Patty's Preparedness Tips

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Patty's Preparedness Tips

Submitted by Patty from Utah

While living in Southern California and learning how to prepare for emergencies (earthquakes for one), I have learned several tricks along the way. Here are a few of them:

1. When storing home canned goods, put the filled bottles back in their original cartons with the dividers intact and be sure to store them on the lowest shelves. This will keep the bottles from rattling against each other and breaking. Storing them low will prevent them from falling off the shelves. If storing them low isn't possible, be sure to put up a sturdy guard board on the front of the shelf.

Samurai Survival Tool

2. We learned that having a sturdy pair of shoes by your bed and a crow bar are life saving devices. Doorways tend to move and you don't want to walk on broken glass with bare feet. The crow bar will also help open that window that moved and broke.

3. Even though a glass framed picture makes a pretty decoration over your bed...don't hang one there. When the shaking starts, you might end up with it landing in your face. The danger from broken glass isn't something you will want to deal with.

High Uinta Gear Pathfinder 9-LED Flashlight

4. If you are still using regular flashlights you are always told not to forget batteries. But what if you drop the flash light and the bulb breaks? Be sure to store bulbs along with batteries. You may want to upgrade old bulb flashlights to new LED models.

Emergency Siphon

5. Storing water in those 55 gallon containers? Be sure to have a way to get your water out when it is needed. A clean piece of hose to use as a siphon or a water pump made for that purpose is a good idea. The barrels are far too heavy to tip to access the water and you just might dump it all. Keep the openings in the hose/water pump protected to keep the creepy crawlers out while not in use (the Emergency Siphon comes in a zip top bag to keep the bugs out, etc.)

Free Mozy Online Backup Giveaway

Whether you have priceless memories captured in a photo or journal entry, important legal and informational documents, or irreplaceable data files for your computer programs, safeguarding these assets from the unexpected is of extreme importance.

Online backup is a relatively new backup technique that has grown in popularity in recent years. You install the backup provider’s software onto your computer, set up the configuration, and backups run automatically; the online backup software takes care of everything else.

We recommend backing up your files online with Mozy. This company provides excellent service at a very good price. For home use they provide free backup service for up to 2GB of your data, or $4.95 per month for unlimited backup space. Mozy is a flexible, affordable company that will provide secure, fast backup service. Click here to get 15% off a 1- or 2-year subscription to Mozy Online Backup. Be sure to enter promotion code “PREPARE10” during checkout to receive a discount for Emergency Essentials customers or click here to try Mozy for free with a 2 GB account! No credit card required and no expiration!

Now to our latest giveaway. The winner will receive a free 100 GB 1-year Mozy Home online backup account. You can back up your family photos, music, financial documents, etc. Back up what you want, when you want. Mozy protects your files with military-grade encryption — the same security online banks use during data transfer. Keep in mind that every week 140,000 hard drives crash in the United States. So now is the perfect time to get a Mozy account.

Giveaway Instructions:

1. Find the answer to the following question on our website (BePrepared.com):

"Mozy has seismic safeguards that can withstand a ______ magnitude earthquake."

2. You can use the search box in the upper left corner of our website to find the answer. Click here to go to our website to find the answer.

3. Email your answer to blog@beprepared.com with "Mozy Giveaway" in the subject line.

All emails received through Tuesday, March 2nd will be entered into the drawing. The winner will be chosen at random and posted on the blog no later than Wednesday, March 10th.

Creative Storage Solutions

One of the greatest challenges many people face when building their food storage is inadequate space. Very few people have an ideal situation to work with. No matter how small your home or apartment is, or whether you own or rent your home, a pantry is possible. It may take a little creativity and ingenuity but it is possible to create a pantry system to suit your needs.

Start by looking for small areas around your home or apartment that can become “mini-pantries”. Food stores best when kept in a dark, cool, dry place so keep this in mind when looking for storage spaces. You also want to try and store your food at a constant temperature, so avoid areas such as the garage where the temperature can fluctuate. As you walk around your home look for areas that can be cleaned out, rearranged, or where boxes or shelves can be added to provide storage. Be creative! Don’t limit yourself to spaces normally considered cupboard space or pantry space.

Some areas to consider:

Bedrooms - closets, underneath beds, in the corner of the room, behind headboards, etc.

• Put short bookshelves in the closet. If it’s in a child’s room the clothes should fit great over the top of the shelves.
• Store cans on their sides under a twin bed. Line them up in rows of their category (fruit, veggies, meats, etc.). When you purchase cans place them under the left side of the bed. When you need a can pull from the right side. This creates a cheap rotating system right under your child’s bed!
• Purchase wide, shallow plastic bins that have wheels on them. These are great for storing food in and rolling under the bed.
• Store boxes of food behind the headboards against the wall.
• Build bookcases for books and/or toys out of boards and food storage buckets or boxes.

 

Under a bed is a great location for food storage

Kitchen - above stove, above refrigerator, under the sink, space above cabinets, etc.

• You can purchase organizers with pockets to hang over the pantry door. Store smaller pantry items such as spices and other baking products in these pockets to free up cupboard space for larger food items.
• Store cases of food that you don’t need regular access to under the kitchen sink.
• Invest in several lined baskets with lids and use the baskets to hold kitchen gadgets and items that are not used on a regular basis. If you have space above your cabinets, the baskets will look nice while freeing up cupboard space for food storage.
• Store food in the unused back spaces in corner cupboards.

Living and Family Rooms

• Replace your coffee table with a flat-topped chest or trunk. Use the space inside for storing food.
• Emergency kits should be placed near an exit in a closet if available. If there is room, additional items could be stored along with the emergency kit.
• Store boxes of #10 cans between the wall and the furniture. The boxes can also be stacked to form an end table. Drape a pretty cloth over them and no one will know there is food storage underneath.

Could there be food in this wicker storage bin?

Closets - bedrooms, hall, guest rooms, linen, utility, etc.

• Convert your coat closet to a mini-pantry (store the coats in a bedroom closet).
• Use buckets and boxes and boards to “build” your own shelving.
• Add an extra shelf above an existing shelf in a closet.
• Linen closets can be converted to a food pantry by moving towels and washcloths to shelves in the bathroom and sheets and blankets to bedrooms.

Closets are a great location for some of your food storage

Also keep in mind that while you wouldn’t want to store food in the attic, garage, or shed, these places would be ideal to store nonfood supplies and equipment.

After you have created “mini-pantries” around your home it is important to know where everything is stored so you can use and rotate your food storage. Here are a few suggestions to help keep your food storage organized:

Keep Similar Items Together

For example, store canned fruit on one shelf and canned vegetables on the shelf below. Grains and beans could go in the coat closet while medicine and first aid supplies are stored in the linen closet. This is helpful for a few reasons. First, you will know right where to go when you need a certain item. Second, you will be able to see at a glance what you have and which items need to be restocked. Until you are familiar with your system it may be helpful to label each shelf to remind you what is supposed to go where.

Label, Label, Label!

Clearly label each box with the contents and date of purchase. It is also helpful to keep a master list which records where all of your food is stored throughout your house and what specific items are stored in that area.

Use Containers

Be sure to keep packaged food off the floor and in a sealed container to protect it from vermin. Smaller food storage items can take up more space on a shelf when you try to stack them or line them up so use plastic boxes, tubs, or containers for storing these smaller items. This is also helpful if one shelf or closet is going to contain several different kinds of items that could easily get jumbled together. You will find you can store more and keep your food and non-food items organized by utilizing smaller containers.

Remember, no matter how small your home or apartment is, or whether you own or rent your home, a pantry is possible with these creative storage solutions!

MRE Entrée Variety Pack Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Tina from Washington who is the winner of the MRE Entrée Variety Pack Giveaway!

Many of you already knew or learned that MRE stands for Meals-Ready-To-Eat. We enjoyed some of the 'other' meanings that you emailed to us, especially the military responses. We would like to thank everyone who entered the giveaway. 

Remember that the MRE Entrée Variety Pack is on sale during the month of February for only $35.99 - a savings of 34% off the individually priced items!

 

Click on image for more information on the MRE Entrée Variety Pack

Don't forget to check back often to find out about our next exciting giveaway.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Here is a great peanut butter cookie recipe that you can make almost exclusively from food storage items. The only extras you will need are vanilla and some oil. Chocolate is optional...

Peanut Butter Cookies


Ingredients:

½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter powder
½ cup peanut butter powder
½ Tbsp instant milk powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp whole egg powder
1¾ to 2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
½-¾ cup water
1-3 Tbsp oil
Melted chocolate chips (optional)
White sugar (optional)

Directions:

Mix white sugar, brown sugar, butter powder and ½ cup water in bowl. Add peanut butter powder, milk powder, vanilla, whole egg powder, 2 Tbsp water, 1-3 Tbsp oil and mix well. For cake-like cookies, add only about a tablespoon of oil. Add more oil for a softer cookie. Add 1¾ cups flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Dough should be a nice "cookie dough" consistency at this point. If too thin, add a little flour. If too thick, add a little water. Remember that is has peanut butter powder, so it will be a tad bit thicker than normal.

Drop by rounded teaspoon on cookie sheets. Push down with fork and sprinkle on some sugar if desired. Bake at 375º for 9-10 minutes. Let cool for about 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheet. Spread on melted chocolate chips if desired.

 

  

  

 

How I Started My Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness

Do you have a preparedness or food storage experience, tip, recipe, product review, etc.? Become a guest blogger on Preparedness Pantry and earn a $20 Emergency Essentials gift card! Click here for details.

How I Started My Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness

Submitted by Rebecca from Minnesota

I have been taught since I was a child to be prepared, store food, water, and learn to grow my own food. Growing up in a city it was hard to do! Now that I am in my 30s I realized the time is right. Better late than never.

I had to address my fears regarding food storage. My biggest fear was not knowing what to do with all the grains, beans and powdered milk. Living in a household with no children yet, many nights we ate on the go. Our lunches consisted of going out to eat with our colleagues, breakfasts consisted of a quick bowl of cereal or a piece of toast. Dinners sometimes were takeout, or a quick boxed meal. This 50-lb bag of grain was just not going to cut it.

So, I searched my options. At first I tried to learn how to cook beans and wheat. Every loaf of bread I made was hard as rock. My dough wouldn’t rise. The taste was horrible. I found out you have to pick through the beans to take out rocks and pebbles. I didn’t want to do this! I was frustrated to no end, and scared that I wasn’t going to be able to do this “food storage” thing after all.

Then I came across freeze dried and dehydrated foods. I can do this! Finally, something that I know how to do! I started purchasing freeze dried foods, and I have a huge closet with shelves completely dedicated to my food storage. One shelf is for dairy products – dehydrated eggs, powdered milk, cheeses, butter, etc. Another shelf is for my freeze dried veggies and fruits, and various potatoes. Another shelf is for my gravy mixes, soups, bouillon, and meats. I also have my necessary wheat and rice and oats, along with beans. But now I feel comfortable making dishes with rice and putting in some meat and flavoring. I also have gotten a little better at making bread, though perfection is years away!

And the next thing I addressed is my water storage. I have a water delivery service (bottled water). I always have at least ten 5-gallon jugs on hand, which I rotate. Beyond that, we are looking at getting a manual pump for our well. We have two freshwater ponds on our property and a freshwater lake across the street. We purchased water purification tablets, we have liquid water purification supplements, and filters. If necessary we can use the water on our land to sustain us. I now feel comfortable knowing that I have a supply of food and water to last over 6 months. According to the Food Storage Analyzer from Emergency Essentials, I have almost 7 months of food for my family. This was all done in the past year, and I hope that in the next year I can make it to a full year.

Another thing that is important is learning to grow your own food. We have some land now that I don’t live in the city, and we are learning to garden. Last year was our first year, and we ate green beans, corn, lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, zucchini and peppers from our garden. This year we are planning on planting more, along with adding more berry bushes. We added strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and grapes to our landscape, and this year they should start to produce more than just the handful that they did last year. We also have a dozen fruit trees hardy to Minnesota, and hope to be able to learn to can and preserve.

The last important thing that I considered essential was our toiletries and bath products. We have stocked up on toilet paper, shampoo, soap, cleansers, deodorant, lotions, medicines, first aid supplies, and vitamins.

We still need to work on some items. We only have about a 3-month supply of food stored for our animals. We hope to have at least a 6-month supply before the end of this year.

This is how I got started being prepared. It was very difficult in the beginning, but I got the “bug” and started getting into it, it was fun! And, I can sleep better at night knowing my family and I won’t be going hungry anytime soon!

MRE Entrée Variety Pack Giveaway

Do you know what MRE stands for? That's all you need to know in order to enter our latest giveaway. If you aren't sure, follow this link to a previous post that contains the answer: MRE Blog Post. Got it? See below for entry instructions.

The prize for this giveaway is one of our MRE Entrée Variety Packs. In an emergency, the greater the convenience, the better. That's what makes MRE's such a great choice for providing hassle-free nutrition when you need it most. You'll love the variety this supply offers. Each kit includes 4 Chicken and Dumplings, 4 Cheddar Potato Soup, 3 Pulled Buffalo Chicken, 3 Maple Sausage Patty, 2 Marinara Sauce with Meatballs, 1 Beef Enchilada in Sauce, 1 Chicken Noodles and Vegetables in Sauce, 1 Chicken Salsa, 1 Chicken Fajita Filling, and 1 Pasta Marinara with Vegetables.

MRE Entrée Variety Pack

The MRE Entrée Variety Pack is on sale this month for only $35.99. This is a savings of 34% off the individually priced items! Click here for more information. If you purchase an MRE Entrée Variety Pack during this giveaway and win, we will issue you a refund or send you the variety pack - whichever you prefer.

To enter this giveaway, simply send an email (with "MRE Variety Pack Giveaway" in the subject line) to blog@BePrepared.com with your answer to the following question:

What does MRE stand for?

All emails received through Tuesday, February 16th will be entered into the drawing. The winner will be chosen at random and posted on the blog no later than Wednesday, February 24th.

Please note: We welcome emails and entries from everyone; however, free shipping of the MRE Entrée Variety Pack is included for the winner to the 48 contiguous United States only. For any locations outside this area, the winner is responsible for arranging and paying their own shipping costs.

Emergency Warmth

Suffering from cold temperatures can be discomforting and potentially dangerous, especially in an emergency. By learning how our bodies lose heat and how to prevent heat loss, we can prepare ourselves to handle cold weather.

Our bodies lose heat in the following ways:

Conduction

Conduction is the transfer of heat from a warm object to a cold one when the two objects are in contact with each other. Conductive heat is easy to experience when you hold a very cold object and feel the heat loss in your hand. The best way to prevent conductive heat loss in your hands is to use gloves or mittens and warm packs.

To prevent heat loss from your body, use a closed cell foam pad or a cushion when sleeping or sitting on the ground or a cold surface. These pads are excellent insulators for the space they use.

Heat can be lost through your feet when the ground is cold and you do not have proper insulation. It is best to have winter shoes (with solid soles, insoles of closed cell or felt material) and synthetic or wool socks. These provide an excellent barrier to prevent heat loss through conduction.

Convection

Convection is heat being carried away by a liquid or a gas (especially the wind). Convective heat loss occurs when warm air next to the body is replaced by cool air from the outside. The best way to minimize convective heat loss is to wear windproof outer clothing.

Evaporation

Evaporation occurs when a liquid changes to a vapor. In the summer, people experience this when they sweat. The body produces sweat (water) on the skin’s surface. The water then evaporates, taking heat from the skin.

When someone is active in cold conditions, sweat is formed on the skin’s surface in response to excess heat caused by over dressing or a high activity level. Later, the person becomes less active (while resting or sleeping), any remaining sweat will still be evaporating, causing unwanted heat loss. To prevent this, a person can take off outer clothing when they begin to become overheated or decrease their activity level in order to minimize sweating.

Respiration

Respiration combines the processes of evaporation (of moisture in the lungs) and convection (displacement of warm air in the lungs by cold air from the cold winter environment).

Significant moisture (and thus, body heat) can be lost when that moist air is exchanged with much drier outside air. In addition, some body heat is lost by warming the cold air entering your lungs.

Respiratory heat loss can be significant in cold, dry conditions. It can be minimized by breathing air that has been pre-warmed and/or pre-humidified prior to taking it into the lungs. Breathing through a fleece headgear increases the humidity and warmth of the air being breathed, prior to its entry to the lungs.

Radiation

Radiation is the transfer of heat energy through empty space. The best defense and a great method to minimize the loss of heat through radiation is to wear a reflective barrier, such as an emergency blanket or bag. This material reflects up to 80 percent of radiant body heat.

The second defense to prevent heat loss due to radiation is to wear thick clothing (down or high-loft synthetic fill garments). Infrared radiation cannot travel through thick insulation, and thus, most of the infrared radiation lost by the body can remain trapped in the clothing rather than exiting out to the environment.

Conclusion

When preparing for the future, remember that emergencies can and often occur in the winter time. Prepare by having warm layers of clothing, a poncho, tent or shelter of some sort, good winter shoes, sleeping bags made of synthetic materials and include a closed cell foam pad. Have methods to produce heat like warm packs and fire making equipment. Use your equipment and become educated to prevent suffering.

Day-to-Day Preparedness

I just finished reading a couple of articles about the possible "record breaking" storm that is hitting Washington, D.C. and surrounding areas today and tomorrow. They are forecasting 30 inches or more of wet, heavy snowfall accompanied by heavy winds through Saturday.

Reports say that people have been scrambling for food and supplies, but many have found they are too late. In contrast to these scenarios, here is a guest blog post from one of our giveaway "winners" about a family that was prepared before the disaster hit.

Andrea in Ohio writes:

Day-to-Day Preparedness

So often, in our preparedness strategies, we get wrapped up in preparing for the worst: social collapse, environmental disasters, and crop failure or food shortages. And while the worst may eventually happen, we often forget that being prepared comes in handy in dealing with the day-to-day emergency as well. Everyday, someone loses a job. Everyday, someone loses power during a storm. Everyday, someone is stranded by impassable roads. And everyday, someone weathers life's storms due to their forethought and preparedness.

 

3-Day Emergency Kit

We began our preparedness journey 2 years ago. In early 2008, we began to prepare for the worst by stocking up on food, oil lamps and lanterns, warm blankets, bottled water and other emergency supplies such as back-up heat and a weather radio. Personally, I'd never have guessed how many times those supplies would come in handy:

• In September of 2008, the remains of Hurricane Ike ripped through the Ohio Valley, leaving us without electricity, gas, or phone for 5+ days. Many were blindsided and had to make emergency trips to the local Big Box store for supplies; but without power, even the Big Box stores were closed. We survived at home, relying on our stored water, oil lamps, stored food and weather radio.

• In August of 2009, lightning destroyed our well and we were without clean drinking water for nearly 2 weeks. Again, the stored water and water filtration unit were lifesavers.

• In January of 2010, a car slid off the road during an ice storm, striking a utility pole and knocking out power to our road for most of the day. Our back-up heat kept the house warm on that blustery 25 degree day, while also allowing us to do a little cooking.

 

Mr. Heater Big Buddy

Had it not been for our emergency supplies, our family would have been forced to leave our home at least 3 times in the past 2 years. An adequate supply of water and food and back-up sources of heat and light made the difference between remaining in our home and having to evacuate on icy roads or following a hurricane. And while it's nearly impossible to plan for everything (who would have expected a hurricane in Ohio?!), it's possible to lessen the impact of day-to-day emergencies with a little simple planning. Water is essential in any situation, so why not find a storage system that works for you? During these dark days of winter, back-up light sources such as candles, lanterns or oil lamps can provide simple, inexpensive illumination. And with the high unemployment rates, a supply of non-perishable food is like money in the bank...even better than money in the bank!

We continue to prepare, not only for the worst, but for the day-to-day. Our simple preparedness plan has proven itself to be useful several times in the past 2 years and most likely, again in the future. If you haven't begun to prepare, today is the day, as you just never know what tomorrow will bring.

Best wishes,
Andrea in Ohio

Extension of the Guest Blog Post Giveaway!

We would like to thank everyone for your excellent guest blog post submissions thus far. We will continue to periodically publish selected posts and the "winners" will each receive a $20 Emergency Essentials® gift card.

Click on card for giveaway details

Due to the overwhelming response, we are going to make this an ongoing giveaway! Click here for the Guest Blog Post Giveaway details.

So keep those posts coming, and be sure to let all of your friends and family know about this great opportunity.

As always, be sure to check back often for more preparedness posts and to find out about our next exciting giveaway.

The Group Program

The Group Program is a way for family, friends and neighbors to work together to obtain discounts on items relating to home storage and emergency preparedness. Each group has two parts:

1. The Group Leader is the person in the group who shares the information and coordinates the order for the group. The Group Leader needs to be someone who is organized and enjoys serving others. They collect the money from the group and place the order with Emergency Essentials®. When the order is shipped it will ship to the Group Leader's address unless specified otherwise. The Group Leader receives the specials through a monthly mailed packet and email (if available).
   
2. A Group Member is any individual with whom the Group Leader shares the monthly Group Specials. When Group Members are added to our database they receive the group specials information directly each month through our monthly sales flier and email (if available).

The Group Program is designed to be simple and convenient to meet your group's needs. Everyone benefits from a team effort. It's a resource to help your family, friends and neighbors get prepared. Every month there are four or five items that we have on special for our groups. These are unique or unusual buys that we can pass on to you with exceptional savings. We get great prices on these items because we buy them in large quantities or we are offered special buy-outs from our vendors.

Group Members combine their orders through their Group Leader to meet the minimum purchase requirements. When minimums are met (or if their order is below minimums but has been approved by the Group Order Department) there are NO shipping and handling charges added to the order when shipped within the contiguous 48 states. When minimums are not met, regular prices and shipping and handling charges may apply. Call for shipping charges to Alaska, Hawaii, APO and FPO addresses. Group items include sales tax when the minimum is purchased and the order is shipped within the state of Utah.

Customizing a group special is another way in which groups can become prepared. Group Leaders can assess any special preparedness needs and call to inquire if a quantity discount is available. If there are items in the catalog that your group would like to focus on, please call 1-800-999-1863 or email us at group@beprepared.com and provide the estimated number you will purchase along with your shipping address. We will then submit a request for a quantity discount.

We welcome your suggestions for group items, improvements we can make to the group program, or any tips and hints you have learned from your experiences with preparedness or the group program.

If you are not already a Group Leader and are interested in starting a group, give us a call at 1-800-999-1863 or e-mail us at group@beprepared.com today. We will sign you up as a Group Leader and mail you information right away. We look forward to hearing from you!

Heart Healthy Brownies

Here is another "winner" of our Guest Blog Post Giveaway. We would like to thank Marci from Utah for submitting this great "heart healthy" brownie recipe. Keep those guest blog posts coming!

Heart Healthy Brownies

Using my food storage with my everyday cooking is something I feel is important. Buying what we eat and eating what we buy is a must. But so many processed foods and canned items have a lot of preservatives, fat, and cholesterol. Because high cholesterol runs in my family, it's important for me to find ways to cut down. I recently discovered the power of beans. Not only do they have the protein that you may think can only be found in meat, they also have no fat or cholesterol. But who says we have to eat only beans and rice in order to stay healthy? Little indulgences can be found in treats as well. Below is a recipe I created to help me use my food storage and have a little healthy treat once in a while.

Marci's Heart Healthy Brownies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt*
1/2 tsp baking soda (opt)**
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 - 15 oz can black beans (or dry beans, cooked to equal 15 oz)
2 tsp vanilla
1/3-1/2 cup water

Directions:

Rinse canned beans and puree in blender with water and vanilla. Pour into mixing bowl and add dry ingredients. Mix until smooth. Pour into 9x9 lightly greased pan. Bake 345 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

*If you are using low sodium canned beans, you may choose not to rinse the beans. If so, omit the salt and reduce the water accordingly.

**Omitting the baking soda makes for chewier brownies.