Today, I am launching the first “In Case Of Emergency, Read Blog” Contest. It is my belief that we need to make emergency preparedness more engaging and even fun (as well as add some incentives) if we are to get Americans to take notice and start the preparedness process. So, I will be running some contests and other non-traditional preparedness activities on this blog. Of course, most of the readers of this blog do not need preparedness made more engaging or incentive-driven to get them involved. Nevertheless, I hope these contests will not only be enjoyable and an opportunity to win some preparedness-related prizes, but also hopefully a learning experience that gives us an opportunity to share and pick up some new ideas.
‘PREPAREDNESS TIPS’ CONTEST
THE RULES: Please send me a citizen preparedness tip to jsolomon@incaseofemergencyblog.com by August 7th. The submission should be along the lines of the “What Should We Tell The Public?” video series – a tip, recommendation, or an idea on what you think is important that other citizens should know and do in order to increase their own, their community’s and their nation’s readiness. I will collect and post every tip I receive. Then, I will do a random drawing of all the submissions to pick five winners.Â
THE PRIZE: Amanda Ripley has kindly given me five new copies of the Random House Audio of her book The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes And Why.
 THE UNTHINKABLE AUDIO BOOK
This unabridged edition, read by Kirsten Potter, has 8 compact discs covering nine-and-a-half-hours. I will send a copy to each of the five randomly selected winners. Thank you Amanda.  Â
UPDATE:
Reader Scott Miglin from Mount Vernon, Ohio submits this idea:
A twist on an old preparedness tip: Everyone needs a emergency kit at home. I plan on buying family members pre-made 72-hour emergency kits for Christmas from on of the several websites offering them. Sure, they may think I’m a lame-o, but their feelings will change after tasting the wholesome goodness of a 3600 calorie food bar 
…and I know they will something to build upon for an emergency plan.
Roger Ma from Brooklyn, New York suggests these:
Here’s my tip – ziplock bags for your go-bag items. Â While having a
go-bag is essential, packing it properly is also important. Â Itemize
your gobag items by type/use, and store all of them in a quart,
gallon, or two gallon size ziplock bag. Â I have the ziplocks in my
gobag sorted by several different ‘types’, including food (energy
bars), fire/light (matches, batteries, flashlight, tinder), clothes
(shirt, pants, socks), etc. Â Not only does this make your gobag
packing much easier and efficient (just pull out the right ziplock),
but also waterproofs most of the critical items in case your bag gets
soaked in water.
One more related quick tip – don’t just buy something for your gobag
and throw it inside, packaging and all. Â Make sure the item is fully
useable (packaging removed, batteries inserted, etc.) when it goes
into your bag so it’s immediately ready for use.
Â
3 responses so far ↓
1 Gilbert // Jul 21, 2008 at 3:57 pm
I disagree with Roger Ma’s advice to put batteries in all your go bag devices so they are ready. Have you ever opened up a flashlight you haven’t used for a while with the batteries in it? The batteries have leaked and the insides are all corroded from acid. Keep the batteries in a separate watertight container but also buy a battery tester (cost less than $10) to make sure you put good batteries into critical devices.
2 Roger // Jul 29, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Hi Gilbert,
Good point about the batteries. That was one thing I did leave out of my suggestion – tape a small piece of paper over the battery connectors so that they are not running and expending energy.
I believe, however, that go-bag contents should be checked regularly, at least twice a year to swap out materials relevant for winter and summer. During those checks, batteries should be tested and swapped out if necessary. Time should not pass long enough where you don’t review go-bag contents that the batteries become corroded.
3 Patty Brooks // Oct 15, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Having a plan is very important, but you must practice your plan to leak proof it,
Make it,
Know it,
Test it.
You won’t really know if it truly works unless you try it. Take a day or two and live without running water and electricity. Try getting by only on what you have stored away for an emergency. Because supplies need to be rotated anyway, use it in a test and then replace what you need to. Keep a note pad, take notes on what you needed and didn’t have.
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