From Michael P: I live in NYC. I have been denied a HOME PISTOL LICENSE due to points on my Driver’s License. So forget about getting an AR-15 here… What is your next pick for a home defense firearm in a real disaster?

Answer: I know NYC has some strict gun laws but if you are allowed to own a firearm my next choice for home defense would be a shotgun. The specific shotgun I own and recommend is the Remington 870. You can buy this in different versions but the standard 870 is quality shotgun that should serve you well. The entry-level 870 starts at $350 so you won’t have to spend a ton to get a quality gun.

From Yvonne W: I need the best security camera for my small one bedroom apartment… What do you recommend?

Answer: There are a lot of options when it comes to indoor security cameras. One I would check into is the Amazon Cloud Cam, which sells for $90. It offers a 1080P picture, motion notifications, and free storage. In other words, you won’t have to pay a monthly fee for video storage like you do with most other security cameras.

From John P: How would someone turn off this so-called location thing for a flip-phone?

Answer: Depending on the age and model of your flip phone it may not have GPS capabilities, meaning you wouldn’t have to turn it off. However, if you have a flip phone that is GPS enabled you would need to go into the phone’s settings and turn off the location tracking.

From Timothy R: Is there a designated frequency that would be used in HAM radio in the case of a major disaster?

Answer: The frequencies that you would use for HAM radio operations vary depending on your geographic location. There is no single universal frequency or channel, however when programming your HAM radio you would want to include repeater channels as well as local channels.

From Peter S: If your lock has been picked, does it damage the lock so that the key is more difficult to turn? A few days ago the key to my front door began suddenly sticking, needing to juggle it a bit to turn. Additionally, inside the house there may have been some slight changes, but nothing missing. Is this paranoia or a possibility?

Answer: This is a possibility especially if the person who may have picked the lock is inexperienced. What I mean is, when you pick a lock once there isn’t typically damage to the lock unless the person really didn’t know what they were doing and damaged the lock. Usually, a lock would have to be picked many times for it to sustain any damage.

From Ed B: I have been researching where to order MREs for my BOB/Escape bag. After reading numerous reviews, I’m finding that there are companies trying to sell items as MRE’s that really aren’t. Can you recommend a good source to get them from?

Answer: Unfortunately, there are a lot of scams in the survival food world. You can see what most survival companies try to hide and what food I recommend, right here.