The Evacuation List

I will assume that most of us at one point or another thought about the possibility of evacuating our homes this week-end due to the Dump Fire on our mountain.  The question is: How prepared were you and what can you do to better prepare?
A quote from the Deseret News on-line article titled "Nearly 9,000 residents evacuate neighborhoods near Saratoga Springs fire" helps make a point:

Christian Judd awoke to officials knocking on his door and telling him to evacuate.

"My immediate reaction was: 'So what do I do?' I don't even know. I've never been in this experience before," Judd said. "I just didn't imagine this would happen to us here.

Don't we all feel that way?  When do we ever expect a disaster to happen to us?  If we did expect it, I am sure we would put more effort into preparations.

The question is valid: "What do I do?"  Another quote from the same Deseret News article:

"It's just crazy. I'm just trying to get pictures and stuff you can't replace," said April, one of the residents who was forced to evacuated her house."

In the event of an evacuation "What do I take?"

Here comes the assignment for the week so pay attention. 

I challenge each family to make a priority list of things they would take in an emergency evaucation.  The list should have three columns with the followng:

• Item Priority (1, 2, 3, etc.)
• Item Name
• Item Location

Once the list is completed hang it near the primary exit of your home.  If you don't want papers hanging on your wall like me, you can tape it on the inside of a cupboard, coat closet, etc.  Just be sure it is easily accessible.

A few thoughts on what I will call the Evacuation List. 

The purpose here is to think about what you need ahead of time so you don't waste time in a real situation.  It is so easy to sit down and write a list now of what is most important.  Brainstorming before the emergency will assure that you will grab the most essential items in the time alloted to evacuate and that you don't forget anything.     

Your list can have as many items as you like on it.  You may have 5 minutes to evacuate, maybe 15, maybe 30.  But when the emergency comes and you never expected it would happen to you, it doesn't matter, because you are prepared.  You will know exactly what to get and where it is.

I would recommend 72 hour kits be at the top of the list.  Other things you may want to include (these are in no particular order) are:

• Important documents (insurance, birth/marriage certificates, etc.)
• Extra water
• Extra food
• Pets and pet needs
• Irreplaceable keepsakes
• Journals
• Laptops or hard drives with important information or family photos
• Extra clothing

So go, and make your list.  An ounce of preparation is worth....

Next week I will discuss how to revamp 72 hour kits to make sure they are sufficient for your family's needs. 

As always, please report any thoughts or ideas on the blog.

 

 

More on Food Storage

Short Term Food Storage

Over the last few months we have focused on short term food storage.  Just to re-cap here is a paragraph about short term food storage from "All is Safely Gathered In":

"Build a small supply of food that is part of your

normal, daily diet. One way to do this is to purchase a

few extra items each week to build a one-week supply

of food. Then you can gradually increase your supply

until it is sufficient for three months. These items

should be rotated regularly to avoid spoilage."

Also, a list of items to work on from the March 2012 Ensign article: "Everyday Home Storage". 
Review this list and choose at least one that you can improve on this week:

• Designate an area in your home where you can keep your food storage.
• Each time you go grocery shopping, pick up a few nutritious items that will store for several months to add to your storage.
• Stock up on items when they are on sale, and buy in bulk when practical. Be sure to check expiration labels before you make the purchase.
• Buy only items you know you’ll use so you can easily rotate through your food storage.
• Store water in sturdy plastic juice or soft drink bottles that you have emptied and rinsed.
• Order basic long-term food items such as wheat, flour, and oats from a Church home storage center or other trustworthy organization.
• Designate a percentage of your monthly budget for food storage.
• Start putting a percentage of your income or a certain dollar amount in a savings account each month.
• Help others establish home storage by giving food storage items or money for savings accounts as gifts.

Long Term Food Storage

Another paragraph from "All is Safely Gathered In" on Long Term Food Storage:

"For longer-term needs, and where permitted, gradually

build a supply of food that will last a long time

and that you can use to stay alive, such as wheat,

white rice, and beans.

These items can last 30 years or more when properly

packaged and stored in a cool, dry place. A portion of

these items may be rotated in your three-month supply."

As you build your long term storage, set a goal to learn how to use and rotate it just as you would your short term storage.  If you don't know how to use wheat and beans, it won't help you when you need it.  So, when you purchase some, learn how to prepare meals with it.

In addition to storing wheat, rice, beans, and other long term items, I am going to look into long term meal storage such as Daily Bread and Thrive.  These are said to store 25 years and are meals that are easy to reconstitute.  I will report what I learn about these other long term storage programs on the blog.

Goal

As always, I encourage you to act upon what you just read.  Choose at least one thing you can do to improve your short and/or long term food storage and do it this week.  It can be as simple as 'find a recipe that uses beans' to 'buy extra salsa for short term storage'.    Please report what you did by commenting on the blog or sending me an e-mail. 

Lindon Cannery Openings

Below is an e-mail from the Lindon Cannery:

There have been several cancellations for Salsa on June 5-8th. The online signups are closed, so if you are still interested in doing salsa, please call the Cannery @ 801-785-0998 to check for available shifts.

We will be selling surplus family canning when you come to your shift. (You have to have worked on Jams, Syrup or Salsa to be able to purchase these surplus products. The only days you can purchase are on the days we are doing the Salsa: June 5, 6, 7 and 8.) The following products will be sold without limit, until they are gone:

Raspberry Jam - $24.00/case of 12 pint jars

Peach Jam - $21.00/case of 12 pint jars

Pancake Syrup - $21.00/case of 6 – ½ gal jugs (may be purchased individually @ $3.50/jug).

Ground Beef - $76.80/case of 24

Beef Stew - $44.40/case of 24

Pork & Beans - $20.40/case of 24

You must arrive early enough to purchase before the shift begins. Otherwise, you will have to come back at the end of your shift in order to purchase.

Done with Food Storage

I'm not done with my food storage yet, just about done talking about it on the blog.  So this is the last post about short term food storage and the first about long term.

I hope you have a plan that is in action for stocking up short term food storage (things you eat on a regular basis).  Whether it is the 5/5 plan, the raid the caselot plan (Macey's has a good one this week, don't miss it!) or you own customized plan, please have a plan and work on it!  

As far as long term storage, there are a few options to explore.  You can store wheat, beans, flour, etc. in large quantities for each family member.  You can store dehydrated and powdered items.  You can store MRE's.  You can store pre-made entrees that store long term such as the products made by Wise Foods. 

You goal for this week is to decide which long term solution works for you.  Remember whatever you choose, you must know how to prepare it in a time of need.  The purpose of long term storage is to have plenty of food should a long term disaster strike.  Whether it is a large scale disaster affecting entire cities (such as an earthquake), or a small one, affecting just your family (such as unemployment or hospitalization). 

Just because I may not post about short term storage, don't forget to keep working on it.  Having a pantry or storage room full of foods you eat regularly should be your first defense in any kind of a disaster.  Long term storage will keep you covered after you exhaust the short term. 

Good luck, Go Team!

PS Please share thoughts, solutions, and any good info you may find by commenting on the blog.  Thanks.

Were you Ready?

The Utah Shake out was this morning at 10:15.  Chances are 100% that you survived with no complications.  However, whether you participated or not, let's consider what would have happened if this earthquake was real and not hypothetical.  Starting this morning...

• You would be without power for weeks
• You would have no water for weeks to months
• Cell lines would be jammed
• Travel would be extremely difficult
• Natural gas would be unavailable

Just pretend the earthquake happened this morning.  Now that you are without basic utilities, cell phones, and unable to travel, how will you survive the next few days and weeks?  Do you have a solution for each of the following questions?

• It is cold, how will you stay warm?
• Do you have enough food for the next few weeks/months on hand?
• Do you have a means to cook food?
• Do you have drinking water?
• Do you have water for hygiene?
• Do you have basic hygienic necessities on hand?
• If you have an infant, do you have food and supplies for him/her?
• How will you communicate with family/friends?
• Do you have a First-Aid kit and the knowledge to treat injuries with it?
• Does each family member have a 72-hour kit to assist with the above needs?
• Do your children have emergency kits at school?
• Do you have an emergency kit and equipment in your vehicle?  At your office?

Please consider these questions.  Choose just one question that you are unprepared for and make a plan of how to become prepared.  Please share your idea/experience on the blog.  Then choose another and so on until you can sufficiently answer each question with ease.

For more information on the hypothetical situation of a Wasatch Fault quake, please see the video on this page: http://www.shakeout.org/utah/whyparticipate/

Utah Shake Out!

On April 17th at 10:00 am Utah is holding a state wide earthquake drill.  There are over 830,000 Utahns already registered to participate.  Go to this link http://www.shakeout.org/utah/ to register for yourself and/or your family.

While there browse through the website.  It is full of great information on how to prepare for a major earthquake and even includes a video that shares a realistic scenario of what will happen when the wasatch fault slips.  See the video here: http://www.shakeout.org/utah/whyparticipate/

Spread the word!

Free Conference Treats!

It's conference time again.  Guess what that means?  Yes, yes, a fantastic, spiritual, uplifting week-end, but also....time to inventory your 72-hour kits! 

Get out every family member's kits and make sure everything is up to date and nothing has expired or will expire in the next 6 months. 

And there is the good part.  If it will expire in the next 6 months, you get free conference treats!  Check dates on juice boxes, trail mix, granola bars, etc.  Enjoy them for conference if they are about to expire and remember to re-stock your kits within a week or as soon as you can.

Enjoy Conference!

(For an idea of what should go in a 72-hour kit, click the link on the right side of the blog '72-Hour kit - 3 month plan')