No Need To Panic, Just Be Prepared!

Unless you have been living in a bubble the last few weeks, there is no doubt that you have heard about about all the turmoil and unrest in the Middle East, earthquakes that as we know have not only occurred in and devastated parts of New Zealand, but have also shaken up residents in Arkansas, USA and Windsor, Ontario (to be fair though, there is much debate right now on whether or not the quake in Arkansas was mother nature or because of natural gas 'fracking'). And that is all really just in the last couple of weeks or so and I haven't even gotten to the weather yet. Snowmageddon 2011 anyone?

It's pretty clear you can be directly affected by a natural disaster such as an earthquake, tornado, flood, hurricane, ridiculous never ending snowstorms and the like when you least expect it.

In a worst case scenario situation, be that economic (ie interruption or complete shut down of oil production), health (ie mass epidemic), or just plain old mother nature at her most fierce (Katrina anyone?), it is completely irresponsible to not be prepared in some way, shape or form. To think that you can and will handle it, if and when the time comes, is naive.

If you know me, you know full well I am not AT ALL into what I called "Paranoid Survivalism" - the kind of survivalism where one honestly thinks the world is going to freakin' end any minute and spends every waking second of their life preparing for that. I have nothing against those types at all, to each their own, I just prefer to also live and enjoy my life, not sitting on pins and needles with my waterproof matches and Spam waiting for it to end.

A wise woman once told me, expect the best but be prepared for the worst. After all, if something does happen unexpectedly like an earthquake for example, you are not going to be the only one flocking to the stores (if they are still open) in search of clean water and food. Everyone will be and that is not where you want to spend your energy in a time of crisis.

Think right now about what you have stocked up. Nothing? Not much? Not enough? What would happen if suddenly tomorrow you  had no electricity, no heat or hot water and were not able to get food or clean water for a week. Chances are everyone else is in a similar boat in that they are not prepared. What do you think will happen if say for whatever reason, food can't be transported to grocery stores or our water supply is contaminated? Did you realize that grocery stores have at most enough food to last a week if they aren't able to be restocked due to a crisis? A WEEK at most.

I'm not trying to be all doom and gloom, these are the realities of living in an age where we are not that self sufficient and totally reliant on technology, manufacturers and transported food to survive.

So, I'll shut up now about why you need a survival/emergency preparedness plan and share with you what you need to do instead. :D

Think first about where in the world you live. If you live on one of the Pacific Coasts you have a much greater chance of an emergency situation due to an earthquake or tsunami say than someone who lives in the Midwest USA that needs to be prepared to run for cover at the sound of the tornado siren, or people on the Eastern coasts of Canada, the USA, Caribbean etc that are constantly rebuilding from hurricanes year after year. Once you have determined the most likely scenario you will deal with when it comes to an emergency, it will be easier to plan and prepare for.

Let talk about food to start.

First off, count how many people are in your house and then estimate 1500-2000 calories needed per person, per day, children included (young children will need close to 2000 calories per day). Now if you are like me, it's probably not going to hurt you in the least to stay on the low end and ration your food out longer. :Þ I would say, to make your stash go farther stick between 1250-1750 calories per adult if you can, unless you are truly underweight, pregnant or a nursing mom and justifiably need the extra calories. For us, hubby and I would plan on staying close to the 1200 calorie/day mark so that our kids would have what they need. In our family we need to calculate and have approximately 8400 calories per day to live on (1200 each for me and hubby and 2000 for each child).

It's important of course to have foods you will like, but we are not talking gourmet here unless of course you want to. Don't stock up on stuff you know you hate no matter what, or your kids hate, just because it is on sale. Be frugal and smart with your choices.

Secondly, you need clean water. Plan for at least 1 gallon (4 liters) minimum per day per person. The water will be used for drinking, cooking and small amounts of cleaning.

Things that are nutritionally dense, easy to cook, easy to store and budget friendly:

~Brown rice

~Oats (Quick, steel cut or large it doesn't matter but not the instant sugar filled kind. You are going for foods that are high fiber and filling, not foods that will spike and then drop your blood sugar so you are inhaling your whole food supply an hour later)



~Pasta (again go for whole grain and not white if you can)

~Beans- canned or dry. Beans and brown rice equal a complete protein and can take you a VERY long way if needed. You could survive on these two alone and water if you had to. Dry beans will last longer, but canned  beans won't need water to prepare.

~Canned proteins, like tuna and yes Spam would work here too if you really wanted to have an excuse to buy it. I know that tuna can be controversial with regards to mercury content etc. We don't eat a lot of it in this house on a regular basis because of the mercury factor but I do have it in my stash. It's a great source of protein that is lightweight and easily transportable. Smoked meats like beef jerky and the like are also fantastic since they store so well.

~Peanut Butter (I like the big Costco sizes of natural peanut butter, great price and easy to store)

~Honey. A good supply of unpasteurized honey is invaluable because it is so multipurpose. It is can be used not only as a sweetener, but it is also antimicrobial and antiviral and is full of enzymes and micronutrients. If you get a cut and don't have anything to get the germs/bacteria out, smoothing honey over it works great.

~Powdered milk. It may seem expensive at first glance, but a little goes a very, very long way.

~Energy bars that are as natural and nutritionally balanced possible. Make your own up and store them in the freezer if you like. Not all energy bars are created equal, a lot are just chemically laden sawdust tasting crap. I like Cliff Bars myself. Filling and easy to carry and stash away.

~Canned veggies to keep meals interesting, especially tomatoes, they are a great source of vitamin C.

~Salt, pepper and other spices you like

~Sugar (have extra zip lock bags if you need to put it into smaller sizes to transport)

~Yeast, baking soda, baking powder and cornstarch

~Chocolate with a high cocoa percentage

~Dried fruit (real fruit, not "fruit" roll ups)

~Raw nuts and seeds

~Olive oil

~Baby formula if you aren't breastfeeding and a supply of clean sterile water *just for making bottles*. If you are bottle feeding you need to factor in extra water for making the bottles and also for boiling to sterilize them. I remember during Katrina watching people "loot" the stores for baby formula. It was heartbreaking. (And yes, yes, yes breastfeeding is easier, always sterile, the perfect temperature and always ready, however we also know that not every mother can or is breastfeeding their baby due to various personal reasons that are nobody else's business.)

~Measuring cups, two can openers and of course cutlery, sharp knives, mixing bowls, plates and cups (stainless steel is best but paper and plastic will work here too in the event of an emergency)

~Coffee/Tea. Even though I am a die hard coffee drinker, I don't have it in my stash since it can be hard to transport if I needed to and frankly, tea bags are just easier to deal with and a faster way to get my caffeine fix if I need it!

~Pet food. They are so often over looked, but  make sure you have enough food and other supplies to keep your pet safe and healthy.

The main thing to consider with your food stash is to decide whether you will mostly likely stay or need to go and how much storage space you have. Of course no one can predict the future in terms of  what your location might be in an emergency (ie staying put or needing to go), so it is best to have a little bit of both if you can. Worst case scenario when it comes to your food stash is you stock up on more easily transportable food and end up staying put. It would suck though if you had flats of canned goods and gigantic containers of water that you couldn't take with you and you were forced to evacuate. Think of all the options and have variety and options to make bigger supplies more portable with smaller lightweight containers. The big cooler sized jugs of water, the gallon jugs and easily transportable water bottles, camel packs etc are all good to have.

That is just the absolute basics for food, of course you can add on to that as much as you like. Try and keep it as natural as possible an foods that are dried or canned. It will last longer and support your mind and body much better in an emergency situation than something that is full of sugar, salt, additives and chemicals. With regards to kids and how picky they can be in regards to food, chances are if they are neuro-typical with no true food issues (other than normal child pickiness) they will eventually eat beans and brown rice or dried fruit and nuts when they are hungry even if they would scoff at you right now if you served it for dinner. If you have a child that has true challenges with taste, texture, color etc obviously plan your emergency food supply to accommodate that.

So we have the food and water stash covered, that is obviously the most important. Next is cleaning. Chances are you have enough cleaning supplies but if you are looking to add easy things that are also multi purpose, simple to store and take with you this is what I would have:

~Tea tree oil and lots of it

~Dish soap

~Hydrogen Peroxide

~Rubbling alcohol

~Lots of soap in the form of a bar. Easy to take with you if you need to.

~Bleach (save for when truly needed, ie a sewer back up, flooded basement etc and use the tea tree oil and vinegar for all purpose type cleaning)

~Vinegar

~Rags, mop, broom, sponges


Other things needed in your emergency stash in no particular order:

~Lighters and waterproof matches.

~Batteries of all sizes. Think those huge Costco sized packages. Rechargeable batteries are great, until the electricity is out and you have no way of recharging them so be sure to have plenty of the regular kind.

~Speaking of electricity, if you can afford it or find one, have a power generator on hand.

~Candles. You can never have enough candles.

~Aluminum foil, ziplock bags and plastic wrap

~Flashlights. The kind that can be used by winding up with your hand or take varying sized batteries are the best to have.

~A small portable shovel

~Rope, twine, tape, clothes pins

~An axe

~Tarps

~Handcrank radio that doesn't require batteries

~Books including not just books for pleasure reaading but also have at least one book on what to do in an emergency for all types of situations and also a book that informs you about all the plant and animal life that is natural to your area, just in case

~Maps

~Playing cards

~Pens, pencils, crayons, paper, scissors, glue, notebooks or writing pads

~Board games, puzzles etc

~Backpacks for each household member

~Gas in a gerry can and also in your car. Good rule of thumb is to never, ever let your gas tank get below 1/2.

~Personal care products (feminine hygiene, toothpaste, dental floss, extra tooth brushes, shampoo, conditioner)

~An extra stash of any medications that are necessary for you to stay alive or function optimally in your life (ie insulin, needles, heart medications, blood pressure meds, anti anxiety or anti depressants if they are prescribed to you. If you suffer from debilitating anxiety attacks  a few times a year this would not be the time you would want to run out or forget your medicine for example.).

~A few bottles of a good quality multi vitamin as well as extra vitamin D and vitamin C (Costco has great prices for this stuff if you have one near you). I would say have a bottle of each for each member of your family, including children's vitamins (but please make sure it isn't the crappy kinds like Flintstones or any other popular character, they are full of aspartame and synthetic colours and not what you want to be giving your child). Find one that is naturally sweetened and uses only real fruits or vegetables for the colours. If you need to start really rationing your food you can at least supplement if you have to, to keep your strength up. Vitamin D plays a HUGE roll in boosting immune system and fighting off viruses and other illnesses as of course does vitamin C. If you don't already supplement with at least 2000 IU's of Vitamin D a day you should be, especially if you live in the Northern Hemisphere.

~A well stocked first aid kit or even two of them with extra Tylenol, Aspirin and Advil for pain, Benedryl for allergic reactions, Gravol or Dramamine for nausea/vomiting, extra gauze, tensor bandages and iodine, melatonin or valerian to help you sleep if you need it at the time.

~Water purification drops or tablets

~Sewing kit

~Swiss Army knife

~Disposable diapers, or a weeks supply of diapers that can be used without needing to be washed (ie gDiapers). I know we have a lot of readers who cloth diaper and that is wonderful (I'm a former cloth diapering addict myself), but you also need to be prepared for not having hot water, electricity nor the extra amount of water needed to wash your diapers. Having a little supply of disposable diapers (and some disposable feminine hygiene products too if you don't use a moon type cup) does not mean you have to give up your crunchy card it just means less crap to deal with in an emergency (pun intended of course). :o)

~Toilet paper. Lots and lots of toilet paper!

~A few rolls of paper towels

~Cash stored in a safe place in small denominations

~If you have a baby, have a baby carrier to wear your baby in if needed, even if this is something you won't use on a regular basis.  It will be so much easier if you  need to walk because you will have both hands free and also have the stroller to use to carry stuff. Make sure of course that you know how to use it.

~Extra blankets, pillows, socks, warm hats, mitts/gloves, scarves and also those little Hot Shot thingys that you shake up to keep your hands and feet warm. Alternatively if you live in a warm climate be sure to have a few hand cranked fans and other options that can be used to cool off while not using any batteries or electricity.

~Extra set of clothes that are put away just in case of emergency. Remember it won't be a fashion show, so go to the thrift store, get what you will need and just put it away with your survival stash. If you need to leave immediately you don't want to be rummaging through your laundry. At the same time if you do have a piece of clothing that is sentimental like your baby's first outfit then put it beside your emergency stuff. I'm not saying pack your entire closet but if something is really truly special then at least put it where you will be able to find it fast and take it with you.

Now as for your personal information, which is often forgotten in emergency planning, think of the following and do what works for you:

~A paper copy of all your important phone numbers, email addresses, addresses, websites, bank account numbers etc. Basically think if you lost your cell phone or smart phone, what info would you truly need off of it? Take those numbers, write them down, make a few photocopies, laminate them or put it in a zip lock bag and put it in the freezer or fire proof safe.

~At least 5 photocopies of all your necessary identification such has birth certificates, social security/insurance number, marriage certificates, health care numbers, prescription numbers and drivers license, passports, insurance policies, your will and anything else that will be a total pain the @ss to find or replace during a time of emergency. Take those copies and laminate them so they are as waterproof as possible. Do not laminate your original copies, this often voids them. Do however keep any ID that you don't carry with you on a regular basis, plus 2 laminated photocopies in a ziplock bag in the freezer (ie a water proof and sturdy location).

~A usb flash drive or secure internet storage space that holds important memories like pictures, videos, scanned documents and any other important info you feel comfortable uploading to the internet on a secure site. Think if your house were to suddenly be non existent for whatever reason (fire, flood, earthquake etc) what things would you want to be able to get back? Whatever those things are, if they can be photographed, copied or scanned, take an afternoon, do it and  upload it to a secure internet folder (ie Google's Picassa or Gmail for example). If something happens and the paper copy of your information and important numbers are destroyed at least at some point you will most likely have access to the internet and can get your info then. Do this and also have paper copies as well that are kept in a safe, secure and water proof place. For important account numbers, ID numbers etc, this is tricky in the time of identity theft so choose what you feel most comfortable with and protect it with a strong password. Nothing is fool proof online or on paper, but at least you have most of your bases covered. But I can not stress strongly enough to keep it in a secure location whether it is on or off the internet.

That is just the tip of the iceberg. You can find soooooo much information on the internet that can be both helpful and actually unnerving all at the same time. For some people survivalism is actually a hobby in addition to a preparedness plan and like anything can also be taken to the extreme. The point is to not get paranoid but to be prepared so you can live and enjoy your life without having to panic if disaster strikes.

One site I found that I liked was on Discovery.com. It was informative without sending me into a panic about what is going on in the world right now.

If you don't have a plan or anything stocked up for an emergency don't worry and run out this weekend and spend a ton of money. The simplest and most cost effective way to stock up and prepare is to get a little bit of what you need each time you are out until you have enough, check thrift stores for extra clothes, blankets and other supplies you'll be amazed at what you can find there if you keep your eye out.


So, are you prepared for an emergency? Have you been through a disaster and learned what works and what doesn't? I'll admit I am lucky enough to have never been through anything where I have needed to use my stash as I like to call it, stored so if there is something I am missing please don't hesitate to let me know!

Remember don't panic just be prepared!

I hope you are all having a great week so far!

With love and light ♥,