2010 will be full of new surprises!

As we say goodbye to 2009, we are ready for the new challenges in 2010. The Lord has been good to us and we want to share his blessings.

Layaway at Let's Be Prepared LLC

In order to make emergency preparedness kits and supplies more affordable, Let's Be Prepared has setup a layaway program. This program will allow us to better serve you and your needs. For more information on our new layaway program, visit us at www.letsbprepared.com and click "Layaway."

Volcanoes and Emergency Preparedness

Volcanoes are some of the worlds most amazing and deadly acts of nature. Volcanoes are generated when two of the earth’s tectonic plates collide or contract away from one another. This action causes a thinning in the Earth’s crust which allows molten rock, gas and ashes to be released from below the Earth’s surface. For those people who live near an active volcano, emergency preparedness and staying informed is very important. Volcanoes can be very unpredictable. Some can lay dormant for years, some can generate small lava flows which do not endanger cities or towns, and some can explode in a moment’s notice. With that in mind, a person living near an active volcano must be ready to evacuate the area within a moments notice. Do not underestimate the speed of an active lava flow. It will run just like water, but it will burn everthing in its path. Emergency preparedness for a volcano eruption centers around having an escape plan in place. Do not wait until the last minute to decide how you will leave and where you will go. The less time you have to think about this, the sooner you can get you and your family to safety. Here are some items to have on hand: Road maps, emergency money, emergency flashlight, emergency radio, spare air filters for your vehicle (due to excess ash which will be thrown into the atmosphere), a gas/dust mask, and emergency food. Taking these steps early is the best way to prepared. Waiting until the day of the eruption to begin, is too little too late.

March 9, 2009 Lay A Way Begins

On March 9, 2009 Let's Be Prepared LLC will add a lay a way system to their existing list of payment methods. This system is designed to make it easier for lower income families to afford emergency supplies. We believe everyone should be prepared.

How to be Prepared with an Emergency Battery Charger

By anniewrites, eHow Member

Emergency Battery Charger

Be prepared with an emergency battery charger or two that will help to start your car or power your cell phone or other important device in a difficult situation. Make sure that you are not caught off guard in inclement conditions (possibly stranded with your children!) by taking a few minutes to think ahead and make sure that you have all of the necessary tools to keep you running in an emergency. Of course, we can't control all of the variables in an emergency, but it makes good sense to plan ahead for the things that we can control.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step 1: One very common emergency battery charger is the jumper cable. Most auto emergency kits come equipped with jumper cables. You can buy them separately, but since it's a good idea to have the other supplies in the emergency kit anyway, you might be able to save yourself some money by buying everything at once. Make sure that you know how to use your jumper cables. They should come with instructions, but make sure you study them ahead of time, as the last thing you want to do when your battery is dead is fumble around with instructions to figure out how things work.

Step 2: Another type of emergency battery charger can start your car without needing another car to give it a jump. Check into products such as StartMeUp2 which start your car by plugging into the cigarette lighter. They are generally single use, disposable, and easy to figure out. They can be a particularly good option for the elderly or other people who may have trouble working with jumper cables. Generally, this type of emergency battery charger runs about $20-$30.

Step 3: Don't forget to get an emergency battery charger to power necessary devices in the instance that your car battery is not what is causing the problem or you don't have a StartMeUp2 or similar device. There are solar emergency chargers on the market these days for around $20 that can make sure that you have somewhere to charge your cell phone so that you can call for help when you really need it. Many of these chargers are multi-function and can work with items that have a variety of different plugs, not just your cell phone.

Step 4: Now that you are armed with information that can help keep you powered up in the case of an emergency when you are in your car, take a few minutes to plan and gather an emergency battery charger or two that will help to keep your family safe when the unexpected occurs.

How to Find a Personal Emergency Alarm Whistle

By anniewrites, eHow Member

Personal Emergency Alarm Whistle

Making sure that you and your children have a personal emergency alarm whistle is an important part of emergency preparedness planning, as you never know when you will be in a situation where you will need to whistle for help. In this day and age, many people do not think that a whistle is necessary because we have cell phones. However, if you are in the wilderness trying to signal for a rescue team, or if your child is in trouble and does not have a cell phone, a personal emergency alarm, such as a whistle, can be of utmost importance.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step 1: If your family does not have an emergency survival kit, purchasing one can be an economical way to get a personal emergency whistle since you need the other items contained in the kit anyhow. Make sure to read the contents of the kit to see if it contains a whistle, but most kits do.
Step 2: If you already have an emergency survival kit for your family, you can purchase an additional personal emergency alarm whistle (or two) separately, and they tend to be relatively inexpensive at around $3 a piece. Many of these whistles are "5 in 1," meaning that in addition to being a whistle, they also function as a compass, mirror, flint, and storage container (for matches).
Step 3: Finally, if you only want a device that makes noise to call for help, you might consider purchasing a key chain alarm that emits a 118 decibel signal. This type of personal emergency alarm whistle can come in handy but you run the risk of it going off when you don't want it to, and it is also the most expensive at around $10.
Step 4: Armed with this information on how to choose a personal emergency alarm whistle, make sure that you and your children are prepared in case of the need to call for help without the use of a cell phone.

How to Gather Disposable Dust Masks for an Emergency

By anniewrites, eHow Member

Disposable Dust Masks

Make sure to include disposable dust masks in your emergency preparedness stash, as you never know when conditions will arise that make breathing risky. In an earthquake, hurricane, tornado, fire, or attack such as 9-11, materials that are hazardous to your health can be released into the air. It can be difficult to run for cover or help your children if you are gasping for air. Disposable dust masks are an inexpensive item that can help you with this problem. They are especially important for anybody that has asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, or other lung related diseases.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step 1: First, check to see if your emergency survival kit already contains disposable dust masks, and if so, how many. If you do not have an emergency survival kit, you ought to think about getting one in the right size for your purposes, as so many of the items you might need in a disaster are already included for you so that you do not have to think about every little detail of what you might need.

Step 2: Once you have determined how many disposable dust masks are already included in your emergency survival kit, determine if you might need additional masks. For instance, if your emergency survival kit contains 10 dust masks but you want enough to provide two dust masks a person to 20 people (so 40 dust masks), then you will need to purchase 30 additional dust masks.

Step 3: Finally, figure out what kind of disposable dust masks you would like to purchase. If your budget is short or you are buying masks for large numbers of people (like a church or school), then you will likely want to stick with the basic disposable dust masks that most emergency preparedness suppliers carry. They generally come in packs of five for under a dollar. This means that you could purchase the 40 disposable dust masks needed for 20 people for under $8. If you want something more heavy duty, a 20 pack of decent 3M dust masks runs about $33, or $66 for the 40 masks you would need to purchase for 20 people. Neither budget option is too shabby for the peace of mind that comes with knowing you will breathe easier during a disaster!