Customizing Your Survival Kit

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Customizing Your Survival Kit

3-Day Emergency Kit

Every survival kit should have the means to provide for basic survival needs: food, water, fire, and shelter. However, there are a few additional items that can make a survival situation much easier to endure, without adding bulk to the kit.

Lip balm: Trekking for miles in the wind and/or heat will quickly dry lips and cause chapping. Having lip balm will add a much needed degree of comfort.

Hat and sunglasses: Keeping the sun out of the eyes is not only for comfort but it can be necessary to prevent sun blindness. The hat can be a cheap "gimme cap" or something a bit more expensive like a boonie hat. A hat will also help keep warmth from escaping through the scalp on cold nights.

Clean socks and underwear: Keep them in a sealed plastic bag so they stay dry. They are not only necessary for health reasons but they will provide a great morale boost. Anyone who has had to walk a distance with wet feet knows the importance of dry socks.

Hand sanitizer: If there is no soap to use, this will help keep hands germ free when eating or providing first aid.

Baby wipes: These are great for a quick sponge bath as well as if the toilet paper supply has run out.

Sunscreen: Dealing with moderate to severe sunburn is no fun after a day at the beach, let alone if it happens during a crisis situation.

Bug repellent: In many parts of the country, the mosquitoes seem big enough to carry off pets and children. Constantly swatting at bugs expends energy as well as increases mental fatigue.

Bandana: This has many uses, from a makeshift dust mask to a tourniquet. They add almost no weight to the kit and can be wrapped around more fragile items.

Glue sticks: These are excellent for making expedient repairs to shelter materials and even clothing in a pinch. Simply heat the end of the stick over a flame to soften the glue.

Gloves: A sturdy pair of work gloves will serve well when building an emergency shelter, cutting firewood, and a myriad of other camping chores. Injuries to hands can quickly become infected if not cleaned and treated properly.

All of the items listed above would fit in all but the smallest of survival kits. Most of them are very inexpensive to buy now and will be invaluable during an emergency.

--Jim, Wisconsin

Peanut Butter Milkshake Video

Here's a great way to use your Peanut Butter Powder. The recipe also includes Powdered Milk and Freeze-Dried Bananas. We use the Vortex Hand-Crank Blender which can be used without electricity. It's great for power outages, camping trips, picnics, vacations, and more. Give it a try, we know you'll love it!

Vortex Hand-Crank Blender

Emergency Preparedness Guide -- Emergency Swap Meet

Find out what skills and supplies your neighbors have to offer in an emergency, and plan your own neighborhood Survival Swap Meet!

During an emergency like a power outage, flood, earthquake, or even winter storm, you may find yourself working with and helping your neighbors. Planning ahead and knowing the supplies and skills of your neighborhood friends can be a huge blessing should you find yourselves relying upon each other in an emergency.

Click here to read the rest of the article>>

Headlamps in Emergency Kits

Have you ever thought about what you would do if you were on a road trip with your family and you got a flat tire in the dark? How would you see to get out the spare or get the spare properly put on your car? You could grab a flashlight, but it's pretty hard to change your tire with only one hand!

This is where a headlamp could be a lifesaver. Headlamps are basically hands-free flashlights. They have adjustable elastic straps that will allow the headlamp to be worn over hats or helmets and they can also work for children.

Recently, one of our customers found out just how helpful headlamps can be in a power outage:

Endurance Headlamp

“The day after I received my headlamps, our power went out for 15 hours (I know…what are the chances right?). I had already loaded the headlamps with batteries and strategically placed them around the house so they were the first source of lighting I thought to grab. My husband liked them because they enabled him to use both arms to carry firewood back to the house and still have a light guiding him. Although the elastic band made my hair poof up, I found the headlamp invaluable in finishing up dinner preparations. Get some headlamps, they will come in more handy than you can know.”

Headlamps can be used in many situations in addition to when the power goes out. You can use them while working on your car, starting a fire at your campsite, reading a book in bed, or you could garden at night.

We have a variety of headlamps that can meet anyone’s needs. The High Uinta Gear Endurance Headlamp is a great basic option with three different brightness settings. On one set of 3 "AAA" batteries, the light will run for more than 17 hours in the 10-LED mode, more than 30 hours when in 4 LED mode, and more than three days with the red flashing LEDs.

The Princeton Tec Fuel has 4 LED bulbs and is lighter than the Endurance. It has a large push-button switch that will make it easier for any hands to turn on. The Fuel will run for up to 146 hours on the low setting and up to 50 hours on the bright setting with one set of 3 “AAA” batteries.

 Princeton Tec Fuel

The Princeton Tec Quad is one of our most advanced models with a tough waterproof housing. The light beam is very bright and the LED bulbs and housing can survive impacts and water submersions up to one meter. The built in battery power meter will let you know when the batteries are close to dying so you won’t be stuck wandering around in the dark trying to find the extra batteries.

 Princeton Tec Quad

Headlamps can be used for almost anything you can think of and should be an important part of any emergency kit.

25-Gallon Boxed Water Kit Review

"This is a great product! It is small and easy to store in a closet or elsewhere. It is also great come moving time just let out the water and collapse the boxes. No need to worry about packing around huge barrels."

--Jeff, Georgia

25-Gallon Boxed Water Kit

Click here to enter our current giveaway for a 25-Gallon Boxed Water Kit. This is a simple and easy way to add water to any storage plan and can be stored virtually anywhere.

Emergency Preparedness Guide -- Taking Care of Business

It’s a subject we don’t often discuss, but it is a basic need. Waste disposal and sanitation is essential because no matter what is happening, you’ve still got to take care of business!

My husband planned a fun weekend camping trip with his father and my three daughters. When the men were discussing what hiking they would do, what sights they would see, I was concerned about something else: bathrooms. You see, these three little girls of mine are just like their mother, and I know they won’t be comfortable going to the bathroom just anywhere. I began voicing my concerns to my husband, but he had already taken care of the problem. He had a portable toilet and a privacy shelter packed in the back of his truck. Problem solved.

Click here to read the rest of the article>>

Earthquake Preparedness for 2011

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there have been 8 major earthquakes worldwide so far in 2011, including three within the last two weeks.

Earthquakes occur worldwide every single day. The U.S. Geological Survey reported 196 earthquakes worldwide between the seventh and fourteenth of February 2011. Most of these earthquakes aren’t felt because they are either a low magnitude or they are centered at locations with low or no population.

Many earthquakes are easy to look over because they never make it into the national news. It’s important to remember that an earthquake of any magnitude could happen at anytime, and it’s always good to be prepared.

In a recent news story regarding the frequency of earthquakes over the weekend in Utah, Jim Pechmann, a seismologist at the University of Utah said, “A large, damaging earthquake could happen at any time, and [you] should be prepared for it.”

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there are five steps to take to prepare for an earthquake before it happens:

1. PLAN with your family and make sure everyone knows what to do no matter where they are when an earthquake occurs:

• Establish a meeting place where you can all reunite after the earthquake
• Find out about the earthquake plans for the children's school, day care, etc.
• Remember transportation may be disrupted, keep some emergency supplies—for example: food, liquids, and comfortable shoes—at work or school

 3-Day Emergency Kit

2. KNOW where your gas, electric and water main shutoffs are and how to turn them off if there is a leak or electrical short. Make sure older members of the family know how to shut off utilities.

You should have an Emergency Gas Shut-Off Wrench on hand and all members of your family who know how to use it should know where to find it. Our Emergency Gas Shut-Off Wrench has helpful instructions and diagrams to show how and when you should turn off your gas.

 Emergency Gas Wrench

3. LOCATE your nearest fire and police stations and emergency medical facility and list them on an emergency contact sheet that every member of your family can access.

4. TALK to your neighbors—how could they help you, as well as you help them after an earthquake?

5. TAKE First Aid and CPR training courses.

Being aware of the potential for earthquakes and staying up-to-date with current preparedness guidelines can greatly reduce the chances of serious injury, death, and damage to property. Preparing for an earthquake can also help maintain calm during a very unfamiliar experience.

Click here for additional information regarding your area and earthquake readiness.

Boxed Water Giveaway

In emergency situations, stored water may be your most valuable resource. To help you with your water storage, we are giving you a chance to win our 25-Gallon Boxed Water Kit. This kit is a great solution for water storage when you have a limited amount of space.

The basic 25-Gallon Boxed Water Kit includes five heavy duty boxes with their own metalized five-gallon water storage bag. The boxes are strong enough that you can safely stack up to three high to help save space and at 40 pounds each, they can be moved for easy rotation and use. The basic 25-Gallon Kit is on sale this month for only $29.99, and if you are looking to store more water, the 100-Gallon Kit is on sale for only $114.99.

25-Gallon Boxed Water Kit

If you purchase a 25-Gallon Boxed Water Kit during the giveaway and win, we will issue you a refund or send you the product - whichever you prefer.

HOW TO ENTER:

Send us an email at blog@BePrepared.com (put Boxed Water Giveaway in the subject line) with the answer to the following question: "What type of container should you avoid for water storage because it could break easily during an earthquake?" Click here to go to one of our Insight Articles with the answer.

All emails received through Wednesday, February 23rd, will be entered into the drawing. The winner will be chosen at random and posted on the blog no later than Wednesday, March 2nd.

Please note: We welcome emails and entries from everyone; however, free shipping of the 25-Gallon Boxed Water Kit 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 cost

Prepper's Pie

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Prepper’s Pie

Here’s a great rotation recipe that can be made with either ‘grocery’ canned, dehydrated and/or freeze-dried food. It is a slightly more nutritious version of Shepherd’s pie. I always use dehydrated or freeze-dried onions and carrots because it takes a lot of cooking to use up a #10 can for rotation.

Ingredients (see preparation notes):

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup onion
• ½ cup chopped carrots
• 1½ cup sweet corn
• 1 cup black or pinto beans (already rehydrated and cooked until soft enough to eat)
• 1½ cup diced or ground beef
• 4 cups mashed potatoes (add another cup if you use a 9 X 13 pan. I use the potato pearls and wait to rehydrate until right before they go on the top)
• 1 to 1½ cup of liquid/gravy (combination of rehydration liquid, beef broth, gravy and/or refried beans)

Preparation notes:

1. All ingredients are measured as the rehydrated amounts if you are using freeze-dried or dehydrated foods

2. SAVE all the excess liquid from everything you rehydrate to use as the liquid in the pie.

3. If you do not have left over beans, use about half a cup of rehydrated refried beans in your gravy to boost the protein and vitamins provided by the beans.

Directions:

Saute the onions in the oil until golden and clear or slightly browned. Then add everything but the mashed potatoes in a rectangular shallow glass pan . Mix by hand so the distribution of items is somewhat even. Bake (covered if possible) at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and spread the potatoes evenly over the top and return to bake uncovered for about 20 minutes. If the potatoes are not golden on the peaks, top broil for a minute or two.

Serve and enjoy.

Note: For a camping or emergency recipe, this can be made in a Dutch oven. If so, spread potatoes on after mixing the filling, cover and cook for 30 to 40 minutes at the 300 degree equivalent.

--Gretchen, Arizona

Emergency Preparedness Guide -- Special Needs Survival

Is there someone in your life with special needs? Pay close attention and acquire the necessary medication and equipment to help them during an emergency.

I take a daily medication for hypothyroidism. Most of the time, it is just a minor hiccup in my life, but without my daily medication, my life quickly becomes very hard. I’ve often thought about how grateful I am for my medication and wonder what I would do without it. Many of us live with conditions that require extra daily medication or support. Do these special needs get proper consideration when you are creating your preparedness plan? Here are a few ideas to help you start to prepare for those in your family with addition mental or physical needs:

Click here to read the rest of the article>>

Keeping Food Safe During An Emergency

In the wake of the impending storms across the Midwest and other parts of the United States, the USDA has issued some recommendations to help minimize the potential for foodborne illnesses due to power outages and other problems that are often associated with severe weather events.

According to the USDA, "With a little bit of advance planning, people can make sure they have access to safe food and water even in the aftermath of severe storms."

Steps to follow to prepare for a possible weather emergency:

• Keep an appliance thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer. An appliance thermometer will indicate the temperature inside the refrigerator and freezer in case of a power outage and help determine the safety of the food.

• Make sure the freezer is at 0°F or below and the refrigerator is at 40°F or below.

• Freeze containers of water for ice to help keep food cold in the freezer, refrigerator or coolers after the power is out.

• Freeze refrigerated items such as leftovers, milk and fresh meat and poultry that you may not need immediately — this helps keep them at a safe temperature longer.

• Have coolers on hand to keep refrigerator food cold if the power will be out for more than 4 hours. Purchase or make ice cubes and store in the freezer for use in the refrigerator or in a cooler. Freeze gel packs ahead of time for use in coolers.

• Group food together in the freezer — this helps the food stay cold longer.

• Store food on shelves that will be safely out of the way of contaminated water in case of flooding.

Steps to follow after the weather emergency:

• Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature.

• The refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) and the door remains closed.

• Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, soft cheeses, milk, eggs, leftovers and deli items after 4 hours without power.

• Food may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40° F or below when checked with a food thermometer.

• Never taste a food to determine its safety!

• Discard any food that is not in a waterproof container if there is any chance that it has come into contact with flood water. Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples and pacifiers.

• Thoroughly wash all metal pans, ceramic dishes and utensils that came in contact with flood water with hot soapy water and sanitize by boiling them in clean water or by immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water.

• Use bottled water that has not been exposed to flood waters. If bottled water is not available, tap water can be boiled for safety

• When in Doubt, Throw it Out!

For more information, click here to go to the USDA website for the complete article.

Dehydrated and Freeze-Dried Food Storage

Most of these issues with food safety can be minimized or eliminated by storing dehydrated and freeze-dried foods. Having these foods in your food storage is a great way to prepare for emergencies and natural disasters, including winter storms. Click here to read our free online Insight Articles discussing dehydrated and freeze-dried foods.