I am one of the lucky people who survived Hurricane Ian. My home was not damaged but the city ordered us to boil our water. My concern is does boiling water make it safe enough to drink?

-From Jessica E.

Answer: This is a great question that’s oftentimes confusing. The thing is, you are right that municipalities often issue a boil water notice, but does it really make the water safe?

First, if you boil water for drinking you should bring the water to a full boil for about 10 minutes. Also, remember that it may take about 30 minutes for the water to cool down from the boiling point.

Now, if you boil water this will kill viruses, parasites, and bacteria. However, it won’t remove lead, pesticides or any toxic chemicals.

In fact, boiling water that contains lead or chemicals can make the water more toxic because when boiling, you actually remove water.

But, the amount of lead or chemicals remains the same. So, to be safe, I would purchase a quality water filter that removes bacteria as well as chemicals.

 

After attending your awesome training, I have made lock picking my newest hobby. I have created a lock pick tool bag. My question is does the government track online sales of lock pick tools? Even though I’m not doing anything wrong it will look bad.

-From Christopher T.

Answer: To be clear, I wouldn’t advise breaking the law to obtain any of these types of items.

With that being said, depending on where you live, many lock pick tools including auto jiggler keys are legal to own and there is nothing wrong with buying them online.

If you are buying these types of items online, I recommend having them shipped to a P.O. Box or UPS store box. The key is you shouldn’t have any mail or packages sent directly to your home address.

​In addition, if you are buying these things online you can ask the company if you can send them a money order or cash. This will prevent any charges on your credit or debit card.

Again, make sure you are following the laws but there are simple things you can do to protect your privacy.

 

I haven’t purchased a new TV in over 20 years. Can new TV’s spy on me?

-From Vic R.

Answer: The bad thing with Smart TV’s is that they connect to the internet. This means they are the same thing as a computer.

And like a computer, they can be hacked for spying purposes.

These days, essentially all TV models have smart features. In fact, you would have to go back to 2014 models to find TVs that do not connect to the web.

The argument is that consumers want streaming services, so connectivity is necessary.

Of course, this brings risks as well. Basically, there are two types of security issues when it comes to Smart TV’s: hacking and data collection.

The best thing to do is to treat your TV like you would a computer when it comes to security.

For instance, you should use a virtual private network (VPN) on your Smart TV, cover the camera or microphone with tape, and always use a strong password for any accounts you use on the TV.

The bottom line is, you’d really have to get an older model TV to be 100% safe.

 

Should I make tactical gloves part of my bug out gear? Are they necessary or a waste of money?

-From Ronnie J.

Answer: I would definitely make gloves part of your bug out gear. If you have to bug out, things have gone really wrong and you never know what you’re going to be using the gloves for. I own a bunch of gloves and use them often – mostly at the shooting range.

 

I’ve added an Inmarsat satellite phone to my bug out gear. I know that cell towers will be down during a disaster. Can you tell me if my satellite phone can be hacked into like my regular smartphone can be?

-From Nicole S.

Answer: Satellite phones can be hacked. But, it is a lot less likely to happen compared to regular smartphones.

Sat phones have limited capabilities. This means there are less ways for hackers to hack their way in. Sat phones don’t have app stores.

Typically, they can make phone calls and send texts. But that is about it.

Plus, hackers focus on things that make them the most money. There are a lot more smartphone users than satellite phone users.

 

My husband and I are new to gun ownership. We would like to buy a few other guns to add to our home defense weapons. Is it better to buy more guns from the same manufacturer or is it better to diversify gun makes?

-From Linda B.

Answer: When buying a gun, you should choose the gun that fits you the best. What I mean is, your favorite 9mm might be a Glock 19. Yet your favorite .380 might be a Sig Sauer.

My point is that different brands might feel better to you depending on the specific gun and caliber.

I own guns from different makers such as Colt, Sig Sauer, Springfield, Glock, Walther and Canik, to name a few. So, buy the quality gun you like best and don’t worry if they all come from the same company.