Ready or Not...

Over the past several months, we have been working through the process of preparing an emergency kit that could be essential in the event of any number of disasters, natural or otherwise. We have begun to store some food, water and other items, and have given an overview of our process here. (For those of you with kids, good luck, you have a lot more to prepare.) Our kit only accounts for the 2 of us and our kitties. We hope you can use this information as a starting point to prepare your own family.

Food:

Our primary stored food items are THRIVE brand freeze dried or dehydrated canned goods from Shelf Reliance. Explore this site and you will see how much they offer. One cool feature is a plan called ThriveQ where you can set a monthly budget and they ship you that amount of your pre-selected emergency food each month. That way you can spread the expense out over a period of time. You can also buy a whole year supply all in one package (pricey!), or you can tell them your required caloric intake and they can customize a plan for you. Since I wanted to specify exactly what we wanted, we chose the following items (packaged in #10 cans) to get started:

Apple Slices
Banana Chips
Broccoli
Green Beans
Potato Chunks
Sweet Corn
Butter Powder
Bacon TVP
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Small White Navy Beans
Strawberries
Baked Potato Cheese Soup

(Of course planting and growing your own food is another great way to prepare- but we don't have the space or skill for that so we're trusting the professionals- If you do, knock yourself out!)

To supplement these basic whole foods, we purchased a case of canned tuna and a 275 serving 'Emergency Food Supply Kit' from Costco, available here . Here's what the manufacturer has to say:

"Basic preparation will impact the probability of your family’s survival in an emergency. Delicious and easy to prepare. Each bucket contains 275 servings of pre-mixed and pre-seasoned 100% vegetarian and vitamin fortified food. With a 20 year long shelf life, this kit is perfect for the preparation of natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes or even for a camping or hunting trip."

Easy to Prepare

Must have water and a heat source

275 Servings

All Meals 100% Vegetarian and Vitamin Fortified

Sealed in convenient Weather-Proof bucket for easy transport

25 Servings - Potato Soup

30 Servings - Corn Chowder

25 Servings - Cacciatore

25 Servings - Western Stew

30 Servings - Country Noodle

25 Servings - Rice Lentil

45 Servings - Whey Milk

40 Servings - Blueberry Pancake

30 Servings - Barley Vegetable

We keep 10 bottles of propane (the small green type) on hand with our camp stove- for the purpose of heating the emergency food.

Water:

We keep ten (36 bottle) cases of drinking water on hand at all times.

The "Kit":

Our non-food emergency kit is planned to fit in an extra large plastic bin. It could be packed in the car if the need to evacuate arose. The following is a list of what we have chosen to include- it is not exhaustive but covers the basic areas of concern. In thinking about your own kit, don't feel overwhelmed by the need to pull everything together at once. Our supplies were gathered over a period of time, working through one category at a time.

General Emergency supplies:
Matches in waterproof container
Hand-crank radio
First Aid kit
Flashlight with batteries
Large roll of plastic sheeting
Duct tape
Can opener
Pocket knife
Candles
Lighters
Emergency (space) blankets
Rope
Bed sheet
Fleece blanket
Towels

Clothing (at least one of each per person):
Sweatshirt
T-Shirt
Pants
Socks
Undergarments
Sturdy Shoes
Rain poncho
Work gloves

Personal items:
Toilet Paper
Toothpaste
Bar Soap
Kleenex
Toothbrushes
Wash Cloth
Purell
Prescription medications (try to pack a week supply)

Misc items:
Trowel
Hatchet
Dust Masks
Writing paper
Pens
Playing Cards
Bible
Pet items (food, litter, and leash)
Copies of insurance documents, ID, credit cards and other important info- sealed in plastic

Online resources:
http://www.ready.gov/
http://emc.ornl.gov/CSEPPweb/SIP/SIP_Student_Guide.pdf
http://www.areyouprepared.com/
FEMA's "Are You Ready?" - An in-depth guide to citizen preparedness


All of this preparation may seem a bit obsessive, but think of it like this - most of our grandparents had several shelves of canned goods in their basement that kept them prepared for all kinds of situations. We can't be 100% ready for every circumstance, but it's not a bad idea to give a little thought to a sensible emergency plan. It's not only a way to protect your family in an emergency, but you'll also be in a good position to help others.

Feel free to post questions or add your own suggestions - Happy Planning!