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Preparedness Month – 72 Hour Kit Part 2
Yesterday we talked about how you should prepare a 72 hour kit for each member of your family. We looked at the list for 72-hr kits and the suggested items to include in a 72 hour kit from Utah.gov. I told you to print it out and put it in your binder. The list was pretty easy to understand and pretty specific. Most of the items are easy and cheap to buy and even easier to store. What do you do once you have bought all the items? The Utah.gov website also has tips for storing your 72 hour kit. There are also many other useful tips about 72 hour kits.
Emergency Container Tip:
A water-tight container is most ideal for keeping a 72 Hour Kit. Most people prepare and store 72 hour kits in backpacks because they are easy to carry. I think this is a great idea. Right now backpacks can be purchased in the clearance section of many stores and the back-to-school items are marked down.
Utah.gov had some other suggestions. “Create emergency kits and store in any type of containers with wheels. Such as for the larger kits; garbage cans, foot-lockers, chest, duffle bags, tote bags, ice chest, various size suitcases or various size plastic boxes.”
Suggested Areas To Store 72 Hour Kits:
- Store grab-and-go food and water container where easy to access in case you are advised to evacuate.
- Children and adults keep their emergency kit(s) in their bedrooms. Let the children have responsibility for their own backpack and have the older children buddy-up and take care of younger brothers or sisters. Mom, dad take care of baby.
- If a senior citizen resides with the family, also buddy-up and help them for they move slower and a backpack may be too heavy for them to carry.
- Donʼt forget house pets should also have emergency kits to be ready to grab-and-go. Pack the foods pet(s) normally eat, leashes, crates and litterbox.
- Re-think where all of your camping gear is located throughout the household. Keep in one area if possible for easy access so youʼre not looking in the dark with a flashlight for things.
- Always keep a pair of hard sole shoes underneath your bed.
Stay tuned tomorrow when we continue to talk about emergency preparedness. We’ve got a few more tips and ideas to share. Want us to share your idea? Let us know, we love to hear from you.
Preparedness Month – 72 Hour Kit!
For the last couple of weeks we have talked about how much I love September! There are so many fun things that happen in September – I love football, changing leaves, so many things about September rank among my favorites. September is also National Preparedness Month. I love to talk/think/do things about preparedness. When talking about things like National Preparedness Month, I think it is really easy to become overwhelmed by preparedness. There are so many topics and so many things to do. You can listen to lectures and read articles and find dozens of ways you are not prepared. It is really easy to look at the big picture of being prepared and begin to feel panic set in, which is not good at all. Now is the time to stop being overwhelmed by preparedness and to get organized and make a plan. Like anything else, if we break National Preparedness Month up into smaller topics we tend to be able to process it better and make more progress with preparedness. As September draws to an end we still need to talk about a very important topic – 72 hour kits.
Did you find or create your preparedness binder, label it and dedicate it to emergency preparedness? Did you find a place to keep it that is handy and easy to access when you have a note to write or a plan to make? Did you put the binder in that place? Go get it and we’ll work on the 72 hour kit section. This section could end up containing a lot of important information so let’s get started.
You should prepare a portable kit for each member of your family. Consider preparing a smaller kit for your place of work and one for the car but we will talk about that later. Let’s first look at the list for 72-hr kits for the home. This is the list of suggested items to include in a 72 hour kit from Utah.gov. Print it out and put it in your binder. We’ll look at this list and some other important points tomorrow.
72-Hour Kit Checklist
- WATER. Store 1 gallon of water per person per day. Keep at least a three day supply of water.
- FOOD and UTENSILS. At least one to three-day supply of nonperishable food that could include ready-to-eat meats, juices, high-energy foods such as granola or power bars.
- NOAA WEATHER ALERT RADIO, either hand crank or battery powered, extra batteries
- BLANKETS/PILLOWS/SLEEPING BAG
- FLASHLIGHT and extra batteries or hand crank, or light sticks. Do not use candles/open flame during an emergency.
- WHISTLE for emergency signal.
- DUST or FILTER MASKS, N95 mask recommended for preventing inhalation of airborne particles.
- MOIST TOWELETTES or baby wipes for sanitation
- TOOLS – Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities, broom, shovel, Hammer and Working Gloves.
- CAN OPENER for for food (if kit contains canned items).
- PLASTIC SHEETING and DUCT TAPE to “seal the room” for sheltering in place.
- MEDICATIONS to include prescription and non-prescription medications such as pain relievers, stomach remedies and etc.
- FIRST AID SUPPLIES. An assortment of bandages, ointments, gauze pads, cold/hot packs, tweezers, scissors and sanitizer.
- PERSONAL HYGIENE ITEMS to include at least one change of clothing/shoes/outerware.
- GARBAGE BAGS and plastic ties for personal sanitation.
- PAPER SUPPLIES. Note pads, markers, pens, pencils, plates, napkins, paper towels and etc.
- CAMERA. Disposable camera to record damage.
- CASH/ATM AND CREDIT CARD. Keep enough cash for immediate needs in small denominations.
- EMERGENCY CONTACT PHONE LIST.
- MAPS. Local road and area maps.
- MEDICAL HISTORY LISTS. For every family member in your home make a list of medical history, all medications (by name) and dosages.
Preparedness Month – First Aid Kits!
We’ve talked about food storage and water storage and a few other things this month. Every day we’ve talked about a useful tip to help us all be prepared for emergencies. We have been talking about preparedness all month because September is National Preparedness Month. One of the things that is so important and we made a section for in our Preparedness Binder is having a first aid kit.
First aid kits come in many shapes and sizes, it is easy to buy or make a first aid kit to fit your needs. You can purchase a first aid kit from your local discount store or your local drug store may sell them. You can also make your own first aid kit. Some first aid kits are designed for specific activities or locations like camping, home or car. There are so many different first aid kits but all have one basic thing in common – if we don’t check the contents the kit could be useless in some first aid emergencies.
Years ago I bought a small first aid kit for my car and tossed it under a seat. I thought very little about it and knew I was good because there was a first aid kit in the car. A couple years later I looked at it and realized many of the contents were expired and some things were damaged. A first aid kit is only complete if you check the contents to make sure it is in date and contains all of the needed items. If you buy one or make one, make sure it has the basic items you will need. Need to get your kit ready and updated? Wondering where to start? The Red Cross recommends that all first aid kits for a family of four include the following:
2 absorbent compress dressings (5 x 9 inches)
25 adhesive bandages (assorted sizes)
1 adhesive cloth tape (10 yards x 1 inch)
5 antibiotic ointment packets (approximately 1 gram)
5 antiseptic wipe packets
2 packets of aspirin (81 mg each)
1 blanket (space blanket)
1 breathing barrier (with one-way valve)
1 instant cold compress
2 pair of nonlatex gloves (size: large)
2 hydrocortisone ointment packets (approximately 1 gram each)
Scissors
1 roller bandage (3 inches wide)
1 roller bandage (4 inches wide)
5 sterile gauze pads (3 x 3 inches)
5 sterile gauze pads (4 x 4 inches)
Oral thermoameter (non-mercury/nonglass)
2 triangular bandages
Tweezers
First aid instruction booklet
Do you have any tips or tricks for buying or assembling a first aid kit? If so, share them with us. We love hearing from you. Maybe your tips or tricks will end up in one of our future blogs.
Preparedness Month – Guidelines for Storing Water!
Yesterday we talked about how we all know the basic ideas behind having food storage. One of the biggest reasons is that it helps us be prepared for times when shopping might be impossible, too hard or too expensive. We all seem to focus on food and household items. Those are some of the most important things. Yet, I think there is something that we all would agree is as important as food. We need to store water. If your normal water source becomes unavailable or if you are unsure about its fitness to drink, you will need an alternative clean water supply for drinking, food preparation, and personal hygiene. There are many guidelines for storing water.
The following are the general guidelines for storing water.
Families should store enough clean water to allow each person in the household to use 1 to 1.5 gallons each day.
Increase the amount of water stored when there are children, sick people, nursing mothers, or pets in the household.
Families should store a minimum of a 3-day supply of water.
For Example: A four-person household would need to store 18 gallons of water. That’s 1.5 gallons per person per day for 3 days.
If you think about it; that really beings to sound like a lot of water to store. We need to think and talk about some methods of storing water. What are the guidelines for storing water? What containers should be used? Where should water be stored?
First there are some basic guidelines for storing water:
- Label all containers as “drinking water” and include storage date.
- Replace stored water that is not commercially bottled every six months.
- Keep stored water in a place with a fairly constant cool temperature.
- Do not store water containers in direct sunlight.
What containers should we use to store our water?
- Unopened commercially bottled water is the safest and most reliable emergency water supply.
- Food-grade water storage containers, such as those found at surplus or camping supply stores, are recommended if you prepare stored water yourself.
Are there containers that should be avoided when storing water?
- Containers that cannot be sealed tightly or that can break.
- Do not use containers that have ever been used for any toxic chemicals.
- Plastic bottles and containers that were used for milk or fruit juices.
Are there other sources of water to consider in an emergency?
- If you have time, fill the bathtub with water. Be sure to keep doors to the bathroom closed and locked if there are small children in the home. The full tub could be a drowning hazard. The tub water will be useful for hygiene and cleaning. It could also be filtered or boiled for drinking.
- Use the water in your water heater if needed. Most guidelines for storing water suggest this as an excellent resource. If there is risk of contaminated water entering the tank, turn the water off to the water heater. Do not let contaminated water fill the water heater. Turn off the heat source as the tank empties.
Preparedness Month – Store Water!
We all know the basic ideas behind having food storage. One of the biggest reasons is that it helps us be prepared for times when shopping might be impossible, too hard or too expensive. We all seem to focus on food and household items. Those are some of the most important things. Yet, I think there is something that we all would agree is as important as food. We need to store water.
Why would we need to store water? If your normal water source becomes unavailable or if you are unsure about its fitness to drink, you will need an alternative clean water supply for drinking, food preparation, and personal hygiene. The following are general guidelines for storing water.
Families should store enough clean water to allow each person in the household to use 1 to 1.5 gallons each day.
Increase the amount of water stored when there are children, sick people, nursing mothers, or pets in the household.
Families should store a minimum of a 3-day supply of water.
For Example: A four-person household would need to store 18 gallons of water. That’s 1.5 gallons per person per day for 3 days.
We’ll talk more about some ways to store that water tomorrow. Today we are going to focus on what to do with the water before we drink it. How to we make the water we have safe to drink? There are a few popular and safe methods to make stored or otherwise questionable water safe to drink.
Boiling water
Boiling water is the most common way to destroy potential pathogens. Water boiled continuously for 3 to 4 minutes can be stored in a suitable container at room temperature.
Aeration can improve the flat taste of boiled water. Aerate water by transferring water back and forth from one container to another.
Chemical treatments
Chemical treatments like chlorination and iodine tablets are also popular ways to purify water.
Chlorinate water using basic household bleach that is unscented and free of any other cleaner or color-safe component. The recommended amount of bleach to be used to disinfect a gallon of water would be: for clear water you would use 8 drops of bleach and 16 drops in cloudy water. After mixing in the bleach, let the water stand for 30 minutes. You should be able to detect a slight chlorine odor after the treatment. If not, treat the water again and let it stand for another 15 minutes.
Iodine tablets will eradicate heat-resistant pathogens. Iodine purification is more convenient and faster than chlorination, but it has limitations.
Distillation and Filtration
Distillation and filtration are newer procedures compared to boiling. In these cases, water is treated physically rather than chemically.
Filtration is a simple process where water is passed through a filter to remove impurities. Mechanical filters like strainers and sediment filters are effective in removing debris and some suspended solids.
Distillation involves collection of vapor from boiling water followed by condensation back to a liquid. The condensed water does not contain any impurities that may have been in the raw water. The “flat” taste of distilled water can be improved by aerating it.
Reverse Osmosis
Activated carbon filtration systems combined with reverse osmosis are effective in removing total dissolved solids, turbidity, asbestos, lead, and other heavy metals.
Reverse osmosis filters can remove pathogens of all sizes, but are not specifically designed to do so. Do not rely on a reverse osmosis water treatment system to remove pathogens from contaminated water.
(Information is what is recommended by the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida.)
Preparedness Month – Non-food Items in Storage!
We’ve been talking about National Preparedness Month and all of the different ways we can be prepared. We talked a lot last week about food storage and now we should talk about other items to include. I still remember a funny conversation I had with a neighbor a few years ago. We were moving to a new home and he was helping load the boxes containing my food storage into the truck. Suddenly he stopped moving the boxes and looked at me with total shock on his face. He said he had never thought of having so many non-food items in his food storage. He said he and his wife had never even thought to have something as basic as toilet paper in his food storage. I was surprised because this all seemed so natural to me. I wouldn’t want to be without these items for long so I included them in my food storage. It just made sense to me.
We all know the basic ideas behind having food storage. One of the biggest reasons is that it helps us be prepared for times when shopping might be impossible, too hard or too expensive. We all seem to focus on food and water. Those are some of the most important things. Yet, I think there are quite a few other non-food things that we all would agree are almost as important as food.
Toilet Paper
I think this is one of the top non-food items that I need to have in my food storage. I knew it topped my list even before my neighbor’s reaction of surprise and awe. I can’t imagine being stuck without toilet paper. I know there may be other things you could use but seriously, do you want to use leaves or newspaper or something else? I sure don’t!
Diapers and Wipes
If you have a little person in diapers in your house, be sure to include diapers and wipes in your food storage. Again there are other things that can be used in a pinch, but do you really want to?
Soap and Shampoo
Make sure you have some of this in your food storage as well. Even if money is tight or there is a disaster or emergency you will be able to be clean. That’s a huge comfort.
Feminine Supplies
Another must have in the food storage. There are some things that will be needed no matter what, don’t forget these supplies. I’m not sure I want to try any of the other things that could be used, I’ll just keep a supply of the norm.
Laundry Detergent
Another non-food item that I think is critical to have on hand is laundry soap. This goes with the same idea of being clean is a must. I store liquid detergent because it seems to be easier to use if I need to do laundry by hand.
Dish Soap
I store both liquid dish soap and dishwasher soap. I really hate paying full price for expensive dishwasher detergent. I stock up when it hits a price I like. Again, keeping things clean is a big plus.
Toothbrushes/Toothpaste
Another personal hygiene plus, no one wants to be without these items. There isn’t a need for a huge amount of these in your food storage. I try to keep an extra toothbrush or two for everyone and an extra two or three tubes of toothpaste. It is a good idea.
I know there are lots of other options for non-food items to keep in your food storage. Have any great suggestions or tips? We’d love to hear them!
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Preparedness Month – Food Storage Recipes!
September is National Preparedness Month. I love to talk/think/do things about preparedness. Like I said before, I am not one of those nutty people who is preparing for the end of the world or the zombie apocalypse. I am someone who knows that being prepared is important so I really like National Preparedness Month. There is so much to talk about because there are so many ways to be prepared. Yesterday we talked more about long term food storage. Today we are going to talk about using some of this long term food storage in some food storage recipes.
Lots of times when people hear about having long term food storage, they get turned off easily. Long term food storage is generally viewed as being enough food storage for one year. This can be a scary amount of food storage to think about. It sounds hard to do, time consuming and expensive. It also sounds like a waste of food. Many people picture large amounts of food that you’ll never use. That’s the wrong way to look at it. If you have some good food storage recipes you can actually use some of your long term food storage.
It is actually a really good idea to use your long term food storage, whether you have good food storage recipes or not. If you find yourself in the position to start using your long term food storage on a regular basis, your body will be shocked if you’ve never tried the foods. It would be a bad thing to be trying new foods and food storage recipes which might make you sick while you are going through a difficult time.
Here are a couple of our favorite food storage recipes to help you get started using your long term food storage.
Bulgur Wheat and Dried Cranberries
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 cup dry bulgur wheat
1 1/2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 cup dried cranberries
Directions:
- Bring water to a boil in a pot, and mix in bulgur, bouillon granules, and butter.
- Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes.
- Fluff cooked bulgur with a fork, and gently mix in the dried cranberries.
*Recipe works well with other dried fruits as well.
Wheat Blender Pancakes
Ingredients:
1 Cup Milk
1 Cup Wheat Kernels, whole & uncooked
2 Eggs
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 tsp Salt
2 Tbs. Oil
2 Tbs. Honey or Sugar
Directions:
- Put milk and wheat kernels in blender.
- Blend on highest speed for 4 or 5 minutes or until batter is smooth.
- Add eggs, oil, baking powder, salt and honey or sugar to above batter.
- Blend on low.
- Pour out batter onto a hot greased or Pam prepared griddle or large frying pan.
- Cook. Flip pancakes when bubbles pop and create holes.
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Preparedness Month – Long Term Food Storage!
September is National Preparedness Month. I love to talk/think/do things about preparedness. Like I said before, I am not one of those nutty people who is preparing for the end of the world or the zombie apocalypse. I am someone who knows that being prepared is important so I really like National Preparedness Month. There is so much to talk about because there are so many ways to be prepared. Yesterday we talked a little bit about long term food storage.
Lots of times when people hear about having long term food storage, they get turned off easily. Long term food storage is generally viewed as being for one year. This can be a scary amount of food storage to think about. It sounds hard to do, time consuming and expensive. It really isn’t hard, time consuming or expensive. There are some pretty simple guidelines one can follow when you are trying to build up your long term food storage.
The long term food storage items and quantities your family will need for one year is listed below. These amounts are per each person who is seven years old or older. For those younger than seven, storage about half of these amounts.
Grains
Wheat 150 lbs
Flour 25 lbs
Corn Meal 25 lbs
Oats 25 lbs
Rice 50 lbs
Pasta 25 lbs
Total Grains 300 lbs
Fats and Oils
Shortening 4 lbs
Vegetable Oil 2 gal
Mayonnaise 2 qts
Salad Dressing 1 qts
Peanut Butter 4 lbs
Total Fats 13 lbs
Legumes
Beans, dry 30 lbs
Lima Beans 5 lbs
Soy Beans 10 lbs
Split Peas 5 lbs
Lentils 5 lbs
Dry Soup Mix 5 lbs
Total Legumes 60 lbs
Sugars
Honey 3 lbs
Sugar 40 lbs
Brown Sugar 3 lbs
Molasses 1 lbs
Corn Syrup 3 lbs
Jams 3 lbs
Fruit drink powdered 6 lbs
Flavored Gelatin 1 lbs
Total Sugars 60 lbs
Milk
Dry Milk 60 lbs
Evaporated Milk 12 can
Other 13 lbs
Total Dairy lbs
Cooking Essentials
Baking Powder 1 lbs
Baking Soda 1 lbs
Yeast .5 lbs
Salt 5 lbs
Vinegar .5 gal
Water
Water 14 gal
Bleach 1 gal
Come back tomorrow when we will talk more about preparedness month and food storage. Have ideas to share, let us know. We love to hear from you.
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