The Time is Now

With the Earthquake in Virginia this week and now a Hurricane coming to the same region we should be looking around us to see where we need to better prepare.  The time to prepare is now.  Where are we on our efforts?  Where do we want to be? What can we do today?  If you don't have the answers to these questions there is something that you can do.

Being fully prepared takes time, effort and money.  If we find ourselves short in one or all of those areas there is one thing that we can and must do to prepare.  PRAY.  If we simply have a desire to prepare but do not know how or where to start PRAY,  The Lord will guide you in your efforts.  Pray about what you can do now to prepare for the future.  There are many things that each of us can do that cost no money;  Make an Emergency Plan, plan Escape Routes, save milk jugs and soda bottles for water storage. If we are prayerful we will be guided in what is most important for us.

Now would also be a good time to review our 72 Hour Kits;  If you need to rotate the food, update medications or add something that you find to be missing.  If you have children make sure their clothing fits.  If you haven't started a 72 Hour Kit you could take last year's school back pack for the kids and put their emergency clothing inside instead of throwing them out.

Don't forget that you may be away from home in the event of an emergency.  You may want to have a Mini Emergency Kit in your car or at your office.  It will only take a little time and thought and you will be better prepared.

We live in an area where earthquakes, though unpredictable, are expected.  Here are some links with information about what we can do BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER an earthquake.  Knowledge is Priceless and can save a life.  Please take a few minutes to review the information.

We can all be prepared, we just have to take the first step and start.

Building your Ark * Lesson 5: Noah Counted the Animals

Lesson 5: Noah Counted the Animals

Presented by Debbie Kent

Noah had to count the animals to be sure he had what he needed. The same is true with you. Knowing what you have and what you still need begins with inventorying. If you don’t really know what you have, then you can’t know if you have enough or what you still need. How you do this is up to you.

Here are a few ideas:

Pencil and paper: Record: item name, date purchased; how much and where it is stored
Index cards: have one card for every bucket or can. Keep these organized in a recipe type box. When you open a new one put that card in the buy pile. Easy way to keep track of inventory.
TrackMyFoodStorage.com: Free site to record and track your food storage
Food Storage Analyzer (beprepared.com): Inventory & analyze your food & nutritional content.
Food Storage Planner: Computer program: 3 levels of lists including food and many other areas of preparedness; keeps track of inventory, recipes, etc.

Building your Ark * Lesson 4: A Place for Everything

Lesson 4: A Place for Everything 

Presented by Debbie Kent

With limited space on the ark and many kinds of animals, Noah would have needed to be organized. This is a good lesson learned. The more organized and easily accessible your food storage is the more likely you will use it. Did you know that by cooking with food storage one day out of the week can totally rotate your food storage in seven years? 

Optimally, food should be stored in your basement or storm cellar where temperatures remain stable and below 70º. If this is not possible where you live then the garage works for most grains and even canned goods if you rotate often, but definitely NOT for dehydrated or freeze-dried foods or dairy products. They are greatly and quickly affected by heat. Store these in house. After you have done all you can, pray that Heavenly Father will bless and protect your food. 

Think you have no place to store in your house? Think again. Did you know you can store a one year supply of basics under a twin sized bed? Under beds, in closets, linen closets, false walls, in the corner or on rotating shelves are just some options for storage. Storing food that is easily accessible will make it not only easier to rotate but easier to find when you need it. Make sure you DATE all items. Rotating your food is the best way to ensure good quality. There are four things that affect the quality (flavor, appearance, texture, vitamins) of your food, these are known as HALT. More info on effects of long term storage on BYU website: ndfs.byu.edu/foodstorage 

§ Humidity (moisture)

§ Air (oxygen)

§ Light

§ Temperature (temp. above 70 degrees cut storage life by half each year) 

Storage Containers 

In addition to storing your food in an organized manner and in keeping with the rules of HALT and wanting to keep it free from bugs and rodents, you will want to package it for long term storage. This can be done by packing in one of the following ways: 

All Storage Containers (package with O2 packets and store all off of floors)

Mylar Bags: re-sealable, not puncture or rodent proof, store in other container,

#10 Cans: Make sure seal is tight, not re-useable, not airtight once opened, stackable.

Buckets: Food Grade, Stackable, re-useable, re-sealable, easy open with gamma lids.

PETE bottles: cheap, re-useable, not stackable.