The 4 Step Paper Process

One of the questions I hear a lot is “Where do I start?”  Think about starting your emergency preparedness and food storage on paper before you start buying things you don’t need or already have.  There is a 4 step way to get prepared.

1. Know where you are.  What do you have and what do you need?  Maybe you set up your emergency preparedness supplies when you were single and now you are married with 2 kids.  Your needs change as your circumstances change.
2. Decide what your priorities are.  Do you want to be done and prepared as quickly as possible or do you want to prepare as you can afford it?  Do you have a pet, an infant, or special medical needs?  Your individual needs and priorities will shape your preparedness program.
3. Establish a budget.  Work food storage and emergency preparedness into your monthly budget.  Set aside a specific amount of money each month for freeze-dried food, sanitation supplies, battery-operated lantern, or water containers.  By establishing a budget, you create a path to making your preparedness a reality.
4. Keep a record.  Some of us may think emergency preparedness is important, but when our products arrive, we put the boxes in the basement and forget about it.  You need to keep track of what you have and what you receive so that you can know where you are still lacking.

By taking a few minutes to do this 4 step paper system, you can rest assured that you are getting what you need to prepare yourself and your family members and making every dollar count for what you truly need.

Family Communications Plan

When I was a junior in high school, a natural disaster hit.  Late one spring afternoon, I was at my school at the softball field.  My softball team was having sliding practice since the field was so muddy and the weather was so overcast.  All of a sudden the wind started whipping around so fiercely that large drums that we used as garbage cans tipped over and started blowing away.  Debris stirred up everywhere and the air seemed to fill with dirt and dust.  The sky turned dark and it started to rain.  We all started running for our cars.  My mom was supposed to pick me up about an hour later, but we all just ran to cars and left as quickly as we could.  I jumped in the car with a teammate and we took off.  As we passed the school, the air pressure that had built up resulted in the windows of the school exploding.  Large tree limbs scattered the road and a horrific roaring seemed to be right on top of us.  We had no idea what was happening, we just knew we needed to get as far away as fast as we could. 

We later learned that a tornado had hit our city.  We didn’t live in an area where tornadoes occurred very frequently and we were caught by surprise.  I ended up going home with a friend, and didn’t know if my mom and sister were OK.  A few hours later, we were all reunited since the phones were only out for a short time.  Trees fell on houses and there was substantial property damage to some homes.  We were lucky.  It could have been much worse.  We didn’t have an emergency plan in place and we could have been separated for days, not knowing where our loved ones were or if they were safe. 

I have worked on an emergency plan with my family so that my kids know what to do in an emergency.  If we need to evacuate our house (think house fire or gas leak) we meet at the park across the street from our home.  If we have to evacuate our city, I am in charge of picking up our children from school and then meeting my husband at a local fast food place just off an interstate exit.  We know that whatever may occur, we have a plan in place so that our family can be together.

SIRQ:  Part 2

Yesterday we talked about how a pandemic flu would necessitate a self-imposed reverse quarantine, or SIRQ.  So, how do you prepare for something like this?  You can take simple steps to make your family better prepared.  Talk to your employer about what steps the company has in place if a pandemic flu occurred.  Are you able to work from home and telecommute?  Talk to your city about their plan for maintaining services like garbage pick-up, water, and sewer during a pandemic.  By finding out the answers to questions now, you will be better prepared and may help your city develop a plan to deal with the repercussions of a pandemic.
 

Think about the basics your family needs to survive:  clean, drinking water, shelter, sanitation supplies, and food.  Plan to have at least a 3 month supply of each of these things.  Do you have a water filter to purify water?  Do you have feminine hygiene products?  Do you have diapers and wipes for your infant?  Do you have at least a 90 day supply of food?  If you have what you need in your home, you will not need to go outside and expose yourself to infection.  You can also keep masks like the N95 and N100 on hand so that if you must venture out, you have the appropriate protection. 

Essential items to help prevent the spread of disease like soap, rubber gloves, facial tissues, bleach, and disinfectants also should be a large part of your pandemic preparedness. 

What if you have children and schools were closed for 6 months?  Consider keeping age-appropriate workbooks around.  If you don’t use them, they can become a summer study program.  Have a variety of books on your bookshelf at home covering topics from science to social studies to history to fiction.
 

Part of surviving any kind of disaster is having the right mindset.  If you have the peace of mind that comes from being prepared and knowing that you have done everything within your power to protect yourself and your loved ones, you are more likely to have a positive attitude even in the face of extreme adversity.

SIRQ

OK, so I wanted to talk a little bit about pandemic flu.  The flu happens every year.  Because some people have immunity to various strains of the flu, it doesn’t infect everyone.  But a pandemic flu is a worldwide epidemic.  Virtually no one in the world is immune to pandemic viruses, meaning that many more people become ill and die during a pandemic than during a yearly outbreak of the flu.
 

Pandemics occur about three times every century and we are due for one.  Pandemics are a naturally occurring phenomenon and there is little we can do to prevent one.  But we can take steps once we know a pandemic is out there to protect ourselves and our loved ones. 

The way it will happen is that the CDC will make an announcement that pandemic flu has been confirmed in the United States.  At this point, the flu is already out there.  Estimates are that it took only a couple weeks for the Spanish flu of 1918 to spread across the country and we are obviously much more mobile that in 1918.  Scientists cannot even predict how quickly a pandemic would spread. 

Your best strategy for staying healthy is SIRQ which stands for self-imposed reverse quarantine.  During a quarantine, ill people are separated from the healthy population, but in a reverse quarantine, the healthy are quarantined.  The government may take action such as closing schools and church meetings as well as large public gatherings.  Once the news is out that a pandemic flu is in the country, it is too late to go grab a few gallons of milk or run to the store to stock up on toilet paper.  You need to be able to stay in your home with no contact with others for about 3 months.
 

Tomorrow we will focus on what we can do to prepare for a pandemic and the consequences of one.

Emergency Water

Water is an essential part to your emergency preparedness. Water can also be pretty heavy. One gallon of water weighs 8 pounds, so a 5 gallon water container is going to weigh 40 lbs. That is probably the most weight I feel comfortable carrying and I probably wouldn’t get very far with that.

But don’t just think about how you would carry all that weight. You might be forced to evacuate, but be able to take your car. In that case, you can load up a bunch of water if you already have it stored. I love the 5 gallon stackable water containers for this purpose. You might be forced to evacuate on foot, but think in terms of a modern-day handcart and use strollers, wagons, garden carts, or even wheelbarrows to transport your water.

Don’t just think about carrying water, think about carrying a weigh to purify water like an MSR miniworks water filter or aqua purification tablets. They are both lightweight and take up little room, but allow you access to clean, drinking water whenever you need it. Water is one of the most important parts of emergency preparedness and can be done without breaking your back if you take the time to think things through and formulate a plan.

Recession and Stimulus Checks

The news seems to be full of doom and gloom when it comes to financial matters.  Headlines scream about possible recession, the mortgage crisis, and whether or not attempts by the government to avoid a recession will work.  I am not a financial guru, so I am not sure about how stimulus checks will impact the economy. 

But I do know how the stimulus checks will affect me personally.  My husband and I sat down several months ago as the new year approached and laid out a financial plan for our family that included paying off credit cards, paying off our car loan, building up an emergency fund, and beefing up our food storage.  While we have been very fortunate to keep this plan in place in spite of the bad news about the economy, we have also realized that money in the bank does not equal food in our fridge. 

I have seen news reports about the skyrocketing price of wheat and rice as well as the never ending climb of gas prices.  We have seen less money in our pockets as a result.  But we have also realized what is truly important.  We don’t need to see another movie, but I do feel that having a year’s supply of food is essential.
 

As an insider to the food storage and emergency preparedness industry, I have also come to see that just because we want something doesn’t mean it is available.  While The Ready Store usually ships orders in 2-3 days, we are seeing that due to increased demand as well as conditions on a global level, we are seeing up to a 2 week delay on shipping of some of our freeze-dried items.  This is a lesson that things may not always be available when we want and need them.  That is why it is essential to prepared ahead and be ready before an emergency strikes. 

So, my advice is get your priorities in order.  If you have $600 from the government burning a hole in your pocket, use it to prepare yourself and your loved ones.  We live in turbulent times and I truly believe that we need to make preparations now to prepare for the challenges of tomorrow.

Food Bars?

When I first heard about food bars, I thought they were just the “Powerbar” type things you can buy at any local retailer. I had no idea what a beneficial product they could be to me in an emergency. My parents bought my family and me an emergency box for Christmas. It was filled (and I mean completely packed) with emergency supplies. Water packs for drinking, flashlights, a crank-powered radio, matches, a mini stove, and a supply of food bars. I was curious because the food bars were the only edible item in the kit. “How in the world could we survive on Powerbars,” I thought? I knew they were nutritious, but I didn’t think they could sustain us completely. So, I did some research on food bars, and this is what I found.

Food bars have a shelf life of 5 years. That was wonderful! No more digging the stale, broken peanut butter crackers out of the 72 hour kits every couple months. There is absolutely no preparation needed to eat the food bars. Just peel of the wrapper and eat. There are a few different brands of food bars, and each one has a bit of a different flavor to it. I’ve heard of ones that taste like lime creamsicle bars or apple-cinnamon cookies, but my favorites are the shortbread flavor. My grandma always had Lorna Doone cookies in her cookie jar, and that’s what they remind me of.

Also, food bars are made to withstand extreme temperatures. So, whether you live in the middle of the Arizona desert, or in the Alaskan tundra, they will stay fresh and completely nutritious. Another really great benefit of food bars is that they are made with very low sodium, so you don’t get thirsty while you’re eating them. (Unlike those terrible old peanut butter crackers!) That will help you reserve your water rations in an emergency.

The nutritional value of a food bar is astounding. You can purchase them in either 3600 or 2400 calorie packages. The 3600 calorie bar has 54 grams of protein, 378 carbs and 180 grams of fat. The 2400 bar has 36 grams of protein, 252 carbs and 120 grams of fat. They are made out of all natural ingredients with no preservatives. They are kept fresh by being vacuum sealed. The main ingredients are wheat flour, vegetable shortening, cane sugar, water, coconut and salt.

Not only will food bars be nutritious for you and your family in an emergency, but they will also taste great! They are very light-weight and small, which makes for easy transportation when you need to be on the move. I am very grateful to my parents for thinking of our emergency survival. Food bars will be something we buy more of in the future. Whether you store them in your 72 hour kit, in your car, or in your office, they will bring peace of mind if an emergency should strike.

The Value of Taking Stock

Regardless of how much you might prepare for disaster, it may not be enough. If disaster strikes, it pays to be prepared for the aftermath.

When the California wildfires threatened to destroy their Escondido home, Costco members Tana and Damian Jackson were able to maintain a degree of calm, knowing they would weather the storm. They knew they couldn’t stop the fire from destroying their home–ultimately, it didn’t–but they were reassured by having a complete, verified inventory of everything in it to give to their insurance company. . .

The Jacksons offer these reasons why businesses, and homeowners, should compile an inventory:

1. Forty percent of small and medium-sized businesses do not reopen after a catastrophic event because of a lack of resources

2. Insurance companies rely on a documented inventory of belongings to process a claim. They may not require it but they do recommend it.

3. Without an inventory, you claim will likely take longer and your benefit will be smaller.

4. You are probably underinsured, and you will not realize it until it is too late. An inventory may help you determine what coverage is really needed.

5. It is easier to add now than by memory after a catastrophe.

So, is it just me, or did you LOVE going to the science center/museum when you were a kid? Wow, I would get so excited when I found out we would be going there on a field trip! Ok, so I have to admit, it wasn’t probably for the same reasons everyone else liked to go there. I liked to go to the science museum because it was the only place I could find freeze-dried ice cream! Yes, I was addicted, and I love it to this day. I was so thrilled to be eating the same stuff that astronauts ate it space…and it tasted great! Although, I always wondered how they got that ice cream to fit in an aluminum package and not melt somehow in the process. Well, I finally found out how that process works…

Freeze-drying was first developed during World War II to preserve blood plasma for emergencies without the use of refrigeration. (Yes, the freeze-drying process can be used for many things other than foods.) After the war was over, the process was then used for food products. Coffee was the first manufactured product that was sold on a large scale.

All food is tested and checked for purity before it goes through the freeze-drying process. Meats and fruits are checked for bacteria before they are used. Seafood and meat must be pre-cooked before it is freeze-dried. That way, when you open the package to use it, the meat requires no cooking to eat it…only the addition of water to re-hydrate it. After the foods have been checked and tested, they are spread out flat on metal trays. Then the trays are wheeled into a huge walk-in freezer where the temperature is around -40degrees. The food is frozen quickly. After they are frozen, the foods are wheeled to vacuum drying chamber. In this room, a process called “sublimation” is used to force solid material to change into a gas material without ever having turned into a liquid. This can be achieved by evacuating the air with a vacuum pump to reduce the air pressure. Once the pressure falls below the point of sublimation, the water vapor from the food is drawn away from the food, leaving the dry food behind. The dry food retains its original size and shape. The food is then packaged into airtight containers so that moisture from the air will not re-enter the food. The whole freeze drying process can take anywhere from 4 to 12 hours.

So, yeah, it’s a bit complicated, but fascinating all the same. Freeze-dried food has so many advantages to other food storage options. It is extremely light-weight, requires no refrigeration, and the food retains its color, shape, texture, and most importantly…flavor! Freeze-dried food may cost a bit more to start with because of the complex equipment that is needed to make it, but in the long run, it will be an asset. Freeze-dried food can last up to 30 years and sometimes longer! I challenge anyone to show me a can of mushy green beans that can do that! Freeze-dried food is definitely the way to go for emergency food storage.

Water is the most essential thing you can store in times of emergency.  Let me say that again, water is the most essential thing you can store.  You can live for weeks without food, but only about 3 days without water.  Think of the ways you use water every day:  to brush your teeth, to wash your hands, to flush a toilet, to wash dishes, to run your washing machine, to fill a pot for dinner.  We use water and we use a lot of it.

It takes about 35-40 gallons of water to fill a bathtub and we use about 5 gallons a minute when we shower.  Because water is so accessible and so cheap, it is often hard for us to imagine a time when water might not be available.  In areas that have had to enact a boil water order due to an emergency situation, it takes about an hour and a half for bottled water to sell out.  Make water storage a priority.  30 gallon drums, 5 gallon stackable water containers and filters such as the MSR miniworks are great ways to get your water storage going.

We need to store a minimum of 14 gallons per person in our household which equals out to a 14 day supply.  Half of that is set aside for drinking water and the other half is for things like bathing, laundry, and food prep.  Take steps to make water storage a priority and make this essential resource a necessity for your personal preparedness program.

I sometimes have people ask me why they should store food. “Why should I store a year’s supply of food? Isn’t that a bit much?” The truth is a number of situations could occur that could cripple the food system in our country. By taking precautionary steps, you can feel secure that your family will survive in times of need.

A drought like the one that occurred during the Dust Bowl could lead to a famine. It’s hard to imagine since for many of us we have always seen fully stocked grocery store shelves and never a lack of food to buy. But various situations from trucking strikes to a pandemic to crop failure could lead to a lack of food. How long could you survive with the food you have in your home right now? A few days? A couple of weeks? A month or two? We have become so far removed from our food since it is shipped to grocery stores in brightly colored packages that we may not realize that crop failures can directly impact us.

I see food storage as a type of insurance plan. I don’t know if we will be hit by a massive earthquake, a flood, or a worldwide pandemic, but I do know that I have taken steps to care for my family if any of those situations occur. I am a mother and am driven by a mother’s need to care for her family. The thought of my children calling out, “What’s for dinner?” or pleading with me that they are hungry, and knowing that I have nothing to feed them, that we have no food, is a horrifying thought to me.

By eating out one less time a month, I can put an extra can of food in our food storage. By making small changes, I know that I can take steps to prepare my family and ensure their safety in times of distress.

I sometimes have people ask me why they should store food.  “Why should I store a year’s supply of food?  Isn’t that a bit much?”  The truth is a number of situations could occur that could cripple the food system in our country.  By taking precautionary steps, you can feel secure that your family will survive in times of need.

A drought like the one that occurred during the Dust Bowl could lead to a famine.  It’s hard to imagine since for many of us we have always seen fully stocked grocery store shelves and never a lack of food to buy.  But various situations from trucking strikes to a pandemic to crop failure could lead to a lack of food.  How long could you survive with the food you have in your home right now?  A few days?  A couple of weeks?  A month or two?  We have become so far removed from our food since it is shipped to grocery stores in brightly colored packages that we may not realize that crop failures can directly impact us.

I see food storage as a type of insurance plan.  I don’t know if we will be hit by a massive earthquake, a flood, or a worldwide pandemic, but I do know that I have taken steps to care for my family if any of those situations occur.  I am a mother and am driven by a mother’s need to care for her family.  The thought of my children calling out, “What’s for dinner?” or pleading with me that they are hungry, and knowing that I have nothing to feed them, that we have no food, is a horrifying thought to me.

By eating out one less time a month, I can put an extra can of food in our food storage.  By making small changes, I know that I can take steps to prepare my family and ensure their safety in times of distress.

Many of us work on our emergency preparedness and food storage a little at a time.  A first aid kit here, some freeze-dried fruit there.  But often we fail to properly inventory and track what we have and we often fail to think about how much food we really need and set a goal with a due date.  So, I guess my challenge to everyone is to first, truly assess what you have and what you still need.  Do you have a dozen flashlights, but are missing essential sanitation supplies like a portable potty lid with chemicals and bags?  Do you have a 72 hour kit, but need to put one in your car?  Do you have MREs for your 72-hour kit, but are lacking in longer term food storage?  So now that you know what you have, you can better determine what you need.

My second challenge is to set a goal.  If you are just now starting, set a date to have your 72-hour kits completed.  Then when you have that done, turn your attention to having a 2 week supply of water.  Finished with that?  Look at the needs of your family.  Do you need to stock up on freeze-dried fruit or do you have a bunch of dinner choices, but no breakfast options stored?  Set a goal and stick to it.  We often think that food storage is a good idea, but how often do we make it a priority and say, “I will have a year supply of food by June 30^th?”  We have to make it a goal, make it a priority, and then take steps to make it a reality.

We don’t know when a disaster like a flood or earthquake will hit or when a personal disaster such as a disability or job loss can strike, but we can take steps to prepare ourselves and our loved ones so that we can be ready for whatever may come our way.

    My earliest memories of eating freeze dried food was from when I was 7 years old.  My parents had taken me and my siblings to Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  After taking a tour of the museum we stopped off in the gift shop.  We were each allowed to pick out one small item.  When I saw the freeze dried ice cream that was the same ice cream used in space during the Apollo missions, I knew I had to try it.  I instantly fell in love.  It was a block of Neapolitan ice cream with the strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate flavors.  I broke off a bite and it slowly dissolved in my mouth, releasing the most amazing flavors.  It was like nothing I had ever had before and I couldn’t get enough.  To this day I still buy packages of freeze dried ice cream any time I find them at a museum or store.  My husband even bought me some for Christmas once.

Although Neapolitan ice cream is probably the most recognized flavor of freeze dried food, there are many varieties of food available these days.  You may have already eaten freeze dried food without even knowing it.  Some instant coffee is freeze dried, as is fruit that is sometimes included in breakfast cereals.  With freeze dried food now being used not just for missions in space, you can get freeze dried food for any meal of the day.

Some of the popular flavors for different meals are:

• scrambled eggs with ham or bacon
• granola with fruit
• bananas, cinnamon apples, peaches, pineapples, strawberries, blue berries, or raspberries
• potatoes, broccoli, rice, green beans, peas, or corn
• dice beef, diced chicken, or ground beef
• beef teriyaki
• pasta primavera
• chicken and rice
• seafood chowder
• spaghetti with meat sauce
• sweet and sour pork
• vegetable stew
• beef stroganoff
• chili mac
• mac and cheese
• blueberry cheesecake
• raspberry crumble
• and many more

As with the ice cream, some items such as the fruit can be eaten as is without preparation.  The other items couldn’t be easier to prepare.  Simply boil water, add it to the food item, and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes.  The food tastes great and can be stored for up to 30 years.  So if you are planning a camping or hiking trip where weight of your gear is a concern, or you want to have quick and easy meals on hand, then freeze dried food is an excellent option.

I have recently become a convert to freeze-dried food.  One of the things I love about freeze-dried food is that it stores for 30 years in a #10 can.  That’s right.  30 years!  No more worries about rotating food and checking expiration dates.  I am fully aware that rotating food storage is a huge job and freeze-dried food essentially eliminates the need for this time-intensive task.

Freeze-dried food can be prepared by adding hot water.  You can also eat some of the products such as the freeze-dried fruit right out of the can.  We have added freeze-dried fruit to oatmeal, muffins, and pancakes.  I have had to put our can of triple berry blend on the highest shelf in my pantry since my kids eat it like it is candy!  The Saratoga Farms fruits are fantastic!  We love everything from the pineapple chunks to the cinnamon apple slices to the sliced strawberries.

In a disaster, you will probably be overwhelmed physically and psychologically, and knowing that you can just add water and have a meal for your family can be a huge relief.  No grinding wheat or figuring out how to cook a meal in a tiny mess kit pot.  Just add water and you are ready to go.  I also like that the freeze-dried meals are complete on their own-no need to make side dishes.  Everything is in one can.  The beef stroganoff comes with the pasta, meat, and sauce all together.  The chicken teriyaki has the chicken, sauce, and rice in one can.  The directions don’t get much easier than this:  add water and eat!

Ok, so we all know we should have food stored away in case of an emergency, right? Right? So, how many of you actually do? If not, why haven’t you started on this essential part of your family’s protection? Perhaps it’s because you just aren’t sure what type of food you should be storing. I admit, it can be a very daunting task. As a mother of 5 young children, adding this to my plate (no pun intended!) was not something I was very willing to do. I had 7 people to take care of every day! How in the world was I supposed to plan for the future on top of that? Well, after getting snowed in to my house for 2 solid weeks during a dreadfully stormy winter, I decided to make emergency food storage a priority on my list. And believe it or not, you can too! I am here today to help you get started on your food storage journey by informing you about three different types of emergency food.

MREs (Meals Ready To Eat)- MREs are packaged in a plastic/foil pouch that are sealed and are air tight until opened. The food inside the pouches is already cooked, and can be eaten cold or hot. They usually have a 5 year shelf life, but can be kept up to 10 years in ideal storage environments. (Cool and dry.) They do not need water to cook, and can be eaten straight from the pouch. They are light weight and can be taken with you easily.

Food Bars- These are a kind of “cookie” if you will. The great thing is that, unlike a real cookie, they are made specifically to be eaten without making you thirsty. They are extremely high in protein and exceed the normal daily requirements for vitamins and minerals. They can usually be stored for 5 years. These are great to store if you live in a climate where high or low temperatures are a factor, as they can be stored in -40 degrees to 300 degrees Fahrenheit without disturbing the integrity of the nutrients!

Freeze Dried Food - This type of food is usually stored in #10 can, but is also available in smaller pouches like MREs. Freeze dried foods taste great because the foods retain their taste, texture, and shape of fresh frozen foods. It also locks in the freshness, vitamins, nutrients, color, and aroma of fresh frozen foods while providing an amazing 30 year shelf life. They might be hard to carry around with you, since they are in cans, but for long-term food storage, these are wonderful. Your family will thank you for them when an emergency strikes and they aren’t stuck eating dry peanut butter crackers and stale granola bars all day!

There are other food storage options, but these are the big three. Think about what would be best for your family and the environment in which you live, and plan accordingly. Hopefully, this information will get you on a good road towards making emergency food storage easier to think about and get!