Give the gift of preparedness (holiday gift ideas from some of our partners and affiliates)

Do you sometimes struggle to find a holiday gift for some people … or maybe you’d like to show family and friends how much you care about their safety? Consider giving the gift of preparedness!

The past two years have reinforced the need for people to always have some basic supplies on hand in case of an emergency or empty shelves. And there various things available that could help your loved ones when there is no power or water for a short or extended period of time.  

Preparedness is a mindset so the more you can introduce these types of tools and thought processes into conversations with family and friends, hopefully the more they will think about the “what if” scenarios that may happen where they live.

Below are some prep tools we use / like and we’d love to hear your suggestions or feedback on preferred items via email or on our Facebook page.

Please note, some links are with affiliates meaning Fedhealth may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you, but proceeds benefit the U.S. First Responders Association.

The U. S. First Responders Association’s custom Family Preparedness and First Aid ebook can help you get prepared for, respond to, and recover from most types of emergencies and disasters including floods, infectious diseases, wildfires, winter storms, active shooter scenarios and more. The 286-pg PDF ebook is only $5.00 (~ 70% off) and proceeds benefit USFRA and their programs supporting Fire/EMS, Law Enforcement, 911/Dispatch, K9s and veterans. Learn more on USFRA.org

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A low cost and fun option is to fill little baskets, stockings, gift boxes, tubs or small backpacks with some practical items from a dollar store with items like flashlights, batteries, pocket sized ponchos or emergency blankets, hand warmers, light sticks, mini first aid kits, keychain with light or tool, mittens or gloves, socks, snacks, candy, stuffed toy, games or playing cards, first aid items and more. It’s a great way to get the conversation about preparedness started and hopefully encourages people to make full kits.

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4Patriots carries a very cool Patriot Power Cell that can keep your devices ON when your lights go out. This pocket-sized “power plant” can be used every day or while camping or even during a blackout. It has a built-in solar panel, 2 USB ports so you can charge two devices at once and the ruggedized design repels water and protects against drops. Built-in flashlight to help you see your way at night and more for under $30 – or get 4 for $99 and free freight! Learn more about Patriot Power cell here … and find other power and solar products here plus RV and camping stuff, water purification, Survival Food, tools, seeds and more on 4patriots.com

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If you or a loved one has sleep apnea, you understand the importance of using a CPAP. But CPAP machines require electricity which can be a problem if you lose power during a storm or you like to camp outdoors. One option is a portable battery to power your machine, and they can run about $300 to $700+. Another CPAP backup solution is a portable battery power station that is quiet and safe enough to use indoors for under $200. MAXOAK has several clean power solutions including power stations, solar panels and more at maxoak.net

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Poo-Pourri – We love the crap outta this stuff! RVers (and others) swear by this deodorizing toilet spray and once we tried it, we were totally hooked – esp. in our 300+ sf motorhome. Poo-Pourri has really expanded their products and scent options since we first started using it many years ago, and we have only used the Original Citrus since it works fine for us and is the most popular.

All Poo~Pourri Before-You-Go Toilet Spray products are comprised of essential oils and other natural compounds that are scientifically formulated to trap bathroom odors before they ever begin. Spritz the Bowl Before You Go and No One Else Will Ever Know! Check out their line of festive holiday scents like Apple Cider, Pumpkin Spice, Seasons Seatings, Berry Bum Bum, Oh Spritzmas Tree and all their other toilet sprays, new home sprays, gift sets and more at Poopourri.com

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VetCare’s QuickDERM, a product that has been on the market and widely available to veterinarians for over 11 years, provides a moisture-retaining protective barrier that impacts inflammation and promotes rapid healing for ALL animals that have slight to severe wounds and skin conditions. The technology behind QuickDerm was first introduced for human health applications for hard-to-heal wounds, including burns, skin irritations, abrasions and cuts. (We personally used it after I got bit twice on my face by a black widow while sleeping 2 years ago.) Learn more about QuickDERM for your pets and livestock at https://vetcare.us/

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The Survival Mom’s 2022 Prepping Calendar is now available and chock-full of over 180 prepping tips and To Do tasks so you’ll know what to stock up on and how to save money on preps. TSM’s Book of the Month includes some titles that teach a survival mindset in entertaining, fictional formats. Lisa’s 2022 Prepping Calendar is available in print and/or digital format on thesurvivalmom.com. Also visit The Survival Mom’s Thrive Life store to find tasty, healthy, convenient freeze dried food that doesn’t go bad long term at www.thrivelife.com/survivalmom

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Some other great companies that provide a wide variety of preparedness kits, water purification, food, tools, gear and more include…

American Family Safety offers Preparedness and Survival Kits, Safety and Sanitation kits and more at AmericanFamilySafety.com

Gluten Free Mall offers hundreds of brands and items to choose from including baking mixes, frozen meals, snacks, cereals – they even carry select vitamins, personal care items, and household cleaners. Best of all, it’s all guaranteed gluten free! Visit Glutenfreemall.com

Legacy Food Storage provides families and individuals with high quality, freeze-dried foods that have up a 25 year- long shelf life, along with various types of survival gear at Legacyfoodstorage.com

Practical Preppers carries many preparedness and off-grid items including Big Berkey and other water purification options , long term storage foods, sanitation, medical, cooking and other products at PracticalPreppers.com 

Survival Frog has the handy Lifestraw and other water purification tools , Backup power and radios, food, gear and much more at SurvivalFrog.com

Consider giving the gift of preparedness this holiday season and year round with our preparedness and basic first aid book or ebook – learn more at www.fedhealth.net

Need a last minute Christmas or holiday gift idea? Give the gift of charity

Are you a last minute shopper or have someone on your list that has everything so you have no idea what to get them?

Consider giving a gift that can help others in their time of need on behalf of your family and friends.

For example:

• Donate to The Salvation Army as they continue to serve disaster survivors of hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate.  Whether its food, drinks, shelter or cleaning supplies, The Salvation Army provides practical assistance.
• Charity Choice allows you to select plastic gift cards, printed cards or e-cards, good for redemption online at one of their 100+ partner organizations (or a specific charity of your choosing). They also have a list of dozens of nonprofit groups involved with helping those affected by recent hurricanes ~ learn more
• TisBest Charity Gift Cards work like any other gift card, except that instead of buying more stuff, the recipient spends it to support a charity of their choice. You choose the donation amount and a customizable card image, and their email and print-at-home options let you send or receive an order instantly.
• World Vision lets you choose a gift to donate, help children and families in need, and honor loved ones with a free personalized card.

There are many other incredible organizations online that have similar e-gifting options for the holidays and year-round so search around for one that fits your needs.

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays, j & B

Holiday food safety tips (Fight Bac!, food intolerance + pet safety)

Food is a huge part of the holiday season so we wanted to share some resources and tips about food safety for your public education campaigns, as well as for you personally.

The Partnership for Food Safety Education develops and promotes effective education programs to reduce foodborne illness risk for consumers. The Partnership states the US food supply is among the safest in the world, but organisms that you can’t see, smell, or taste – bacteria, viruses, and tiny parasites – are everywhere in the environment.

Each year 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths in the U.S. can be traced to foodborne pathogens, according to the CDC.

The Partnership’s Fightbac.org site explains foodborne illness is much more than the “stomach flu”, and it is a serious health issue and economic burden for consumers. The Economic Research Service (ERS) of the USDA says each year $6.9 billion in costs are associated with five bacterial pathogens, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and 2 forms of E. coli. These costs are associated with medical expenses, lost productivity, and even death.

Food Safety tips from Fightbac.org

• Throw away all perishable foods, such as meat, poultry, eggs and casseroles, left at room temperature longer than two hours; one hour in air temperatures above 90°F. This also includes leftovers taken home from a restaurant. Some exceptions are foods such as cookies, crackers, bread and whole fruits.

• Whole roasts, hams and turkeys should be sliced or cut into smaller pieces or portions before storing them in the refrigerator or freezer.

• Refrigerate or freeze leftovers in shallow containers. Wrap or cover the food. Leftovers stored in the refrigerator should be consumed within 3-4 days, and leftovers should be heated to 165°F prior to consumption.

• Foods stored longer may become unsafe to eat and cause foodborne illness. Do not taste leftovers that appear to be safe, bacteria that cause illness does not affect the taste, smell, or appearance of food.

• Frozen storage times are much longer, but some items such as salads made with mayonnaise do not freeze well. Foods kept frozen longer than recommended storage times are safe to eat, but may be drier and not taste as good.

• WHEN IN DOUBT, THROW IT OUT!

Find more safety data, kids games and activities, videos, brochures and other resources at www.fightbac.org

Food intolerance

Be aware some guests may have dietary issues and/or food allergies so please don’t be offended if they decline meals or drinks or if they bring their own food and beverages.

For example, Bill has celiac disease so he must avoid all gluten, plus we both have issues with carrageenan, various gums (e.g. xanthan, guar, carob bean, etc.), MSG, yeast extract and more so we are very cautious about eating anything we don’t prepare ourselves.

If you purchase special foods and snacks for guests with allergy issues read product packages and ingredient labels carefully and watch for statements that say if items are processed on shared equipment. Sometimes you’ll be amazed just simple things like packaged fruits and vegetables can be cross-contaminated as shown in this photo from Oh Mah Deehness’ blog.

Many companies are getting better about including allergen information on labels and websites, plus some even offer special toll-free numbers and email ids so you can reach out to them direct.

Don’t forget about pets

We all love sharing people food with our furbabies, but remember to keep toxic foods like chocolate, nuts, onions, mushrooms, grapes, raisins and xylitol (a sugar substitute) away from pets. Also limit rich, fatty foods like ham, turkey or goose and dairy products since they can cause digestive issues.

For more information on foods that could be unsafe for pets, visit the HumanSociety.org and ASPCA.org , and check out 2 great infographics on “Thanksgiving food safety: Do’s and Don’ts” and “Toxic Foods for Dogs” .

Also keep in mind holiday plants like poinsettia, holly, mistletoe and amaryllis can be toxic to pets.

If you suspect your pet has eaten something toxic, take note the amount ingested and contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

Find more holiday tips in our “Winter Safety Tips for Pets and Livestock” blog post … and we hope everyone has a nice, safe Thanksgiving and Christmas season! Stay safe, j & B

Give the gift of preparedness

Bill and I wanted to say thank you to all our clients and followers who continue to support us during our long absences from social media this past year due to personal health reasons.

We also wanted to let you know we recently revamped and simplified our website at www.fedhealth.net and welcome and appreciate any feedback.

Our primary focus is working on large custom IT’S A DISASTER! …and what are YOU gonna do about it? book projects, but keep in mind Fedhealth offers our 266-page disaster preparedness and basic first aid manual deeply discounted even in small volume.

And we still customize our books for free so you can convey special messages to your loved ones, co-workers, clients and local communities. In small volume we provide free peel & stick labels and, in large volume (1,000 copies and up), we can personalize books in the print process.

We also offer our 280-page PDF ebook for only $5 US (70% off list) and have a free ebook portion of IT’S A DISASTER! that people can download and share with others.

Most importantly are our funding ideas that can help first responders, volunteers, Chambers and others while educating and incentivizing whole communities about preparedness, safety and resiliency.

Consider giving the gift of preparedness for the holidays and throughout the year … and please contact Fedhealth to discuss how we can help your communities “be aware… be prepared… and have a plan”.

Stay safe, j & B  520.907.2153 info@fedhealth.net