Storage on a Shoestring? Yes You Can! (With These 3 Tips)

Cameron Pipkin May 14, 2020

What do you do when the best time to prepare is also the hardest time to prepare?

It’s the situation many of us find ourselves in these days. If the leaders at the Federal Reserve are right, before the dust settles on the Coronavirus at least one in four of us could be out of a job.

If there were ever a time to get your emergency supply in order, now is it. But how do you continue to do that when your budget can’t be stretched another inch?

The following three tips may help you see how a food storage program can be put together without sacrificing money earmarked for existing bills:

1. Get Out and Garden

As long as you’re stuck indoors, here’s a way to put the great weather we’re having to use! Set aside a plot of land to grow specific "food storage" plants.

Consider growing tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro and putting up some delicious salsa, as well as plain tomatoes, for a rainy day. Or grow other fruits your family enjoys and are easy to prepare for storage.

Sprout seeds are another great option. They’re tasty additions to salads, sandwiches, soups, and stir-fry and can be grown in a matter of days. (Note: Never sprout seeds intended for planting in gardens.)

The best part? Seeds are a great bang for your buck. You can pick up packets with thousands of seeds for $10 to $20. Add some wood for a planter box, a few pieces of gardening equipment you probably already have laying around the house, and soil (check out Craigslist for great, sometimes free, deals) and you’re set.

From there, it’s a matter of picking your plot. Find an area that’s even and lets in the right amount of sunlight for your crop (most vegetables need 6 hours straight of sunlight a day). Make sure it’s about 10 feet from shrubs and bushes.

In all, a garden is more an investment of time than money, which the perfect setup for those of us at home waiting out the coronavirus.

2. Embrace the Power of “Not Tonight”

Here’s one I used in college to buy a guitar.

When the next urge to splurge on fast food hits you, resist it! Take the $10 or $15 you would have spent and invest it in food storage. In just a few weeks, you’ll have enough for a very nice emergency kit, some 25-year shelf life food, a water filtration system—take your pick! Keep this up for a few months and the sky’s the limit.

Again, as much as we want to support the economy with our dine-out dollars, there’s no denying that Americans are going out to eat far less than normal. That makes this another strategy tailor fit for these bizarre times.

3. Plan a Menu and Stick to It

How many times do you buy food at the store and put it in the refrigerator, only to throw it out a week or two later because you forgot to use it?

Plan a menu and stick to it. Cut the waste, and every time you go to the grocery store for your major shopping, set aside an extra $5 that you normally would have spent on perishable vegetables you usually end up discarding. Within a month, you will have enough savings to purchase a "favorite something" on your food storage list.

Final Tips to Save You Money and Headaches

DON'T BE AFRAID OF A LITTLE COMFORT FOOD IN CRISIS

With all the time and effort you’ve put into saving up for emergency supplies, the last thing you want to do is waste that food once you use it.

When you’re planning your emergency purchases, think carefully about what the people in your life will eat. A crisis isn’t the best time to push broccoli on your three-year old (though freeze-dried broccoli is like candy for veggie lovers). Don’t be afraid to buy mac and cheese for that picky eater. Give your family the foods you know they’ll eat and avoid waste and further hunger.

Purchase the basics first (honey, salt, wheat, powdered milk, grains, legumes, and garden seeds), and build upon that (don’t forget the non-food items as well). Better yet, sit down with family members and organize a personalized plan. Systematically develop your storage according to you and your family's food preferences.

START SMALL AND GO FROM THERE

Remember that a short-term, as well as a long-term food storage program is the most sensible. If you cannot afford a year supply, work on a 72 hour supply, then a week supply, and so on.

Even food with a decades-long shelf life can go bad in a matter of years if they aren’t stored properly.

Keep your supply in a dry, cool place with temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees. Depending on where you live, that might mean the garage isn’t the best place your emergency stash. Get creative finding places more suitable for it. Look under beds, behind clothing in closets, and even under tables if you run out of storage space.

Also, learn to rotate it as much as possible so that it doesn't go to waste. When a crisis arrives, good people work together, so do your part to prepare and share. It is amazing how we can help each other.

Keep in mind wet clothes drag your core temp down, in the winter that can prove deadly. Hard point if you are wet in the winter, you would be better to take you cloths off to dry. Then to try and tuff it out.

keep a couple extra sets of clothes with you, shirt, pants, socks, shoes, coat, vest (with a kidney flap is nice - it keeps the small of your back warm and doesn't ride up when you bend down) and so on. Nothing can make an experience worse than not being able to change into something dry and warm after you get out of the elements. Or you are covered with mud, snot and slime and can't get it off of you.

Under armor = it is made to keep sweat and moisture off the body and keep your temp regulated. It is not a necessity but it is useful.

Walking stick = (show stand by me) A stick is something you can pick up later. It can be used to assist in walking, as well as a defensive tool. When you're walking it's wise to poke the ground ahead. You don't know what has given away. Perhaps there is a hole with a thin layer of dirt over it, or a puddle that's deep but doesn't look like it. What you are carrying may weigh you down, sinking you to the bottom quickly. In WW2 solders where walking off the boat would sink to the bottom and start walking, many drowned but many more made it, keep your head about you and don't panic.

There's no harm in hoping for the best as long as you're prepared for the worst."

― Stephen King

Paige Bradshaw Apr 21, 2022

Just a few weeks ago, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that food prices had gone up two percent since March—that’s only one month. (And let’s not mention the 18.3% increase in gas prices over the same period.)

If you think a two-percent increase is bad, food prices skyrocketed over eight percent between March 2021 to March 2022. That’s the highest increase since 1981!

Why Is This Happening?

There isn’t a simple, one-size-fits-all explanation for the circumstances. A system as large as the American food complex requires a lot of moving parts, each affecting the other. When something happens to even one piece of the assembly line, it can start a domino effect that brings other pieces crashing down.

Currently, there are a wide variety of factors causing food inflation, and soon enough, food shortages as well. Since the start of COVID, we’ve seen supply chain delays, disruptions, and shortages. And as the problem has deepened, we’re now experiencing severe labor shortages on top of it all.

Between that and the side effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and U.S. bans and sanctions, we’re in one of the toughest spots we’ve experienced in decades.

But never fear! As always, we’re here to help you prepare. Here’s what you can do to rise above food inflation and food shortages during these financially strained and unpredictable times.

Tips for How to Protect Your Family against Food ShortagesADOPT A MONEY MINDSET

There are two types of spenders: those who keep a budget, and those who don’t. If you’re the latter, give budgeting a go and watch your savings soar.

However, budgeting is more than simply giving yourself an allowance to spend each month. It also involves careful, detailed reporting of your spending and accounting for any differences in costs between months—which, at this rate, there will be.

Keep a spreadsheet of your income and expenses for a few months, tracking your rising costs. If you’ve never been a fan of Excel or Google Sheets, try a budgeting app like Mint instead. Or, if you’re old school, you can keep a budget by hand.

In addition to keeping a budget and tracking prices, take a little time to browse those coupons you find in your mailbox every week before tossing them into the trash! A little couponing can go a long way in times like these.

And speaking of coupons, don’t underestimate the difference a cash-back credit card can make long-term. Over time, those few cents in savings per item can really add up.

PLAN YOUR MEALS IN ADVANCE

If you don’t already, plan your week’s meals before you head to the store. Make a plan and don’t deviate from it to avoid impulse purchases.

If meal planning doesn’t come naturally to you, leave it to the experts! Try a meal planning app to help you plan your meals, discover new recipes, make grocery lists, and save money all at once.

When meal planning, be sure to incorporate what you already have in your pantry. Find a way to add those foods that have been sitting on the shelf for months.

While shopping, don’t be afraid to stray from high-ticket, big-name brands. Switching to generic, off-brand products will lower the total cost at the cash register, and your tastebuds won’t be able to tell the difference… typically.

BUILD AN EMERGENCY STOCKPILE

While we can’t predict everything that will happen in coming months, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has taken some of the guesswork out of the equation.

The USDA has predicted increases to the following food categories:

Beef: +16.2%

Poultry: +12.5%

Eggs: +11.4%

Produce: +10.6%

Cereal & Baking: +7.8%

Dairy: +5.2%

Before you rush to the grocery store to stock up on these items, keep in mind that you’ll want the best quality for the best price with the longest shelf life. With Emergency Essentials, you’ll check all those boxes and feel peace of mind knowing you’re fully stocked.

Here are our long-lasting alternatives to a store-bought supply:

Freeze-Dried Beef Crumbles

Freeze-Dried Beef

DicesFreeze-Dried White Chicken

Whole Egg Powder

Mega Fruit Kit

Premium Veggie Kit

9-Grain Cereal

Quick Rolled Oats

Cooking Essentials Kit

Deluxe Baking Kit

Instant Nonfat Milk

Beyond food, your stockpile will need to include everyday items like:

Toilet paperPaper towelsBasic cleaning suppliesShampoo and conditionerBody washHand soapDeodorantToothbrushes and toothpasteVitamins and medicationsFeminine hygiene productsBaby care products

At first glance, this can feel overwhelming. We use many products to stay clean and healthy every day! But you don’t have to go out and buy all these things at once—in fact, you shouldn’t. Simply adhere to this rule of thumb: “buy one now, two for later.”

For example, if you’re out of toothpaste, buy one tube to replace the one you need right away, then buy two more to add to your supply. It’s an easy, cost-effective way to build your emergency stockpile as you go!

GROW YOUR OWN FOOD

You don’t have to be a farmer to produce your own food! Even if you think you don’t have the skills or space to grow a garden of your own, let us be the first to tell you: you can do it!

If you’re living in an apartment, a small space, or have limited access to a yard (if you have one at all), try your hand at an herb garden, vertical garden, or countertop garden.

You can keep a small garden of herbs on your kitchen windowsill, you can build a vertical garden against a wall (indoor or outdoor) to grow herbs and other small plants, or you can keep a garden of sprouting seeds in a countertop planter for quick and nutritional sprouts in days.

If you have an available outdoor wall or some space along a fence line, you can plant berry bushes. Install a simple post-and-wire system for supportive upward growth—you can DIY it or grab it at a local home improvement store!

If you have a patio or yard space, build garden boxes or till a section of your land for crops like peas, carrots, tomatoes, squashes, and more.

The more food you can grow on your own, the less you’ll have to rely on a larger food system to get it.

Now fire can speed up a hill faster then anyone can run, fire climbs so the top end of something, say grass, starts the bottom of the one above it. I'm a prairie boy and have seen it run across a field as fast as one can drive. Fire creates it's own wind.

Stone or a diamond dust = sharpening stone is useful but not necessary. Diamond dust sharpener is light and a little more expensive then a stone but I find them well worth the price. (About $40 per set for the small ones. The big set can run up to the $120 range). They do wear out quick - is a drawback. Always keep the tools sharp. It takes less energy to keep a good edge on a sharp tool then to use a dull one. A SHARP KNIFE won't cut you as deep as a dull one.

Reason: You aren't putting as much pressure on the sharp blade. So if you slip all your weight isn't on it. A sharp one will go deep just the same, but it's a clean cut so it will heal faster.

L. Tom Perry
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Oct 1995

On a daily basis we witness widely fluctuating inflation; wars; interpersonal conflicts; national disasters; variances in weather conditions; innumerable forces of immorality, crime, and violence; attacks and pressures on the family and individuals; technological advances that make occupations obsolete; and so on. The need for preparation is abundantly clear. The great blessing of being prepared gives us freedom from fear, as guaranteed to us by the Lord in the Doctrine and Covenants: “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (D&C 38:30).

by Adam Mott Mar 03, 2010

Earthquakes can be very dangerous and can occur at any time of the year. Identifying potential hazards ahead of time and advance planning can reduce the chances of death, serious injury, or property damage.

7 Steps for Earthquake Preparedness

According to the Earthquake Country Alliance based in Southern California, there are 7 major steps to take for earthquake safety:

1 Secure it now! Conduct a "hazard hunt" to help identify and fix things such as unsecured televisions, computers, bookcases, furniture, unstrapped water heaters, etc. Securing these items now will help to protect you tomorrow.

2 Make a plan. Planning for an earthquake is not much different from planning for a party or vacation. Make sure that your emergency plan includes evacuation and reunion plans; your out-of-state contact person's name and number; the location of your emergency supplies and other pertinent information.

3 Make disaster kits. Everyone should have a disaster supply kit stored in accessible locations at home, at work and in your vehicle. Having emergency supplies readily available can reduce the impact of an earthquake. Your disaster supplies kits should include food, water, flashlights, portable radios, batteries, a first aid kit, cash, extra medications, a whistle, fire extinguisher, etc.

4 Is your place safe? Most houses are not as safe as they could be. Whether you are a homeowner or a renter, there are things that you can do to improve the structural integrity of your home. Some of the things that you might consider checking include inadequate foundations, unbraced cripple walls (a short wall built upon the foundation of a house that produces a high crawlspace), soft first stories (click here for details), unreinforced masonry and vulnerable pipes. Consult a contractor or engineer to help you identify your building's weaknesses and begin to fix them now.

5 Drop, cover, and hold on! Learn what to do during an earthquake, whether you're at home, at work, at school or just out and about. Taking the proper actions, such as "Drop, Cover, and Hold On", can save lives and reduce your risk of death or injury. During earthquakes, drop to the floor, take cover under a sturdy desk or table, and hold on to it firmly. Be prepared to move with it until the shaking stops.

6 Check it out. One of the first things you should do following a major disaster is to check for injuries and damages that need immediate attention. Make sure you are trained in first aid and in damage assessment techniques. You should be able to administer first aid and to identify hazards such as damaged gas, water, sewage and electrical lines.

7 Communicate and recover. Following a major disaster, communication will be an important step in your recovery efforts. Turn on your portable radio for information and safety advisories. For most Presidential declared disasters, resources will also be available from federal, state, and local government agencies.

Another great resource for earthquake safety and preparedness is the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website. This is a very comprehensive site concerning disaster preparedness. You can also find additional information at the U.S. Geological Survey website.

Communication After an Earthquake

Many families long ago dropped their landlines in favor of a family cell phone plan. "The landline is too expensive" and "everyone in the family has their own number anyway" are common reasons for getting rid of the landline. So if everyone has a cell phone, we can all be in touch in emergencies, right? Wrong!

Your cell phone is only as useful as its power - both in its battery and service through your carrier. Natural disasters have shown us time after time that cell phone towers are not invincible. Hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and floods can damage and even destroy them, making cell phones completely useless. Also, in the United States, there is no requirement for cell phone companies to have systems to keep them online (including the towers) when the electricity goes out. Although some towers may have limited backup power ability, they are not required to do so.

Cell phone towers can also get crowded and deny others the ability to make calls, which would likely happen in an emergency. Landlines, however, can be used in the same situations and they work fine.

Power outages can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few weeks. If you have a landline, always have a least one corded phone that will work when the power is out. In these conditions, you will most likely be unable to charge a cell phone; so your smart phone will last as long as its battery, assuming that its tower is even functional.

Of course, if you have the Ready Hour Solar PowerBank, you can charge your phone when the power is out. But remember that many of the cell towers may be incapacitated.

Cell phones are great tools for calling for help if your car breaks down or sending texts to announce the new baby. But for natural disasters, it's best to have a landline phone. They are much more reliable in extreme situations and do not need to be charged. Plus, the service costs less per month than a night out to dinner and a movie!

So this is for the house, many will see this as after something big, but a small problem can cause just as much damage if it is left or unsure what to do about it. A tree falling on the house, digging a hole striking something, gas leak, water line in the house or yard busts, a car running into a house after jumping a retaining wall, theses are just a few examples, I have seen many unusual things that will make you scratch your head wonder how that happened

Inside

Look up

Lights, Fans, false ceilings: need a minimum 9 gauge wire directly from appliances to the roof joices

Reason: if the fixtures come loose they will not come down, posable injury

Look around

Pictures: hooks need to be nailed or screwed to joists, with closed hooks, and a film over the glass

Reason: anything screwed on nailed into the drywall can come out, joices are solid and will hold

Closed hooks will keep the Pictures in place

By chance the glass shatters the film over the glass to prevent shattering glass from flying, or it can drop in a mass instead of all over the floor

Hang or heavy items

Shelves: keepted free from exits, away from where anyone sits or sleeps, should be tacked to joists

Reason: when a shake takes place Shelves can tip as well as anything on them can become projectiles, posable injuring and/or killing, Shelves can fall blocking exits

Prevention

• Anchor large appliances to walls using safety cables or straps. L bracket, or a nylon strap screwed into joists can keep the Shelves and appliances in place

TV:

• Items on the shelf such as TV need to be striped down if they aren't mounted to a wall

Ornaments:

• to keep the from moving and able to move them later, Velcro, double sided tape, or museum putty

• Place large and heavy objects on lower shelves

• Store breakable items, such as glass jars and china, in low closed cabinets with latches

Books:

• A lip edge in shakes can keep them on the shelf

• Install ledge barriers on shelves and secure large, heavy items and breakables, directly to shelves to keep them from falling.

Drawers and cabinet

• Install latches on drawers and cabinet doors to keep contents from spilling. Simple item such as child proof locks, or locking handles, keeps the cabinet or drawer closed and items in and not flying around

• To prevent injuries from flying glass, apply safety film to windows and glass doors.

• Filing cabinets should be bolted to the walls

Windows

• clear or tinted film, if they break or shatter the glass may stay in the frame or fall to the ground mainly intact, Windows WON'T shoot fine sharp glass everywhere when broken

Look down

Damage can and is caused after the quake, such as water damage, electrical, or fire from Gas leaks, knowing where ALL, the shut Offs can prevent another of damage

Reason:

• Water: when a pipe is broken, water heaters fall breaking the pipes, water keeps pouring out, flood in your house,

• Gas: furniture and water heaters move pulling gas line loose, gas leaks out and in a disaster there is and can be multiple sources of ignition, fire, explosions, resulting in both loss of property and life

• Electrical: fuss are made to pop killing the line to the short, but there are time it does not work property or an appliance gets warm, any thing can fail

Prevention

• Knowing where ALL the shut Offs and how to shut them off stops a lot of damage, can make a place from inhabitable to habitable

• For gas there are extra valves such as shake detection valves, (or gas shut-off sensor shut off valve) in a

earthquake, or a sudden drop in pressure, it automatically shuts the gas off going onto the house

• Others steps that can be taken, strap both water heater and furniture securely to to the wall with two metal straps, install flexible gas and water connections, going both in and out of appliance, in the event it does move the is leeway before breakage

Small little thing or adjustments in the house can be the difference between life and death, and damage from habitable to inhabitable

Outside

Look up

Trees and the limbs, Need to be trimmed back

Reason:

trees are beautiful and provide shade, and can add to the house. But during and emergency they can come down, branch snap off, even if they are small trees, they can cause a lot of damage, the impact of the tree is concerned to the small area of impact, the force behind the fall can and does go through the house like a knife, the larger the trunk the more damage

Roof tiles need minimal 9 Gauge wire:

Reason: the tiles add to the house and are fire resistant, but they are basically a stone, moving at any speed are lethal

Check gutters downspouts secured:

Reason: yes the are light but they are tin and can slice through a lot more than people can imagine, Most time they are secured enough, but when a quack takes place, they can move and tare free, an extra screw or a wire can keep the from falling if the do brake free

Look around

Shrubs cut back from windows:

Reason: in the event of an emergency escape may need to be a window, not easy to escape if the windows are being blocked, if they can NOT be cleared, a small path between the wall and shrubs can make escape posable

Look down

Gardening equipment, toys: need to be keeped clear

Reason: tripping hazards, some Gardening tools can ripe into flesh, leading to health complications

A little thought to start off on. Most people have BCAA, now ask anyone why… the answers are similar and go something like this “incase we brake down or have a problem with the vehicle.” That is being prepared for what might and can happen. Why is Emergency preparedness so different?

Sleeping bags = are very nice and preferred. Two or three are wise to have. Reason: One under you keeps the cold from coming up and the other is around you to keep the warmth in. The third is an extra. Now the easiest way to keep them with you is a stuff sack and a de-compressor.

Members of the Church have been counseled for many years to be prepared for adversity. Preparation, both spiritual and temporal, can dispel fear. Elder L. Tom Perry taught, “The need for preparation is abundantly clear. The great blessing of being prepared gives us freedom from fear.” With the guidance of Church leaders, individuals and families should prepare to be self-reliant in times of personal and widespread tragedy. The Principle of Preparation

You know how “family size” in retail is code for “extra large?” There's a reason for that. Families go through a lot of everything, especially my family. We shop at those giant wholesale stores and buy everything in bulk. This “family size” thing also applies to your food storage. Long-term food storage for a family takes up a lot of space, and acquiring and storing that much stuff is so daunting to some people that they don't even try. And water storage? Water is heavy and often the only storage containers that come to mind are those intimidating giant barrels. But wait, back up! Water storage is simpler than you think even when you store enough for a family. Water bottles are a great way to start building up your water storage, especially if water barrels are too large for your living space.

First of all, what is “enough?” The oft-repeated rule of thumb is one gallon per person per day for two weeks. That's not very much. How much water do you go through on a normal day, with washing, cooking, and drinking? Most estimates place water usage per person in the United States at 80-100 gallons per day, so one gallon each day is a minuscule amount; sufficient to keep you hydrated and for very basic hygiene. For two weeks, that's fourteen gallons for each individual in your family. Right now I have seven human beings living in my house so that comes to 98 gallons. Yeah, that's a lot – two of those 50-gallon drums. My house is only about 1400 sq. feet, though, so where on earth would I put those? I don't have anything against large water barrels, but it's not practical for me to use them because of my current housing situation. So I'll let you in on a little secret that I've learned in my years as an Emergency Preparedness guru: it's easier to Replace room for lots of little things than one big thing. Untidy people like me Professional organizers also Replace this to be the case in homes where there is clutter: even small homes can hold a lot of it. In this case you don't want clutter, however, you want food and water storage. Any place you can hide clutter, you can stick a few small containers of water. Under beds, hidden in closets, in a corner in the pantry, in that hard-to-reach spot under your basement stairs. If you don't have a large space in your garage or basement to dedicate to some barrels, I encourage you to go this route. The cheapest and easiest method for storing water is to save two-liter soda bottles. Wash them out with soap, fill with water, and keep in a cool, dark place. You can also use juice bottles or any container made of PET plastic. Be aware that bottles that have once stored juice tend to impart a mild flavor. My family has had a good experience with a product called Water Bricks. These are difficult to Replace in stores but are available via the above link. They're useful because each container is relatively small, holding about 3.5 gallons each, but they stack together like Lego for efficient storage. In the case of an emergency evacuation, you can easily grab two or three and fit them into the back of your vehicle.

The AquaPod stores small, but when needed, can fit in your bathtub and can hold up to 65 gallons of water! You can also purchase a variety of other water containers from retailers, including this little number that allows you to conveniently store a whole bathtub full of water. Also be aware of other sources of water that may already be in your home: your water heater, the tanks of your toilets (the tank never comes into contact with human waste, but if this still grosses you out, you can scrub it out periodically), and the liquid found in cans of vegetables. What about water for your 72-hour kits? Three days of water per person is a little hefty. As each family member should be able to handle his or her own kit, here you run into some difficulty when suddenly your three-year-old needs to be able to carry three gallons of water around with them. Even when you have handy pouches of drinking water, you'd still need an awful lot of them, especially if you have a growing family. I like to recommend carrying a smaller amount of water with you in a kit in addition to supplies for treating and filtering water. And now a reminder: it's never enough to just have your water. You also need to practice surviving on such a little amount each day. Have water drills in your home every so often. More importantly, teach your children good water conservation habits so that if your family is ever required to rely on your water storage, it will not come as such a shock. You don't have to get all of your water storage together in one day, but if you haven't already started, do it now.

A thought to put it in perspective: Preparedness becomes a way of life, think ahead of what can go wrong, don't live buy the seat of your pants. E.g. I work in an area where trees are everywhere and there is only one way in and out. Yes a lot of things can go wrong. But a wind and not well-rooted trees. A saw of some sort, maybe I can cut my way out... I have done that. A little water, and some food in case I'm stuck there for a while.

Forty dollars. Most stores will be down and people will be walking out with what they want. There will come a time when things are back under control and you may need to buy something. Be prepared to be taken advantage of (gouged). We were in Florida. A mother needed milk for her infant. The store charged her $20 for a pint, just before we arrived.

"There's no harm in hoping for the best as long as you're prepared for the worst."

― Stephen King

by Cameron Pipkin Jul 29, 2022

We were taught in school that water comprises 71% of the earth’s surface, and, as such, there is a virtually unlimited supply of water.

Here’s the truth, though: While 71% of the earth’s surface is water, the vast majority of it is undrinkable.

According to the Bureau of Reclamation California – Great Basin, “97% of the earth's water is found in the oceans (too salty for drinking, growing crops, and most industrial uses except cooling). […] 3% of the earth's water is fresh.”

And that 3% is running low. Dangerously low.

Don’t misunderstand this statistic and think it only applies to impoverished countries. Water scarcity is becoming a major problem in the Western United States, and it will affect the entire country.

That’s why it is important to understand why America is running out of water and what you can do to prepare.

What Water Shortage in America Looks Like Today

Scientists at Harvard University believe, “By 2071, nearly half of the 204 fresh water basins in the United States may not be able to meet the monthly water demand.”

Fresh water basins provide the water Americans use to drink, cook, and clean.

National Geographic further explains, “Shortages won’t affect only the regions we’d expect to be dry: with as many as 96 out of 204 basins in trouble, water shortages would impact most of the U.S., including the central and southern Great Plains, the Southwest, and central Rocky Mountain states, as well as parts of California, the South, and the Midwest.”

Currently, the western United States is in a megadrought and is seeing the driest 22-year period in the region since the year 800. It’s affecting the Hoover Dam, Colorado River, and Lake Mead.

These water sources provide water for millions of Americans, farmlands, and electrical plants. And they are lower than ever before.

And sure enough, a short time after writing that article, the federal government declared the first water shortage on the Colorado River—ever.

It’s so bad, there is talk of diverting the Mississippi or Missouri Rivers to help feed the Colorado River basin. The issue – aside from the money it would cost to build the infrastructure for a project like this – is that Missouri farmers are seeing lower than normal rainfall this year.

The Reasons We Are Facing a Water Shortage

In addition to the megadrought, scientists believe other factors are contributing to water scarcity.

First, climate changes are to blame.

National Geographic explains, “While the wettest regions of the U.S. are getting wetter, the drier areas are getting drier, and there are some seasonal shifts in water patterns—rising temperatures mean the snowmelt that feeds many rivers begins and ends earlier, contributing to summer water shortages.”

But, that isn’t the only cause of water scarcity.

The other reason is the rising population.

As the population swells, there will be more demand for water. The problem is that this higher demand is occurring at a time when there is less water.

This is why America has already started searching for more groundwater sources. But, that doesn’t solve the problem.

Digging new wells is costly, and it leads to poor water quality.

How Water Shortages Affect Water Quality

The good news is that scientists are hard at work trying to find a way to avoid the worst-case scenario – complete water scarcity.

Unfortunately, water shortages will lead to problems with water quality in the meantime (or possibly forever).

For example, Bloomberg reports, “Though uncertainty remains about how the drought will affect drinking water quality, some water lawyers fear it could create a situation similar to the 2014 lead contamination crisis in Flint, Mich. that triggered a public health state of emergency.”

Here are a few ways water shortages can lead to poor water quality:

Water Scarcity – The worst thing that could affect our water would be water scarcity. If you don’t have access to clean water, water quality doesn’t matter. Plus, it leads to even worse problems. UNICEF claims that, in places with very limited water resources, there is increased competition and conflict for water.

Saltwater Intrusion – According to UNICEF, “Rising sea levels are causing fresh water to become salty, compromising the water resources millions of people rely on.” South Florida is already experiencing this issue. National Geographic claims, “South Florida’s freshwater aquifers are increasingly susceptible to saltwater intrusion due to over-extraction.” Saltwater is not safe for drinking. However, because of water scarcity issues, scientists are already looking for ways to extract salt from water.

Heat-Related Pathogens – A 2014 U.S. Geologic Study found, “Heat leads to algae blooms in reservoirs and possible cyanotoxins in water supplies […]. Cyanotoxins can cause a range of health problems, from skin rashes to death.”

Other Contaminants – The 2014 study found other connections between drought and poor water quality. For example, “Some systems saw increases in nitrates, arsenic, and uranium during the last drought. […] Nitrates can cause blue baby syndrome, when infants’ blood can no longer carry sufficient oxygen. They often occur alongside fumigants, uranium, and other compounds relating to agriculture.”

Soot – Heat combined with drought leads to wildfires. Like a domino effect, these wildfires then affect water quality. Bloomberg explains, “Wildfires scorch watersheds, sending soot and other organic material downstream.” For example, large wildfires in 2020 in Fort Collins, Colorado, have led to concerns about water quality.

Here’s the message from the City of Fort Collins Utilities: “In 2020, the City’s water supplies were severely impacted by the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome wildfires. These two wildfires are considered the two largest in Colorado history, raising significant concerns about both the availability and quality of our future raw water supplies. Due to the scale and severity of the burn areas, impacts to our raw water supplies are expected to be long-term.”

What You Need to Do Today to Prepare for a Water Shortage Tomorrow

Now that you know the current water shortage in America has a domino effect that will impact the quality of the water across the country, it is time to start preparing.

While much of the problem is out of our hands, we can still be water prepared. If your community is experiencing a drought, you cannot trust your tap water to be safe. It may not even be available! Moreover, there is a real possibility that poor water quality may be an issue everywhere in America.

Water preparation begins with thinking about where and how you can get water. Do you live near a stream? Do you have water-giving plants, such as cacti? And don’t forget to check for these unusual places where you can find water in or around your home, like your toilet tank.

It is also wise to store water. However, you must make sure you store water safely. For example, if you store it in open containers, it may grow algae or bacteria. If you store bottled water, it is important to rotate it out according to the expiration date. This has more to do with the plastic than the water, but, when the plastic breaks down, it releases chemicals into the water.

Another way to be water ready is to start harvesting rainwater. Place a barrel or water tank by your gutter to collect rain runoff. You can also place buckets covered with clean white t-shirts (which will keep out debris and pests) in elevated positions to collect rainwater.

Additionally, prepare by purchasing a gravity-powered water filtration unit like the Alexapure Pure Water Filtration Systems, ensuring your family will always have access to clean drinking water even when the wells run dry.

Invest in a water filtration system before it’s too late, friends.

Most of this preparation equipment sounds like camping gear. That's because it is. Essentially that's what you are doing - camping. It sounds silly, but in this case you don't have a choice. Time varies and so will the places. The difference is you can't just go home when you're tired. You are trapped outside until the "all clear" is given. When you accept the fact you are going to live in a tent a while it will be easier on everyone around, especially YOU.

Hard hat = this can keep your head safe from things that may be flying or dropping from above. Most people make the mistake once everything has settled they figure nothing else is going to be in the air. WRONG! Buildings collapse, people are tossing things and maybe even explosions are going off. All these put things into the air to cause injuries. It's also good for catching rainwater. In WW2 soldiers washed and shaved in their helmets. There is more then one use for this item as there is for most things.

High visibility vest = this lets people know where you are and what you're doing. Normally someone that's Prepared will draw people to them for guidance and support. If someone is tossing something they may see you before throwing it in your direction.

Prepare every needful thing

Victor L Brown

October 1980

It would appear that in altogether to many cases the teachings about preparedness has been either misunderstood or knowingly rejected. Many of our members appear to feel that when difficultly comes, the Church will come to their aid, even when they could have prepared themselves had their priorities been appropriate.

in a disaster, have a meeting place just outside the house. A neighbor's place or where ever you choose, but make sure everyone knows where it is. In the event everyone is separated such as the daytime, (work and school) have a common meeting place you all know: e.g. the church (if no big bridges are between you and it!). The reason for this: everyone in the house is accounted for in the least time as possible. No one is assuming you are buried in a pile of debris. When in fact you went to a friend's place. Be sure there is a common person that knows you will be calling - way outside the zone of any possible disaster - say, in Lethbridge or Regina - a relative or friend. Why you ask, they try and get the long distance lines going first. If you are all separated that person will be the central and keep a running record of who is where. This will take time to get the lines up as well as units will have the only phones working for quadrant for a short while.

birth certificates, passports, bank statement, property ownership or rental agreements, family history. These all PROVE who you are and related to. When the banks come back on line you will have proof of what was in your account. Keep this all in a watertight container and keep everything updated or it will make things harder and may delay what's yours or you may possibly lose what's in your account. Keep in mind IT MAY TAKE YEARS to finally settle what you have and what is yours. Some people like keeping this in paper form some keep all this on USB format both have advantages and disadvantages.

Word of caution: Remember if, before you use this pack, if hoodlums breaks into your home -- most won't take the time to look what they have. They will take it and look what's in it later. They have all the information they need to fraud and steal your identification, everything in your account, and even your property. Keep it well hidden someplace in your pack.

Teach LDS Women Self-Sufficiency

Barbara B. Smith

April 1976

We have been told that the gaining of this independence will come to Church members only in proportion to their obedience to the word of the Lord in this matter. Obedience brings security and self-sufficiency. It breeds confidence and a peaceful attitude.

(This is long winded but given the heat problems we are experiencing, I find it is important)

Getting out and enjoying warm weather can be the best part of summer, but there are some risk factors to consider. You’ve probably heard of the dangers of heat stroke, but you may not know much about what to do to prevent it and how to administer first aid for it if necessary. Heat stroke is a form of hyperthermia. Not to be confused with hypothermia, which occurs when a person’s body temperature drops too low, hyperthermia is overheating that can cause its own version of serious damage to the body

Heat stroke is a serious condition caused by exposure to an extreme amount of heat for an extended period of time. When the condition sets in, it leads to dehydration. This causes the body’s homeostatic system responsible for control of body temperature to fail, leading to a sustained rise in temperature to 103 (39 c) Fahrenheit or higher.

The condition can be so serious that it can lead to serious damage to the brain or other organs of the body. Heat stroke is more common in sports people, the elderly, infants, and people who work outdoors for long periods of time. However, it can also affect people of any other demographic.

The best way to keep yourself and those around you safe is to be informed about heat stroke. You should be able to identify it as well as have an action plan for how to handle it should it occur. The more you know, the better prepared you can be to avoid the risks entirely.

Absence Of Sweat

This is a common sign of classic heat stroke. Classic heat stroke is normally seen in the elderly or those with chronic medical conditions. The person’s skin will present as hot and dry due to anhidrosis, which is the medical term for when the sweating system fails.

Normally, the body reacts to rising temperature by sweating. This is meant to lower body temperature back to normal via evaporative cooling. If sweating does not occur then this evaporative cooling mechanism cannot be utilised thus causing a dangerous rise in core temperature.

Dizziness or faintness

Heat stroke may also cause dizziness and faintness. This may occur when you have been sitting or lying under the sun for some time. You may find it difficult to get on your feet, and if you do, you may experience the uncomfortable feeling as if the world around you is spinning.

Heat stroke causes pumping of more blood to the skin and the limbs as the body tries to lower its internal temperature. This rush of blood outward can cause the blood pressure to drop. It also reduces the volume of blood reaching the brain. This can cause dizziness or even fainting

High body temperature

High temperature is a common sign of heat stroke. Rise in body temperature is in fact how this condition develops. This happens when the body’s homeostatic system can no longer regulate body temperature to its optimum.

According to the CDC, a temperature of 103 Fahrenheit or higher is a sign of heat stroke. However, on its own, high body temperature is not reason enough to conclude that you or a loved one has a heat stroke.

Hot And Dry Skin

Heat exhaustion is usually an initial stage before advancing into heat stroke. Sweating is one of the signs of heat exhaustion. However, as the condition progresses, the body’s defence mechanism stops the sweating process. This happens as a way to protect the body from further dehydration.

But by this time, the body will have lost a significant amount of its fluids. This leaves the skin dry. Additionally, because heat stroke occurs as a result of continued rise in body temperature, the skin will be hot to the touch. It will also have a flushed appearance. If you notice hot, dry skin conditions together with another one or more signs of heat stroke on a loved one or other acquaintance, keep them cool and seek medical care as soon as possible.

Mental Confusion

Mental confusion is yet another sign of heat stroke. A person with heat stroke may find it difficult to use their mind as they would normally. It may become difficult for them to think, engage in a conversation, or even focus on anything. If, for instance, you have been talking with them, their input may fade off or be minimal. On closer observation, you might notice that they appear stunned or disoriented. It may also become difficult for the affected person to walk, or they may stagger.

Mental confusion is more common in heat stroke caused by overexertion. This leads to a concussion-like experience that interferes with normal coordination. The ensuing frustration may also lead to agitation.

Muscle Cramps

Muscle cramping is another sign of heat stroke that occurs as a result of dehydration and loss of electrolytes. Sweating, one of the initial symptoms of heat stroke, involves loss of body fluids. When sweat evaporates from the skin surface, it helps to lower body temperature. However, besides water, sweat also contains dissolved minerals like magnesium, potassium, and sodium.

These minerals in the form of electrolytes are critical for muscle functions besides other roles. When the body loses significant amounts of the electrolytes, the new levels may be inadequate for optimal muscle function. This is why heat stroke can cause muscular cramping. Muscle cramps are more common in heat stroke resulting from extreme workouts.

Nausea

Nausea typically accompanies dizziness in a person with heat stroke as it does with other conditions. Other symptoms related to the digestive system like vomiting and abdominal cramps may also occur. Other related symptoms include reduced urination or dark urine. There might also be some blood in the urine or stools.

If some of these symptoms occur in you or a loved one while either working out hard or in an extremely hot environment, it could be a sign of heat stroke. Stop whatever you are doing that could be exposing you to extreme heat and take action to cool down. It is also recommended that you seek medical care without delay.

Profuse Sweating

Profuse sweating may be a sign of exertional heat stroke. This type of heat stroke occurs when the person becomes over heated due to high activity typically in a hot, humid environment. This is normally found in those who do high intensity exercises such as athletes or with military training.

The person experiencing these symptoms will sweat during and after the activity. Sweating is the body’s response to try to reduce the core temperature but in this case it is unable to keep up with the demand. A humid climate exacerbates this because the sweat will not be able to evaporate from the skin. This excessive sweating will further cause complications in the form of dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.

Rapid Heartbeat

Heat stroke can also cause your heart to beat faster and your breathing to hasten. This happens because of the inability of the body to lower its internal temperature by sweating. In a further bid to lower the internal temperature, the heart starts to beat more rapidly in a quest to get more blood to the skin and the limbs. These are the places where more heat can be radiated out into the surroundings.

Unfortunately, without sweating, little heat is lost even when large volumes of blood flow to the skin. By blood flowing to the skin and the legs, it can cause a drop in blood pressure. As a result, even with a faster heartbeat, there may be little blood to pump to the rest of the body.

Throbbing Headache

A throbbing headache, when you have been in an extremely hot environment for some time, may be one of the first signs of heat stroke. And while this also happens in people who suffer from migraine headaches, not every migraine is a sign of heat stroke. Bright lights, flashing lights, and glare may also trigger migraines. For this reason, if you normally get migraines, don’t assume that you have a heat stroke if you get a sudden attack. But if there are other symptoms, you could be having a heat stroke.

How Can Sun Stroke Be Prevented?

When the heat index is high, it's best to stay in an air-conditioned environment. If you must go outdoors, you can prevent heat stroke by taking these steps:

Wear lightweight, light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing, and a wide-brimmed hat.

Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or more.

Drink extra fluids. To prevent dehydration, it's generally recommended to drink at least eight glasses of water, fruit juice, or vegetable juice per day. Because heat-related illness also can result from salt depletion, it may be advisable to substitute an electrolyte-rich sports drink for water during periods of extreme heat and humidity.

Take additional precautions when exercising or working outdoors. The general recommendation is to drink 24 ounces of fluid two hours before exercise, and consider adding another 8 ounces of water or sports drink right before exercise. During exercise, you should consume another 8 ounces of water every 20 minutes, even if you don't feel thirsty.

Reschedule or cancel outdoor activity. If possible, shift your time outdoors to the coolest times of the day, either early morning or after sunset.

What First Aid Can Help Heat Stroke?

If you suspect that someone has a heat stroke, immediately call 911 or take the person to a hospital. Any delay seeking medical help can be fatal.

While waiting for the paramedics to arrive, initiate first aid. Move the person to an air-conditioned environment -- or at least a cool, shady area -- and remove any unnecessary clothing.

If possible, take the person's core body temperature and initiate first aid to cool it to 101 to 102 F. (If no thermometers are available, don't hesitate to initiate first aid.)

Try these cooling strategies:

Fan air over the patient while wetting their skin with water from a sponge or garden hose.

Apply ice packs to the patient's armpits, groin, neck, and back. Because these areas are rich with blood vessels close to the skin, cooling them may reduce body temperature.

Immerse the patient in a shower or tub of cool water. Not ice cold a it with shock the body

If the person is young and healthy and suffered heat stroke while exercising vigorously -- what’s known as exertional heat stroke -- you can use an ice bath to help cool the body.

Do not use ice for older patients, young children, patients with chronic illness, or anyone whose heat stroke occurred without vigorous exercise. Doing so can be dangerous.

This has only covered heat stroke, the other areas, some signs are simpler but there are other sign not covered here

Such as :

Heat Exhaustion

Sun Burns

Sun Poisoning?

Addendum by Bill Munro

Speaking from someone is always hot, mid spring to late fall, I always have at least two of the above symptoms, I work outside in the heat does not help anything, AC isn't always an option (AC is also surface cool, over a core cool)

Knowing the symptoms help, knowing how to deal with them before it gets out of hand and cooling yourself down before it gets out of hand

Few things I do to keep from ending up in the hospital

First wair a breathable hat, lets heat escape, and stops heat from roasting your head. Blood vessels run close to the surface.

Second, lots of water, cooler water, not ice water, helps keep you hydrated as it cools the core

Third soak my shirt down, cools as it evaporates, slight breeze helps even more, brining your core temperature down

If by chance I'm on my way home, or my case even work, walk in the fridge or freezer. Most stores won't have a problem if you stand in the fridge area on a hot day

Know where the city's cooling centres are.

Joints are a weak point in any tool. Folding knife is two peace held together by a nut and bolt, when it brakes or gets loose it is normally at the nut and bolt, rair is it the blade or handle. A full tang (no I don't mean fixed blade) hunting knife is normally the handle bolted to the steel. If the bolts brake off with the tang it is still very usable. A fixed blade is a blade is normally a few inches running into a mold of some sort, but it doesn't usually run the length the of the handle. Same with a shovel where two peaces meet is the week point and brakes very common... ALWAYS watch for joints avoid them if you can. But keep in mind they are some time necessary.

Shovel = use to dig. For sanitary reasons, such as barring waste a hole deep enough to have at least 10 inches of ground on top of the waste, the deeper the better (25 centimeters) keeps rodents from gathering, but also keeps the order from getting to you. As well keeps diseases better controlled. A hole to sleep in if needed, or used for defense. Any surplus store will carry the collapsible type. I prefer the three way foldable to the single. The more joints the more places it can break, but it's smaller.

This is talk is becoming more evadent every year

“Prepare Every Needful Thing”

Victor L. Brown

Oct 1980

Recent disasters around the world have prompted several news stories regarding the importance of emergency preparedness. Some of those stories have highlighted the Church’s teaching of self-reliance.

In between cleaning your closets and washing your windows this spring, take some time for emergency preparedness spring cleaning.

When was the last time you checked your family’s first aid kit? Do you know when it is time to replace your fire extinguisher?

These types of emergency preparedness tasks often get overlooked because many of us buy emergency supplies, store them, and forget them.

Since you will already be doing your annual spring cleaning, make this the time to ensure your family and home are prepared for future emergencies.

1. Update Your Emergency Plan

Every family should have an emergency plan that includes important contact information.

The problem is that contact information often changes, which means you must update phone numbers and addresses.

During spring cleaning, go through your emergency plan and make any necessary revisions.

2. Review and Update First Aid Kits

Many of us purchase a stocked first aid kit, put it in a pantry, and pull it out as needed.

Our first aid kit gets used most often for band-aids because we have children. When I don’t make a point to check to see how many band-aids are in the kit, I find myself lacking band-aids when they are needed.

I have a feeling this happens in many homes.

It’s not just band-aids. We often take and use items as needed, such as antiseptic wipes, but we don’t replace them.

This spring, take everything out of your first aid kit and see which essentials you are lacking. Then, replace them.

3. Check Food Storage

Most of our readers take emergency food preparedness seriously. That’s fantastic!

However, just because you have emergency food in your pantry if a disaster strikes, it doesn’t mean you should ignore it.

If you have canned foods, now is the time to check their best-by dates and their condition. Canned foods can go bad.

Long-term emergency foods have longer than normal expiration dates, but they still have expiration dates. While some long-term emergency foods in #10 cans last up to 25 years, others like butter or whole egg powder have a shorter lifespan of 10 years (still significantly more than normal, though).

If you have been stocking long-term emergency food for a long time, make sure you check those dates.

4. Refresh Emergency Go Bags

If you have practiced emergency preparedness for any amount of time, you know the importance of having a go bag ready at all times.

These go bags tend to have emergency essentials for survival, including food, first aid, and gear.

Like your first aid kit, you need to carefully inventory everything in your go bag and replace what needs replacing (such as old food).

5. Update Local Weather and Emergency Apps

With spring storms on the way, now is a good time to refresh your local weather and emergency apps. Take a few minutes to see if there are software updates needed or new, better apps available.

6. Replace Batteries in Alarms

According to the National Fire Protection Association, “Roughly 3 out of 5 fire deaths happen in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.”

Your home smoke alarm should be tested regularly, and you should replace the batteries at least once a year (during spring cleaning).

At the same time, check your carbon monoxide detector and replace the batteries.

7. Check Your Fire Extinguisher

Every home needs a fire extinguisher, and we are just going to assume you have one.

However, do you know how old it is?

Fire extinguishers have a life expectancy of 10 - 12 years, but some even need to be “recharged” after 6 years.

If you aren’t sure how old your fire extinguisher is, take a look at the pressure gauge (green = good, red = bad).

8. Clean Out the Medicine Cabinet

As part of your spring cleaning routine, go through your medicine cabinet and safely get rid of any expired medications.

You don't want to toss these medications into the trash where they may find their way into the wrong person's hands.

Instead, look for drug take-back locations. For example, many Walgreens offer medication disposal kiosks.

9. Remove and Secure Loose Items in the Yard

Spring storms cause a lot of destruction – even more so if there are items in your yard that can cause destruction.

As part of your spring cleaning, make sure you clean up your yard.

Remove any loose debris (such as fallen branches) and secure items that can move during strong winds (such as trampolines).

10. Go Through Gardening Tools

As you get ready to do your spring planting, go through your gardening tools. Get rid of duplicate tools or broken tools. Make a list of tools you need to replace and set a budget to make necessary purchases.

11. Clean Out Gutters

Unclean gutters can cause a lot of damage, such as flooding and water damage. Take the time now – before a natural disaster or severe storm – to do this dreaded task. It will save you a lot of money and headache later on.

While you’re at it, if any trees are near a power source, make sure they are trimmed and kept away from the lines. If there are dead branches, remove them before storms allow them to become dangerous projectiles.

12. Double-Check Power Supplies

Spring storms often result in power outages. Knowing this is the case, be prepared by checking all your power supplies.

Do you have extra batteries on hand? Do you have working flashlights and candles?

13. Test Emergency Gear

As you pull out your first aid kit and go bag, take a few minutes to test your emergency gear.

Does your hand crank radio still work?

Which items require batteries? Do the batteries work?

This happened in 2004. Birch Island, BC was flooded. The ice stopped river water flow. Now it builds up. This happened in the middle of the night. Some people only had 20 minutes notice to get out. Now where do you go? Many had places they could go. Others had only an emergency shelter to go to, not the best accommodations, but it’s better than the alternative. I know about this one only because I was there, not as emergency worker, but as a trucker who was stopped at the bridge. The ice hit the bridge destabilizing it. Morning is when we found out how bad it was. It looked stable enough, the engineer examining it, walked across to our side, took one look and wouldn’t even walk over it again to his car. That could have gone bad in more then one way. No life lost but could have if the bridge was left open. Just a lot of flooded properties.

Pockets = wear clothing with pockets for abandonment survival. Keep only what's needed to survive. Filter for water, small knife, lighter, steel wool, some rope, and food. People can be very mean and may want more than your pack, taking it by whatever means they feel necessary. If a problem arises and you need to run leave everything behind. What you have in your pockets you can survive on. After you have escaped the danger you can find and make things to make your life easier. Then again you may do what I did and step into a puddle and find yourself 12 feet below the ground in water.

CHAPTER 11: PROVIDENT LIVING: APPLYING PRINCIPLES OF SELF-RELIANCE AND PREPAREDNESS

Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball

L. Tom Perry instructed, “Start now to create a plan if you don’t already have one, or update your present plan. … The instability in the world today makes it imperative that we take heed of the counsel and prepare for the future” (“If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear,” Oct. 1995 general conference).

You'll want more than just a little water. Dehydration kills, fast. On average, people need about three quarters of a gallon of fluid daily according to ready.gov. Some need more: children, nursing mothers, sick people, those who are exercising, and people in a warm climate. In very hot temperatures, water needs can double. If you keep your head, you can get water in many ways.

Here are some of them, from easiest to hardest.

Store water. The easiest way to have water after an emergency is to store it before an emergency. The Red Cross recommends a gallon per person, per day, for at least three days. Commercially bottled water is the safest and most reliable water for storage. It’s easy to obtain, easy to store and lasts longer than home-bottled water. Just don’t open it and be aware of the expiration dates on the bottles

Home-bottled water can be less expensive and perhaps provide a way to recycle old soft drink bottles. We even have food-grade water storage containers, which makes storing water easy. If you want to re-use old bottles, the Red Cross says don’t use milk or fruit juice containers. Milk proteins and fruit sugars can’t be completely removed. Don’t use cardboard or glass containers. To bottle water at home, first clean bottles with dish soap and rinse completely. Sanitize soft drink bottles by swishing around a solution of 1 teaspoon of non-scented liquid chlorine bleach to 1 quart of water. After sanitizing the bottles, rinse them completely. Second, fill each bottle with tap water. If your water comes from a well or if your utility doesn’t treat it with chlorine, add two drops of non-scented liquid chlorine bleach to each gallon of water. Check the water after a half hour. If it doesn’t have a slight bleach smell, re-treat it and wait 15 minutes. Or, you can use water purification tablets, such as the Katadyn Micropur Purification Tablets. They work best when water is at least 68 F, so leave very cold water out to warm, according to WikiHow. Use the original cap on the container. Close it tightly, and write the date on the outside of the container. Store it in a cool, dry place. Replace home-bottled water every six months.

Use hidden water sources in the home If a disaster takes place while you’re at home, you have some hidden safe water sources: according to ready.gov. Do not drink water from toilet flush tanks or bowls, radiators, water beds or swimming pools

melted ice cubes and water

Pipes in your home, First, know how to turn off water mains. Broken water and sewage lines can contaminate water coming into your home. To drain pipes, turn on your faucet to the highest level to let air into pipes then get water from the lowest faucet in the home.

To get water from the water heater, make sure the electricity or gas is off, and open the drain at the bottom of the tank. Turn off the water intake valve in the tank and turn on the hot water faucet. Once clean water is restored, refill the tank before turning the gas or electricity on

Purify water from impure sources. A little water to purify and filter If you’re out of clean water, the Red Cross says you can treat water from precipitation, streams, or rivers, ponds, lakes, and underground springs. Don’t use untreated water. It can contain deadly germs. Don’t use flood water or water with floating material, an odor, or a dark color. Only use salt water if you distill it first. For those of you on the coast, this could be a good source of water if you have a desalinator. First, let suspended particles settle to the bottom of a container or strain water through coffee filters or layers of clean cloth. Then use whatever method you choose: boiling, purification tablets or bleach, filters, UV pens, distiller, or a combination of methods. If you’re concerned about being short of water, follow these rules from survival expert Tom Brown, Jr. in Mother Earth News. Don’t drink carbonated beverages or alcohol. They cause dehydration. So do urine and salt water unless they’ve been distilled. Don’t eat if you don’t have water to drink with it. Limit activity to limit perspiration. However, drink what water you have. People have died of thirst with full canteens. “Try to store as much water as you can in your stomach,” Brown wrote. Because, as we’ve seen from the story about the French family, a little water can still go a long way. What does your water preparedness look like?

Inside

Look up

Lights, Fans, false ceilings: need a minimum 9 gauge wire directly from appliances to the roof juices, with 2 inch slack

Reason: if the fixtures come loose they will not come down, posable injury

Look around

Pictures: hooks need to be nailed or screwed to joists, with closed hooks, and a film over the glass

Reason: anything screwed on nailed into the drywall can come out, joices are solid and will hold, closed hooks will keep the Pictures in place, if by chance the glass shatters the film over the glass to prevent shattering glass from flying

Hang or heavy items

Shelves: away from where anyone sits or sleeps, should be tacked to joists, keepted free from exits

Reason: when a shake takes place Shelves can tip as well as anything on them can become projectiles, posable injuring and/or killing, Shelves can fall blocking exits

Prevention

Anchor large appliances to walls using safety cables or straps. L bracket, or a nylon strap screwed into joists can keep the Shelves in on place

TV:

Items on the shelf such as TV need to be striped down if they aren't mounted to a wall

Ornaments:

to keep the from moving and able to move them later, Velcro or museum putty

Place large and heavy objects on lower shelves

Store breakable items, such as glass jars and china, in low closed cabinets with latches

Books:

A lip edge in shakes can keep them on the shelf

Install ledge barriers on shelves and secure large, heavy items and breakables, directly to shelves to keep them from falling.

Drawers and cabinet

Install latches on drawers and cabinet doors to keep contents from spilling. Simple item such as child proof locks, or locking handles, keeps the cabinet or drawer closed and items in and not flying around

To prevent injuries from flying glass, apply safety film to windows and glass doors.

Filing cabinets should be bolted to the walls

Look down

Damage can and is caused after the quake, such as water damage, electrical, or fire from Gas leaks, knowing where ALL, the shut Offs can prevent another of damage

Reason:

water: when a pipe is broken, water heaters fall breaking the pipes, water keeps pouring out, flood in your house,

Gas: furniture and water heaters move pulling gas line loose, gas leaks out and in a disaster there is and can be multiple sources of ignition, fire, explosions, resulting in both loss of property and in life

Electrical: fuss are made to pop killing the line to the short, but there are time it does not work property or an appliance gets warm, any thing can fail

Prevention

Knowing where ALL the shut Offs and how to shut them off stops a lot of damage, can make a place from inhabitable to habitable

For gas there are extra valves such as shake detection valves, (or gas shut-off sensor shut off valve) in a

earthquake, or a sudden drop in pressure, it automatically shuts the gas off going onto the house

Others steps that can be taken, strap both water heater and furniture securely to to the wall with two metal straps, install flexible gas and water connections, going both in and out of appliance, in the event it does move the is leeway before breakage

Small little thing or adjustments in the house can be the difference between life and death, and damage from habitable to inhabitable

Outside

Look up

Trees and the limbs, Need to be trimmed back

Reason:

trees are beautiful and provide shade, and can add to the house. But during and emergency they can come down, branch snap off, even if they are small trees, they can cause a lot of damage, the impact of the tree is concerned to the small area of impact, the force behind the fall can and does go through the house like a knife, the larger the trunk the more damage

Roof tiles need minimal 9 Gauge wire:

Reason: the tiles add to the house and are fire resistant, but they are basically a stone, moving at any speed are lethal

Check gutters downspouts secured:

Reason: yes the are light but they are tin and can slice through a lot more than people can imagine, Most time they are secured enough, but when a quack takes place, they can move and tare free, an extra screw or a wire can keep the from falling if the do brake free

Look around

Shrubs cut back from windows:

Reason: in the event of an emergency escape may need to be a window, not easy to escape if the windows are being blocked, if they can NOT be cleared, a small path between the wall and shrubs can make escape posable

Look down

Gardening equipment, toys: need to be keeped clear

Reason: tripping hazards, some Gardening tools can ripe into flesh, leading to health complications

The first night is the hardest to live through. After a disaster everyone is working franticly to help where they can, so more than likely you won't prepare anything for yourself. You'll be extremely tired and will sleep where ever. This is where dangers come in: hypothermia is primary, and predators, are two examples. The second day you know you have to help others as well as prepare yourself for the night.

Pictures = sometimes you will feel depressed. A picture of a loved one, friend, someone special to you, or Christ, can keep your spirits up when it seems there is nothing to hope for. This time is usually just before bed, getting up or when you are sitting, waiting or resting and all you are doing is thinking. Knowing where you are and what you have lost. All it takes is the smile from the picture to bring hope back to you. To give you the added boost of energy, ready to face the next day, or to get you right back to what you were doing.

This is a very simple item and very personal to you

Another way to be prepared is to think negatively. YES I’m a great optimist, but when trying to make a decision, I often think of the worst case scenario. I call it “the eaten by wolves factor” if I do something , what is the most terrible thing that could happen? Would I be eaten by wolves? One thing that makes it possible to be an optimist, is if you have contingency plan for when all hell brakes loose, there are a lot of thins I don’t worry about,

Randy Pausch

“Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance, for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to ‘prepare every needful thing’ (see Doctrine and Covenants 109:8) so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors, and support bishops as they care for others.”

“We encourage members worldwide to prepare for adversity in life by having a basic supply of food and water and some money in savings. We ask that you be wise, and do not go to extremes. With careful planning, you can, over time, establish a home storage supply and a financial reserve.”

There are three main components of food storage:

Food supply (three-month and long-term)

Water supply

Financial reserve

Store foods that are a part of your normal diet in your three-month supply. As you develop a longer-term storage, focus on food staples such as wheat, rice, pasta, oats, beans, and potatoes that can last 30 years or more. Learn more about a long-term food supply.

How much food storage do I need?

Take the amount of food you would need to purchase to feed your family for a day and multiply that by 7. That is how much food you would need for a one-week supply. Once you have a week’s supply, you can gradually expand it to a month, and eventually three months.

For longer-term needs, and where permitted, gradually build a supply of food that will last a long time and that you can use to stay alive, such as wheat, white rice, and beans. A portion of these items may be rotated in your three-month supply.

Where should I store my food storage?

Make sure your food storage is properly packaged and stored in a cool, dry place.

If water comes directly from a good, pretreated source, then no additional purification is needed; otherwise, pretreat water before use. Store water in sturdy, leak-proof, breakage-resistant containers. Consider using plastic bottles commonly used for juices or soda. Keep water containers away from heat sources and direct sunlight.

How much does it cost?

Costs may vary depending on where and how you purchase your food storage. It is important to remember that you should not go to extremes; for instance, it is not prudent to go into debt to establish your food storage all at once. Develop it gradually to diffuse the overall cost over time so that it will not become a financial burden

Equipment = A helmet to catch water. The belt can be used as a tourniquet to stop bleeding, or hold something up and out of your way... you get the idea. Just because it is made for something doesn't mean it can't be used for more then it was designed for. Almost everything a soldier has, has more then one use, even their socks have more then one use.

Dog tags = this may seem useless but if you have a medical problem perhaps someone can help you. If you're dead they'll be able to I.D. you. You won't be one of the Jane or John Doe's that your loved ones will be sifting through the rubble hoping to find. Or even after when they are identifying the bodies, you are accounted for. It is best to keep these on you at all times even before a disaster. I have a set with me, if I end up in the hospital it has all the info on them if I can't tell them myself

What is on them? Name, I.D. number that is yours (driver license number), religion, blood type, medical problems that you have, and a contact number. Preferably out of the disaster area. E.g. Toronto, Edmonton, Regina. The cost is about twenty to twenty-five dollars. That is two tags, silencers and a chain.

Why Natural Disasters occur?

Because….

We need the Environment, the Environment doesn’t need us

Charles Ambrose

Most people assume that the pack is just for an emergency. But it is also for every day life. If you go skiing you have hand warmers taken them with you, just remember to replace them, extra cloths ware them, food rotate it. The more you use in you pack the easier it will be to know how to use it when the time comes. Practice makes perfect.

Gloves = a couple of sets. In a disaster most people try to help. When using hands the skin may peel or wares quick particularly when you are dealing with ruff items. The gloves will take most of the abuse.

There are many types of gloves out there. There is two types I like.

One is leather, there are many versions of leather grades, going with a good quality is very important, they are a bit more pricey, but will last a very long time. Watson is one of the better glove names they can be found most any place they run about $15 – $20 they can be found at most industrial store or equipment places, some time Canadian Tire, Wal-Mart carry them

The second type I like are a ploy glove. they are thin, but will take a lot of abuse. The one that stand out are the one that come with knuckle protectors. they are a little cooler in warm weather, but it’s the knuckle protectors that set them apart from most gloves. its not hard to slip and bash a knuckle or rip one open (We all know with open skin infections set in) the knuckle protectors stop most if not all of that. They are becoming a bit more popular and can be found most any place, Canadian Tire, Wal-Mart even some discount store carry them

If you have a major disaster involving hundreds of thousands , or is some cases millions of people, whether it be a natural disaster or an act of terrorism, the first 72 hours are going to be totally chaotic no mater what you plan to do

Warren Rudman

Want affordable food storage that is easy to use? Try dehydrated foods!

When food is dehydrated, the water is slowly cooked out of the food without actually cooking it. You can dry food at home by yourself with a food dehydrator, or choose from of myriad of dried foods available on the market. The most popular forms are packaged for long term storage in #10 cans with an oxygen absorber.

Dehydrated foods are a wonderful storage option for multiple reasons. Dehydrated foods are lightweight and compact. They are an affordable form of food storage, and are easy to reconstitute and use.

Nervous about using dehydrated foods?

Ask yourself the following question: Have I ever used a cake mix? Or pancake mix? Or made a box of macaroni and cheese? If you answered yes to any of these questions then you have used dehydrated foods! Many of the convenience foods we use on a regular basis have dehydrated foods in them.

What types of foods are dehydrated?

Many of the common dairy products are available in dehydrated form. You will Replace butter powder, dried milk, and even eggs! These foods are great for creating mixes for baking. Don’t want to make your own mixes? There are many mixes already prepared for you! Pancake mixes, muffin mixes, and many others are available to make your preparedness pantry as simple as possible. Most of these foods only need to have water added to them before being cooked to prepare them for consumption. There are also some fruits and vegetables available using this common method of dehydration.

One popular dehydrated breakfast item is Creamy Wheat Cereal. Did you know one # 10 can of Creamy Wheat Cereal makes 48 one-cup servings? That is less than a quarter per breakfast! What a great economical and nutritional value!

I can't emphasize this enough, WATCH YOUR WEIGHTS. Most cases you don't need 2,3 4, or 5 of something. Something's you may want more of the object. Keep in mind, the more you have the more it weighs, yes it may be an ounce or two, but go through your pack and look at how many things are duplicated and weigh it... MODIFY, if you find a better one, don't just put it in the pack, change it out. If you're mobile it will make all the difference in the world, where if you are staying in one place it makes little difference. I've gone through packs with people, over time they add a lot... finding a better piece, but don't take things out, or don't know what to do with the old one, so they leave it in there. You can make more then one pack, for a spare, it doesn't have to be complete, if you have visitors over it can be one for them, or for you car. Give or sell it to someone else who is just starting one, possibly they need it in theirs.

Boots = (preferred steel toed and puncture resistant) The steel toes will protect your toes and give you a little more of an advantage when you're lifting something. If you can get it up a little, put your toe under it to get a better grip. The shank will stop most things from penetrating the sole of the boot. This kind of protection can also come in ordinary shoes as well. For many years I have been wearing safety shoes that look just like normal runners. Very few people know the difference. Only one person I've ever known has ever figured them out. This person surprised me. Even I couldn't tell. They are a little more expensive then a WAL-MART brand, but they will last a lot longer. The Boot Truck on Annacis Island, Wal-Mart has a line, Mark's, almost any Safety Supply carry them.

Gordon B. Hinckley (General Conference, October 1992)

"The kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God on the earth will be combined together at Christ's coming - and that time is not far distant. How I wish we could get the vision of this work, the genius of it, and realize the nearness of that great event. I am sure it would have a sobering effect upon us if we realized what is before us."

If you have problems finding any of them or questions, talk to me.

Living away from home for the first time can be exciting. You're no longer living with your family; you have all the freedom you want! Despite this, you should still be responsible for your own personal safety. Here are 7 tips to keep you safe while you're on campus.

Keep your windows and doors locked

When you're at home, would you leave your front door unlocked? Of course you wouldn't. That's why you should always make sure your dorm room door is locked when not in use. You want to think your dorm is secure, but if the wrong person gets let in, then you could be in trouble. Keep your windows locked, as well, as they're an easy way in for many criminals.

Keep your phone charged

Security expert Katy Millson from Management Essay Service says, “Your phone is the most important tool you have on your person. You don't want your battery's dead when you need to make an emergency call.” Before you go bed at night, plug your phone in so it has plenty of charge. It's also worth buying a portable charger, so you can charge it up on the go.

Stay together

If you're on a night out, stick with your group. Crimes often happen when someone has been separated from their group, and are vulnerable. It's a good idea to agree on a meet up spot if you get separated. Make sure you all go home together, too. Don't leave someone behind, especially if they're not in a situation to make good decisions.

Don't leave your stuff unattended

You'd like to think that your stuff will be safe in the library, sadly it's not always the case. All you have to do is run out to get a coffee, and someone could help themselves to your laptop and phone. Either take it all with you, or leave it with a friend if you have to step out. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

Use alarms

“Alarms are a great idea for any college student, they come in all shapes and sizes, keeping you and your belongings safe.” Such examples include personal alarms that you can pull if you feel threatened, alarms you can attach to windows and doors, and even alarms you can attach to your laptop.

See something, say something

Crime is less likely to happen if you speak up. If someone tries to touch you, simply yelling can be enough to scare them off. They don't want any attention, so cause a commotion and get them to leave you alone. The same goes if you see something happening to someone else. Just shouting 'No!' as loud as you can to help. If you don't feel safe doing so, call for help on your phone.

Be aware of your surroundings

You'll see lots of people walking around with headphones in, or staring at their phone. You may want to do the same, but it's best to walk around campus without these devices. They can stop you being aware of your surroundings, and so you're a harder target. Be aware of what's happening around you, and keep safe. This is good advice whether it's day or night. Keeping safe at college is all about common sense, and taking steps to keep yourself protected. If you take a little time to lock your doors or make sure your friends are all together, then you'll be safe at college.

On May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted, spewing ash more than 12 miles into the atmosphere before spreading across the continental United States and Canada, eventually circled the earth in just 15 days. Now, that same volcano is recharging with magma, according to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network. Since 2008, swarms of earthquakes have shaken the area around Mount St. Helens. Most recently, these earthquake swarms have been registered underneath the earth’s surface, unfelt to those living on top of them. While these earthquake swarms are fairly frequent, that doesn’t mean an eruption is imminent, according to an ABC News article. However, that doesn’t mean folks shouldn’t be prepared for an eruption, either. The 1980 eruption, did some serious damage to the surrounding area, and was the most destructive eruption in U.S. history, according to USGS. Crops were destroyed, more than 185 miles of roads were damaged, and while minor, the water quality of streams, lakes, and rivers were adversely affected. If you live in the area of Mount St. Helens, preparing would certainly be a good idea. For those located farther out, it’s still a good idea to be ready. But how do you prepare for a mountain explosion? It's no different than preparing for any other disaster. First of all, get together a 72-hour kit. Whether you make your own or buy a pre-assembled kit is up to you. Either way, having a 72-hour kit will keep you ahead of the game. Make sure you keep your kit(s) near the door, just in case a speedy exit is required. Also, personalize it with items you’ll need, such as diapers, prescriptions, and even breathing masks, just in case the ash is as thick as fog (pro tip: you won’t want to breathe that stuff in). Make a plan. Where will you go if the mountain blows its top? Will you stay in, away from the falling ash, or bug out to a far location more protected from it? Whatever your best option is, make sure you come up with the decision before the event happens. Likewise, keeping your vehicle’s gas tank at least half full will ensure you a speedy exit should the need arise. Of course, there are other things you could be doing to prepare for disaster—volcano or not. Make a plan, get your kit together, and be ready for anything. If the volcano doesn’t erupt, then at least you’ll be ready for the next disaster that comes your way.

Have you ever wondered what you would do if you had only a few minutes to leave your home knowing that you may not come back?

Lytton BC. The village had been setting Canadian temperature records in the previous days, including reaching 49.6 °C (121.3 °F) the previous day, the highest temperature ever recorded in Canada. winds of up to 71 kilometres per hour (44 mph) pushed the fire north into the community, and the fire may have been moving at 10 to 20 km/h

From first smoke to the town being fully engulfed was only 15 min. The fire destroyed 90 percent of the village, killed two people

Dry conditions and a breeze, it quickly spread the town was leveled. Because of these fires, many people had to take shelter in high school or churches in surrounding communities. Most of them had little to no time to gather their things and get out.

If you only had a few minutes to gather your valuables and leave your home, would you be prepared?

(1) Have a family evacuation plan.

(2) Have an emergency kit close to an exit. Be sure that this kit has water in it.

(3) Preserve and protect any valuables and documents. These valuables could be anything from heirlooms to special family pictures. Decide now what is most valuable to you and take measures to protect it.

Please take a minute to consider these recommendations in order to prepare yourself and your loved ones in case of an evacuation or other emergency.

How many (pointing to you now) have read what’s down and thought it’s a good idea and then just went on with your day, never giving it a second thought? Do you keep the item in your head and think on it now and then? Do some pricing when you see it. Do you pick it up when you find what you want? Have you put thought into what else you need for your family? This list is only suggestions, no two people or families are the same, so no one will have the same items or skill set. The only thing this is designed to do is make you think and help in what you may get stuck on or unsure of. It is monthly so it gives you time to look around and not over whelm you, as well as give you some time to put thought into budgeting or a way around what’s needed or wanted.

Damages happen all the time particularly in a disaster zone (obvious I know). But it also happens while you are waiting and trying to get on with life. Winds and derby fly causing damage to anything and everything

Duct Tape: there is humor in duct tape. Many remember MacGyver or hear someone refer to him, fixed everything with duct tape. Now I have never put to test all he did. But in a survival situation, duct tape can have many uses, and here are just a few ways to use this adhesive wonder.

Patching holes/Sealing – Rip your tent while assembling or blown the zipper in the middle of a rainstorm, or something goes flying into it ripping it open?

Medical uses – is a great for first aid. Provide padding on a blister, or even splint an ankle in an emergency. Wrap it around your hands can provide a little protecting when working and can’t stop but the skin is warring.

Waterproof while this could apply to just about anything, it’s specifically helpful with shoes, especially in the winter. Just wrap the tape around the shoe to form a barrier from water and provide extra insulation.

Myth busters did a show on duct tape and I had to say it was amazing, I never thought of what they did. A boat… a little wire and tape… it sailed away. 7 strips just taped to the sides and over a bar lifted a Crown Victoria car… and much more

Spencer W. Kimball april 1976

As I listened to their addresses, I kept thinking over and over of something the Savior said, “Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” It rolled over and over and over in my mind: “Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46.)

There are many people in the Church today who have failed to do, and continue to argue against doing, the things that are requested and suggested by this great organization.

Christmas Rollover

Mr Robertson was driving south on Interstate 15 in Utah, when he saw a minivan cross the median, hog his side of the freeway, then roll over. He stopped to help and found three children and three adults, one of whom was pregnant and hemorrhaging. Fortunately, Robertson knew emergency first aid. He had someone call 911, then he, a nurse and a deputy who arrived on the scene treated the family for injuries and shock until paramedics took over.

This time of year, many of us give gifts like toys cloths and trinkets to put trinkets to out in the house. We can give gifts of preparedness like. as Mr. Robertson did, we can give gifts of our own preparation and knowledge.

I asked a few members of my extended family about gifts of preparedness they like to give and receive. “I like to give things you don’t normally think about, like stuff for the car,” said one sister. She likes to give roadside emergency kits, blankets, flashlights, water, and snacks – which she said are especially useful when kids are in the car.

One Christmas a brother receved jumper cables, for his car, while he was in college many years ago. He has used them at least yearly since then, through many years and many vehicles, to jump others’ car batteries. This year, they proved handy when his own vehicle’s battery died. They were a gift that continues to give.

A sister enjoys giving less-expensive preparedness gifts. “I think it’s fun to give [Mylar] space blankets. I don’t know if people like getting them, but they’re fun to give,” she said. "Christmas I gave my son, a Boy Scout, hand and foot warmers for his winter campouts."

Another brother gave hand-cranked flashlights to his young children. Not only are they useful in emergencies, they’re sturdy enough for the kids to play with, he joked.

The gift of preparedness doesn’t have to be a physical item.

A first aid kit for a vehicle is another gift that can keep giving. It’s great for minor scrapes, bumps, and pain when you’re out and about, even if you never use it for a major incident. Robertson said when he was helping after the minivan’s accident, a deputy arrived with a huge first aid kit. The first thing the deputy did, before he approached the scene, was put on latex gloves. He asked Robertson to help treat a woman’s bleeding wrist. Robertson didn’t have gloves. “I look at my hands, and he says, ‘get some gloves’ from the deputy’s first aid kit” Since then, Robertson has carried latex gloves in his own first-aid kit. Robertson was able to provide first aid after the minivan accident, and on several other occasions, because he took first aid classes.

Consider taking a first aid course – or paying for one for someone else. Learn how to perform basic car repair, like how to change a tire. Learn how to sew on buttons or hem clothes, so you can help yours and others’ clothes last longer. The gift of preparedness provides endless opportunity for self-improvement – and can save you money. The gift of preparedness is powerful, because it allows you to serve others long after Christmas decorations are put away. Isn’t that Christmas at its best?

People walk along and shutter at others because of what they’re doing, to you it may seem odd and dangerous, while to the other person it is just how they doing things or a way of life.

Many know who I am, but few really know the real me. I talk of what I do and have done… mainly of fun and good times, or something very odd. Some I find have problems either believing me or think I’m stretching things. Few people put on their real faces for all the world to see. Most put their best foot forward and try and keep it there when others are in the vicinity, or have never dealt with that person in a situation and surprised how different that individual can be. A few and very few what you see in the easy time is what you will get when it is rough times. Ask yourself when people are around what do you try and hide or are more wary of.

Vitamins = if you take any, have some with you. Vitamins are good to keep with you for the simple reason they WILL give you what you aren't getting from what you are eating. They give you a bit more nutrition. Being in the elements will take more out of you then normal life does. Most are good for about a year. But, go through it once a month, or every six months to be sure all is kept fresh. I recommend Prairie Natural or Organica. CONTENT is the reason.

Prescription when you are prescribed something there is normally a problem it is controlling or fighting. Some long term can be kept in your pack while others that are restricted or short term need to be grabbed on the way out the door. Keep them beside the door or someplace close. Easier said than done I know

“I cannot have chaos erupting around me until I am prepared for it. I don't participate. My resources, and my standing, must be secure before I can allow the uncertainty of war and disaster crash down. The words of a foolish man. War and disaster are not on the schedule of you they are on their own time.” Stuart Munro

Fit 1 Year of Food…No House Is Too Small!

1. Empty Suitcases

Empty luggage you've already have in storage is a great place to stash emergency food.

2. False-Bottom Drawers

A false bottom in a dresser drawer (or drawers) makes extra space for emergency food.

You may have drawers in your home you can eek a little extra space out of by building a false bottom.

It’s simple enough in theory, and some people swear by it. You simply cut a board to the size of your drawer bottom, insert a spacer in each corner, place the board on top of the spacers inside your drawer,

This video from TheKingofRandom.com walks you through the entire process.

3. In a Wall Cavity

This isn't quite as scary as it sounds. But must be approached with caution

If you're out of room for shelving, building some space inside your wall could be the perfect solution. Depending on the age of your house and the region you’re in, there should be empty space between your interior walls—these are called “wall cavities.” They’re probably full of insulation, wiring, and plumbing. Some of them may be empty.

For more information on how to build extra storage space into an existing wall, check out Better Homes and Gardens’ instructional on building a recessed shelf.

For a little extra cover and security, Lowes has a page on how to build a hidden storage cabinet into your wall behind a painting. It adds a little more of a "wow factor" to your recessed shelving. It also increases food security, which is never a bad thing.

4. A DIY Coffee Table

Easy storage ideas, tablecloth, wood, and emergency food buckets, flats of cans, toss a table with a cloth over it, it looks like a end or a coffee table

5. Behind Books on Your Shelf

If you’re the kind that likes to keep books around the house, you may have a trove of empty space that’s just the right size for canned food and sealed pouches.

6. Combine Buckets

emergency food buckets with pouches

Combining the contents of food buckets can net you more extra space than you might think.

7. Behind Your Couch

couch

It may not work for everyone, but with a creative touch, couches can hide lots of long-term emergency food.

Of course, aesthetics is the real drawback here. We covered the items with a tablecloth for our little demonstration.

My prospective is different then majority of people, one other in the ward shares most of how I see things, but I have a very unique view in the even of a disaster, leaders, seconds and thirds, followers, victims, and many other ways. Know what kind of decision that will have to be made, who would be the ones to make the more correct judgment… many will be easy… but there are some that are NOT going to be as cut and dry, and the discernment will fall on to the leader. It has been my call more then once, and as unpopular as it is or can be, it is for the best, I have sat alone many times for this. I can see it in the ones I see as leaders. Decisions will be based on what’s best over all and not always popular. The one in charge, ask yourself, no mater who they are would you stand behind them and how far would you go for them. Keep in mind age means NOTHING, experience helps yes but can also cloud the judgment

Thermo blanket. It’s light, easy to carry, small, cheap, and somewhat waterproof, but they wear out fast. They work on the dead air space. This is what keeps you warm, the air between you and the blanket. I keep a few with me. But they’re kept in my pocket, not the pack, reason is this. If I don’t have my pack with me I still have something with me to keep me warm when I’m sleeping ruff. It’s not as hard as one thinks, wonder from camp and the sun goes down. No streetlights it gets dark fast and debris in the way makes walking back to camp hazardous to your health. Most don’t think how far anything is or can get in a hurry, walking back takes a lot more time then most give credit for. On a nice day, time how long it takes to drive from your place to the church. Give your self a ruff estimation and then walk there. How close where you now add anywhere from 50% to 70% more time for weight and what has blocked the way, trees, poles, broken roads to name a few things.

Easy to find some dollar stores, most Canadian Tire, Wal-Mart, some camping stores, some tool distributors outlet $1 - $8 EACH look around.

Auliq Ice “You can’t prepare for the details of every single possible thing that might come your way in the future, because the future is uncertain.”

Fire alarms

Procedures to leave the building

Be calm, do NOT panic

Follow instructions when given

Get up and walk to the nearest exit or as instructed

Go to the back of the chaple grounds

Wait on the grass area

Wait be be dismissed buy those in authority

Do not go back inside or leave until it has been cleared

Teachers of youth and kids

Be calm, do NOT panic

Get everyone ready walk out single file

Take your class to the to the nearest exit or as instructed

Go to the back of the chaple grounds

Direct them to the back grass

Take attendance to ensure everyone is out safely

Report anyone missing to bishopric

Wait be be dismissed buy those in authority

Do not go back inside, or allow anyone to return inside until it has been cleared

For earthquake

Be calm, do NOT panic

Follow instructions when given

Get underneath something solid and hold on tight until it stops. If under something is not an option, make your way to the closest wall, preferably an outside wall

When it's stops. Get up and walk to the nearest exit or as instructed

Go to the back of the chaple grounds

Wait on the grass area

Take attendance

Report to the bishopric

Wait be be dismissed buy those in authority

Do not go back inside or leave until it has been cleared

I make people uncomfortable talking to them about Emergency preparedness, yet I’m fine because I’m as ready as I possibly can be. Some I just like talking to them about it because there is a different view then I have. Age- youth to elderly, experiences, point of view all contribute to why I talk to someone. Most time I’m concerned for the person I’m talking with or they have a funny reaction… but there are times and I admit to it… I just like to see the person squirm… If they’re squirming they’re hearing what I’m saying and putting thought in to it, hopefully they will start on the pack sooner then later

In movies, it is seen to just open a cactus and the water or substance inside will sustain you—sadly that’s not water, though. It’s a noxious fluid that’s very high in alkalis, causing over taxation on internal organs

You don't get water from cactus, you get a stomachache and vomiting and this will dehydrate you even more. There are a few varieties that can sustain you but they are very few.

It's a myth to assume that boiling water is water purification cure all. While boiling water will kill off organisms and germs, it will not clean harmful particulate from the water. No matter how long you boil chemically contaminated water it won't be safe to drink. This same principle applies to stagnant or dirty water. When the water you are boiling has not been filtered, then you will end up drinking the dirt particles. With may contain toxins. If you have no other filter available, pour the dirty water through a clean fabric or leave the water to stand until the sediments sink to the bottom. Then just pour the clean water from the top and then boil.

One can last anywhere from 3 – 4 days with out water. It will get uncomfortable. Organ damage starts just in this time period. It takes about one liter of water to sustain the body per day if you aren't over-exerting yourself. Or if it isn’t hot and you aren’t sweating. More if you are. Water in any disaster is an issue big or small, clean water is a must at any time. It’s lot easier said then done, everything is still settling and still kicking catamounts loose, moving germs and diseases around. Cholera as one example, it is quick to set in and fast to get you sick, then death. No one thinks about it but in a devastated area people get sick and many die fast by it. In many cases it can kill as many people as the accrual disaster did

Cholera has been nicknamed the "blue death" because a person's skin may turn bluish-gray from extreme loss of fluids. It is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium vibrio chlerae. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The primary symptoms of cholera are profuse diarrhea and vomiting of clear fluid, and muscle cramps may also occur, usually start suddenly, half a day to five days after ingestion of the bacteria. Severe cholera, without treatment, kills about HALF of affected individuals.

If you haven’t guessed by now it is water filter Just because it looks clean and pure, doesn’t mean it is. It may be harboring deadly bacteria and contaminants. While sandy filthy water may be fine to drink, you don’t know for sure. So FILTER EVERYTHING.

There are many processes of filtering, media, screen, disk, cloth and biological filters. The is processes to remove unwanted substances from a quantity of water. A filter can potentially remove particles much smaller than the holes through which its water passes. 1-50 micron ratings

I have two types of filters, one is the canister filter, with high micron rating, they’re cheep to buy, easy to find, light weight. Parts are easy to come by, most cases anything can pump water, gravity feed, or suction like a straw, package will run about $40. (A pump, filter and tubes.) The replacement filters will go for around $15 - $20 each. They’re good for 70 – 100L of water each. Army navy, surplus stores, camping supply store. Depending on the season Wal-Mart, Canadian tire. There are many different types.

Second type I have is straw filter, it is just that, a straw, put it into the water and suck. Little tuff to find. Depending on the one you want replaceable filters. These run from $20 to $50 normally good for 50l per filter. They’re smaller and easier to put in a pocket if your pack isn’t with you. Biggest draw back to this, you need to keep track of approximately how much water has gone through it

Gordon B. Hinckley (General Conference, October 1992)

“The kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God on the earth will be combined together at Christ's coming - and that time is not far distant. How I wish we could get the vision of this work, the genius of it, and realize the nearness of that great event. I am sure it would have a sobering effect upon us if we realized what is before us.”

If you have problems finding any of them or questions, talk to me.

Experts are warning: don’t get too wrapped up in the panic over hyperinflation. The small, steady upward ticks of current inflation rates are enough to wipe out the value of the dollar and put the everyday cost of living well out of reach for many Canadian.

As Intelligence Investing puts it:

Inflation is a funny subject because no one really talks or cares about chronic high-ish inflation below the threshold of runaway inflation; it is hyperinflation that is the bogeyperson. You would think inflation has to be hyperinflation to count and that is wrong… It does not take double or triple figure inflation to cut money’s value in half within a decade.

Regardless of what you think about the prospect of hyperinflation, there’s no denying that the economy is in a topsy-turvy state. Production is down because of COVID, demand is suddenly up, and it’s driving prices through the roof.

How devastating these current conditions will prove to be and how long they’ll last remain to be seen.

However, for those who know, the bigger worry is the long-term direction of the country. Intelligence Investing said:

The fear of high double figure inflation or hyperinflation is growing because people have seen that incredible amounts of token money has been created out of thin air and it is intuitive that this will debase currency. This intuition now seems to be playing out in front of us.

Commonsense Steps to Secure Your Household Against Inflation

The good news is that while you may not be able to control the economy, there’s a miniature economy quietly churning away every day in your own household—and that’s something you can control.

Here are ways to tighten, save, and prepare, that will protect your family against inflation:

Control What Goes Out. Be Deliberate!

There are two parts to your household economy: money that comes in and money that goes out. So many people put all their focus on the money coming in—salaries, assets, etc.—that they overlook the possibility of accumulating wealth by strategically planning the money going out.

But if you’re deliberate, thrifty, and disciplined with your spending, the pressure of a higher income can be greatly relieved. This is one of the big secrets to prosperity—by simply controlling their spending, a household making 70k a year can easily enjoy more cash on hand than a household making six digits.

Controlling the money you spend is one of the best ways to prepare for coming inflation. Here are some tips for achieving it:

Eliminate Debt

We hear this again and again, but it’s a bedrock principal of financial wellness. To prepare for inflation, you’ll want to make every sacrifice you can to pay off credit cards, student loans, and even car payments. The less you owe others, the more flexibility and freedom you’ll have when prices go up.

Love or hate him, the guru of debt-free living is Dave Ramsey. His program for financial peace has helped millions get out of debt

Once you’ve cut as much debt from your life as possible, this is the first step to staying out of it permanently.

Many of us live on the knife’s edge, paycheck to paycheck. Once the pay period’s over, our bank accounts rest perilously close to zero. A single car repair or any unexpected expenses is all it takes to push us back into the red.

But if you’re able to put away a little sea-wall of cash—say 500 dollars, 1,000 dollars, or even more—you’ve got money to absorb many of the sudden, unexpected expenses that are part of everyday life.

Make Easy, Strategic Cost Cuts. Eg. cell phone, car, tv, your daily cup of coffee

Getting to that $500 cash buffer takes time, but if you’re creative in cutting your monthly costs you can expedite the process. Remember, a few little cuts can add up to big monthly savings!

Phone Plan – Look for things you can live without. For example, do you need the newest smart phone? There are plenty of excellent wireless companies with plans totaling 20 to 50 dollars a month. You’d be surprised at how well “lower-end” phones perform and how little data you actually need if you spend most of your time on home, school, and work wifi networks.

Cut the Cord – Another easy place to lower expenses is with your television bill. As far as the big media companies have come with on-demand programming and bundling, they still can’t beat cord cutting for cost effectiveness. Try living on a lower-priced Internet plan and winnow your entertainment down to one or two content platforms. You'll be surprised at how much you save!

Reprioritize Your Car Buying Criteria – Buying the right car will also save you tons of money—it’s hard to understate just how much!

Sure, there’s lots to love about a newer, trendier vehicle with all the bells and whistles, but prioritizing reliability and gas mileage over added features can save you untold thousands in maintenance and repairs.

The Power of Thrifting – Lots of necessities like clothes, dishes, and children’s toys can be picked up for close to nothing at thrift stores and estate sales. Take advantage of this opportunity to save!

This isn’t to say all your clothes need to come from the thrift store. We find that new shoes are better than worn-out thrifted ones, for example. But shirts, blouses, dresses, some pants…you can still look sharp, clean, and in style integrating thrifted items into your wardrobe.

Your daily cup of coffee, sure it's only two dollars, but multiply that by how week, then in the month

Prosperity Is Key – With all of this, remember: trimming costs doesn’t mean living a cheap, deprived lifestyle. There are important things you shouldn't eliminate from your budget.

For example, we wouldn’t recommend cutting back too much on groceries. A healthy, balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, meats, etc., is extremely important to your well-being. It also helps prevent medical expenses in the long run. (This is also why you shouldn’t just toss out your gym membership if it helps you stay in shape.)

The “Hot Potato” Rule

As you strategically select what to cut and what to keep, try to stick the “hot potato” rule.

Nowadays, many companies offer month-to-month subscription plans that you can cancel at any time.

These plans are golden for the thrifty prepper.

Imagine: If at least half of the bills you pay are month to month with free cancellation, it means you can drop them without consequence at a moments notice when things get tough (like during a period of runaway inflation). You could theoretically cut your household expenses by hundreds of dollars overnight and pick those subscriptions back up when things even out.

Store Up Food & Water

1 year supply

One of the biggest benefits of purchasing a house over renting is that you can lock in an interest rate and monthly payment, protecting you from the ups and downs of the market.

Did you know you can do the same thing with food?

It’s true! Food prices are no different than housing prices—they go up and down with the market. At a time like this, with inflation looming large, you’d be wise to purchase long-term food supplies at today’s prices.

Then, when the cost of food skyrockets (like they’re doing now) you have a stockpile on hand that you can integrate with your grocery store food and extend its life.

If you can, we recommend putting away a year of food for your household. It’s an intimidating task, but if you’re interested, we’ve written a guide tried-and-true methods for doing it.

And as long as you’re storing up food, don’t forget water storage. You need at least a gallon per day for rehydrating meals, drinking, and basic hygiene. It’s the ying to your food supply’s yang. No stockpile is complete without it!

Emergency preparedness isn’t about being prepared for everything. It’s a bout being prepared for what can happen to you. I work in an area with trees that can fall and it can be a while before anyone may come. I keep a collapsible bow saw and many times a pocket chain saw with me. I might be able to cut my way out. I have done this. But a saw would do you little good if you don’t go where large wooden objects will come down around you, or if city is quick to respond.

Little more extreme… it would be useless to get ready for a tsunami southern Alberta, (if it happens there we have bigger problems.) Here it is a very real danger.

Now the most likely disasters to happen here are.

1. Earthquake and/or tsunami

2. Man made disasters, train or trucks wrecks hauling deadly chemicals

3. Believe it or not we have volcano’s here. Many make the mistake and think it is a tropical problem. There are a few just out side Mission, in the back part of Golden Ears park, they’re 7 of them, they are smaller, I used to drive between them… they’re silent… for now. Look south you see mount Baker… that’s a volcano.

To start. A bag, pack, and/or webbing. This doesn’t have to be anything special, it is for is to carry your supplies. Most people will be either staying at home area or heading to a central place

A bag… simple as a cloth grocery bag around $2.00 at most big box stores.

Packs depending what you want. Wal-Mart has some decent one in their camping sections, $50 - $150. (They have some not as good as quality as well). Depending on the season Canadian Tire, Army & Navy to name a few, they will run ruffly $40 - $190 depending what you want.

For those who are a little harder on their equipment (pointing to myself) Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) or any camping stores. $100 - $350 the price will depend on size, quality, in many cases warranty.

Some tactical supply store can have really good packs. $40 - $200

Depending on the season you can pick up some really good packs at second hand store, normally when the hiking season ends.

For those who want webbing most surplus or tactical store carry them. This will run around $70- $300. Plus pouches $5 - $50 each depending what you want and how specific or unique you want them to be

I have a pack and webbing. I use this system for the reason I will be on the move and it is easier to carry what I have. The webbing is to keep me balanced… keeping as much weight in front as I have on my back. Same weight it just feels lighter with less strain. As well it keeps everything separate, fire, food, first aid and so on

As I talk many would think I’m a downer, not true, I’m very optimistic, but as the saying goes hope for the best but prepare for the worst. I’ve seen enough I know how bad it can be and how fast it turned that way

D&C 1 v 11-14

11 Wherefore the voice of the Lord is unto the ends of the earth, that all that will hear may hear:

12 Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh;

13 And the anger of the Lord is kindled, and his sword is bathed in heaven, and it shall fall upon the inhabitants of the earth.

14 And the arm of the Lord shall be revealed; and the day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the people;

If you have problems finding any of them or questions, talk to me.

Beingprepared@hotmail.com

604 678 6191

Wildfire Smoke: The Silent American Disaster

Growing evidence shows that wildfire smoke kills more Americans than hurricanes.

The number of large fires have doubled between 1984 and 2015, and since then there have been 100 more fires every year than the year before.

Marshall Burke of Stanford University: “Nearly all the media attention during wildfires focuses on the lives and property directly in harm’s way. These are important and tragic impacts, but are likely only a very small portion of the overall societal impacts of wildfire “our research suggests that many more people likely perish from smoke exposure during large fire events than perish directly in the fire, and many more people are made sick”

According to Burke’s research, the heavy wildfire smoke that hung over California last year led to somewhere between 1,200 and 3,000 deaths in a month. For perspective, that’s about 1,000 more deaths than all the fatalities from all twenty-first century American hurricanes combined.

Burke called these “hidden deaths.” “People who were probably already sick,” he says, “but for whom air pollution made them sicker.”

This is a new kind of natural disaster. We’ve always had wildfires and smoke, just not at this scale. As conditions in the environment change, the frequency, intensity, and size of wildfires are growing and producing smoke hazards we’ve never seen.

Wildfire Smoke More Toxic Than Smog?

The particles in wildfire smoke are up to 10 times more harmful than car exhaust.

A place with chronically rotten air. The smog from cars and industrial activity congregates in a massive, noxious cloud that hangs over our valley for at least a month. We call it “inversion,” and it’s terrible on people with breathing issues.

But let me tell you, it’s nothing compared to reactions to wildfire smoke. In some affected regions, hospitalizations for respiratory illness go up 10%. According to researchers at UC San Diego, “the tiny particles released in wildfire smoke are up to 10 times more harmful to humans than the particles released from other sources, such as car exhaust”

The Culprit? Particles Small Enough to Enter Your Bloodstream

All pollutants are bad, which is why our body works to expel them. The cough you get when dust kicks up? That’s your body ejecting pollutants from your lungs.

Tiny particulates from wildfire smoke penetrate tissue in organs like the heart and lungs.

But there are certain pollutants, called PM 2.5 particulates, that are so small the body has no way to get rid of them. They’re tiny enough to sink directly through your skin, into your lungs and heart, and even your blood. These particulates:

Cause inflammation in the lungs

Weaken the immune system

Complicate heart conditions

Set off allergic reactions

Destroy healthy cells

Give you cancer.

PM 2.5 particulates are toxic, in the strictest sense of the word. And wildfire smoke is full of them.

More Wildfires, More Smoke, & More Particulates.

The bottom line is this: the ongoing (and seemingly permanent) spike in wildfires means a lasting spike in PM 2.5 particulates. In 2010, wildfire smoke accounted for just 10% of PM 2.5 particulates. In 2020, that number more than doubled to 25%. And in the West, where the smoke is the worst in the country, it makes up around 50%!

How to Prepare

Most standard home filters are not designed to catch PM 2.5 particulates, which is why we recommend you get true-HEPA air filters.

Unlike other types of pollution, there’s little we can do to stop wildfire smoke from clogging our skies. We’re at the mercy of nature at this point.

But, like any natural disaster, we can prepare.

Here are some common-sense suggestions for keeping your life as smoke free as possible:

Know if you’re at elevated risk

When it comes to wildfire smoke, even healthy people are at risk. But there are certain groups that are more vulnerable than others. If anyone in your life, including yourself, falls into any of the following categories, take extra care:

Older adults 65 and up, likely because they are naturally at higher risk for heart and lung disease

Children whose bodies are still developing and generally spend more time outside

People with heart and lung disease of all ages

Pregnant women. Smoke is a danger to them and the precious cargo they carry.

Watch the Air Quality Reports and Stay Indoors When You Can

If these fires keep up like experts are predicting, most of us should check air quality reports as part of our daily routines. Most states/provinces have their own air quality reporting apparatuses, and for those that don’t, airnow.gov is a great resource.

When air is bad, do your best to stay indoors. It’s no fun, but it’s better than exposing yourself to toxins.

Wear an N-95 mask when you are outside

We’ve all fed up with masks. However, if you have to be outside for extended periods on bad smoke days, a good mask could spare you serious health complications.

Because of the size of particulates in wildfire smoke, a standard dust or surgical mask won’t do. You need an N-95 mask. They’re rated to catch particles between .1 to .3 microns in length—well within the range of PM 2.5 particulates.

Run your home air conditioner (in recirculation mode)

Simply running your AC during smoky periods improves the air quality in your home. Running it in recirculation mode by shutting off the fresh-air intake also helps.

As always, make sure to change your filters regularly.

Get a quality true-HEPA air filter

Most standard home filters are not designed to catch PM 2.5 particulates, which is why we recommend you get true-HEPA air filters. These will easily clear smoke particles and make a very safe place to breath. They also remove bacteria, viruses, and VOCs.

Look for a unit that comes with a pre-filter, activated carbon filter, true-HEPA filter, and ion cluster capability. Ion cluster filters release charged ions that attach to and kill microbes.

Upgrade your car’s air filter

It goes without saying that when you’re on the road and the air is bad, roll up your car window. But if you’re one of the millions of Americans who spend hours in their cars every week, we recommend a HEPA filter for your car, just like your home.

That’s why you may want to consider upgrading your air filter. A 2014 study in the journal of Environmental Health found that “factory-installed cabin air filters remove 46% of particulate pollution, but they do not clean the air of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) or hydrocarbon pollutants.” For that, you’ll need an after-market carbon filter.

But even with a carbon filter, you won’t be clearing out the harmful PM 2.5 particulates from wildfire smoke. That’s why we recommend a HEPA filter for your car, just like your home.

Times Change, and We Must Change with Them

A wise man once said, “change is the only constant in life.” The explosion of wildfires in our country and the smoke clouding our skies day after day is proof positive of that.

This Is written from some one who was there in the after math, put your self in that persons place

A thought to start off on. Most people have BCAA, you aren’t broken down now so why have it? Ask anyone why… stop a second and ask yourself why… the answers are similar and go something like this “incase we have a problem with the vehicle.”… That’s being prepared for what might and can happen. Why is Emergency preparedness so different?

9.1 quake hit Indonesia, followed by multiple after shocks. With waves up to 30 meters (100 ft) high

Eyewitnesses to the tsunami reported that they saw the ocean suddenly vanish in to the sea.

Some local tribe leaders following the ways of there ancestors did there best to get everyone to higher ground, they understood from stories passed down, if the sea suddenly rolls away a “gelombang laut besar”, translating to “Great sea wave” is coming there way. According to the stories, it will destroy everything in its way as far as the eye can see. The higher the ground the better off you will be, death tolls could have been higher here.

Response teams are airborne and on the way with in hours some with in days. Combining with local aid groups, with body bags, tents, water and much more. As crews arrive they’re mobilized in the directions they will be used most effectively.

The beachfront property took a direct hit. It isn’t easy as pushing through down trees, buildings have been smashed and scattered. It is one giant pile as far as one can see…. Water and derby is covering everything and you can step out of site if you’re not careful. No desirable pathways. Move anything you may come across nothing, injured individuals, and/or dead bodies. The shape any of these are in determined by the time, heat and moister… death tolls rise fast

Heavy equipment’s main use is trying to get the water to drain. Rubbish plugs everything up. Sitting water is more of a problem then most give credit for. It’s a race against the clock.

Sleep isn’t as easy as one may think even know our tired and you hurting do to strains of the work. The smallest movement makes you nervous, is it going to be large shake, just your imagination or some where in between? Wake up and continue pushing, the outlook gets a little less hopeful every hour. The earth is unsettled it groans, shakes and shifts. Feels like you’re standing in quicksand, changing even what looks to be the most stable item to very unsteady, a little movement and you can be crushed or barry under a little wood, stone or walls. Looking for survivors, trying to move with speed but careful enough not to miss anyone. Small injuries can’t be ignored, as they become septic fast. Now on top of this everything else is on edge, animals have been thrown for a loop scared and disoriented. These are a few of the dangers.

Clean water is a must at this time it’s lot easier said then done, everything is still settling and still kicking catamounts loose, moving germs and diseases around. Cholera is one example, no one thinks about it, but in a devastated area it sets in quick, people die fast because of it.

One small area that was pushed into, the people where glad to see the rescuers coming in. They where surprisingly in good shape. They had been preparing for a disaster for a long time. This small group would arrive in this location with their kits, shortly after a major event such as an earthquake and/or tsunami. From there they would decide what was the best plan for who made it and what they had. Not everyone survived, some never made it at all, and others die do to injuries. Not everyone’s supplies could be accessed other where useable. They pulled together. No dehydration, even offered the rescuers a drinking, Some had away for filtering and killing germs in the water. Others had food, ways of cooking. Some had medical training and supplies, they where able to deal with what they had. Everyone shared and helped where they could. This group didn’t wait to be rescued or just dig around looking for family like may others did. Yes they lost loved ones but had started making progress with what little they had where doing more then just moving things around.

Many people would think this took time to get to the remote village. That was 8 days just to get to the out side of this small urban area. The city wasn’t that big and there was a lot of us there, its not as easy as just driving from point A to point B. Everything is a fight.

Officials put the known deaths at between 162,000 and 178,000, with a list of missing between 26,000 to 142,000. Those figures add up to a possible death toll range of between 188,000 and 320,000.

Prospective

Most people have a good idea how big Victoria Island is… 217,300 km² (83,900 sq. miles)

Japan was hit with a 9 and it was a year later (365 days) they where getting to some of the most remote areas. Japan Island is 377,900 km² (145,900 sq. miles) a third (about 33%) bigger then Victoria

British Columbia 944,700 km² (364,800 sq. miles)

Indonesia 1.905 million km² (735,400 sq. miles) with 7 major islands and 1000’s of smaller one. It is almost 8.5 to 9 times bigger then Victoria Island or more twice the size of BC. The same land mass as all of BC, Alberta and part of Alaska

Your kit is made to help you save yourself and your loved ones, not wait and hope others will save your life for you. Every place and every person has what they feel they need to help themselves. The more you understand the better off you will be.

Thomas S. Monson in the General Conference, Oct. 2008 Priesthood Session

“Noah heeded God’s command to build an ark…that they might be saved from the flood waters. Yet there was no evidence of rain and flood. His actions were considered irrational. The sun was shining and life moved forward as usual. But time ran out. The floods came, the disobedient were drowned. When God speaks and we obey, we will always be right.”

Put it into prospective. Now there is no real time line in the bible the closes time frame would be between 75 to 100 years to build what God commanded and put enough aboard for all to survive the flood

We are commanded time and time again by our leaders to be ready. Emergency preparedness is just one area. We are on God’s time frame not our own. The sky for now is clear but soon the rains will come.

The purpose of becoming spiritually and temporally self-reliant is to become better able to serve the Lord and care for others (see John 15:8.). The Savior invites us all to act, to stand independent, and to become as He is. He will help us. He has promised: “It is my purpose to provide for my saints, for all things are mine. But it must needs be done in mine own way” (Doctrine and Covenants 104: 15.). His way includes learning and living the principles of self-reliance—“the ability, commitment, and effort to provide the necessities of life for self and family”

Accepting and living the following principles of self-reliance will help us receive the spiritual and temporal blessings promised by the Lord.

Exercise Faith in Jesus Christ. The Lord has all power. He can and will work great tender mercies among those who trust Him in all things. As we exercise faith in Jesus Christ, He can do miracles.

Be Obedient. Obedience to God’s laws, principles, and promptings leads to spiritual and temporal blessings.

Act. Individual accountability and action activate blessings.

Serve and be united. Service and unity build Zion—this is the way of the Lord. Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “Only when we are self-reliant can we truly emulate the Savior in serving and blessing others” (“A Gospel Vision of Welfare: Faith in Action,” in Basic Principles of Welfare and Self-Reliance

Keep a Reserve of Food and Other Supplies

Another way we can prepare for an emergency is by building up a store of needed supplies to help carry us through a crisis.

President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “We have built grain storage and storehouses and stocked them with the necessities of life in the event of a disaster.” But those goods cannot help us if we cannot reach them. He continued, “The best storehouse is the family storeroom” (“If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2005, 62). It’s the most accessible reserve in times of need and the best suited to our individual needs.

As you build and maintain your emergency supply, include the following items:

Clothing and bedding

Drinking water

Financial reserves

Important documents

Longer-term supply of basic food items

Medication and first aid supplies

Three-month supply of food that is part of your normal diet

Ways to communicate with family following a disaster

Obtain First Aid, CPR, and AED training through a certified program.

Green lentil $14.49 for 5 kg bag as seen

Brown lentil $15.99 for 5 kg bag

Red lentil $9.99 for 5 kg bag

People react to emergency situations differently: some are able to put themselves together and act quickly, while some start panicking and lose the ability to think clearly. If you are one of the latter, you'd probably want to prevent this from happening. If you are one of the former, you’d probably still wouldn’t want such a situation to catch you by surprise. That’s why it’s so important to create a certain emergency action plan for most of the unexpected situations you might face. While it’s impossible to predict all the things that could happen to you, it’s still good to develop a certain strategy you can implement in a critical situation, you can adapt this strategy to similar situations that might happen, therefore, minimizing the damage they might cause. But how to develop a proper emergency action plan? It is as challenging as coming up with good cause and effect essay topics or looking for reliable essay writing services – however, it’s still possible. So here’s what you need to remember.

Come up with a list of emergency contacts

It isn’t always possible to remember a certain number or to contact a certain person quickly when an emergency strikes. That’s why you should develop a list of phone numbers you might need to dial and add them to your phone’s address book. This could be numbers of a police service, your family or some of your friends, your insurance company, etc.

Ensure the possibility of communication

If you already have a list of emergency contacts, you need to ensure that you’ll be able to reach them. Have a mobile charger or a power bank with you in case your battery dies. Make sure that your friends, family members, or business partners will pick up if you call them – and if some of them become unavailable for a certain period of time (for example, when going to another country on vacation), replace their number with someone else’s for this period.

Keep all the options in mind

Imagine you’ve punctured the tire on a trip somewhere. You probably have a spare tire in your trunk, but do you have a flashlight in case such an emergency happens at night? Do you have a winter tire if it’s winter or do you still keep a summer tire in your trunk? Sometimes, even the smallest details matter a lot, so you have to keep all the options in mind: season, time, weather, etc. The more you can think of, the better.

Create an emergency kit

When we go on a camping trip, we usually take a medical kit with us. When we drive somewhere, we take the license and the car documents with us. The same should happen when we’re preparing for an emergency. The emergency kits can differ a lot, depending on the emergency you might face. A spare tire and all the tools to change it. A medical kit and your documents. Food supplies. And much more. Think what you would need to deal with a certain emergency and try to create a kit for that.

Write down a strategy.

Now when you have all the data you need, you can develop a certain strategy and write it down. Add basic directives, assign some roles (if your plan includes other people), and so on. You can be detailed or just write down the basics – either way, you’ll be able to polish it later.

Rehearse the strategy.

Not all strategies are possible to rehearse, but you should still try and do this in the best way possible. Maybe you’ll Replace out that it takes more time for you to get from point A to point B than you thought it would. Maybe you’ll see that your strategy requires more resources. Maybe you’ll realize that it’s perfect as it is. If your strategy includes other people, be sure to send it to them after you rehearse it and make all the necessary corrections.

Keep your strategy up to date.

Things change. People quit their jobs, nearest stores close, friends leave on vacations, etc. While not every little detail can ruin your plan completely, you still need to pay attention to them and make changes to your strategy when possible. If a change is crucial, do it immediately. If a change is less significant, you can wait and update your strategy later, when something else happens.

Review the strategy.

Even if nothing seems to change, it’s still important to review your strategy from time to time. This way you’ll ensure that you’re always ready in case an emergency happens.