Are you prepared for an emergency? Power outages, flood damage, panic community behaviors at the stores? Truth is even a few days without heat and electricity, food and water, can be life-threatening, as we have seen over and over again in the catastrophes that have been taking place around the planet.
Here is a list of essentials I’ve compiled from my own experience last winter, and from suggestions of tuned in people. Do what you can to stock up and not be caught OUT IN THE COLD if something comes down in your region of the world.
Start building NOW – bit by bit, so that you are stocked up and prepared. And be sure to rotate your stock so it is always fresh, especially the water. There is no reason to be overwhelmed – it takes very little time to get what you need and if you keep your eyes out for sales, it doesn’t have to be that expensive either. Much less expensive to compile your own supplies than to buy supply kits and first aid kits already made up!
ESSENTIALS FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
First aid supplies
Bubble wrap and duct tape for windows (for heat conservation)
Candles, matches and lighters
Flashlights with batteries
Batteries! All sizes
Extra warm, waterproof sleeping bags for each family member
Extra blankets
Alternative heating: kerosene or gas stoves, firewood for fireplace, and a generator if you can manage one. When disaster hits NONE of these are available so plan ahead)
Toilet paper!
Good organic vitamins and a supply of Vitamin C
Alcohol and hydrogen peroxide
Can and bottle openers
Very warm waterproof boots/jackets/gloves and warm wool clothing for all.
MMS (Miracle Mineral Supplement) and/or Colloidal Silver (I have my own generator)
Rubber gloves
Disinfectant soap
Water purifying tablets
a.m. radio (if you can find one!) with batteries
hot water bottle
Mosquito and insect repellents
All sanitation supplies especially for women and babies!
Tools: scissors, knives, household tools.
Liquid laundry detergent and bleach
Paper towels, extra toilet paper, zip loc bags.
Big garbage bags – get them by the roll and be sure they’re sturdy.
SUGGESTED FOOD SUPPLIES
WATER – first and foremost – you need gallons and gallons stored in the house.
Food for your animals – to think people are abandoning their animals because they can’t feed them is just beyond reality. You should have a 2 week supply of drinking water for everyone in the house including water for your animals and you also need water for bathing, cleaning, cooking, and toilet.
Salt – helps store some foods
Canned foods – beans, lentils are full of nutrition; soups – but watch out for msg.
Dried beans, lentils, quinoa, couscous
Pastas and rice/canned sauce or tomatoes
Olive oil and vinegar
Coconut oil
Dried fruits
Nuts of all kinds
Honey! Make sure it’s the real thing
Powdered and/or condensed milk – or UHT milk with long shelf life
Coffee/tea for those cold days and sugar (why not?)
Granola bars
Peanut butter
Crackers
Quick cooking oatmeal
Tips:
- Don’t throw away your plastic mineral water bottles! Save them, filled with filtered water, and store…
- Keep your automobile topped up with gas so you don’t end up on a line like the people in New Jersey!
- Get a couple of medium sized plastic garbage cans with tight fitting lids and leave your dog food in there so that it doesn’t get wet, or moldy, if you get any flooding.
Taking a few precautionary steps can make the difference between getting through an emergency safely and comfortably, or being completely in the hands of malfunctioning government and aid organizations.
First aid kit image via Stock Exchange, by lcs9; Flashlight image via Stock Exchange, by Dawson
