Practice Water Conservation

There are many things that we all take for granted. It isn't necessarily because we are not thankful for them, but more likely it is because we have never experienced life without them. One of these commodities is water. When we turn on the tap, we expect a rush of water to emerge. Have you ever stopped to think what it would be like to experience an empty faucet?

It is estimated that the average U.S. citizen uses 110 gallons of water a day. You may wonder how this is possible, but when you take into consideration the amount of water used for flushing toilets, showering and bathing, washing laundry and dishes, watering lawns, and cooking and drinking, you realize how it all takes a toll on the nation's water reserves.

Here are some water-saving tips that can help you start learning how to conserve water now so that if you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to make your emergency water supply last, it won't be as drastic of a change:

• Do not let water run from the faucet while you brush your teeth. Fill a glass halfway with water and use that to wet your brush and rinse your mouth.
• Limit showers to five minutes or less. While you wait for the water to get warm enough to use, fill a bucket with the colder water and use it to water plants.
• When taking a bath, only fill the tub halfway.
• Fill a one-gallon plastic container with water and put it in the toilet tank to displace one gallon of water (or use a brick in a zippered plastic bag).
• Plant lawn grass that can handle dry weather.
• Check faucets, hoses, and other water devices for leaks.
• Water your lawn and garden between the hours of 9pm and 9am. This helps conserve moisture by minimizing sun exposure.

During emergencies, it is suggested that you recycle your used bathing/laundry water for flushing the toilet, watering your garden or mopping your floors. (Don't use water with cleansers like bleach or other harmful cleansers to water plants). Use disposable plates, cups, and eating utensils.

If you have any other suggestions of how to conserve water during emergencies or everyday life, please share them in the comments!

Water Storage Solutions

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.

Water Storage Solutions

As I've learned more the past year about being prepared for everyday situations as well as emergency situations, I've discovered one area I am sorely lacking in is water storage.

My efforts in this area have been almost (but not quite) non-existent. So I started with the things that most of us start with. First I purchased bottled water. Next, I moved on to refilling used pop and juice bottles. While this method did expand the water I had available to me, I very quickly became aware that it would take a LOT of individual bottles just for a two week supply of water for one person, let alone a supply for my entire family of 5.

So, I sat down and worked out a plan. I knew I still needed some form of portable water inside the house, so I started investing in water boxes that held 5 gallons each and came in a kit of five. They were easy to fill, were very sturdy, easily fit on the bottom shelf in my storage room and behind the doors. They are easy to empty and refill every six months so we can always have fresh water at our disposal. The best thing is that just three of the kits supplied more than the recommended amount of water per person per day for a two week supply for my family of 5.

Having that one small goal taken care of, gave me great peace of mind and allowed me to set further goals for my family's water supply.

While working on our 72- hour kits and trying to come up with light-weight solutions for the kids packs, I came across some pre-packaged "personal" water boxes. What a perfect solution for the little ones. Since they were just like a juice box, with a straw included, the kids are able to use them all by themselves and in a crisis situation they will be able to be independent and feel more in control.

I liked this option so much that I have added cases of them to our food storage. We always carry a supply of them in the car and I also put a few in the stroller when we are going on our outings. Since they are closed boxes, they are less likely to spill and lose their water supply.

Finally, knowing I live in a flood zone, and that our drinking water could easily be compromised, I started looking for solutions to store larger quantities of water. For my family I have found water barrels to be the best solution. They come in several sizes and I am able to store them in different locations in the house. Having the option to store water throughout the house where it would be needed the most was a key reason for choosing the smaller barrels over one of the options that would store hundreds of gallons of water in one place.

Having so many options for the water our family may need in any situation helps me feel so much better prepared to face whatever challenges may come our way.

--Tammy, Utah

Water Challenge: One Gallon of Water for One Day

Similar to other emergency drills such as earthquake, fire, and tornado, this drill is intended to familiarize your family with a difficult situation. They may also become more confident and prepared to deal with other challenges that could arise. Use wisdom and caution when trying out this challenge. Keep members of your family well hydrated and it will be a good experience for everyone.

The Challenge

Consider living at least 24 hours with only one gallon of stored water per family member per day. For example: a family of four would need to live off of 4 gallons of water for a 24 hour period.

You may be thinking this will be easy. Anyone can go without cooking or extensive cleaning for 24 hours. You can expect that your children will have no problem drinking less than a gallon of water per day. However, consider average water usage in non-emergency situations.

When you begin to consider sanitation, cooking, and washing clothes you'll notice that one gallon of water is an absolute minimum.

After completing this challenge you may want to take some time to evaluate what occurred and re-evaluate your family's preparedness plans. Were the proper tools available to cope with limited water use? Would one gallon of water per person per day be sufficient for your family? Most recommendations are for 2-5 gallons of water per person per day in an emergency. Spend some time discussing the results with your family and adjust your plans accordingly.

Click here for more about how this challenge can help you and your family be prepared.

Chicken Alfredo - Asian Style Seasoned White Chicken

This month we have a special buy of Freeze-Dried (FD) Asian Style Seasoned White Chicken. When I first saw it in our catalog I thought it would be great for stir-fry or other Asian style meals but I didn't give it much thought until we got this review from one of our customers:

"There is nothing Asian about this wonderful chicken except the faint hint of (spices) and the substantial, satisfying slab (ribbon) style of the cut. I tried this chicken straight out of the can. It re-hydrated in 3 minutes with very little hot water. Ingredients said "soy sauce" (undetectable) and "salt" (much less salt than others I have tried)...The substantial pieces, (not dust) in this can make it my favorite chicken-- starting right now."
-- PB, Georgia

Rehydrated Asian Style Seasoned White Chicken

When I opened up a can of this chicken I found large pieces, similar to precooked grilled chicken purchased at the grocery store. After rehydrating some of the chicken I tried it and found that it didn't have the strong Asian flavor that I was expecting. The seasoning was perfect and the chicken tasted great by itself. This got me to start thinking about some of my favorite chicken dishes and I decided to add some to Chicken Alfredo. It was amazing! In fact, I would recommend this chicken for almost any recipe.

Chicken Alfredo

We have a limited supply of this FD Asian Style Seasoned White Chicken on sale this month for only $31.99 (regular $42.95). When you buy six or more cans, the price drops to only $29.99 per can. This chicken has a high amount of protein, is versatile enough to use in any recipe and will make a great addition to your food storage. Don't let this amazing deal pass you by!

Safeguard Your Documents Against Fire and Flood

No matter where you live or what precautions you take, no one is exempt from the possibility of becoming a victim of flood, fire, or earthquakes that could destroy your precious documents.

The most reliable way to protect your documents from floods or fires is to purchase a fireproof/waterproof safe. These safes can also provide protection from other natural disasters. Most people don't have their important documents organized and may have them scattered throughout their home. When an emergency occurs, there is not usually enough time to find vital documents.

If you can't afford to buy an expensive safe, make sure you store your documents together in a waterproof container in a specific designated spot. Make sure you and your whole family knows exactly where the documents are stored.

The following are items that you should consider protecting from fire and flood:
• Wills (in most instances you will need the original for it to be legally binding. You may also want to consider making several copies since no state or city office keeps a record of wills)
• Trust documents
• Personal and family records
• Cherished photos and keepsakes
• Business files
• Collector items
• Legal and financial documents
• Family heirlooms
• Birth certificates
• Deeds
• Titles
• Cash
• Keys
• Account numbers
• Copies of licenses (vehicle, professional, marriage, etc.)
• Inventory of valuable household items (including pictures)
• Family videos
• Jewelry
• Other items that would be difficult to replace

Select Mountain House Cans Back-In-Stock

We have a limited quantity of select Mountain House cans back in stock. Click here for a list of Mountain House #10 cans that are currently available. Availability is limited to the amounts currently in stock so order soon!

10 Tips on Hiking with Little Ones

With summer vacation here for many around the country, here are ten great tips to keep in mind if you want to take a hike with children.

1. Choose hikes with a specific destination such as a lake, a spectacular view, or a waterfall. Start small children on short, easy trails at first; gradually increase difficulty as their muscles and ambition grow.

2. Keep hiking speed and distance within physical as well as fun limits. A good way to judge the pace of a child is to take turns letting them assume the lead. Maintain their pace when you are in the lead.

3. Enjoy the journey as much as the destination. Stop frequently to observe nature and the little things that a child finds fascinating. They may even discover things you have missed before.

4. Make your child's feet a priority. Sturdy boots that fit properly will allow a child to focus on the fun and adventure of a hike. At the first sign of redness or blistering feet, apply moleskin.

5. Take only pictures; leave only footprints. Teach respect of the outdoors. Set an example by carrying out trash and following park or forest regulations.

6. Take plenty of food your child likes to eat. Familiar foods will be more appetizing to a child than traditional hiking fare and even the pickiest eaters seem to have a larger appetite in the outdoors.

7. Have each child carry a small backpack or fanny pack. The pack should contain water, a survival whistle, flashlight or lightstick, a brightly colored poncho, emergency blanket, extra socks, extra food, and a small first aid kit. Depending on the age and ability of your child the items may vary. Teach your child how to use these items in case they are lost.

8. Take frequent rest breaks and drink plenty of water. When exercising, children lose water faster than adults and are not likely to notice the affects.

9. Pack extra clothing and be prepared for rain even if there isn't a cloud in the sky.

10. Have fun! An enjoyable experience will increase the chances that your child will want to venture out again and again.

Feeling Burned? Try BurnFree

Since burns are common injuries both at home and during emergencies, it is important to be familiar with proper first aid treatment of all types of burn injuries. BurnFree can be used at home to treat burns, ease pain, and can even help sunburns.

BurnFree contains a unique combination of water and natural plant extracts. The active ingredient is melaleuca alternifolia. This ingredient has been found to help cure burns and disinfect small wounds. Since BurnFree is a complex natural mixture of organic compounds had has been proven to have effective germicide properties, it can be used on or around mucous membranes and on broken skin. If a wound has blistered, or occurred with an invasive wound such as a scrape or impalement, you can still treat the burn with BurnFree gel and not cause serious infection problems to the open wound.

Unlike gauze pads which can shed threads or fibers that may adhere to the wound as it heals, premedicated BurnFree dressings will not shed and will conform easily to the injured area for less restricted movement and added comfort.

BurnFree provides immediate results and can be used to reduce pain and trauma from wounds caused by fire, flames, chemicals, electrical burns, as well as phosphorous and magnesium. The dressings are strong enough for injuries caused during industrial accidents but remain safe for home use. BurnFree can be a real lifesaver for everyday emergencies such as a burned finger while cooking or a burned brow from a hot curling iron.

"I am very impressed with BurnFree. Having a good friend that works in the County Hospital "Burn Unit" I was able to talk to her and ask her opinion on this product.. She had only good things to say about this gel. She said that they use it often, and that it really seemed to help those that needed the use of it. So I ordered it and put it in the First Aid Kit just to have. We have had to use it on a Sunburn and on a burn from a soldering iron. It really does do the trick of easing the pain fast and stopping the burn. Those that may question this product, you will never be sorry if you do purchase this. I keep one bottle close at hand now. Thank you for offering this to us at a low cost. It is so worth it."
-- Patsy, AZ

Mexican Food Combo Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Heather from Alabama who has won our Mexican Food Combo Giveaway! We know this will be a fun addition to her food storage.

Remember, this new combo is on sale for only $59.99 through June 30th. This is a great way to add the flavors of Mexican food favorites to your food storage.

Taco Mix Textured Vegetable Protein: This flavorful meat substitute is easy to prepare and provides the same taste and texture as real meat.

White Rice: This staple can be eaten by itself, used as a side dish, or used as an ingredient in your favorite burrito or enchilada recipe.

Dehydrated Refried Beans: All you need to make these tasty Refried Beans is boiling water. The Refried Beans are very healthy and high in protein with no added lard or fat.

Freeze-Dried Super Sweet Corn: This vegetable is an excellent choice for an instant side dish or for an easy snack. The colorful kernels are light and crispy and packed with sweetness.

Black Beans: These Black Beans are a good source of fiber and protein. They can be used to make delicious soups and salads.

Dehydrated Chopped Onions: Add the taste of onions to your stews, casseroles, and Mexican food dishes without the tears. These chopped onions are great to add to your food storage or to use everyday in your favorite recipes.

Preparing for Hurricanes - Guest Post

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.

Preparing for Hurricanes

A few years back, my family experienced a hurricane. At the time, my fourth child was only 6 months old. My husband was in the Coast Guard and we naively thought we were prepared for any emergency - we were wrong. When you live in a hurricane prone area, there are so many false alarms that you can get numb to the warnings of evacuation. Many times they suggest you evacuate and the hurricane ends up hitting another area. This time, the hurricane was coming and by the time we realized it was going to hit our area, it was too late to evacuate or prepare. The week before it was supposed to hit, I tried to make hotel reservations in a more inland area but every hotel was booked in my state as well as the surrounding states. There was nowhere to go.

Being a military family from the Northwest, we didn't have friends or family that lived outside of our immediate area so there was nowhere to go to stay with friends. We made the decision to hunker down in our home rather than go to a shelter. Since we didn't live on the coast, the only damage we expected would be from rain and wind.

I went to the grocery store only to find the shelves empty of all the essentials and the store full of people, like me, trying to stock up. I was shocked! I had never seen grocery store shelves completely empty with hundreds of stressed people - except in movies!

The hurricane came a few days later. We watched TV and I talked with my mom on the phone up until we lost electricity. The hurricane was loud and wet and a little scary but our home remained intact with minor damage. We were lucky, trees missed our house but hit our neighbors homes.

The next day, we wanted to drive around town to survey the damage but we couldn't get out of our own neighborhood in a vehicle because the roads were covered with large trees that had yet to be moved. People who had lived there for years went outside with their gas motored saws and started cutting trees to make way for vehicles. We worked together to move debris to the side, careful to avoid power lines, so that we could get out. We couldn't get far before having to drive creatively around the trees and roads that were impassable.

We found the whole city was without electricity. Restaurants were price gouging their food to sell, cooking up on grills outside before it spoiled. By the time it was our turn to get inside the restaurant, food had run out so we went back to our hot, humid, and dark home. For two weeks, we lived on peanut butter and jelly. We were lucky we still had running water. I don't know what we would have done without it.

I learned many lessons that week - mainly, that I was not prepared. We are now living back in the Northwest in earthquake country. I realize that if we had a major earthquake that cut off my water and electricity and blocked the roads to get out, I'm still not prepared. I'm working on putting together an emergency kit that would be especially helpful during these types of emergencies.

--Maria

Protecting Yourself from Wildfire Smoke

The Wallow Fire wildfire burning in eastern Arizona has quickly become the states second largest wildfire and is starting to cause problems for residents of many surrounding states. According to a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Denver, a ridge of high pressure is carrying the smoke as far away as central Iowa. He also said the smoke was hitting eastern Colorado as well as New Mexico, Nebraska and Kansas.

The Arizona Department of Health Services has a great list of ways to protect yourself and your family from wildfire smoke:

Pay attention to local air quality reports: Pay attention to any local news coverage or health warnings that are related to the wildfire smoke. Most news reports will issue warnings and give suggested tips for how to handle the current level of smoke.

Use visibility guidelines: It can be difficult to monitor smoke from wildfires because the fires usually occur in remote areas but the smoke from these fires is generally highly visible. Generally, the worse the visibility is, the worse the smoke is.

Use common sense: If it looks smoky outside, you should avoid outdoor activities. Also, it is not a good time to send children or pets outside to play.

If you are advised to stay indoors: Keep all windows and doors closed. Check your air conditioner to make sure the air filter is clean.

Don't add to indoor air pollution: Don't use anything that burns including fireplaces and candles. Vacuuming can stir up particles already inside your home so you should avoid it. Don't smoke; it will put even more pollution in your lungs and the air around you.

Dust masks aren't enough: Regular dust masks won't protect your lungs from the small particles in smoke. N95 Masks will filter out 95% of particulate in the air which will protect your lungs from many of the smaller particles that you could be breathing.

Spaghetti Seasoning - Customer Review

I love this Spaghetti Seasoning. It's so easy to use to make a good sauce. I use about a pound of it every Fall making sauce to can for winter. When we are in a hurry I just cook the spaghetti, open a jar, heat it up, and pour it over the noodles. I am ordering two more pounds now so I can have one in my storage. I don't ever want to be without.
-- Dorothy, WA

My wife insisted we order this Spaghetti Seasoning to try...I came back and ordered it again. It made the best spaghetti and pizza sauce ever. It truly exceeded my wife's expectations and she is a wonderful cook who knows her way around the kitchen.
-- Jerry, OK

During the month of June, the one pound packages of Spaghetti Seasoning are on sale for only $3.99 (19% savings). It's a great time to try out this seasoning for yourself. If you have tried it, we would love to hear how you've used it!

What to Do After a Tornado

FEMA has a great section on their website with links to answers of Frequently Asked Questions about what to do to recover from disaster. One important thing to remember is that recovery from a major natural disaster, will take time. Make sure you stay safe and get help from authorities when necessary. 

Here are some tips of things to do after a tornado:

• Help injured or trapped persons
• Give first aid when appropriate
• Don't try to move the seriously injured unless they are in immediate danger of further injury
• Call for help
• If you smell gas, do not turn on any appliances or switches. This includes using phones, flashlights or a cell phone.
• Turn on the radio or television to get the latest emergency information
• Stay out of damaged buildings. Return home only when authorities say it is safe
• Use the telephone only for emergency calls
• Clean up spilled medicines, bleaches, or gasoline or other flammable liquids immediately. Leave the buildings if you smell gas or chemical fumes.
• Take pictures of the damage--both to the house and its contents--for insurance purposes

What to Do During a Tornado

 

When a tornado is coming, you only have a short amount of time to make life-or-death decisions. Advanced planning and quick response are the keys to surviving a tornado. Since tornadoes can hit at any time of day, there are many situations you might find yourself in during a tornado.

If at home:
• If you have a tornado safe room or engineered shelter, go there immediately
• Go at once to a windowless, interior room; storm cellar; basement; or the lowest level of the building
• If there is no basement, go to an inner hallway or a smaller inner room such as a bathroom or closet away from corners, windows, doors, and outside walls
• Get away from the windows
• Get under a piece of sturdy furniture such as a workbench or heavy table or desk and hold on to it
• Use arms to protect your head and neck
• If in a mobile home, get out and find shelter elsewhere

If at work or school:
Go to the area designated in your tornado plan
• Avoid places with wide-span roofs such as auditoriums, cafeterias, large hallways, or shopping malls
• Put as many walls as possible between you and the outside
• Do not open windows

If outdoors:
• If possible, get inside a building
• If shelter is not available or there is no time to get indoors, lie in a ditch or low-lying area or crouch near a strong building
• Be aware of the potential for flooding
• Use arms to protect head and neck

If in a car:
• Never try to out-drive a tornado in a car or truck
• Get out of the car immediately and take shelter in a nearby building
• If there is no time to get indoors, get out of the car and lie in a ditch or low-lying area away from the vehicle.
• Be aware of the potential for flooding

Whole Wheat Brownies

Comfort foods and desserts are important to have in an emergency. Give these Whole Wheat Brownies a try!