Posted on 12/07/2008 8:09:30 AM PST by Sen Jack S. Fogbound
Note: Utah wrote this article and posted on FR 9-15-2001. I believe it is timely to present this as I have had some disturbing informations regarding what the short and long future may look like in respect to the economic condition of our country.
It always pay to be prepared!
Sen Jack S. Fogbound
Emergency Preparedness (year's supply of food, 72 hour kit)
The LDS Church who believes strongly in self reliance. Spencer W. Kimball, one of the deceased presidents of this church said, "No true Latter-day Saint, while physically or emotionally able, will voluntarily shift the burden of his own or his family's well-being to someone else... Maintain a year's supply. The Lord has urged that his people save for the rainy days, prepare for the difficult times, and put away for emergencies, a year's supply or more of bare necessities so that when comes the flood, the earthquake, the famine, the hurricane, the storms of life, our families can be sustained through the dark days... I am not howling calamity, but I fear that a great majority of our young people, never having known calamity, depression, hunger, homelessness, joblessness, cannot conceive of such situations..."
I just wanted to share some things that my church and family has done to be prepared. This is a list of a year's supply of food storage that can be gathered in one year. It is very flexible. I have the basics in my home, along with some "luxuries" in my food storage and preparedness are. If a calamity strikes, I think I will be prepared and will also be able to share with others. If you have any questions, please let me know. I'm going to try to post once a month (or sooner if requested) on this preparedness topic.
The Relief Society in my ward (it is the women's organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) has a lesson once a month on the first Tuesday of each month. The first part of that meeting is Family Preparedness. We cover many topics such as food storage, financial preparation, disaster awareness, first aid, etc. The lady in charge gets information on storing food, how to read dates on cans, where to buy in bulk. Usually every month she will make arrangements so that we can buy something in bulk (beans, dry milk, dried potatoes, etc.) In November we will be canning salsa and jumbleberry jam at the local cannery. Anyway, here is the list.
And a couple of other suggestions that I have found helpful. Make sure to buy food that you and your family will eat. Rotate through the food, don't just buy it and store it. When I go to the grocery now, I'll buy a case of something (fancy fruit cocktail, ravioli, beets, sweetened condensed milk.) If you don't have the money monthly to follow this plan, just pick up an extra can of something. Try to do what you can within your financial resources. NOTES: Personally I don't recommend buying those dehydrated foods for your whole food storage. You'll need a heck of a lot of water, plus how will you know if you like them until you've tried them? And it is extremely expensive.
Food storage calculator
January
Provident Living Goal---review your retirement goals. Are you putting enough aside to be able to support yourselves and to do the things you want to do when you retire? Also change the batteries in your smoke alarms.
Storage Goal: 24 cans of meat or fish per person 1 gallon bleach per person can opener garbage bags laundry detergent
72 hour kit: Gather a change of clothing including underwear and shoes for each family member--include warm coats and boots, or have them immediately accessible. ax, shovel and bucket utility knife $20.00 cash $5.00 in change for phone ********************
February
Provident Living Goal---plan and carry out a family meeting on home fires. Include planning an escape route and practicing it.
Storage Goal: 100 pounds (total) pasta & flour per person hand grain mill thread, needles, buttons, and zippers
72 hour kit: 1 gallon water per person scriptures (Bible) personal documents--genealogical records, wills, passports, insurance, contracts, birth certificates, etc. $25.00 cash
********************
March
Provident Living Goal---Learn a new skill or read a book pertaining to your career.
Storage Goal: 50 cans of soup, stew or chili per person 5 pounds of salt per person 20 pounds fat, oil or shortening per person aluminum foil, plastic wrap, storage bags, etc. At least 5 gallons water per person--recommended is 14 gallons / person for 2 weeks
72 hour kit: 1 pound dried fruit or trail mix per person (can use fruit leather) 1 package soda crackers per person (4 per box) 1 package graham crackers per person (4 per box) 2 liters tomato or orange juice per person (Note: these items will be rotated every 6 months-see Sept) ALSO make a goal to always have the fuel tanks on ALL vehicles at least half full. ***************************
April
Provident Living Goal---If you normally do not grow a garden, plan to grow at least one vegetable this year. if you already have a garden either 1)grow a vegetable you haven't tried before OR 2) try a new method or technique this year.
Storage Goal: 2 pounds yeast per person 2 pounds baking powder per person 1 pound soda per person 1 gal vinegar per person 10 cans evaporated milk per person 10 pounds peanut butter per person spices, condiments and vanilla
72 hour kit: 4 granola bars per person 2 sticks beef jerky per person 1 package chewing gum per person hard candies or lollipops--at least 12 per person (note these items will be rotated every 6 months--see Oct.)
********************
May
Provident Living Goal---Make a goal and plan to exercise regularly.
Storage Goal: 100 pounds variety of cereal grains-rice, oatmeal, cornmeal, etc. per person 24 rolls paper towels per person 24 packages flavored gelatin per person garden seeds At least one month prescription ahead for all doctor prescribed medication.
72 hour kit: battery powered radio battery powered light batteries
********************
June
Provident Living Goal---Make a goal to have 6 months wages in savings for emergencies. Write out a realistic plan to make it happen.
Storage Goal: First aid kit--should include scissors, knife, thermometer, measuring cup, medicine dropper, hot water bottle, triangular bandages, soap, matches, razor blades, needles, safety pins, adhesive tape, elastic bandages, sanitary napkins (excellent compresses), paper bags, gauze bandages, bicarbonate of soda, Ipecac syrup (induces vomiting), ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, calamine lotion (insect bites and sunburn), rubbing alcohol, diarrhea remedy, antibiotic ointment, first aid instruction book, prescription medication, waterproof matches.
72 hour kit: Container for holding kit. Large garbage cans with wheels OR a back pack for each family member recommended. Find a place in your home that is easily accessible for storing the kit. You need to be able to grab it at a moment's notice to leave your home. Note: Your first aid kit is also part of the 72 hour kit. Note: your 72 hour kit is also part of your general storage, but your general storage CANNOT be part of your 72 hour kit. When you need it there may not be time to gather it together for transport.
********************
July
Provident Living Goal---Make a goal to eat healthier. For example: less sweets, more fresh fruits and veggies, less meat, more fiber etc.
Storage Goal: 50 pounds sugar or honey per person 10--#10 cans (35 pounds total) powdered milk per person 2 toothbrushes per person toothpaste mouthwash infant needs-formula, baby food, diapers, Tylenol etc.
72 hour kit: Prepare blankets (the silver foil ones) gather items to entertain your family and include in kit--UNO cards, coloring books and crayons, x-stitch kit etc. Be sure to include paper and pencils. camp stove or portable BBQ and fuel mosquito repellant $25 cash
********************
August
Provident Living Goal---Learn to preserve food in a way you haven't tried before.
Storage Goal: 100 quarts fruit and or vegetables per person 24 pints jam or jelly per person feminine needs school supplies pet supplies
72 hour kit: 1 can tuna per person 1 can pork and beans per person 1/2 pound dried milk per person 2 packets hot chocolate mix per person (or 1 large can per family). 2 instant soup packets per person (these should be rotated every year) disposable plates, cups, bowls and flatware pet supplies-be sure to include dishes, leash and extra water
********************
September
Provident Living Goal---Review your will if you have one. Make any needed changes. If you do not have a will, make arrangements to get one. EVERY Adult should have a will. Plan and carry out a FHE on the importance of preparedness.
Storage Goal: 10--#10 cans (35 pounds total) powdered milk per person 25 pounds canned or dried potatoes per person 50 quarts fruit or tomato juice per person
72 hour kit: 1 pound dried fruit or trail mix per person (can use fruit leather) 1 package soda crackers per person (4 per box) 1 package graham crackers per person (4 per box) 2 liters tomato or orange juice per person (Note: these items will be rotated every 6 months-see March) **********************************
October
Provident Living Goal---Make a goal to read 30 minutes/day to your children or grandchildren. If you have not children to read to, make a goal to read at least 30 minutes/day just for pleasure.
Storage Goal: 50 cans soup, stew or chili per person 10 pounds cheese--dried or bottled per person shaving supplies dish soap
72 hour kit: 4 granola bars per person 2 sticks beef jerky per person 1 package chewing gum per person hard candies or lollipops--at least 12 per person (note these items will be rotated every 6 months--see April) Check batteries for light and radio. Replace if needed.
********************
November
Provident Living Goal---Make a goal to reduce your family garbage by recycling more.
Storage Goal: 100 pounds wheat per person 1 #10 can juice mix with vitamin C per person Hand/shower soap light bulbs At least one month prescription ahead for all doctor prescribed medication.
72 hour kit: soap toothbrushes and toothpaste shaving supplies infant needs feminine needs disinfectant aluminum foil
********************
December
Provident Living Goal---Review your insurance coverage, life, household, vehicle. Do you have enough? Could you replace your vehicle or household foods with the coverage you have?
Storage Goal: 40 pounds dried beans per person matches candles batteries
72 hour kit: garbage bags candles matches can opener
It's very important for us as human beings to be self-reliant. Included in this folder is a program to assist you to get a years supply of emergency food, 72 hour kit, spiritual goals and provident living goals. ********************************
Water Needs
Water storage is by far the most important area of preparedness.
You can live for quite a long time without food, but only about 3 days without water. The Fema (Federal Emergency Management Agency) recommends 14 gallons of water per person for a two week period. That may seem like quite a lot, but it is only a gallon a day for drinking, cooking, and washing needs. The agency recommends at least 14 day supply.
There are some hidden places in your home that have usable water. One is the hot water heater. Turn it off and open the drain at the bottom of the heater. Make sure the gas is off, and the pilot light is out! Another source is the toilet tank. Not the bowl, the tank of water that goes into the bowl in a flush. You can use that water as long as you don't use an automatic bowl cleaner in it. I would still add bleach to it, just to be on the safe side.
There are many ways to store water. There are containers that you can buy especially for storing. These can be found in some super markets, and hardware stores. Try on line if you can't find them in your area. They come in different sizes. The ones that I have seen are galloon, 15 gallon, and 55 gallon blue barrels. The barrels work best with a pump, purchases separately, for about $10. You can use heavy plastic juice containers, washed well with hot water and soap. You can use liter pop bottles as well. Do not use glass containers, bleach bottles, metal containers, milk bottles, or water already in milk bottle like containers. These are made to decompose and will leak all over your storage room (personal experience!).
ALL water obtained from out of doors is subject to contamination for dirt, bacteria or other nasty things. First it must be clarified and then cleaned of all physical impurities such as dirt and debris. Then it must be disinfected or made safe from biohazardous materials. No home method of water treatment can guarantee safety of the water. Certain water treatment methods described below can deduce the risks involved, but emergency treatment of water cannot guarantee safety of the water. Devices that are sold with a claim that they can purify any water should be avoided because they will not work as claimed.
Clarification
Settling: This is the easiest method to remove most debris, including radioactive fallout from water. To let water settle merely let it stand in a container, totally undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. This will allow any sediment to sink to the bottom of the container. A handful of clay soil in each gallon of water will help speed this process. Since it takes so long to settle it is advisable to use a large container for this purpose, like a tough tote. After settling is complete pour, dip or siphon the clean water to another container, being careful not to stir up the sludge at the bottom. Discard the sludge and then purify water.
Hose Siphoning
Take a six or eight foot section of garden hose and stuff two cottontails in one end. Place that end into a container of your dirty water. Then suck on the other end until water starts to come through. Then place the that end into a container placed below the dirty water. Gravity will pull the water from the higher container into the lower container while trapping sediment in the cotton balls. When the balls are clogged simply remove and replace. This will clean about one quart per thirty minutes. However, if the water is really muddy the cotton balls will have to be replaced very frequently.
Coffee Filters
Place three or four filters (one inside the other) into a mason jar and let the edges stick out over the mouth of the jar. Then screw the lid on over the edge of the filters. Pour the water into the filters. The water will drip into the jar. When the filters become clogged, replace them. This type of filter will clean approximately one quart of very dirty water per two hours.
Purification
Boiling: Water sterilization by boiling is preferred over any method of chemical disaffection because disease causing microorganisms cannot survive the heat of a sterilizing boil. If water is cloudy, only heat sterilization can be fully relied upon to assure complete destruction of these organisms. Bring the water to a rolling boil for *10 minutes, then adding one minute for each 1000 feet of elevation.
Chlorine: Liquid household chlorine bleach can be used to purify water provided the label says that it contains hypochlotie as its ONLY active ingredient. Do NOT use granular or powdered forms of household bleach, they are poisonous!! Add 2 drops of bleach per quart or 8 drops per gallon and let stand for 30 minutes. If the water doesn't taste and smell of chlorine at that point, add another dose and let stand for 15 minutes. If the water is cloudy you may double the dosage. Liquid bleach loses strength over time. In one years storage you must put in double the amount of bleach as new bleach. Two year old bleach must not be used. It is not potent enough to kill bacteria. After adding bleach to water, stir and let stand for 30 minutes. Bleach is totally ineffective against GIARDIA and other hardy forms of protozoa. USE BOILING TO REMOVE THESE if they are suspected.
Iodine Tablets-- these are very effective against all forms of bacteria, however they are less effective against GIARDIA. Iodine tablets usually have a relatively short shelf life, losing 20% effectiveness in just six months. They are also sensitive to heat and light. They turn color from gray to yellow as they become less potent. The usual dose is one tablet per quart of clear water and two for cloudy. Let stand for 30 minutes before use.
Regardless of the method of chemically disinfecting water, always double the dosage for cloudy water. If the water temperature is cold, below 45 degrees, let it stand for one hour before using it.
Be sure to have some water on hand in case of any emergency. You will need it mostly for drinking, but also to wash up a bit and keep utensils clean. Be sure to at least to have 1 gallon per person and a take week supply of actual clean water is recommended. You can live for much longer without food than without water.
NOTE: Water is the hardest thing to store. I have 3 55 gallon containers of water, plus about 20 2 liter pop bottles of water. Not enough, but room is a concern. Just make sure to have enough bleach or iodine on hand to sterilize the water. Any time I get an empty soda bottle, I rinse it out, and fill it with water. I don't drink soda pop, but at family parties or work parties, I'll gather up the empty ones to use.
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The unleaded gas of today will last at least a year with no problem.
Coleman also now makes an LED lantern that will run for 18 hours continuously on 4 D batteries.
I’m repeating this because it is well worth it.
Everyone interested in being prepared - Check this thread!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2133221/posts
That's not true but, this is:
A 2,000-Year-Old Palm Tree Comes To Life
14 Jun 2005
Israeli researchers have germinated a date palm from 2,000-year-old seeds, in a bid to find new medicines to benefit future generations.
Dr. Sarah Sallon, of the Louis Borick Natural Medicine Research Center at the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, in collaboration with botanist Dr. Elaine Solowey, of the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies at Kibbutz Ketura, have succeeded in growing a date palm seedling from seeds 2,000 years old.
The ancient seeds were found 30 years ago during archeological excavations at the mountain fortress of Masada, where Jewish rebels chose suicide over capture by Roman legions in the year 73. Radio-carbon dating shows the seeds to be some 2,000 years old, placing them during or just before the Masada revolt. These are reportedly the oldest seeds ever brought back to life.
[snip]
After 9-11, we made plans to get from Denver to upstate NY. Thank God we never had to go, but it was nice to know we could go somewhere.
I would add one more thing we did after 9-11. We put a list of all contact information of all family members together and distributed it to all. It includes aunts and uncles, cousins etc, even if we only see them at weddings and funerals. It is updated annually for cell phone changes and moves.
Thanks! Yes, LED’s are fantastic. There are LED retrofit kits for Maglight flashlights. Good output, but many many times the battery life. And, no filament to break if dropped. Typical LED life is tens of thousands of hours.
http://www.fcs.uga.edu/pubs/current/FDNS-E-34-1.html
(LOng term food storage)
I discovered while doing some class planning (I'm a certified disaster recovery dude & teach a few classes a year) that
Dried food has a 12 to 15 week lead time, IF they will take your order (Rainy Day, NitroPak,, etc)
Oregon Freeze dried foods (Mountain house) no longer will sell #10 cans of food “to the general public” - I confirmed that one personally - they would not comment on WHY, just that they WON”T. Odd to say the least.
You might consider restaurant supply sources for bulk vegis and potatoes etc.
Oh, and the NZ canned cheese is wonderful
Merry Christmas to all and to all a....stay awake and be prepared!
My recommendation is get to know some of your neighbors, and have a plan to be prepared to hunker down together.
Safety in numbers, heck, somebodies got to be on the lookout when the others sleep.
I personally think if there was a major disruption, after about a week things would get ugly... real ugly.
But I don’t suspect that phase would last more than two weeks or so, because by then, most freeloading types would be dead, starved or killed or died from cholera or whatever.
I also don’t think that there is a way there could really be an “effective” martial law. We recently heard announcements that 20,000 troops were going to be stationed here for domestic disturbances.
Heck, it would probably take 500 troops PER CITY BLOCK if there was an emergency situation.
So - every man for himself!
Also helps if you know any veterans near you. I’ve already had discussions with a couple people who are near me. They are all armed and know how to use them.
We’ve figured out how many meals we could get from (not for) our dog and cat. The fish are just too small.
True.
However, in the grocery store, the bags of dried beans, peas, soup mixes, etc., are inexpensive. You can find great buys in some of the discount stores that have food sections.
For ex: I just picked up a bag of 'Vegi Soup Mix" - dried split peas, lentils, barley and, in addition, pasta bits made of whole wheat, spinach, tomato, celery, onion, beets and garlic. Now how complete is that!
Directions are to mix with water, but I use chicken broth. And for the best and far cheapest broths, the broth paste that professional chefs have used for decades is now on the shelves for the public's use. It's called "Better Than Bullion" and comes in small glass jars - easy to store and rotate, It comes in several flavors from chicken and beef to mushroom, vegetable, clam, lobster...one jar of this paste will make GALLONS of broth for pennies compared to a can of broth for a buck.
If you had little else than these dried mixes, you could survive quite well. Add jars of preserves (NOT JELLY) and peanut butter...and SPAM ;o),..and you'll be pretty well off, nutritionally...and not much space needed for storage. Start with the bare essentials.
I grew up on my grandparents north woods farm in the late 30's-40's. They always had a years supply of food - in the same way people have for thousands of years: gardens, cold cellars, canned goods, fruit trees/bushes, butter/milk/beef/pork in the barn, eggs/chickens in the coop, meats/fish in the woods/waters. Own wood for heat, kerosene lamps, own water supply.
If we had a 'depression' half as serious as the BIG one, we would be in much worse condition as now, everyone is dependent on that thin wire to the road and the grocery store.
The more people that have an emergency supply, the easier we can weather a storm - nature made or man made.
Fill your lamps and trim the wicks. He/she who doesn't should not depend on those who do - or all go down. That's what the parable teaches us.
I agree w/you, AuntB. When I was in grad school, the other students would laugh at my 72 hour preparedness plan. 'We're in the city, what's going to happen?' Well, what can happen is that you get sick and can't go out to get food (and none of your broke grad school friends can buy any for you). Or that the power goes off. Or that the weather makes it difficult for you to get out.
Now that winter has begun here in corn country, we've just stocked up for at least a month, longer if I don't make 'meals' and we just eat what's here w/o getting fancy about it. This doesn't count the water and food stored in the basement. It can snow, it can ice, but we'll have food and fireplace logs. The one thing I don't have is a generator, but I'm working on that.
There are some here for as low as $12.50 each.
Thanks for the input, I'll be ordering one for myself and one as a Christmas present.
This is another good idea. I keep an old phone but haven't been able to convince others (as they've all given up their land lines, a mistake, I think) to do the same.
“So, if someone is living in a 450 square foot “studio” apartment in Encino — where should he store this?”
I think along the lines of learning new shopping habits, buy your cupboard items like tuna, chili, canned corn, flour, rice, pasta, canned fruit, etc. based on shelf life and rotate them efficiently, learning to keep a 90 to 120 day supply of easily eatable and prepared foods (opening cans,and boiling rice if the stove works). You might want to purchase a 3’ by 6’ cabinet for extra storage and put it where ever it fits, even the bedroom.
In a closet, a stack of four five gallon buckets of professionally stored (nitrogen sealed, etc.) rice and pinto beans or powdered eggs and such if you can afford the better stuff, would not take up much space but it would let you have a foot up on a truly desperate survival situation.
A water filter, LED flashlights, a deck of cards, an old backpack and you are way ahead of the game. Being prepared is a personal standard, someone in a tiny apartment can still give themselves a very large buffer zone from immediate dire straits pretty easily.
My fear is an EMP attack that wipes out all electricity, including car starters. If that happens... I mapped a route to the nearest reservoir 6 miles away, but I could only carry so much and like I said, it's Los Angeles. The streets would be teaming with zombies. I'm imagining living in my attic for weeks and weeks, waiting for the majority of the population to die off. It's a real nightmare scenario.
http://www.geocities.com/loralmc/cures.html#Burns_
Yeah. Me and a dozen of my buddies. Armed. You don't need food. You need guns. The people with the guns get the food. The people hunkered in their homes get robbed or burned to the ground.
The real survivors are those who don't need a house to survive.
You should read a book called the Blizzard of 1888. I was especially interested in it because my grandmother was born the same week although she was born in Indian Territory and not on the East coast where it hit. They said that the people in the cities ran out of food right away but the people in the countryside did fine.
Check the pawn shops for generators. Alot of people have been pawning items they don’t use much because things are a bit tight.
And if you see one at a pawn shop you like, MAKE SURE they fire it up and test it for you, and NEVER pay the listed price, they will almost always take a reasonable offer.
Hmm. Learn something new every day. I don't use bar soaps because they make a mess, but it's easy enough to buy a couple of bars to keep for an emergency.
I would recommend that this be posted once a week for awhile.
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