There are so many things going on in our chaotic world nowadays and, if you are like me, it is hard to stop and plan for things that may or may not happen. I have received several requests to give tips on emergency planning. The thing is, we live near the New Madrid Fault and the threat of a major earthquake is always a possibility.
If the “big one” strikes, there will be so much destruction and suffering that help may be days or weeks in coming. There are other threats such as tornadoes, floods, even terrorist attacks, and any one of them can turn our lives upside down.
The secret to coping with such disasters, should they occur, is to have an emergency plan in place BEFORE anything happens. Know what you and your family will do if the worst occurs.
Know what you will do if you happen to be away from home or at work. Make sure each of your family members know what to do and have a preplanned means of where to go or what to do. Remember these things in order of importance. You can survive 3 minutes without air, 3 hours without shelter in adverse weather, 3 days without water, and 30 days without food. Let’s assume you will “shelter in place”, meaning you will have shelter during a short term disaster. You may be home or at work or in your vehicle. But you will be able to have shelter. This brings us to the next most important thing…water. Water intake for adults in temperate conditions is around 3 liters per day, but this can rise to as much as 10 liters per day in hot climates because of loss due to sweating. In addition, around 4 liters of water per person per day will be needed for cooking and washing up. Therefore considerable supplies may be required. 
Stockpiling water is the best way to have a good supply on hand. Remember those big water cooler bottles that hold several gallons of drinking water? You can get them at Walmart for less than $10.00 and they will store well. Bottled water in the gallon jugs also keeps well. I’m not sure how water can go bad if it is properly stored but the expiration dates are usually for 2 or 3 years. You can also make use of the water in your toilet’s reservoir. Water from lakes, streams, or ponds can be used for washing or flushing the toilet, but you should not drink it unless purified. Spring water collected away from human 
habitation may be safer but it would be wise to treat even this water source.
One of the handiest things around the house is plain ol bleach. One Gallon of water is disinfected by 8-16 drops of regular household bleach (visually about 1/4 of a teaspoon) – double that for cloudy water. Shake and let stand 30 minutes. One teaspoon will disinfect 5 gallons. The next important thing is food. If you are on a tight budget or don’t have the money to go all out in stocking up on foods there are some things you can do. When you go to the grocery, pick up a couple of extra canned goods each time you go. Mark the date you bought them on the can with a marker and put them aside. Locate a place to set aside your survival or emergency food and water items.
This can be a closet or a spare room…anywhere that is temperature controlled. After a few trips, you will be surprised at how fast your food supplies have grown. Look at the “best by” dates on the cans. Most canned goods will still be good up to two years past the date on the can if they have been properly stored. As they near their expiration date, simply use them in your meals and replace them. Be sure to mark all the goods you buy that you will be using for emergency supplies. This will help you keep them rotated in and out as needed. Put some thought into what you buy. 
Think of how you can be creative in the meals you prepare in emergencies. Canned beans, tomatoes, and fruits are good basics to start with. Don’t forget the condiments such as mustard, vinegar, hot sauce, sugar and salt. I prefer the Iodized Sea Salt because of the mineral content. Sugar, dried beans, and rice should be stored in glass jars to prevent contaminants or odors from getting into the items. Make sure they have date labels on them as well. Most any food that has a vinegar base will store for longer periods of time. One big thing…don’t forget a hand cranked can opener. If the power is off, they will be worth their weight in gold.
If you don’t remember anything else, remember this…Do not tell everyone what you have or what you are doing. It is an unfortunate truth that if an emergency or disaster goes on for more than a few days, people will be coming to you for what you have if they know you have it. Remember, the purpose of preparing is for the survival and well-being of your family and loved ones. If the worst happens and there is a big disaster, running to the grocery may not be safe or even an option. Having an emergency plan and being prepared may be the single, most important thing you can do for your family. Please feel free to comment and leave your name. Be sure to hit the “Like” button at the bottom.
