Prepare Spring is Here

Spring has sprung, well for most of us. This is the time of year most people do some spring cleaning, well this goes for your 72 hour kits, first aid kits and such as well. This is the time of year to go through our 72 hour kits, first aid kits and time to buy supplies that we need to rotate, or to buy.

For those that live on the East coast it is time to think about your hurricane preparations. Does your state offer a tax free week to buy certain supplies for the hurricane season? If so this is the time to save some money and buy a few things you may be needing. Do you have flood insurance? Time to make sure you are covered! 


Get out your kits, rotate the food, water and medications. Check the clothes for moths, and bugs. Wash your clothes if good, still fits, etc then repack in your kit. You should wash your 72 hour kit clothes at least once a year, if not twice a year. You do not want anything to leak on to the clothes, or for them to start smelling, especially in humid climates.

Make sure you have a manual can opener, if not two! Matches and ways to light up your night! Glow sticks and flashlights are the best options.

So when you spring clean your house, spring clean your 72 hour kit, first aid kit, rotate food, water, and clothes and shoes. Check the dates!

We are all busy, but we all need to take the time to spring clean our kits.
Be safe and have fun and always keep smiling!

Its that time of year

It is that time of year. Back to school time. As people are busy trying to get things is order for the kids to go back to school. This is the perfect time to buy certain things to add to your 72 hour kits, 2 week kits and storage in general.

This is the time of year that I buy lots of socks, underwear, tee shirts and pants for everyone. When these items go on sale I buy many. I put some away for spring time to pull out of storage and give everyone a new package of socks, because by then they have holes, or lost pairs, etc. Same thing for underwear, and tee shirts. Now pants is a whole another thing. If you have growing kids you can not buy extra to put away for 6 months or longer. This only works if you have grown children, husbands etc.

Now it the time of year to go through your 72 hour kits, change out the clothing and replace. It is a good idea to go through it and wash it at least once a year, if not twice a year. You do not want to have to use your 72 hour clothes and they smell, have bugs in them or simply do not fit! Just like you have to change and replace out your food and water, the same goes for the clothes.

Wash all new clothes you buy. Now is the time of year to go through your winter and fall clothes, take them out of storage or out of the closet. See what still fits, see what has no holes, etc and wash and get ready for the cooler temps. Since August is almost over cooler weather in many places is coming. Time to put away the shorts and tank tops.

We do not have over filling closets. We have enough clothes for 2-3 weeks. This includes socks, underwear, tee shirts, pants that you can wear more than one day, sweats, long sleeve shirts, sweat shirts, sweaters, etc. The reason I have enough for a few weeks is if I can NOT wash clothes for a while we are good to go. I wash clothes on a regular basis, which is 1 load of wash per person per week. 1-2 loads of towels, 1 load of bedding per person in a week. The reason why I do more towels than anything is we have a pool and the towels start to smell and do not dry completely with the humidity.  

This is also the time of year to buy towels, wash clothes, bedding, and closet supplies. As families are sending their older children to college, the stores have things on sale for people to buy said items. So even though I do not have kids in school anymore I still take advantage of this time of year to buy things to replace and add to my storage.

See what you need, buy what you need and save money at the same time!

72 Hour Kit Idea Sept

Hopefully you already have your 72 hour kit ready to go! If so then this is the time of year to update the clothing in the kits. As the kids have gone back to school and new clothes have been bought, time to rotate the clothes in the kits as well. 

We all not only kids either grow, lose weight, gain weight.

Have everyone try on their clothes, and remove the ones that do not fit and add clothes that do fit. Shoes need to be looked at also. Do not forget the socks, jackets, and hats.

September is National Preparedness Month

Remember, Prepare and Plan with your Family

 

This September, our nation will mark the ten year anniversary of 9/11, remembering those lost, honoring our first responders and renewing our commitment to prepare and plan for emergencies. September is also National Preparedness Month, founded after 9/11 to increase preparedness in the United States. This is a time to get prepared and have a plan. We all need to pay attention to our surroundings and know what is going on in the world!

If you’ve seen the news recently, you know that emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere, in any community  and many states. In times of crisis, it is important to be self-sufficient as police, fire and rescue may not always be able to reach you quickly, such as if trees or power lines are down or if they’re overwhelmed by demand from the emergency. We have had many natural disasters in recent weeks, months and they have affected many states, many communities, and millions of people.

Preparedness is a shared responsibility and it takes a whole community. All households are strongly advised to prepare for an event that includes the loss of electricity, water service, access to a supermarket and local services for a few days. Be prepared for all kinds of emergencies that can happen in your area, not just Natural Disasters.

Follow these three simple steps to begin your preparations.

• Get a Kit

• Keep enough emergency supplies on hand for your family for at least three days-72 HOURS, water (one gallon, per person, per day), non-perishable food, first aid supplies, prescriptions flashlight and a battery powered radio. If you own a pet, remember to include their food and supplies in your kit.

• Make a Plan

• Be sure everyone in the family understands where to go and what to do in case of an emergency. Establish responsibilities for each member of your household and plan to work together as a team.

• Designate two locations to meet in case it is impossible to return home or if you have to evacuate; one near your home and one outside of the neighborhood. Make sure your family knows the address and phone number of both locations.

•  Designate an out-of-area contact person. This person should be far enough away that it is unlikely he or she would be affected by the same emergency. Family members should call this person to report their locations if they cannot reach each other. Provide your contact person with important names and numbers so he or she can assist in keeping others posted on your situation. Create a communications card for each member of your household to keep with them at all times.

• Be Informed, follow the local and national news, Listen to the radio, get text alerts for your area, via news channels, local Emergency agencies, Facebook, Twitter etc.

• Discuss with your family the types of disasters that can happen where you live.

• Visit www.Ready.gov or www.redcross.org to find preparedness information.

Take this month to go through your kit, make a kit if you do not have one, make your plan or review your current plan.

Should I stay or should I go?

Well with the pending Hurricane Irene last week, we had many family accross the country calling us and emailing us saying that we should think about leaving the area for the storm. So what do you do?

We followed the news, and alerts in the area. We looked at the maps, the storm surge maps, we knew where the water is and have a good idea on where it may go for flooding. We followed the path of the storm and simply paid attention to what the officials in the area were saying. We said we would stay here at the house, due to the strength of the storm and where we are at. Now if there was a mandatory evacuation we would of left!

This is really, I mean really important! When there is a mandatory evacuation you need to heed the advice of the officials in the area and leave your home. They are not going to tell you to leave just because, that means it is not safe for you to stay where you are! By you choosing to stay in an area that has has a mandatory evacuation you not only put yourself but others in DANGER! 

So now that is is ok to stay in your home how do I prepare to be there and be safe. Of course this is when you are there. You may have to stay at work, the office, or school also. It all depends on the situation and what is going on. We are going to talk about sheltering at home for an emergency.


First of all you need to have a battery powered radio! Know what radio stations will be broadcasting the news about the situation. Some radio stations will only broadcast news when something big is happening. Some will simply stream the local news on the radio for those that have lost power and can not watch the news. Listen to the news, watch the news. Know what is going on and pay attention to any new alerts, issues and directions that your local officials may give out. I have said this before follow your local news stations on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media outlets that they use. I was able to follow and get all the updates I needed via Facebook form all 3 news stations in the area on my phone. Most news stations can send you an email or text for alerts of breaking news, just the weather, etc. Check out your local news websites and see what they have to offer.

You also need your 72 hour kit. There are lists everywhere for kit ideas and things you may need.

A few things you will need, water, food, light, hygiene, first aid, medications; these are the very basics, check out some lists and even on here in previous blog posts for ideas. Here is the link to the Red Cross website and they have all kinds of information and handouts you can print off.  http://www.redcross.org/ 

You also need items to keep warm in the cold weather and how to stay cool in warm weather.

You will need things to entertain everyone. This is harder when you have little kids, but with a little preparations you can have a box, bag, etc filled with things to do in an emergency only. Adults also get bored, so remember them also. 

Here is a list of info that was on the VA dept of emergency management page:

Whether you are at home, work or elsewhere, it might be best to stay where you are. Emergency officials will advise you about what to do.

• Stay indoors away from all windows. Take shelter in an interior room with no windows if possible.
• Stay in your shelter until local authorities say it is safe.
• Do not drive unless absolutely necessary.
• Keep the phone lines open for emergency calls.
• Keep your emergency supply kit with you.
• Listen to local television or radio stations for updates.
• You might be told to create a barrier between yourself and the air outside, a process known as "sealing the room.” Use available information to assess the situation. If you see large amounts of debris in the air, or if local authorities say the air is harmful, you can tape up windows, doors and air vents if you need to seal off a room from outside air. 

Sealing a room makes a temporary barrier between you and harmful air outside. Consider precutting and labeling materials. Anything you can do in advance will save time when it counts.

To Seal the Room:

• Bring your family and pets inside.
• Lock doors, close windows, air vents and fireplace dampers.
• Turn off fans, air conditioning and forced air heating systems.
• Take your emergency supply kit.
• Go into an interior room with as few windows as possible.
• Seal all windows, doors and air vents with plastic sheeting and duct tape.
• Be prepared to improvise and use what you have on hand to seal gaps so that you create a barrier between yourself and any contamination.
• Stay informed by watching TV, listening to the radio or checking the Internet often for official news and instructions as they become available.

Before you seal a room, if there is damage to your home or you are instructed to turn off your utilities:

• Locate the electric, gas and water shut-off valves.
• Keep necessary tools near gas and water shut-off valves.
• Teach family members how to turn off utilities.
• If you turn the gas off, a professional must turn it back on. Do not attempt to do this yourself.

 

*****Do remember that is for information only and you need to use it as that. You need
to do your own research and decide what you NEED to do. I have no personal
responsibility if you used anything from here and it did not turn out all that great.*****

72 Hour Kits

72 Hour Kits:
This is a very big topic and there is no right way or wrong way to assemble your 72 hour kit. Do note that as your family and needs change yearly, your kit needs to be updated also! This includes the addition of people in your house, addition of animals also!

This is info that was complied in 2005.

If you have not yet put together your 72 hour kit this will be the month to start or go through it and see what else you may need to add.  

The objective of the family 72 hour kit is to have, previously assembled and place in one location, all of those essential items you and your family will need during a 72 hour period following an emergency. When an emergency occurs you will probably not have the luxury of going around the house gathering up needed items, especially if you have to evacuate your home on short notice.

In time of need it is too late to gather the needed supplies. Take time now to gather what ever your family needs to survive for 3 (three) days based on the assumption that those items are the only possessions you will have. Include food, water, clothing, shelter, and a source of heat. Store these kits in a closet near the front door, or another easily assessable place where they can be quickly and easily grabbed on the way out the door.

Why pack a kit for 72 hours? What is so special about that number? In the event of an emergency it would require at least 72 hours before church or governmental forces could be mobilized to feed you and your family. The Civil Defense and FEMA both suggest that families prepare a two (2) week kit, because in a wide spread major disaster it could take that long to get things organized.

Plan your kit with the idea of having to carry it because it is very likely that you will not be able to use the car. Gas stations will probably not be functioning, and roads may not be accessible, (depending on the emergency of course).

It would be a good idea to test your kit several times until you feel totally comfortable and assured that you could really live for three days with no other items in your possession. Test food, water, heat and cooking, shelter etc. do you have enough? Did you forget something? If so add it. Tailor make your 72 hour kit for you and your family and the area that you live in. Keeping in mind what disasters or emergencies you may have in YOUR area.

As you assemble your kit be sure to keep a list of its contents and their location inside the kit so that you can find them easily. Also keep a list of dates when certain items need to be reviewed, rotated, and updated.This includes Medications: over the counter and RX.

Here are the basics of a 72 hour kit. You will need a container for your kit, water, food, shelter, bedding, clothing, fire and fuel, light, first aid, family information, money, and misc. items to what you feel you need to have. Also pet, infant, and elderly needs as needed per family.

You will need to change the stored water and food supplies every six months, so be sure to write the date you store it on all containers. You should also re-think your needs every year and update your kit as your household changes.

CONTAINER: Keep items in airtight plastic bags and put your entire disaster supply kit in one or two easy-to carry containers such as an unused trash can with wheels and a handle, camping backpack or duffel bag. You can even plan on using containers and use a wagon to pulled it, etc. Use what you have try see if it works if not then re-think things and find something that works for you. 

WATER: Stocking water reserves should be a top priority. Drinking water in emergency situations should not be rationed. Therefore, it is critical to store adequate amounts of water for your household. You need store at least one gallon of water per person per day. That means you can store more. If not then know how to sterilize water in an emergency situation. You then need to include water sterilizing supplies in your kit. Remember water needs to be boiled for 10, 15, or 20 minutes before drinking in a disaster and water has been cut off, you will need quite a bit of fuel for that. Water purification tablets are good, but if there is sewage, debris, etc in the water you will want to filter and boil it!

FOOD: You don’t need to go out and buy unfamiliar foods to prepare an emergency food supply. You can use the canned foods, dry mixes and other staples on your cupboard shelves. Canned foods do not require cooking, water or special preparation. Be sure to include a manual can opener. Food items that you might consider including in your disaster supply kit include: ready-to-eat meats, fruits, and vegetables; canned or boxed juices, milk, and soup; high-energy foods like peanut butter, jelly, low-sodium crackers, granola bars, and trail mix; vitamins; foods for infants or persons on special diets; cookies, hard candy; instant coffee, cereals, and powdered milk. Key here is buy what your family already uses and eats and put that in to your 72 hour kit. You don’t want to go and have to eat unfamiliar foods in am emergency situation, that will make the stress of everything go up!!! Make a menu and for each meal and put that in your kits, that way everyone knows when and what to eat. You can add some comfort foods to help the stress.

SHELTER: The objective of shelter is to provide emergency housing. You can do any of the following: Family tent big enough for the whole family, Backpackers tent you will need more of these if you have a large family, (Tube Tents are NOT recommended!), Rain poncho to keep the rain off. Tarp(s) and ropes.

BEDDING: Blankets or a sleeping bag for each household member, pillows are for comfort and if you have room. You may want to include an emergency type blanket and sleeping bag per person. They are small and will help keep you warm. (the emergency blankets are a good way to add life to ice in an ice-chest)

CLOTHING: One complete change of clothing and footwear for each household member.

Shoes should be sturdy work shoes or boots. Rain gear, hat and gloves, extra socks, extra underwear, thermal underwear, sunglasses. Remember seasonal changes to where you live and plan accordingly. Remember to update and rotate clothing as the family grows. This should be done at least once a year.

FIRE AND FUEL: Alternate fuel sources will be needed whether you evacuate from your home or are allowed to stay at home during an emergency. Fuel will be needed to keep your family warm, dry, to be able to have a hot meal (cooking) purifying water and for signaling. Here are a few things to think about adding to your kit. Matches, Metal match, Butane lighters, Magnesium, Small magnifying glass, Flint and steel commercial fire starters, Steel wool, Candles, Sterno, Butane and propane stoves

FIRST AID: The basics for your first aid kit should include: But not limited too. Add what you use regularly.

– First aid manual

– Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes

– Assorted sizes of safety pins

– Cleansing agents (isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide)/soap/germicide

– Antibiotic ointment

– Latex gloves (2 pairs)

– Petroleum jelly

– 2-inch and 4-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6 each size)

– Triangular bandages (3)

– 2-inch and 3-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls each)

– Cotton balls

– Scissors

– Tweezers

– Needle

– Moistened towelettes

– Antiseptic

– Thermometer

– Tongue depressor blades (2)

– Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant

– Sunscreen.

It may be difficult to obtain prescription medications during a disaster because stores may be closed or supplies may be limited. Ask your physician or pharmacist about storing prescription medications. Be sure they are stored to meet instructions on the label and be mindful of expiration dates—be sure to keep your stored medication up to date.

Have the following nonprescription drugs in your disaster supply kit:

– Aspirin and non-aspirin pain reliever

– Anti-diarrhea medication

– Antacid (for stomach upset)

– Syrup of ipecac (use to induce vomiting if advised by the poison control center)

– Laxative

– Vitamins.

LIGHT SOURCES: You can go with the old stand by of flashlights and Batteries. You can even have the light sticks that are safe in all environments some will last up to 8-12 hours. (these are great for kids to hold on to and help them relax and not be so scared)

FAMILY INFO: You need IDENTIFICATION ON EVERYONE.

Everyone should have ID on them, even if you write your child’s name and your name and address, phone numbers with a sharpie permanent pen on their arm!

Gather Important Documents and put into safe place. Make copies as
needed. Make a Document Kit by placing all important papers and copies into a briefcase, file folder, or notebook. Put in a place to be able to take with you in an event of an emergency. Put an extra set of documents in a safety deposit box, or a family members house. Key here is to make an extra set of documents and keep outside your home.
Ideas of papers to keep but not limited too, You make the decision as to what you need to have in your document kit.
Birth certificates, Death certificates, Drivers Licenses, Id Cards, Credit Cards, Wills, Estate Papers, Tax returns, Vehicle titles, Family History Papers, Insurance numbers for house, cars, health, etc, Shot records of everyone including adults, Bank names and Account numbers, Photographs of Family members, and your valuables, Any other financial information

Any Thing You NEED to have copies of!!!

MONEY: You should have at least $300.00. Most people say you need closer to $500.00. You do not want 5 one hundred dollar bills and there is no way to make change. You need small bills, ones and fives. You also need coin money, quarters, dimes and nickels. Do not plan on going to the ATMS or to the bank, they will run out of cash fast. Do not plan on using credit or debt cards or even checks, if the electricity is out there will be no way to verify the accounts and you will be turned away. Cash is the way to go! (the amounts of cash is from 2005 in 2011 think $600-$800)

MISC: Remember to consider the needs of infants, elderly persons, disabled persons, and pets. Entertainment: books, games, quiet toys and stuffed animals. Extra pair of prescription glasses or contact lens

Sanitation and Hygiene: Use Heavy duty trash bags for human waste, and toilet treatment powder available at camping supply stores. You might want to remember toilet paper and soap or waterless hand sanitizer. Basic hygiene kit tooth brush, tooth paste, brush or comb, deodorant, ETC…

Feminine needs, Maps and Emergency Contact phone numbers.

EXTRA EXPANDABLE THINGS: There are many other things you can add to your kit.  REMEMBER each family and each situation is different. What I put in my kit will be different to what you may put in your kit. Here is only a small sample list. Test your kit out see what YOU NEED!

Survival Manual, Cooking Gear, Heavy Duty Foil, Eating Utensils (remember you may not have water to wash dishes properly), Canteen, Compass, Whistle, Metal Mirror, Dishrag, Dishwashing Liquid, BLEACH (is recommended for ALL KITS), Sewing & Repair Kit, Towel, Washcloth, Soap, Shampoo, Toiletries, Sun-block, Lip balm, Insect Repellant, Camp Shower, Rope, Twine, Cord, Fishing Gear, Pocket Knife, Shovel, Tools, Gloves, Hatchet, Duct Tape, Radio, Games, Entertainment. The list can go on and on.

As always, decide what particular needs your own family may have and adjust accordingly. Remember this is just an IDEA. The rest is up to you.

Sources:  All info was complied by me, Roses, from The following… Misc.  web sites including, dollar stretcher.com, FEMA ARE YOU READY book, Misc. Ensigns, Emergency Preparedness handbook Spokane Valley Stake WA, and a few of my own personal thoughts and things I have learned. You may use this info and share it with others; Roses!