FEMA, Are You Ready Manual

FEMA produces a free emergency preparedness manual called, “Are You Ready?” that can either be downloaded here, or you can call FEMA at 1 (800) 480-2520 and order a free hard copy.  It is a great resource, and I highly recommend getting it.

Hurricanes Landfalls

Hurricanes bring with them a large amount of rainfall and a storm surge from the ocean along with the damaging wind.  So with hurricanes, not only is the wind a danger, but flooding often accompanies a hurricane.  From 1970 to 1999 more people lost their lives due to freshwater flooding caused by the hurricanes than by any other weather related issue caused by hurricanes.

Hurricane Safety Tip:

Lock and shutter all windows and doors of your home.  There are some myths about keeping some open, but that is not true.

Tornadoes can hit any state.

Tornadoes are the most violent storm, and every state is at some risk for tornadoes, however most tornadoes occur east of the Rocky Mountains.  I personally have had the pleasure of a tornado passing by when I lived in Omaha.  Though I found the greenish skies and large balls of hail interesting, I don’t care if I don’t see one again.

Tornado fact:

If outside you are safer to lie flat on the ground in a ditch with your hands covering your head.  Overpasses aren’t good shelter.

Flood Damage by State

Floods are one of the most common hazards in the US.  Whether it is a slow developing flood or a flash flood, they can all do damage.

Here are some facts about driving through flood waters:

1. 6 inches of water will reach the bottom of most cars.
2. 1 foot of water will cause most cars to float.
3. 2 feet of rushing water will move most cars even SUV’s and trucks.

Join the “It’s Better To Be Ready!” facebook group.

Facebook is a great way for store owners and home party hosts to introduce Better To Be Ready to their friends.

One of Better To Be Ready’s main product offerings is Freeze Dried Food Storage.  There are two types of freeze dried products in the food storage industry, freeze dried meals and freeze dried food items.

Freeze dried meals are precooked full meals (chicken teriyaki for example, has rice, chicken, peas and carrots combined with teriyaki sauce all in the same can of food).  The freeze dried meals are created, cooked, and then put through the freeze drying process.  The only difference between freeze dried meals and freeze dried food items is that the freeze dried food items aren’t combined with other foods to create a full  meal, they are stored separately (in a can of freeze dried green beans, that is all there is).

Freeze dried food storage has many advantages as compared to other food storage options, due to the freeze dry process.  The freeze dry process freezes the food in super cold temperatures which forces the water to come out of the food and form ice on the outside of the food.  Then the ice crystals are evaporated off and the process is repeated until 90% of the water removed from the food.  Then the food is sealed in special #10 cans that are double coated with enamel, and the oxygen is removed from inside the can.

The freeze dry process results in the following advantages:

1. Almost all of the water is removed from the food.  This has two benefits, water causes deterioration of food over time, so freeze dried food is able to have a much longer shelf life.  Additionally, water is the heavy part of most food, so this type of food storage is much lighter and easier to transport.
2. The food is sealed in a special #10 can that keeps all light out which adds to the shelf life of the product because light adds to the deterioration of food as well.
3. The oxygen is removed from inside the can which also adds to the shelf life, because oxygen is the third main deterioration causing agent.
4. The food is already cooked, all you have to do is add water to it.  In less than ideal cooking conditions, this allows you to still eat quality meals.

Better To Be Ready recommends that each family should have at least a 3 month supply of freeze dried food storage.

Click here to look at the packages of freeze dried food storage.

There are several things that make a Better To Be Ready Store Owner a Better To Be Ready Store Owner.

1. A Better To Be Ready Store Owner is a member of his or her community that is actively helping the other members to be prepared for whatever challenges they may face.
2. A Better To Be Ready Store Owner is a business person that knows that the better they are growing their business, the more people they are helping.
3. A Better To Be Ready Store Owner is part of nationwide network of individuals that are dedicated to emergency preparedness.
4. A Better To Be Ready Store Owner has the opportunity to reach more people on a personal level through emergency preparedness parties that are hosted in neighborhoods all over their community.
5. A Better To Be Ready Store Owner has a built in support system for their business.  A store owner doesn’t have to worry about warehousing, shipping, supplier management, website, or accounting.  They can just focus on serving their community due to the Better To Be Ready system.

Heat and smoke from a fire can be more dangerous than the actual flames.  Fire produces gases that are poisonous and make you dizzy and sleepy.  So if you are sleeping when a fire starts, it can actually put you into a deeper sleep.

Tips:

1. Make sure that you have smoke alarms and that they are working.
2. Make sure that you have smoke alarms on each floor of your home, and outside each bedroom.
3. Make a fire evacuation plan, and have your family practice it.

Most people are hurt during an earthquake when entering or exiting a building.

Tips:

1. Wait until the shaking of the earthquake has stopped before going outside.
2. If outside, stay there.  Look around and stay away from street lights, power lines, etc.

Better To Be Ready began as its founders saw the result of poor preparation after Hurricane Katrina destroyed the Gulf Coast.  They began researching the emergency preparedness industry, to see if something could be done to more effectively help people be ready for any type of calamity.  What they found was that the industry wasn’t effective in reaching everyone.  They were either traditional storefronts or waiting to be searched online.  Neither of these business methods is capable of reaching the population en masse.

The BTBR founders quickly decided that they could make a much bigger impact in emergency preparedness.  They then took some time gathering a team of experts in food storage, general emergency preparedness, marketing, internet business systems, and finding the right suppliers to put in place a business strategy with the sole goal of preparing each family for whatever challenges they face.

BTBR Purpose
To help each person, family, and community be prepared for, deal with, and recover from any disasters they may face.

BTBR Vision
Provide a personal touch and relevant emergency preparedness education and products to each of our customers through BTBR Store Owners in each community across America.

BTBR Mission
Create a network of BTBR Store Owners in every community across the United States of America fully trained in all aspects of emergency preparedness, and utilizing the proprietary BTBR website business systems to facilitate the preparedness needs of each member of their community.

The Results
BTBR Customers will be trained and equipped with knowledge and products for a variety of disasters.  They will enjoy increased peace of mind and family security.

BTBR Store Owners will become community preparedness leaders, and will have a great impact before, during, and after a calamity.  They will also have the satisfaction of a growing a rewarding and worthwhile business.

America will have stronger and more resilient families, neighborhoods, and communities, as they will be ready for the demands of the emergency.

Better To Be Ready, itself, will enjoy making a difference in each community, one family at a time.  In time, Better To Be Ready will be able to expand into other areas of preparedness and increase the size of the impact that it desires.