Emergency Preparedness, Food Storage and Monthly Assignments (Week of January 1, 2017)

Happy New Year to each of you. May this coming year be a great one for you, your family and your loved ones. May you find happiness, peace, the strength to overcome and learn from your trials and challenges and become more temporally, physically, mentally and spiritually prepared. 

In the coming year, "May God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of His son."  (Alma 33:23)

The Ark 2017 Emergency Preparedness Goals

This year I hope more of you will become better prepared temporally, physically, mentally and spiritually. I hope you will set goals that will help you accomplish each of these areas. Emergency preparedness is an ongoing event, it never stops, you are continually adding and replacing and building up your emergency supplies. This year we are going to first work on setting up a 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpack for each house hold family member (or if you already have them, bring them up to date), a 72 Hour Emergency Preparedness Family Bag, an Emergency Cleaning Bucket and a Sanitation Bucket. I hope you will continue to work on your Food Storage and review last years blog postings to help you accomplish this goal.

Note: This year I will only be posting once a month. I will give you an assignment for each week listing the things we will be adding for the month. 

What can we learn from 
          natural and man made disasters?

Whenever a natural or man made disaster hits an area I watch CNN intently to learn from them so I can pass the information onto each of you to help you become better prepared for whatever might hit you. The past 10 years many people have experience some sort of natural or man made disaster . . .




2005 Hurricane Katrina  

 2010 Haiti Earthquake








2011 Joplin, Missouri EF5 Tornado







2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami







2012 Hurricane Sandy






2014 Flint, Michigan Water Crisis




And many more throughout the world

What have I learned from these disasters? Yes, you can be prepared temporally with food storage, 72 hour emergency bags and emergency supplies, but these can be washed away, blown away and destroyed in a few seconds. I am not saying you should not have them, of course you should. Most of the time they are not destroyed and we can use them to help others.

Marcy Peterson, second counselor in the Joplin, Missouri Stake Relief Society Presidency, said, after the tornado hit, that preparation is important to her because of the peace it brings.  "For me, being prepared  means . . . I don't need to worry. I know that if I've done my part by preparing myself spiritually, having food storage, and being willing to share with neighbors and others, I have a sense that I'm going to be okay--that the Lord will bless me whatever happens."

I find when listening to the news programs on natural and man made disasters the best way we can be prepared is SPIRITUALLY!

Spiritual Preparation . . .

Let me share some comments form those in the Joplin Tornado . . .

"Mike and Becky Higginson have faithfully built their home storage over time, and while the tornado destroyed their home, their food storage shed survived the destruction. The Higginson are grateful for this blessings, but they are quick to point out that physical (temporal) preparation alone is not enough to get them through this kind of event. They know that obedience to the gospel builds another kind of storage that natural disasters and other calamities cannot destroy.

Bekcy Higginson said, 'We've had hard experiences before, and the gospel is what sustains you through everything. So although it is a shock and a trauma . . . it didn't change anything. You revert to your gospel roots, your spiritual roots, immediately."'

Bshop Richins of one of the church Wards said, '". . . faith give us the hope that allow us to press on.' Modern technology, emails, text, phones did not work. They had to revert back to having prayers and listening for answers. He went on to say, 'You recognize very quickly---if you didn't already---how reliant you are on Heavenly Fahter for answers, because you need them, and you need them quick. But the answers come. They always come. They always will.'"

(These quotes are from an article by Melissa Merrill (Church News and Events), "Preparation of All Kinds Bless Saints in Joplin, Missouri")

When Joplin Stake President Creed Jones was interviewed by a CNN reporter, he had lost his home, the church building he presided over and even lost his job a jew months later due to the local hospital being destroyed, he told the report he still had his faith and hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I remember one woman who had lost everything in a tsunami, her home, her family, her belongs. She was putting together some shelter from pieces lying around. When the reports spoke with her she was at peace because she had the gospel, faith and hope all would be okay.
 
When windstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, droughts, wildfires, natural and man made disasters and crisis and loss of income or health issues come, it will be your spiritual preparation, your spiritual roots, your faith and hope that will get you through the ups and downs and the tears shed. You can rebuild.


What can we do to prepare spiritually?

Attend church regularly, read your scriptures daily individually and as a family, say your prayers daily individually and as a family, listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and act on them immediately, and for those that are Latter-day Saints, attend the temple regularly. 

January Assignment

72 Hour Individual 

        Emergency Preparedness Backpack . . . 

We all have been advised by our federal and local governments and our church to be prepared by having a 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpack for each house hold member.  Each backpack contains a food kit, a hygiene kit and a stressor kit along with a change of clothes, sturdy shoes and some other items. We will first start with the food kit.

Note: If you already have your 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpack for each house hold member you might want to review the Food Kit to see if any items need rotated or replaced. The rule is if you keep your backpacks in your car the food needs to be rotated/replaced every 6 months due to heat. If in the house at about 70 degrees rotate/replace the food once a year. 

Food Kit . . . will contain food for 3 meals a day for 3 days, plus some snacks. They are high in calorie because this is all you might have to eat if a disaster strikes or you have to evacuate immediately. You may need to adjust the menu due to allergies, medications you take and special diets. It is a good idea to keep one for home, another one at work and one at your child's school. Most schools now require your child to have an emergency backpack. We keep ours in our car just in case we are away from home when a disaster or other emergency issue happens. It will take us a few months to complete each kit.

Each food kit per person contains the follow for each of the 3 days . . .

Breakfast: Instant oatmeal, small box of raisins, instant hot chocolate
Lunch: Peanut butter or cheese crackers, fruit cup, trail mix
Dinner: Instant soup (Chicken Noodle, Onion, etc.), granola bar, fruit juice box
Water: 2 liters to 1 gallon per family member for the 3 days (you will need to be very careful how much you drink, some is used to cook the above food)
Snacks: Hard candy, chewing gum, fruit snacks, beef jerky

The month (January) add the following items each week. Remember, you will need 3 of each item for each house hold member. Each days menu is the same for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

1st week: Purchase a backpack for each family member. Use old ones or check out the thrift stores. emergencyessentials.com has great ones, 3 sizes, to hold all 3 kits, clothes and other items you might need. A sports bag will not work because you may need to carry, will be harder to carry.




2nd week: 3 packages of instant oatmeal per person in your house hold.




 

 3rd week: 3 small boxes (not the tiny ones) of raisins per person in your house hold.

 

 

4th week:  3 packages of instant hot chocolate per person in your house hold.



 


5th week: 3 packages of peanut butter or cheese crackers (comes with 6 crackers in a package) per person in the house.



Place all the items as you add them to a large plastic zip lock bag. Write each family members name on their bag. Place inside their backpacks as you add the food.

To go to the blog posting on the right under "Postings" for more information on the 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpack or click here. Some of you may want to complete the food kits all at once. 

Emergency Preparedness Ideas

The Emergency Essentials Blog has some great articles you might want to read. Click on each title to read them.

Build Your Emergency Car Kit

Communication During and After a Disaster

My Diabetes Emergency Plan 

5 Steps to Being Medically Prepared

Preparing the Elderly for Emergencies

Prepping in an Urban Setting

Please share! Please share this blog with your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors and others so they too can be better prepared. 

Comments and Questions: Please share your comments or questions below. Or go to theark.carsonward@gmail.com. We all learn from each others experiences and knowledge. Thank you for your comments and questions.  

Emergency Preparedness, Food Storage and Monthly Assignments

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

Merry Christmas to all! May we each take time from our busy schedules of Christmas shopping, Christmas parties and all the noises of the season to take some time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. May we take time to reflect on His life, His teachings, His example, His love and service towards others and make His life a part of ours all year long. May we each become true disciples of Jesus Christ. May each of you find peace, love, comfort, harmony, guidance in your lives each day. May each of us celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and remember Him.

First Presidency Christmas Devotional 

 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Sunday, December  4, 2016, 5 PM PST

You can watch it at a local LDS Chapel, on lds.org 

or your local BYU cable/satellite TV channel

Do not miss out on this uplifting and inspiring Christmas devotional! 

Our Journey in Life

As we start to contemplate our New Year's Goals/Resolutions, may we each think about our journey in life, where have we been, where are we now and where do we want to be. May we make our New Year's Goals/Resolutions more meaningful this coming year. I love this video of President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's, Second Councilor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,  thoughts on our journey in life. So touching and such good advice to us all. We all make the normal goals/resolutions, loose weight, get a better job, make more money, buy a new car, a bigger house. These are temporal goals, may be it is time to make more spiritual goals/resolutions too. Here are some 2017 New Years Goals/Resolutions you might want to add to your list . . .

Daily individual and family scripture reading
Daily individual and family prayer
Attend church each week
Attend the temple as much as possible
Do family genealogy
Service others more
Have more kindness and respect for all of God's children
Strive to keep and live the commandments and our covenants the best we can
Follow the prophet
Share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others
Help the needy and poor
Follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost
Spend quality time with the family and extended family

Others could be . . .

Work better on our food/water storage and emergency supplies
Have evacuation plans in effect and practice them often
Be ready ahead of time for the natural disasters in our area
Have all vital records, photos and family heirlooms in a safe place, easy to access immediately
Know first-aid/CPR skills and have an emergency medical kit
Each family member have a 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpack
Practice good health (eating, exercise, etc.)
Get out of debt
Stop using credit cards to pay for things you cannot afford
Be wise, be smart

December Monthly Assignments

Food Storage . . . Baking Staples and Dairy

 

With all the Christmas, New Year's and holiday baking this is the perfect time of year to stock up on your baking staples and dairy products. You can find great sales at this time of year. Baking staples: flour (stores one year), sugar (stores indefinitely) , brown sugar (stores in definitely), shortening (stores 3 years), baking powder (stores one year), baking soda (stores 6 months), vanilla extract (stores one year), other extracts (stores one year), spices, (ground stores one year, whole stores several years) etc. Dairy: Eggs (you can remove them from their shells and freeze them for up to one year), butter/margarine (you can freeze for one year), milk, sour cream, cream cheese, etc. 

You can also purchase dehydrated/freeze dried milk, butter, shortening, eggs, sour cream, cream cheese, baking soda, baking powder and spices for up to 25 years depending on how you store it (below 70 degrees in a cool, dry, dark place).  I would only store the baking powder, baking soda and spices in the 2.5 cans emeregencyessentials.com offers. You can also store flour in the #10 cans but it is to expensive and not necessary. As long as you rotate the flour you can store it in is original packaging inside a large plastic zip lock bag. Best is stored it in the freezer, will store up to one year. Wheat flour does not store well in the freezer, to much oil content. emergencyessentials.com has a lot of their baking and dairy products on sale. If you sign up for their emails you will get even better discounted offers.

How much to store? Figure out much of each baking product and dairy your family uses in a week or month and multiply it by the number of weeks, months you have set your food storage goal.

Emergency Preparedness . . . 

   Setting our New Year's Goals 

                                    and Resolutions

I am not a fan of setting New Year's Resolutions but more of setting New Year's Goals!

Most of us break our New Year's Resolutions with a few weeks or months. Goals seem more realistic, easier to accomplish and permanent to me. Goals are easier to obtain because they usually involve smaller ones to accomplish the ultimate goal. For you 2017 New Year's Goals why not include working on your food/water storage, emergency supplies, evacuation plans and other being better prepared goals? This blog can help you set and reach your goals. I have listed a few above you might want to consider. On the side under "Posting" will give you more ideas to work in the coming year.

2017 The Ark Goals

This next year we are going to be working on putting together up a 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpack (food kit, hygiene kit and stressor kit) for each house hold member, a 72 Hour Family Emergency Preparedness Bag and adding emergency supplies. I encourage you to continue adding to your Food Storage until you reach the goal your family has set. Food Storage in an on going process, you are continually rotating the food you store and adding to it. Lets decide this year we are going to become better prepared next year than this year. You can do it! I try to make it workable and as easy as possible with this blogs postings.

Comments and Questions: We enjoy your comments and questions. Please share them below or email them to me at "theark.carsonward@gmail.com". We all learn from each others experiences and knowledge.

Emergency Preparedness, Food Storage and Monthly Assignments (Week of November 20th)

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

The past few weeks I have been filled with lots of thoughts. I have been jotting down quotes and other things I have heard. I am going to try and express them in this blog posting. 

"Know ye that the Lord he is God: . . . . Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name."  (Psalms 100: 3-4)

"Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; ...." (Psalms 147:7)

"Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things." (Doctrine and Covenants 59:7)

"... and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you." (Book of Mormon, Alma 34:38)

"A grateful heart ... comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring into our lives." (Thomas S. Monson, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

This is the time of year when we think about those things we are grateful for! Why not take the time daily to reflect on these things? It can be simple things like a drink of clean cool water, a beautiful flower, the smile of someone walking towards you, the laugh of a child, the birds singing, the voice of a loved one. Take the time each day to be grateful for all your blessings, large and small. Give praises to our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ for your blessings.

I know many of you are struggling with life's trails and challenges and the county's and worlds uneasiness and events. All you need to be told is that you should be working on one more things, like food storage and emergency preparedness. All I can say is what Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles says, "Don't you give up, don't you quit, you keep walking, you keep trying".

That is all any of us can do, keep trying! If you have food storage and emergency preparedness goals set, just keep trying to meet them, don't give up. It takes time to build it up, but one step at a time, one can of food at a time, you will do it. The more you become prepared, the more peace of mind you will have.

It is not just about food storage and emergency preparedness, it is about spiritual, emotional and physical preparedness too. As long as you keep trying Heavenly Father will bless you and guide you and help you along the way. Trust Him, believe in Him.

Thomas S Monson stated, "The past is behind, learn from it. The future is ahead, prepared for it, The present is here, live it."  Take each day and do the best you can, keep on walking, keep on trying.

Emotional Preparedness

A part of emergency preparedness is Emotional Preparedness. There seems to be so much hate and unkindness in the world today. May we each take into consideration what President Thomas S. Monson stated above. For our emotional preparedness may we each give more love and kindness to others. Take the time to smile at one another, open a door for the elderly, respect and say thank you to our military and policemen and policewomen, be patient with one another, show respect one to another no matter our race, cultural or color, say thank you and please more often and take the time to being loving and kind to one another.

November Monthly Assignments

Food Storage . . . Meats, Poultry and Fish

   Vegans or Vegetarians . . . Add more canned and dried
                   Beans and Rice 

Canned meats, poultry and fish are one of the more expensive items to add to your food storage. I do not store as much as I do of other food items. Meats, poultry and fish can be added to staples like rice, noodles, pastas, soups, stews, casseroles. etc. to extend the dish. There are a variety of meats, poultry and fish and ways you can store these items. You can store them in commercially canned products, freezing, home canning  and freeze-dried. It is good to store these items in a variety of ways, short term and long term storage. Remember, only store what your family will eat. Watch for sales and stock up then. Big box stores like Costco and Sam's Club have great prices. Store all commercially canned, home canned and freeze-dried in a cool, dry, dark place. Below 70 degrees if possible.

Home canning meats, poultry and fish: Wendy Dewitt is great at this. It does not look so pretty in the canning jars but it is cost effective. Click here to watch a YouTube video from Wendy Dewitt. It takes a regular pressure cooker to do it, you cannot do it in a water bath canner. There are newer much easier pressure cookers on the market now called a "Power Pressure Cooker XL". They come in several different sizes now, 6 quart, 8 quart and 10 quart. I use the 6 quart one and can can 4 pint canning jars at once. It is great because you do not have to worry about the pressure and watching the gauges like the old fashioned pressure canner. And it cost less. I purchased mine and Bed Bath and Beyond for $89 (6 qt.) using their 20% off discount coupon. It is great for many other things too.

Meats: Roast beef, ground beef, sloppy joes, corned beef, Vienna Sausage, Underwood spreads (beef, chicken, ham), chili with meat, soups with meat or chicken, stews, etc.. Watch the expiration dates, they can vary on different types of meats. I purchase canned roast beef at Costco for a good price. I use it in casseroles, soups, stews, enchiladas, etc.

Poultry: Chicken, turkey, duck, etc. I purchased canned chicken at Costco for a good price. I use it in casseroles, soups, salads, enchiladas, etc.

Fish: Tuna, wild pink salmon, crab, oysters, sardines, etc. You can purchase them at big box stores and your local grocery stores.

Long Term Freeze-dried meats, poultry and fish: The store, if stored at 70 degrees or less, for about 25 years. It is great to have a couple of #10 cans of meat, poultry and fish. But only store what your family will eat and you will need to store extra water to rehydrate them. They are more expensive. I would just store the commercially canned or home canned varieties as long as you rotate them as needed.

Emergency Preparedness . . .

Christmas is a great time to give emergency preparedness items as gifts. See the last blog posting for great ideas.

Emergency Preparedness Ideas 

DIY--Great way to make your own cell phone charger . . .



Thank you to one of our blog readers for sharing this with us. Love great DIY projects like this that can help us in emergency situations. Keep them coming.

EmergencyEssentials.com always has some great blog postings on things that can help us. Here are  a few I thought you might enjoy. Just click on the links below.

Physical Preparedness: Click here

Emergency Oil Lamp: Love this one. Click here

Emergency Showers: Click here

Comments and Questions: Please share your comments and questions below. We love hearing from you. We all learn from each others experiences and knowledge. I love when you share ideas you find like above. Thank you for sharing.

Emergency Preparedness, Food Storage and Monthly Assignments (Week of October 30th)

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

4,000 miles later . . .  

The last 3 weeks we have been driving across the United States and back home, through California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois. What have I learned from this road trip?

We are all the same with the same hopes, dreams and concerns for the future for our family and country, the possibility of a national civil unrest, how the United States Constitution will be effected in the coming months and years, the unrest throughout the world, concerns about how the natural and man made disasters in our area will effect us and many more concerns. What can we do about them?

As you know this blog is all about being the best prepared we can be for what may come our way, which happen in a second. I learned a lot from my parents who grew up during the Great Depression and World War II and how they strove daily to be prepared the best they could. They remembered what it was like when food and money were scarce and daily things were not available most of the time. My parents were wise and frugal as they learned how to survive these difficult times.

Growing up my parents had a large deep freezer they kept filled with food. Once a year they would purchase a whole side of beef and have it cut up into different pieces of meat. My mother grew a vegetable garden and purchased vegetables and fruit when in season and froze them for the coming year. She purchased canned and packaged foods when on sale and stocked up on them. Even when  times were tough and money was short we never went without food. They had a savings account for rainy-days they added to as often as possible. They lived within their means and did not go into debt. We can learn much from the Greatest Generation!

While in Missouri I visited one family who allowed me to see their food storage and take photos. Let me share with you what I found. They are very frugal and continually add to their food storage and rotate what they have.

Shelving: It is kept in the basement which is a great place since it stays cool, dry and dark. This is where they store their canned foods.

 

Metal Cabinets: Where they store baking goods, flour, sugar, baking mixes, oils, etc. And pastas, beans and rice. Stored in the basement too.

Deep Freezer: Where they store frozen foods they purchase when on sale, meats, fruits, vegetables, breads, etc. When you loose your electricity it is best to use up these foods first. If you keep the door closed and only open as needed they will stay frozen/cold for several days.

 Metal Cabinets: They have two other metal cabinets, one filled with cleaning products and hygiene products. Another cabinet filled with school supplies, notebook paper, notebooks, pencils and pens, crayons, tape, paper clips, etc.

This was amazing to see and share with all of you. If you are frugal and take baby steps you will have all this and more in time. My husband's Uncle Win use to say, "How do you eat an elephant?". Answer, "One bite at a time!". Do not go into debt or crazy with your food and water storage and emergency supplies. Make a plan, make a goal and start working towards your goals one step, one bite at a time. Before you know it you will have what you see in these photos. You can do it!

New November Monthly Assignments

Food Storage . . . Meats, Poultry and Fish

   Vegans or Vegetarians . . . Add more canned and dried
                   Beans and Rice 

Canned meats, poultry and fish are one of the more expensive items to add to your food storage. I do not store as much as I do of other food items. Meats, poultry and fish can be added to staples like rice, noodles, pastas, soups, stews, casseroles. etc. to extend the dish. There are a variety of meats, poultry and fish and ways you can store these items. You can store them in commercially canned products, freezing, home canning  and freeze-dried. It is good to store these items in a variety of ways, short term and long term storage. Remember, only store what your family will eat. Watch for sales and stock up then. Big box stores like Costco and Sam's Club have great prices. Store all commercially canned, home canned and freeze-dried in a cool, dry, dark place. Below 70 degrees if possible.

Home canning meats, poultry and fish: Wendy Dewitt is great at this. It does not look so pretty in the canning jars but it is cost effective. Click here to watch a YouTube video from Wendy Dewitt. It takes a regular pressure cooker to do it, you cannot do it in a water bath canner. There are newer much easier pressure cookers on the market now called a "Power Pressure Cooker XL". They come in several different sizes now, 6 quart, 8 quart and 10 quart. I use the 6 quart one and can can 4 pint canning jars at once. It is great because you do not have to worry about the pressure and watching the gauges like the old fashioned pressure canner. And it cost less. I purchased mine and Bed Bath and Beyond for $89 (6 qt.) using their 20% off discount coupon. It is great for many other things too.

Meats: Roast beef, ground beef, sloppy joes, corned beef, Vienna Sausage, Underwood spreads (beef, chicken, ham), chili with meat, soups with meat or chicken, stews, etc.. Watch the expiration dates, they can vary on different types of meats. I purchase canned roast beef at Costco for a good price. I use it in casseroles, soups, stews, enchiladas, etc.

Poultry: Chicken, turkey, duck, etc. I purchased canned chicken at Costco for a good price. I use it in casseroles, soups, salads, enchiladas, etc.

Fish: Tuna, wild pink salmon, crab, oysters, sardines, etc. You can purchase them at big box stores and your local grocery stores.

Long Term Freeze-dried meats, poultry and fish: The store, if stored at 70 degrees or less, for about 25 years. It is great to have a couple of #10 cans of meat, poultry and fish. But only store what your family will eat and you will need to store extra water to rehydrate them. They are more expensive. I would just store the commercially canned or home canned varieties as long as you rotate them as needed.

Emergency Preparedness Ideas . . .

     Christmas is just around the corner!

Well, it is that time of year again when you are trying to decide what to buy a family member or friend for Christmas. What do you buy the person that is hard to buy for or has everything? Why not give them emergency preparedness supplies? At first they make think it is a cheesy present but when they need it they will thank you. Here are some suggestions . . .

72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpack with food, hygiene and stresser kits. See the postings on the right, click on the 72 Hour EP Backpack for what goes in each kit.You can also just put together the 72 Hour Food Kit for each family member and, or the 72 Hour Personal Hygiene Kit, or both. Put instructions with the gift to go to this blog website to find out what else they need to add to complete the 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpack. 

Butane One Burner Stove with several cans of Butane fuel. (I find these at some discount stores, sporting good stores, etc. for about $15-$20. The fuel is less than $2 a can.)

A tent, emergency lighting (lantern, solar flashlight, etc.), cooking (Dutch oven, Butane Stove, etc.) or other emergency equipment. 

A Kaito Voyager Solar and Crank Weather Alert Multi-band Radio. (I found one at emergencyessentials.com on sale this month for $49.95.)

A Basic Food Storage Starter Kit (You can purchase these, an adult one month supply of Hard Red Wheat, Hard White Wheat,White Flour, White  Rice, Pinto Beans, Rolled Oats at store.lds.org for about $30 or you can go to any LDS Cannery and pick it up for about $22.)

Seychelle Water Filtration Bottle (You can purchase these at store.lds.org for $16.50 with one filter and $22 with 2 filters. They filter out 99.9999% of all bacteria and contamination.

Be creative. You will be amazed at some of the great things you can give as Christmas presents this year. emergencyessenitals.com and other emergency supply companies can help with some great ideas.

                     
Christmas Stocking Stuffers . . .

Why not put in things for each family member 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpack?

5-1 Whistle, compass, mirror reflector, match holder, flint and steal
Hand warmers
LED small flashlight
Small first-aid kit
Utility chow set (knife, fork, spoon)
Seyechelle Water Filtration bottle  (found at store.lds.org, $16-$20)
Space blanket
Plastic rain poncho
Items for the Hygiene Kit and/or Stressor Kit

These items and others can be found on the list under Postings on the right, click on the 72 Hour Individual Emergency Preparedness Backpack. 

Emergencyessentials.com has many small emergency preparedness items that are great for stocking stuffers.
Comments and Questions: Please share your comments and questions below. Or, email to "theark.carsonward@gmail.com". We all learn from each others knowledge and experiences. Thank you for sharing.

Emergency Preparedness, Food Storage and Monthly Assignments (Week of October 2nd)

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

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

186th Semiannual General Conference

Saturday, October 1st, 9:00am and 1:00 pm  (PST)
General Priesthood Session 5:00pm (PST)

Sunday, October 2nd, 9:00am and 1:00pm (PST)

(You can watch conference on the BYU channel on your location cable or satellite
channel or go to lds.org and click on listen to conference.)

The First Presidency, members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,

and other General Authorities and General Offices of the Church will 

deliver messages of inspiration and guidance.

Do not miss out on being spiritually prepared, comforted, uplifted and inspired! 

Neighbors! 

Why are our neighbors an important part of our 

emergency preparedness?

Just a few days ago I was thinking about what a fantastic neighbor we have lived in for the last 45 years. Yes, we have lived in the same house for 45 years, unheard of these day. We moved in as a young couple expecting their first child. Now 45 years later, 6 grown married children, 24 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild we are so richly blessed to live in such an amazing neighborhood. From day one our neighbors have looked out for us and us for them. A few of us have been here from the beginning, some before us and some are new. It does not take long before we are all good friends watching out for each other. We have comforted each other in times of loss and life's trials and have celebrated special events and holidays together. Serving each other binds a neighborhood together.

We each have skills and talents that help our neighborhood and make us a great team, who we know we can rely on if disasters, civil unrest or whatever happens hits us. We know we will be there for each other.

What can you do to help and unite your neighborhood:

1) Encourage each family to have extra food and water on hand. Do not tell them how much you have or where it is stored. If each family is prepared it will take less strain off of you.

2) Encourage each family to have emergency supplies on hand, like flashlights, lanterns, medical supplies and what ever else they might need.

3) Know about each family member, their special needs so you can help if an emergency happens.

4) Make sure each family has a first-aid kit and knows basic first-aid. Maybe have a neighborhood BBQ and talk about first-aids skills.

5) Encourage each family to have 72 Hour Individual Emergency Backpack (Bug-out-bags) and a 72 Hour Emergency Family Bag. See under Postings on the right for information.

6) Share this blog with them so they can learn how to be prepared.

7) When a disaster or emergency situation hits, check on each family, especially the elderly, single parents and those with special needs.

8) Work together when a disaster hits. Set up teams, someone over medical, housing, how to shut off utilities as needed, sanitation, etc.

Make your neighborhood great and become like a family! Watch out for each other! Knowing we have neighbors watch out for us brings great comfort!

October Monthly Assignments

Food Storage . . . Pastas

A great inexpensive addition to our food storage. 

How much to store: Determine how much pasta your family uses in a month, including going out for meals. Then figure out how much you will need for the amount of food storage months goal you are working towards. Store a variety of pastas according to what your family eats.

Short term and long term pasta: Short term pasta (commercially packaged) will last about 1-2 year in their original packaging. Long term pasta (#10, super pail buckets) will last about 25 years. Keep both in a cool, dry, dark place.

Commercially packaged pasta: When you bring it home from the grocery store place the pasta in originally packaging in the freezer for 24 hours to kill any months or their larva. Then bring back to room temperature before storing in your cupboards or pantry. 

Water: Remember, you will need to store extra water to cook the pasta. 

Emergency Preparedness . . . 
                         Spiritual Preparedness

Being spiritually prepared is a very important part of 

emergency preparedness. 

It will bring us peace when there is turmoil around us. 

This weekend we have a great opportunity to be filled spiritually and prepared for future events by listen to the 186th Semiannual General Conference from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (See the dates and times at the top) Even if you are not a member of our church you can listen and be uplifted, comforted and find peace in the messages presented. 



We need to fill our lamps like the 5 Virgins did in the parable of the 10 Virgins. We need to be spiritually and temporally prepared at all times.





We need to pray and read our scriptures (individually and as a family) daily so we can stay close to the spirit. The Holy Ghost will guide us and protect us. 





Emergency Preparedness Ideas 

72 Hour Individual Emergency Backpacks 
                  and 72 Hour Emergency Family Bag . . .

When was the last time you check your 72 Hour Individual Emergency Backpacks? It you store yours in the car the food needs to be rotated every 6 months. If you store them in the house, every year. Make sure the clothes you might store in them still fits, growth changes, especially for children.

Check your 72 Hour Emergency Family Bag to make to see if anything you might have used needs replaced. Update as needed. 

If you have not put together a 72 Hour Individual Emergency Backpack and 72 Hour Emergency Family Bag check out the posting on the right under "Postings" and put together one for each family member. You only need one family bag.

Comments and Questions: Please share your comments and questions. They are most appreciated. We all learn from each others experience and knowledge. Thank you for sharing. Email: the ark.carsonward@gmail.com

Next Blog Posting: November 6, 2016

Emergency Preparedness, Food Storage and Monthly Assignments (Week of September 18th)

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

A loaf of bread for a days pay . . .

"... A measure of wheat for a penny [Matthew 20:2] ,

 and three measures of barley for a penny; ..." 

                   (Revelations 6:6)  

Imagine if it took your full days pay to purchase a loaf of bread . . . Would you be able to afford it? Would you be able to feed yourself and your family? The scriptures predict this in the last days. Are we already starting to see this?

It has been on the television and radio news that Venezuela's economy is collapsing.  The cost of food, if you can find it, and other resource are outrageous. One reporter stated a dozen of eggs cost $150. Click here to read an article posted on the Emergency Essentials Blog.

Between 1921-1924 the Weimar Republic (modern-day Germany) was effected by a hyperinflation epidemic. It took a wheelbarrow of money to buy a loaf of bread. Click here to read the article.

Germany is telling its people to stock pile food and water. Click here to read the article posted on the Emergency Essentials Blog.

What is going on in our world? I will not allow this blog to be political but I do want to warn those who read it to be aware of what is going on around them and to be as prepared as they can with extra food, water, medical supplies and other emergency supplies you might need. 

Are we ready for these types of events in our lives? How prepared are you and your family? Wouldn't you find peace in knowing you have food, water and other emergency supplies stored for when and if an economic collapse might happen (hyperinflation), civil unrest arises and Martial Law is called, or a natural or man made disasters happen or many of the other things that can happen to effect our lives?

What will you do if and when the prediction in Revelations 6:6 comes to past? Will you be able to take care of yourself and your family? I sure hope so!

September Monthly Assignments
 

Food Storage . . . Fruits

Fruits are an important part of our food storage. Other foods do not give us the vitamins and nutrition we need in our diet.  Fruits can be stored in a variety of ways.

How much should I store? Determine how much fruit you or your family eats in a month and multiply that by the number of months you have set your food storage goal. Store a variety of fruits.

Shelf life of fruits: Commercially canned 1-2 years, home canned 1-2 years, home dehydrated in mason jars 6 months-1year, commercially dehydrated 1-2 years, commercially freeze-dried long term storage 20-30 years. Watch the expiration dates, especially when you purchase items from discount store.

Of course these all depend on how you store them. All fruits should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place. The temperature should be below 70 degrees if possible. The higher the temperature the less time is will keep.

What types of fruits should I store? Only store the fruits your family will eat. It is a studied and proven fact, that even in a disaster, especially children, your family will not eat what they do not like. Store a variety of fruits in a variety of different ways.  You can also store fruit juices. I usually work on these separate, but you can add them at this time too.

Different ways to store fruits:

 

Commercially canned: Store a variety, only the ones your family will eat.  Do not forget the apple sauce.Do not purchase or store dented or cans with the lids bubbled.

 

Home canned: To home can fruits use the water bath method. Click here to learn how to can fruits. Purchase fruits in season to save money.  Do not eat if the lid is springy.

  



 

 

Dehydrated:  Home or commercially packed. Storage life is different. Home dehydrated, 6 months-1 year. Commercially dehydrated, 1-2 years. Keep your home dehydrated fruits in mason jars in cool, dry, dark place.  Do not forget apple, banana chips, raisins and other dried fruits.                                               

Frozen: Another great way to preserve fruits is to freeze them. You can purchase them frozen, limited in variety, and you can purchase in season and freeze in plastic freezer zip log bags for future use. They will keep for 1 year. They are great to use in jello salads, smoothies, over oatmeal and cereals and may other ways. 

 

Freeze-dried: If in #10 cans they will keep for 20-30 years, depending on the temperature you keep them, remember, cool, dry and dark. To rehydrate just add water, let sit for about 15 minutes and enjoy by themselves or in recipes.



Fruit trees and berry bushes are another great way to produce your own fruit to can or freeze.

 
Fruit Trees: If you have the space plant a fruit tree or two. Checkout which types of fruits you can grow in your area. You cannot grow all fruits in all areas. If you do not have a large space try dwarf fruit trees or in large pots.






Berries: Also try to grow berries (blueberries, etc.) in your yard or large pots. I planted 2 blueberries bushes in large pots last year and they are doing great. I freeze the blueberries I cannot use at the time.





Emergency Preparedness . . .
                          First-aid and CPR 

Every family member should learn first-aid and CPR. Each household should have a good first-aid kit in their home and in each vehicle. Take the time to practice first-aid and CPR skills regularly as an individual and family. Family Home Evening is a great time to review them. Practice first-aid skills on each other or a friend. Review symptoms and treatments in a first-aid book. Try to become first-aid and CPR certified. It could save a life. 

Emergency Preparedness Ideas

Two items everyone should have attached to their key chain, or in their purse and in your children's school backpack. Make sure your children understand it is only to be used in emergencies not as a toy or distraction at school.

 


Whistle   

 
 




Small LED flashlight 

 Or a small LED pen light (for your key chain)









These items may save your life. If you are trapped or buried your voice will not last long when yelling for help and cannot be heard sometimes. A whistle travels far and can easily be heard.

If you hare in a building when the lights go out, especially after a natural disaster like an earthquake, the small flashlight will help you find your way and avoid further injuries from falling and sharp objects. It can also be used as a signally device to show where you are located.

Comments and Questions: Please share your comments and questions below. Or, you can email me at theark.carsonward@gmail.com. We appreciate your comments and questions. We all learn from each others experiences and knowledge. Thank you