The number 3 is a magic number when it comes to emergency preparedness. You can survive for about 3 hours without shelter, about 3 days without water, and about 3 weeks without food. So, to keep with the magic number, we should try to find 3 ways to deal with each of those situations.

For shelter, there may be circumstances where we can shelter in place and use our home as a shelter. Other times we may be stuck in our cars. Keeping some basic items in our car in case we need to use it as a shelter can be life-saving. Some water pouches, survival food bars, hand warmers, emergency blankets, a Ready candle, and waterproof matches can help us keep warm in a winter storm situation. And what if a major earthquake made sleeping in your home impossible? Consider a backpacker dome tent or even a tube tent plus emergency sleeping bags.

Next is water. You can store a lot of water in your home by using the 30 gallon barrels and then adding the water preserver so you only have to change the water every 5 years instead of every year. You can also think about portable water in case evacuation becomes necessary. The 5 gallon stackable water containers are great for this purpose. And what if you had access to water, but it was contaminated? Think about potable aqua and an MSR miniworks water filter. The miniworks can filter up to 500 gallons of water, so it is a great tool to invest in.

Last is food. Survival food bars are compact enough to store in your car or even in your desk at work. You can store MREs and freeze-dried pouches in your 72-hour kits. And the #10 cans of freeze-dried food are terrific to store in your home for longer term food storage.

Emergencies and disasters don’t always happen how we plan, so by taking steps to resolve these 3 essential issues in at least 3 ways, you can feel secure in your emergency preparations.

Every year in Colorado there are stories about skiers, snowmobilers, and hikers who get lost in the mountains.  This winter a group of six snowmobilers went missing for four days.  A snow storm was blowing through the area and hindering rescue efforts.  Fortunately the group came across a cabin and they were able to survive off of the popcorn, chicken bouillon, and gravy mix that they found inside.  Once the storm passed, the six snowmobilers were able to find a snowed in train station where they called 911 and were eventually rescued.

This group was fortunate to find a source of food in a remote mountain area.  Not everyone is so lucky.  Any time you are going to be traveling in remote areas you should bring with you a selection of supplies so that if you do get lost you will be able to survive until help arrives.  Emergency preparedness stores have taken the guess work out of what to take with you for food and energy.  High calorie food bars are light weight, all natural bars that are easy to carry and will stay fresh for up to 5 years.  They come in packs of 2400 or 3600 calories and are portioned in 200 calorie blocks.  if you do happen into a situation where you need to use them, they taste similar to a short-bread cookie.  If you have a safe trip with no unexpected emergencies then at least you have the piece of mind that you were prepared.

Preparing for the unexpected is a part of everyday life.  Either you choose to do so and reap the benefits when a disaster occurs, or you don’t prepare and you hope that someone comes to your rescue.