Emergency Preparedness, Food Storage and Monthly Assignments (Week of June 28th)

Hi Torrance Stake Family, Carson Ward Family, Family and Friends,

Council from Torrance California Stake 
                                      President Roy Olsen . . .

This council was given at the Torrance California Stake Conference May 3, 2015 . . .

President Olsen counseled in his talk (preferenced),  "We live in a world of many challenges and not what we understand. Our Apostles see them now and in the future. We need to listen carefully, they give us warnings of things to come. If we follow their council and guidance, we will be blessed, "line upon line" will come in due time. Blessings will come and we will be able to feel the Spirit in our homes and in our lives, we will feel
peace. If we are faithful, keep the commandments, have a strong testimony of the gospel, walk forward in faith, do the things prophets have asked us to do, our homes and lives will be fortified. We need to be having family prayer and scripture reading daily, Family Home Evening weekly, attend the Temple regularly. We need to trust in the Lord, He is at the helm, we need to rely on faith as we go through our journey here on earth."

Wise words from a Stake President!

If we are following this council and staying close to the Spirit we have no need to fear of the world events. Just like the Savior warned the people of Jerusalem to flea to the mountains when Jerusalem was falling in 70BC, he will warn us and guide us what to do, but we need to be close to the Spirit and our Savior Jesus Christ (Apostle Elder L. Tom Perry's last words to the world).

New July Monthly Assignments

Food Storage: Dairy

This coming month we will be working on adding dairy to our food storage. Dairy includes milks (dehydrated/freeze-dried, instant, fresh milk, buttermilk, evaporated, sweeten condensed, almond, rice, etc.), cheeses (Cheddar, Monterrey Jack, Mozzarella, Colby, Parmesan, cottage cheese, cream cheese, etc.), sour cream, yogurts, butter/margarine, ice cream, frozen yogurt, etc. Store a variety of dairy products. 

Milk: You should store a verity of milks, some canned, boxed non-refrigerated, dehydrated/freeze dried and instant. You can also freeze fresh milk by taking some of the milk out of the container to allow for expansion and placing the container in the freezer to freeze. It will last for up to one year. Canned milks can be stored up to their expiration dates. Dehydrated/freeze-dried and instant milk in #10 sealed cans can be stored for up to 10-20 years depending on the temperature (cool 70 degrees or less, dry and dark). The boxed  instant milk you purchase in grocery stores will only store for up to 6 months in a cool,dry, dark place.

Cheese: Most hard and soft cheeses can be shredded and frozen for up to one year in a zip lock freezer bag. You can also purchase cheeses dehydrated/freeze dried in 2.5 cans or #10 cans for up to 20 years depending on the temperature (cool 70 degrees or less, dry and dark). This also includes sour cream and other cheeses. 

 

Butter/margarine: You can freeze butter/margarine up to one year. You can also purchase dehydrated/freeze dried butter/margarine in 2.5 cans and #10 cans. You can purchase it from local grocery stores, box stores and food emergency supply companies. 

 
Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt: Yes, you can purchase dehydrated/freeze dried ice cream and frozen yogurt. No need for extra water to rehydrate them. You just put them in your mouth and let them melt. Yummy! A special treat during a disaster situation! 

 

Eggs: Some people say eggs are part of diary, but for me they belong in the protein (meat, etc.) section. You can include them if you want. You can purchase dehydrated/freeze dried eggs. I use them just like regular eggs, just add water, scramble, use in baking. They come in #10 cans, they last for 20 years in a cool, dry, dark place. You can take fresh eggs and freeze them by taking a cupcake pan, lining each cupcake space with saran wrap, cracking the egg and dropping the egg into the cupcake space, cover with the saran wrap and freeze. Once frozen take them out and place the wrapped eggs into a freezer zip lock bag and freeze for up to one year. When needed, let them thaw and use as needed. 

Note: Just remember, if you store dehydrated/freeze dried diary products it take extra water to rehydrate them. 

Where to purchase: Of course, your local grocery store and box stores are great for canned milks, boxed milks, fresh milks, cheeses, butter/margarine and other dairy products. I find emergencyessentials.com is the best economical place to purchase the dehydrated/freeze dried diary products. Store.lds.org also sells non-fat instant milk. Go to their websites and search for their diary products. And of course, there are other emergency food supply companies, just do the research. You can also request a catalog from emergencyessentials.com be sent to you. Watch for sales. I like their fortified instant milk, cheeses and other diary products.  

 

How much to purchase: Determine how much dairy, include all dairies, your family uses in a month, multiply that by the number of months you have set your food storage goal 

 

Emergency Preparedness:

                Shelter and Sanitation 

Shelter: You never know when you may not be able to stay in your home due to severe damage and you will need shelter. Every family should have a tent large enough to fit their family or several small ones. You should also learn how to build a shelter from surrounding sources if away from home. We carry a small 3 man tent in the trunk of our car just in case we are away from home and might need it. Click here to check out the Posting "Shelter" on this blog. Click here to check out a website showing great ways to build a shelter if away from home. 

 

 

  
Sanitation is a very important part of emergency preparedness. What would you do if you could not use your home toilet? Click here to learn about how to handle sanitation and what you will need in an emergency situation.

Emergency Cleaning Bucket: During a disaster you may not be able to use your conventional washing machine and dryer. Put together an emergency cleaning bucket. All the items will fit into a 5 gallon bucket except the scrub board, large tub and mobile washer (emergencyessentials.com)

Watch this video on how to put the bucket together.



July Emergency Preparedness Monthly Assignment: 

Shelter: Purchase a tent big enough for your family or several small ones. This a  great time of the year to purchase a tent, lots of sales going on at department and sporting good stores. If you have a tent check to make sure it is good condition, make any repairs that might need done.

Sanitation: Purchase those supplies you will need for you family if you cannot use your regular toilet and washing machine. If you have sanitation supplies and a portable toilet check to make sure they are in order, replace or add to any items needed. If you do not have one put together an emergency cleaning bucket.

Emergency Preparedness Ideas

Sweet treats an important part of food storage . . .

Sweet treats during a disaster make it a little easier to endure, especially for children. Make sure to include sweet treats, like cake, muffin, brownie and cookie mixes in your food storage. Canned/dehydrated fruits are also a good item to store to add to your mixes. Store a variety, and commercially packaged (usually last about one year) and dehydrated/freeze dries (last 20 years). You will also need to store dehydrated eggs and regular cooking oil. Dutch Ovens are great for baking a cake or other mixers. Learn how and practice using a Dutch Oven for baking. YouTube has many videos demonstrating how to bake using a Dutch Oven.

Candies, chocolate and butterscotch chips are another great item to store. Store them in Mason Jars using the FoodSaver method to preserve them for 3-5 years. YouTube also has videos on how to use the FoodSaver to preserve these treats. 

Comments/Questions: Please share your comments below. We all learn from each others experiences and knowledge. If you have any questions you can leave them below or email me at theark.carsonward@gmail.com. I will research your questions and answer it on the blog next time. Thank you for your comments. 

Emergency Preparedness, Food Storage and Monthly Assignments (Week of June 21st)

Hi Torrance Stake Family, Family and Friends,

Happy Father's Day to all the father's throughout the world! 
May your day be filled with respect, peace, joy and love! 

One of the greatest blessings is to know that we have a Heavenly Father who loves us unconditionally and is always there for us, listening to our prayers and guiding us along the way in this life. He only wants the best for us. He has given us our agency to choose and will never take it away from us. He has given us eternal life and an opportunity to return and live with him again for eternity.

Each of us has an earthly father. I have a saying, "Any man can be a father, but it takes a special man to be a Dad!" I have been blessed with such three great Dad's in my life. My Dad is no longer with me but I feel his presence many times. He was there when I needed protection, when I needed understand, when I needed a friend, when I need his unconditional love, when I needed encouragement, and when I just needed one of his big bear hugs. My grandfather was an important part of my life. He was always there for me too. He was quiet but I learned so much from him. I loved sitting by him watching him build things, fish and telling me stories. He holds a special place in my heart. My husband is an amazing Dad and granddad. He is much like my Dad. His children are blessed to call him Dad.

Happy Father's Day

Fortified and A Place of Security

 

When reading in Alma this week I ran across Chapters 49 and 50.  These chapters are about the invasion of the Lamanites against the Nephites. Captain Moroni was a great leader among the Nephites who taught the Nephites how to fortify their forts (homes) both temporally and spiritually. Due to their preparation they we able to protect, fortify and make their homes a place of security. And because the Nephites kept the commandments of God they were protected and blessed. Chapter 50:5 states, "And they were prepared ...."

 

 

Of course, none of us can build a fort a round our house or a moat with a draw bridge, but we can fortify, protect and make our family and home a place of security by having daily family prayer and scripture reading, by having weekly Family Home Evening, by attending our church meetings and by being prepared both spiritually and temporally.

There is a Jewish saying, "Better to be one year early, than one minutes late." Think about that saying for awhile. What does it mean to you? 

Even though my father was not Jewish he lived by this rule his entire life. He taught us from a very young age to always be where we needed to be or needed to accomplish at least 30 minutes before we were suppose to be there or what needed accomplished, you never know what might happen along the way. We can apply this to many things in our life and to emergency preparedness. I would rather be prepared now before the the emergency is upon me than find out I am not prepared and am begging others for food, water and emergency supplies. I'd rather be prepared and not need it, than not be prepared and need it!

June Monthly Assignments

Food Storage: Pastas

Pastas are another economical item to add to your food storage. There are so many varieties of pastas to store. Only store the varieties your family eats. Figure out how much pastas and the types you eat for the number of months you have set you goal, 1-Month, 3-Months, 6-Months, 1-Year. Watch for sales. I find sales and the store brands at regular grocery stores, big box stores like Costco and Sam's Club, and if you have Trader Joe's (Western USA) in your area are great on prices. Emergency supply companies that sell dehydrated/freeze-dried pastas tend to be more expensive, but they are great for long term storage.

Storage: Pastas are easy to store. Pastas are like rice and bean, they attract moths.When you bring them home from the store, regular package types, put them in your freezer for 24 hours to kill any larva and moths. Let them warm up to room temperature before storing them away. Remember the rule: Store all pastas, no matter what type of container, in a cool, dry and dark place. Storage containers: You can store them in their original packages for up to the expiration date which is usual 1+ years. Or, you can purchase them in #10 dehydrated/freeze-dried cans for 20-25 years. You can also use the Mason jar canning oven  method or the Mason jar canning FoodSaver method to store them for 3-5 years. (Go to YouTube for instructions. Whole Wheat pastas: You cannot store whole wheat pastas in #10 cans or using the Mason jar canning oven method or the FoodSaver method due to their high moisture content. Store them in their original packages up to the expiration date.

Emergency Preparedness: Water Storage

Water is the most important thing you should store. As I have said many times, "You can live without food for 40+ days, but you can only live without water for about 2-3 days". 

The rule is 1 gallon per day per person for drinking and cooking. Some say you only need to store water for 2-3 weeks. But I think you should have enough water for 2-3+ months. If you store dehydrated or freeze-dried products you will need extra water to rehydrate them. If you store rice, beans and pastas you will need extra water to allow cooking time. If you want to include bathing, most likely just sponge bathing, you will need extra water. 

There are several ways to store water. In 5, 10, 15, 30, and 50/55 gallon water storage containers or barrels, in16 ounce individual plastic bottles like Arrowhead water, 2 liter or gallon plastic bottles. Another idea I love is the Water Bricks. They stack like bricks and hold about 3-5 gallons of water. You can create tables with them and cover them with a table cloth. Water rain barrels are also another great source for collecting and storing water.

Water Filtration: Each household should have 1-2 ways to filter water in case you need to use other water resources like a lake, river or stream, or you are concerned about the safety of your stored water.

To see more ideas on Water Storage and Filtration click here to go to the posting on the right.

Emergency Preparedness Ideas 

Help Your Neighbors and Your Neighborhood . . .

Share with your neighbors about the importance of being prepared with extra food, water, medical supplies and emergency supplies. Never tell them what you have stored or how much, just that it is important to be prepared. Set up a neighborhood team of skills, like carpentry, electrical, plumbing, medical, etc. When a disaster hits you will have a  team to rely on for help and you will be able to help too.

Comments and Questions: Please share your comments below. We all learn from each others experiences and knowledge. If you have any questions you can leave them below or email me at theark.carsonward@gmail.com. I will research your questions and answer it on the blog next time. Thank you for your comments.

Emergency Preparedness, Food Storage and Monthly Assignments (Week of June 14th)

Hi Torrance Stake Family, Carson Ward Family, Family and Friends,

Spiritual Preparation . . .
               An Apostle's Last Words to the World


Three days before the passing of Apostle Elder L. Tom Perry, Elder M. Russell Ballard and Elder Dallin H. Oaks visited Elder Perry. Elder Perry, who spoke of his love for the members of the Church, and his great anxiety and concern for their spiritual well-being.

(I would like to also give this advice to the world, it pertains to all of us!)

"Elder Oaks remembered Elder Perry saying, 'I just worry about what is going on in the world! How did we get mixed up in this mess?' Elder Perry continued, 'Worldwide morals are declining. At the same time, we have populations all over the world that are suffering. We have lost our good, strong beliefs---it is just a tough time.'"

Elder Ballard recounted the advice that Elder Perry wanted the people of the Church to hear. 'I wish I could get every member of the Church to go and partake of the Sacrament, and when they took the break, they'd ask themselves, 'Who am I? What am I doing? How am I living? Where am I going? What should I be accomplishing?' as they renew their covenants with the Lord. He finished, 'The minute they'd pick up the bread, something would happen.'"

In those final quiet days, Elder Perry delivered his testimony to his brethren in the apostleship. 'Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world. Everything depends on Him. We'd better find a way to stay close to him, and if we can't, there's not much hope. He is what we need.'"

(From LDSLiving.com, "Elder Perry's Last Advice to Church Members")

Another Apostle's Council of Hope and Faith  . . .

Many of us have been through devastating natural disasters and other life changing events. We need to be prepared spiritually as well as temporally.  Here is the counsel of another LDS Apostle, Elder M. Russell Ballard regarding hope and encouragement . . .

"Although the prophecies tell us that these things are to take place (Matthew 24 and the Joseph Smith Translation Matthew 24)),  more and more people are expressing great alarm at what appears to be an acceleration of worldwide calamity. ... Admittedly we have ample reason to be deeply concerned because we see no immediate answers to the seemingly unsolvable problems confronting the human family. But regardless of this dark picture, which will ultimately get worse, we must never allow ourselves to give up hope! ...

"...The Lord is in control. He knows the end from the beginning. He has given us adequate instruction that, if followed, will see us safely through any crisis. His purposes will be fulfilled, and someday we will understand the eternal reasons for all of these events. Therefore, today we must be careful not to overreact, nor should we be caught up in extreme preparations; but what we must do is keep the commandments of God and never lose hope!

"But where do we find hope in the midst of such turmoil and catastrophe? Quite simply, our one hope for spiritual safety during these turbulent times is to turn our minds and our hearts to Jesus Christ. ...Armed with the shield of faith, we can overcome many of our daily challenges and overpower our greatest weaknesses and fears, knowing that if we do our best to keep the commandments of God, come what may, we will be all right." (Ensign, November 1992, pages 31-32)

June Monthly Assignments

Food Storage: Pastas

Pastas are another economical item to add to your food storage. There are so many varieties of pastas to store. Only store the varieties your family eats. Figure out how much pastas and the types you eat for the number of months you have set you goal, 1-Month, 3-Months, 6-Months, 1-Year. Watch for sales. I find sales and the store brands at regular grocery stores, big box stores like Costco and Sam's Club, and if you have Trader Joe's (Western USA) in your area are great on prices. Emergency supply companies that sell dehydrated/freeze-dried pastas tend to be more expensive, but they are great for long term storage.

Storage: Pastas are easy to store. Pastas are like rice and bean, they attract moths.When you bring them home from the store, regular package types, put them in your freezer for 24 hours to kill any larva and moths. Let them warm up to room temperature before storing them away. Remember the rule: Store all pastas, no matter what type of container, in a cool, dry and dark place. Storage containers: You can store them in their original packages for up to the expiration date which is usual 1+ years. Or, you can purchase them in #10 dehydrated/freeze-dried cans for 20-25 years. You can also use the Mason jar canning oven  method or the Mason jar canning FoodSaver method to store them for 3-5 years. (Go to YouTube for instructions. Whole Wheat pastas: You cannot store whole wheat pastas in #10 cans or using the Mason jar canning oven method or the FoodSaver method due to their high moisture content. Store them in their original packages up to the expiration date.

Emergency Preparedness: Water Storage

Water is the most important thing you should store. As I have said many times, "You can live without food for 40+ days, but you can only live without water for about 2-3 days". 

The rule is 1 gallon per day per person for drinking and cooking. Some say you only need to store water for 2-3 weeks. But I think you should have enough water for 2-3+ months. If you store dehydrated or freeze-dried products you will need extra water to rehydrate them. If you store rice, beans and pastas you will need extra water to allow cooking time. If you want to include bathing, most likely just sponge bathing, you will need extra water. 

There are several ways to store water. In 5, 10, 15, 30, and 50/55 gallon water storage containers or barrels, in16 ounce individual plastic bottles like Arrowhead water, 2 liter or gallon plastic bottles. Another idea I love is the Water Bricks. They stack like bricks and hold about 3-5 gallons of water. You can create tables with them and cover them with a table cloth. Water rain barrels are also another great source for collecting and storing water.

Water Filtration: Each household should have 1-2 ways to filter water in case you need to use other water resources like a lake, river or stream, or you are concerned about the safety of your stored water.

To see more ideas on Water Storage and Filtration click here to go to the posting on the right.

Emergency Preparedness Ideas

This week I had several people ask me about their concerns and questions about food storage. Here is what I told them.

What about the years food supply offers like Costco, Sam's Club and other emergency preparedness companies offer? 

Yes, it may look like a great deal but you need to consider what foods are offered in the years supply. Many times some of the food offered your family will not eat. It is a known tested fact that even when someone is starving they will not eat what they do not like. The years supply of food should have a list of what each food is in the offer. Be careful.

Next, When you store dehydrated/freeze-dried foods it takes a lot of water to rehydrate the food. You will need to store extra water.

There are lots of companies that offer the years supply for one, for two, etc. Look them over before making your decision and see how much it works out to be per serving. One company I especially like and find their prices to be the best is emergencyessentials.com. Sometime Costco and Sam's Club get great deals with them and other companies to offer them to their customers. Thrive.com, Shelf-Reliance.com and the LDS Cannery have great prices. I usually prefer to purchase the dehydrated/freeze-dried products individually or in small combo groups like vegetables. And I only purchase them when they are on sale. You can go to emergencyessentials.com (also know as beprepared.com) and order their catalog or check them out on line. They are also sell other emergency preparedness items.

How do you start your food storage?

You just start by adding extra cans and packages of items you purchase all the time for you and your family. Start simple and small. Do not worry about the long term food storage involving dehydrated and freeze-dried foods in the beginning.Once again, do not store foods your family will not eat. It is a waste of your money.

Many years ago The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stressed long term food storage. Many members were feeling overwhelmed with it, plus the cost. A few years ago the Church's First Presidency announced to its members, and the world, to set a goal of 3-Months Supply food, canned and packages
foods that your family eats. Determine how much your family eats of the items you use and set a goal. Purchase a little extra each time you go shopping. Watch for sales, they are the best because you can purchase a few extra cans or packages. The key to food storage is buy what you will eat and rotate, rotate, rotate so your food storage does not expire and you are not throwing away money. Also, canned and packaged foods need to be stored in a cool, dry, dark place. Once you have your 3-Month Supply of food, then start on the long term dehydrated and freeze-dried foods. Do not forgot to store water too.

Comments and Questions: Please share your comments below. We all learn from each others experiences and knowledge. If you have any questions you can leave them below or email me at theark.carsonward@gmail.com. I will research your questions and answer it on the blog next time. Thank you for your comments.

Emergency Preparedness, Food Storage and Monthly Assignments (Week of June 7th)

Hi Torrance Stake Family, Carson Ward Family, Family and Friends,

Be Smart . . . Be Prepared

The time will come in all our lives that we will have wished that we would have prepared for future events, be it personal (long term illness, job loss), natural disasters, pandemics, civil unrest, man made (chemical spills, contamination), community, or governmental. Do not get distracted from the priorities in life. One priority should be providing for your family by having food storage, water storage, emergency supplies and a rainy-day savings account on hand for such future events. .

I love this statement: "We can either choose to be like the Children of Israel in the days of Moses and wait for a sign, or we can be guided by the Spirit and the counsel of a living prophet today to become better prepared. The choice is always ours." (Valerie Albrechtsen, Prepared LDS Family)

I ran across this great video that makes it simple and shows the importance of why we need food and water storage. Please take the time to watch it and be better prepared. Some people say "it will never happen to me, especially where I live", but believe me, things can change in an instant. Yes, it may never happen to you, but why not be prepared just in case. 
 


Important: In the video they say you can refill your drinking bottles. Do not refill the disposable plastic drinking bottles you get from grocery or big box stores. If you refile them they might become contaminated from bacteria that can produce and the chemicals in the plastic. Click here to read about how reusing a disposable plastic drinking bottle can effect your health.

New June Monthly Assignments

Food Storage: Pastas

Pastas are another economical item to add to your food storage. There are so many varieties of pastas to store. Only store the varieties your family eats. Figure out how much pastas and the types you eat for the number of months you have set you goal, 1-Month, 3-Months, 6-Months, 1-Year. Watch for sales. I find sales and the store brands at regular grocery stores, big box stores like Costco and Sam's Club, and if you have Trader Joe's (Western USA) in your area are great on prices. Emergency supply companies that sell dehydrated/freeze-dried pastas tend to be more expensive, but they are great for long term storage.

Storage: Pastas are easy to store. Pastas are like rice and bean, they attract moths.When you bring them home from the store, regular package types, put them in your freezer for 24 hours to kill any larva and moths. Let them warm up to room temperature before storing them away. Remember the rule: Store all pastas, no matter what type of container, in a cool, dry and dark place. Storage containers: You can store them in their original packages for up to the expiration date which is usual 1+ years. Or, you can purchase them in #10 dehydrated/freeze-dried cans for 20-25 years. You can also use the Mason jar canning oven  method or the Mason jar canning FoodSaver method to store them for 3-5 years. (Go to YouTube for instructions. Whole Wheat pastas: You cannot store whole wheat pastas in #10 cans or using the Mason jar canning oven method or the FoodSaver method due to their high moisture content. Store them in their original packages up to the expiration date.

Emergency Preparedness: Water Storage

Water is the most important thing you should store. As I have said many times, "You can live without food for 40+ days, but you can only live without water for about 2-3 days". 

The rule is 1 gallon per day per person for drinking and cooking. Some say you only need to store water for 2-3 weeks. But I think you should have enough water for 2-3+ months. If you store dehydrated or freeze-dried products you will need extra water to rehydrate them. If you store rice, beans and pastas you will need extra water to allow cooking time. If you want to include bathing, most likely just sponge bathing, you will need extra water. 

There are several ways to store water. In 5, 10, 15, 30, and 50/55 gallon water storage containers or barrels, in16 ounce individual plastic bottles like Arrowhead water, 2 liter or gallon plastic bottles. Another idea I love is the Water Bricks. They stack like bricks and hold about 3-5 gallons of water. You can create tables with them and cover them with a table cloth. Water rain barrels are also another great source for collecting and storing water.

Water Filtration: Each household should have 1-2 ways to filter water in case you need to use other water resources like a lake, river or stream, or you are concerned about the safety of your stored water.

To see more ideas on Water Storage and Filtration click here to go to the posting on the right.

Emergency Preparedness Ideas

Could your family go for a day and night without power . . .

Are you willing to take the test to see how you and your family will do without using any power in your house for 24 hours? 

In the 1980's we had a very powerful storm hit the Southern California Coast USA. We lost power for one week. We had no lights, no refrigeration, no stove since it was electric, power lines were down by our house and streets were flooded in many areas due to heavy down pours of rain for several days. Many were advised to stay home, schools were closed for the week. Our children thought this was great, no school for a week. Since some of the young children were a little scared without lights at night the whole family camped out in the front room for a week. With lanterns and candles we played board and card games, sang songs, read and told stories at night. In our family we have had popcorn every night since we were married in 1971. We were not going to let a storm and power outage keep us from our popcorn. We had some large #10 can emergency candles made of paraffin wax and saw dust we made at a church emergency preparedness activity. My husband

decided it would work to make popcorn. We did not realize you needed to punch holes around the top edge of the #10 can before lighting it and setting a pan on it. He sat the can on the kitchen counter by the sink and light the wick and sat the pan on top, the flames shot out from the side of the can and caught the kitchen curtains on fire. We quickly pulled them down and put water on them. After a few minutes of punching holes in the side we were able to make our popcorn and we did not burn the house down. We were able to survive the week without power and able to heat up canned soups and other items. It was a great leaning experience for our family about how unprepared we were. 

Take the challenge: For 24 hours do without power in your home. See how your family does. What changes do you need to make? What emergency supplies do you need when the power really does go out? Be prepared for a long power outage, even just one that last several hours. 

Click here to read a great article about  "Go Dark For a Day". There are some great suggestions on how to prepare and survive. 

 

Your Outdoor Gear Is Your Survival Gear . . . Click here to read a great article from emergencyessentials.com blog.


Comments/Questions: Please share your comments below. We all learn from each others experiences and knowledge. If you have any questions you can leave them below or email me at theark.carsonward@gmail.com. I will research your questions and answer it on the blog next time. Thank you for your comments.