Steps Toward Emergency Preparedness

Steps Toward Emergency Preparedness

Civilization's come a long way since our ancestors learned to make fire we drive cars, fly planes, and communicate with each other instantaneously across the globe but Mother Nature can still remind us who's boss from time to time. Every region of the country and the world faces the threat of a natural disaster. Snowstorms can bring down power lines in the Northeast; floods and hurricanes make seasonal visits to the coasts and the heartland; and anyone in a state that has the Pacific Ocean as a neighbor knows what to do when the ground starts shaking. But today, it's when the storm dies down, or the earthquake ends, that the real challenges begin. We all need a plan to ride out the strains on normal life that accompany any natural disaster.


The United States Department of Homeland Security publishes a list of items to keep on hand in the event of an emergency at www.ready.gov. The government's list includes three days' worth of food and water, a first aid kit, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio to listen for emergency bulletins, local maps, a whistle to signal for help, and a portable, battery-powered light source. Most items will be available at grocery or home supply stores, but one useful alternative to a flashlight is available only over the internet.


The Stick Up Bulb combines the portability of a flashlight with the power of a lamp. This battery-operated solution works both as a stationary light it can illuminate an entire room from its stable base and as a flashlight, thanks to its compact, portable design. The Stick Up Bulb, in fact, often serves as a permanent light source in rooms that didn't have sufficient lighting to begin with places like attics, closets, and sheds. Its wireless design lets the Stick Up Bulb transition effortlessly and conveniently from a fixed, conventional light source to a versatile combination lamp-and-flashlight.


The Stick Up Bulb can play an important role in emergency preparedness, but it represents, of course, only one step in this vital process. Every household should keep a working supply of all the items recommended by the Department of Homeland Security at home, and should keep a smaller version in the car. We can't prevent natural disasters yet, but we can prevent their aftermath from harming the things that really matter: people.


Jeff Marshall is a freelance writer dedicated to providing thorough and accurate information to readers. Additional information on the Stick Up Bulb is available at www.stickupbulb.net.

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