Food Storage, Emergency Preparedness and Weekly Assignment (Week of January 5th)

Hi Carson Ward Family, Family and Friends,

Congratulations! The Owen Family, The So'o Manai Family, and the Sherri Fa'alafua Family all won the December Free Monthly Giveaway Drawing. The each won a  Venture 6 Tools which includes a shovel that converts to a  saw, hammer,and hatchet, and pulls nails and opens bottles.

2014 New Year's Resolution vs 2014 New Year's Goals...

We all do it, at least most of us! Each year we make New Year's Resolutions, only to break them in just a few day, a few weeks or a few months: lose weight, stay on a budget, spent more time with the family, get the house/garage in order, clean up the yard, plant a garden, personal daily scripture reading, Family Home Evening, daily family scripture reading and prayer, attend the temple more often, magnify our church calling more, be better prepared for an emergency situation, be kinder to each other, etc.

Why not set New Year's Goals instead of New Year's Resolutions? To me goals are more permanent, more long lasting. I know for myself, when I set "GOALS" I am more likely to keep them and accomplish them. Resolutions, in the back of our mind, we know we will probably break them.

Each of us are so busy with family, work, our homes and yards, church callings, community and church activities, being involved in our children's schools, and so on. We feel overwhelmed to add one more thing to the "pot".

But we all need to make food storage and emergency preparedness apart of our lives, a part of our New Year's Goals. I am going to try and break it down for you to make it easier. This year we will have "weekly" and "monthly" assignments/goals.

Concerns...

Last Sunday in Relief Society a sister leaned over to me and asked how do I do it, how do I set up my food storage and prepare for an emergency, it is so overwhelming and cost money. She is a single mother trying her best to take care of her children and provide for their needs. I explained we do not have to do it all at once, one step at a time. It has taken us 42 years and 6 children later to get where we are today, a little at a time. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints admonishes its members to not go into debt for our food storage and emergency supplies. We should set goals and work forwards them a little at a time.

Sometimes I wonder, where are our priorities? As I watched many of our Ward members in Sunday School pull out electronic devises (iPads, Tablets, Kindles, etc.), which they did not appear to have before Christmas, I wondered if these devises were really a necessity or just a want. I would have rather taken that money and put into food storage and emergency preparedness supplies for the future to make sure my family was protected. It is just my opinion! In fact, this year my husband and I decided not to give each other Christmas gifts, but thought of something that would help us in an emergency situation. For a long time I have been wanting a cooking devise that cooks by the sun. We decided after some consideration to purchase the item for our emergency supplies. We are so excited to add this item to our emergency cooking equipment so we will be able to cook during an emergency situation. Next week I will try it out and let you know how well it works.We found the best price at emergencyessentials.com.

Ideas for your 2014 New Year's Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness Goals... 

A) Food Storage--1 to 3 months supply of food and water

1. First, figure out how much your family eats in a month. Keep track of everything you make (each meal), even when you go out to eat, what you drink, including snacks, everything. Keep a chart on the refrigerator divided into categories; Protein (meats, chicken, fish, peanut butter, eggs, etc.), Dairy (cheese, butter, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, sour scream, etc.), Vegetables (all fresh, canned and frozen), Breads, Grains and Cereals (flour, oatmeal, rice, breakfast cereals, etc.), Beans and Legumes, Sugars and Honey, Snacks, Fruit, Condiments, Oil and Fats, Seasonings, and deserts/treats. I know this sounds like a lot, but if you do it each time you make a meal or go out, you will have an idea of what your family eats in a month. If your goal is to store 3 months supply of food multiply by 3 and then you know what to work towards. If to much, do a month at a time until you have 3 months. Do not forget to store drinking water, enough for a month or more. Note: See the postings on the right under "Postings" for "3 Month Food Supply", "A Years Supply of Food" and "Water Storage" for ideas and help.

2. First rule of Food Storage--ONLY STORE WHAT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WILL EAT! Do not purchase something thinking they will eat it, they will not! Note: Watch the expiration dates. Places like discount stores (99 Cent Store, Dollar Tree, etc.) many times sell items that will expire in a few days, weeks or months. Most canned foods will last 1-3 years if purchased at a regular grocery or box store.

3. Next, after you have the amount your family eats in a month, each time you go grocery shopping purchase a few extra cans, packages or items you will need. For fresh meats consider canned chicken, beef, tuna, etc. Of course, while you are figuring out how much you eat in a month, you can go ahead and start purchasing canned foods you know you use.What for items on sale!

4. Store all canned and packaged foods in a cool, dry, dark place. In your pantry, under beds, in closets and cupboards.Your garage is usually too hot and the food will not last as long as the expiration date.

5. Second rule of Food Storage--ROTATE, ROTATE, ROTATE! Do an inventory monthly of your food storage to see what will expire soon. Use if expiring soon and then replace it immediately.

B) 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpacks and 72 Hour Emergency Family Bag

Every household member should have their own 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpacks (some call them Bug Out Bags) and each family should have a 72 Emergency Family Bag. We worked on the 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpacks all last year and are completing our 72 Hour Emergency Family Bag. See the posting on the right under "Postings", "72 Hour Kits" or go back to December 30, 2012 to follow along until you have complete all 3 kits.

C) Emergency Preparedness Supplies--below are some ideas. We would like each family to set a goal in each category to purchase at least one item in each category, or check the items you have to make sure they are working properly. Add any fuel needs to run the equipment. Also, arrange them in your garage, back yard storage shed so they are all together. For information and ideas see the postings on the right under "Postings" for each category below or click on the links below.

1. Lighting









 
2. Cooking

3. Heating







 

4. Sanitation








 

5. Shelter







  

6. Family Emergency Medical Supplies Kit (working on a "Posting" for this). We worked on this about two years ago. We will work on this again once we complete the 72 Hour Emergency Family Bag.






D) Evacuation Plans--These are good to work on in Family Home Evening or a Family Council.

1. Have an evacuation plan in place for your family. Practice your plan 3-4 times a year and discuss often with the family. See the postings on the right "Postings", "Disaster Situation and What to Do" and "Earthquakes".

2. Have a fire escape plan for your home and know what to do at work. Have family quarterly fire drills in your home.


Carson Ward 2014 Emergency Preparedness Goals

1) Complete the Emergency Family Bag, only a few more items to add. 
2) Complete the Family Emergency Medical Supplies Kit. 
3) Have a Ward Emergency Preparedness Activity in the Spring of 2014.
4) Have a "weekly" and 'monthly" assignment. 
5) Make sure each family member in the Ward has a 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpack and a 72 Hour Emergency Family Bag by the end of 2014.
6) Make sure each family household has at least one source of emergency supplies in each category above by the end of 2014. 
7) Make sure each family has an evacuation plan and has fire drills in their home often, especially those with children, seniors and the handicapped. 

Weekly Assignment: Emergency Family Bag

This week add the following:

Note: Since we are all recovering from the cost of Christmas gifts I will make this one inexpensive, about $5.

1) Small tool set (flat head and Philips screw drivers, pliers, wrench, small hammer)--Keep them all together either wrapped in a small towel or a large plastic zip lock bag. Place them in your 72 Hour Emergency Family Bag. You can purchase these at discount stores like the 99 Cent Store, the Dollar Tree, etc. Many of you will have these in your house or garage. Gather them together and place them in your bag.

Remember: Your 72 Hour Emergency Family Bag is kept with your family 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpacks or in your cars. 

Monthly Assignment: Emergency Cooking Equipment with Required Fuel


This month purchase some source of a way to cook if you could not use your stove, oven or microwave. It could be a Butane 1-2 burner stove with several cans of Butane fuel, a Coleman stove with several containers of propane, a charcoal BBQ with several bags of charcoal (including matches, kindling and charcoal lighting fluid if not the self-lighting type, a gas BBQ with extra cans of propane, a fire pit, or a solar oven. For ideas regarding cooking equipment check out the posting under "Postings", or click on the link,"Cooking, Heating and Lighting".

Note: I have found a one burner Butane stove for about $15-$20 at some discount stores. The cans of fuel are about $1.50. 

If you already have one of these sources of cooking then check them to make sure they are working properly, purchase any additional fuel you might need so you can cook for 2-4 weeks, gather everything together and put in a safe place in your back yard storage shed or garage. Remember, propane, by California law and for safety purposes, has to be stored away from your house, not in your storage shed or garage.

If you already have one of these sources of cooking equipment, possibly purchase another type of cooking equipment with the needed fuel.

Emergency Preparedness Ideas: 

1) Always be aware of your surroundings, a way to exit or a place to go to be safe.
2) Know what kind of natural disasters you have in your area and we prepared for them.

Helpful Food Storage Articles by Leslie Probert, Food Storage Essentials writer for the Deseret News...click on the link for great ideas and information. Provided by "Prepared LDS Family".

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