1. Build a shelter.
   • If you are in a desert environment, try to build an underground shade shelter to avoid prolonged sun exposure (obviously only for hot climates) so you can travel more comfortably in cooler temperatures (avoid sweating).  Try to use resources around you like sage brush and other plants.  Stay covered, don’t remove clothing to cool down as you will expose your skin to the sun.
   • Another type of shelter is a lean-to; for this you need something solid like a log or large rock. Lay long-ish branches against it thickly, and criss-cross smaller branches and shrubbery on top to provide sufficient insulation. The smaller your shelter is, the better it will insulate you. Shelters in low, dense shrubbery is often home to many insects. Make sure you are adequately covered along with your belongings.
   • You could also create a bog-bed shelter; if your environment is perpetually damp or mushy, use branches laid and criss-crossed on top of one another to create a solid and dry foundation for a lean-to or open bed pad. Raise above ground level as much as possible. Staying dry will help you with concerns of disease.
2. Be decisive.

   For example, if you think the best survival course of action is to seek out help and civilization, don’t wait 4 or 5 days before you come to this conclusion. Take action on the 1st or 2nd day if possible while you still have strength and endurance working for you. In most cases the best course of action is to stay in one place.  If you are on the move, it will be harder for rescuers to find you.  Try to stay in the most obvious place available for others to find you.  If you can find a stream or a roadway, then you will most likely find people on your way and it’s a good bet that you can follow that to safety.

3. Start a fire.

   Use dry wood and sticks to start your fire. Fire is started using three kinds of wood: tinder, kindling, and fuel. Tinder is any kind of flammable wood shaving; usually light and wispy. Kindling is used for coaxing the flame into larger form, and fuel is for fuel.

   • You can take two pieces of dry wood, sharpen one of them and use it to drill into the other piece. Place any highly flammable objects you can find next to the drill bit. The moment the flammable object catches a spark, use a rock to swiftly tip the shouldering object onto a nest of leaves/ twigs/dry bark. A better option is to think and be prepared before you go out into the wild.  Make sure you have adequate supplies. Include fire starter in these supplies.
4. Carve a knife for hunting.

   Get an ordinary block of wood and hit with a blunt rock repeatedly until the wood sharpens. Sharpen like any other knife, but in this case, use the rock as your sharpener. You could also take a rock and break off some of the edges and then use another rock and some water like a wetstone and sharpen. In an ideal situation, Obsidian stone (black, translucent lava rock) would be used for its infamous sharpness.  You can do this to create tools for hunting and other tasks like cooking.  Hopefully, you don’t need to do this because you have prepared by bringing a good knife.

5. Set a trap if you can’t go out to hunt.

   Arrange a few sticks in somewhat half a tee pee. Use 2 more sticks to hold up the “tee pee”, similar to your shelter. Place an item of your choice you think an animal will come after. If you’re lucky, the animal will be trapped.

   • Use pitfall traps for larger prey. Dig a hole in the ground about 2-3m deep and 1-2m across (depends on the prey size). Take 2 thin branches and place them criss-crossed across the hole. Cover it with leaves and put something the animals like to eat. You can also put a few wooden spikes sharpened by your knife at the bottom. Don’t forget to build a ladder or you might not be able to climb out of the hole. Always remember to cut it up into smaller pieces before moving it out of the hole. The last thing you want to do is to injure yourself. Set as many traps as you can.
   • Go after fish first if you go hunting. When you spot one, don’t make a sudden move. The vibrations will scare them off. Water bends light, and makes objects appear further back than they really are- so compensate for this and aim just in front of your target. Practice makes perfect.  You can also dig for worms and use them for bait.. or in the worst case, eat them yourself to stay alive. (make sure you cook them.
   • Streams are full of food if you cannot catch fish there are usually fresh water mussels.
   • If you fail at catching fish, try to find some plants to eat; dandelions(yellow flowers or big white flowers, eat the leaves), sour grass(has a yellow flower at the top and looks like grass, only in a cylinder shape, has no leaves, eat the cylinderish grass part), just NEVER eat white berries. It may be tempting to eat regular grass, but do not.  Weeds are your best best.  Look for other berries, and if you are in the desert, cactus is a great source of water. (don’t get poked!)
6. Create a smoke or fire signal.

   Repeat the fire step, this time using live branches. Fire stands out in the night time very well.

sources: Dave Crosby

About three weeks ago on a Sunday night I laid down in my bed with a book to enjoy the end of the weekend.  Unfortunately my stomach was little unsettled and was progressively getting worse.  By the next morning I had full blown flu like symptoms.

A day or two later and a couple of my kids had the same symptoms and within two weeks everyone in the house had caught the bug.  The day after my wife was finally feeling better we got a knock on the door.

A volunteer from the city was passing out fliers instructing all residents of my subdivision to boil all tap water before drinking.  It turns out that somewhere the culinary and irrigation lines had crossed and as a result contamination occurred.

In the end hundreds of people were already sick before the city issued the boiling order.  Within hours the local Wal-Mart and Grocery Stores were completely emptied of all bottled water.

It just so happens that also a few weeks ago, almost 2 million residents of Boston also lost their supply of drinking water due to a large pipe bursting and were issued order to boil all water before drinking.

When you read this, there’s two things you should consider…

It can and likely will happen in your neck of the woods. It may not be bacteria in the water or a bursting pipe that prevents you from using your tap water without boiling, but it might be a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, or some other natural or man made disaster. Whether it’s small town Utah or a major metropolis like Boston we’re all prone to disasters regardless of location.

Once disaster strikes, the time to prepare is past. If you’re not ready before disaster strikes you join the masses who scramble at the last second and scrap like a pack of dogs for a bone that’s already been picked clean.

The challenge with some people is just getting started. A slow and steady approach where you consistently add items to your emergency supply over time can place you and your family on firm ground where you have the peace of mind to face disaster head on.

Take the time to assess where you’re at and identify your weak points and then make the commitment to fill the gaps.  In my case where we were under a boil order a couple of 5- Gallon Stackables and a MSR SweetWater Purifier System works well to help you ride out the storm.

Storing water can really be a pain, especially when you have to rotate the water supply every 6-12 months.  Although having Water Preserver can provide a 5 year shelf life for the water it can still be a bother with rotating it. You’ll never believe the solution we have.  We have a new product that will last up to 30 years, and you can store it almost anywhere!

Now you might wonder “How does a can of water last for 30 years?? When my 30-Gallon Water Barrel only gets 5 years with my Water Preserver?”

So how big are the cans of Emergency Drinking Water? The size of the can is 5 3/8″ x 4″ diameter and it’s a little bit larger than chunky styled soups you find in your local grocery store (note the measurements of the image below). The Emergency Drinking Water will also provide one person with enough water for 2 days with 1 single can! With the water being stored in a durable can it’s ideal for every auto 72 hour kit. Another huge advantage to Emergency Drinking Water is that due to how it’s packaged the heat will not affect the waters shelf life.

Water is the most important item for anyone’s emergency supply.  If you’re looking to add some water that doesn’t require rotating you’ll want to take advantage of the great price we have on our Emergency Purified Drinking Water.  You can get these in the following supply sizes:  2-Week Supply, 3-Month Supply, and 1-Year Supply.

I can’t tell you how excited I am to let you know that Saratoga Farms is providing you with another great line of food storage products.  Introducing our new Saratoga Farm Instant Drink Mixes!

The Drink Mixes come in the following four varieties, Apple, Peach, Orange, and Instant Premium Hot Cocoa.  With an amazing 10-20 year shelf life it will provide you and your family with an additional source of calories during an emergency and  the delicious taste of Saratoga Farms.

Now you might wonder, why would I want to have Instant Drink Mix in my Food Storage?

Imagine that you’ve experienced an emergency in the summer’s heat and you need to stay hydrated and keep your energy up; with the Saratoga Farms fruit flavored drink mixes you’ll get the hydration and calories you need to deal with the aftermath of any emergency. These great tasting drinks are also a real crowd pleaser with the kids.

Now if you’re in a scenario where an emergency strikes in colder weather, situations like a Power Outage, Freezing Rain, or Blizzards, you now have the benefit of Saratoga Farms Instant Premium Hot Cocoa Mix.  This rich chocolaty mix is a gourmet drink that will help you stay warm and comfortable when your facing an emergency during the colder months.

Another popular approach to using Saratoga Farms drink mixes in an emergency is to flavor your treated water supply.  If you’ve purified your water supply with Iodine Tablets like our Potable Aqua – Water Purification Tablets, it will result in the water having an off color and flavor. But this won’t matter to you, just grab the fruit drink mix that you’d like, and follow the simple instructions on the back of the can regarding the Drink Mix to water Ratio and Voila!! You’ll have a fruity and flavorful drink mix that will help anyone whose treated their water supply with iodine tablets.

But wait…Saratoga Farms Instant Drink Mixes don’t have to be saved for emergency situations only, the quality of these mixes are so great you’ll want to make these a part of your daily life.  So when an emergency does strike, you’ll enjoy the great flavor that you’ve enjoyed already.  Remember with Saratoga Farms you’ll always get the highest quality, the freshest products, and the great shelf life that Saratoga Farms always provides.

If you’ve tried any of the Saratoga Farms products, please feel free to comment below, we’d love to hear your feedback and I know our other customers would love to hear it too!

Today Reuters reported that Iran will continue their enrichment program.  You can read the article here: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSHAF74478220100517

I don’t think this article is much of a surprise to the rest of the world.  The question I have is what do you think this will all lead to?  Contrary to what Iran says, there are

many other ways for them to get the energy they need.  They are of course in situated in the most oil rich part of the world.  I think American’s have grown apathetic about the nuclear threat.  After the cold war most American’s have stopped worrying so much about nukes, even though they didn’t go away.

What should you do in the case of a nuclear emergency?

If there is advanced warning of an attack

Take cover immediately, as far below ground as possible, though any shield or shelter will help protect you from the immediate effects of the blast and the pressure wave.

If there is no warning

1. Quickly assess the situation.
2. Consider if you can get out of the area or if it would be better to go inside a building to limit the amount of radioactive material you are exposed to.
3. If you take shelter go as far below ground as possible, close windows and doors, turn off air conditioners, heaters or other ventilation systems. Stay where you are, watch TV, listen to the radio, or check the Internet for official news as it becomes available.
4. To limit the amount of radiation you are exposed to, think about shielding, distance and time.
   • Shielding: If you have a thick shield between yourself and the radioactive materials, more of the radiation will be absorbed, and you will be exposed to less.
   • Distance: The farther away you are away from the blast and the fallout the lower your exposure.
   • Time: Minimizing time spent exposed will also reduce your risk.

Use available information to assess the situation. If there is a significant radiation threat, health care authorities may or may not advise you to take potassium iodide. Potassium iodide is the same stuff added to your table salt to make it iodized. It may or may not protect your thyroid gland, which is particularly vulnerable, from radioactive iodine exposure. Plan to speak with your health care provider in advance about what makes sense for your family.

If a disaster strikes in your neighborhood do you have a plan? If you want to make sure that you and your neighbors are ready for whatever disaster that strikes, you should look into getting CERT Certified. CERT stands for Community Emergency Response Team and it’s set up to help educate people in disaster preparedness. In short, it gives you the basic training and education needed to make you a valuable resource should disaster strike where you live.  This is training that’s not only ideal to learn for your neighborhood but also your work place.  I’m sure you’d agree with me that it probably makes good sense to get CERT Certified, but you’re probably wondering, “How long does it take to get CERT Certified and where?”

The CERT training for community groups is completed in a total of 7 classes that generally run 1 class a week for 2 1/2 hour session. The training consists of the following sessions:

• Session 1, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS:

• Session 2, DISASTER FIRE SUPPRESSION: 

• Session 3, DISASTER MEDICAL OPERATIONS PART I:

• Session 4, DISASTER MEDICAL OPERATIONS, PART II:

• Session 5, LIGHT SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS:

• Session 6, DISASTER PSYCHOLOGY AND TEAM ORGANIZATION:

• Session 7, COURSE REVIEW AND DISASTER SIMULATION:

This final lesson will have you the participant review their answers from a take home examination. You will practice the skills that you have learned during the previous six sessions in disaster activity.

By the time you’ve completed the 7 sessions, you’ll have slowly built a disaster response kit of items that you will be extremely valuable during a disaster. At the end of your training you’ll receive recognition for completing the training, and depending on your community, at the end of your class, you’ll be issued a CERT ID Card, a Vest, and a CERT Helmet.  To check these out do an image search for CERT on your preferred search engine.

Getting registered is easy, to find CERT classes being offered near you, check with your local City Management or click here to view the CERT State Directory.

Take the extra step and get registered for CERT training today. Talk with your friends, family, or your local church and get a group together that can take the class together.  Doing the training in a group creates safety in numbers.  When a disaster hits be a part of the solution, get the knowledge and expertise that you’ll need to see you, your family, neighbors and community safely through the storm.

For those who are new to the emergency preparedness world or just looking for some water storage items for your ULTIMATE Year Supply of Food Storage this blog is a must read. When searching for a water storage containers you need to make sure they are BPA Free and made out of HDPE.

What is BPA?

You might have read or heard in the news regarding a chemical called Bisphenol A (BPA). BPA is a chemical added to some plastics commonly used to make beverage containers and several other plastic containers with the recycle symbol 7. Research has discovered that BPA can leach into your food and water from containers that have the chemical BPA in them.  The Research also showed that food and water contaminated with BPA caused many health problems including health issues related to the prostate gland and the brain.

What is HDPE?

You might not be aware of this but HDPE is found in plastic product all around you.  HDPE stands for HIGH-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE and is found in containers with the recycle symbol 2 and its in common house hold items like your milk jugs, laundry detergent bottles, plastic bags, and much much more! HDPE is a very durable plastic designed to withstand high temperatures (230 °F | 110 °C), and is opaque in color.

So now that you know what BPA and HDPE are, you probably get a little sense of why knowing about them is important relative to the types of containers you use to store your water.  A container that is BPA Free and is made from HDPE is critical.  First off Bisphenol A (BPA) is simply a chemical that can cause harm to your body and when dealing with an emergency you don’t need to have the additional problems or symptoms from the BPA. You can find a vast variety of products that are BPA-Free since it has been brought to the attention to the public. HDPE is no doubt the way to go with when looking for a water container. Since it is opaque in color it will not allow sun light to penetrate through the plastic, by doing that it will help minimize the growth of algae and bacteria in your water supply. With the addition to water preserver to your water container it will provide you with an amazing 5 year shelf life.

I can’t emphasize enough the importance of high quality water containers, let’s face it, you can last weeks with out food… but only days with no water. So do your self and your family a favor and start your emergency preparation off right. Start by having enough water for your house hold for 72 hours, this is a must! Get Started with our BPA Free, HDPE 5-Gallon containers.  The ball’s in your court so don’t sit on the side line waiting till the emergency happens, get started now and have the assurance in knowing that you and your loved ones are safe.

June 1st is almost here and anyone living in the South along the Atlantic coast or the Gulf Coast knows what this means.  That’s right, June 1st is when the Hurricane Season officially starts.  And guess what?  They’re calling for an extremely busy season.

Colorado State University is forecasting 15 named tropical storms in the Atlantic basin, (the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean).  Of the 15 tropical storms predicted, 8 of them will become hurricanes; and 4 of them will be categories 3, 4 or 5, which equates to maximum wind speeds of 111 mph.  According to William Gray, a member of Colorado State’s Tropical Meteorology Project:

“The probability of a major hurricane making

landfall along the U.S. coastline

is 69%, compared with the

last-century average of 52%.”

So why are they calling for such a high number of storms?

Two key elements have combined to prompt forecasters to call for such a high number of storms and hurricanes.  First, the part of the Atlantic Ocean where hurricanes form was the warmest it has ever been in late March when the temperature was tested.  In order for hurricanes to develop the water temperatures need to be at least 80 degrees.

Second, the diminishing El Nino in the Pacific, increases the potential to an active season.  This is due to the fact that El Nino produces strong winds in the upper levels of the atmosphere that literally tear developing hurricanes apart.  As El Nino draws away from South America it’s ability to limit hurricanes will decrease.

The NOAA Helps You Get Prepared…

May 23rd through the 29th has been declared 2010 Hurricane Preparedness Week.  The NOAA will be focusing on raising awareness of the high forecast of storms and will be placing their efforts on getting people educated and prepared.  The NOAA’s goal will be to prevent loss of life and property damage by educating people on steps they can take to get prepared.

At The Ready Store, getting people prepared for emergencies is our business and we take this very seriously.  With family’s of our own, we know how important it is to take the time to get prepared.  The decision to get prepared can literally be the difference between life or death.  Our commitment to you is to help make your preparation as easy as possible.

Whether you need a 72 hour, Ready Evac kit or short term emergency food and water supplies like our MRE Full Meals and Datrex Water Pouches we have the resources you need to get prepared for the hurricane season.

Don’t wait until the Hurricane Season starts, stay ahead of the storms and get your supplies ordered today.

1. What to do in case of an emergency

If you are prepared you won’t need to worry about what you should do in case of an emergency.  You will already have a plan in place that will guide you.  This allows you to not spend time worrying about what you should do… your plan will help you know exactly what you should do, so you don’t have to be anxious.

2. Going Hungry

It won’t matter if you need food because of a job loss or a food shortage you are prepared.  You know your family will have all the food they need to take care of their daily needs.. even if the stores are closed.

This allows you to know that your basic needs will be met. So you don’t have to worry!

3. Getting Thirsty

Being the preparedness pro that you are, you understand that people can go without food for a much longer period of time than they can water.  That’s why you have water filters, purifiers and actual water stored.  You also have checked your local area for water supplies that you will be able to access in the case of an emergency to ensure you will have enough water for hygiene, cooking, and hydration.

You have plenty of blankets, heaters, and backup heating supplies for the cold, and you have shelter to keep you out of the hot sun.  You know that you will be able to keep your body tempature in check no matter the weather conditions around you.  You know your family will be safe and have shelter so you don’t spend time worrying about it.

5. Tomorrow

Being ready is the best way to enjoy today.  That is because you can actually spend your time doing the things you want rather than worrying about what is coming around the corner.  It’s better to be ready years early than even 1 minute too late.   So when the new talks of huge calamities that may happen you don’t have to worry one bit.  You are ready!

That’s right, at The Ready Store we’ve been working hard to provide all of our customers with a solution for a year supply of food.  We are extremely excited to announce the recent roll out of our new line of Year Supply Kits.

Now you have the flexibility to select a Food Supply that’s going to meet you and your family’s needs on a number of different levels.  We’re talking, budget, daily calorie intake, ease of use, top quality ingredients, flexibility, etc…  We’ve taken everything into consideration to provide you with products that you can feel confident are going to meet your family’s needs in an emergency.

Honestly when I look at what we’ve done, the aspect that I’m most excited about is how each of these kits breaks down on a daily cost basis. Check this out:

Basic Year Supply of Food Storage

Daily Cost:  $4.79, this breaks out to $1.49 per meal. Let’s face it, you can’t go anywhere and get a meal for that price. Not only does this supply kit provide you with all of the staple foods (flour, rice, potatoes, fruits, veggies, etc...) but it also gives you a wide variety of seasonings and sauces, creating a scenario where you’re not faced with the dread of eating the same meal over and over again.  Alfredo Sauce & Noodles, Rice & Chicken TVP, Potato & Sour Cream, the list and possibilities are literally endless.  Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner are all covered in this kit, full and complete meals that won’t leave you hungry.

Deluxe Year Supply of Food Storage

Daily Cost:  $7.67, this breaks down to $2.55 per meal. As a person that likes to spend a little time in the kitchen, I’m not going to lie; I’m absolutely in LOVE with The Deluxe Year Supply.  This supply kits combines the best of both dehydrated and freeze-dried products.  Are you in a time crunch?  You’ve got the option to go with a just add water meal.  Are you looking to get a little creative and make your own main meal?  This kit has the basic ingredients to easily build a meal from scratch.  You literally get the best of both worlds; Main Entrees, Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Beans, Sauces & Soups, Drink Mixes and on and on. With the highest quality products from Mountain House and Saratoga Farms you can rest easy knowing that your family will eat well regardless of the emergency.

Ultimate Year Supply of Food Storage

Daily Cost:  $8.76, this breaks down to $2.92 per meal. For less than $3 dollars a meal, you get the complete and total convenience of meals that are 100% Freeze-Dried.  This means that within minutes your meals are ready to eat.  This can be a real advantage in an emergency situation when the potential demand on your time can increase substantially.  With practically no preparation you get the freedom to put your attention on other matters.  With Main Entrees like Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Teriyaki and Long Grain & Wild Rice Pilaf and enough Fruits, Vegetables and Sides for every meal you have the peace of mind that you’ll get a totally balanced meal that’s not only nutritional but it’s gourmet!

Check out our new Year Supply Food Storage kits and decide which one is right for you!