Tinfoil has many uses. While most people use it for cooking and storing leftovers, there are a number of other uses that make this household product worth adding to your emergency preparedness plans. Here are our top 10 favorite uses.

1. Sharpen Scissors
Yes, you read that right. To do it you will first need to smooth the foil out followed by fold the sheets into strips making several layers. Next grab your scissors and start cutting. Eight or nine passes of the foil sheet should do the trick!

2. Clean jewelry and silverware
Line a bowl with aluminum foil and fill it up with hot water. Next add 1 tablespoon of bleach-free powdered (not liquid) laundry detergent. Then simply place the jewelry or silverware in the solution for one minute. After the time has passed remove the items, rinse in water, and then lay out to air dry. The ion exchange chemical process cleans your items all by itself.

3. Keep birds away from your fruit trees
Similar to dangling a CD disk from a branch, you can dangle strips of tinfoil from the limbs with fishing line. The light reflections scare the birds so they will simply go somewhere else. My in-laws in Arizona have been using this technique to keep their orange trees bird-free for many years now.

4. Clean your grill
After the last burger has been pulled off the grill lay a flat sheet of tin foil over the grill. This will help redirect the heat passing through the grill back through it a second time. Leave the foil on the grill until the next use when you simply wad the foil into a ball and run it back and forth against the tough burnt on grease, like you would with a wire brush.

5. Lure a fish
I grew up fishing in a little pond near my home. We would take my Dad’s gear and catch bluegill. The only down side of the trips were when lures would get snagged and we had to cut the line.

After a little while we realized this particular fish wasn’t all that smart. We could simply throw in an empty silver or gold colored treble hook (unbaited) and they would still strike. We noticed over time that the brighter the reflection from the hook the more bluegills/crappie would come.

Using this concept you could take tin foil and attach small wads near a swivel then run a short leader with your hook or lure of choice. The extra reflection (at least with this species of fish) would bring even more attention to your offering.

6. Keep matches dry
Wrap your matches in aluminum foil. Stuff them in your pack and the next time you need a reliable way to light a fire, pull out the dry matches and get that fire going. No more worrying if the matches are wet from the thunderstorm that just passed.

7. Make a funnel
Need to route liquid into a certain spot such as adding oil to an engine block? Sure you can buy a plastic funnel for a couple bucks but you could also tear off 10 inches of foil and mold it into a funnel shape shape and use aluminum foil instead.

8. Make a frying pan
Don’t want to lug a heavy frying pan the next time you’re venturing into the great outdoors? Grab a branch that forks, tear off a sheet of ton foil a little wider than the width of the forking branches then wrap the ends around the two limbs to create a flat pan like surface in between the two branches. If the food items you are cooking are not too heavy you can hover the food above the fire, if it is too heavy arrange the burning wood to lay flatter then lower the “frying pan” onto the top logs.

9. Campfire cooking
Most people reading this have probably had the privilege of making a tin foil BBQ dinner. If not give this a try! Simply place chicken or ground beef in the shape of a patty in the middle of a sheet of tin foil. Next add carrots, onions, potatoes, other veggies, and season to taste. A helpful tip is to cut the veggies thin so all of the items are good to eat at the same time. Next fold the ends of the foil over the food, encompassing it entirely. Flip the silvery puck over and put another layer of tin foil folding it back over the other way. The multiple layers will make sure the food doesn’t burn. Cook time should be 20-30 minutes in the coals.

10. Build a seed incubator
Help jump start your gardening. Line a shoe box or other similar shaped box with foil (shiny side up) making sure the foil extends a couple inches past the top of the box. Next poke a couple drainage holes in the bottom of the foil. Next fill the box about half way with potting soil and plant your seeds. Place the box near a window that gets good amounts of sunlight. It works because the inside layer will redirect heat to the seeds while the foil layer extending past the top of the box will help redirect sunlight back into the box.

These are just a 10 uses for tin foil but we know there are hundreds more so we would love your help adding to this resource. Share with us your favorite applications below and you could win a $10 gift card if your comment is our favorite!

Part of being prepared is being able to repurpose and re-use items. That’s why vinegar is such a great thing!

You can use vinegar for cleaning, emergency situations, food storage and more! Take a look at 20 uses below. You can also comment below to tell us what you have used vinegar for.

1. Clear dirt off PCs and electronics
Your computer, printer, fax machine, and other home office gear will work better if you keep them clean and dust-free. Turn off your machine and wash with a mix of equal parts white vinegar and water. Wash with a cloth, not a spray bottle. You can use cotton swabs for tight spaces.

2. Get rid of smoke odor
If you’ve recently burned a steak or can’t get rid of that cigarette smell, remove the lingering smoky odor by placing a shallow bowl about three-quarters full of white or cider vinegar in the room where the scent is strongest. To get the smell out of the air, moisten a cloth and wave it in the air.

3. Wipe away mildew
Use undiluted vinegar to wipe away heavy mildew stains. Mix it with water to clean light mildew stains. You can even use a vinegar mist in a spray bottle to prevent mildew stains from forming in rugs and carpets.

4. Clean chrome and stainless steel
To clean chrome and stainless steel fixtures around your home, apply a light misting of undiluted white vinegar from a recycled spray bottle. Buff with a soft cloth to bring out the brightness.

5. Unglue stickers, decals, and price tags
Don’t you hate when you peel a sticker off of your new furniture or product and it’s still sticky from the glue? Worry no more! Use full-strength white vinegar and gently scrape it off the product. Use an expired credit card to scrape. You can also uses this solution to get glue off of glass, plastic and walls.

6. Brighten up brickwork
Have dingy bricks around your fireplace? Use 1 cup of white vinegar mixed with 1 gallon of warm water to scrub the area. Your bricks will be looking shiny and nice!

7. Revitalize wood paneling
You can also use vinegar to shine up your dull wood paneling. Mix 1 pint warm water with 4 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Let the mixture soak for a few minutes and then polish.

8. Remove carpet stains
You can lift out many stains from your carpet with vinegar:

• For light stains, mix 2 tablespoons salt with ½ cup white vinegar. Rub into the stain, let try and vacuum.
• For tough, ground-in dirt and other stains, make a paste of 1 tablespoon vinegar with 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and rub it into the stain using a dry cloth. Let it set for two days, then vacuum.

9. Keep car windows frost-free
Vinegar is a great way to keep frost from forming on your car windows. Spray the outside of your windows with a mixture of 3 parts white vinegar to 1 part water.

10. Refresh your refrigerator
Have you ever smelled a refrigerator that hasn’t been used for a long time? It’s gross! You can freshen up your fridge with a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water. You can use the solution to wash the interior and exterior of the fridge.

11. Steam-clean your microwave
Fill a bowl with 1 cup water and ¼ cup vinegar. Set the bowl in the microwave and cook on high for 5 minutes. Once the bowl cools down, use the solution to wipe off the walls of the microwave.

12. Disinfect cutting boards
Use full-strength white vinegar to clean wood cutting boards or butcher block countertops. This is a great alternative to dishwasher detergent because it can weaken surfaces and wood fiber. It disinfects against E.coli, salmonellsa and staphylococcus.

13. Clean china, crystal, and glassware
Have soap spots and dingy spots on your dishes after you put them in the dishwasher? Simply add a few ounces of vinegar to your dishwasher. It will prevent those hard-water stains from showing up.

14. Trap fruit flies
Did you bring home fruit flies from the market? You can make traps for them that can be used anywhere around your house by filling an old jar about halfway with apple cider vinegar. Punch a few holes in the lid, screw it back on, and you’re good to go.

15. Tenderize and purify meats and seafood
Soaking a lean or inexpensive cut of red meat in a couple of cups of vinegar breaks down tough fibers to make it more tender. You can also use vinegar to tenderize seafood steaks. Let the meat or fish soak in full-strength vinegar overnight.

16. Control your dandruff
Can’t wear those black shirts because your dandruff will show? Vinegar to the rescue! After shampooing, rinse your hair with a mixture  of 2 cups apple cider vinegar and 2 cups cold water.

17. Ease sunburn and itching
Gently rub a sunburn or rash with cotton balls or a soft cloth soaked with white or cider vinegar. Try to apply this before the sunburn begins to sting. You can use this to help treat insect bites or rashes from poison ivy or poison oak.

18. Clean your eyeglasses
When it’s more difficult to see with your glasses on than it is with them off, it’s a clear indication that they’re in need of a good cleaning. Applying a few drops of white vinegar to your glass lenses and wiping them with a soft cloth will easily remove dirt, sweat, and fingerprints, and leave them spotless. Don’t use vinegar on plastic lenses, however

19. Stop reds from running
Unless you have a fondness for pink-tinted clothing, take one simple precaution to prevent red washable clothes from ruining your wash loads. Soak your new clothes in a few cups of undiluted white vinegar for 10-15 minutes before their first washing. You’ll never have to worry about running colors again! This also works with other bright colors that you worry might run.

20. Speed germination of flower seed
You can get woody seeds, such as moonflower, passionflower, morning glory, and gourds, off to a healthier start by lightly rubbing them between a couple of sheets of fine sandpaper-and soaking them overnight in a solution of 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar and 1 pint warm water. Next morning, remove the seeds from the solution, rinse them off, and plant them.

(Hat tip  to Reader’s Digest for help with this article)

Your solutions!
What have you used vinegar for? Comment below and share your knowledge!

Last week, The Ready Store wrote a featured article in The Enterprise, a business journal, on how to prepare your business for an earthquake. Take a look:

In February 2008, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit near Wells, Nev., Fortunately, this large earthquake didn’t take any lives. Instead, the quake damaged half of the non-residential buildings in the town.

The disaster cost the city over $9 million dollars and steered businesses off track for months after the event. …

Your Responsibility to Prepare Your Business
If you are preparing your family for an emergency, why should your business be any different? …

When you think about it, an earthquake might not strike while you and your family are at home. Instead, it’s probable that you’ll be at your desk (or perhaps on the golf course if you’re lucky)! You have a responsibility to prepare your business and your employees to know what to do in case of an emergency.

There are a few things that you can do to prepare before a quake, train your employees on what do during a quake, and keep your business financially stable after an earthquake.

Prepare Your Location
The first thing you’ll want to do is assess how ready your business location is for an earthquake. This will help you develop a plan for your business.

Identify potential hazards. Does your office have a lot of pictures hanging on the wall? Is there more than one escape route out of the building? You should assess what concerns your location presents while you create a plan.

Also consider your businesses utilities. Is your water heater properly installed so that it won’t fall over in a quake? Are fire alarms and extinguishers in proper working order?

Your building. There are many factors to take into account to ensure that your building is ready for an earthquake. Even things like design, furnishings and when the building was constructed can have an effect.

The soil underneath a building can also have a major effect on its sustainability during a quake. Soft, clay-like soils tend to absorb the motion of an earthquake better than a rocky soil.

Emergency materials. If you and your employees were trapped inside of the building, would you have the supplies to survive? You should consider purchasing or creating emergency kits for your business. Include things like flashlights, collapsible shovels, first-aid materials, water and some snacks. Be sure to make a few extra kits for customers or guests who might be at your building that day.

These kits should be accessible and easy to grab if you need to exit the building.

Prepare Your Employees
The next step in preparing your business is to prepare your employees to know what to do during the earthquake.

Establish an emergency coordinator. Depending on the size of your business, you may want to establish one of your employees as the emergency coordinator. They can head up projects that deal with emergency planning and conducting drills.

Also consider providing incentives to employees who become CPR certified or take time to teach your customers and the community around you about emergency preparedness.

Under the desk. The best thing that you and your employees can do during an earthquake is get underneath a desk or some sturdy structure and hold on. You might have heard in the past that that getting under a door frame is the best idea. However, Steve Bowman, project manager for Utah Geological Hazards, sets the record straight.

“Getting to a door frame might be harder than you think,” Bowman said. “There might be a lot of falling objects around the room. We recommend getting under a desk and holding on – the ‘Drop, Cover and Hold On’ technique.”

Escape plan. Be sure to have a plan in place and practice it periodically with your employees. They should all know their escape route from the building. You should practice this plan at least once a quarter.

Establish a meeting location. Once the earthquake stops, you and your employees need to know where to meet. Have a location where your business can check in to make sure everyone is OK. This location should be outdoors and easy to access if emergency responders need to help you.

An emergency coordinator will have the responsibility of taking roll and making sure everyone is safe.

Communication. After you’ve made sure that everyone is accounted for. Have plans in place to ensure that your employees can reach their family members. While many times, phone lines are jammed after an emergency, the Federal Communications Commission recommends that you send text messages to ensure family members that you are safe. Many times text messages will go through the system easier than a phone call.

Prepare for the Effects on Your Business
There are many smaller business that don’t make it out of an earthquake financially.

“Many times, the impact of being closed for a few days or having their utilities or shipping interrupted for a few days can devastate a business,” Brown said. Remember that your mortgages and bills will not wait because of an earthquake.

Earthquake insurance. Would insurance cover your business location in case of an earthquake? Not all insurance policies do! Check out your insurance policy to see what kind of damage it covers. There are some types of earthquake insurance policies that can be purchased separately, which might be a good fit for your business.

Federal assistance. Interestingly, the majority of federal assistance money after an earthquake goes toward low-interest loans to qualified business.

FEMA assistance is only available when the government declares a federal disaster. Business can apply for loans to help against building damage, employee loss or other working capital needs. However, if a disaster is declared, your business will have to apply to FEMA or the Small Business Administration (SBA) for a loan.

Emergency power. If an earthquake strikes, the power grid might be knocked out. Be sure to have a contingency plan in place for electricity and power at your business. You might consider a generator or installing solar panels.

Helping your local community. As a business, you have a responsibility to your local community and customers. You can include plans to be able to help people in your local community clean up after the mess.

Your business would have to make plans to have access to tools, food, water, extra clothing and more to help the community. Besides fulfilling your duty to the local community, this will also establish a long-lasting relationship with customers and potential customers.

You’ll be prepared!
Once you’ve established a plan and ensured that your business will keep going – you’ll be ready to face an earthquake.

There are lots of resources out there including videos, brochures and reading material on ussc.utah.gov. You can also learn more and sign up to participate in the Utah Shake Out on April 17th at shakeout.org/utah.

We would encourage you to prepare for an earthquake by making plans now!

Read the original article here (subscription required).

While rotating through your food storage, you’ll be able to make great dishes like Vegetable Risotto! Being prepared means you’ll be able to feed your family this creamy risotto with a colorful blend of vegetables, no matter what challenge you might have to face. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 cups Saratoga Farms Asparagus
• 2 cups Saratoga Farms Carrot dices
• 6 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup Saratoga Farms Green Bell Peppers
• 2 cups Saratoga Farms Zucchini Slices
• 1 cup Saratoga Farms Sliced Mushrooms
• 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 3 1/2 cups Saratoga Farms Chicken Bouillon made into a broth
• 1 TBL olive oil
• 1 1/3 cups uncooked rice
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. First, preheat your oven to 425 °F.
2. Spray a 17 x 11 roasting pan with cooking spray.
3. Mix the vegetables (asparagus, carrots, onions, peppers, squash, mushrooms), rosemary and 1/4 cup broth in the pan.
4. Roast 20 minutes or until done, stirring once. You’ll want to prepare the risotto while the vegetables cook.
5. Heat the oil in a small pot. Add the rice. Cook and stir for 2 minutes Add 1/2 cup broth and cook until broth is absorbed. Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until all broth is absorbed before adding more. (Total cooking time: 25 minutes)
6. Add vegetables and cheese. Heat thoroughly. Serve immediately.

Hope you enjoy!

Most people know that there are microscopic organisms in backcountry water that can make you sick. But how prevalent are these organisms?

Many people have tolerances to certain types of organisms in water and thus think that they don’t need to treat any of their water! However, there are many protozoa, bacteria and viruses that can cause severe illness.

Here are a few of the most common and threatening organisms, advised by Ray Brooks.

Protozoa
Protozoa are the most common disease causing organisms in backcountry water. They are also the largest and easiest to remove with microfiltration. However, they are the hardest to kill with chemicals.

Cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidium is a type of protozoa that is found in 97 percent of the rivers and lakes found the in the United States. In 1991, two studies found cryptosporidium present in 65 – 87 percent of U.S. surface water samples.

Giardia. Giardia is just as common as cryptosporidium in backcountry water. It’s estimated that 2- 5 percent of people have giardia at a given time in the U.S. In fact, from 1979 – 1988, an estimated 4,600 people were hospitalized per year as a result of giardia. The CDC reports during 1991 – 2000 show that giardia was a cause of 16.2 percent of reported infectious outbreaks spread through drinking water.

If you become infected with giardia or cryptosporidium symptoms can be very intense. They include watery diarrhea, abdominal cramping, weight loss, fever and vomiting.

The hard part about identifying protozoan infections is that they typically have a long incubation period. It typically takes 5 – 28 days before symptoms appear. Until 2005, people had to let these infections run its course. However, now a drug called Alinia can help.

You can also treat water with Katadyn or MSR microfilters to remove protozoa. Chlorine dioxide is also helpful in killing cryptosporidium.

Bacteria
Bacteria that is found in backcountry water that affects humans, is the same type of bacteria that is found in improperly processed meat. The method of transmission is the same – through traces of feces contamination.

Campylobacter jejuni. This is one one of the most common bacteria in backcountry water. C. jejuni can survive in high-altitudes. It can also survive in surface water for months at a time. C. jejuni can be carried by poultry, horses, cows, waterfowl, rodents, deer, elk and bears.

C. jejuni affects an estimated 1 million people every year. Symptoms include diarrhea, cramping, abdominal pain and fever. Symptoms usually arrive within 2 – 5 days of ingestion. Illness usually lasts a week.

E. coli. E. coli actually consists of four classes. These four classes cause gastroenteritis in humans. Symptoms include watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, low-grade fever, nausea and malaise. E. coli is usually found in the intestines.

Salmonella typhi. People affected by salmonella typhi know it by its common name – Typhoid Fever. There are about 400 cases reported in the U.S. each year and the majority of these cases originated from international travel. Typhoid fever can be life-threatening and it’s recommended that you get an immunization shot or booster before traveling internationally.

Cholera. Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The infection causes severe vomiting, leg cramping, water diarrhea and a rapid loss of body fluids. Without treatment, cholera can cause death within hours.

Bacteria can be removed from water through Katadyn, MSR filters and purification tablets.

Viruses
Viruses in water have only one source – human feces from infected carriers. The majority of outbreaks occur due to cross contamination. Outbreaks have also occurred from well or river water contaminated with raw sewage.

Enteric adenovirus & astroviruses. Enteric adenovirus is the most common virus found in water. It can cause respiratory problems but can also cause illnesses such as gastroenteritis, conjunctivitis, cystitis and rash illness. Enteric adenovirus causes 5 – 20 percent of the gastroenteritis in young children.

Norovirus and the calcivirus group. Noroviruses symptoms include headaches, fever, vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms usually appear within 48 hours. Norovirus can survive in up to 10 ppm chlorine – well above the levels used in public water systems. You can, however, treat norovirus with chlorine dioxide at 1 ppm in 30 minutes.

Rotavirus. One of the hard things about rotavirus is that it has an incubation period of 2 days. Symptoms include vomiting and watery diarrhea for 3 – 8 days. They are usually accompanied by fever and abdominal pain. Children are particularly affected by rotavirus and account for the hospitalization of 55,000 children in the U.S. each year.

Hepatitis A. Hepatitis A can be very prevalent in water outside the U.S.. However, it can be present in backcountry water in our borders. Hepatitis A affects liver functions and can cause long-term problems. It’s recommended that you get an immunizations shot for international travel.

Enteroviruses. This family of viruses includes 62 separate viruses that can infect humans. Most of the viruses cause cold- or flu-like symptoms. However, some of them can cause Polio, aseptic meningitis and more.

To combat viruses in water, you should first use a microfilter, then treat the water for 15 minutes with chlorine dioxide.

Other concerns
Blue-green algae. Also known as Cyanobacteria, this algae can affect water’s color and smell. You should try and avoid cyanobacteria water, however, if you’re forced to use that water, try and filter water where the algae doesn’t seem to be as thick. Be sure to run the water through activated charcoal. Microfilters will remove the majority of the toxins.

Contaminated water. You’ve probably seen pools that have a skull-and-cross-bones sign in front of them. These pools are usually contaminated with metal deposits or chemicals. While activated charcoal will remove many organic chemicals, it probably won’t remove metals, salts, or carbonates.

Fuel is one of the most important things that you can use in an emergency. Whether it powers a car, generator, or stove; you’ll need to make sure that your fuel is ready for when you need it.

Handle all fuels with care. Remember that all of these could light at a moment’s notice.

We’ve collected a few tips on how to properly store different types of fuels, where you should store them, and how long they can store.

Containers for liquid fuel
When storing fuel, or other fire-starting material, you’ll want to make sure to put them in a different colored container. Most of the time, liquid fuels are stored in red containers. At a minimum, containers should be obviously labeled.

Make sure that containers are sturdy, reliable and have a good seal on them. You want to make sure that the fuel won’t leak. You should also consider a container that isn’t clear or translucent.

Gasoline

The American Petroleum Institute recommends that you only store gasoline for up to two years. This recommendation does not include gasoline that has been treated with a stabilizer.

There are many types of stabilizers on the shelf that can get your gasoline to store for a few years longer.

While I’ve used gasoline that has been stored for years on my lawn mower, using “stale” gasoline that has been stored for an long time can have some diverse effects on your motor. The recommendation for 1-2 years of shelf-life would provide optimal gasoline.

Diesel Fuel
Surprisingly, diesel doesn’t have a very long shelf-life. It can only last for 6-12 months.

The problem with storing diesel is that it begins to oxidize as soon as it leaves the refinery. Sediments begin to form that would clog the motor. This reaction can be slowed by keeping the fuel cooler and by adding stabilizers. The condensation from the gasoline can also form algae.

Some people who store diesel for a long time (the Navy, gas companies) use methods to stabilize their supply. These methods can be pretty expensive though.

We recommend that you store only a maximum of two-month’s worth of diesel at a time and empty the canisters into your car or generator when you rotate. (Thanks to Oblio13’s blog for the insight.)

Kerosene
Kerosene is one of the easiest fuels to store, and is more versatile than most people think. It does not evaporate as readily as gasoline and will remain stable in storage with no special treatment.

Kerosene has a shelf-life of about three months in a plastic container. Storing kerosene for longer than that can result in bacteria and mold forming in the container.

When you store the kerosene, be sure to label the container properly. You want to make sure that it doesn’t mix with gasoline or another type of fuel. You should store your kerosene in a different color container than gas to ensure that they are not mistakenly mixed.

Be sure to store the kerosene outdoors but protected from direct sunlight. Prolonged sunlight can degrade the kerosene.

Butane
Butane isn’t as popular of a fuel as gasoline or kerosene but many people use the fuel for lighters or other small fire starters. Many backpacking kits use butane fuel.

“Butane comes in pressurized containers and the canisters are required, by law, to have instructions on the label regarding storage and usage of the product. Following the instructions will ensure that you keep your butane supply safe.

Proper storage is the first element in butane safety. Keep it in a safe place at home that is out of any children’s reach. Many containers can withstand even high temperatures. Even if you live in a climate that is rather warm, your butane should still store well … find a dry and cool place, out of the direct sunlight and away from any other sources of extreme heat.

Additionally, also make sure that the tip of the butane container is not damaged or clogged. If the tip is damaged or is clogged through use, remove the clog or throw away the container and buy a new one.“ (Read the Ebay article.)

Propane
You’ll obviously want to store your propane in a well-ventilated area outdoors. Make sure that your propane tank is stored upright – probably on a concrete slab.

Don’t store the propane tank next to anything flammable. Also ensure that it is stored in an area where a large amount of water will not fall on the tank – for example, next to a gutter or in the open under the rainfall.

Never store the propane in a house or garage. Click here to read Propane 101’s article about proper propane safety.

Charcoal
Charcoal is a great option for cooking fuel. They might get your hands a little bit messier but that’s not always a bad thing. The good thing is that you can store this dry fuel inside your home! However, never cook with charcoal indoors!

You can store charcoal in a dry location – like a bin or metal canister. You can also make a waterproof container by placing the charcoal in a bucket and use a gamma lid to seal the top. This should keep the briquets by not letting moisture into the bucket!

Coal
According to the Fireplace Supplier Register, coal can be stored in damp places without harming it. It can also be retained in areas that have little or no protection from the rain and snow. If you choose, so you don’t have to handle wet coal, you can cover it outside with tarps to keep it dry.

Store bagged coal inside the bags until you’re ready to use it. It will be easier to store it and carry it to the stove. Coal either comes by the bag or by the truckload (if you order several tons). Loose coal is easier to contain if it’s stored in wooden bins, but it’s not necessary. (Reference to the eHow article.)

Firewood
Avoid the temptation to keep a lot of firewood in your home. You can obviously carry in a few logs indoors at a time, but the best location to store firewood is outdoors. It’s recommended that you keep your firewood at least 30 feet away from your house – not leaning against the house, next to the door. Ideally, wood should be kept off the ground too.

You can make a simple firewood holder out of two-by-fours in order to stack the wood properly. Be sure to stack the larger pieces of wood on the bottom of the pile. This will help the pile from leaning or falling over. Here is an article on how to build a firewood caddy.

You’ll want to use a cover to protect the wood from getting wet. You can purchase a specific log rack cover or a simple tarp will do. Make sure that the cover is secured so it doesn’t blow away in the wind.

You may notice that there are some bugs in your firewood. Do not spray your wood with insecticide! This can seep into the wood and fume in your house when you burn the log. Instead, the best thing to do is dry out the wood as quickly as possible. This will encourage most of the bugs to leave the wood.

Matches
There are a variety of matches out there. Avoid placing cheap matchbooks in your kits and emergency supplies. They can absorb moisture a lot easier.

Instead, focus on matches that are waterproof and have longer stems. This will allow you to light things from a safe distance and make sure that your matches are safe from moisture.

If you don’t have waterproof matches, you can place your matches in a waterproof container. Make sure that the container is a thick plastic and isn’t stored in direct sunlight.

There are a lot of tutorials out there on how to start a fire. However, many of them don’t take into account the area or climate that you’ll be in. Starting a fire in an emergency isn’t always going to be convenient and you might not find the best tools if you haven’t prepared.

So, we wanted to write about how you could start a fire in any climate! Here it is:

Fire Essentials
Every fire needs three basic things:

1. Tinder – dry material that ignites with little heat. Must be dry.
2. Kindling – a readily combustible material that you add after you start the tinder.
3. Fuel – not necessarily gas. Fuel, in this case, is something that burns slowly like a log.

Jungle or Humid Environment
The thing you’ll want to remember with starting a fire is to keep it dry. You might have a hard time finding tinder that is dry enough to start a fire. If the kindle is too wet then you’ll just have smoke instead of a fire.

Myke Hawke, from Discovery Channel’s “Man, Woman, Wild” offers some pointers on creating a fire in the jungle. (Click here to see his full video.)

1. Lay some broad leaves on the ground to keep the ground moisture from ruining everything
2. Scrape the bark off of a stick or bamboo and use the shavings as tinder.
3. Use a lighter to spark the tinder. (Even experts have a hard time lighting a fire in the jungle.)
4. Add small twigs and logs to grow the fire.

If you don’t have a lighter, consider creating a fire-plow. You can create a fire-plow by rubbing a hardwood shaft against a softer wood base. This will cause enough friction for a fire. Take a straight groove and cut it in the base, then plow the blunt tip of the shaft up and down the groove. Small particles of wood fibers will be pushed out and will eventually catch fire. (Instructions courtesy of Environmental Graffiti.)

Check out this video of a guy showing how to start a fire using only a knife and bamboo.

Icy Conditions
With so many fun winter activities, like skiing, tubing, snowball fights; it’s possible that you might get caught in low temperatures. However, there are also ways that you can start a fire with ice, believe it or not!

This video demonstrates how you can create fire by creating a clear piece of ice into a magnifying glass that sparks the tinder.

There are also certain types of knives that are made of firesteel. They can be used to cut tinder and then light it. For an example, we found this blog post about a boy who made a fire with a knife.

Suburban
If you’re trapped in your home without a lighter or matches, there are plenty of ways to start a fire. You can use a steel wool, crystal, a battery or other materials to create that spark. Check out some of the videos to see how:

Then again, you could always just go the route of purchasing a fire starter, matches, stove or something simple. Check out our Emergency Warmth and Shelter supplies.

By The Ready Store

Once you’ve started storing food, one of the most important tools in your arsenal will be a can opener. Without a can opener, you won’t be able to get in to your food.

Why is finding a good can opener so difficult?

When it comes to can openers there are no universal standards. Like everything else in the kitchen (except maybe the wooden spoon), it’s been improved upon and different variations have been made …

With so many different models to choose from it’s hard enough to decide which type you want, let alone which brand within the idea. Can opener shopping is not unlike shoe shopping. Although some enjoy it, most folks define it as hell. All the good ones are too expensive and within the board definition of shoes there are dress shoes, athletic shoes, snow boots… well you get the idea. The only difference is when shoe shopping you at least get to try things on before you buy them!

With can openers your purchase is always a shot in the dark (outside of reading online reviews). How do you go about finding the right one? Do you always end up disappointed? (Read the TheKitchn.com article.)

Important can opener features

Since there are so many options with can openers here are some of the important ones:

• Stainless-steel blades and carbon content. Stronger blades and gears will make a can opener to last longer.
• Comfortable handles. Make sure that the can opener has non-slip, rubbery handles. Make sure you hold it before you purchase it.
• Long handles. Longer handles will provide you with more leverage and you’ll need less strength to grip the can.
• Side-cutting. When you purchase a side-cut can opener, it leaves smoother edges. Since the can opener cuts just below the rim of the lid, around the side of the can, it usually leaves no sharp edges.
• Manual can openers. Manual can openers can typically open any size of can. If you’re going to purchase an electric can opener, make sure that all of your cans work with the electric can opener.

Other features & options to consider

 
• Built in features. Some can openers have knife sharpeners, bottle openers, knives, etc. There are a ton of other features available that are possible in can openers.
• P-38s. These army-invented can openers are also known as “John Waynes” or “Dead Dukes.” They might be a little hard to come by but they are pretty small and simple. They also fold flat and are very easy to store. Here’s a video of how they work:

Depending on if you are out camping or stuck in an emergency with no power or natural gas, dealing with a disaster can be a drag without having an oven to cook your food. Even Freeze-Dried Food needs water heated up so you might be scrambling around trying to find a way to cook your meal.

We’ll show you a simple way to turn your average run of the meal #10 can into you’re own Ready Stove. Most commonly known as a “Hobo Stove”, it is an improvised heating product that you can use for cooking your meal.  You could use any tin can to make an improvised cooking devise, but when you have 126 #10 cans in your ULTIMATE Year Supply of Freeze Dried Food you have  a large amount of #10 cans to use to help ease the emergency situation. You might not know how to make your own Ready Stove but its very simple & inexpensive.  You just need to follow these simple steps in order to assemble you’re own Ready Stove.

Items you will need:

1 Empty #10 Can 1 Can Opener with a V shaped opener

1 Pair of Gloves 1 Scissor or Tin Shears

Step 1.  Punch 5-6 equally spaced, 1″ diameter holes around both the top and the bottom of the can.
Step 2. Cut a large square in the side of the can, giving you access to the area where you put your fuel source.
Step 3. Find your fuel source. Simple pencil sized sticks will do the job.
Step 4. Light the fire & enjoy your warm meal.

What makes the Ready Stove work so great? Having the holes on the top & bottom of the can will cause a convection.  The air will draw from the bottom and the smoke will come out of the top holes and will help fuel the fire with oxygen.

(Note: For improved heating it is best to lace the bottom holes to face the wind)

Some people prefer to remove the top & the bottom of the can to help promote the convection, but it can cause a carbon deposit on your pot/pan and can be quite bothersome to clean off.

I personally like to use the flat surface of the #10 can to hold my tin cup of water  for my Mountain House Pouch. You also should look up other designs that people have come up with, like adding a dampener for the oxygen supply so you can control the air flow and that can control the temperature of the stove.

If you have the time & the supplies to add to your stove you can take a simple wire coat hanger & turn that into a handle on your stove or you can take another #10 can and attach the handles to that.  You can use that additional can to boil your water so you don’t dirty your cook ware. Many other people online have used their Swiss army knife and have turned a large cooking pot into their own stove or a beer keg into a massive cooking unit, (not very practical but amazing to see.)

Making your own Ready Stove is not hard and its very inexpensive to build. In a world where recycling is the wave of the future, you will find a lot of people wanting to find the green thing to do with their left over #10 cans. I personally remember building one in Boy Scouts and cooking my hot dog on top of the #10 can.  The only fire source I had was a simple candle to heat up my stove.

If you want to try something fun with the kids, make your own and email a picture to me.  I will post it on this blog so you can show your ingenuity skills.  Email marc@readystore.com

When looking for an Emergency Cooking system that is easy to use & reliable in the case of an emergency many people could feel over whelmed with the many different options there are.  There is liquid fuel, gas powered, or solid bricks of fuel. So to ease your searching for your Emergency Cooking supplies here are your Ready Store Top Five Emergency Cooking Systems:

#5 Flat Fold Stove with 24 Fuel Tablets

Ideal for your 72 hour kit this Flat folding stove is a portable stove that folds flat for easy storage. With it being our most inexpensive cooking system, (under $10), that makes it an amazing investment for your 72 hour kits. Simply fold out your stove out, light your fuel tablets and Voilà you’re ready to cook.

#4 MSR Pocket Rocket Stove

#3 Titanium Triad XE Multi-Fuel Stove

The Vargo Titanium Triad XE is a dual-fuel (alcohol/fuel tab) stove & I love this because you do not have to be dependent on just one fuel source. The Ex is also light weight just like the Pocket Rocket Stove, but the XE, being made with titanium, will insure that it will not break or get damaged. When burning with denatured alcohol you must understand that if you’re at an altitude over 11,000 feet or if the temperature is under 20 degrees F. it will not burn as well so that is when fuel tablets would be the recommended fuel source.

#2 JetBoil Personal Cooking System – Black

And the one you have been waiting for…………

#1 MSR Reactor™ Emergency Stove

The state-of-the-art cookware and revolutionary stove design combine to create the fastest, most fuel efficient stove system ever! There are five strong buying points that makes this Emergency Stove #1 in my book.

1) Unrivaled Boil Time – Boil 1 liter of water in just 3 minutes, this is a must for your Freeze Dried Foods.

2) Maximum Efficiency – Tri-sectional clip protects flame in light wind gusts, so no worries if your flame is out or not.

3) Unmatched Wind Protection – Total protection in even the windiest conditions, so stand back & relax while it cooks your meal.

4) Integrated System – State-of-the-art stove and high-efficiency pot are combined into one.

5) Simple, lightening-fast operation - No need for priming, pressurizing or maintenance.