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.