Survival Scout Tips
What to Do If Disaster Strikes on Vacation
With spring break time here and summer not too far off, it’s easy to dream up our next fun vacation plan. Perhaps it’s the sun on an island, or breathing in crisp, fresh air in a national park. While shopping for beach gear and reviewing accommodation options, its key...
4 Ways to Prepare for and Deal with Disasters in Urban Settings
Taking the subway versus driving to get groceries. Paying $300 per month in parking fees vs. free parking. Sitting in gridlock for an hour versus coasting for ten minutes to get to work. Daily life for someone living in a city differs drastically from that of someone living in the...
6 Things to Be Grateful for When Disaster Strikes
It’s easy to take certain things for granted. (Like electricity, which those in California are discovering all too often now.) For many of us, our lives are busy--running the kids around, trying to cross off as much as we can on our to-do lists, or facing whatever life throws at...
Celebrate Our Veterans with 3 Lessons from Past Wars
Alexander Hamilton once said, “There is a certain enthusiasm in liberty, that makes human nature rise above itself, in acts of bravery and heroism.” Seeing what our country’s servicemen and women have done throughout history certainly makes this sentiment ring true. With Veterans Day around the corner, there’s no better...
What to Do during a Boil Water Advisory Order
Living in the United States comes along with certain comforts and luxuries that we often take for granted--and a safe water supply is one of them. It’s easy to assume that water contamination is a problem exclusive to the developing world. However, there are times when the water supply in...
Hardships of Jamestown: 3 Universal Lessons
If you look back at what life was like for the early colonists and settlers in North America, you’ll find plenty of hardship. The land was wild and undeveloped, the winters brutal, and tensions with local native populations ran high. Although we may never be able to fully relate to...
California Earthquakes: What’s Coming Next and How to Prepare
On July 4, Independence Day, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake rocked Southern California at 10:33 a.m. local time. Its epicenter was 150 miles northeast of Los Angeles, and was felt from Las Vegas to Los Angeles on California's Pacific coast. Power lines fell, roads cracked, fires broke out, and first responders...
Hiking Safety 101: Amanda Eller’s Story
For those that love the great outdoors, the warmer temperatures couldn’t come soon enough. Maybe it’s gathering with your extended family for an annual trip to a national park. Or going on a romantic hike through your local woods with someone. Now with summer weather here, it’s an ideal time...
5 Ways to Purify Drinking Water in the Event of an Emergency
Since the dawn of time, human beings have had to find creative ways to access and consume safe drinking water. These methods have evolved over time to minimize the risk of illness or poisoning via the consumption of water. For example, thousands of years ago, people relied on their sense...
Lessons from the Northeast Blackout of 2003
Sometimes, the smallest of actions can create a ripple affecting an extremely large system. That’s exactly what happened in 2003 when the northeastern United States was hit with a major power outage. What became known as the Northeast Blackout of 2003 was the largest blackout in North American history to...
Top 15 Preparedness Items That Disappear When Disasters Strike
If you live a preparedness lifestyle, you already know the basics of stocking up on food, ensuring you have batteries, and understanding the ins and outs of having a secret money supply so you can purchase goods without a bank or credit freeze. That said, it’s always important to double-check...
How to Prepare in the Event of a Volcanic Eruption
Whether you realize it or not, there are volcanoes everywhere. In fact, the American Geosciences Institute tells us that there are 169 active volcanoes in the U.S. alone. To put that in perspective, a 10th of the world's population lives within the potential footprint of volcanoes—with more than 800 million...