Week 27

If you have not already completed your household inventory make that your goal this week and get it checked off your list. It is one of the most important things you can do. If you were to lose your home an inventory can save you time, money and regrets. In most cases if you fail to list any items as being lost, with the insurance company, it is too late later to be reimbursed for the items.
1. This week we are going to begin our Car Kits.  Can you imagine being stuck in the car for many hours! Wouldn’t it be nice to have something to eat and drink, something to provide a little light, or a whistle to attract help if you should have a health emergency.  When traveling long distances a Car Kit can be a real life saver.  If you need to put on tire chains a bright orange vest may save your life as people can see you from a distance. Mylar blankets can protect you from the desert sun and provide warmth during a snow storm. This week find an old back pack or purchase one so you are ready to begin adding items next week.
2. Add a hammer to your Grab and Go Kit
3. Practice building a fire. If you have a fire pit in your yard use that. Practice starting a fire with items that you may have on hand if you are stranded on the road. Use a pair of eye glasses to light the fire.  Collect some pine needles, dried leaves or small sticks and use them as kindling. Try starting a fire using a battery and steel wool. Get a 9 volt battery and a small piece of steel wool. Wrap the steel wool in a little paper, tissue or other flammable material. Leave a little of the steel wool exposed. Gently rub the steel wool against the battery connection. This will cause sparks so be careful. Blow to increase the flames and drop onto your prepared kindling. Gently blow to keep the fire going until the kindling catches.
4. Learn a new skill. Ask a friend to teach you to can or make freezer jam. Learn to change a tire. Invite a friend to teach your family to build that fire if it is all a mystery to you. Take a CPR class. Learn to sew or jump your car battery.
5. Add a cooking pot to your Grab and Go Kit. I like a Dutch Oven because they are so versatile, they hold a lot, you can use them directly in a fire and they can take lots of abuse.
6 . Purchase milk for your food storage.
7. Practice your new skill you have learned in #4 above

Week 26

1. Place a pot in your grab and go pile. Make sure the pot is heavy as you will probably be using in on an open fire, camp stove, or barbecue grill. You will only be adding one pot as during an emergency you won’t want to be carrying more than that. A lid for the pot is also important and with limited water you may need to reuse any water you have used to cook your food and you definitely don’t want water evaporating.
2. It time to think shelter. If you have a small 3 man tent they are great and light weight. Tube tents are not the best. They are flimsy, small, open at both ends and easily carried away in a wind. If you purchased a 72 hour kit with one please don’t count on that for an emergency. Tarps are good. Added rope to your GGK (Grab and Go Kit) and with the addition of a tarp or two you can make a much bigger and more  sturdy shelter. Tarps can be used as a tent, lean to, dining cover, ground cover, to temporarily repair a leaky roof and even to haul debris. They are much less expensive than a tent and much easier to carry. If you have a large  family add a few tarps and extra rope.
3. Clear a ten foot area around your propane tank and your barbecue grill. We often hear about clearing a defensible space around our homes but most of us think we are safe because we don’t live in a wooded area. Propane tanks and barbecue grills can be very dangerous. Tanks can and will explode during a weather emergency and barbecue grill can easily create a grease fire with dangerous flame. Grills have also been know to tip over and catch lawns and lawn furniture on fire. Give yourself plenty of space away from your house so you have time to put out the fire before it can cause major damage.
4. Purchase one can or container of protein per family member. This may include; tuna and other fish, meats, peanut butter or beans. This is not the only time we will add protein to our food storage so check the sales this week and add items that are on sale.
5. Move heavy items to bottom shelves. This is especially important during a tornado or earthquake. You do not want heavy items falling out of shelves on to family members. Anything that is heavy or with sharp edges should be on bottom shelves.
6. Check you garage and area around heaters and water heaters and move any items that are flammable away from heat sources. If you have a shed store propane bottles, cleaners, lawn mowers (they are flammable) in the shed. Also move any weed killers and pesticides away from heat sources. They can become deadly if they are exposed to a fire.
7. Draw a floor plan or your home. Using markers or colored pencils mark at least two escape routes from each room in case of a fire. Spend time this week walking through those options with your family. Practice good fire safety techniques, low to the ground, feel the door before opening and always practice meeting at your designated meeting place.

week 25

1. Add cleaning supplies to your preparedness and your Grab and Go Kit. Add a bucket, a small bottle of bleach and rags to your kit. Be sure this is separate from the bucket and rags you have in your home. If you need to evacuate for a fire, hurricane, tornado, flood, or earthquake you may come home to a home that is no longer intact. You will need cleaning supplies. Be sure you have a good push broom and a good mop. It is not feasible to take these in a Grab n Go Kit but not all emergencies will destroy your home.
2. Get online and print off a copy of your credit reports. Be sure to check all three credit reporting agencies ,Trans Union, Equifax, and Experian. If you find anything that is incorrect change it now. Don’t be caught off guard. Fix any mistakes now!
3. Add clothes pins to your Grab and Go Kit (GGK). Last week we added rope. With the addition of clothes pins we are now ready to dry clothing, photos, important papers, and even build a shelter. We will talk more about all their uses in coming weeks.
4. Add an ax to you GGK.
5. Gather, count and clean all sleeping bags. If you don’t have one per family member this may make a good gift.
6. Add 1 bottle of juice per family member to your food storage. Remember only 100% juice counts as a fruit so make it 100% juice.
7. Copy your tax returns for at least the last 2 years and add them to your adult 72 hour kits and add to the envelope to mail to your contact person. If you don’t want to share this info with your out of state contact place them in a sealed envelope before mailing them off.
We are to the point now where you are developing quite a good food storage.

We have the opportunity to buy pears form the LDs Medford Pear Orchard They are 42 lbs boxes for $19.00.
The deadline to order and turn in your money is July 28th we will not be able to accept any order after that date.  We have been told to include neighbors and friends in this. There will be Plenty.  I have included a link if you are intrested in viewing information on the pears.
http://www.thepearguy.com

Week 24

This week a Grab and Go Kit. A Grab and Go Kit (GGK) differs from a 72 hour kits because it contains supplies that you may need following a disaster, however each family member will not need each item. One will be adequate for the whole family. You will keep you GGK with your 72 hour kit and when told to evacuate you will “grab” this and “go”. We will begin to purchase or gather items for the kit and then when we have our items and know exactly how bulky they are, you will purchase an appropriate carrier.  Kits will be of different sizes depending on the size of your family.
1. Begin your GGK by gathering or purchasing one large roll of duct tape and a rope at least 75 feet long.*
2. Add 10 $1.00 bills to adult 72 hour kits. Next, check the sofa and chair cushions, under the sofa and chairs, the floor in the car, the bottom of your purse and coat pockets, for change. Place all the change you find in a zip lock bag in your adult 72 hour kits.
3. Add a toy for your pet to their kit.
4. Learn to use the manual release on the garage door. In case of a power outage you want to be able to get the car out of the garage if you need to evacuate.
5. Make a family uniform  If all you can do for now is purchase a yard or two of a crazy fabric and make bandannas, do it. You can always add shirts later. Remember you will need something for three days.**
6. Add baby needs to an adult 72 hour kit. Don’t spend any money on this one. You have these items around the house if you have small children. Add a pacifier, bibs, bottle, spoon, toy, and a hat.
7. Try a new recipe made from food storage. Remember we are storing a 3 month supply of things we eat so this recipe should include the items in your 3 month supply and only those items.

Week 23

We are getting so close to having our 72 hour kits complete. This week and the next few weeks we will concentrate on completing those and building supplies for our cars and a kit to “grab and go” in case of an evacuation. Don’t forget about food storage. Now is the
time of the year to get great buys on fresh foods and to preserve them. With rising food prices take advantage of any and every opportunity to store food. If that means putting off some of the steps from our Seven Steps just highlight the ones you need to go back and catch up on later Only you know which areas of preparedness you need to prioritize.

1. Add a comb and brush to all 72 hour kits. You can probably find enough of these
around the house if you search through drawers. If you need to buy a few try a dollar store.

2. Purchase a 3 month supply of pancake syrup. This may sound like a lot but by now you should have a good idea how much you actually use, since it is an item you should have dated when we began.

3. Begin a Grab and Go Evacuation kit by purchasing a port-a-potty. You don’t need to spend lots of money on this. Potty seats are not very expensive and can be used on any 5 gallon bucket lined with a plastic bag, preferably a bio-hazard bag. You can purchase chemical toilets for about $50.00 but it is not necessary to spend that much money unless you are doing lots of camping and will use it for occasions other than emergencies.

4. Add pet medications to their 72 hour kits.

5. Add travel games, crossword puzzle books or other fun items which will help pass the time during an emergency evacuation, to your 72 hour kits.

6. Add one can of fruit and one can of vegetables per person, to your food storage.

7. Prepare to add a “family uniform” to your 72 hour kits. During evacuations it is not uncommon for children to be separated from parents, or even for parents to become separated from the family. Having unique clothing can make your search much easier. Spend time this week formulating a plan. You may consider purchasing plain t shirts and embellishing them. If you do this, do not pick a white, black or grey shirt. They are too common. Choose a bright color. Hold a family competition and design a shirt. Use fabric pens or fabric crayons and make matching shirts. If you want to purchase unique shirts consider tie dye. During the evacuation of Louisiana there were many families separated. Think what a difference it would make to be able to ask people if they had seen a child or a family all wearing the same shirt you are wearing. People will notice and remember a wild shirt far more easily than “just another” 5 year old, wearing jeans, who has brown hair and brown eyes. There could be dozens of them, but only one wearing your funky shirt.This is also a great tip when vacationing at an amusement park. Distinctive clothing will get your child noticed more quickly if you are separated. Never, never, put a child’s name or your family name on a shirt. Predators love having this information.
If you are a grandparent consider ordering matching shirts for your grandchildren and their parents for gift. Then if there is an emergency and you are trying to find them you can describe the shirts to relief workers.

week 22

1. This week add pet food to your pet’s 72 hour kit. Food should be canned as opposed to dry for the first few days. You need to consider your pet’s needs as we would your own. There will be little water available the first few days, at least, after most emergencies. Dry food will increase a pet’s thirst so store canned foods. If you have older MREs they would be great as pet food. MREs have been government tested and found to be safe after 20 years. The taste may change a little but they are still safe for pets even if they are not very appealing to adults anymore. You can often find MREs on sale as they near expiration dates which is a great time to pick up a few. They are lighter weight and easier to open and use than canned food.
2. Purchase 5 pounds of flour.
3. Purchase 5 pounds of rice or pasta or a combination of both. You should be storing grains based on your 10 favorite meals. In other words, if those meals rely more on pasta than rice, store more pasta than rice.
4. Purchase masks. N95 medical masks are great. These can be used not only when cleaning up after an earthquake, tornado or other disaster but also can be used when caring for those who are ill during a pandemic. These masks will filter out smaller dust particles and also air born particles such as those released when we cough.
5. Practice splinting an arm, leg, finger, or ankle. Get out the slings you made a few weeks ago and use those to practice applying a sling.
6. Purchase a prepaid phone card for your 72 hour kit. Often after a disaster cell phones are of no use. Cell towers are down and ironically only land lines are working. Get a phone card, just in case. It doesn’t need to have more than an hour or two on it as you can always have a contact return your call but you will want to be prepared to communicate, by any means, if the opportunity should present itself.
7. Share this information with at least  5 friends and family. Corn prices are 4 times higher today than they were two years ago and more than twice last year’s prices. This is a global problem, not just a concern in the United States. Flooding, drought, cyclones, earthquakes, tornadoes, are occurring world wide. Please share what you are learning and how you are preparing with everyone you know. “If you fail to plan you plan to fail”

week 21

Accomplishments so far
1st: You now have a binder where you can keep all your preparedness information. It includes article on: 72 hour kits, saving money, seasonal bargains, evacuation and water storage. In addition you have a list of items you need to have in case of a power outage, a list of favorite foods and a list of favorite desserts and a list of the ingredients to make all of them. Plus personal items relevant to your family situation.
2nd: You have worked on your 72 hour kits and almost completed them. They include: mylar blankets, food, water, glow sticks and flashlights, hat, multi-purpose tool, emergency info card, whistles, clothing, batteries, paper plates, Toilet Paper, diapers, safety pins, sun glasses, keys, toys, cash, prescriptions, first aid kit, sling, toothpaste and toothbrush, vitamins, pain relievers, anti diarrhea medicines, eye wash, insect repellent, sun screen, sewing kit and biohazard bag.
3rd: You have researched how your schools plan to deal with a emergency and reviewed those plans with your family.
4th: You have prepared to evacuate by; posting a list of items to take, gathering items and placing them together, and assigning family member responsibilities. You have also held an evacuation drill with your families. You have determined a “secret” place to leave a message if we evacuate, discussed that with your family and sent that information to your contact out of state.
5th: You have begun a 72 hour kit for your pets and added: a collar, food and water dishes, and biohazard bags.
6th: You have stored water.
7th: You have determined which TV and radio stations will broadcast emergency information specific to your area.
8th: you have created a phone tree for neighbors, family and friends and established an out of state contact person. You have mailed your contact copies of important documents, the location of your message place and family photos.
9th: you have copied important document and sent them to your contact and placed them in your 72 hour kits. They include: birth certificates, drivers license, pink slips, passport, social security cards, health insurance, life insurance, marriage license, credit card, death certificates, military records, and wills.
10th: You have discussed “What if” scenarios with your family and held a family fire drill.
11th: You have taken individual and family photos, including pets, and added those to your 72 hour kits and mailed them to your contact.
12th: You have replaced the batteries in your smoke/carbon monoxide detectors.
13th: You have made a list of skills and items you can offer for barter and you have created a list of friends and family who have items you may need, who you can trade with.
14th: You have inventoried and gathered first aid supplies.
15th: You have discarded expired medications and replaced them.
16th: You have completed a room by room household inventory and mailed a copy to your out of state contact.
17th: You have prepared for life after an emergency be purchasing and storing, bleach, insect repellent, mouse traps and insect spray.
18th: You have prepared for a power outage by storing items to replace: washer and dryer, dish washing, lighting, cooking and heating. And you have discussed and prepared for summer power outages.
19th: Around the house you have: Placed a light source and shoes next to your beds. Placed emergency phone numbers by all your phones. Strapped your water heaters to the wall. Made room for food storage. Dated the cans of food you had in your cupboards. You have dated items that you don’t consume in one use to determine how many You would need to store for a 3 month supply. You have made a list of your 10 favorite meals and 5 favorite desserts and compiled a list of the ingredients needed to make those.
20th: You have begun your food storage and now have the ingredients to make 13 complete meals and 8 desserts. In addition You have: 2 cans of fruit and 2 cans of vegetables per person, paper plates, oatmeal and/or cream of wheat, pancake mix, rice, pasta, flour, spices, oil, vinegar, mayonnaise, mustard, salad dressing, 1 can of soup per person, 1 can or jar of protein per person, white sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, 10 sauces, 1 bottle of juice per family member, hand soap, Toilet Paper, shampoo and toothpaste! In other words… a 3-4 week supply of food. Almost a 1/3 of the way to a complete 3 month supply!
Take the week off. Make a copy of this post, place it in your binder and share it with family and friends. Even if you are a little behind concentrate on all you have accomplished and use this week to catch up in a few areas.
As you contemplate hurricanes, floods, power outages, food shortages, rising gas prices, earthquakes, tornadoes, wild fires, truckers strikes and terrorist attacks you can breathe a little easier because you are getting prepared.

WEEK 20

1. Add hand towels to all 72 hour kits. Hand towels take up much less room than a full size towel but are still adequate to dry off. They are also useful as compresses and even a diaper.

2. Add collars to your pet’s 72 hour kit(s).

3. Purchase a container of baking soda, baking powder, and cornstarch for your food storage.

4. Purchase the ingredients for 5 desserts.

5. Strap your water heater to the wall.

6. Add sewing kits to your 72 hour kits. You can add the small ones. Just a spool of white and a spool of black thread and a few sewing needles.

7. Do a little more rearranging and make more room for your food storage or 72 hour kits.

WEEK 19

1. Add prescription eye glasses to all 72 hour kits, when appropriate.

2. Purchase or find a container to hold your pet’s 72 hour kit. This could be a back pack, messenger bag, or even a bucket with a lid.

3. Add biohazard bags, both large and small, to your 72 hour kits and also to your car kit. Biohazard bags are wonderful because they are red in color and say hazardous materials right on the side. You will want to use these to line a port-a-potty. It is easy to tell children the stuff in the red bag is dangerous so don’t touch it, keeping them safe. If you use a regular plastic garbage bag be sure you label it clearly and brightly so everyone can tell the difference between these bags and bags of trash or debris.

4. Add 10 pounds of white sugar , 2 pounds of brown sugar and 2 pounds of powdered sugar to your storage. The best way to store brown sugar

Brown sugar should not be stored in metal cans because the moisture in the sugar will rust the can. Brown sugar hardens when it’s moisture evaporates. store it in the original plastic bag and also place in an airtight container. Brown sugar is one ingredient you do not want to purchase in large bags. the plastic bags store much better than the boxes. As you use the sugar force as much air out of the packaging, before resealing it with a twist tie, then place back in an airtight container. When cooking never leave a bag of brown sugar open on the counter as it will harden quickly.

If brown sugar hardens, let it stand overnight in a sealed jar with a damp paper towel or apple slice. For a quick fix, heat the needed amount in a 250º F oven for a few minutes. You can also soften brown sugar in a microwave oven. Heat on low for 1-2 minutes per cup. Start with 20 seconds, check and 20 more seconds. The softened brown sugar should be used immediately as it will harden again.

5. Add two gallons of water to your supply. You can fill bleach bottles, canning jars or other containers with a tight fitting lid or you can purchase water at the store.

6. Print the Water Storage from week 2 if you haven’t already done this. Study it and add it to your binder.

7. Add a one month supply of hand soap to your storage and a small bar to your 72 hour kits. This is one of the items you should have dated and if you did, you will know how many to purchase for a month.

Week 18

1.    Purchase vitamins. stock up on what you normally use. If you have someone on other supplements make sure you include those also. During a time of stress our bodies need more nutrients and they may not be available in the form of foods so don’t ignore vitamins. There are tiny zip lock bags in the section of the pharmacy that sells pill cases. They are perfect for a weeks supply of vitamins, pain meds and the like. label each one and add them to your 72 hour kits. Saves space and weight.

Just a little suggestion about vitamins  always add what you as a family need:

Vitamin C is required for many essential metabolic reactions in all plants and animals. Vitamin C is an antioxidant (prevents oxidations of the cells caused by free radicals). It is a primary ingredient in the building of collagen (binds cells together to form tissues), and it is one of the best immune system enhancers. Vitamin C helps the nervous system by converting some of the amino acids into neurotransmitters. A deficiency of Vitamin C causes scurvy.

Vitamin D has sometimes been referred to as “sunshine in a bottle.” Vitamin D assists calcium absorption, enabling normal mineralization of bone. Vitamin D can help in insulin secretion in times of increased stress. It also benefits the heart, and may decrease the risk of hypertension. A deficiency of Vitamin D can cause Rickets in children and Osteomalacia in adults.

Vitamin B6 is needed for the breakdown of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, and in the metabolism of amino acids. B12 is also necessary for the processing of carbs, fats, and proteins as well as for the production of red blood cells.

B vitamins are important for the proper formation of every cell in the body, especially nerve cells. The B vitamins break down carbs into glucose, which provides the energy for the body. B-complex vitamins are actually a group of eight vitamins, and are often included as a smorgasbord in multivitamins. The B vitamins are known for their ability to help with stress and anxiety (especially B6 and B12) because of the part they play in producing neurotransmitters and in their interaction with the nervous system. Having these two vitamins is a great asset for emergency and survival situations.

Beyond vitamins,. Probiotics aid in digestion by helping your body absorb the nutrients in your food. Food storage foods might possibly be somewhat of a shock to the system, and any help you can give to the digestive process will be appreciated by your body. Shelf life for probiotics is about two years when kept refrigerated. Enzymes are another critical addition to a food storage program. Enzymes help to break down complex proteins, carbohydrates, and fats into smaller, more usable forms.

2. Purchase sun screen for your 72 hour kits. Sunscreen wipes are also available and will not leak in your kits.

3. Begin a 72 hour kit for your pets. Use an old backpack or even a box. This week purchase food and water dishes.

4. Copy all your pet’s immunization and other medical records. Add these to your 72 hour kit and also place a copy in the envelope to mail to your out of state contact.

5. Copy your will and any wills for family members such as parents. You know what to do with them, same as always. Place a copy in the envelope to mail to your out of state contact.

6. Purchase  one bottle of 100% juice for each family member. These will not only count as a fruit in your 3 month storage plan but also as water storage when you calculate the amount of water you need to store for each person. Any juice will count as water but only 100% juice will count as fruit so be ahead and buy the good stuff. Soda will dehydrate you so they never count as anything!

7. Place all those copies you have been collecting and any other discs with copies of photos or other important info, into your envelope and mail it to your out of state contact.

Week 17

1. Add eye wash to your 72 hour, car and office kits. Also add some to your medical supplies in your home.

2. Add insect repellent to your kits and home.

3. Purchase the ingredients for 5 of your favorite meals.

4. Copy all the death certificates and military record in your possession and add them to your adult 72 hour kits and add a set to the envelope to mail off to your contact person.

5. Move all your photos, journals and scrap books to one area in your home making them easier to grab if you should have to evacuate.

6. You have spoken with your family about evacuating and have a plan. Now is the time to check the plans. You will need to enlist the help of a friend to accomplish this goal. Ask a friend to call your home and inform your family that they need to evacuate (use any excuse that sounds viable earthquake, flood, wild fire). You have 15 minutes to get out. Set a timer and go… When the timer goes off everyone can take whatever is in their hands and anything they have already put in the car, but nothing else. Pile in the car and drive to a park, your friend’s home, or even to grandma’s and evaluate how you have done. Did you all fit in the car or did you have to throw some items out so you would all fit? Did you remember the fish and bird? Do you have your 72 hour kits? Does everyone have both shoes? How about photos, favorite toy, important documents, backup computer files? Ask everyone if they could never return home do they have everything they need or would want. What do they wish they had taken? Now evaluate what you need to plan for when the “real” emergency happens.

Week 16

  If you are falling behind don’t get discouraged. Try choosing an area you would like to finish and concentrate on the assignments each week in that area. If you want to finish up your food storage do that. When that is done go back and catch up on the items you missed in other areas.

1. Purchase a month’s supply of toothpaste and shampoo. when we started 15 weeks ago We marked the date on items we did not replace after just one use. you should have a good idea just how long it really does take your family to go through these items. If you didn’t date these items guess. Purchase what you think you use in a month and date items today.  Include such items as: toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, shaving cream, aftershave, hand soap, laundry and dish detergent, cooking oil, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, salad dress, even bags of pet food, etc.

2. Call or check your local grocery stores with bakeries and ask if they have 5 gallon buckets that they are discarding. They will often just give them to you. Be sure to sterilize buckets before using and never use a bucket that has had non-food items stored in them. Buckets that have contained foods with a strong smell may retain that smell even after you have sterilized them. Do not use these for food. Your food will end up tasting like the product that was originally stored in the bucket. Use these for emergency kits or for port-a-potties.

3. Post the list you made last week of items you want to take with you in case if there is a need to evacuate. Your list should include the location of every item. For example: important documents (bottom right drawer of filing cabinet), Grandma’s quilt (Emma’s bed), Dad’s radio (Hunter’s shelf) etc.

4. This week review the evacuation article you copied and placed in your binder last week. Discuss what you would do and who would be responsible for the items on your list (#3 above) if you were called upon to leave home quickly. We will follow up on this next week so please make sure this is one step you accomplish this week.

5. Using an old sheet or fabric left from a project make slings to include in your 72 hour kits, car kits and office kits. Slings should be triangular with the longest side being 60-65 inches long. The width, the distance from this side to the point on the other side, should be 45-50 inches. There are dozens of applications for using a sling and having one in your home and all your kits, ready to go, will be invaluable later. For a child’s sling just fold over the larger size. don’t worry about having more than one size.

6. Copy marriage licenses of yourself and your ancestors. Make copies of your credit card information including the emergency phone numbers just in case you need to cancel or replace them. Place copies in all the usual places and begin a new envelope to mail items to your out of area contact.

7. Consult the list you made when you cleaned out the medicine cabinet and replace any pain relievers and anti-diarrhea medications you may need. Also place a supply of these items in your 72 hour, car and office kits. A suggestion it is better to  purchase your diarrhea medications for your kits in tablet form. They won’t accidentally make a mess and they will last much longer.

Don’t forget as you add items to your storage to update your inventory lists. Your inventory should also include the location of those items, as most of us don’t have an entire room we can devote to storage.

Week 15

1. Purchase one roll of toilet paper per person in your family. That should give you a one week supply!

2. Purchase ten cans of sauces or soups. Anything you use as a sauce or to make a sauce. Cream of chicken soup, spaghetti sauce, enchilada sauce, steak sauce, Worcestershire, or any combination.

3. Check your stored water. Water is such an important element in your preparedness plan. Check the article on water storage From Week 2.  a water A water emergency can happen to anyone.  You may also lose your water if there is an earthquake. Everyone needs to be concerned about drinking water.

4. With your family create an evacuation list. Brainstorm which items; important papers, photos, heirlooms, and even favorite blankets you would want to take if you needed to evacuate.

5. Begin gathering as many of those items as possible into the same location making them easy to grab during an emergency.

6. Read the article and highlight the evacuation article  from week 13.  Place article in your binder.

7. Add a toothbrush and toothpaste to all 72 hour kits.

One more week Done.

Week 14

Week 14

It’s time to review our progress again. For any of you who may be new don’t be discouraged if you are just starting and feel overwhelmed. Just begin at the beginning and in 13 weeks you will be where we are now. If you are really motivated and want to jump in here and catch up on a few steps every week until you are all caught up, by all means, take the plunge.

Between week 7 and now we have done the following:

1. First Aid Supplies: We have gathered what we have on hand and added a first aid guide to all our adult 72 hour kits, our cars and our homes.

2. 72 Hour Kits: We are almost done with these! We have added mylar blankets, hats, safety pins, sun glasses, food, keys, toys, family photos, a multi-function tool, emergency information cards, $10 in cash, water and our prescriptions…whew…that was a lot.

3. Important Documents: We have copied and mailed; the pink slip(s) or titles to our vehicles, passport, social security card, health insurance and life insurance papers.

4. We have done a household inventory for our entire home and garage.

5. We have added Mylar blankets for use in our homes during a power outage.

6. We have a list and contacted friends and family who we can share and trade talents and items with to add to our preparedness stash.

7. We have established a safe place to leave a message if we should have to evacuate our home.

8. We have replaced batteries in our smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

9. We have established our pet’s needs.

10. We have discussed “what if” scenarios with our family.

11. We have held a fire drill with our family.

12. We have taken family and individual photos, added them to our 72 hour kits and mailed them to our contacts.

13. We have completed a food storage inventory.

14. We have added the following items to our food and home supplies storage: insect spray, mouse traps, rice, pasta, flour, fruit, vegetables, canned meat or fish, soup, mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar, oil, water, spices and ingredients for three favorite family meals.

If you are discouraged just look at all you have done! If you are not caught up don’t worry about it. Study the lists you have run off and added to your binder each week. Go back through them and cross out, in bright red marker, all that you have completed. Now just concentrate on this week’s tasks and when you have an extra hour during the week go back and catch up on one or two you missed. Our goal is to complete preparing so keep that in mind.

Things to add This week:

1. Add water to your 72 hour kits. The mylar pouches are good  because they are small and light weight. They are also portion controlled. If you store larger bottles you will be tempted to drink them all at once and then your ration for the day will be gone.

2. Copy all prescriptions, including eye glasses, and add to your 72 hour kits. In an emergency if you need to fill a prescription or replace glasses you will be further along if the pharmacy just has to make a call to your doctor and the doctor doesn’t have to consult his/her records.

3. Check your home owners insurance and make sure you are adequately covered. Be sure to add any large purchases such as a boat or heirlooms.

4. Fill all your empty canning jars with water. These are taking up space anyway so make them useful. The jars do not have to be processed, just place a clean lid and ring on each one.

5. Replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

6. In February we purchased the ingredients to make five of our family’s favorite meals. This week add the ingredients for another three meals.

7. Purchase $5 worth of spices or seasoning mixes such as; taco seasoning or gravy mix.

We are Another week closer to being ready. Run off a list of the things we have accomplished and add it to the section of your binder where you added our last accomplishments list.