Paul Markel © 2013
LUVERNE, AL –-(Ammoland.com)- Memorial Day Weekend has transformed from a time to somberly recall those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for this nation into a 3-day weekend full of barbecue, boating, and beer.
In areas adjacent to the ocean, it’s also the last weekend before another calendar reminder, June 1 2013; the official start of Hurricane Season.
When your house is less than five miles from the Gulf of Mexico, thoughts of hurricane or storm preparation are never too far from your mind. Every few decades a monster storm blows in and is reported on for years to come. However, we all realize it doesn’t have to be the storm of the century to disrupt our lives.
While gulf coast residents are acutely aware of the power of nature, you don’t need to live on the along the water to understand that your life can be altered overnight by foul weather. Storm preparation is something all citizens should consider.
Storing your Stuff
MTM Boxes
We all like to buy “stuff”. That’s one positive aspect of storm preparation, you get to go out and buy new, cool stuff. If you are serious about your preparation you need to consider protecting the important stuff from the elements, particularly water or moisture. MTM Caseguard has a catalog full of containers, large and small, that are watertight to protect your important stuff.
Everyone likes surplus ammo cans and if you can get your hands on gently used cans they are great for waterproof storage. Unfortunately, military ammo cans are metal and subject to corrosion. A lot of the cans you find on the surplus market are dented and pitted with rust.
The MTM Ammo Can is essentially a polymer version of the military standard. They are available in OD green or orange. These plastic cans have a water-resistant “O” ring seal, carrying handle and they are lockable. Best of all, they don’t rust and are much lighter than steel cans.
MTM also offers their “Survivor Dry Boxes”, again available in orange or green polymer these boxes come in two sizes: 10x8x3 inches or 10x8x5 inches deep. The Survivor boxes are water resistant and small enough to be carried inside a backpack or stored under the seat of your car or truck. As a bonus, MTM includes a rudimentary compass on the top lid and a reflective signal mirror on the base.
ZCorr Storage Bags
Water, moisture, and high humidity are killers when it comes to guns and ammunition. ZCorr Products has you covered for both. The original ZCorr Corrosion Resistant Storage Bags were designed for the US Marine Corps so they could put their M16A2 rifles into long term storage without having to pack them in Cosmoline grease.
The ZCorr storage bags might look like plastic but they are made from a specially designed material that keeps moisture off and away from your firearms. Guns can be safely stored for extended periods of time without you having to worry about rust. ZCorr firearms storage bags come in multiple sizes to store pistols, carbines, and long rifles.
In addition to their firearms bags, ZCorr now offers ammunition storage bags. Sold in 5-packs, the ZCorr ammo storage bags keep the moisture off of your ammunition or smaller metal parts. These bags are made of a see-through blue material allowing you to easily identify the contents.
ZCorr has just introduced their “Ammo Can Liner” for both .50 caliber and .30 caliber metal ammo cans. These zip-seal bags made of the same material as their ammo bags and designed to fit perfectly in the designated military, steel ammo cans. They are definitely worth a look.
After the Storm Passes
Brunton Restore
After the storm has passed electricity or the lack thereof is likely going to be an issue. Brunton has an interesting little recharger called the “Restore”. This compact unit folds open revealing twin solar panels. The Restore is rubberized and water-resistant and weighs only 8 ounces. Blue LED lights indicate the battery charge level and there is on on/off switch on the side. Each Restore comes with a USB / micro USB cable and a direct DC adapter.
The Restore unit holds a 2200 mAh battery charge. That’s enough power to juice up you cell phone, GPS, or an MP3 player if you really need your tunes. The Restore can be charged up by the sun or re-charged from the DC plug in your car.
While testing this unit I deliberately let my smart phone drop down to five percent battery strength then plugged it into a charged-up Restore. My phone was back up to 80 percent in a couple minutes. After the Restore battery was drained I opened it up on left it in the sun. After a couple hours it was back up and ready to charge my phone again.
Gear versus Skill
We all like to buy new gear. Some of the gear is pretty straight-forward in its use and not hard to figure out. Other gear, such as firearms, medical supplies and even a lensatic compass and map requires training and skill to use effectively. Gear, without the skill to use it properly, is simply stuff you own. If you have decided to invest in emergency or survival gear, you might want to spend some time and money and invest in training for yourself.
Paul Markel c 2012
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