What Will YOU Do…? (Surviving the Economic Crisis Part 1 of 2)

It is true that we are currently witnessing an economic crisis. It is true that with unemployment rates surging and business owners being forced to either raise prices or cut them to keep their doors open, we’re left wondering what our tomorrow holds and what the future will bring.

As foreclose rates rise, so does the number of home owners worried about how they will make their next mortgage payment. Many lenders are shutting their doors to the public, making obtaining credit and loans nearly impossible. Automakers sit looking out at filled car lots and consumers wait anxiously for someone to cut them a break. Some commercials, courtesy of marketing gurus, insist on having us believe that “things aren’t so bad” while the media reiterates that “this is the worst of times”.

We’ve elected a new President and we all sit with great hope that he will turn things around and provide our nation with economic stability, but we’re all also left with the realization that change will take time. But what are we to do as we wait for this great change to take place?

Amidst the economic crisis, it’s natural to ask yourself ‘What if?’ It’s natural to be concerned about the current state of affairs. You have to ask yourself, what will happen if things take a turn for the worse? Once panic and fear have settled in a person’s mind, it is easy to assume that chaos may follow.

We should always think positively, but we must also think smart. We must assume the risks that come with this downturn in the economy, but more importantly, we must prepare ourselves for the worst. Once upon a time, it was Survival of the Fittest, in today’s volatile economy it’s Survival of the Smartest…Survival of the Prepared.

Carbon Monoxide... The Silent Killer

Winter is a very dangerous time for carbon monoxide poisoning.

Carbon Monoxide is a gas that comes from burning fossil fuels, such as gasoline, kerosene, methane, propane, oil coal and wood.

It is impossible to detect with the five human senses, but it can cause illness and even death.
It harms us by replacing the oxygen in the blood and it can cause suffocation in sufficient quantity. Low doses cause symptoms that feel like the flu. Increasing quantities in the blood will cause headache, nausea, dizziness, collapse, coma and... finally death.

What are the sources of Carbon Monoxide? Poisonous Carbon Monoxide enters house-hold air usually from these different areas where fossil fuels are burning.

• automobile emmissions
• Home heating equipment (space heaters, gas furnace, kerosene heater, wood stove
  
• Stoves
• Charcoal grill

Of these three , automobile emissions kill the most people.

NOTE: The risk of Carbon Monoxide poising is higher for infants, 4 years old or less, and for the elderly, 75 years or older

10 Safety Tips

1. Shut off the car motor and take keys out of the ignition as soon as tour car is parked in the garage. If the garage is attached, always warm up the vehicle outside of your house, never in the garage.

2. Have your vehicle inspected every year for exhaust leaks.

3. Have all fuel-burning equipment checked each year to make sure combustion is clean and there are no risks of CO leakage. Do this before heating season.

4. Make sure heating equipment is located where an adequate supply of fresh air is available for safe combustion.

5. When using a fire place,make sure the flue is open to asure the fireplace is safely vented.

6. Kerosene heaters are illegal in many states. Make sure they are leagal in your state before buying or using one.

7.Gas-fired barbeque grills give off dangerous CO fumes. They must never be used inside a houseor garage, not even with the door open.

8. When buying new heating or cooking equipment, choose one with approval by an independent testing laboratory.

9.When buying a new home , have a qualified inspector make sure that all heating and cooking systems are in safe working order, also the garage must be adequately sealed off from the house.

10. When camping, use only battery powered heaters and lights in tents, trailers and motor homes. Never use fuel burning appliances inside.

Consider purchasing a CO detector. Carbon Monoxide detectors are electric warning devices that sound an alarm when the CO gas in the air reaches a health threatening level... even before actual symptoms can be noticed.

Winter and Bad Weather - Here They Come!

We've put away those T-shirts, tank tops, and shorts and unpacked the sweaters, thermal clothing, and coats. We've stocked up on tissue, cold remedies, and chicken soup, and added Flu Shots to our to-do list. What are we preparing ourselves for? Winter! Winter is only a short while away and with it comes short days, the lowest average temperatures, and bad weather. If only we could hibernate like the gophers and bears, sleeping comfortably until the cold has subsided and the warm weather returned. As children, winter was most welcomed as it offered us snow days, a day without school work. Snow days offered us a daylong recess in a white wonderland filled with sleds, snowmen, snowball fights, and laughter, but the approaching winter season portrays a different type of scene for us adults. As adults we dread stepping out into the bitter cold and driving to work on snow-covered roads with poor visibility. We understand the misery of falling hail, freezing rain, and ice pellets.

With it Winter also brings the chance of Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, Winter Storms, Ice Storms, and Blizzards. The thought of such natural disasters occurring can cause even the most relaxed person to feel anxiety and become overwhelmed. So how do we maintain our sense of security? Preparation, preparation, preparation.

It is important to make the necessary arrangements and formulate the necessary plans to ensure that come what may, we are undaunted. Keep a watch on your local weather channel to ensure that if and when a possible natural disaster approaches, you are ready for it. Prepare yourself for potential power outages, blocked roadways, severe cold, and harsh blowing winds. Most important, be sure to stock up on blankets and plenty of warm clothing along with bottled water, nonperishable foods, batteries, flashlights, and any medication you deem necessary.

We will never be able to stop Mother Nature, but we can be ready for her when she comes. Be prepared.

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail."

-Benjamin Franklin

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