Friday, March 18, 2011

Being Prepared for an Emergency is Being Frugal Because....

  .... it will save you energy, stress and probably money; but most importantly, it will allow you to take care of your family and others when time may be of the essence.  You will be able to help maintain calm in a frightening, and possibly hazardous, situation because you have already thought ahead, and won't have to try to assemble needed supplies and vital information in the middle of a crisis.

  We can't generally predict when an emergency situation such as a major power outage, earthquake, hurricane or volcanic eruption is going to occur, but we can predict what we might need to equip us to be able to cope with the circumstances that present themselves, when and if they do happen.

 Some websites I checked for recommendations would have you basically store away enough equipment and food for a year, but I don't think that's too practical for most of us.  So I've put together a list of things I think would be most useful for a few days of basic survival, and I am anticipating that if the emergency has caused enough damage that you need more, you will have to keep yourself busy finding them during those first days.  Another thing to consider is the portability of your emergency supplies.  If you need to leave the area, you may not be able to travel by car, and that will mean you are going to have to carry what you need.  You might also need to be carrying or pushing babies, young children or sick or injured people, so it is important to stick to the real essentials.  You should keep these supplies together in one place in water-proof containers.  They should be located in a place that is least likely to suffer damage in case of an event that may destroy parts of your house....under your bed, or any small room such as a closet, pantry or bathroom would be best. 

You will, of course, need to make quantity decisions based on the size of your household.  And, if you have the space, put some extra in for neighbors who may be in need.

Contact list - phone numbers and addresses for immediate family, including someone who lives out of the area if you aren't able to make contact locally
Medical info - lists all current prescriptions and allergies and any other existing conditions
Water - needs to be replaced every six months
Food - (non-perishable, requiring minimal cooking and water) - canned fruit and veggies, canned tuna and other meats, soup, granola bars, hard candies, crackers. If space allows, rice-a-roni type meals.
Lighter - maybe two, just in case
Hand crank can opener
Kettle
Large stirring/serving spoon
Hot pad/mitt
Bowls and cups
Forks, spoons, knives
First Aid Kit - all the standard bandages, large gauze rolls, antibiotic ointment, tweezers, small scissors, feminine pads (make great bandages), hand sanitizer, latex gloves (ask a friend who works in a medical office for some of the free samples they receive) Benadryl for allergies, Tylenol, lip balm.
Sanitation supplies - toilet paper, baby wipes, disinfectant wipes, toothbrush, toothpaste, antibacterial
soap, feminine supplies, dish soap
Battery operated radio and extra batteries
Flashlight and extra batteries
Pliers
Hammer
Screwdrivers - regular and Phillips
Folding saw
Duct tape
Utility knife and extra blades
Work gloves for everyone - even for the kids because they can help too
Gloves - one size fits all type, for warmth
Paper, pens and pencils
Aluminum foil
Ziplocs bags- large and small
Garbage bags - large, heavy-duty type
Socks, underwear and clean shirt - at least one per person
Backpack - not too big, and you can actually put many of these items inside for storage
Blankets or sleeping bags - if you have the space

Many of these items will be things you have around the house now and you can set some aside in your emergency kit.  Just be careful never to "borrow" from the kit and then not replace them immediately!  Other things, like the kettle, bowls and cups you can pick up at Goodwill or garage sales for next to nothing.  Every six months you should replace the water and at least the non-canned food items, so have a couple of semi-annual days set aside as "picnic" day and feast away on those you take out!  Remember those days in school?

Like I said in the beginning, we can't predict when these events may happen, but you will be far better prepared to help yourself,and your family and neighbors, if you have these supplies readily available.

Next blog - "The well-stocked pantry...more than a week's worth, but not quite hoarding"

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