Archives for 2014

North America is home to thousands of severe weather situations every year — from thunderstorms to tornados and wildfires to hurricanes. Since many of these storms strike without much warning, Master Lock encourages consumers to prepare now to ensure their families and belongings stay safe during even the most tumultuous events.

“Storms can be devastating no matter what,” said Rebecca Smith of Master Lock. “But there are some simple steps families can take now — rather than when an emergency has already occurred — to reduce their risk of loss and aid them in the recovery process, if needed.”

Master Lock offers these tips to help families prepare for severe weather:

1. Learn the language. Beginning October 22, the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center in the U.S. will add two new threat levels to its weather outlooks for storm days at risk of producing tornados, hail or high winds. Risk categories will now include “enhanced” and “marginal,” in addition to the existing “slight,” “high” and “moderate.”

In Canada, citizens can depend on Environment Canada for severe weather warnings and watches. In April, Environment Canada updated its list of alert types to more accurately describe the severity of different weather hazards.

Learn the language of your national weather advisory organization so you can prepare appropriately for severe weather.

2. Prepare in advance. Severe weather may strike without warning, so take the basic steps now to ensure your family is ready should a storm strike when you’re home or away.

If you’re home when weather hits, an updated emergency kit is essential. Consumers listed water and non-perishable food as the two most important items in their emergency kits, according to the 2014 Safety and Security Survey*. Store these items in a cool, dry place and replace them every six months to ensure freshness. By writing dates on containers when you store them, you’ll know exactly when it’s time to swap them out. Don’t forget to pack for your pets, too.

In the event that severe weather hits while you’re out of town, ensure that a trusted friend or neighbor has the appropriate codes to access your property if needed. A resettable combination padlock, such as the Master Lock M175XDLF Combination Padlock, is a convenient option for securing your gate or fence since it does not require a key. It also allows you to change the combination as often as you wish, including when you arrive back home for added security.

3. Create a backup plan. Personal memorabilia and family/business documents were listed as the top two items people would want to save from their homes in case of a severe weather situation. To ensure these important documents remain intact after an emergency passes, store them in a Sentry®Safe fire safe that offers protection against fire and flood. To aid with disaster recovery in real time, store digital copies of these important documents — including insurance policies — in a secure online storage hub like the Master Lock Vault. The Master Lock Vault is free and can be accessed 24 hours a day, via smartphone, tablet or computer, allowing for easy access in any situation.

4. Secure outdoor belongings. Storms can often be most damaging to the exterior of your home, due to either heavy winds or rain, or damaging hail or lightning. In case of inclement weather, lock up all possible outdoor belongings in a covered shed or garage, and secure the door with a padlock built to survive extreme weather situations, such as the Master LockM115XDLF Covered Laminated Padlock. For items that can’t be moved to an inside space, such as patio furniture, lock them tightly together and to another sturdy surface, if possible, with a secure cable and locking system like the Master Lock Python™ Adjustable Locking Cable. These tactics may also safe-guard your belongings against looters in the worst-case scenario if you are forced to evacuate your home.

5. Go cordless. Power outages are often associated with heavy storms. Be prepared by purchasing batteries for flashlights and weather radios and portable, external battery packs for charging cell phones when the power’s out — just be sure to keep the battery pack charged! If you lose power, remember to unplug all of your electrical appliances such as laptops, televisions and corded phones. Power surges can occur as the result of lightning and can damage plugged-in electronics and appliances. If you still have power during a lightning storm, avoid using corded (landline) telephones, as they can conduct electricity.

I received the  Master Lock Python™ Adjustable Locking Cable to try out for myself and this works well on patio furniture. I actually tried it out because although we do not have tornadoes, we do have some very windy days where my furniture is knocked over. This lock secured it and I really was quite impressed. A Must-Have for this season and the next! I know we don’t exactly have tornadoes is So Cal, but we do have really windy conditions. SoCal City Kids also has followers in other states.

Visit www.masterlock.com for additional information.

Self Disclosure: I received a free product to facilitate this feature. Credit also goes to Master Lock for the wonderful tips! Any opinions expressed are my own. Photo Credit: Master Lock.

This week is National School Lunch Week (October 13-17), a celebration of the school lunch program that calls for schools and their cafeterias to offer nutritional options and encourage children to find a balance between healthy eating and physical activity.

According to the CDC, Childhood obesity has more than doubled in the past 30 years, a frighteningly high statistic for the youth of America. This week, why not invite parents to join the activation and offer their children healthy AND delicious alternatives to everyday snacks and lunchbox go-tos, see suggestions below!

That juice box might not be as healthy as you think…

You might think that drinks labeled “fruit juice” are a great option for your child but the truth is, some boxed juices can have upwards of 15 grams of sugar per serving, almost the same amount as a can of soda! Instead, try a 100% natural, low sugar option like Coco Joy Kids. The new, naturally fruit-flavored pure coconut water for kids contains no added sugar or preservatives and is only 30 calories.

Instead of their favorite candy pack

If your child has a sweet tooth but you’re weary of giving them a bag full of high-sugar, artificially flavored gummy snacks, go for Welch’s® Fruit Snacks! The convenient 80-calorie pouches of Welch’s® Fruit Snacks provides 100% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin C and are gluten-free, preservative free and even come in a reduced sugar variety.

Pass on the pop!

Instead of fueling your child with sugary, high-calorie sodas, offer them a Sparkling ICE! The naturally flavored slightly sparkling water is zero calories, gluten-free, sugar-free and contains fruit juice, vitamins and healthy antioxidants.

The perfect crunch with an added bonus!

Studies show that people who eat whole grains regularly have a lower risk of obesity, so why sneak in those added benefits through a delicious snack like Lance Whole Grain Cracker Sandwiches. Available in 3 great varieties including Cheddar Cheese, Sharp Cheddar Cheese, and Peanut Butter, Lance Whole Grains contain no trans fat, and a whopping  11 grams of whole grain per serving!

We received samples and they were a hit with  my 11- year-old son! His favorites were the Sparkling ICE and the Welch’s Fruit Snacks! I don’t think either will last long in our house!

Self Disclosure: I received free samples to facilitate this feature.  No other compensation was received and I felt that this would interest our readers.