Week 2

Make sure you have the 72 hour list handy (from last entry)

1. Collect items from around the house to include in your 72 hour kit. Some things will be easy, others not so easy. Make this a family activity. Go on a scavenger hunt together. Assign each person or each team items to collect and have them report back. Be sure you make it clear that items such as a toothbrush need to be new and not the ones currently being used by family members. This will not only make it easier on you to gather items but will also help children feel empowered. If they should ever have to use their kits, the effort they have made to create them will help them to feel safer and more confident. Don’t forget that not all backpacks are created equal. You may have several around the house that are not being used and now would be a good time to really evaluate whether they will meet all the needs of a 72 hour kit. If you already have 72 hour kits, get them out and check the contents against our checklist. Check any food you have for expiration dates and discard them if they are expired.

2. Make a list of the items you still need to find or purchase to complete your kits. Place this list in your binder. We will work on checking off those items in the weeks to come.

3. Place a pair of sturdy shoes, not slippers or sandals, under each bed. If there is ever an emergency during the night - power outage, earthquake, flood, or house fire - having shoes handy will be very important. If you should be involved in an earthquake, tornado or other disaster that has left rubble around, never get out of bed without protecting your feet. As flood waters rise you may find you have unwelcome visitors in the form of snakes and rodents under foot. You will be so grateful for those shoes. Be sure children understand that these shoes are for emergencies. It always helps to place shoes under a child’s bed that they don’t like - they will stay there.

4. Make a list of emergency phone numbers and place it by each phone and also a copy in your binder. We will be expanding on this list for your 72 hour kit later. For now, create a list with the following phone numbers: Police, Fire, Doctors, Dentist, Optometrist, Hospital, Veterinary, Schools, Mom and Dad’s cell phone and work numbers, Family member who is close by, Neighbor, Clergy, and Poison Control. Having these posted will make life much simpler during an emergency when you cannot remember a number. This is also important for a babysitter. Be sure to put your address at the bottom of the list. If a non-family member should have to call for help they will need your address.

5. We have been advised by government officials to have a 3 month supply of food on hand in case of an emergency. With an unstable economy, natural disasters and the threat of a pandemic we need to make this a real priority. Designate a shelf or cupboard for food storage. You may need to think very creatively now… Can your extra towels be rolled up and placed in a basket in your bathroom, can they be placed in a storage box under a bed, can appliances and kitchen items you rarely use such as a roasting pan, canner, picnic supplies, or punch bowl be stored in the attic or garage? Try to create room in your home for food items and store non-food items in the garage or attic. The quality of food will be preserved longer if the food is kept at a cooler temperature. There is nothing wrong with having canned peaches stored in a bedroom closet.

6. This week, purchase 1 can of fruit and 1 can of vegetables for each member of the family. They can all be the same or they can all be different. Consider what your family favorites are and you may want to stock more of them. When you get them home write the date on the top of each can with a permanent marker. Last week we marked the cans in our cupboards with an X. You are now ready to use your stored goods in the order in which they were purchased. Use the X cans first and date all incoming cans from now on.

7. Think water. Review the entry on this site Water Storage…What if the Tap Goes Dry. This will give you lots of ideas. Now do it. Store some water this week. Remember you will need 1 gallon of water per day , per person and per pet. If your freezer is not full, add a block of ice (or a frozen jug of water), or bags of ice cubes. These will not only be good water sources when the need arises but also will make your freezer much more efficient. Don’t forget the water for your 72 hour kits. You will not be able to store all the water you will need this week but aim for a 2 day supply. Add this article to your binder.

Ready?

I think it is important to talk about our goals for Seven Steps. Simply stated we want to think of this as a marathon. There is a lot of ground to cover, but if we pace ourselves we will reach our goals to:


1. Prepare for unexpected natural, medical and terrorism disasters.
2. Ensure our family is safe at home, school, at work, and on the road.
3. Have a financial cushion stashed away.
The government has advised us to be prepared with food, water and other supplies to care for our family’s needs for a minimum of 72 hours, and up to 3 months in the case of a pandemic. The job market is becoming more and more competitive and requiring more skills and education all the time. Job loss, a house fire, burglaries, power outages, unexpected household repairs, and illness can affect all of us. We will prepare with all of this is mind.


Our first seven steps:
1. Make a list of replacements for items that use electricity. Get out the binder and note paper you gathered. Fold a piece of paper in half length wise. At the top of the left column write Uses Electricity, at the top of the right column write Replacements. Now write in all the items in your home that you listed as needing electricity (skip a line between each item -you will need the room).



Across from each item list what you will need to replace that service. My list includes: lights, refrigerator, freezer, oven, stove, dishwasher, well, washer, dryer, shower, furnace, air conditioner, radio, TV, telephone, clock, and can opener. I didn’t list things like a hair dryer because I can live without that. We have a well so when that goes out we are also without water, including for the shower. We have a gas range but it has an electric ignition so it won’t light without matches. So across from stove I wrote matches. Across from lights I wrote: glow sticks, flashlights, candles, and outdoor lighting (You know those solar landscape lights? You can bring those in at night and recharge them during the day.) Anything I forgot? Share your list with us.



2. Get a quart canning jar or other container and beginning today to empty your change in to the jar each night. This would be fun to do at dinner to help your family understand the concept of saving. You’ll be surprised, your children will want to join in too. It is amazing how quickly this will grow and trust me, you will not miss it. You can save from $10.00 to $40.00 in a month.



3. Purchase or collect the items you will need to replace the loss of lighting and news access during a power outage. Make sure you have batteries if you are relying on flashlights for lighting needs, or portable radios, or your lap top to stay in touch. Store your batteries with your flashlights etc. but not in them. I like glow sticks because they are inexpensive, don’t need batteries, will provide light all night long without the dangers of a candle, and they can be worn by children to keep them safe as they wander around the house.


4. Go through your medications and discard any that are past the expiration date. Make a list of items you need to replace and post it next to your shopping list, watch the ads and purchase the items as they go on sale.


5. Place a light source next to every bed. If there were an earthquake or power outage during the night a flashlight or glow stick would help to keep your family safe. Since young children would be tempted to play with these items place these in the rooms of older, more responsible children.


6. Get a permanent marker and mark all the canned fruits and veggies you have in your cupboard with a X. Make a master list of what you have on hand.


7. Print off the list of items to include in every good 72 hour kit (see below) and add it to your binder.
I have not forgotten that I asked you to date all your opened containers of items you purchase only occasionally. Label a page in your binder Items purchased Infrequently. List items and as you use them up and need to replace them note the date on the item and how long it took to empty it. Write this on your list. Now you can gauge how many of that item you will need in your three month food storage. If it took 1 week to use a tube of toothpaste you will need 12 tubes for a 3 month supply.



Now, go get started. Check in and let us know how you are doing. We want to hear all of your success stories and even your frustrations so we can support and learn from each other!

*72 Hour Kit Checklist*
(click on link for more info)

Want to know what should be included in every great 72 hour kit?

Every member of the family will need a kit with the following items:
Great Backpack
Water

3 day supply of food including snacks. (very important for keeping the kids content)Foods should be in cans or bags, not glass and should not need refrigeration, note expiration dates

Disposable plates, cups and utensils
Can opener
Multi function Tool
Flash light with extra batteries
Glow sticks
Extra Keys
Simple first aid kit
Whistle
Dust mask
Moist towelettes
Large plastic garbage bag Can be used for shelter or as rain gear
Biohazard bag for sanitation
1 pair long pants
3 pair socks
2 t shirts
1 long sleeve shirt
3 changes underwear
Hat
Work gloves
Identification card should include:
parents name- if a child
home address
parent’s or spouse's cell phone numbers
close family member’s or neighbor’s cell phone number
name and address and phone number for contact person
name and address and phone numbers of physician, dentist, optometrist and pharmacist
name and phone number for clergy
medical conditions
allergies
medications currently being taken
Photos
Emergency Blanket
Rain Poncho
Body Warmer
Baby needs such as:
diapers
wipes
toys
clothing
medications
formula
bottles
spoon
food dish
diaper cream
Needs of pets
food
food and water dishes,
medications
leash
medical records
cage
toy or blanket
Stress Relief
Note Pad and Pencil
Cash
Local Maps
Evacuation Maps
Religious Materials
Phone Numbers
Phone Card
Safety Pins
Over the Counter Medications
Prescription Medications
Prescription Glasses or Magnifiers
Contact lenses and supplies
Sun Glasses
Sewing Kit
Sun Screen
Boy Scout Field Book
Important Documents
Hygiene Supplies
tooth brush
tooth paste
deodorant
shampoo
soap
comb and/or brush
hair bands or clips
feminine hygiene supplies
shaving cream
razor
toilet paper
wet wipes
hand towel
feminine hygiene products
medical gloves
tissues
hand sanitizer

A New Year of Preparadness

There seems to be lots of interest in preparing for an emergency, but where do you begin? There just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day for preparedness. There are so many other things that need to be done, and it all can be overwhelming. So this is why we are beginning a new program called “Seven Steps.”

Each Monday I will give you seven things you can do to get yourself ready. You can do all seven in one day or you can spread it out and do one a day, whichever works best for you. We will be preparing for not only a hurricane, flood, earthquake, wild fire, or tornado; but also for a house fire, pandemic, personal medical emergency, terrorist attack or even the loss of a job.
So let’s start today! To be ready for our journey together do the following before Monday, January 26:

1. Get a binder and note book or lined binder paper.

2. Take a permanent marker and mark all the items you only purchase occasionally with today’s date. Cooking oil, shampoo, cleaners, detergent, deodorant… you get the idea. (Curious? You’ll see why on Monday!)

3. Make a list of everything in your home that requires electricity.

That’s the first assignment. Not too hard right? Now find a friend, group of friends, or family to work with and have them complete the same tasks. It’s always more fun and more successful to work with others so you will have the moral support and resources you need.

We know the government has warned us they can’t take care of us all in a catastrophic emergency. So let’s take care of ourselves and do this together!