Prepared households build prepared communities. This is the first of a two part series on home preparedness.  This segment focuses on short-term preparedness.  To read the PreparedTompkins.org post on long-term preparedness click here. What does preparedness entail given the current landscape? A few years ago, articles on home preparedness began by explaining the impending environmental, [...]

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“An ostrich is not a water fowl.” — Martha Geddon “Self-defense is another tool in the toolbox of life.” – Irma Geddon Although most of us can’t unravel Martha’s enigmatic ostrich reference, we do know instinctively that when we talk about emergencies the absence of law and order is one of the things we are [...]

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When was the last time you used a payphone? During a regional emergency the phone system is often disabled, but contrary to what you might think, as service is restored, pay phones come back on line sooner than residential phone lines or cellular service. And you’ll be much more likely to reach a friend or [...]

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Your flu kit should include items in the checklist below. Many of the supplies duplicate the items you’ll have in your basic household medical kit, but flu also presents the need for some specialized items. Print out the checklist and find out what you already have in your household inventory, then bring the checklist with [...]

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