Weekly Assignment, Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness Ideas (Week of September 15th)

Hi Carson Ward Family, Family and Friends,

National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month. "We cannot change the past but we can learn from it and prepared for the future. We never know how, when or where a disaster or emergency situation will occur. And there are varying degrees of emergencies from a major natural disaster or terrorist attack to losing a job." (SurvivalBased.com)

We need to be prepared both temporally, mentally and spiritually. Emergency Preparedness and Self-Reliance are a part of living the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Temporally we need to have water and food stored (preferable a 3-months supply), shelter, a way to cook, some source of light and heat, medical supplies and other emergency supplies. Mentally we need to learn basic first-aid skills and survival skills, how to set up a tent or some type of shelter and how to cook in an emergency situation. Spiritually we need to learn how to listen to and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost for guidance and protection. When we feel we should do something, we need to act on it right away, it may save our life or some else. 

This is a great month to get together as a family and reassess how well we are prepared and what we need to do to be prepared and better prepared. We should do the following...

1) Inventory our food and water storage quarterly. Use those items that will expire soon and replace them as soon as possible. Check to see what we need to add. Change the water in our water barrels if needed.

2) Check over our emergency supplies, like our tent, cooking equipment, lighting, heating, medical supplies, shovel, ax, crowbar, saw, chain saw, paper supplies, extra prescription medications, etc. If they
need repaired, repair them now. If they need replaced, replace them as soon as possible. Know how to use them.

 
3) Have a family evacuation plan. Practice family fire, earthquake, tornado drills and evacuation plans. Do you have a second story fire ladder and fire extinguishers in your home and car?

 

4) Have an out of state emergency contact person that each family member knows and carries with them in a wallet, purse or backpack.
In an emergency situation, call that person, report where you are, how you are and if you are going some place else. 

 
 5) Never let your gas tank get below half a tank. If you have to evacuation you will have enough to get you to a safe place. Most gas station pumps will not work, they use electricity. ATM and credit cards will not work either.

Remember: "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear."

Weekly Assignment: 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpacks

Once again, congratulations if you have completed the 3 kits in your 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpacks, the Food Kit with Water, the Personal Hygiene Kit, and the Stressor Kit. If you have not completed the 3 kits, go back to the December 30, 2012 posting and follow the weekly assignments until you have completed all 3 kits for each family member. I know it is a lot and can be expensive if you have a large family. Add the items as you can, when you see them on sales. Many of the items can be purchased at discount stores like the 99 Cent Store and the Dollar Tree, and department store dollar bins, but be careful with the food and their expiration dates.

There a couple of more things to add to your backpack to make them complete...

This week add the following (you should have most of these items around the house, or you can go to a thrift store):

1) Change of comfortable clothing including socks and under clothing. Long pants and long selves shirts are best to protect you from the elements. Remember to check these items twice a year. Children grow and we also change in weight.

2) Strap a baseball cap to the shoulder straps of the backpack.

3) Sunglasses. They do not have to be expensive, just something to keep the sun out of your eyes. Keep in a side pocket of your backpack.

4) A good pair of sturdy shoes. Especially if you keep your 72 Hour Emergency Backpack in your car or at work, and ladies, if you were high heels or sandals to work, they will not be comfortable for walking. I tie mine to my backpack straps so I will be able to grab them quickly and I know where they are.

5) An old sweater, sweater shirt or light jacket like a windbreaker. Kept with my backpack. I can quickly tie it around my waist and be off with my backpack.

6) Small LED flashlight with batteries and your 5-1 Emergency Whistles we added a few weeks ago. I keep these items in a side pocket for easy access.  I have found the small LED flashlights at discount stores like the 99 Cent Store, the Dollar Tree, etc. 

A great Family Home Evening activity would be to get all the kits together with the items above and place them in your backpacks. Check out thrift stores or use last years school backpack to save money on them. With a permanent marker write each family member's name on their backpack.




Note: If you need help with these things click on the appropriated listing under "Postings" on the right of this blog.

Los Angeles LDS Dry Pack Cannery...

Important: The Los Angeles LDS Dry Pack Cannery and others in  California will only be open for your personal canning until November. This is a great opportunity to take your family, or go with another family or group, and can for your long term food storage. Children need to be at least 12-14 years old to help and 16 year old to run the equipment. Most items you will can will last for 25-30 years. See the attached link here for the list of items you can can and a printable order form. You need to call them ahead of time to make an appointment and make sure they have what you want can in sock. 

After November you will only be able to purchase pre-canned items. Not all items will we available. If you want to purchase them, call the LDS Dry Pack Cannery ahead of time so they will have what you want to purchase in sock.

Click here to find a list of LDS Dry Pack Canneries in your area.

 

Next week we will start on the 72 Hour Family Emergency Preparedness Bag. This bag is kept with the family's 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpacks, either in a nearby closet by the front or back door or in your car(s). 

Emergency Preparedness Warning...

A little over 4 years ago I woke up one morning startled with an overwhelming feeling that I needed to make sure our family was prepared. That things were going to get really ruff and we needed to be prepared. I did not know when or how, I just knew it was going to happen.  I also knew I needed to warn others. I prayed for a way to following the strong prompting from the Holy Ghost and how I could accomplish this task. A few weeks later I was called to be the Emergency Preparedness Specialist in our Ward. My prayers were answered. I also felt a strong feeling that one way I could get the word out to many was to set up an emergency preparedness blog. With the help of my daughter this blog as been accomplished. I feel so passionate about this and helping others to be prepared.  Please use this blog, and share it with others, so you can become better prepared.

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