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

Hi Carson Ward Family, Family and Friends,

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good: his LOVE endures FOREVER. (Psalm 107:1) 

My Hat is off to You!

I am so happy when I hear people say they are striving and preparing by completing a 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpack for each family member in their household and increasing their food storage, water storage, medical supplies and other emergency supplies. I also love hearing when you comment to me about the week's blog posting, it tells me you are reading it. I salute you! Because you are striving to be better prepared you will have peace of mind and you will save lives! Great job!

Much to say this week, so much happening! Read all the information below.

Where do you go and what do you do when everything is blown away? 

On Sunday I had a sister in our Ward ask me, "Where do you go and what do you do when everything is blown away?".

There has been so much devastation and loss of life the last few days, the Philippians Typhoon Haiyan,  Illinois and other North Mid Western States USA tornadoes and flooding in France. I thought about her concerns and here are some of the answers to her questions...It is all about survival until help can arrive!

1) First, if you know danger is on the way, grab your 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpack (or as some call it, your Bug Out Bag)  and Emergency Preparedness Family Bag and evacuate if told to do so or you feel you are in danger. Even if you feel the slightest concern, evacuate. It is better to be safe than sorry later on. If you are close to the Spirit, the Holy Ghost will guide you and protect you.

2) Next, once it is over, kneel down and pray to your Heavenly Father for gratitude you are alive and for those of your family are alive. Pray for peace, comfort, understand, protection and guidance. Just like the 10 LDS Sister Missionaries in the Philippians did in the story below. If you are in the middle of it, pray for safety and guidance.

3) Assess the injured and attend to the worst injures first, down until you have checked everyone. Infection is your worst enemy! Keep the wound as clean and dry as possible. We need to learn and know basic first-aid skills.

4) If someone is buried or trapped, DO NOT attempt to remove them unless you can do it safely without further injuring them, yourself or others.

5) Next, find shelter or a way to construct some type of shelter from the debris lying around to protect you from the elements. If  it is not impossible to stay where you are, evacuate to some place where you can get or build shelter.

6) Next, find a source of safe clean drinking water. You can live without food for 30+ days, but you can only live without water for a couple of days.

7) Next, if possible, find a source for food. Either you can fish, if possible, or seek help from others and the local government, which could take days as we have witnessed. Learn how to make a fish line and pole from scrapes.

8) Help others that may need assistance.

9) Stay as calm as possible and wait for help.

10) Try to keep spirits high by praying, singing, and playing games, especially for the children.

As now we praise thy name with song, The blessings of this day
Will linger in our thankful hearts, And silently we pray
For courage to accept they will, To listen and obey.

We love thee, Lord; our hearts are full. We'll walk they chosen way."

(LDS Hymn Book, "As Now We Take the Sacrament", #169) 

Why prepare when it could all be blown away?

Because you are being obedient to God's commandments and he will bless you! He just saved your life!
 

Many of us have parents and grandparents that were a part of the worldwide economic depression called "The Great Depression" during the 1930's to the mid 1940's. They learned to be very frugal and self-reliant. There was no work, very little food and other items. I often heard my parents and grandparents speak of The Great Depression and what it was like. Due my parents and grandparents experiences they were very frugal with everything, they never went into debt unless it was an absolute emergency, paid cash for everything, and did not waste anything.

My grandparents lived in a small country town in Missouri USA, just outside of town. My grandfather would find odd jobs to help support them with what they could not do for themselves. They had chickens for eggs and to eat, they had a goat for goat's milk, my grandfather fished in the creek just down the road, they made things work to provide for their family. If they could not afford it, they did without until they could afford it. 

You know the little bits of bar soap that are left over we today usually through away? My mother would shave or grate them and save the shavings in a jar. She would use them to do laundry and for other purposes. She always had a vegetable garden and made all our food from scratch, no prepackaged foods. She used her talent of sewing and cooking to earn extra money for the family by sewing for others and selling her homemade brake bread and other goodies. She made all our clothes and used her old clothes to make us play clothes and quilts. If something needed fixed on the car or around the house, my Dad would do it. They wasted nothing! There is an old phrase from "The Great Depression", "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." (Click on the link for 12 great ideas) We can learn much from them!

Many say they do not have enough money to purchase extra food and water for their food storage. What if you went without drinks (sodas, etc.), drank water instead, when you went to a fast food place or out to dinner? Take that money and put into a food storage saving jar. You will be surprised how fast it will build up. Once you have enough money, purchase some times for your food storage. Find other ways you can save to purchase food storage and emergency preparedness items. If we follow "The Greatest Generation" (from the Depression Era) we will have enough, and peace of mind! We need to prioritize our needs and wants!

Weekly Assignment: Family Emergency Bag:

A few weeks ago we started working on our Family Emergency Bag. This bag, either a sports bag or backpack, is kept in your car(s).  If  you need to evacuate it needs to be taken along with your family's 72
Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpacks we worked on this year. If you have not completed one for each family member go back to the December 30, 2012 posting and follow through until you have complete a backpack for each family member in your household. You only need one Family Emergency Bag, possibly one for each family car in case you are not together when an emergency situation arises.


This week add the following: 

1) 50 foot nylon rope/cord or para-cord. You can purchase a para-cord bracelet for about $5-$6. Great stocking stuffer for each family member. Then they can put them in their 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpacks. I found it interesting in the story about the 10 LDS Sister Missionaries that their mission president felt inspired and advised them to have some rope with them and their 72 Hour Kits. The rope helped save their lives. 

So far you should have the following in your Family Emergency Bag: Portable regular or solar radio with extra batteries, street maps of local areas/cities, emergency flares and candles, water proof matches, 2 heat cells, flat fuel folding stove, and a first-aid kit with a first-aid book. See previous blog postings for information regarding these items and where to purchase them.  

Deseret News: 10 LDS sister missionaries survived along with hundreds of other LDS missionaries. Click on the links below to read and hear about their experience and what a television interview.

Surviving the typhoon: Fear, faith and miracles for 10 LDS sister missionaries trapped in the Philippines

Another video regarding the Philippines LDS Missionaries

Emergency Preparedness Ideas:

Non-food Survival Supermarket Items...

"There are more than enough other survival items in a supermarket that will help you survive, especially if you’re not near your prep or if something happened to it. Check out the most important supermarket survival items that aren’t food below. Most people will pass these over, giving you a chance to get a few extra supplies and GOOD while the geting’s good!" (SurvivalBase.com)

Click on this link to see what they are: Important Supermarket Survival Items That Aren't Food

 
Basic Baking Items: This is a great time of the year to add basic baking items like flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, brown sugar, salt, etc. to your food storage. Remember a great way to preserve them
for long storage (20+ years), except sugars, is to "Oven Bake" them in Mason canning jar. See last week's blog posting for information on how to do this. Easy and less expensive than the #10 dehydrated or freeze-dried you can purchase from food storage companies.


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