Doing inventory can help you use your resources more effectively when you are preparing for emergencies through emergency preparedness and food storage.  Do you buy the same things over and over while other sections of your preparation are lacking?  Do you have a dozen emergency blankets, but not a first aid kit?  Do you have a way to heat your home, but no plans for sanitation?

The best way to do an inventory is to sit down and pull everything out.  I know this may seem like a daunting task, but if you don’t know what you have, you don’t know what you need.  I did this recently with my sister and brother-in-law.  While they were pleasantly surprised by the amount of things they had in their 72-hour kits, they found they were lacking in some areas.  They had a portable potty lid and bags, but needed toilet chemicals.  They had several tools, but no matches and no 115 hour Ready candles.

Once you know what you need, you can break it down into categories such as light and communication, food storage, first aid, etc.  Then you can figure out what you need in each area and make a plan to acquire those items.  With a little time and effort, you can make sure you are ready for whatever circumstances you may encounter in an emergency situation.

While we may think of food, water, and shelter as being important in an emergency, we may overlook the necessity of tools.  Whether you are turning off your gas due to an earthquake or just trying to open a can of food, there are essential tools we should have.

I believe that every home should have a gas shutoff wrench.  This one comes with a zip tie so that you can tie it onto your gas meter.  No more worries about where the toolbox is or if the kids have run off with it.  Another important tool is work gloves.  Disasters create big messes and those messes have to be cleaned up.  Having good work gloves can prevent injury and speed the cleaning up process.

Another basic is a manual can opener.  Freeze-dried food in #10 cans can be hard to get to if you don’t have a can opener to open them up.  Scissors are also a fantastic all-around tool to keep in your 72 hour kit.  Another helpful tool is a folding shovel.  I keep one in my car so that if we are stuck in snow, we can dig ourselves out.  The shovel is also very compact since it folds into thirds.

Other tools you might find useful are 100 ft. of nylon rope as well as a Leatherman tool.  These can serve multiple purposes, making them essential in an emergency situation.  Having the knowledge to deal with a crisis is essential, but so are the right tools to help you deal with that situation the best way possible.

My husband and I started camping when our kids were really young.  One year we brought along a couple MREs, which are Meals Ready to Eat.  We wanted to be prepared if for some reason we ran low on food or needed extra because we stayed longer than we had originally planned.  And of course, we did end up using them and from that day on have never gone camping with out lots of MREs.  We bring them along just to enjoy easy, hot meals that don’t required any work or dishes to wash!

MREs are an easy way to bring healthy and enjoyable food with you whenever you venture into the outdoors, especially if you don’t want to be a slave to making a fire every time you want to cook a meal.  To cook an MRE, simply use an MRE flameless heater.  With a few ounces of water, the flameless heater will cook your MRE to over 200 degrees and you will have a steaming hot meal ready in no time!  Perfect to end a day of any outdoor activity!

The great thing about the MRE flameless heater is you can use it anywhere at anytime.  All you do is slide your MRE food packet into the MRE flameless heater pack and walla!  The safe and effective chemical reaction between the water and the flameless heater is what heats your food.  Although MREs don’t have to be heated to eat, the flameless heaters are inexpensive, completely safe, easy and lightweight, have an unlimited shelf life and are ready whenever you are!  Why not take extras for you and your family to enjoy for fun or in case of emergencies?

MREs, or Meals Ready to Eat, are military issued food rations developed to replace the commonly used C-rations for combat troops.  Unlike the previously used C-rations that came in cans and needed to be opened with a can opener, the MREs came in easy to open bags.  MREs were first tested in 1975 and went through at least 8 different changes to accommodate taste and durability.  The latest change was made in 1998 and they have remained virtually the same ever since.

The available options of MREs have grown from twelve choices to twenty four.  Each one contains an entree, a side dish (rice, corn, fruit, or mashed potatoes), crackers or bread, spread (peanut butter, jelly, or cheese spread), dessert (cookies or pound cake), candy (M&Ms, Skittles, or Tootsie Rolls), beverages (Gatorade-like drink mix, cocoa, coffee, or tea), hot sauce (depending on the meal), a flameless ration heater, and accessories.  If you consume all that is included in an MRE you would be eating roughly 1,250 calories.  Troops would use 3 MREs a day, which would provide all the nutrients and vitamins they need.  And although a heater is included in each pack, the meals can be eaten as is, as their name implies.  They are made to last up to 3 years but they have been known to retain their use for up to fifteen years.

What was once a product designed to provide combat troops with durable, easy to use meals, is now available for anyone to use.  Civilian companies are now making MREs with a 5 year shelf life.  They are a great way to keep a store of emergency food supplies.  If you are lucky enough to not have the need to use them within the 5 years, they also work great for camping trips or any other outdoor activities.  You can also purchase entrees, desserts, drinks, and snacks individually if you do not want the whole meal.  With all the varieties of food now available for the MREs, you will gladly use them instead of washing dishes at a camp site.

Four years ago, Colorado had one of the biggest storms it has had in over a decade. The snow was falling in feet, not inches and that was in town, not just up in the mountains. The Hospitals were all on the plan D, Disaster Mode. Stores were shut down because people couldn’t get out of their driveways, let alone get to work. Fortunately for us, we have a year’s supply of food for just this type of situation.

When people are asked about emergency preparedness, they tend to think of “end of the world” scenarios. But it can be as simple as a snow storm or outrageous gas prices that prevent you from going to the store for the things you need. Ideally, it would be best to be prepared for short term needs as well as long term needs.

For short term needs, the best route to go is to get 72 hour kits for each member of your family. 72 hour kits are backpacks that contain enough supplies to last a person 3 days. They typically contain high calorie food bars,(with a minimum of 1200 calories per person per day) water or purification tablets, waterproof matches, a flashlight, a whistle, a space blanket, and a first aid kit. Some even have tents and hygene kits and there are a number of other items you can add. There are also adult and child specific kits. The children’s kits usually contain the same general items as the adult kits but they also have some sort of entertainment, such as coloring books or small toys.

Once you purchase your kits it is a good idea to make copies of important records, such as driver’s license, birth certificates, and copies of prescriptions that you take, to include in the kit. It is also a good idea to have spare keys for your home and vehicles and to have at least $100.00 cash. You also need to make sure that you keep handy a supply of diapers, wipes, formula, etc. that you would need for young children. Since emergencies can cause panic and anxiety, it is also helpful to make a list of items you should take with you, if you have time to grab them, so that you don’t have to try and remember everything when time is limited.

For long term needs, it is ideal to have a year’s supply of foods and essentials. MRE’s (meals ready to eat), freeze-dried food (that all you need to do is add water), and high calorie food bars are all good options. The MRE’s typically need to be rotated every 5-7 years depending on the temperature at which they are stored. The freeze-dried food comes in a 2 person serving pouch that can be stored for up to 7 years or in a 10# can that has up to a 30 year shelf life. The high calorie bars need to be changed every five years. It is also essential to have a good supply of water. You can buy water storage containers or you can even fill up empty 2 liter soda or juice bottles. Anything that is used to hold liquids. you should change the water once a year, or you can buy purification drops that will keep the water usuable for up to 20 years. It is also a good idea to have a year’s supply of items such as toilet paper, candles, matches, disposible dishes, etc.

If you are just starting to prepare your family and home, don’t be overwhelmed with the amount of things you need to buy. Start with the 72 hour kits and then buy a little bit each paycheck or each month. A disaster can happen any time, any place, so it’s best to be prepared.