Preparing for Emergencies

Signing Off

2010-03-22T16:16:00.001-07:00

Because of time constraints, I will not be able to continue this blog. I have enjoyed sharing my thoughts with you over the months. Please continue to gather your emergency preparations and your food storage--the Lord has said that if we are prepared, then we shall not fear. God bless your efforts! Please check back from time to time, perhaps someone else will be able to continue posting.--Prepped

Preparedness On A Budget

2010-03-17T13:07:00.000-07:00

The Preparedness Pro has a great post on Preparedness On A Budget. She really knows her stuff as she eats, sleeps and drinks being prepared, and has been doing research on it for many years. She also teaches a variety of preparedness classes (she lives in Utah). If you want to start preparing for emergencies, give her post a try, she has some good ideas!

Preparing

2010-03-13T15:17:00.000-08:00

One topic of emergency preparedness that most people don't want to consider is exercise. You may have your food storage, your first aid kit and your 72 hour kit, but if you have to leave your home on foot with your backpack on your back, you need to be ready physically. Walking is a good way to get some aerobic exercise, especially good for your heart. Walking can be done alone, with a friend, a dog, or with family. A comfortable pair of shoes is all the "special" equipment you will need.

Last spring I was down for 10 weeks with bronchial problems, going to the doctor several times, and the emergency room, too. After I felt better I realized that my balance was not good. I found that walking fixed the problem in no time, especially walking on uneven ground.

When my boys were young I found that taking them for a walk opened communication. When my boys were little we never went for walks, but "adventures," which they always ended up being. When my boys were teenagers they grew to be 6' 8" tall. My younger son especially, would walk fast with a long stride, and he talked even faster. Keeping up with him was a real challenge and got my heart rate cranked up. We would discuss things that were on on their minds, and they could sort out and solve their problems.

Walking can be done anywhere, although it is more fun on the beach or in the forest. Once you are comfortable with walking at a good clip, then add ankle weights or a light day pack. Increase the weight every couple of weeks, and before you know it you will have lost a few pounds, and firmed up and toned your body. It won't take long and you will be able to carry your 72 hour kit/backpack for long distances.

Lifeboat Rations

2010-03-10T08:12:00.000-08:00

I have been needing to make a emergency car kit and decided it was time to get it done. I have been concerned about what type of food it should contain that I could leave in the car all year round--even through our 110'+ summers (a locked car gets even hotter). I went through my huge 4 inch binder of emergency preparedness information that I have collected over the years and found a comment that was after a post. I believe the post was on survivalistblog, with the comment made by anonymous. The answer to my food dilemma is lifeboat rations. I just Googled "lifeboat rations" and there was a list of places that had them. They will withstand the extremes of hot and cold, which will cover just about anyplace. Most are said to be tasty and cookie-like, and full of calories, which is what is needed. They are pricey, but will last 5 years, I think well worth the insurance against an emergency.

Food Storage

2010-03-03T12:12:00.000-08:00

The Survivoristblog has an interesting list of seven websites where you can learn more about food storage here. There is a food storage calculator (ie--how many people in the family equals this much food storage), ways to start purchasing, ten ways to build it up, and videos.

While these are good, the links we have on our side-bar are good, too. I especially like the network of: "Food Storage Made Easy" with their baby steps; "The Food Storage Shopper" who shows you how to get the most food storage for your money; and, "Everyday Food Storage" where she shows you how to make the tastiest food from stored items.

Great News from Bill

2010-03-01T10:40:00.000-08:00

Great News!
After two years COSTCO has brought back Kirkland Signature Roast Beef in Beef Broth, 12oz. can, 4pack for $8.99= $2.2475 per can, Fat Free and Fully Cooked. Made from Top and Bottom Round cuts of beef. Previously they were from Argentina or Brazil; now they are from USA.

This is a wonderful item to have in your Food Storage and also for daily use. I use them in stew, soup, tacos, burritos, sandwiches, Broccoli Beef, and many other recipes calling for beef chunks. They also shred beautifully for BBQ Beef Sandwiches.

Hopefully they will keep them in stock for a long time so I can buy a good supply.

Nutritional Facts:
Serving Size 2 ounces Serving per Container: About 4
Calories: 80
Calories from Fat: 15
Total Fat 1.5 g 2%
Saturated Fat 0.5g 3%
Cholesterol 40mg 13%
Sodium 180mg 8%
Carbohydrates 0g 0%
Protein 15g
Vit. A, C, Calcium 0%
Iron 6%

[I concur that this is a good product, I will be stocking up, too!--Prepped]

Medical Journal

2010-02-26T15:52:00.000-08:00

It's important to keep track of your, and your family's, medical history, especially for children and the elderly. You never know when a medical crisis will happen. Children are required to have certain shots to be able to attend school. The elderly may live out of town and you may not know what medications they are taking and who their doctors are. If you have one notebook to keep all of the information in, it will bless you when the need-to-know arises. A medical journal will help hospital staff in the event of an emergency, when your mind may not be clear with the answers that are needed. But, if you have written down the information and placed it into a binder, then assistance is in-hand. A binder is easy and quick to grab and take it with you. With a binder, it is easy to insert new pages when necessary. Have everyone in the family understand what the journal is and what it is for, even children will understand the importance. What do you include in a medical journal? Many things. This is just a partial list. Post a comment if you would like to add more.

--doctor appointments
--doctor's information (address and phone number of primary care giver, eye doctor, hearing doctor, dentist)
--prescriptions, vitamins and supplements
--emergency info
--biographical data
--insurance info
--basic tests reading
--surgeries
--hospital stays
--chronic health problems
--illnesses
--injuries
--family health history
--medical contacts
--organ donor
--blood group
--allergies
--medical needs

Buying Metals For Tough Times

2010-02-24T16:33:00.000-08:00

Have you been buying, or thinking of buying, gold or silver for "tough times? I had thought about it, and read where you could collect dimes that were 90% silver, if you could find those with dates of 1964 or earlier. That was when the government started sandwiching copper in the middle. I was disappointed that I was way too late to find many of these more valuable dimes in the change that I'd get at the store. James Wesley, Rawles (author of "Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse" and is the editor of SurvivalBlog.com) said, "In February, 2010 it was announced that the Obama administration had endorsed a change in the metal composition of pennies and nickels." So, that means that the base metal in our current nickles will become more valuable. If you are interested in knowing more about this, go to Prepare To Survive In California's blog to read what James had to say. This is the time to stock up on nickles, before they disappear.

Brain-Freeze

2010-02-22T10:25:00.000-08:00

Remember eating ice cream and getting a "brain-freeze" or instant headache from the cold treat? That's not the brain-freeze I'm talking about. This one is about automatically and immediately responding to certain circumstances. This is part of preparing for emergencies. After you are faced with an emergency is not the time to get a book out to read about what to do. It is good training to visualize your responses to emergencies way before you are faced with them. The Preparedness Pro has a great post on this subject that I wanted to share with you.

There is a book called, "Everyday Survival: Why Smart People Do Stupid Things," by Laurence Gonzales, that explains how we often don't realize that we are in danger even when we see it. Mr. Gonzales also has another book along the same line called, "Deep Survival." One example he gives of this phenomenon in the second book, is where a skier is skiing down a slope and touches off an avalanche. His three buddies are at the bottom of the mountain. They see the avalanche coming down towards them and two ski away. The third one just stands there, on his skis, and watches the avalanche. It reaches the man, covers him with snow and kills him. The question Mr. Gonzales answers is why did two leave and the one not. These books can be a real eye-opener. We need to practice so our bodies will instinctively react in our best interest.

Shrinking Products

2010-02-20T14:10:00.000-08:00

Have you noticed how products at the market are shrinking? I have used recipes that I have had for many years that called for a 16 ounce can of something, but today they only sell 14 ounce cans. Recently, I bought a 6-pack of paper towels, thinking that I was getting the better deal. Not so--there were fewer sheets per roll. Toilet paper is now thinner width-wise (unless you buy a special huge roll), and yesterday I was thinking that the toilet paper "squares" are even shorter. Sometimes I will buy a box of food, but the inner bag is much smaller than the box, when it used to be full. We won't even go into cost increases! We may need to re-think some of our year's supply of various items to make sure these smaller products will actually cover our 365 days of needs.

Ready?

2010-02-17T10:18:00.000-08:00

Do you have enough food to last a week or two in an emergency? One would expect that people in snow country would keep plenty of food on hand, just in case a big snowstorm blew in (which happens every year). Apparently not, according to one blogger. Miss Celie, in Baltimore, Maryland, stopped at the store on her way home from work--see what she found! I think the majority of people there aren't prepared for emergencies. It's the same thing where hurricanes are common--the stores are cleaned out just before the bad weather hits. I urge everyone to stock up so that you would have enough food to last at least two weeks, for emergency purposes.

[Picture is from Miss Celie's blog].

Free Emergency Ebook

2010-02-15T08:37:00.000-08:00

I'm always trying to learn new things about being prepared. M.D. Cheekmore, of the Survivalist Blog, has a free ebook [it takes a few seconds to load] called, "It's The End Of The World As We Know It And I Feel Fine." Don't be put off by the name as it is "A Quick and Dirty Guide to Survival Planning." It covers the basics that you need for getting through emergency situations. Cheekmore is way ahead of me in being prepared and his knowledge is vast, covering many different aspects of preparedness. Some things may seem way out there for some, but he covers a multitude of topics. He also has guest writers that cover various topics.

Cheekmore also has a weekly post on Saturdays, where he says what he has done for the week to be more prepared, and asks readers what they have done to prep. It is interesting to read what people are buying, making and doing to be prepared for emergencies. It helps me to broaden my view as to what I could be doing.

Getting Started With Food Storage

2010-02-12T13:09:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about Melanie's question about buying food-storage items locally instead of on the internet (buying non-food items will be covered later). I have a few things that I found helpful for me when I started stocking up on my food storage.

1. The Mormon's have a website (here) that will help anyone figure out what is needed for a family's one-year supply of food. This church has a storehouse in Fresno where they dry-pack (can) different food storage items, such as wheat, rice, oats, dehydrated apple slices, beans, flour, cocoa mix, etc., for a reasonable price (no freeze-dried foods). These items are for the church members, although non-members may purchase these items IF they go through a member. (A printable order form is here) . The order is phoned in by the member, and in a couple of weeks the member will be called and told when the order is ready to be picked up. Then the member, plus non-member if they want, will pay for and pick up the order. These items are sold in #10 cans, pouches, or in bulk.

2. For help with making a plan for buying, storing and eating food storage, Everyday Food Storage has a network of 3 or 4 websites that work together to guide you along. This, and the other links on our side-bar, show various ways to go about planning and buying food storage.

3. When I really got serious about stocking up, I used an Excel program that I found online, but I can't seem to find it now. The Food Storage Shopper has a special way of using coupons, which I found beneficial, especially when I used it with the Excel program--I saw huge savings.

I will explain how the Excel program worked:

Column one was for the item name.
Column two was the name of the store where I purchased the item at the lowest price.
Column three was for the cost of the item, at the lowest price I had found anywhere.
Column four was for how many ounces the product weighted.

At this point, when you tabbed over, it calculated the cost per ounce of the item (column five).

The second half of this program was for my base price information, so I knew what the product normally cost.

Column six was the base price in the market that I went to the most.
Column seven was the cost per item.
Column eight was how many ounces the product weighted.
Column nine was where you tabbed over and it calculated the cost per ounce of the product.

With this spreadsheet, I would take the market ads (including Walmart, Target, and the "drug" stores near my home), and my coupons, then I could plug-in the sale price into my spreadsheet to tell if the ads were the best price. I could see what the lowest price I had ever found the item for, and the normal everyday price. Adding the coupon to a really low priced item would give me a great discount, so I was getting more products with my limited funds. If the price was not at or below my "lowest" price, I would wait--the store ads run in cycles and they would have the "lowest" price, again. I also went to Costco and wrote down their everyday prices, and put them into the Excel program if they were the "lowest" price.

I hope that makes sense. It seems wordy to me for how simple it really is. If you know how to set up an Excel spreadsheet with calculations, then you won't have any problems with this.

Plum Jam and Plum-Strawberry Jam

2010-02-10T13:15:00.000-08:00

Bill has been at it again---he and his wife made 21 jars each of Plum Jam and Plum-Strawberry Jam last Monday.

Plum Jam

6 cups pureed plums
1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded, and pureed in 1/2 cup water
7 cups sugar
1 package pectin
1 tsp. butter or margarine

1. Measure exact amount of fruit and Jalapeno water mixture into a saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

2. Measure exact amount of sugar into a separate bowl; set aside.

3. Stir pectin into fruit mixture once it has cooked, and add butter to reduce foaming.

4. Return mixture to a full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly.

5. Stir in sugar quickly. Return to a full rolling boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and gently stir in any foam that may have formed.

6. Ladle quickly into prepared jars, filling to 1/4 inch from the top.

7. With a clean, damp towel, wipe jar rim and threads. Cover with lid and ring. Screw ring tightly.

8. Place jars in an elevated rack over boiling water (in a water bath canner), and lower rack into canner. Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches.

9. Cover, bring water to a gentle boil. Process 10 minutes.

10. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. Allow to set 24 hours before using.

Note: Bill didn't say how the Plum-Strawberry Jam was made, but likely the fruit called for was half plum puree and half strawberry puree, enough to equal 6 cups.

Canning Meatballs

2010-02-08T12:47:00.000-08:00

A question was posted a few days ago and I will address it here. The question was: could they can their own recipe of meatballs, which used venison, eggs and Parmesan cheese.

Any kind of meat, including fish, may be canned and they all need to pressure can for the same amount of time--75 minutes for pints, and 90 minutes for quarts, at 10 pounds pressure. (I read about a woman that kept her dog well fed during WWII by catching rodents and canning the meat. IF we were under a long-term national/world meltdown, we could do this for our own benefit).

Eggs are included in the Italian Meatball recipe that was posted before, linked here, so they work just fine. The plain meatballs that I canned didn't have any eggs, but they did have cracker crumbs and that worked well, too (recipe here).

As to adding the Parmesan cheese, it would probably be best to add that when you are preparing to serve the meatballs (after they are canned). Cheese and canning generally don't go together too well. When you go to can your own recipe of meatballs, add some Parmesan cheese to one jar's worth of meatballs, mark the lid with a Marks-A-Lot permanent marker, and pressure can it along with the other meatballs. Then you can test how they come out--it might just work! If you do this testing, please let us know what you find out, so we can share with others. Thanks for the question!

Getting Prepared

2010-02-05T16:08:00.000-08:00

Today I was thinking about all of the things I have done to be prepared for emergencies. I have done a lot--I have my year's food supply, I have various ways of cooking without power, I have most of my first aid stuff, and I have my bug-out bag. The food storage really needs a bit more variety; my first aid stuff needs to be organized and finished up; and my bug-out bag needs to be revamped, since I have learned more about what to include in this bag. After thinking about all of these needs, I started to get overwhelmed. Has this happened to you? What did you do? Where do you begin? It's all important and I guess that's the problem. I am sure there are others that could benefit from your answers, especially those that are new to preparing. Please share what you have learned and what has worked for you!

Reusing Canning Lids

2010-02-03T17:22:00.000-08:00

There has been much discussion about reusing canning lids. Manufactures say that they should not be used more than once. Many people that home can food have stated that they have reused their lids several times. When I grew up on the farm, I remember my grandmother (my teacher) taking previously used lids from a shoe box and putting them in the boiling water in a pan. When you are on a farm and quite frugal, many things are reused. We couldn’t run to town when we wanted lids for canning.

I experimented with a batch of meatballs and a batch of diced chicken breasts the other day. I put up 18 wide mouth pints with used lids. Of the 18 pints there was one that did not seal. This provided us with dinner that night and 17 jars for future dinners. Not a bad average if I do say so.

Everyone has to make their own decision about reusing lids or not when canning.

Happy canning,

--Bill

Preparedness Stores in Fresno

2010-02-03T16:56:00.000-08:00

A month ago Melanie posted a question--Are there any preparedness stores in Fresno (CA)? I was suppose to get back to her, but I had to leave before I could. When she asked that, I was thinking of food storage. Talking about it with Bill, his take was that she might be looking for preparedness equipment. So, Melanie, you need to get back to us! We have our email address set up, or you can just post here. Either way, we will answer those questions in a post.

Italian Meatballs

2010-02-01T16:25:00.000-08:00

There has been a request for the Italian Meatballs recipe. We have it posted on our previous emergency blog, and you can link to it here.

Penny asked if Parmesan cheese can be added to the meatballs before canning. Dairy products don't can well. I tried canning a 1/2 pint of cheddar cheese just to see what would happen--and it wasn't pretty! I have never tried to eat it, although I am sure it wouldn't hurt me. Cheese can be kept on the shelf for years if you just put wax on it. There is wax called cheese wax that you use. I got the cheese and cheese wax, but alas, I got sidetracked and it never got done.

You may find a method online on how to can butter. This is not pressure canned, but the butter is heated until melted, put into sterilized jars, and then the lids "seal" when it cools. There is some concern by the government that butter is not to be canned (the reason is that they have not done the research on it to give it their approval). Many people have been using this method of canning butter for many years and have never had a problem. I was going to "can" butter and I purchased ten pounds when it was on special, but I never got beyond that because I was sidetracked, again. You can buy commercially canned butter, but it is very expensive.

The Rewards of Canning

2010-01-29T15:02:00.000-08:00

Many of us have experienced the joy of going to the pantry and gloried over the rows and rows of jars on the shelf. Jars of food we had put aside ourselves. Knowing the ingredients met our personal standards and was preserved without added chemicals.

A few weeks back I had the privilege of teaching this principle to three young mothers while putting up Italian Meatballs. We discussed the processes and procedures of canning, and then the subject got around to knowing what we were putting in our bodies. Two of the ladies were expecting babies in the near future and were concerned about all the preservatives in much of the food purchased in retail stores. When we finished the session, it was well understood that the home-canned products were natural and wholesome.

A few days ago I receive the wonderful confirmation that the labor put forth that day was definitely worth the effort. A few jars of the meatballs, plus pears, were sent to my daughter, who was recovering from surgery, when Grandma went to help out. My daughter has two energetic boys (4 and 6 years old) and a beautiful 4 month old daughter to care for.

Our six year old grandson called and told me that his daddy made Meatball Sandwiches for dinner and they were wonderful. When asked how daddy made them he said that they were put in sauce (home canned pasta sauce) and then on rolls. When asked if they were as good as the sandwich shop, he stated BETTER! His father was in the background and said to send more pears. They loved them.

It does a body good to know that you are providing products that are wholesome and healthy. I encourage each person to continue with your quest to become more self sufficient and put food aside throughout the year. As I have said before, “Canning is not just for the summer harvest.”

We encourage you to comment to any of our postings and also send us your pictures with a write up. It’s likely to show up on the blog. Send your information to "prep4emergencies@gmail.com".

Thanks, Bill

Returning . . .

2010-01-24T10:08:00.000-08:00

I am returning home this week and will post Friday. This is a picture looking from the back of the house where I am now, in Sandpoint, Idaho (an hour south of the Canadian border). Thank you for your patience.

I Will Be Gone . . .

2010-01-11T16:43:00.001-08:00

I have had a death in my family and will be out of town for the next couple of weeks, so I will likely not be posting. Thank you for your patience.

Canning Is Not Just For Summer Harvest

2010-01-08T13:45:00.000-08:00

A couple of days ago I had the distinct pleasure of teaching this very principle to three young mothers who had trepidations about canning proteins. Each had processed jams and jellies, but never any meat products. We began with instruction on the importance of sanitation and safety when handling proteins.

There is no real reason to fear canning low acid foods like vegetables, proteins, or one pot meals (meatballs, diced meats, stews, soups, etc.). If you follow the basic instructions provided for processing these items and use a pressure canner, there will be no problems. Purchase your special buy items in bulk, process them immediately or freeze them and put them up when you have time. Or, better yet, gather some friends and have a canning party. One day of friendship and fun will provide many quick and pleasant meals. We were able to can Italian Meatballs, Spicy Mexican Meatballs and Diced Chicken Breasts. The recipe for Italian Meatballs was posted previously. (Additional recipes will follow next week).--post by Bill.

Canning in Winter

2010-01-06T17:02:00.000-08:00

Winter is a great time to can meats, soups, meals, and beans. Then, during the summer, all you have to concentrate on canning is the truck-load of fruits and vegetables that are available at Farmer's Markets or from your own garden. Last summer I got the canning bug and canned everything, and my power bill reflected it. During the summer there is enough strain on the power grid, so I will do some of my canning during the winter. I still have frozen tomatoes to process into spaghetti sauce, which we use a lot of. This is another way to ease summer canning when there are just too many tomatoes!

My mother-in-law has been sick with a bad cold, and it was a treat for me to take her home some canned soup--Squash Soup, Sausage Soup, Turkey Soup, and White Chili, which is a kind of soup. She was thrilled to get the soups! It's nice to have them on hand when you need them.

Recently, Bill taught three ladies how to can meat. He will send me pictures of their work for posting.

Planning For A Canning Garden

2010-01-04T09:35:00.000-08:00

Now is a good time to plan what garden produce you want to can or freeze next summer. The seed catalogs are arriving in mailboxes and the vegetables look so good! Ordering seeds now is easy--if you wait too long into the spring, the seeds you want may be sold out. Try some different vegetables that are new to you. Try growing some beans that are used dry, for hardy soups later on (food storage). If you will be canning or freezing vegetables, make sure they state on the label that they are for canning and freezing--otherwise, they will likely be mushy and unpalatable after all of your hard work.

Comfort Foods---Artisan Bread

2009-12-30T13:44:00.000-08:00

To me there is nothing better than fresh, hot bread. Along with soft butter, I could make a meal of it! But, I do have restraint and have never done that--although I have been tempted! The current issue of Mother Earth News has a great article on healthy no-knead bread. It is about the second book by Jeff Hertburg and Zoe Francois called, "Healthy Bread In Five Minutes A Day." Their first book was written about in Mother Earth News last spring; I made the recipe and then bought the book. The bread is super good! I haven't tried the recipes in the new article, but I am sure they will be just as good.

The bread is mixed up with a spoon--no knead!-- and set to rise. Then it is put into the refrigerator. When you want to have fresh, hot bread with dinner, just remove how much bread dough you want to use, shape it and let it rise; then bake. It's really that simple! And, the taste!! It is soooo good! The instructions cover every little detail, so don't get discouraged by its length. By the time you read through the information you will be a bread expert. The recipe is at towards the end of the article, but I would suggest you read through the information that comes before it. You can find this article here.

[The picture is from Mother Earth News].

Comfort Foods---Creamy Cauliflower Soup

2009-12-28T13:39:00.000-08:00

This is another recipe from "Quick Cooking" and it is really good, too. It has five ingredients and is "ready in 15 minutes or less"--my kind of recipe! This recipe was submitted by Heather Kasprick.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

1 medium head of cauliflower, broken into florets
2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
1 can (14-1/4 ounces) chicken broth
2 cups milk

Place cauliflower in a saucepan with 1 inch of water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, combine soups, broth and milk; heat through. Drain cauliflower; stir into soup.
Yield: 9 servings.

Canning---Meatballs

2009-12-26T11:38:00.000-08:00

Penny left a wonderful comment a couple of days ago and shared what she has been canning. She has caught the canning bug like many of us, and has canned fruit, vegetables, meats and meals. She mentioned that she was going to be canning ground beef, and I told her that I have canned meatballs with great success (they go great with home canned spaghetti sauce!). Bill has a recipe for Italian Meatballs on out previous blog (see side-bar for link) and he likes to brown the meatballs before canning. My meatballs are raw-packed, so there is less fuss and cleanup. Either way--you're the winner!

Meatballs—8 wide-mouth pints

4 lbs. ground beef
1 stack of saltine crackers, crushed
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. salt
fresh ground pepper

Have the canner heating while you make the meatballs. Mix ingredients by hand; make meatballs using a 1-teaspoon measuring spoon. I worked with one quarter of the beef at a time, with the rest in the refrigerator (it's easier to work with the meat chilled).

Put meatballs into the jars, leaving 1" headspace. Add hot lids, tighten rings.

Process: pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure
—pints 75 minutes
—quarts 90 minutes

[I'm sorry that I don't have a picture--we've eaten all the meatballs I canned!].

Comfort Foods---Fresh, Hot Dinner Rolls

2009-12-22T13:43:00.000-08:00

NO KNEAD! I have been making these rolls for most of my married life (40 years--to the same guy!). They are delicious and very easy to make. And, the best part is that they are a batter dough, no kneading. They turn out just as good (no one knows the difference) to kneaded rolls. I have even put the ingredients into my breadmaker to mix up the dough for me and they come out perfect. To scald milk, heat it over medium heat until tiny bubbles form around the edge of the pan (if heated too hot it will burn).

Basic Roll Dough

1 package of active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
* * * *
1 cup milk, scalded
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg

Soften yeast in warm water (110'). Combine milk, sugar, shortening, and salt; cool to lukewarm. Add 1 1/2 cups of flour; beat well. Beat in yeast and egg. Gradually add remaining flour to form soft dough, beating well. Place in greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover and let rise till double (1 1/2 to 2 hours).

Turn out on lightly floured surface and shape as desired. Cover and let shaped rolls rise till double (30 to 45 minutes). Bake on greased baking sheet or in greased muffin pans in hot oven (400') for 12 to 15 minutes.

Makes 2 dozen Cloverleafs, Butter Fans, or Bowknots, or 3 dozen Parker House.

[This recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book; I got it as a wedding gift in 1969].

Comfort Foods---Cheeseburger Meat Loaf

2009-12-20T17:00:00.000-08:00

I have never liked meatloaf, but my husband does, so I have tried many different recipes. The one that I found that I do like is the Cheeseburger Meat Loaf. It is simple and quick to make, and very tasty to eat! This recipe is from Taste of Home's "Quick Cooking", and was submitted by Paula Sullivan. I haven't made this for a while, so it will be what's for dinner at my house tomorrow!

Cheeseburger Meat Loaf

1/2 cup ketchup, divided
1 egg
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 tsp. onion powder
1 pound lean ground beef
2 tsp. prepared mustard
2 tsp. dill pickle relish
6 slices American cheese

In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup ketchup, egg, bread crumbs and onion powder. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. On a large piece of waxed paper, pat the beef mixture into a 10-inch x 6-inch rectangle. Spread the remaining ketchup over meat to within 1/2-inch of long sides and 1 1/2-inches of short sides. Top with the mustard and relish.

Place four cheese slices on top; set remaining cheese aside. Roll up loaf, jelly-roll style, starting with a short side and pulling away waxed paper while rolling. Seal seams and ends well. Place loaf, seam side down, in a greased 11-inch x 7-inch x 2-inch baking pan.

Bake at 350' for 45 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and a meat thermometer reads 160'. Cut the reserved cheese slices in half diagonally; place on top of loaf. Return to the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
Yield: 6 servings.

[Picture is the same as in the "Quick Cooking" book for this recipe].

Comfort Foods---Magic Fudge Sauce

2009-12-16T15:07:00.000-08:00

I have made this and given it as gifts this year! Although I don't eat chocolate, it sure smells good! I found this recipe on Crystal's Everyday Food Storage blog. The picture is from her blog, too--doesn't it look good?! This woman really knows how to use food storage in creative and yummy ways. This is one quick and easy way to satisfy a chocolate craving!

Magic Fudge Sauce

1 cup (6 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter, cubed
3 tbsp. evaporated milk

In a heavy saucepan, combine chocolate chips, butter and milk. Cook and stir over low heat until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Serve warm over ice Cream (Sauce will harden.) Sprinkle with almonds. Refrigerate any leftovers. Sauce can be reheated in the microwave. Yield: about 1 Cup

Turkey Soup---Part Two

2009-12-16T15:02:00.000-08:00

Looking at the Turkey Soup process I posted last time, it looks kind of overwhelming! Really it isn't, it just takes time. Basically all you do is cook the turkey in the canner, using it as a pressure cooker. Then you make the soup and can it just like you would any other food with meat. If you have help it goes much faster, too! So, don't hesitate to try this, maybe on a smaller scale, because it is soooo good!

Home Canned Turkey Soup

2009-12-14T17:29:00.000-08:00

[These ingredients are approximate; you can also add other vegetables if you want, such as green beans, corn; rice and noodles are not the best for canning purposes, you can add them when reheating the soup].

Make sure your jars and lids are close by and ready to be scalded when the soup is ready to can.

about 25- 30 lbs. turkey (I usually get 2 turkeys free at Thanksgiving when I purchase other food at the market)
2 lbs. carrots, peeled, sliced
2 large onions, chopped
10 lbs. potatoes, peeled, cut into med-small chunks
3 bunches celery, sliced

Put the thawed turkeys into two large pressure canners (I have one and I borrow one). SEE THE CANNER BOOKLET FOR COOKING INSTRUCTIONS--DO NOT FILL MORE THAN 2/3 FULL. Add a few bay leaves if you want, cut up cloves of garlic, chunked onions, and water up to the "fill" line (this will make the best broth!).

Pressure cook the turkeys 60 minutes at 15 pounds pressure. Let the canner cool on it's own.

Remove the meat from the canner and de-bone. Cut into the size pieces you want.

Pour broth through a strainer into another large pot or soup kettle. Clean out the canners.

[At this point, everything can be cooled down and the canning can be done the next day].

As you heat the broth, chop the vegetables. Add any seasonings you want, just be careful as some herbs turn bitter during the canning process. I usually just add pepper (I add salt when I reheat the soup). In the mean time--start heating the water in your canners.

Add the vegetables to the broth and simmer 5 minutes.

Scald jars and lids.

Put meat and vegetables into the jars, fill with broth up to the "fill" line--there is a line on the jar just below the lowest lip, below where the ring will go--just under an inch of headspace.

Wipe the jars thoroughly to remove any turkey fat. Add lids and rings. Put into the pressure canners and follow the canning booklet instructions.

Pressure can the turkey soup for 90 minutes at 10 pounds pressure.

This last batch of turkey soup made 28 quarts of soup, plus 2 gallons more of broth! This recipe can be halved or divided into fourths (use a chicken instead of a turkey!).

[I apologize, I don't remember where online I got this recipe, otherwise I would give the reference. If I remember it, I will put it here].

50 Things to Make With A Jar Of Pasta Sauce

2009-12-11T19:42:00.000-08:00

Spaghetti and pasta sauce comes in many flavors and is a real comfort food. But, you can only eat so much spaghetti. If you have a couple of dozen jars of spaghetti/pasta sauce in your food storage, there are many more recipes using that sauce that will give you the versatility you want. You can go to the Food Network where they have a list of 50 recipes, each using spaghetti/pasta sauce--surely you will find several that your family would like!

Comfort Foods---Tomato Soup

2009-12-09T15:25:00.000-08:00

I was visiting the Self-Reliant Sisters blog and saw this recipe for Easy Tomato Soup that sounded really good--besides being very quick and easy--and would be especially comforting on chilly winter nights. I have not tried this soup yet, but I will!

Easy Tomato Soup

3 jars tomato basil spaghetti/pasta sauce
1 quart whipping cream
2 (14-15 oz. cans) chicken broth

In a crockpot mix all ingredients together and cook on high for 2 hours or on low for 4 hours.

This recipe takes just about as much effort as to open a can of commercial tomato soup, but I would bet this recipe tastes better! Because of the whipping cream, this soup cannot be canned. Cream soups can be frozen, although the cream might separate when it is reheated. If that occurs, the soup can be wisked or blendered, to remix.

[Picture is not of the recipe listed].

Home Remedy---Coughing

2009-12-07T16:03:00.000-08:00

I am getting over a cold and last night as I was talking to my Mother on the phone, I got a tickle in my throat and I started coughing. I took a sip of water, but that didn't help. I took a bigger drink of water and even that didn't stop my coughing. My Mother said to put a little dab of salt on my tongue---it worked! I was amazed at how fast it worked! Give it a try some time and see if the salt helps quiet your cough!

Comfort Foods---Stew

2009-12-07T15:56:00.000-08:00

Stew is an easy comfort food, one that can simmer on the stove or in the crockpot. I canned a few quarts of stew last summer and have enjoyed them this fall. Another "fast food" to have on hand! Just open the jar, heat, and thicken with a little flour or cornstarch and water. Add a homemade biscuit or hot bread and you have it made!

Comfort Foods---Turkey Soup

2009-12-04T14:37:00.000-08:00

My son and I made Turkey Soup the two days following Thanksgiving. I had two turkeys just for this purpose (they were free with purchase of other food at the market). I ended up with 56 pints of the most wonderful soup! I have been down with a cold this week and have this soup to give me comfort as I work my way back to good health.

If anyone is interested in how this soup was made, just post a comment and I will share how we made it.

Comfort Foods

2009-12-04T14:25:00.000-08:00

Because the weather is getting colder, and colds and flu are impacting our lives, our focus this month will be on comfort foods. One of the easiest kinds of comfort food is also a "fast-food"--home canned soups, stews and meals-in-a-jar. All you have to do is open the jar, pour the contents into a container, and either heat on the stove or in a microwave. Add crackers, biscuits, or a toasted grilled cheese sandwich for a very comforting and tasty meal. Here in California we are expecting several days of rain, starting this weekend. If you add working, holiday shopping, and kids in school, a nice hot bowl of homemade food at the end of the day will hit the spot.

Vitamin C and Pine Trees

2009-11-30T14:39:00.000-08:00

Riverwalker, over on his blog, Stealth Survival, brings up an important thought about getting a good dose of vitamin C during an emergency: pine needles. Pine needles, especially the new, light green needles, are full of vitamin C. All you need to do is make a tea, or "soup" as he calls it, by steeping a handful of needles in some hot water. A touch of honey can be added for a little extra flavor. He says that different types of pine trees have slightly different flavors.

Water

2009-11-28T11:21:00.000-08:00

Water is necessary for life. We lose water constantly, through physical exertion, certain medications, illness, breathing through our mouths, diarrhea, vomiting, and bleeding.

"Thirst should never be an indicator of when or how much to drink. Being thirsty is a sign that you're already a quart to a quart and a half low. To make matter worse, somewhere down the line in dehydrationville, the thirst mechanism stops working altogether.

The best way to tell if you're maximally hydrated is the color of our urine. It should be as clear as the water you drink, with no color whatsoever."

[From: "When All Hell Breaks Loose"--by Cody Lundin].

Vitamins and Minerals

2009-11-26T10:06:00.000-08:00

If you are preparing for an emergency by storing food, you will need to have a year's supply of multi-vitamins, for each person, to supplement your nutrition.

"If you are currently taking any vitamin or mineral supplements you may want to check with the manufacturer to determine the storage life of these items. Once you have determined what you want to store it would be best to store them in a cool, dry and dark place for the longest storage life. Most multi-vitamin and mineral manufacturers we consulted say their product has full potency up to 3 years. At the end of three years it does not mean you need to discard them, it merely means that they are less potent."

[From: "Basic Preparedness" by The Survival Center, Inc., p. 35].

Alternate Power Sources---Treadle Sewing Machines

2009-11-23T16:02:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of my treadle sewing machine and it really works. It is not a Singer (there is no name on it at all), but my sewing machine repair guy said it likely was made in New England. It is an old machine, and a really nice one. It is not a family heirloom, my Grandmother bought it many years ago. She gave it to me when I was a teenager, and I sewed all of my clothes on it when I was in high school and junior college. I got married and didn't have room for it, so I gave it to my Mom. My Dad refinished the cabinet, and I got it back, again, several years ago. If there was an extended emergency of some sort, people's clothing would start to wear out from constant use, and there might not be clothing to replace them with. Even without electricity I could sew clothes, for my family and others. This could easily work into something I could barter with. I do have quite a stash of fabrics, although not the sort of fabrics that could be used as work clothes or quilts! I will have to stock up on those types of fabrics as part of my emergency preparation.

Earthquakes

2009-11-20T11:36:00.000-08:00

Here in the Central Valley of California, earthquakes are our most likely natural disaster. There are many things we can do to prepare for such an event:

1. Repair defective electrical wiring, leaky gas lines, and inflexible utility connections. Get appropriate professional help. Do not work with gas or electrical lines yourself.

2. Bolt down and secure to the wall studs your water heater, refrigerator, furnace, and gas appliances. If recommended by your gas company, have an automatic gas shut-off valve installed that is triggered by strong vibrations.

3. Place large or heavy objects on lower shelves. Fasten shelves, mirrors and large picture frames to walls. Brace high and top-heavy objects.

4. Store bottled foods, glass, china, and other breakables on low shelves or in cabinets that fasten shut.

5. Anchor overhead lighting fixtures.

6. Be sure the residence is firmly anchored to its foundation.

7. Install flexible pipe fittings to avoid gas or water leaks. Flexible fittings are more resistant to breakage.

8. Locate safe spots in each room under a sturdy table or against an inside wall. Reinforce this information by moving to these places during each drill.

9. Hold earthquake drills with your family members: Drop, cover, and hold on!

[From: "Are You Ready?"--FEMA, p. 95-96].

Money, and Other Problems

2009-11-18T16:02:00.000-08:00

As I was driving to the market today, listening to a local call-in radio station, a caller was talking about when the terrorists attacked America on 9/11. He said he worked down the street from the the towers that were hit. When that happened he wanted to take his family and money, and flee to Canada, only four hours away. His thinking was that the towers were hit, the Pentagon was hit, and he was afraid that the nuclear power plant would be hit. He went to his bank and asked that his CDs be cashed in. The teller said that his CDs were traded on the stock market, the market was closed, so he couldn't cash them in. This caller was trying to get across to the listeners that there will be unexpected obstacles when there is a need to bug-out. I am sure that there are many little things, that could actually end up being big things, that will go wrong when times get bad. The caller was urging people to be as prepared as possible, for anything possible. How prepared are you?

Dehydrating Cooked Beans and Rice

2009-11-17T14:58:00.000-08:00

This post is from Preparing To Survive in California.

William Lankes says that a friend sent this to him (no name to give credit):

By cooking and dehydrating beans and rice in advance, you can save time and energy when using them for a meal.

First I cook the rice or beans fully! Then I spread it on cookie sheets and dry it at about 200 degrees for about 4 or 5 hours. To test I put some dehydrated rice in cold water. Cold because I figured if it would rehydrate in cold it would do great with hot. It rehydrated great. So now, in soups, or just a dish, all I have to do is soak it in cold water, and add it to a dish I am warming. Also, if we do have more problems and work than we think it sure will be a lot quicker. And one more thing. It is crunchy and not all bad! My 17 year old son grabs a handful every time he passes the cookie sheet I've taken from the oven.

We also presently eat our dehydrated corn (with salt) just as it is. My husband has taken pinches of most everything (spinach, collards, pineapple (I have to hide), etc. and has eaten them dry. He said they are not bad at all and he could tolerate them. So, there you have it.

I bet it's alot cheaper than buying it at Wallyworld.

[I'm going to try this--it sounds like it would work!--Prepped].

What Skills Do You Have?

2009-11-13T15:45:00.000-08:00

"Even if some of you have a millionaire's budget, you need to learn how to do things for yourself, and be willing to get your hands dirty. In a societal collapse, the division of labor will be reduced tremendously. Odds are that the only 'skilled craftsmen' available to build a shed, mend a fence, shuck corn, repair an engine, or pitch manure will be you and your family."

[From: "How To Survive The End Of The World As We Know It"--James Wesley, Rawles, p. 17]

Being Prepared

2009-11-11T15:11:00.000-08:00

Kellene, the Preparedness Pro, has brought up a good point about being prepared. Her articulate article, Tornado Warnings for Us All, is not about tornadoes, but about being prepared for what is happening in the world today.

On the Idaho Preppers Network, there is an article that is meant to inspire people to be preparing to be dependent on themselves and their neighbors when trouble starts in.

Jim Rawles of the Survival Blog is all about survival, of course, and he says: "The purpose of [his] Blog is to inform and motivate readers to take steps that will help prepare themselves and their families. Survival is not just about guns, groceries and gadgets. More importantly, it is about having friends that you can trust when times get hard, such as for:

--A Dollar Crisis/Monetary Collapse (witness the current hyperinflation in Zimbabwe)
--Naturally occurring plague or pandemic
--Nuclear Blackmail (North Korea and China have already made public threats)
--Terrorist LNG fuel sector or power grid attack
--Terrorist nuclear, biological, or chemical attack
--Fuel and/or food shortage crisis
--Major volcanic and/or earthquake events
--Nation-state nuclear, biological, or chemical attack

What I am getting at is that there are a lot of people, from many different viewpoints, all saying that we need to be prepared, and to get it done now, and they show us different ways to prepare. Our LDS church leaders have also warned us for many years to be prepared. How are you doing? Are you ready?

Alternate Power Sources--Solar Jar Cooker

2009-11-09T13:57:00.000-08:00

People are so creative! Who would have thought to take a quart (or larger) canning jar, paint it black, put food in a baking bag, put the bag in the jar, and set it in the sun to cook the food! Kellene, The Preparedness Pro, did just that! You don't need any fancy solar oven in an emergency, but you do need a jar, a baking bag, and black paint. To learn more, go here. This picture shows what the jar looks like once it's painted [from solarcooking.org]. To see a variety of homemade solar cookers, go here.

Medical Handbook

2009-11-07T13:47:00.000-08:00

Riverwalker has free downloads (in three parts) of the U.S. Army Special Forces Medical Handbook here. All it will cost you is the ink and paper from your printer, and you will have a medical reference to go with your first aid kit.

If you don't want to print it up, you can find the book at online bookstores, like Amazon (cost: $20.00).

Skills for Survival

2009-11-05T16:19:00.001-08:00

If the worst happened and we had to do things for ourselves, we would need to have various skills--we would need to know more than first aid and cooking over a fire. M.D. Cheekmore, at thesurvivalistblog, has created a list of links of skills that would be important to learn. We could apply those lessons to keeping our own family alive, and also teach others that are not prepared. To read about these skills, go here.

Salt

2009-11-04T15:32:00.000-08:00

Riverwalker has posted a list of ways to use salt in a survival situation. There's more to salt than just adding it to food! Go here to learn more.

Medicines

2009-11-03T14:27:00.000-08:00

If there was a sudden emergency, and you had to depend on your personal supply of food and necessities, how long would your medicines last? Especially important are your prescription drugs. Have you stocked up? Consider talking to your doctor to see if you can have a three-months supply on hand.

I think about my Mother, who is on oxygen 24 hours a day. My parents live in snow country, with occasional power outages. My Mother has a machine that makes oxygen from the air, but it runs on electricity. She also has one bottle of oxygen that is used when she is out of the house. If their power is out for several days and the roads are blocked with snow, that one bottle of oxygen won't last long.

Evacuation Kits---Light Weight Food

2009-11-02T13:19:00.000-08:00

This is the start of November and I will be posting about a variety of things, some of which would have fit into past post categories. If there is anything you would like me to post about, please let me know!

--------------------------------------------

If you thought that the food list in a bug-out bag would be too heavy for you to carry, here is another list to consider. It isn't the healthiest, nor does it give the feeling of being full, but it would give you the necessary energy to get to where you need to go with just six pounds of food to carry. To read the article written by Brian Dolge, go here.

Vacation Time!

2009-10-25T10:49:00.000-07:00

I apologize for not posting for a couple of days--I am in Los Angeles on vacation. I thought I would have time to post, but I was wrong. For my husband's birthday he wanted to go to Disneyland for a few days. We will be back some time this weekend.

Alternate Power Sources---Wood Cook Stoves

2009-10-21T16:43:00.000-07:00

If your power will be out for several days or weeks or months, do you have another way to cook? The solar oven is great when you have sunshine, but what about weeks of heavy fog (which we get in the valley every fall and winter), or weeks of rain or snow clouds? You might be interested in a wood cook stove. This is different than a wood stove to heat your house, although you can cook on the top of those, too. There are new and used wood cook stoves available; you just need a way to get the smoke outside, and to make sure the walls and floor are protected against the heat. Around 1900 some wood cook stove companies started adding a propane tank for an alternate way of cooking. They also made propane cook stoves called ranges.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to cook and bake using a wood cook stove? Sharon explains why she loves to cook with wood here. My Mom and Dad had a wood cook stove about 30 years ago (it was in a house they bought) and they cooked on it and also baked in it. The only complaint they had was that it heated the house up too much in the summer. They live in Idaho, an hour below the Canadian border, so it is snow country. They still have a wood stove and use it in the winter, especially when the power is off.

Alternate Power Sources---Bicycles

2009-10-20T15:21:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered how you would wash your clothes if the power was out for an extended period of time? About 35 years ago I made a photo-copy of a line drawing showing a bicycle that had the back wheel removed, then the bike was placed on a stand (a stationary bike). A belt replaced the chain and was connected from the bike to a washing machine. Pedaling the bike made the gears move, thus the clothes were washed. That picture has since disappeared, but the concept is still the same.

There are other ways to wash clothes. My youngest son lived in a poor part of Mexico City for two years and had to use a concrete washboard to wash his clothes (this was about 18 years ago). I think that would be a harsh way to wash clothes.

There is a James Hand Washer, where you rock the unit back and forth to create the washing motion. There is a wringer at one end of the unit to remove most of the water from the clothing. These washers can easily be found on the internet.

The "Wonder Washer" is a table-top container that you put the clothes, water and soap into, then hand crank it. The pressure builds up and forces the soapy water into the fibers and the turning helps release the dirt. This can be put in a car that will be moving, which will wash the clothes for you. These can also easily be found on the internet.

A 5-gallon bucket, clean plunger, and a mop wringer is another way to wash clothes. Even a washboard would work, although I think a wooden one would be better than concrete one! Doing the wash by hand is hard on the hands, arms and back, but it has been done for centuries.

Alternate Power Sources---Solar Ovens

2009-10-19T13:18:00.000-07:00

Last spring I bought a solar oven and have used it several times. It works great! Cooking time is not as crucial, you can leave food in the cooker longer than usual and it won't burn. A solar oven will cook almost anything a regular oven will cook.

If you are a do-it-yourselfer, you can go here to find how to make several different kinds of inexpensive solar ovens. If you have way too much time on your hands and are looking for a fun solar oven project, go here . Scroll down on this webpage to find information on using a solar oven in the winter, and what kinds of pots are best to solar cook in.

Alternate Power Sources---Candle Power

2009-10-18T16:16:00.000-07:00

I was curious about candle power and what a foot-candle was. I found this explanation easy (and kind of fun) to understand:

"This one's simple. Get a birthday cake candle. Get a ruler. Stick the candle on one end of the ruler. Light the candle. Turn out the lights. Sing Happy Birthday to Doc. It was his 47th on the 23rd. OK, quiet down. Enough of that nonsense. One foot-candle of light is the amount of light that birthday cake candle generates one foot away.

That's a neat unit of measurement. Why? Say you have a lamp. You are told it produces 100 foot candles of light. That means at one foot from the lamp, you will receive 100 foot candles of light."

[From The LED Light]

Alternate Power Sources---Candles

2009-10-16T16:02:00.000-07:00

For the rest of this month we will be taking a look at alternate power sources.

We often use candles to light up birthday cakes, to set a romantic mood, to meditate, and to scent a room--but, there is more to them than that. Candles are important for an emergency source of light. Anita Evangelista has some interesting things to say about candles in her book, "How To Live Without Electricity--And Like It". She says that "you can easily read by the light of two candles, do needlework by the light of three, and can keep a medium-sized room moderately lit with six to eight." Candles can be expensive, but making your own is almost as expensive. So, how do you stock up on candles without breaking your bank account? Yard sales and thrift stores have all different shapes and sizes of candles that are low-cost. Anita finds them at these places for 5-10 cents apiece. Make sure that the candle holders are not made of unprotected wood, as they can burn. Keep a plate under burning candles to catch their drips, which can be melted down and made into new candles. Clear glass chimneys placed around candles will help them burn a little longer and flicker less.

"Benefits of Candles: Easy to use, inexpensive if you shop around, familiar, the light is tolerable.
Drawbacks of Candles: Wax drips, soot, smoke, fire danger, expensive if bought new."

First Aid Kits---Practice

2009-10-15T16:37:00.000-07:00

It's one thing to have a first aid kit, and then it's another to use it. Make sure that everyone in the home knows where the first aid kit is located, and then make sure they all know how to properly use it. Practice many times as a family so that everyone is really familiar with the kits contents and procedures. Sometimes when an emergency happens, our minds will go blank, it's just part of human nature. But, if you have practiced the procedures, then your mind/body will react automatically and take care of the problem.

First Aid Kits---For Cars

2009-10-14T16:27:00.000-07:00

A first aid kit for the car can help give you and your passengers a feeling of security, especially when going on a car trip. Food and water would be particularly important if you get stranded in the outer edges of no-where. I have family members that were stranded for a couple of days in deep snow, but they didn't have anything to help improve their situation.

Fresh drinking water.
Food (nuts, dried fruit, energy bars or cans of liquid nourishment).
Waterproof matches and candle.
Flashlight.
Road Flares.
Whistle.
Blankets.
First Aid Kit.
Towel.
Collapsible Shovel.
Jumper Cables.
Cell Phone & charger.
Rope.
Cutting device (box cutter, pocket knife).
Duct tape.
Tool kit.
Gloves, hat and boots.
Chains or traction devices

[A more extensive car emergency kit list can be found here]

First Aid Kits---Cat and Dog Kits

2009-10-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

Many of us have cats and dogs that we love, and would hate to see them suffer. Once you get your family first aid kit completed, then you might consider a more specific cat or dog first aid kit. Many of the items are the same as human first aid, but there are a few differences. I don't need a muzzle, but an injured cat or dog might. A dog first aid kit list can be found here, and a cat first aid kit list here.

It is also important to keep our pets shots up to date and have certificates that show this. Certificates can be obtained when your pets are at the veterinarian getting their necessary shots--just request a certificate before you leave. Keeping this paperwork with the pet carriers would help if you had to evacuate quickly. Shelter centers that are set up to house people, may not accept animals; or if they do, they will only take those pets that have the paperwork proving that their shots are current.

Bird First Aid Kit List

Horse First Aid Kit List

First Aid Kits---Snake Bite Kit

2009-10-12T15:55:00.000-07:00

During an emergency, some people will move out of the area on foot. If you live in an area where there are poisonous snakes, you might want to include a snake bite kit. What kind is best? According to Wilderness medical experts, snake-bite kits, ice, electric shock treatment, constriction and those tiny kits with razor-sharp blades and miniature rubber suction cups are not safe, and can do much more harm that good when treating for a snake bite. The Sawyer Extractor is the only snake bite kit that is actually acknowledged as useful in certain situations. The recommended first aid? Get the victim to a hospital where antivenin may be given safely.

Not only is The Extractor useful for snake bites, but it is also useful for the bites and stings of bees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, fire ants, ticks, scorpions, mosquitoes, spiders, flies, and marine life. The Extractor pump removes the poisons which cause the pain. To use, you simply thrust the plunger downward, using the thumb and two finger's.

The Sawyer Extractor can easily be found on the internet.

First Aid Kits---Bandages

2009-10-11T08:53:00.000-07:00

We all know about the regular bandage strips that are commonly used, especially if you have children. There are many different kinds bandages that you should consider to include in your First Aid Kit. This webpage shows other types of bandages and what their uses are.

First Aid Kits---Essentials

2009-10-10T15:43:00.000-07:00

This is another list of items that should be included in first aid kits. Select which ones you would like to have in your kit.

Blood pressure gauge (electronic)
Stethoscope
Bandage scissors
Long tweezers
2-locking forceps (1-curved point)
Disposable scalpels
Thermometer (oral and rectal)
Inflatable splints
Bandages elastic, self adhesive band-aids large compress type with straps.
Sutures (dissolvable)
Cotton backed adhesive tape
Gauze
Aloe vera burn ointment
Anti-biotic ointment
Aspirin
Rubbing alcohol
Ipecac syrup (to induce vomiting)
Container of sterile water (1 qt)
Clean absorbent cotton rags
Soap (liquid)
Long stemmed cotton swabs

[From The Big List]

First Aid Kits---Medications

2009-10-09T17:32:00.000-07:00

The Mayo Clinic recommends the following medications be included in a first aid kit:

Activated charcoal (use only if instructed by your poison control center)
Anti-diarrhea medication
Over-the-counter oral antihistamine (Benadryl, others)
Aspirin and nonaspirin pain relievers (never give aspirin to children)
Calamine lotion
Over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream
Personal medications
If prescribed by your doctor, drugs to treat an allergic attack, such as an auto-injector of epinephrine (EpiPen)
Syringe, medicine cup or spoon

[From the Mayo Clinic]

Survival Book

2009-10-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

James Wesley, Rawles has written a new book that was just released, How To Survive The End Of The World As We Know It. The book is jam-packed with information that would help anyone in an emergency situation. It is easy to get overwhelmed with what might need to be done to be prepared for an emergency, but this book breaks everything down into do-able pieces. There are likely things he suggests that we have not considered before, that are important to help with survival living--instead of just surviving.

First Aid Kits---Gloves and Masks

2009-10-06T13:39:00.000-07:00

If we are dealing with people's injuries during an emergency, then we need to protect ourselves (and them) by wearing gloves and masks. These can easily be found in stores and on the internet, and are usually sold in bulk. The gloves and mask pictured here are disposable, which is important, so that you could help several people and not compromise their health with cross-contamination.

There are many things to consider when purchasing gloves. There are latex and vinyl, so if you have an allergy to one type you can get the other. Some are powdered, which makes it easier to put on and remove; and makes the gloves more comfortable to wear. Others are not powdered, which is more important in a critically sterile environment.

Masks come in several different forms. It depends on what your emergency scenario might be for you to decide which kind of mask you might need--or you could have a variety. Masks can be molded latex or paper, or they could be a cotton pad that wraps around the ears (like in the picture). There is fluid resistance and the bacterial filter efficiency to be considered.

First Aid Kits---Surgical Set

2009-10-05T14:48:00.000-07:00

If we are involved with a true, large-scale emergency, you know that some people will be badly injured. A surgical set would be a good addition to your first-aid kit, even if you don't know how to use it. Likely there will be someone that will be able to use your set, to help others, or maybe you or our family. This isn't a normal item in first aid kits, but it might be a lifesaver.

Time To Check Those Kits

2009-10-03T16:53:00.000-07:00

If you have previously completed your 72-hour kits, now is a good time to check the contents. This should be done twice a year, to make sure everything is in good order, and that it contains everything you need. As we age, we have different needs. Besides that, it's not the little children that outgrow their clothes--we adults need to make sure our emergency clothes still fit! It would be a sorry state for us to experience an emergency and need those "long-johns", just to find that they fit us about 30 pounds ago, but not now! I have started taking a low-dose aspirin a day, so that is something I need to include in my kit.

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ, Latter Day Saints, we have our General Conferences twice a year--and this is a good reminder to review our water storage (it needs to be replenished once a year), our food storage, our emergency kits, and our emergency kits. Often we will remove items from our storage or kits and forget to replace them. Or, our children will use items without telling us. Either way, it's good to take inventory and replace outdated items, especially medicines.

First Aid Kits---Celox

2009-10-02T11:19:00.000-07:00

You may be thinking, "What in the world is Celox?"

This could very well be a key item for your first aid kit. Celox is a blood clotting substance that is used in the military battle field, so it has been tested extensively and found to work extremely well. It comes in a granular form, in a gauze, and with an applicator. The granular Celox is poured into a wound (the applicator contents is injected into a wound) and will even stop arterial bleeding. The gauze is packed into a wound and stops the bleeding. It doesn't act like human blood-clotting, but creates a gel-like clot that binds to the surface of the red blood cells. It even works if the patient has taken common anti-coagulants like Warfarin and Heparin. Maybe now you can see the importance of Celox! It could save a life. Celox can be found many places on the internet.

First Aid Kits---Containers

2009-10-01T17:34:00.000-07:00

The next two weeks we will be covering first aid kits--not the evacuation kit size, but a larger, more encompassing kit. This kit can be taken when traveling by car to a destination or can be used when you are waiting out an emergency at home. There are many things that can be included and the list can seem endless. We will go over some of the items, but the kit will need to be filled with what you deem important.

What kind of container will you use to house you first aid supplies? My son uses several cardboard boxes, the kind you buy at the office supply store and are folded flat. He wrote the contents on the outside of each box so he can find an item quickly. I have a large tackle box that is overflowing, so I need to get a second one. Your kit can be stored in duffel bags, suitcases, boxes, tackle boxes, plastic bins, etc., depending on what you want. Just make sure you can carry the containers to the car if it is necessary to transport it along with your family. Also, be sure to mark the container so that it is easily recognizable as a first aid kit.

Another important item for your first aid kit is to have a master list. I made an Excel spreadsheet to list the items I need, what I have, and the expiration dates of the medicines. It is a simple task to look at the list each month and replace what is expiring.

Evacuation Kits---Defense

2009-09-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

This is something we hope won't be needed, but it may be necessary to protect you and your family--a hand gun. A holster of some sort to hold the gun on your person would be important, so that it is handy if there is an urgent need to use it. And, lastly, ammo. The Preparedness Pro suggests 50 rounds of ammo and that sounds like a good number.

This is a picture of my gun and 3 rounds of ammo. It is a 357 Magnum, a "Dirty Harry" gun. I do know how to use it and have shot it many times in competition. I don't have a holster, yet, but I do have a gun cleaning kit.

[PS--I'm a female].

Evacuation Kits--Clothing

2009-09-27T18:21:00.000-07:00

There are many different items of clothing that need to be considered when making an evacuation kit. There are items that are needed for rain, heat, cold, colder yet (snow), high wind, and then washing--your body and your clothes. You may be in a group of people, need a bath, and need to maintain a bit of modesty, with only one body of water, such as a lake or river, to get clean in--so a bathing suit would be handy. Other items to consider would be:

--T-shirts
--long sleeved shirts
--shorts
--tough work pants, belt
--light jacket, rain coat, poncho, windbreaker
--socks (lots) [wool would be a good choice]
--sock liner (thin, wicking)
--undergarments
--work boots, boot grease, tennis shoes
--work gloves
--stocking cap [wool would be a good choice]
--bandanna, ski mask, hat
--washcloth, towel
--laundry soap
--plunge clothes washer
--small scrub brush

[List from Utah Preppers]

Evacuation Kits--Shelter, Bedding

2009-09-26T15:27:00.000-07:00

A shelter and a sleeping bag are not essential, but will make your nights (and rainy days) away from home more pleasant. This list of shelter and bedding items is from the Utah Preppers website [comments are mine]:

--tent
--blankets
--emergency blankets (mylar)
--cloth sheet
--plastic sheet (placed under tent or sleeping bag)
--wool blanket (keeps you warm even when wet)
--sleeping bag
--foam or inflatable pillow (I have used the hood of my down jacket for a pillow)
--foam sleeping pad (to make the ground more comfortable)
--light throw blanket
--tarps
--tent/pack/bag patches
--stuff/compression bags
--nylon line--100'

What other items might you need for shelter or bedding?

Pectin

2009-09-25T14:43:00.000-07:00

Have you been making a lot of jam this summer? Some recipes call for liquid pectin and some call for powdered pectin. What's the difference, and can you use them interchangeably? Those questions are answered in a short post by Jen on her blog, The Hall Family, here.

Self-Reliance

2009-09-25T14:38:00.001-07:00

I came across a magazine that surprised me--Popular Mechanics--which has a "self-reliance" issue that is out now. The cover says, "Beyond Survival: How To Live Through Any Disaster--For A Day, A Month Or Forever." It is full of all kinds of information.

Evacuation Kits---Navagation

2009-09-24T16:15:00.001-07:00

In the event of an emergency evacuation, maps may be crucial in getting you from point A to point B. Most communities are continually growing, and paving new streets. Current maps are necessary so that you can get where you need to go and avoid obstacles. A GPS may work, but there is a need for maps in case the GPS won't work.

Riverwalker has a great post on his blog, Stealth Survival, about emergency kit maps. He says we need state, county, and city maps, and gives ideas where we can get maps for free. He says, "No matter how familiar you may be with your area there is always the possibility of the stress caused by a disaster or emergency situation that may make it harder for you to remember all the different shortcuts you may be familiar with and a good set of maps will help to eliminate any confusion or problems."

If you use a compass, then a topographical map would be handy. If you don't know how to use a compass, now would be a good time to learn. A Boy Scout could show you, you could learn from a Boy Scout Handbook, or go online. Don't wait until you are under a great deal of stress and then try to figure out how it works.

Vacation Time!

2009-09-15T13:27:00.000-07:00

I'm in Sandpoint, Idaho on vacation. I thought I would be able to post each day, but I am finding it difficult to have the time. So, I may not be posting much until I return home late next Tuesday night, Sept. 22. In the mean time--keep prepping!!

Trouble Again

2009-09-12T10:31:00.001-07:00

Once again I am having trouble with my internet provider. My computer is slower than dial-up and won't connect to most websites. So, if I miss posting, that will be the problem. Except for Monday, when I will be flying to Idaho--I might not make it online that day!

Seniors or Disabled Emergency Kits

2009-09-10T17:01:00.000-07:00

These items are in addition to the Adult Emergency Evacuation Kits.

--Food for special diet needs
--Batteries for hearing aids, wheelchair, etc.
--List of style and serial number of medical devices
--Special supplies: oxygen, catheters, etc.
--Prescriptions for eyeglasses (not older than one year)
--Personal sanitary items (Depends, disposable bags, ties, wipes)
--For guide dogs--a Pet Grab 'n go Bag

[From: Anaheim.net]

Evacuation Kits---Individual First Aid Kits

2009-09-09T16:08:00.000-07:00

A small first aid kit should be in each evacuation kit, that way if your family members get separated, then each one will have a kit. You could buy a simple first aid kit, but from what I have seen (I haven't seen them all, though!), they have an abundance of bandaids, plus a few other items. Making your own first aid kit might be better and you can personalize it with what you family members specifically need. Below is a list of basic first aid supplies you might want to include:

Alcohol Wipes (12) - Use for cleaning needles, clippers, tweezers.
Aloe Vera Gel - Use for minor burns or skin irrations that require soothing.
Antibiotic Ointment - For the obvious minor cuts.
Baking Soda - Use to make an anti-itch paste. Just add water and apply to the itch area.
Band-Aids - Use for those little cuts and make sure to have an assortment.
Benadryl - Use for allergies.
Cotton Swabs - Use for cleaning or applying creams or ointments.
Elastic Bandage - Get 2 of these, a wide roll. They are use for sprains, strains or in some cases to keep a dressing over a wound.
First-Aid Tape - We use both the 1 inch tape used in sports, and the conventional 1/2 inch tape. Having both has been useful for us in securing bandages.
Gauze Pads - Make sure the pads are sterile, preferably packaged in individual packages. You'll need several small pads for both covering and cleaning small cuts and scrapes. Get 3 large non-stick pads for larger cuts or scrapes.
Gauze Roll - Use a 2 inch wide roll. It's great for wrapping an injured arm or leg. Be sure it is also sterile.
Hydrocortisone Cream - Used for itching caused by bug bites or plants. Make sure the cream is 1% or less.
Ice-Pack - Use the chemical ice-packs. It turns cold when you break open the chemicals inside the pouch. Do not apply the ice-pack directly to the skin.
Ipecac - Use for poisoning.
Latex Gloves - Use these whenever you have the possibility of coming into contact with someone's blood, outside of your immediate family. You want to use all the protection you can get.
Magnifying Glass - Use for those hard-to-see slivers, etc., the one's kids seem to attract.
Mole Skin - Use for blisters.
Safety Pins - Use for making a sling or pinning elastic bandages.
Scissors - Use for cutting tape or even skin in certain situations.
Sewing Needle - Use for those gruesome splinters.
Small Mirror - Used to check eye problems, also as an emergency signaling device.
Soap - We like using the liquid soap. Make sure it is not one just full of scents and get a small bottle of it. Soap is an excellent cleaner.
Syringe - Find the kind that has a bulb on it, it is great for flushing wounds with water rather than applying a cloth.
Tissues - A package of these can go a long way. Good for bloody noses and general clean-up. Also, a great emergency fire starter.
Triangular Bandage - Used as a sling. You can make one out of a light piece of cloth. Get a cloth approximately 42" x 42".
Tweezers - Use to pull out those splinters.
Tylenol - Use as a pain reliever or fever reducer.
If you are allergic to bee stings or other critters make sure you have the adequate medication in you kit.

[From: Anaheim.net]

There are so many other things that could be included, that's why it is a good idea to make your own kits, so you can include just what you think you might need.

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There are many different containers that first aid kits can be packed in. One consideration might be to make sure it is water-proof. If the kit will be in a backpack, then it is better to have it in a soft bag, which could then be put into a zip plastic bag. If it were in a box, the corners would take up too much space and might even poke the person carrying the pack. The weight of the kit should also be taken into consideration--the smaller the person, the less weight they can carry.

Make sure to have a master list of items in your kits, and keep track of any expiration dates. Then it is easy to replace things that are no longer viable.

Evacuation Kits---Books

2009-09-08T14:52:00.000-07:00

What kind of books would you need to help you during an evacuation? Usually, the first one listed is a copy of The Boy Scout Handbook. It will help you in a variety of ways, from different knots that will be useful, to cooking outdoors. It even has a section on first aid, although it will be just the basics.

A First Aid Book would come in handy for medical problems that go beyond the basics. There are many websites that offer free downloads of first aid information, a few are listed here:
--All Things First Aid
--Safety and First Aid
--First Aid Coloring Book for children
--Holistic First Aid
--First Aid Book

Scriptures or books from your church will help to ground you in a time of chaos, giving you the peace and calm that you might be yearning for.

To help calm and keep children busy, coloring books, reading books, puzzle books, and picture books will be a blessing. Adults might appreciate reading books and puzzle books, too.

A survival book will come in handy if you will not be staying in a government shelter. As we have seen after the Katrina storm, the government may not be ready for the surge of people that will be looking for help. Be prepared to be on your own--just in case. A few free download books are listed here:
--US Army Survival Manual (6th e-book down)
--Many kinds of survival downloads
--Scroll down for survival manuals

I am sure there are other books that would be important to include in our evacuation kits. Add a comment to share what books you may have thought of!

Canning Peaches

2009-09-08T09:28:00.000-07:00

Here are two yummy sounding recipes dealing with peaches! The harvest is still going on, so if you have extra peaches you might want to try something different!

The recipes for Peach Pie Filling and Peach Vanilla Syrup will be found here!

Swine Flu Kits

2009-09-07T12:12:00.000-07:00

I found this post on the All About Food Storage blog and wanted to pass it on--we all should be prepared!

The Southwest Utah Health Department is encouraging residents to assemble swine flu kits to keep in their homes. It seems this advice is good for everyone, so I am posting the list that the Health Dept. has provided so anyone can assemble a kit for their home. These kits will help prevent the spread of the virus and also help those who are ill to convalesce more comfortably at home. A swine flu kit should contain:

Disposable gloves
Liquid soap
Paper towels
Hand sanitizer (Alcohol gel hand cleaner with at least 60% alcohol)
Thermometer
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and / or Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil)
Fluids for replacement (juices, Gatorade, Pedialite, teas, soda, soup, Jell-O)
Cleaner / disinfectant for surfaces
Masks (a regular one for the sick person to wear; one with a plastic eye shield for the caregiver if the sick person is a child and refuses to wear a mask)
Phone numbers for physicians, pharmacies, and potential caregivers for young children

Re-Using Canning Lids

2009-09-07T11:34:00.000-07:00

I found an interesting post about reusing canning lids--use it at your own discretion. This is just for your information!

Reusing Canning Lids

Evacuation Kits---Food--part 2

2009-09-06T18:02:00.000-07:00

The foods I posted about yesterday could weigh down your pack, making it heavier than you might want. There are other alternatives you might want to consider, although the cost will be a bit higher.

Freeze-Dried Meals--There are several varieties of these foods, and they are packed especially for back-packing. The meals are very light-weight, but need water to rehydrate them, and usually hot water at that (check the package). The cost can be fairly high.

MRE's--These are military "Meals Ready to Eat." They come wrapped in plastic and don't need to be heated to eat. They have come a long way in taste and texture, and are very light-weight.

High Protein or Carbohydrate Bars--These are high-energy bars meant to boost energy levels when it is necessary, but not as meal replacements--both have their places.

Energy Gels--are similar to the bars in energy boosting, but are faster working because they are liquid.

As with any foods that are packed for emergency evacuation, taste the foods before they are needed. You don't want to get out of town and find you really don't like the foods you packed. It's better to find out when you are able to replace foods you don't like.

Evacuation Kits---Food--part 1

2009-09-05T14:48:00.000-07:00

This is the basic list of foods that should be included in any emergency pack:

"Store at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food. Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and little or no water. If you must heat food, pack a can of sterno. Select food items that are compact and lightweight. Avoid foods that will make you thirsty. Choose salt-free crackers, whole grain cereals, and canned foods with high liquid content.
*Include a selection of the following foods in your Disaster Supplies Kit:
Note: Be sure to include a manual can opener.

Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables
Canned juices, milk, soup (if powdered, store extra water)
Staples--sugar, salt, pepper
High energy foods--peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars, trail mix
Vitamins
Foods for infants, elderly persons or persons with special dietary needs
Comfort/stress foods--cookies, hard candy, sweetened cereals, lollipops, instant coffee, tea bags"

[List from--Self Reliant Sisters]

Evacuation Kits---Water

2009-09-04T15:14:00.001-07:00

The first thing to put in your kit is water. We can survive a few weeks without food, but only a few days without water. The human body is 2/3 water and deprivation will cause the body to start shutting down within a short time.

A person doing nothing but resting looses 2-2 1/2 quarts of water a day. In very hot weather a person can lose a gallon of water per hour in sweat. On a daily basis, chronic dehydration in the human body can increase the chance of colon cancer, bladder cancer, and breast cancer; it can increase back and joint pain; and it can increase headaches.

At the very minimum have 1 gallon of water per person per day. In arid areas, 3 gallons per person per day is better. This water is only for hydration; you will need extra water for cooking and sanitation. If you have pets with you, remember their water needs, too. If you stay put during a disaster and you have large animals, such as horses or cows, be sure to have a supply of water for them as well.

Another thing to have in your pack is some sort of water filtration system. There are many on the market, with different ways of filtering water, and with different prices. Research water filtration systems to see which one is just right for your situation. Keep in mind your method of evacuation--in a car or on foot--so you will know how much water you can take/carry, and you will have a better idea of the size and weight of the unit you will need.

You might think that a river would be perfect to refill your water bottles, but don't do it. There are too many things in the water that you can't see that would make you very sick. Using a filtering system will help get rid of the bad stuff. Giardia, which is a microscopic organism, is one of the biggest problems and is in most untreated water. It creates an infection that takes 1-2 weeks to appear. The worst of the infection creates:

Abdominal pain
Diarrhea
Gas or bloating
Headache
Loss of appetite
Low-grade fever
Nausea
Swollen or distended abdomen
Vomiting

These symptoms can last 2-4 weeks. So, be safe and don't drink water that hasn't been filtered.

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[Winter gardening--fennel]

Basic Items in a 72-Hour Kit

2009-09-03T14:19:00.000-07:00

There is a lot to think about when it comes to making a 72-Hour Kit. Please don't get overwhelmed, but make this a project, one that you will take in baby steps. I have a kit, but it seems to be inadequate, so I will be preparing mine along with you. Today I will list categories of items that should be included in an emergency bag. Then I will try to cover one item more thoroughly each day for the rest of the month. Pick and choose what would be best for your pack. (Please add your comments. My posts won't be able to cover every aspect of each category and I appreciate your help).

Basic items that should be included in 72-Hour Kits:

--food
--shelter/bedding
--fuel
--food prep/eating/cleanup
--water
--winter clothes in season
--personal things
--pack
--defense/hunting
--books
--basic tool kit
--equipment
--light
--fishing equipment
--medicine
--documents/money
--address/phone number lists
--communication
--information card
--navigation
--a "don't forget" list
--nuclear/bio/chemical

This is not a complete list, but it gets the ball rolling.
[List from Utah Preppers]

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Over at the blog, Safely Gathered In, they are buying supplies for their 72-Hour Kits, 3-months food supply, and their year's food supply. They have broken it all down into a manageable step-by-step process, where each week, on Tuesday, they "assign" a few items to buy. Their goal is to complete all three categories in one year. If the above list is overwhelming, maybe this baby step system would help you achieve your 72-hour kit goal. Just don't give up--do something, ANYTHING, so long as you are working towards being prepared--even something is better than nothing!

Welcome!

2009-09-02T17:19:00.001-07:00

Welcome to our new blog site! The name has been changed, but the content will continue as it was on our previous blog, Fresno East Stake Emergency Preparedness 1.

This month's theme is 72-Hour Kits, also known as Grab-and-Go, and Bug-Out-Bags (BOB's). Other items will be added as the month progresses, but the main idea is to prepare our kits for evacuation of our homes.

Please add your comments, everyone has good ideas! Everyone has had different experiences and knows things that worked and some things that didn't. For example--I read where one woman thought she would can the food in her freezer when the power would be off in an emergency. The power was shut off, and so she started canning. She realized that it took a lot of water to can her food, and that she needed a lot more than she thought she would.