Emergency Preparedness
In the event of any disaster, help is not going to be immediately available to you and your family. After an Earthquake, Flood, Civil Unrest, Fire, Chemical release, or other catastrophic event, it will be your responsibility to be certain that you and your family are safe, protected, and well prepared. It is hard to prepare for every conceivable event, but there are basics that everyone needs to have in order to thrive in any situation.
Power Anywhere
Have wall outlet (AC power) wherever you are with a Power Inverter. Power Inverters allow you to take most batteries (like car batteries) and convert the DC electricity to AC electricity. Sound complicated? It is actually really simple, just connect two color-coded wires! Now you can use any household appliance (refrigerator, toaster, coffee maker, hair dryer, blender) outside of your house! Want more info on inverters? Click Here!
Emergency at Home
Being able to stay at home during a crisis event is usually the best thing for you and your family (if it is safe to do so). Home is the place where all of your valuables (including food and supplies) are stored and where you mentally feel safe and comfortable. To gain some stability and to be able to power necessary devices, the Solar e Power Cube 1500 Solar Generator is a great solution. Fully rechargeable by the Sun, the Solar e Power Cube 1500 can provide up to 1500 watts of power and includes 2 USB power ports, 2 AC (wall) outlets and 2 DC sockets (like those found in your car). With the ability to run small electronics including radios, communication devices, and some medical equipment such as CPAP machines, the Solar e Power Cube 1500 is a great Emergency at home device.
Home Lighting
Adding light in your home can make it easier for you to maneuver around and can stress relief from the event occurring outside. This gives your family peace-of-mind, security, and will allow you to play board games and find some quality family fun while passing time. The Wagan Tech Lantern line of Dome and Pop-Up lanterns are ideally suited for these occasions.
Portable Solar Power for Your Electronics
Portable Solar Panels can help you power communication devices such as cellphones, some GPS, and two-way radios. There may not be wall (AC) power available to charge your devices, thus solar is the ideal solution in these situations. Our line of Solar e Panels are lightweight, folding, flexible, and powerful portable solar charging solutions. Easily attached to a wall, pack, vehicle, or nearly any other surface, the Solar e Panels will provide power no matter where you are; they even work on cloudy or overcast days! It can even power a 12V DC or USB fan.
Power Supplies
Following the previous suggestion of power being a necessity, are the portable Power Supplies. Unlike generators (like the Solar e Power Cube 1500), portable power supplies only store energy, they do not create it. Power supplies can supplement your power needs by allowing you to take power with you. Most of our power supplies have inverters built directly into them, allowing you to take the AC (Wall outlet) power with you wherever you go. The power supplies can also jumpstart a vehicle and provide an on-board air compressor (model dependent). Like any other option, power supplies will need to be recharged, but can be via: Solar, AC, and DC power!
Suggested Emergency at Home Kit:
Automotive Emergency
An automotive emergency differs from the “Emergency at Home” scenario as you no longer have the same amount of resources available to you. Your shelter is smaller, the environment around you tends to be more dynamic, and your resource pool is only what you have with you. The Automotive emergency can develop from a disabled vehicle (car trouble or inability to move), natural disasters, to civil unrest and everything in between. Your car should always have a basic medical kit, water, light, and blankets at the very least.
Car Essential Items
Unlike your house, space is limited in the interior of a vehicle. Great items to keep in your vehicle are: Power supplies with jump starting and air compressor capabilities (like our JumpBoost Series or our Customer favorite, the Power Dome PLEX). Additionally, rechargeable batteries are a great way to power your electronic devices; I keep some AA and AAA rechargeable batteries in my vehicle.
Suggested Automotive Emergency Kit:
Outdoor Emergency
The Outdoor emergency tends to be the most dynamic as it leaves you in the open while exposed to what is happening in the environment. Without more than a backpack, you are unable to carry most supplies necessary for survival in every situation. Some of the essential items in this case that work for most scenarios are: Water, Shelter, Emergency Blanket, First Aid, Shelf-Stable Food, Light, Fire Source, Rope, Knife, Tape, and Communication.
Outdoor Emergency Items
It is imperative that you understand your gear and know how to use it. Many items, while seemingly single-use, can double or even triple their use. A bright colored bandana can filter coarse impurities from water, act as a towel, sun-shade, bandage, and can help signal for help.
Solar Power/Charger:
For powering nearly all common hiking electronics, I always carry an 18 Watt Solar e Panel. It can charge USB devices (like a smartphone) and comes with a DC Socket to power items you’d normally power inside of your vehicle. I can use the Solar e Panel in conjunction with a USB-battery charger to charge the AA batteries in my GPS unit.
Solar Battery Power Bank:
Also available are the Dex and Solo Solar e Chargers. Both units have internal lithium batteries that store collected Sun energy from the solar panel mounted on the front of the device…they are completely self-sufficient devices and are perfect for charging cellphones, Tablets, and GPS units.
Lighting:
Light is an important thing to have in the dark; the Dome USB Lantern and Pop-Up USB Lanterns are the perfect complement to your outdoor adventure. Both units have built-in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that can act as a battery power bank to recharge your other electronics. Like the other items mentioned previously, both the Dome USB and Pop-Up USB Lanterns are able to be recharged via Solar Panels.
Suggested Outdoor Emergency Kit:
Inconclusive Emergency Conclusion
As stated in the opening paragraph, there is no way to prepare for every conceivable event, but there are steps you can take and preparations you can make to ensure that you have a fighting chance at not only surviving, but thriving during a catastrophic event. The time to prepare is now.
“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” –Abraham Lincoln