Water . . . A Most Precious Thing
Man can live without food for 30+ days , but he cannot live without water for more than 2 days.
"From droughts to contamination, water is a fragile resource. This makes being prepared with your own source of water essential." (emergencyessentials.com)
Here in California USA, and some other parts of the United States and other countries, we have been experiencing a severe drought. Soon they may issues water rationing. Yes, it is that serious! We have been asked to cut down to watering our lawns and plants to 3 times a week, 15 minutes in each area of the lawn for a couple of years now. April 1st we are being asked to cut down to 2 days a week. In some areas of California USA they cannot water their lawns and plants at all. Some reservoirs, dams and lakes have already dried up, others are at an all time low.
How many of you have water stored? When was the last time you replaced the water in your large 15-55 gallon water barrels? How many of your have dehydrated and freeze-dried food storage? Do you have a way to filter contaminated water?
My biggest concern is not having enough water, especially if it comes to a disaster.
If they start rationing water you will not be able to replace the water in your water barrels. I would suggest doing that now if it has been awhile. If you do not have water stored I would start now. If you do not have room for the big 15-55 gallon water barrels then store water in the commercial containers you can purchase at big box stores and your regular grocery store. Have some water stored!
If you are in a disaster situation, water may not be available and may be contaminated. It takes water to rehydrate your dehydrated and freeze-dried food storage. Besides drinking water, it takes water to cook and handle medical emergencies.Go to the posting on this blog under "Postings" on the right and click on "Water Storage and Water Barrels" to learn how to store water. Richard King of Huntington Beach Stake taught us at our Ward Emergency Preparedness Fair, after placing the water in the barrels along with the bleach (1/4 cup for each 55 gallons), to help your water last longer to first put an ex-large black plastic trash bag over each water barrel, then wrap them together, depending on how many you have, in a large tarp. They should also be elevated on 2x4s or bricks to let air circulate. This helps keep the sun from heating up the water and causing algae and contamination sooner and you can store the water longer than the recommended one year, maybe up to 5+ years. Everyone should have a good water filtration pump, pitcher or water bottle. Seychelle Water Filtration (website) has the best ones I have been able to find. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sends the Seychelle Water Filtration water bottles to all full time missionaries in areas where the water is questionable. Check our store.lds.org to order the ones the missionaries have. Please make storing water one of your priorities on your Emergency Preparedness Bucket List.
March Monthly Assignments
Food Storage . . . Beans and Lentils
Emergency Preparedness . . .Making a Family Evacuation Plan, Family Drills and Knowing Your Resources
Go back to the March 1st posting to see what to do.
Also check our the March 8th and 15th postings.
Emergency Preparedness Idea
Family Emergency Preparedness Notebook . . .
Every family, no matter the size, should have a Family Emergency
Preparedness Notebook. It should be kept in a safe, easy assessable and water proof place. If there is an emergency and you need to evacuate immediately it will be easy to pick up and take with you. All family members should know where it is kept and explained the importance of it. Many of us have important documents scattered around the house. Take the time now to gather them together and organize them into your Family Emergency Preparedness Notebook.
You will need the following:
1) A large 3-ring binder (depending on the size of your family and the number of documents you have)
2) 3-Ring Poly Envelope (one for each family member, pets, other important documents) I found these on amazon.com, 3 for $3.88. Target, office supply stores like Office Max, Office Depot, Staples may carry them. My daughter said the best time to purchase them is around school supply time. You can get them very reasonable, but I would not wait until them. You can also purchase heavyweight top loading sheet protectors. But I like the 3-Ring Poly Envelopes the best. They close from the side with a Velcro flap.
3) 3-Ring dividers
Next step:
1) Gather all you important documents together.
2) Write in permanent marker each family member's name on the top of each 3-Ring Poly Envelope. Do not forget your pets.
3) Separate them into each person's records. They may include birth
certificate, Social Security Card, Passport, school records,
immunization record, adoption record, court name change document, copy of driver's license, military record (DD Form 214), academic certificates, copy of medical insurance card, medical records (including allergies, prescription medications, etc., contact information for all doctors, for minors--an authorization letter to receive first-aid and other medical treatment, etc.
4) You will also need other 3-Ring Poly Envelopes for things like insurance documents (personal, home, car, business, etc.), bank and financial records, tax returns, wills/trust, marriage and divorce certificates, guardianship certificates, HIPPA release, living will, Durable Power of Attorney, Deeds (home, cars, equipment, etc.), Titles to equipment and property, contracts, stocks and bonds certificates and other financial instruments, credit and debt cards information, inventory of of property and household items (photos, videotapes, on flash drive), medical Advanced Directive, contents of Safety Deposit Box and where it is located,emergency contact information, and other important documents relative to your personal needs.
5) Separate each family member's Poly Envelope and other Poly Envelops with a divider with their name or topic on the tap to easily find. If you need more than one notebook put all family information in one and the others in another notebook. Keep them together.
6) Keep the Family Emergency Preparedness Notebook(s) in a secure, water proof, easily accessible place.
Note: Remember to update records as they change and new family members are added to your household, like a new child, other extended family members come to live with you.
Note: It is also a good idea to keep cash on hand, small bills ($1 and $5) and change. You may not be able to access money from the bank or ATM machine if power is down. You should try to have enough to cover a month's expenses.
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