Lock It Down

Did you know that September is National Preparedness Month?  If not, don’t stress.  There is still time to prepare and you will want to.  Just today, my husband and I were driving down the street and noticed that the rain water was starting to jump the curb.  I went and knocked on three different house’s front doors and warned them of the creeping water.  We have had a flooded basement before and we didn’t want them to go through what we went though.“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 The Following Tips To Help Families Prepare For Severe Weather:

1. Learn the language.  Beginning , 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.”  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 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 Lock M115XDLF 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.

Master Lock sent me two different locks to help prepare my home.  First I received the Magnum Covered Laminated Padlock.  This pad lock is guaranteed to not rust thanks to Rust-Oleum.  It also has a weather resistant cover to protect it from snow, rain, dirt, grime, mud, and salt.  Plus the  keyhole is covered for added protection from the weather.  We chose to put it on our fence’s gate, not only to keep unwanted visitors out but because our smarty pants two year old can undo the carabiner we put on the gate.    This lock can also be used on sheds, garages, tool chests and box, and storage lockers.  The Magnum Covered Laminated Padlock retails for $13.We also received an Adjustable Locking Cable.  Although this can be used as a bike lock it is so much more.  This 6′ long cable has a keyable wafer cylinder for maximum pick resistance.  A rust resistant lock and vinyl coated cable gives it great weather protection and scratch resistance.  It is wonderful to lock up ATV’s, grills, lawnmowers, tools, and ladders.  We chose to use ours to lock out grill to our porch.  This way is isn’t swiped off our porch and doesn’t blow of the deck if there is a crazy wind storm.  This cable lock retails for just under $29.

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