What to Do Before a Tornado

There are many things that you can do at any time to prepare for a tornado. Many of these will also help you plan for any other variety of emergency.

Create a kit: Make sure you have basic disaster supplies on hand and easily accessible. These supplies should include:
• Flashlight
• Extra batteries
• Portable battery-operated radio and extra batteries or other alternative energy powered radio
• First-aid kit
• First-aid manual
• Emergency food and water
• Non-electric can opener
• Essential medicines
• Cash and credit cards
• Sturdy shoes

Develop an emergency communication plan: In case family members are separated from one another during a tornado (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), have a plan for getting back together. Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the "family contact". Make sure everyone in the family knows your plan and how to reach your out-of-state contact.

Tornado Watches and Warnings: Know the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning.

•A tornado watch issued by the National Weather Service when tornadoes are possible in your area. Remain alert for approaching storms. This is time to remind family members where the safest places within your home are located,and listen to the radio or television for further developments.

•A tornado warning is issued when a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar.

Mobile Homes: Mobile homes are particularly vulnerable. A mobile home can overturn very easily even if precautions have been taken to tie down the unit. When a tornado warning is issued, take shelter in a building with a strong foundation. If shelter is not available, lie in a ditch or low-lying area a safe distance from the unit.

Tornado Danger Signs: According to FEMA, there are some danger signs that you should look for:
• Dark, often greenish sky
• Large hail
• A large, dark, low-lying cloud (particularly if rotating)
• Loud roar, similar to a freight train

If you notice any of these signs, or there is a tornado warning in your area, be prepared to find safe shelter immediately.

Tornado Facts: What You Need to Know

With all of the recent tornadoes in the United States, it's important to remember that every state is at risk of experiencing a tornado. According to FEMA, tornadoes are nature's most violent storms and as we have all seen in the news, they can be devastating. We would like to share a few important facts from FEMA that may be especially helpful for people who aren't familiar with the threat of tornadoes.

• Tornadoes are spawned from powerful thunderstorms

• Winds associated with tornadoes can reach up to 300MPH

• Before a tornado hits, the wind may die down and the air may become very still

• Tornadoes may strike very quickly and give very little or no warning that they are coming

• Sometimes tornadoes will appear nearly transparent until dust and debris are picked up or a cloud forms in the funnel

• The average tornado moves from the Southwest to the Northeast

• Tornadoes are most frequently reported east of the Rocky Mountains during the spring and summer months

• Peak tornado season in the Southern states is March through May; in the northern states, it is late spring through early summer

• Tornadoes are most likely to occur between the hours of 3pm and 9pm

Keeping Food Sanitary

During an emergency, it's especially important to keep your cooking area clean and food sanitary. If you aren't careful, harmful germs can spread to food and make you sick or animals can destroy or eat your food. We have some tips for how to best keep food sanitary during an emergency or even during camping trips:

• All food scraps should either be burned or buried in a pit far from your living area to keep bears and other wild animals away from you.

• Keep all of your food covered and off the ground. You may keep your food in a tree, but be sure tree dwelling creatures can't get into it.

• Place lids back on on water bottles and other containers immediately after use.

• Do not wash your dishes in the area where you get your drinking water supply. Instead, wash your dishes away from a stream.

• Use clean dishes or eat out of the original food containers to prevent the spread of germs.

• Wash and peel all fruits and vegetables before eating.

• Prepare only as much as will be eaten at each meal.

With a little knowledge and preparation, you can stay clean and healthy, even during an emergency situation.

Special Offer: Freeze-Dried Beef Entrée and Vegetable Side Combo

The Freeze-Dried Beef Entrée and Vegetable Side Combo adds great variety to your food storage. Four favorite beef main courses come with broccoli and super sweet corn in this tasty collection of entrées and side dishes by Mountain House® and Provident Pantry®.

Freeze-Dried Beef Entrée and Vegetable Side Combo

This Freeze-Dried Beef Entrée and Vegetable Side Combo is currently on sale for only $119.99. There are limited quantities available and the price is only good until we run out. The Freeze-Dried Beef Entrée and Vegetable Side Combo includes Mountain House® #10 cans of Beef Stew, Beef Stroganoff, Spaghetti, Chili Mac, and Provident Pantry® #10 cans of Broccoli and Super Sweet Corn.

Creating a Sanitation Area

When camping or during an emergency, choosing the right location for your sanitation needs can be just as important as staying clean.

Your sanitation area should be located downhill from any usable water source. It should also be a few hundred feet from any river, stream, or lake. It also helps to have your waste area downwind from your living area but not so far from your camp that the distance discourages people from using it.

Making an Emergency Toilet:
If you have a medium sized plastic bucket (5-6 gallon), lined with a heavy-duty toilet bag, you can have a decent emergency toilet. A plastic toilet seat can be purchased to fit on the bucket for a more comfortable seat. If you don't have an extra plastic bucket, you can make a latrine by digging a long trench, approximately one foot wide and 12-18 inches deep and cover it up as you use it. When you dig your latrine too deep, it can retard the bacterial breakdown process. Digging a longer latrine is appropriate for large groups camping in one spot for a long period.

In order to make your latrine more comfortable, you can make a seat by laying logs across the hole, leaving an area open for you to use. After use, cover the waste with small amounts of dirt to decrease the odor. A covered toilet reduces more of the odor than an open one so make a toilet cover with wood or a large leaf.


Disposing of Waste
If you are out camping, make sure you are aware of regulations that may require that you pack out all solid waste. This practice may be especially common at high-use rivers.
 
If you cannot dispose of refuse properly, you should always bury biodegradable garbage and human waste to avoid the spread of disease by rats and insects. Dig a pit 12-18 inches deep and at least 50 feet but preferably 200 plus feet downhill and away from any well, spring, or water supply. Fill the pit with the refuse and cover with dirt.

Sanitation Tip - Washing Hands and Bathing

You can prevent illness by washing your hands often; before eating, after using the bathroom, after you change a diaper, and any other time you may need to freshen up. Since water is such a precious commodity during an emergency, you should remember to prioritize the use of purified drinking water. You may want to use it first for drinking, cooking, washing dishes and then for other purposes.

Be organized and choose a designated bathing area. If you wash in a river or stream use biodegradable soap and always be aware of others who may be downstream.

With a little soap you can also wash yourself in the rain. Other washing alternatives include moist towelettes, a spray bottle, sanitizing lotions, or a wet washcloth. Be sure to wear shoes to prevent parasitic infections and to protect yourself from cuts and puncture wounds that can easily become infected.

Creating a Personal Hygeine and Sanitation Kit

During an emergency, it is important to your survival to keep yourself healthy. The best way to maintain health is to keep yourself and your living area clean and sanitary. Poor hygiene and unsanitary conditions can cause sickness. Finding ways to maintain normalcy during an emergency will help reduce mental and physical strain and having freshly brushed teeth and clean hair can go a long way to boost morale.

Family Sanitation Kit

Sanitation items are easy to gather. There may already be some necessary items for grooming and sanitation in your emergency kit. You can also purchase a pre-assembled sanitation kit which is an inexpensive and convenient way to prepare what you'll need during an emergency.

Another option is assembling your own emergency sanitation kit so you can choose brands or items your family is accustomed to using. Often, you can purchase your favorite brand of soap, toothpaste, shampoo, toilet paper, deodorant and other items in bulk so you can set some aside for your emergency kit. You may also be able to buy these items in more convenient travel sizes.

Check your emergency kit to see if you already have some necessary items for grooming and sanitation. If you want to create your own sanitation and hygiene kit, here are some areas that you might want to consider:

• Toilet Paper: When it comes to emergencies, any kind of toilet paper is a luxury. By preparing ahead of time, and stocking your favorite brand, you can insure that you don't experience unnecessary discomfort. Also, keep in mind that it is possible for those in emergency situations to develop stress and diet related stomach problems that can intensify your sanitation difficulties.

• Toothbrush: People with sensitive teeth may want to store their preferred brand of toothbrush in their emergency kit. It is a wise idea to store several toothbrushes to give away to someone who neglected to store any. It may also have another useful purpose such as cleaning or scrubbing.

Fresh & Go Toothbrush

• Toothpaste, mouthwash, and breath fresheners: Emergencies present stressful situations where human communication is crucial. Sometimes water is scarce or unavailable which causes dryness in your mouth. A breath freshener may be a nice addition to your preparedness supplies.

• Feminine Hygiene Products: It is important to be prepared in all areas. These items are important to have available in any emergency situation. They can also be helpful tools for a variety of first aid needs.

• Deodorant: With several choices of deodorants, you may want to decide ahead of time what you'll need during an emergency. Air fresheners or deodorants may also increase your level of comfort during an emergency.

• Hair Supplies: Shampoo, conditioner, hairspray, combs, brushes, and other items may not be necessary for survival, but they can help make an emergency situation more comfortable and clean.

Be sure to store smaller sanitation items in your emergency kit and be aware that you can over stuff your emergency kit. If it is too heavy, you may not be able to leave with it during an emergency.

Freeze-Dried Strawberry Slices - Customer Review

These Freeze-Dried Strawberry Slices are great for making strawberry lemonade. Just drop a big handful into a pitcher of lemonade and give them a little bit to soften up. Yummy!
--Bonnie, OR

These Freeze-Dried Strawberry Slices are soooo good. I just ordered 12 cans of these. They are great in cereal, or just right out of the can. We have replaced fattening snacks with these. They are crunchy and flavorful. What a great idea! I love the fact that they are so healthy. Fat free and sugar free can only be good for you. Thank you Emergency Essentials. I'll be ordering more soon.
--Brenda, TX

I just received a can of Freeze-Dried Strawberry Slices. After opening up the can, I see they look good. The taste was fantastic! Also it was 12 cups. I tried dehydrating strawberries. One flat of berries equals 6 cups. @ $25.00 a flat. Plus the time it took to slice, and lay them out on the trays. The gas to get them, and the 18 hours or so of the dehydrator going, which heated up the house on a hot day. The texture of my berries were hard, and not good looking, and lacks taste. I am ordering more of your Provident Pantry Premium slice strawberries.
--Peggy, WA

The Freeze-Dried Strawberry Slices are on sale through the month of May for only $15.99 (savings of 23%). Kids and adults love the flavor of these strawberries and they can be a great stress relief snack during an emergency. They are easy to store and have a 25 year shelf-life when stored properly.

Spring Time Savings Combo Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Gary and Rebecca R. from Florida who have won our Spring Time Savings Combo Giveaway! We are sure the Freeze-Dried Strawberry Slices, Freeze-Dried Peach Dices, Dehydrated Strawberry Flavored Apple Chips, Dehydrated Hashbrowns, Cinnamon-Almond Granola, and Cracked Wheat Cereal will make a great addition to their food storage.

Don't forget, these #10 cans are on sale through the end of May. They will make a great addition to any food storage supply.

Freeze-Dried Peach Dices - Add the taste of peaches to your home food storage with our Freeze-Dried Peach Dices. Freeze-Dried Peaches can be used in recipes requesting fresh peaches, or they can be eaten as a healthy snack. On sale for only $15 each when you buy 12 cans.

Strawberry Flavored Apple Chips - Keep these on hand for use in any emergency or daily recipes. They also make a great snack. These are on sale for only $9 each when you buy 12 cans.

Freeze-Dried Strawberry Slices - Add the sweet taste of Provident Pantry Freeze-Dried Strawberries to your oatmeal, cereal, smoothies, trail mixes, and more. Freeze-Dried Strawberries are a great food storage item because they can be used as a natural sweetener, as well as being a great treat by themselves. Simply open the can and enjoy sliced strawberries anytime - all year round! On sale for only $15.99 each.

Shredded Hashbrown Potatoes - These Dehydrated Hashbrown Potatoes are a delicious breakfast option to have during an emergency or any other day as well. They are a great way to provide meals in an emergency. These are on sale for only $5.99 each.

Cracked Wheat Cereal - Make a healthy and filling breakfast using this delicious Cracked Wheat Cereal. You can even add it to your flour to add a nutty, rich flavor and texture to your homemade bread. On sale for only $6.79 each.

Special Offer: 1-Month Supply of Freeze-Dried & Dehydrated Foods

The 1-Month Supply of Freeze-Dried & Dehydrated Foods offers a heavy dose of freeze-dried foods and adds several dehydrated staples such as milk and granola to give you a truly useful supply of food. The supply is designed to offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 30 days for one person with easy-to-prepare Mountain House and Provident Pantry Foods that include breakfast, dinner entrees, desserts and drink mixes. Click here for a list of contents.

This 1-Month Supply of Freeze-Dried and Dehydrated Foods is currently on sale for only $349.99. There are limited quantities available and the price is only good until we run out. The 1-Month Supply of Freeze-Dried and Dehydrated Foods is great way to get an affordable start on your food storage, offering both nutrition and easy preparation.

Spring Time Savings Combo Giveaway Update

Since Blogger, the site that hosts our blog, has been having maintenance problems over the past couple of days, we are going to go ahead and extend the Spring Time Savings Combo Giveaway through the weekend. Any entries received by 9am MST on Monday, May 16th will be included in the giveaway. Thank you for your patience and understanding!

Click on the picture above for more information about the giveaway.

Weekly Product Review: Meals Ready to Eat (MREs)

Recently we asked our Facebook friends to tell us what they thought of MRE's. We got a lot of great responses and wanted to share some of them with you.

"I like that they won't use my water storage when in an emergency...and the children think they are fun to eat."

"My kids think it's Christmas when they get to open their MREs on camp outs. If you are hungry or need lots of calories for physical activities, MREs will hit the spot."

"For backpacking I also prefer the Freeze-Dried but for on the go, the MREs can be a huge help -- not necessarily a full meal, but a side dish or dessert is enough to tide me over until I can get back to where I can get a real meal."

"My kids are weird I guess...they like just about every one of the MREs I've had them try. They eat all of the side dishes, and I have to regulate how many and how quickly they eat the emergency bars, both the MRE version and the Coast Guard Bars. They are three girls from the ages of eight to four years old."

So now we want you to tell us why you like MREs and how often do you use them? Do you do anything to them to change them up? We would love to hear any helpful hints for preparation or convenient uses for MREs that you have in the comments.

Mobile Washer Review

"My expensive front load washer broke for the 7th time this year so I got the Mobile Washer out of my emergency kit. I was amazed at the dirt it got out of my jeans and chore rags and it was easy to use. I was so impressed with the results, I took a couple clean shirts out of the closet that had been washed in the machine the prior month, and was shocked to see how much dirt had been in my 'clean' clothes. I'm going to just use my Mobile Washer from now on. It's fast, very effective and uses hardly any soap. Fabulous product!"

--DJ, South Dakota

"I too had my $1400.00 front loader break down in Feb 2011. I was taking my laundry to the laundromat until I remembered that I had a Mobile Washer in my emergency kit. I washed my and my sons clothes with less soap than I use in the front loader and they came out just as clean. Not much effort either as you only need "plunge" a minimal amount of times. Used less water too. By the time the repair man came to fix the front loader, I was so used to using my mobile washer and having my clothes washed fast, that it feels strange to have to wait for the front loader to get done with my clothes. Great purchase and I couldn't be happier!!!"

--Kimmi, California

This washer uses a technique of pushing and pulling the water through the clothes without excess friction (which also reduces the wear on your clothes). This mobile washer uses minimal water and because of the agitation motion, less soap. Use in a bucket (5-gallon suggested), sink or tub. This hand washer also is able to rinse your clothes using fresh water. The Mobile Washer is a great item to have with your emergency and outdoor supplies.

 Click above to watch the video

There was a story in the news recently about a Canadian couple who had gotten their car stuck in some mud while on a road trip going through Nevada in March. According to this article, the wife was found alive in their van after being stranded for 48 days and having only trail mix to eat and melted snow to drink. She is now in a hospital trying to recover from the effects of starvation.

This sad story can serve as another great reminder of the importance of being prepared when traveling. Here is a short list of items you may want to consider keeping in your car emergency kit.

There are many ways to customize your emergency car kit. It is also important to consider special needs such as those with diabetes or hypoglycemia, babies, elderly, and people with allergies or chronic illness. For a person with diabetes, remember to have extra insulin on hand. For a person with hypoglycemia, store high energy snacks in addition to their ration of food. For babies, store extra diapers, formula, blankets, and clothes.

If you find yourself in a situation where you have no way of calling for help, tie a bright red piece of cloth on your antenna. This is generally recognized as a call for assistance.

Remember to always let someone know what time you left and what time you expect to arrive at your destination.

By taking these precautions, you can prepare your family for an emergency and feel more confident in your travels.

Emergency Preparedness for Pets

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.

Emergency Preparedness for Pets

In trying to prepare for the unexpected, we naturally tend to focus on what the family needs. Food, water, safety, medicine are all apart of that collection. But what about the family pet's needs? We may have thought about having extra packages of dog food, or kitty litter in our planning, but what about their medications? Like many animals, my German Shepherd is on a special food that we have to order from the veterinarian. When emergency situations strike--like what happened to us during the hurricanes in Florida a while back--getting human food shipped in was a challenge, much less my dog's food and medication! It was weeks before the routine shipment of special food was delivered to our vet.

Since dog and cat food can be contaminated by pests and rodents just storing it in the bag it came in is insufficient. We have taken to ordering extra bags of food from the vet whenever we put an our order, then we seal that extra dog food in airtight food quality buckets with oxygen absorbers. It means having to store more buckets and cans, but we have the peace of mind that our four-footed friend will be healthy--and able to protect us if the need ever occurs.

--Kelly, Florida

Powdered Milk Tips

Recently we posted a Weekly Product Review over on our Facebook page and requested recipes, helpful hints, and unique uses for our Powdered Milk. We had a great response and wanted to share some of those tips with all of our blog readers.

• Add Powdered Milk to dry ingredients when baking. Then just add the appropriate amount of plain water when milk is called for in the recipe. Super easy!

• We use powdered milk in our handcrafted soaps. It makes a mild and moisturizing bar that's great for your skin.

• I don't drink milk. When I did need milk for a recipe, I would usually have to make a special trip to the store, use what I needed for the recipe, and then the rest would spoil. Now, having Powdered Milk in the house saves me money. I don't have to make a special run to the store, don't have to throw away spoiled milk, and I cook and bake more often.

• 1 cup of Peanut Butter, 1 cups of warm Honey, 1¼ cup of Powdered Milk. Mix together and let cool, then roll into little balls. It's great nutritious candy.

• When making a bread recipe that calls for scalded milk, just put in your dry Powdered Milk with equivalent water. Scalding the milk is to kill the enzyme in milk, Powdered Milk has already had the enzyme killed. Saves me time and money!

• Powdered Milk makes a great condensed soup mix, great fudgesicles, yogurt, whipped topping, cheese, etc. It is amazing what a workhorse it really is.

Do you have any great recipes or helpful tips to share?

We would love to see them in the comments!

What Should I Do After a Flood?

With so many areas of the United States facing potential flooding scares, it's important to know how to handle things after flood waters have receded. Floods and flash floods occur within all 50 states and can be extremely dangerous. They are the most common and widespread of all natural disasters next to fire, so knowledge and preparation is extremely important and will help keep losses to a minimum.

Here are some tips that could be very helpful when trying to take care of your home and belongings after a flood:

• If your home, apartment or business has suffered damage, call the insurance company or agent who handles your flood insurance policy right away to file a claim.
• Before entering a building, check for structural damage. Don't go in if there is any chance of the building collapsing.
• Upon entering the building, do not use matches, cigarette lighters or any other open flames, since gas may be trapped inside. Instead, use a flashlight or a lightstick to light your way.

• Keep power off until an electrician has inspected your system for safety.
• Flood waters pick up sewage and chemicals from roads, farms and factories. If your home has been flooded, protect your family's health by cleaning up your house right away. Throw out foods and medicines that may have come into contact with flood water.
• Until local authorities proclaim your water supply to be safe, boil water for drinking and food preparation vigorously for five minutes before using.
• Be careful walking around. After a flood, steps and floors are often slippery with mud and covered with debris, including nails and broken glass.
• Take steps to reduce your risk of future floods. Make sure to follow local building codes and ordinances when rebuilding, and use flood-resistant materials and techniques to protect yourself and your property from future flood damage.