Safety Gadgets For Your Disaster Preparedness Kit

With the east coast preparing for an incredible storm, we at Home Controls strongly recommend every family create a Disaster Preparedness Kit. This means having your own food, water, and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least three days.

But what do you add to your kit? The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends just six basics you should stock in your home:

• Water: You should have at least a three-day supply of water and you should store at least one gallon of water per person per day.
• Food: Store at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food. Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and little or no water.
• First Aid Kit: Assemble a first aid kit for your home and one for each car.
• Personal Supplies: Include at least one complete change of clothing and footwear per person, plus necessary sanitation supplies.
• Tools: Everything from a flashlight to a radio and a can opener.
• Specialty: Remember family members with special needs, such as infants and elderly or disabled persons.

While Home Controls cannot provide you with food and water, we do offer a few safety gadgets to add to your Tools category. Here’s a few:

Spotlight Lantern: The Wagan Brite-Nite 3 Watt LED Spotlight Lantern is 10 times brighter than normal LEDs. The 3 watt LED main bulb uses new technology to produce up to 120 lumens for 3 – 4 hours of Spotlight run time, and up to 12 hours of Lantern run time. This Brite-Nite trigger switches between spotlight and lantern and is protected by rubberized, shock-absorbing lens guard. Read more »

Safety Band: This Safety Band is made with a highly reflective fluorescent material and features 4 red LED lights that flash approximately 150 times per minute. The Reflective Safety Band is visible from up to 2,500 feet away. A great bargain at just a few bucks! Read more »

Emergency Power Dome: The Wagan Power Dome All-in-One emergency and outdoor companion can be used to jump start your car engine, pump your tires, or inflate sporting equipment. This power supply also has a radio, AC and DC power source, USB port, audio input socket, LED light, and a storage compartment. Note: Recommended to fully charge battery for 40-48 hours before initial use After the initial charge, charge the unit for 38 hours and/or every 2 to 3 months. Read more »

Solar-Powered Battery Charger: Under sunlight the Solar eCharger converts daylight into electricity to charge cell phones or other electronic devices, then stores the power in the built-in Lithium-ion, depending on the intensity of the light. Power different kinds of electronic products, including MP3 and MP4 players, PDAs, digital cameras, cell phones and more by changing voltages through a wide range of 4.5–9 volts. Simply adjust the switch on the Solar e Charger to quickly change to the appropriate voltage for the particular electronic device. Read more »

• Read the full list of Disaster Preparedness Kit suggestions on the FEMA website.

Wagan Power Dome for Emergencies During Holiday Travels

I got one of these for my in-laws last Christmas, and they just love it!  They have used it several times – luckily to assist someone else in trouble. The don’t travel anywhere without it.

The Wagan Power Dome All-in-One emergency and outdoor companion can be used to jump start your car engine, pump your tires, or inflate sporting equipment. This power supply also has a radio, AC and DC power source, USB port, audio input socket, LED light, and a storage compartment.

• Functions: Portable & Rechargeable Power; 400Amp Cranking Power Jump-Starter; Heavy duty cables & clamps; 260 PSI air compressor; Tire pressure gauge; 2 AC outlets; 1 DC outlet; AM/FM radio; 1 USB port; LED lights; Storage Compartment
• Built-in Battery: High grade Sealed Lead Acid (Maintenance Free) 14 amp-hr
• Output: 12V DC
• Input Charging Source: DC or AC w/included cables
• Fuse Type: Information not yet available
• Charging Time: AC 38 hours; DC 12 hours
• Light source: LED work light
• Read more »

Stay Safe During Winter Travels

Home Controls is not just about home systems we also carry an impressive selection of gadgets for your vehicle. Here are a few products that can provide valuable assistance in case of an emergency as you travel this holiday season!

Wagan Power Dome EX, 400W: Power Dome EX is a multi-purpose emergency power source. It can be used as a power source for 110volt AC or 12volt DC applications such as computers, TVs, fax machines, audio, fans, electrical tools, etc. It can also start your car engine in an emergency situation. Functions: Portable & Rechargeable Power; 600Amp Cranking Power Jump-Starter; Heavy duty cables & clamps; 260 PSI air compressor; Tire pressure gauge; 2 AC outlets; 1 DC outlet; AM/FM radio; 1 USB port; Audio input socket; LED lights. Read more »

Foldable Traction Mats: Maxsa Innovations Foldable Traction Mats are used to prevent your vehicle’s tires from spinning. Avoid shoveling, towing, or calling someone for help – simply place the mats under your car’s drive wheels and go! These mats are made from break-resistant plastic that can resist cold down to -22°F (-30°C). They feature rust-resistant brass pins and a large 5.5 x 23 inch size that is perfect for all passenger vehicles. Includes 2 mats. Read more »

Heated Seat Cushion: This is a very popular product! The Wagan Heated Seat Cushion provides soothing heat to help maintain metabolism and steady blood circulation. It features a deluxe faux leather finish that provides the most comfort and is easy to clean. Simply plug the seat cushion into a 12V cigarette lighter socket and it warms up immediately. Includes auto shut-off feature to avoid overheating and straps to hold the cushion in place. Read more »

Comfy Cruise: The Maxsa Innovations Comfy Cruise 12 Volt Heated Travel Blanket warms you up in seconds. Use it for those who suffer from poor circulation or to keep the kids warm, especially when they are in car seats and cannot wear bulky snow suits. It features a large 42 x 58 Inch size and an extra long 7 ft. cord so it can be used in the back seat as well as in the front. It can be used in cars, convertibles, trucks, boats, RVs, and SUVs. Read more »

Reflective Safety Vest with 16 LED Lights: Be seen early by passing cars to help prevent accidents. The Reflective Safety Vest with 16 LED Lights is great for joggers, walkers, bikers, construction workers, or anyone who is out at night. It features 16 LED lights that flash approximately 150 times per minute. This vest is visible from up to 1,500 feet away. Read more »

• See more Automative Accessories @ Home Controls!

Staying Safe During Winter Drives

Driving can be quite dangerous as the weather reach record low temperatures across the country. This products won’t help you drive any safer, but they can help you stay warm and provide valuable assistance in case of an emergency.

Heated Seat Cushion: This is a very popular product! The Wagan Heated Seat Cushion provides soothing heat to help maintain metabolism and steady blood circulation. It features a deluxe faux leather finish that provides the most comfort and is easy to clean. Simply plug the seat cushion into a 12V cigarette lighter socket and it warms up immediately. Includes auto shut-off feature to avoid overheating and straps to hold the cushion in place. More info…

Comfy Cruise: The Maxsa Innovations Comfy Cruise 12 Volt Heated Travel Blanket warms you up in seconds. Use it for those who suffer from poor circulation or to keep the kids warm, especially when they are in car seats and cannot wear bulky snow suits. It features a large 42 x 58 Inch size and an extra long 7 ft. cord so it can be used in the back seat as well as in the front. It can be used in cars, convertibles, trucks, boats, RVs, and SUVs. More info…

Power Dome NX: The Wagan Power Dome All-in-One emergency and outdoor companion can be used to jump start your car engine, pump your tires, or inflate sporting equipment. This power supply also has a radio, AC and DC power source, USB port, audio input socket, LED light, and a storage compartment. (Note: Recommended to fully charge battery for 40-48 hours before initial use After the initial charge, charge the unit for 38 hours and/or every 2 to 3 months.) More info…

There are plenty more travel gadgets at HomeControls.com. Whether you buy from us or not, please drive safe!

NEW: Wagan Power Dome NX

This is a great product for all types of travelers, whether you are on a day trip or a cross country excursion! The Wagan Power Dome NX (WT2485) all-in-one emergency and outdoor companion can be used to jump start your car engine, pump your tires, or inflate sporting equipment. This power supply also has a radio, AC and DC power source, USB port, audio input socket, LED light, and a storage compartment. (Note: Recommended to fully charge battery for 40-48 hours before initial use After the initial charge, charge the unit for 38 hours and/or every 2 to 3 months.)

• Functions: Portable & Rechargeable Power; 400Amp Cranking Power Jump-Starter; Heavy duty cables & clamps; 260 PSI air compressor; Tire pressure gauge; 2 AC outlets; 1 DC outlet; AM/FM radio; 1 USB port; LED lights; Storage Compartment
• Built-in Battery: High grade Sealed Lead Acid (Maintenance Free) 14 amp-hr
• Output: 12V DC
• Input Charging Source: DC or AC w/included cables
• Fuse Type: Information not yet available
• Charging Time: AC 38 hours; DC 12 hours
• Light source: LED work light
• Safety Features: Overload Protection, Short Circuit Protection
• Accessories included: AC adapter; DC cigarette adapter; air compressor accessories
• More info …

Power Surges and Spikes

About a couple of years ago, the transformer that supplied electricity to our block suffered a malfunction. It did not just fail but actually induced an overvoltage (>150VAC each phase) to surge throughout my home. During the event’s initial few minutes, all my lights that were lit including fluorescents grew brighter. The house smelled of melting plastic and I could hear something crackle behind the entertainment center. Frantically, I started turning OFF all the lights and unplugging any device that is plugged in to an electrical outlet. By the time I got to the other end of the house (5 minutes after the surge started) power went out for the whole block. Later on, I found out through my older neighbors that this has happened before but not as catastrophic or as long a duration as this one.

The aftermath of this whole event left quite a few damaged electrical equipment. All of my strip surge suppressors failed/tripped (a few had melted plastic and burnt circuit components) but protected the devices (amps, TV’s, PC’s, etc) that were plugged in to them. Some appliances that were not surge protected survived (fridge, washer, water heater) but others did not (dryer, HVAC). The UPS that provided power to my PBX survived and so did all of my in-wall UPB dimmers but not the UPB in-line fixtures nor the UPB circuit breaker bridge (it partially melted). Overall, I feel lucky that the damage was fairly minimal. Just didn’t like the sinking feeling of powerlessness or rather not having enough time to respond to what could have been a full blown electrical fire.

Some lessons learned from this whole ordeal:

• Have procedures in place to handle emergencies like fire, earthquake, gas leaks, etc. Location(s) of breaker panel(s), gas/water shut-off valves, and the like should be marked and shown to all family members so they can be mobilized in an emergency. The single most critical act of tripping the main breaker to the home could have saved my electrical equipment. Unfortunately, it was not done .
• Install a whole house surge suppressor. My UPB in-line  receivers and other appliancces that did not have local surge protection would have survived the surge if I had whole house protection.
• Install local surge protection for most if not all electrical aplliances/devices. Nowadays, all electrical gear will have circuitry that is susceptible to surges/spikes (there is a difference that will be discussed in another post).
• Inventory all electrical gear and assess the damage thoroughly. The local electric company will cover the cost of replacement/repair based on what you submit in your one-time claim.

After all is said and done, I now have better appreciation on the importance of surge suppressors, UPS, arresters etc. in our ever growing electronics world.