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Great tips on homesteading, frugal living, and self reliance. |
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Being Prepared in the Face of DisasterBeing prepared is a crucial element of not only self reliance, but pure survival. Hurricane Katrina should have been a wake up call for every single American. Our government is simply not equipped to take care of us in the wake of a disaster, and as far as I'm concerned, they shouldn't be. That's our job.Hurricanes, earthquakes, or what's more likely in our neck of the woods - ice storms - could leave you without power for days, sometimes even weeks. If you live in the country, your well won't run without power so no power means no water. And those are just the natural disasters. Then there are potential man-made disasters as well. Rioting, terrorist attacks and the most frightening of all - a possible economic collapse. So How Can You Prepare?It is absolutely essential that you have sufficient water, food, medicine and personal items such as toilet paper, diapers and feminine hygiene products on hand to last you for three weeks at the very least and preferably longer. Ideally, you should have enough of these items on hand to last you for at least three months.
So, Should You Go Out and Buy Everything At Once?If disaster struck tomorrow, you'd certainly be glad you did, but let's face it; few can afford it. Instead, make it your goal to collect at least a few of these items each month. Always buy more than you need. Rotate what you have so that the older items are at the front of your shelf where you'll use them first, and the newer things are at the back.What Should You Get First?The average human can live without food for up to three weeks. But if we go without water for three days we will die. So obviously the first items you must invest in are quality containers that will hold sufficient drinking water to last you and your family members for up to two weeks. At the very minimum, you should store one gallon per person per day or 14 gallons per family member. For our family of five, being prepared means we should always have 70 gallons of water on hand.What Next?Once you have sufficient water stored, you should next start storing food. Start with bulk grains first and then move on to gathering other types of food. It seems silly to say it, but be sure to store the type of food you are used to eating. For example, if you buy a 50 pound sack of wheat, then be sure to find lots of whole grain recipes and start eating them now. That way, your family will be used to them if a disaster strikes. Even after you buy that 50 pound sack, continue to buy wheat and other food on a regular basis and rotate, rotate, rotate. An important part of being prepared is having food on hand that isn't stale.
Fuels, Batteries and CandlesOnce you have sufficient water and food on hand, you should start laying in a supply of fuel items, such as kerosene, gasoline, batteries and candles. All of these things will be crucial in being prepared should the power go out.Personal ItemsKeep at least a three month supply of toilet paper, diapers, feminine products, soap and other personal items on hand as well. It's an important part of being prepared. You never know when you will be unable to reach a grocery store, either because of financial reasons, inclement weather, or other disaster.More Helpful Information on Being PreparedEvery home should have an Emergency Supply Kit on hand as an important way of being prepared. Here's how to build one.You don't want to be unprepared in an emergency, but what if disaster struck today? Here are some tips on Fast Emergency Preparation If you are thinking about being prepared by buying wheat in bulk, then you're likely looking for recipes. Here's a Delicious, Wholesome Soup Recipe Using Cooked Wheat Berries You know wheat berries can be ground into flour, but what else can you do with them? Learn how to Cook Wheat Berries for a Variety of Dishes Have you just bought a lot of wheat in bulk? Proper storage will ensure your wheat lasts for years. Here are some Methods for Storing Bulk Grain What if you haven't bought wheat yet, but want to? Where do you begin? Here are some Tips on buying bulk grains When thinking about emergency preparation, water is the essential first thing to think about. Here are some Tips on Storing Water Wheat isn't just for breads, but can be used to produce a healthy vegetable as well. Learn how to Grow Sprouts for Fresh Greens Anytime, Anywhere Do you have a drilled well on your property? You can get water from your well even when the power is out. Learn about the deep well hand pump. Being stuck with an unwanted houseguest is something to consider when preparing for an emergency. If a major global depression - or some other disaster - strikes, realize that there will be many who are not prepared. Read more. Dehydrated vegetables are a real winner both for being prepared for emergencies and for cutting food costs, providing you with nutritional food with a long shelf-life and fantastic taste. So why use these vegetables? Read more. |
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