing every day with little thought to how our every action is being recorded, digitized, analyzed and stored for future use. Although the time is still a bit off until we will all be neatly implanted with an RFID chip at birth, consider how the following tasks leave a digital trail that can easily be resurrected should the need arise:

• You get up and deactivate your security system to let the dog out.
• You log onto the internet.
• You check your email.
• You email something or receive an email.
• You IM someone or receive and IM.
• You pay a bill online.
• You order from an online store.
• You buy or sell something on EBay.
• You send or receive photos or files online.
• You check your financial accounts online.
• You pass through a toll booth on your way to work.
• You stop by Starbucks and pick up breakfast using your debit card.
• You pass by one of the many intersections that record the license plates of red light runners.
• You enter any number of buildings with video security (gas station, convenience store, WalMart, et al.).
• You drive down the freeway or other road with webcam surveillance.
• You go into your office building and swipe your ID/have your retina scanned/have your finger print scanned.
• You log onto your server at the office.
• You use your cellphone.
• You eat at the company cafeteria or a local restaurant paying with anything but cash.
• You fill out and submit a form (for anything: a loan, a passport, a medical claim, etc).
• You drive a car that has a "black box".
• You enter or leave the country.
• You fly, cruise, take a train or an inter-state bus.
• You use any type of card associated with your personal information (student ID, grocery store membership card, library card, city bus pass, etc.).
• You write up a manifesto or any other document on your computer.
• You have any medical or dental procedure done.
• You enter any place (military base, courthouse, embassy) or attend an event (wedding, funeral) that records your presence.
• You buy a firearm.
• You rent a movie.
• You use any service (ie: water, electricity, garbage, etc) with which your information is associated.
• You make a call from your home phone.
• You call 911.
• You order a pizza or Chinese food to be delivered to your home.
• You reactivate your security system before going to bed.

That's just a basic list of all of the ways you are tracked and your actions are recorded each day. Of course there are ways to minimize your "digital footprint" and there are some locations that are less prone to these surveillance methods than others.

Your homework: write down every way that your daily actions are being documented or leaving a digital trail for the next couple of days. After this task is completed, go through your list and brainstorm ways to minimize or eliminate this trail.

Health and Fitness Online

As you know from reading other posts on this blog, health and fitness is the most important part of personal preparedness. The basics of health and fitness are pretty straight forward--exercise more and eat healthy food. Of course it is not always that simple. Working exercise into a hectic schedule is always a challenge and eating healthy food is easier said than done. I would hazard a guess that 75% of the food sold in supermarkets today is patently unhealthy. To get a grip on your health and fitness, check out the links below and follow these simple rules:

1. Exercise for an hour every day (work in strength, cardio and flexibility exercises)
2. Eat reasonable portions of fruits, vegetables, grains and protein while laying off the junk food.
3. Reduce stress.
4. Sleep eight full hours every night.
5. Drink only water as much as possible (skip the coffee, cola, alcohol, and other not-so-good-for-you drinks)

• Dr Weil
• Prevention
• Worlds Healthiest Foods
• Dr Dean Ornish
• Food Revolution
• MediterAsian
• The Science of Being Well
• Real Age
• Healthy Living TV
• Gary Null's Natural Living
• Health and Fitness Tips
• Health Food Stores
• Chet Day
• Hooah 4 Health
• Bottom Line
  

20 Ways to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft

Identity theft is huge these days. Whether from crackheads needing to fund their next fix, online scams originating from Africa or comprehensive rings with the sole purpose of divesting your from your hard earned-money and equally hard-earned credit rating, there is a good chance that you could end up a victim no matter how smart or well-educated you are. Here are a bunch of tips to keep yourself protected:

1. Carry only one or at the most two credit cards in your wallet.
2. Keep your other credit cards, cash and valuables locked up in a safe at your home or off-site in a safe deposit box.
3. Reduce the number of credit cards you have. There is basically no need for 20 credit cards--this only increases the number of cards you need to keep track of.
4. Keep a list of all of your creditors along with account numbers and company contact information. This list should be kept in a safe place as well as in a password-protected file on your computer and back-up jump drive.
5. Shred any mail or other documents that you no longer need if they have any of your personal information on it.
6. Have a locked mailbox or use a post office box to secure your incoming mail.
7. Leave all of your outgoing mail in a locked mail drop box or at the post office.
8. Review your monthly credit card and bank statements; challenge any innacuracies immediatly.
9. Never give any personal information out (either on the phone, through email or in person) unless you have instigated the process that requires the information (ie: opened an EBay account, applied for a loan, etc).
10. Get a copy of your free annual credit report and review it annually; challenge any discrepencies immediatly.
11. Limit the amount of personal information available to steal (ie: don't carry your social security card, keep your passport in your immediate possession or under lock and key, don't carry bank or credit card statements around with you or leave them laying on a counter at home).
12. If your credit card bills are late or you receive a bill in your name for an account that you know nothing about, contact the creditor immediatly.
13. Report any instances of fraud or attempted fraud immediatly. If you see someone stealing mail or someone hacks your PayPal account, notify the authorities immediatly and file a report.
14. After a credit transaction, take your recipt home and shred it or watch the waiter shred it, don't just leave it behind.
15. Sign any new credit cards as soon as you receive them.
16. Never co-sign for a loan, loan a friend your ATM card, or give anyone a blank check--those sorts of things are just asking for trouble.
17. Put yourself on the "do not call" list and opt out of junk mail as well.
18. Request an alternative number if your insurance company or driver's license uses this number for identification purposes.
19. If you do apply for a new credit card or loan, make sure to follow up if you do not receive a response within an adequate amount of time.
20. Use strong passowords for anything that requires one (ATM and credit cards, online passwords, etc).

Identity Theft Resources

DPT--The Resource List

It's a good idea to have a resource list. Among the resources you will want to have at hand:

• Financial resources (cash on hand, cash in the bank, liquid investments, other investments)
• Preparedness resources (BOBs, stored food and water, information sources, a communication plan, etc)
• Income production resources (job and/or side business, marketable skill, items to sell or barter)
• People resources (mentor, survival team, family, friends, politically well-placed friends, etc)
• Physical resources (transportation, home base, adequate store of basic supplies)
• Technological resources (computer, cell phone, HAM radio, etc)
• Knowledge resources (a good education, ability to conduct research, thorough reading list)

In the absence of any of the above, it is a good idea to know how to get these items on a moment's notice either through your own activities or through your connections.

Plan Now for Fall Travel

Now is a great time to plan your fall travel. Of course in August, while everyone is on vacation, airfare and hotel prices are sky high, however if you start checking on rates for September and October you will see a drastic reduction in prices. September and October is a great time to travel almost anywhere--in the Northern Hemisphere, the temperature may become a bit cool but it is more than offset by the great travel deals and lack of tourists. Likewise, in the Southern Hemisphere, it will be spring and you will be able to get great rates since their "summer" vacations haven't yet started.

Working in Your Car--The Basics

Although I have an actual office, more often than not, my office is where ever I happen to be. With a hectic schedule, I often end up working in my car which isn't as bad as it sounds. It's better than Starbucks as I can't concentrate on my work (mostly a lot of reading and writing) with all of the people chattering and music playing. Here's the 4-1-1 on making your car into a relatively comfortable office...

First, it helps to have a comfortable car. I'm sure I wouldn't be near as content in say, a Miata, if I needed to do some serious work because I like to have everything spread out. Note: I don't do this when I am driving--I am either parked somewhere or have a driver and work as I am traveling to or from somewhere.

My office basics are always with me. I have my laptop, pens, legal pads, etc. in my briefcase. My "phone line" is my cell phone, my laptop is powered with a DC to AC car power converter (pictured above), and for internet access I have an air card for my laptop (OK but deathly slow compared to cable internet or a T1 line). If I'm lucky, I will be parked in an area that has wireless internet access (ie: some cities have this, some libraries and schools have wireless internet that reaches to their parking lots or nearby streets, also, many neighborhoods have unsecured signals).

I always have plenty of food and bottled water in my car, and, for most of the year, temperature is not a problem as the area that I live and do most of my work in has relatively moderate weather. This may not work as well in Las Vegas or Nome, for example.

Finally, pay attention to your safety. Choose a safe place to park and do not become so engrossed in your work that you forget to pay attention to what is happening outside of your car.

How To: 10 Quick Steps for Sheltering in Place

Sheltering in place is most often used during chemical emergencies; this can happen near chemical plants, railroads or freeways where chemicals are being transported or in businesses that use a great deal of chemicals (factories, swimming pools, etc). To shelter in place means to basically seal yourself in your home until you receive the "all clear" to come out. Here's how you would do it:

1. After hearing a public announcement to shelter in place, get your family and pets into your home as quickly as possible.
2. Lock the doors, close and lock the windows, turn off the heating and/or air conditioning, turn off any fans, and close the dampers on your fireplaces.
3. De-con in the garage if possible and have anyone who was exposed seal their clothes in a plastic bag, shower quickly and change into clean clothes (same goes for the dog or cat).
4. Grab your emergency bags and take shelter in a secure room in your home (generally the master bedroom with an attached bathroom works well).
5. Use plastic sheeting and duct tape to seal around all doors, windows, and outlets.
6. Turn on the TV or portable radio and wait for instruction.
7. You will need to have water and food that does not require heating, as you may need to stay in your shelter for a period of time. Never use cooking or heating (other than electric) appliances in a sealed room.
8. Consider having a laptop for communications and books/games/toys available to entertain the family while you are in your shelter. Phones (both cells and land lines) should only be used for emergency calls.
9. You should have a basic knowledge of first aid. Keep an eye on everyone and be aware of possible illness/contamination/stress related problems.
10. When an announcement is made that the situation has been take care of and you can leave your shelter, follow any instructions given.

That is sheltering in place in a nutshell. Depending upon your situation and a variety of other factors, you may want to consider installing an air filtration system and having "gas" masks for each family member. These are, however, expensive and extreme options for most situations. A number of considerations would need to be taken into account including the fact that many air filtration systems need regular maintenance and that gas masks need to be fitted specifically to the person wearing them (also check to see how often the filter portion of the mask needs to be replaced--generally every eight hours or so).

DPT--What to Keep Under Your Bed

If you look under my bed, here's what you'll find: a pair of tennis shoes, a flashlight, a pair of work gloves, and a knotted rope. Next to my bed is my wallet, cell phone and keys. Should a fire, earthquake or other disaster strike at night when I am sound asleep, these items will help me safely escape from my house.

Shoes are a necessity to protect your feet during an escape, a flashlight will help illuminate your way if something happens at night and there is no power, gloves are needed in case you need to move things out of your way to escape (ie: broken window glass), the rope is needed to help you escape from second story room (if your bedroom is on the first floor this won't be needed), and of course your wallet/cell/keys are necessary to be able to leave the scene of the disaster, pay for a hotel room and contact loved ones.

What's In Your Concealed Carry Holster?

I am not so much of a gun aficionado that I have a stellar collection of firearms, a to-die-for (no pun intended) handgun that I am salivating over or a monthly subscription to every firearm magazine on the market. What I do have is a small collection of weapons to meet just about every conceivable need that may arise.

For concealed carry, I am particularly fond of the Kel-Tec P3AT. In my everyday work I don't need heavy duty firepower, something that can withstand heavy duty use or state-of-the-art materials. What I do need is a reliable handgun that shoots cleanly, is reasonably well made and ultra concealable so I can put it in a briefcase or conceal it easily under my clothes no matter the weather. The P3AT fits all of these needs. Chambered in .380, this little handgun (check out the picture--it's only slightly bigger than a pack of playing cards) has a solid feel, smooth trigger pull and is actually pretty accurate. The only "negatives" I would report are related to the size of the handgun--if you have really big hands you may find this uncomfortable to shoot or draw very quickly and, also due to its size, this isn't a gun you are going to want to practice with every day. However, the trade-offs are more than worth it as it meets the need for its intended use--concealment and having a dependable weapon on hand for what, to date, has been the exceedingly rare emergency.

Whatever you decide to carry, if you decide to carry, make sure you are picking a weapon based on your own needs. The most expensive, biggest or most popular weapon may not be at all what you actually need and rather than being a blessing could turn out to be a curse.