As you gather with family this week and reflect upon all you have to be thankful for I hope you will remember those who are suffering through tragic situations and commit to helping someone this holiday season. Now may be the time to just help for some and the time to teach self reliance principles for others. Raffle tickets to help a deserving family here at Totally Ready, are still available and selling very, very slowly so you have a really….good chance of winning. If you can help this family please purchase a ticket of two today. Whatever you do to help, please do something for someone.

As you do any last minute shopping this week add 10 cans vegetables per family member to your General Store. If you prefer frozen every 16 oz. bag of frozen equals two cans. Don’t, however, make the mistake of putting too much of your store into frozen. When the power fails freezer food are only good for 24-48 hours. You should be able to purchase vegetables on sale this week so it’s a great time to stock up.

As a family we have committed to a simple Christmas this year. We will be making gifts and giving food storage items that we have canned ourselves. Last year I gave my sister-in-law a port a potty seat. What a tacky gift? No, she loved it!  They lived through the Northridge earthquake and know what it means to be without plumbing for days. Remember to check out the specials at Totally Ready or pick up a few extra cans of vegetables to help someone get started.

The latest unemployment rates are out today and we are now at 10.8% nation wide. This means 16 million Americans who are looking for work cannot find it. That does not include those who have been looking for  awhile and given up. California’s rate is now at 12.5%. That is no surprise, as we have discussed the lack of work for farm workers due to the government decision to place the survival of smelt over the survival of our food supply…a little editorial there. Seriously, right now there are 30,000 people in one county here Madera county has a 20% unemployment rate!) who are being fed at food banks because of the loss of farm jobs. I have warned you the price of food would rise due to this ridiculous decision and it has. In addition to nuts, fruits and vegetables, have you noticed the price of salmon? Now, salmon may be a luxury to many but it also means the fishermen are out of work which increases the welfare rolls, and, you get it, that costs us too.

In addition to higher unemployment and increased welfare rolls, and higher food prices, we are also looking at the quality of our food supply being affected by all this nonsense. Do you remember a few years ago when people died because of imported fruit from South America?  As we produce less food, we export less food, affecting our economy and creating even more job losses. As we produce less we import more, building another count’s economy and not our own.

California is considered the nation’s sole producer of a large number of crops.

Almonds (99%), Artichokes (99%), Clingstone Peaches (98%), Dried Plums (97%), Figs (98%), Olives (100%), Persimmons (98%), Pomegranates (99%), Kiwi (97%), Raisins (99%), Sweet Rice (99%), Walnuts (99%), Pistachios (96 %), Apricots (95%), Celery (94%), Tomatoes (94%), Broccoli (93 %), Nectarines (93%), Plums (93%), Strawberries (90%)

Close behind are: Carrots (89%), Lemons (89%), Grapes(88%), Avocados (84%), Dates (82%), Lettuce (78%), Peaches (76%), and Honeydew (73%).

California retained its ranking as the nation’s leading dairy producer by a wide margin, producing 21 percent of the U.S. milk supply.

As nations move from third world status to second world status they are purchasing more food, decreasing supplies and increasing the cost. When you add to that the decrease in crop yields in California the supply grows even smaller. I hope you can see that this is a huge world wide problem.

When will water be returned to California farmers? We don’t know. There are however, other signs that times are bad.

Thieves broke the lock on the food bank’s storage locker and took around 30 crates of potatoes, onions, canned food, peanut butter, and other items–around $1500-$2000 worth of food earmarked to be given to needy families over the weekend as part of the food bank’s Thanksgiving distribution. The Rainer Valley Food Bank provides food to around 10,000 people per month, up from about half that this time last year.

We can only imagine what goes through someone’s mind as they steal 30 crates of food from a food bank–a place where, if they’d asked, they’d have been given food for free. The need is particularly dire: this time last year, the food bank served about 5,000 people a month, but this year, the number has risen to approximately 10,000 says executive director Sam Osborne.

When will the economy improve? We don’t know. This is the time to prepare, before it gets worse, and if there are not dramatic changes, it will get worse. Help prepare your family this holiday season. Think preparedness in all your holiday planning. This week in the United States we celebrate Thanksgiving. As you gather together assess the needs of your extended family and commit to helping them by giving preparedness gifts this year. We have talked about many the last few years, and I will be adding more ideas. I hope you will share what you are doing.

In an effort to help I am offering a few items at deeply discounted prices as I close out items at TotallyReady.com I will not have these again as I am closing the store, so if you need any of these items please purchase them before I run out. Check them out at:

http://totallyready.com/component/option,com_virtuemart/page,shop.browse/category_id,5/Itemid,1/

Please share with us what you are doing to help others prepare. Remember what Madame Currie said: “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/allyoucaneat/2010311572_food_bank_burglary_bigtime_hel.html?syndication=rss

http://www.patriotwatch.com/water4farmers.htm

www.cdfa.ca.gov/Statistics.html

I wonder if it’s just me, but it seems that it takes about a WEEK for the government and non-profit agencies to get things together and get to the areas that are affected. I live in an area in the middle of the ocean so we’re even more isolated than the contiguous 48-states. Why do they say to have a 72-hour kit if things take that long? Is it too much to want to be ready for that week? Any ideas of how to stretch things further so it isn’t so heavy but still be ready? We are a family of 5, one is an infant. We don’t have cold-weather in Hawaii but we have many other disasters to worry about.

You are absolutely right, most times it takes at least five days to get help after a disaster. The government has conducted surveys and found that disaster relief is rarely in place in just 72 hours. This is especially true when power is down and roads are blocked. It is very difficult to get most people to understand the importance of a 72 hour kit and I’m not sure anyone would listen if we suddenly said a 5-7 day kit.

There are some very simple things you can do to make your kit relevant for a longer period of time. You will need light for every night. If you have a flashlight with batteries (not stored in the flashlight) for use while you are awake and a glow stick to use to find your way to the restroom and also to provide a night light you are set. So 7 glow sticks and a flashlight and batteries will do the trick. If you have several people in the family they should all have a 3 day supply of glow sticks, so share and you are set. I have added medications to my kit for more than three days, takes up little room and I don’t have to worry about finding a doctor to renew meds or a pharmacy for over the counter medical supplies. I have hygiene items including a bar of soap. I also have 3 days worth of clothing which I can use the bar of soap to launder if need be. Worst case I could air out clothing I had worn and wear it again. For an infant I would add cloth diapers, in addition to a 3 day supply of disposables, to my kit. I know it sounds awful to think of washing diapers but it is far better than being without an option.

The only real problem with a 72 hour kit would be the lack of food and water if the need arose to use the kit for more than 3 days.

The key to food is to keep it portable, light weight, high calorie, and packaged to last a long time (3 years or longer). When we designed our Totally Ready 72 hour kits we included high calorie energy bars which meet all these criteria. I have added nine additional bars to my kits. This is another 2 day supply as each bar is 400 calories thus, 1200 calories a day. They taste like cookies and are portion controlled so you can let the kids eat the whole thing, one equals a meal. I would not add canned foods (too heavy) and of course you know already, if you have been following this blog, that I would never add anything like jerky or dehydrated oatmeal or anything else requiring water to prepare.

Water is more difficult only because it weighs so much. I keep a case of bottled water ready to add to the trunk of the car if we have to leave our home or move out onto the lawn because the house is unsafe. I would suggest getting a simple water bottle carrier for each family member. We include these in our Totally Ready kits for just this reason. If you have to leave without your car each member can then carry some additional water around their neck or shoulder or even tie it through a belt loop. Even small children are able to carry a bottle of water this way. If you have more room in your kit after adding the necessities, add water.

The only other thing you may want to consider in preparing for more than three days would be to add more cash to your kit. I always suggest $100 in small bills to each adult kit but I would increase that to at least $150. to be prepared for a longer time. There may be, and often are, items available to purchase. The problem is most people don’t have a 72 hour kit and thus turn up at a shelter with no money. The other problem is that often there is no electricity and therefore no ATM machines or credit card access. At times like these sellers will run out of change for large bills and either you pay $20 for a case of water or you go without because someone will pay it.

Today there are thousands of people in shelters in California because of wild fires. The thing I have heard most often from those evacuated is that they are bored, nothing to do. Remember to add puzzles, books, travel games, to your kits so you have a way to keep yourself and your children occupied. If family members are bored they will think more about food and water. Have items available as distractions.

It’s easy to extend a good 72 hour kit into a good 5-7 day kit. Doing so is a very wise thing to do.

Full Size Backpack: Many kits provide a smaller backpack to carry your supplies. Ours are full size to ensure that you can carry all of your essentials with you, including a change of clothes. Our backpacks are also bright colors so they will be easy to find at the bottom of the closet when you have to get out fast. The colors also make it easy to identify family members if your family is in a large crowd.

Children kits: We realize most companies do not offer kits designed for children. During an emergency the most important thing to a child is a sense of security. As a child carries their own survival kit they feel empowered and more in control of their own fate. In addition, when a child carries their own supplies, the adults are more able to carry items that will increase the safety and comfort of the entire family.

Hygiene kits: As we consider the items that will make us feel human and improve our attitudes in an emergency, we cannot imagine life without the means to care for your personal needs. Even if your emergency has you finding shelter at the home of a friend, it would be a great comfort to know you would not have to rely on someone else to provide you with basic personal needs.

Feminine hygiene products: Besides the obvious need women have for these products, Maxi pads are wonderful compresses for puncture wounds and also for draining sores and blisters.

Sun block: Why add a sun burn to the pain you are already feeling? As we watched those stranded on the bridges in New Orleans we knew this was indeed a necessity. We have not included these in the children kits because it can be dangerous if the sun block gets into their eyes. We have therefore included several in the adult kits so there will be plenty to share with your children.

Hand towels: If you are lucky enough to find a place to wash your hair or take a shower, even if it is with a bucket, a hand towel is large enough to dry off. It is more compact than a full size towel leaving more room for personal items to be added to your kit.

Lighted mirror: These are included as a tool to check your eyes for foreign particles and also for use as a signaling device.

Biohazard bags: These are designed to be used for personal sanitation needs or to contain items which might be covered with blood or discharge from sores. You can also use them to make a porta potty. Simply line a 5 gallon bucket with the bag and cover the bucket after each use.

MRE’s: Meals ready to eat are much better than they were even a few years ago and taste like real food. We believe carb bars will provide needed calories but a meal of “real food” will provide comfort. MRE’s have a five year shelf life unlike many other packaged foods which need to be replaced every 6-12 months

Water bottle carriers: Our kits provide, in most cases, more water than other kit suppliers. However, the amount supplied is still not enough. One gallon per person, per day is the recommended amount. By providing a water bottle carrier, each member of the family can add an extra supply for their own use. Children or the elderly can carry a 16 oz. bottle around their neck to balance out the weight from their backpack. Adults and teens can carry liter bottles.

Collapsible cup / Water Bottle: It is difficult to drink water from the foil pouches provided. A cup or bottle will help to insure that none of the water is wasted.

First Aid Kits: Our kits include three different types of pain relievers. During a crisis it is common for minor sprains and strains to occur. High levels of stress often produce headaches. We include special first aid kits in the child’s pack which are fun as well as practical.

Whistle/lanyard: Whistles are not only a great signaling device, but can also be used to find a family member from whom you have been separated. Create a family signal pattern and practice blowing that signal. Your children will then know to blow that pattern to help you locate them if they are separated from you.

Battery Powered Flashlight: We have found these to be the most reliable way to get a bright beam of light. The hand crank or shaker flashlights usually do not provide enough light to lead you while walking in the dark.

Light sticks: You should never use a candle if there is any chance of a gas leak nearby. We provide light sticks as a safe alternative to candles. Following hurricane Katrina, glow sticks were hung in an evacuation center rest room to provide light, very clever.

Glow sticks for kids: This is a safety device. If there is no electricity, place one of these around your child’s neck when the sun goes down so you can more easily keep track of them during the night-time hours.

Blankets: These light mylar blankets are designed to provide maximum warmth during cold weather. They are also excellent to create a lean-to if you are in an area with no shade. The blanket will reflect the sun and provide relief from the heat. See article: Survival in Your Pocket for more uses for mylar blankets.

Emergency card: This can be the single most important item in your pack. It will give medical and police personnel information in the event you are injured and cannot respond to their questions. It will also enable them to contact and reunite you with other family members. During a stressful time you may not be able to remember phone numbers. Having them on your card will provide you with the important numbers you may need.

Things to add to your pack list: There are obviously things we cannot include in your kit that are specific to your own personal needs. We have provided this list to help you remember to add personal items which will increase your comfort and safety.

Important documents list: Emergencies rarely occur with advanced warning. When you add copies of these documents to your kits you are prepared to file insurance claims, access accounts, access government aid, and even claim your children when you have been separated.