Dear Black Bag Confidential Reader,
I’ve got quite the assortment of articles for you to check out today. From how to survive a plane crash to deciding if a DIY home security system is right for you, there’s a lot of good information to be gleaned from this week’s roundup.
As always, feel free to send any feedback to spy@lfb.org. Or if you stumble across an article you’d like my take on, shoot it my way! I just might include it in next week’s offering.
Now let’s check out the week’s stories.
1. Delta Jet Slides Into Grass at Snowy Detroit Airport
On Sunday, a major winter storm in the Midwest made air travel impossible, grounding almost 1,800 flights. One Delta jet slid off the runway at the Detroit Metro Airport Sunday morning after landing. Thankfully, no one was injured, and all passengers and crew were able to exit the aircraft safety.
Flying is relatively safe compared with other forms of transportation, but accidents do happen. In the event of an emergency, the FAA requires all of a plane’s passengers must be able to be evacuated in 90 seconds. This means you have a mere minute and a half to get out before you are likely to die from smoke inhalation or fire.
If you can, try to get a seat within five rows of an emergency exit. Booking an aisle seat is also preferable, and be sure to count the number of rows between you and the emergency exit. If there is a lot of smoke, you may have to find the exit by feel.
Keep your shoes on for the duration of the flight, and try to stay awake — especially during the first three minutes after the plane takes off and the last eight minutes before it lands. This is when most crashes tend to happen.
Lastly, as with any emergency scenario, move, don’t freeze. With only 90 seconds to make it out alive, every second counts.
2. Car Key Jammers: What You Need to Know
Have you ever returned to your car to find it unlocked when you could have sworn you locked it before you left?
Well, you might not be crazy. This story out of England highlights an insidious new way thieves are using technology to rob unsuspecting motorists.
These days, most cars have a key fob to lock and unlock the doors. Unfortunately, the short-range signals from these fobs can easily be jammed using an electronic device you can purchase on the internet. So you might hit the button and walk away, assuming your car is locked, only to find it rifled through upon your return.
This article outlines a few different precautions you can take to be absolutely sure your vehicle is locked. But the most important piece of advice? No technology is a substitute for a manual check.
3. DIY Security Systems: Are They Worth It?
For many of you, home invasions are the No. 1 safety concern. It’s a terrifying possibility — one I hope you never have to confront.
I’ve already reviewed several ways you can beef up your home security, in addition to mentioning a few factors to consider when shopping for a home security system. I’ve also touched on the option of a DIY home security system.
This post from The Survivalist Blog goes into a little more detail about DIY home security systems, including the pros and cons of self-installation. If you’re particularly handy — or just trying to save some money on contracts and fees — a DIY system might be the right choice for you.
4. Alarming Bottled Water Demonstration Every American Needs to See
It’s critical that you have the means to filter water in a survival scenario, but it’s also important that you have a constant supply of clean water in your home.
With the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, leading residents all over the nation to question the safety of their drinking water, many people have decided to switch to bottled water.
But bottled water may not be as safe as you think. So what’s a person to do?
Click on the link above to learn about an amazing machine that produces clean, filtered water simply by turning on your faucet. As well as being clean, clear and tasteless, this water also has unbelievable anti-aging properties.
That’s right. Now you can have the fountain of youth right in your very own kitchen.
5. How to Teach Your Children About Emergency Preparedness
I’ve got three beautiful children of my own, and you better believe that my wife and I have talked to my two oldest about emergency preparedness. (We’ll broach the subject with the youngest when she’s a little older.)
If you’re wondering how to begin that conversation with your own kids, this article gives some great advice — from ways to involve your kids in making an emergency plan to everyday carry ideas for youngsters to put them in the prepping mindset.
It’s never too early to start talking about emergency preparedness, as long as you stick to age-appropriate topics. You definitely don’t want to give your kid nightmares. But you do want to make sure they know what to do if you have to evacuate your home due to a natural disaster or if a crisis situation unfolds after the stuff hits the fan.
Stay safe,
Jason Hanson
