Emergency Preparedness and Food Storage

In Emergency Preparedness, think in increments in your preparations. I always like to compartmentalize things because it makes it easier to remember.

I consider the following important:

1. Know what types of disasters and emergencies you are likely to experience. If you do not know what is out there, find out. In Washington state, these are likely storms, power outages, hazardous spills, flooding, landslides, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and in some areas, tsunamis, lahars and tornados.

2. Know what types of safety precautions are needed and training needed to deal with each of these.

3. Prepare a 120-hour emergency kit for each member of your family and a vehicle kit for each vehicle. My wife and my 120-hour kits are in bright orange "Search Rescue" bags and our vehicle kits are in clear tubs.

4. Work on increasing your home pantry to include basics, things you normally eat, until you have a three-month supply. Try to purchase extra food on sales. One of the benefits of having these items is that your grocery bill will be reduced once you have built up your supplies. For me, I use an old refrigerator to store boxed items to keep critters and bugs out and the cabinets of our pantry doors are left locked to keep items from tumbling out in the event of earthquake.

5. Gradually add to your camping and survival gear, heat sources, light sources, sleeping and comfort gear, clothing, blankets and quilts, sanitation gear, etc. Take an inventory and check over your list of desired items. If you concentrate on these items in groups, it makes it easier to realize what you do not have and what you still need or do not need. You will also find you can upgrade your items easier by dating and identifying what you actually have or do not have, what you need versus what would be nice, etc...

6. Gradually add to a one year or larger food storage of such basics as grains (including wheat, flour, corn meal, oats, rice and pasta), fats and oils (including shortening, vegetable oil, mayonnaise, salad dressing and peanut butter), legumes (such as dry beans, lima beans, soy beans, split peas, lentils and dry soup mix), sugars (including honey, sugar, brown sugar, molasses, corn syrup, jams and powdered fruit drink), dairy (both powdered and evaporated milk), cooking essentials (such as baking powder, baking soda, yeast, salt and vinegar) and at least a one month supply of drinking water and a few bottles of plain bleach without additives to be used for cleaning and for water purification. Also store some comfort food. For me, that means a couple of #10 cans loaded with Snickers candy bars. They probably will not last twenty years in those cans, but then I will probably give in to eating them sooner than later anyway....

A little work and some luck on sales will see you ready in a very short time. May you be blessed with success on being prepared for the future. Being a Prepper is just a matter of thinking and writing and then acting on your needs, one little step at a time. Happy Preppering!!!