Thursday, June 28, 2012

Weekly Assignment and Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness Ideas (Week of July 1st)

Hi Carson Ward Family, Family and Friends,

Congratulations to the George Romo Family! They won the June FREE Monthly Giveaway Drawing. They won pasta, canned tomatoes and Spaghetti sauce for their Food Storage.

July FREE Monthly Giveaway Drawing Weekly Question....Why do you need to add paper products to your Emergency Supplies and what is one thing you should "be wise" about? Email me your answer to theark.carsonward@gmail.com. Remember to include your name if not in your email address. If you answer the question each week in July, you will have 4 chances to win.


New July Goals....(see below)

In our daughter's hallway on the way to the front door there is a small caulkboard with "Be Wise" written on it. This is to remind the family to "be wise" in keeping the commandment, how they exercise their agency and being a disciple of Jesus Christ. But you know me, I will also apply this to Emergency Preparedness....

Be Wise Temporally...

Be Wise in only storing what you and your family will eat.
Be Wise in rotating your Food Storage so you do not waste food and money.
Be Wise if you store deydrated foods, they require extra water storage. Store a variety of foods, dehydrated, commerically canned, frozen, canned in Mason jars, etc..
Be Wise in purchaisng food that it not close to the expiration date or has expired. Watch the discount stores expiration dates. Remember, this is for long storage.
Be Wise in purchasing your food storage, figure out the cost per serving, it is a savings?
Be Wise in having a 72 Hour Emergency Backpack Kit for each family member.
Be Wise in properly storing water and rotating it as needed.
Be Wise in having emergency medical supplies and extra perscriptions.
Be Wise in having a family emergency preparedness savings account, and keep cash in your house in small bills.
Be Wise in knowing where all your important papers/documents are and keep them together in one place.
Be Wise in having an out of state contact person each family member knows.
Be Wise in having an evaculation plan.
Be Wise in having a home fire escape and earthquake plan.
Be Wise in knowing what is going on around you, in your neighborhood, your community, your state and our Federal government. How will their choices effect your life? If the President of the United States declares Martial Law how will it effect you? Do not be complacent!

Be Wise Spiritually...

Be Wise in striving to keep the commandments.
Be Wise in staying close to the Spirit and following the guidance of the Holy Ghost.
Be Wise in reading your scriptures daily.
Be Wise in praying daily, and praying for daily guidance.

In a recent article in the July 2012 Ensign, "In the Aftermath of the Tornado", page 66, it reminds us of how important it is to stay close to the Spirit and how prayer will protect and guide us.

"After the tornado, says Bishop Chris Hoffman of the Josplin First Ward, 'As we realized that things were a lot worse than we thought they might be, we started to try to establish communications.' But those efforts were frustrated by phone outages. Even so, he and ward members tried to collect what information they could that night via sporadic phone calls and text messages. In the instances where those methods failed, they turned to prayer.

In a situation of this magnitude, Bishop Hoffman said, 'You recognize very quickly how reliant you are on Heavenly Father for answers, because you need them, and you need them quick. But the answers came. They alwasy did. They always will.'

Despite the destruction and disruption of the tornado, members in Joplin say their gospel perspective has carried them through." (To read this entire article see the July 2012 Ensign magazine or go to lds.org [Menu, Magazines, Ensign, Current issues, once the July issue shows up, click on the article])

Be Wise in being prepared both Spiritually and Temporally!

July Goals: Non-Food Items (paper products) and Adding Condiments to your Food Storage

If there is an emergency situation you will not want to use your water to wash dishes, and they may be broken or not accessable. You should store paper products like plates, bowls, cups (cold/hot), napkins/paper towels and plastic silverware. How much should you store? Figure how many meals your family will eat and what type of paper products you will need for that meal. Multiply that by the number of days in 3 months, 6 months, or 1 year, which ever goal you are working towards.

Condiments are ketchup, mustard, relish, mayonnaise (if you did not add it with your Fats Food Storage in May), and other types your family eats. Only store what your family will eat! Store then in a dry, dark, cool location.

Weekly Non-Food Items Assignment:

1) Determine how much you will need for your family for 3 months, 6 months or 1 year. Set a goal to purchase them.
2) Determine what type of paper products your family will need.
3) This week add paper plates to your Non-Food Items Food Storage.

Weekly Condiment Assignment: 1) This week add 1-3 months supply of one of the condiments your family eats. If you purchase them at the 99 Cent Store, Dollar Tree, etc., watch the expiration dates. Sometimes they expired in just a few days, and sometimes they have already expired.

Food Storage Ideas: 

 Honey verses Sugar....
Honey is an important part of your Food Storage. It keeps forever. Do not store in metal cans, only heavy plastic bottles. Every 6 months turn your honey over. If it crystallizes, which it will in time, you can heat over a double boiler, on in a sacue pan (low heat so it does not burn). After calling several honey companies all over California, I have found Costco and Sam's Club are the lowest in price, about $14 for a 5 gallon bottle. Honey is more inexpensive than sugar, but it is better for, and good to add to your Food Storage. Needs to be kept in a dry, dark, cool location.

Sugar stores forever too and less expensive. Keep in its originally bag and store several bags in large plastic storage bin. You may first want to put the origianl bag of sugar in a large plastic zip lock bag to protect from water damage. It will harden in time but can be pounded into the same consistancy as when you purchased it. Needs to be kept in a dry, dark, cool location.

Personally, I would store some of each. Check out the "Food Storage" Posting on the right for how much to store per person.

Emergency Preparedness Ideas:
Holidays, like Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, and Summer (BBQ & picnics), are a good time to stock up on paper goods and condiments due to sales. Costco and Sam's Club are also a good place. But watch for sales, sometimes regular store sales might be cheaper that Costco or Sam's Club. Remember, calculate the price per piece to see if it really is a savings. Also, the thinner/cheaper the paper plate the more you will probably use! One of the great things about paper products, you can store them in your garage, attic or back yard storage shed.

We are grateful for your comments, experiences and suggestions.


Thursday, June 21, 2012

Weekly Assignment and Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness Ideas (Week of June 24th)

Hi Carson Ward Family, Family and Friends,

Why not be prepared?

Why not have extra food on hand?
Why not have extra drinking water on hand?
Why not have a 72 Hour Emergency Kit for each family member?
Why not have emergency medical supplies on hand?
Why not have a way to provide shelter for your family?
Why not have a way to have light if there is no electricity?
Why not have a way to cook if you cannot use your stove?
Why not have a family evacuation plan?
Why not have a home fire plan?
Why not be ready for an earthquake?
Why not have an out of state contact person?
Why not protect you and your family?
Why not feel peace at a time of turmoil?

WHY NOT??? "If ye are prepared, ye have no need to fear."  (Doctrine and Covenants 38:30)

FREE Monthly Giveaway Drawing Weekly Question--

Why do we need to prepare and how can you store lemons? Email me your answer at theark.carsonward@gmail.com to have your name entered into the June FREE Monthly Giveaway Drawing to be held this Sunday, June 24th. You must enter by Saturday, June 23rd by 9:00PM.

June Goals---Shelter and Adding Pastas and Tomatoes to your Food Storage: (Next week we start our July Goals!)

Weekly Assignment--Shelter:
1) You should know the closest emergency shelters near your home and work place.
2) If there is an emergency situation and you can stay in your home, you need to know how and where to shut off the main gas, water and electricity of your home if instructed by the local leaders, or if you feel it is necessary. Remember, only shut off your gas if you smell gas, it takes days, and possibly weeks, to get it turned back on by the gas company, do not attempt to turn back on by yourself.
3) Know what your Homeowners, Homeowner-Condo or Renters Insurance policy will cover if you have to leave your home due to damages. Most California Insurance companies will allow you to stay in a home that is comparable to your current living condition for up to 24 months, or until damages are fixed. Check with your insurance company or your policy booklet for this information.

Weekly Assignment--Adding Pastas and Tomatoes to your Food Storage: 

1) Continue to add pastas and different types of tomatoes, tomato sauces and soups to your Food Storage. See all the previous June postings for the June Goal ideas.

Food Storage Idea:

What can you do with all those lemons on your lemon tree or when you find a great sale? "Many professionals in restaurants and eateries are using or consuming the entire lemon and nothing is wasted. How can you use the whole lemon without waste? Simply place the whole lemon in the freezer in plastic freezer zip lock bags. Once the lemon is frozen, get your grater, and shred the whole lemon (no need to peel it) and sprinkle in on top of your foods. All the foods will unexpectedly have a wonderful taste, something that you may have never tasted before. Most likely, you only think of lemon juice and vitamin C. Not anymore. Now that you've learned this lemon secret, you can use lemon even in instant cup noodles.

The surprising benefits of lemon! Lemon peels contain as much as 5-10 times more vitamins than the lemon juice itself. Lemon (Citrus) is a miraculous product which kills cancer cells. It is 10,000 times stronger than chemotherapy. It is considered also as an anti microbial spectrum against bacterial infections and fungi, effective against internal parasites and worms, it regulates blood pressure which is too high and as an antidepressant, combats stress and nervous disorders.

The source of this information is fascinating: it comes from one of the largest drug manufactures in the world." (comsumerproducts.com)
 
Emergency Preparedness Idea:

Dutch Ovens--a must for emergency cooking equipment. Our ancestors used Dutch Ovens to cook in. You can cook just about anything in one of them. Get a good cooking booking on cooking with a Dutch Ovens. You can even bake a Cherry Upside Down Cake in them. You just put hot charcoal briquettes on the bottom and the top of the lid and let it cook. They can run from $25 -$80, depending on the size and type. I spent $25 for ours on sale at Majors Surplus Survival in Gardena. Check around for sales.

Your comments and personal experiences are always welcome!    

Friday, June 15, 2012

Weekly Assignment and Food Storage Ideas (Week of June 17th)

Hi Carson Ward Family, Family and Friends,

Happy Father's Day to all those men who are Dad's and have an influence in a child's life!

Quote:

"Dear God, make me the kind of man my son (daughter) needs me to be." Lloyd D. Newell (Host/Narrator of "The Spoken Word")

FREE Monthly Giveaway Drawing weekly question:

Why is it important to have a 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Kit for each family member?

Email me the answer at theark.carsonward@gmail.com to have your name entered into the Carson Ward FREE Monthly Giveaway Drawing. Each weekly question you email me the answer gives you more chance to win this month's drawing.

What would you do?

A couple of weeks ago there was fire in Castiac, California by the 5 Freeway, causing the 5 Freeway to be shut down for 6-7 hours. Traffic came to a halt! A few months ago all the electricity from South Orange County down into parts of Mexico went out for several hours, causing havoc to all those in the area and those trying to get home from work. Why do I mention this on the Carson Ward Emergency Preparedness Blog?

When we think of emergency preparedness we usually think of a major disaster like an earthquake, tsunami, hurricane or some other type of disaster. But even something like the 5 Freeway shutdown and the Orange County electric outage, we will need our emergency supplies.

Imagine being on the 5 Freeway for 6-7 hours without any water, food or communication. If my husband and I had been there at that time, we would have been alright because we keep our 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpacks, extra water, our Family Bag, and even a small tent and blanket in the trunk of our car. You  never know when you might need them! We would have had water and food to eat, shelter if needed and a way to communicate by our cell phone. Sanitation might have been a issue, but we do keep a large tarp, rope and hygiene items in our Family Bag. What a blessings those items would have been in this situation!

How important is our 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpack and Family Bag to you and your family! Would you have been able to handle the 6-7 hour freeway shutdown? What about no electricity for many, many hours? Street lights and stop lights out, causing crazy traffic issues, no way to get gas (the pumps and cash registers run on computers and electricity), no electricity at home, elevators at your office building not working (maybe even stuck in one for hours with no lights), what would you have done? Do you have emergency lighting for your home (flashlights, lanterns, candles, generator), what about at work (flashlights)? What would you do???

Let us all strive to be better prepared for what may come our way. May we each take time to assess our emergency supplies and make a goal to purchase the items we will need to survive.

June Goals: Shelter and Adding Pastas and Tomatoes to our Food Storage:

Emergency Preparedness Ideas:Weekly Assignment--Shelter:

1) This week get out all your sleeping bags and inspect them for damages and cleanliness. Wash and repair as needed and properly store with all your emergency Shelter equipment.


2) If you do not have a sleeping bag for each family member, watch for sales (great time of year for them, and at the end of the summer) and set a goal to purchase a sleeping bag for each family member. I have seen them on sale at Big 5 for $17 and up. You can also make your own bedrolls by putting blankets together. The Boy Scout manual will show you how to do this.

Weekly Assignment--Adding Pastas and Tomatoes to your Food Storage:

1) This week add more pastas and different types of tomatoes (commercially canned, dehydrated/freeze dries, canned in Mason jars, freezing) to your Food Storage.

2) Inventory the current ones and rotate to your regular pantry and replace as needed in your Food Storage.

Emergency Preparedness Ideas:

What if you did not have electricity and water to do your laundry, what would you do?

Think back to your grandmother's or great grandmother's days, how did she do the laundry? She may have washed her clothes by hand and hung them out to dry. Here are some things you might want to consider for your emergency preparedness supplies:

1) Large metal (better, last longer) or plastic tub to wash the clothes in. You can purchase these at True Value and some Home Improvement stores.
2) Clothes line rope and a way to secure them. You can either put up nails to secure the line or tie to a tree. You can purchase this at most home improvement stores and places like Walmart, Target, etc..
3) Clothes pins to hang the clothes with. You can purchase them at Walmart, Target, etc..
4) A wash/scrub board. You can purchase these at True Value and some Home Improvement stores, possibly Walmart.
5) A "Mobile Washer". You can purchase these on EmergencyEssentials.com for $14.95. It lets you agitate the clothes by hand like a washing machine. I have one, they are great!
6) Laundry soap, bleach, fabric softener (optional). Keep enough on hand for at least 3-6 months.
7) And of course, stored water if your water is not running.
If you are using your stored water, use sparingly, you will need it to drink, cook and to rehydrate your dehydrated food. Water stored in rain water barrels are great for this.

Remember: You comments, ideas and experiences are very welcome!

Friday, June 8, 2012

Weekly Assignment and Food Storage Ideas (Week of June 10th)

Hi Carson Ward Family, Family and Friends,

Quote:

"How blessed we are, my brothers and sisters, to have the restored gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives and in our hearts." President Thomas S. Monson

Day to day we face the struggles of life. With God's help, we need not fear the future. In the midst of world calamity we have the Spirit of the Holy Ghost. We each need to live our daily life that will allow the Holy Ghost to be our constant companion, to guide us, to help us, to protect us. If we pray to our Heavenly Father and ask, we will receive revelation to help us and our family. Being Spiritually prepared is so important. It will help us become Temporally prepared.

FREE Monthly Giveaway Drawing Question----

What are two items you should add to your emergency shelter items and why do you need them?

Remember to email me your answer to theark.carsonward@gmail.com

June Goals: Shelter and Adding Pastas and Tomatoes to our Food Storage

Weekly Assignment--Shelter:

There may be times when your home may become your shelter. If there was a pandemic or some type of chemical issue, you may need to stay inside your home and protect your family from any type of germs or chemicals from entering. You may be advised by local government authorities to cover all your windows, doors and anything that would allow germs or chemicals to enter your home.

This week add the following to your emergency shelter equipment and keep them with all your emergency shelter equipment:

1) Large heavy plastic sheeting, either purchase in a roll or in individual packages. You will need enough to cover all your windows, doors and any openings in your home.
2) Purchase enough duct tape to go around each window, and any other openings to secure the plastic in place.

Note: Your can purchase both of these items above from any home improvement store.

Weekly Assignment--Adding Pastas and Tomatoes to your Food Storage:

1) Continue to add more packages/boxes of pastas to your Food Storage.
2) Continue to add more tomatoes to your Food Storage. Adding a varieties and different types to store will give you more choices when cooking.

Note: See last weeks posting (June 3rd) and Sunday's display table and handouts for information on how, how much, where and what to store.

Food Storage Idea:  A yummy recipe using your pasta and tomatoes

Spaghetti Casserole

1 pound hamburger or ground turkey/chicken
1 can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes (great way to use your diced frozen tomatoes or tomatoes canned in Mason jars)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 package of dried or canned mushrooms (optional)
1/4 pound grated cheese
1 pound (package) of spaghetti

Brown the meat, turkey or chicken with the onion and garlic, add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, mushrooms and seasonings. Simmer for 20 minutes, covered. Cook spaghetti, drain and add to meat sauce. Add grated cheese and mix. Pour into a casserole dish and top with more grated cheese. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. This may be stored in the freezer and bakes when desired. .

Emergency Preparedness Idea:

It does not rain as much here as it does in other parts of the county, but when it does it is a great opportunity to store water. If you have rain gutters on your house, purchase the items in the video to construct a rain barrel. This is an extra good source of "free"water. You can circulate the water by placing a water spout and attach your hose to water your vegetable garden. It is also a great source of water for bathing and cleaning up. Go to YouTube for more video ideas.



Remember: Your comments, experiences and ideas are most appreciated.