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

Hi Carson Ward Family, Family and Friends,

What can we learn...

What can we learn from the Katrina Hurricane in Louisiana, USA?
What can we learn from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan?
What can we learn from the tornado in Joplin, Missouri, USA?
What can we learn from the neighbor down the street who lost his job and has no savings?
What can we learn from civil unrest and Marshall Law being implemented?
What can we learn from devastating wildfires?
What can we learn from a pandemic?
What can we learn from when our children are crying because there is no food to eat or water to drink?

What can we learn? We can learn how well prepared we are as an individual and family or how unprepared we are if any one of these types of situations happened to us. Do we need to wait until we experience one of these situations ourselves to know how well or not we are prepared? Where do you want to be? How much do we love our family?

In the past we have seen and heard how it has taken days, weeks, months before someone can come to help. In some cases it has been years!When there is a disaster situation the food and water trucks, medical teams and search and rescue teams can usually not get in to help for days, even weeks. You will be alone! You need to be prepared at all times!

Just recently in the news in Northern California, USA, we have been hearing and watching how the northern California wildfire near Yosemite could effect the main water source for the San Francisco area. Heavy ash from the wildfire is falling into their main water reservoir and dam. What can you lean from this? Would you have emergency water on hand to take care of your family's needs? Do you have a water filtration system like the Seychelle Water Pump to filter the contaminated water 99.9999% of all bacteria and contaminants? Would the stores empty quickly from fear of no water? What would you do? Or, are you prepared and your family will have food to eat and clean water to drink?

Weekly Assignment: 72 Hour Individual Emergency Personal Stressor Kit

This week add the following:  

1) Favorite Reading Book (soft cover, age appropriate, or small child's favorite book) for each family member's Stressor Kit. 



So far you should have the following in each family member's Stressor Kit--paper pad and pen or pencil with sharpener, 5-in-1 survival whistle, copies of insurance (adults only), family photo, activity book (age appropriate), list of family contact names and phone numbers, small travel size board game or card game (age appropriate) and a small soft cover Book of Mormon or Bible. We only have one more item to add next week. 

Note: If you have missed any of the 72 Hour Individual Emergency Kits and items in each Kit you can go back to the week of December 30th to complete the 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Personal Food Kit, Personal Hygiene Kit and the Stressor Kit. Each week an assignment was give to add one to two items to the kit we were working on. All these kits are placed in a 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpack for each family member in your household. 

Emergency Preparedness Ideas

What is Paracord and why is it important to have it in your 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Kit or Family Bag?

Paracord (Parachute cord) is a lightweight nylon rope originally used in the suspension lines of US parachutes during World War II. Once in the field, paratroopers found this cord useful for many other tasks. This versatile cord in now used as a general purpose utility cord by both military personnel and civilians.The paracord is made of 7 inner strands covered by a braided sheath which can hold up to 550 pounds of weight. Paracord has become very popular as bracelets. You can purchase the paracord separate or in a bracelet form (a little more expensive). The bracelet is usually about 7 feet of paracord. There are many uses of paracord or paracord bracelets in an emergency situation, see the link below.

Click on the link and see how to make your own paracord bracelet. Or, you can purchase them from sporting good stores, survival stores, and some department stores in the camping section.

See 39 emergency uses for paracord by clicking on this link--Emergency Uses of Paracord.
  
Comments: All your comments, ideas, suggestions and experiences are welcome! We all learn from each other. Thank you for your comments. 

Weekly Assignment, Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness Ideas (Week of August 25th)

Hi Carson Ward Family, Family and Friends,

Congratulations to the Jack and Pat Lawson Family and the Salvador Garcia Family! They both won a One Burner Butane Stove with two cans of Butane fuel. This stove is a great item to add to your Emergency Preparedness Supplies. You can cook on a Butane Stove in your house. They allow you to have a way to cook if you cannot use your conventional stove. They are also great for camping. Keep several cans of the Butane fuel on hand for emergencies.

Ephesians 5:17..."Therefore, do not be unwise, ...."

In other words, do not be foolish, especially when it comes to food storage and emergency preparedness! Last week I mentioned about how many of us feel overwhelmed when it comes to food storage and emergency preparedness. We do not know where to start or we give up to easily and do not try again. The important thing to remember is never give up and simplify the processes.  

Let me simplify things for you...

1) Keep a list for one month of all the things your family eats in a month. Include breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals, snacks, going out to eat. Everything your family eats in a month. Include all the ingredients in the recipes you use. Most families eat the same thing each month. Then multiply that number by how many months you want for your food storage, 3 months, 6 months, etc. 

  2) Start out slow. Maybe first just do a one supply, then continue to add to it until you have reached your goal of 3 months, 6 months, a year. See "Postings" on the right under "3 Months Food Supply" and "Year's Supply of Food" (or click on the links) for information. 

3) Keep a list in your purse or wallet of the items you need. Each time you go grocery shopping and see an item on your list on sales purchase extra cans or packages and put them in your food storage. Use newspaper or store coupons to save even more.

4) Store a variety of different types of ways...

Store short food storage items like canned, jarred or packaged items. Watch the expiration dates on the cans, jars and packages. Only purchase items that have at least a years expiration date. Watch items at discount stores like The 99 Cent Store, etc., they usually have a very short shelf life.  Note: You can use items a few months past their expiration date, the longer you keep something past the expiration date the less the nutritional value. Do not use items where the lid is bulging or leaking.

Store long term food items like dehydrated or freeze-dried #10 cans or 5 gallon buckets. These are great to have on hand since you do not have to replace them as often. Most dehydrated or freeze-dried foods store for 20-30 years. Beware of how long they store. Mark the expiration date in a visible place on the can in permanent marker. Remember, you will need to store water to rehydrate the food. 

  5) Water. Water is very important to your food storage. You can live without food for a month, but you can only live without water for a couple of days. Store in 30-50 gallon barrels or plastic bottled water. Remember, to store in a cool place. Do not store plastic bottled water directly on the concrete, they will absorb the chemicals from the cement. Store on raised two by fours or bricks. See the "Posting" on the right side under "Water Storage" (or click the link) to learn how and where to store water. 

  6) Where do you store your food storage? Keep all food storage in a cool, dry, dark place. The cooler the temperature, the longer it will last, especially dehydrated and freeze-dried foods. Clean out closets and cupboards of unwanted items allowing some room for your food storage. Store in cupboards, closets, under the bed, and in side or coffee tables with enclosed storage areas underneath them. Be creative. Try to not store food  in your garage, it is too hot, unless insulated and is less than 70 degrees at all times.  

7) Rotation, Rotation, Rotation. Rotation is the key to food storage. Keep a chart  and rotate as needed by moving stored items to your regular pantry and replacing them as soon as you use them. You should do an inventory of your food storage, especially the canned, jarred and packaged items every three months. Food is to expensive to loose because you forgot to rotate it and use it before the expiration date. See under "Postings" on the right under "Food Storage Rotation" (or click on the link) for more ideas.

 8) Paper Supplies. Remember, in an emergency situation you will not want to use your valuable water, or you may not have water, to wash dishes. Keep paper plates, bowls, cups, plastic silverware, napkins, paper towels and toilet paper and baby wipes on hand.  

9) Emergency Preparedness Supplies. Make a check list of the items you will need and what you already have. Set goals and start an emergency preparedness savings jar like I mentioned last week. These are more expensive items to add, but if you save and you watch for sales, you can do it. This time of year is a great time for sales on camping equipment like tents, sleeping bags, etc. 

If you need help, please ask me. I would love to sit down with you and your family and help you make a plan towards Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness Supplies. 

Remember, keep it simple and make small goals under you reach your ultimate goal!

Weekly Assignment: 72 Hour Individual Emergency Stressor Kit 

This week add the following... 1) Book of Mormon for each family member's Stressor Kit. It should be the soft cover type, $2.50 on church catalog website at www.store.lds.org. For non-Mormon's you can add a small paper back copy of the Bible.  So far you should have the following in each family member's Stressor Kit..paper pad and pen or pencil with sharpener, 5-in-1 survival whistle, copies of insurance (adults only), family photo, activity book (age appropriate), list of family contact names and phone numbers, small travel size board game or card game( age appropriate). We only have two more items to add. 

 Emergency Preparedness Ideas Aluminum Foil (love these ideas)

"A few rolls of aluminum foil will serve you well in an emergency situation.  You can use foil to fashion cooking utensils or to line your pots and pans before cooking so that you do not have to waste precious water cleaning up. If you do cook on you pans directly, a crumpled up piece of foil can be used as a handy scrubber to remove the crusties. 

There are a lot more uses for this handy stuff such as wrapping stones in foil, heating them by the campfire, then using them to heat up your blanket or sleeping bag before going to bed.  Once you put a mind to it, you will wonder why you had not thought of including aluminum foil in your survival kit before now." ("5 Things You May Not Have Thought of When Planning for an Emergency", Gaye Levy)

Comments: All your comments, ideas, suggestions and experiences are welcome! We all learn from each other. Thank you for your comments.

Weely Assignment, Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness Ideas (Week of August 18th)

Hi Carson Ward Family, Family and Friends,

So much to share this week, great finds! See below...

It's not how you fall down, but how you get up!

What does that statement mean to you? To me it means many things. But, since this blog is all about food storage and emergency preparedness I will  address it in that way.

When I speak to people about food storage and emergency preparedness they become overwhelmed with the whole process. They have tried and tried but for some reason never feel they are successful.

The important thing is that you keep trying. No matter how many times you feel like you are falling behind and cannot keep up with your emergency preparedness goals and plan get up and try again. Never, never, never give up. Hang on and keep trying. Something good will come of it, I promise you!

If you just add a few cans or packages of items you buy each time you go grocery shopping, before you know it, you will have 1, 2, 3 months of food storage. If you put your change from your pocket for the day in an emergency preparedness savings jar, before you know it you will have enough money to purchase a tent for the family, or some other type of equipment.


If you read and follow this blog you will be successful. Success does not come instantly, it takes time. Food storage and emergency preparedness is a life time process. Food needs rotated before it spoils or expires. You will be continually adding to your food storage and emergency supplies. We have been doing food storage for forty years and we are still working at it, rotating and replacing what we use. Emergency supplies are continually being added to. I still am looking forward to the day we can purchase a solar oven. We have purchased small items to help us cook, but our ultimate goal is to have a solar oven too.

Do you remember an old song called "High Hopes" sung by Frank Sinatra? Here are some of the words...

"Next time your found, with your chin on the ground
There a lot to be learned, so look around

Just what makes that little ole ant
Think he'll move that rubber tree plant?
Anyone knows an ant can't
Move a rubber tree plant

But he's got hi-i-igh hopes, he's got hi-i-igh hopes
He's got high apple So, any time you're gettin' low, 'stead of lettin' go, just remember that ant
Oops, there goes another rubber tree plant"


You can do it! If you fall down, get back up and try again. Never, never, never give up!

Good Advice...Below is a video from the 1950's that has some great advice. It is old and may seem a little "cheesy" to some of you, but we can learn a great deal from it regarding how to shop for food and how to save money. The money that you save will give you extra money to purchase extra cans or packages of food for your food storage or emergency supplies.


 


Weekly Assignment: 72 Hour Individual Emergency Stressor Kit

This week add the following: 


 





1) Small travel size board game (with multiple games) or playing cards (age appropriate, different one for each family member's kit so you have different ones to play). You can purchase the playing card games, like "Old Maid", "Fish", etc., from discount stores like The 99 Cent Store, The Dollar General. Uno is a good one too which you can purchase at department stores. You can purchase the multi-travel size board games at Target and other stores. 

Note: Only three more items to add to our Stressor Kits.








Mason Canning Jar Boxes



If you do vegetable, fruit or other canning I have discovered a great product that protects your canned food jars from breaking while storing them. They are called Jar Boxes. Check out the link and learn more about this great product. They have boxes that will store pint and quarter Mason jars.





Emergency Preparedness Ideas

I have discovered two awesome ideas on how to use two everyday items in an emergency situation. It might be a good idea to print these out and keep in your 72 Hour Emergency Preparedness Backpacks. Check them out below...

10 Emergency Preparedness Uses Of a Tampon

Check out this great link on 10 ways to use a tampon for emergency uses. You need to add a few of these to your 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Personal Hygiene Kits. Every family member should have these in their kit. These ideas are fabulous!

Emergency Uses of a Cell Phone

"Whether in a boat, on a plane, traveling through Africa, taking a road trip, or backpacking the Rockies, our cell phone has become a regular piece of Every Day Carry (EDC).  I think it’s pretty safe to say that we will probably have our cell phone with us if ever faced with a tragic survival situation. It’s also not hard to imagine that it might not be working.  Regardless of the reason, a broken or busted cell phone is STILL an amazing collection of pieces and parts that, with a little insight and creativity, can be used to help meet a surprising number of basic survival needs.  How do I know this?  I busted open a handful of cell phones to find out." (The Art of Manliness) 

Click on this link to learn interesting ways to use your cell phone in an emergency situation.

Comments: All your comments, ideas, suggestions and experiences are welcome! We all learn from each other. Thank you for your comments. 

Weekly Assignment, Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness Ideas (Week of August 11th)

Hi Carson Ward Family, Family and Friends,

Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness...It is not just about disasters! 

Many times I think when we think about food storage and emergency preparedness supplies we only think about being prepared for a disaster. But is it much more than that!

"Please don't get hyper-focused on natural disasters. The most common disaster you will ever face is when you or your spouse loses a job and you don't have food in the cupboard to get you through those transitional months." (Valerie Albrechtsen, "Prepared LDS Family")



Throughout our married life and while raising a large family we relied on our food storage and emergency supplies for various reasons: 1. unexpected expensive car repairs; 2. being on disability for several months due to a work injury; 3. extra medical bills; 4. loss of income.




Our food storage was a great blessing during these "transitional" times. Life can be overwhelming at times and come with challenges. Preparedness brings peace!

Each of us needs to pray for guidance from our Heavenly Father as we care for our families. He is always there to help us.

Wow! Four years and counting...

I can hardly believe it has been four years since I started this emergency preparedness blog. It has been exciting to see it spread all over the world and to receive comments from so many of you how it has helped you become better prepared. I am also grateful for your ideas and experiences. I am grateful for the inspiration I have received from my Heavenly Father. Each week he inspires me with an idea he gives me
through the Holy Ghost, by something someone says, by reading something or by seeing something. I hope you take the contents of each week's blog posting and weekly assignments and use them to bless you and your family. Peace really does come from being prepared both spiritually and temporally. May you continue to enjoy each week's blog posting, weekly assignment and emergency preparedness ideas. It is a pleasure to serve you and share my forty years of experiences regarding food storage and emergency preparedness.

Weekly Assignment: 72 Hour Individual Emergency Stressor Kit

What is a Stressor Kit? A Stressor Kit is a kit that will help you and your family members during a disaster or stressful situation. If provides things to do. There are 10 items in this kit. We will add one or two items each week.
 
This week add the following: 

1) 5-in-1 Survival Whistle (or any whistle):  Why do you need a whistle? If you are buried or lost you can blow the whistle, or flash the signal mirror (if you have light to reflect from), longer than you can shout for help. It is also heard further. These are on sale now at emergencyessentials.com or beprepared.com for $1.50 each. Regular price $2.95. Buy 10 for $1.30 each or 50 for $1.20 each. I love this 5-in-1 whistle because it gives you five different emergency helpers. Each survival whistle features:

• waterproof match box (matches not included)
• liquid-filled luminous dial compass
• shrill signal whistle
• signal mirror
• and flint fire-starter

Note: Go in with a friend or two to purchase these for each family member's Stressor Kit and share the shipping fee. Shipping fees are $6, $9, or $12 depending on how many you order. 

2) List of family contact names and phone numbers, especially someone out of state. Put a copy in each family member's Stressor Kit. 

Important Note: Last week I blogged about our children's school emergency preparedness plan. I mentioned how each classroom has a large emergency trash can with each student's own 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Kit put together by their parents. I forgot to mention it is a good idea to also have a change of underwear, socks and pants (which need to be changed each year due to the child's growth). Many times in an emergency or stressful situation, younger children wet themselves. If for some reason they get their feet wet, wade in water, it is also a good idea to have a dry pair of sock to protect them from illness. 

Emergency Preparedness Ideas: 

How many of us keep a small fire extinguisher in our kitchen and one in each of our cars?  Why is it important?

Many times I hear of fires in the kitchen, especially grease fires. Click here to learn about how to put out a grease fire in your kitchen and the type of fire extinguisher you should have.

Most of us have seen or heard about a car on fire along the road side. If they had kept a fire extinguisher in their trunk they may have been able to avoid extensive damage. They cost a little less than $20 at WalMart and other stores.

Comments: All your comments, ideas, suggestions and experiences are welcome! We all learn from each other. Thank you for your comments. 

Weekly Assignment, Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness (Week of August 4th)

Hi Carson Ward Family, Family and Friends,

How prepared is your children's local school in case of a disaster?

With school starting soon we need to make sure our children and grandchildren are protected in case of a disaster or emergency situation. How prepared is your child's school for an emergency disaster? Do they have an emergency preparedness plan?

While our daughter was living in Torrance, California, USA I was very impressed with their school emergency preparedness plan. Each class room has a large trash can with wheels where at the beginning of each school year the parents are responsible for putting together a 72 Hour Emergency Preparedness Individual Kit for their child. If they had a previous kit from the year before they replace the food/water and clothing (children grow). In the child's kit they have food and water for 3 days (3 meals, juice drinks, water and snacks), a warm sweater, a photo of their family, and an activity book with a pen or pencil (and sharpener). Everything is placed in an extra large plastic zip lock bag with their name on it and place in the large trash can which is kept in each classroom. If there is an emergency and they need to evacuate the teacher can roll the classroom emergency trash can with them. At the end of the school year the parents collect their child's kit and return it the next year with the replaced items. I love this idea!!!


Some schools have large metal containers they store emergency food, water and medical supplies in for the school. This container brings me some concerns. I do not think the food and water is replaced every year, you might want to check on this with your school, and being in a metal container with the hot sun beating on it everyday will cause the food to not last as long. But, it is better than nothing!


Check with your children and grandchildren's local school and school district to see what precautions they are taking to protect your children in a disaster or emergency situation.

Great New Find...

There is a great website where those with special needs during a disaster or emergency situation can register and receive the help they will need. Go to SNAP and read all about it and register. "Should a disaster strike in your area, this registry will be used to enhance the efficiency of those agencies called upon to respond." (snap.lacounty.org) This is for people who live in the Los Angeles County, USA. There may be volunteer groups in your county or area that may do the same thing. Check with your local county or area.

Weekly Assignment: 72 Hour Individual Emergency 
Stressor Kit

What is a Stressor Kit? A Stressor Kit is a kit that will help you and your family members during a disaster or stressful situation. If provides things to do. There are 10 items in this kit. We will add one or two items each week.
 
This week add the following: 

 

1) A family photo to each family member's Stressor Kit

 














2) An activity book (age appropriate) to each family member's Stressor Kit
 

Blessings of a Vegetable Garden...

I have talked about this before. Let me share one of the blessings we have received this year from our vegetable garden. As you remember from my last blog posting, while our grandchildren were here visiting from Missouri they helped me harvest and clean our carrots. There were large bowls of carrot everywhere in our kitchen. I blanched and froze 86 cups of carrots. Our freezer is full of carrots, zucchini and tomatoes. I figured out how much we have saved by growing and harvesting our own carrots. Yes, it is a little bit of work, but I love the results and it is worth it. I can purchase a package of frozen carrots at our local grocery store, about a cup and half, $1.00 for each package. That is a little over $57 dollars. I purchased two packages of organic carrot seeds for about $5. I saved $52 by growing my own carrots. I can also purchase a pound of fresh carrots (2 cups) for $1.00, still saving $38.00. Wow! I love it! Not only have we saved money, but we have carrots in our food storage.

Emergency Preparedness Ideas: 

Emergency Preparedness: It's Not All About Food...

Click here for great ideas from Meridian Magazine (LDS magazine) on non food storage ideas to store and why. Three pages of great ideas. Print this one out. Share with family, friends and neighbors.


Comments: All your comments, ideas, suggestions and experiences are welcome! We all learn from each other. Thank you for your comments.