Emergency Prep Friday

http://lds.about.com/b/2007/08/15/72-hour-kit-warning.htmThe last year has certainly been a doozy for the world. I mean think about it. That crazy Volcano nonsense in Iceland - and it's impact on Europe. The earthquakes in Haiti, New Zealand and Chile. Tsunamis. Fires. Floods. Fish, birds and wildlife dying off en mass. The most recent activity in Japan - Earthquake, Tsunami, possible Nuclear meltdown.

I think it's safe to say that people in California expect earthquakes.
Especially where I live - near San Francisco.
In 1906 we had a big quake that leveled the city. You may have heard of it?

In 1988 I remember standing in the kitchen of my family's home while my mother cooked dinner. Our house began to shake violently and my mother gathered me, my sister and brother up and we huddled under a doorway in our house. I was eight years old at the time. For the next two nights the whole family slept in the living room, camped out together watching CNN news, expecting aftershocks.

Well, with all that's happening in the world, the people of California pretty much expect that a LARGE earthquake will come our way soon.

Today I read an article wherein a man with an 80% accuracy rate predicted a large earthquake for the US Western coast on or around March 19, 2011 (+/- 3days). That's tomorrow folks.

As a Mormon, I've had drilled into my head the importance of emergency preparation for my entire life. 72-hour emergency kits. 1 year food storage.

But today I got to thinking - I'm doing pretty well on my food storage, and have most of the items required for a "72-hour kit" but they're scattered all over the place. Between my closet, backpacks and car. I should really get it together, package a kit up neatly as a true kit and possibly get a couple of others ready for my car and my office. Because there's really no telling if you're going to be at home when an emergency hits.

If you'd like a comprehensive list of things that should be in your 72-hour kit, check out this link:
http://lds.about.com/od/preparednessfoodstorage/a/72hour_kit.htm

Food and Water
(A three day supply of food and water, per person, when no refrigeration or cooking is available)

• Protein/Granola Bars
• Trail Mix/Dried Fruit
• Crackers/Cereals (for munching)
• Canned Tuna, Beans, Turkey, Beef, Vienna Sausages, etc ("pop-top" cans that open without a can-opener might not be a good idea, read this warning from one site visitor.)
• Canned Juice
• Candy/Gum (warning: Jolly Ranchers can melt and using mint gum might make everything taste like mint. See the comments from the blog post, 72 Hour Kit Warning, comment #11)
• Water (1 Gallon/4 Liters Per Person)

Bedding and Clothing

• Change of Clothing (short and long sleeved shirts, pants, jackets, socks, etc.)
• Undergarments
• Rain Coat/Poncho
• Blankets and Emergency Heat Blanks (that keep in warmth)
• Cloth Sheet
• Plastic Sheet

Fuel and Light

• Battery Lighting (Flashlights, Lamps, etc.) Don't forget batteries!
• Extra Batteries
• Flares
• Candles
• Lighter
• Water-Proof Matches

Equipment

• Can Opener
• Dishes/Utensils
• Shovel
• Radio (with batteries!)
• Pen and Paper
• Axe
• Pocket Knife
• Rope
• Duct Tape

Personal Supplies and Medication

• First Aid Kit and Supplies
• Toiletries (roll of toilet paper- remove the center tube to easily flatten into a zip-lock bag, feminine hygiene, folding brush, etc.)
• Cleaning Supplies (mini hand sanitizer, soap, shampoo, dish soap, etc. Warning: Scented soap might "flavor" food items.)
• Immunizations Up-to Date
• Medication (Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, children's medication etc.)
• Prescription Medication (for 3 days)

Personal Documents and Money
(Place these items in a water-proof container!)

• Scriptures
• Genealogy Records
• Patriarchal Blessing
• Legal Documents (Birth/Marriage Certificates, Wills, Passports, Contracts, etc)
• Vaccination Papers
• Insurance Policies
• Cash
• Credit Card
• Pre-Paid Phone Cards

Miscellaneous

• Bag(s) to put 72 Hour Kit items in (such as duffel bags or back packs, which work great) Make sure you can lift/carry it!
• Infant Needs (if applicable)

Notes:

1. Update your 72 Hour Kit every six months (put a note in your calendar/planner) to make sure that: all food, water, and medication is fresh and has not expired; clothing fits; personal documents and credit cards are up to date; and batteries are charged.
2. Small toys/games are important too as they will provide some comfort and entertainment during a stressful time.
3. Older children can be responsible for their own pack of items/clothes too.
4. You can include any other items in your 72 Hour Kit that you feel are necessary for your family's survival.
5. Some items and/or flavors might leak, melt, "flavor" other items, or break open. Dividing groups of items into individual Ziploc bags might help prevent this.

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When we learn about emergency prep in church, we're also told not to go into debt to prepare ourselves. Buy what you can each paycheck, even if it's just one or two items. This paycheck I plan on picking up one of these puppies:

It's an Eton FR-160 emergency thinger. It's got a radio, flashlight and a USB port to charge your cell-phone. It's solor powered or hand-crank-powered. Handy-dandy for sure.

How prepared are you?