Seven Steps Week 2
How did you do last week? We all want to know!If you have not already printed off the list of items which should be in every 72 hour kit do that now at www.TotallyReady.com click on articles link at the top of the home page and then 72 Hour Kit Checklist. You will need the list this week. Let's get started.
1. Collect items from around the house to include in your 72 hour kit. Some things will be easy, others not so easy. Make this a family activity. Go on a scavenger hunt together. Assign each person or each team items to collect and have them report back. Be sure you make it clear that items such as a toothbrush need to be new and not the ones currently being used by family members. This will not only make it easier on you to gather items but will also help children feel empowered. If they should ever have to use their kits, the effort they have made to create them will help them to feel safer and more confident. Don't forget that not all backpacks are created equal. You may have several around the house that are not being used and now would be a good time to really evaluate whether they will meet all the needs of a 72 hour kit. If you already have 72 hour kits, get them out and check the contents against our checklist. Check any food you have for expiration dates and discard them if they are expired.
2. Make a list of the items you still need to find or purchase to complete your kits. Place this list in your binder. We will work on checking off those items in the weeks to come.
3. Place a pair of sturdy shoes, not slippers or sandals, under each bed. If there is ever an emergency during the night – power outage, earthquake, flood, or house fire – having shoes handy will be very important. If you should be involved in an earthquake, tornado or other disaster that has left rubble around, never get out of bed without protecting your feet. As flood waters rise you may find you have unwelcome visitors in the form of snakes and rodents under foot. You will be so grateful for those shoes. Be sure children understand that these shoes are for emergencies. It always helps to place shoes under a child's bed that they don't like – they will stay there.
4. Make a list of emergency phone numbers and place it by each phone and also a copy in your binder. We will be expanding on this list for your 72 hour kit later. For now, create a list with the following phone numbers: Police, Fire, Doctors, Dentist, Optometrist, Hospital, Veterinary, Schools, Mom and Dad's cell phone and work numbers, Family member who is close by, Neighbor, Clergy, and Poison Control. Having these posted will make life much simpler during an emergency when you cannot remember a number. This is also important for a babysitter. Be sure to put your address at the bottom of the list. If a non-family member should have to call for help they will need your address.
5. We have been advised by government officials to have a 3 month supply of food on hand in case of an emergency. With an unstable economy, natural disasters and the threat of a pandemic we need to make this a real priority. Designate a shelf or cupboard for food storage. You may need to think very creatively now… Can your extra towels be rolled up and placed in a basket in your bathroom, can they be placed in a storage box under a bed, can appliances and kitchen items you rarely use such as a roasting pan, canner, picnic supplies, or punch bowl be stored in the attic or garage? Try to create room in your home for food items and store non-food items in the garage or attic. The quality of food will be preserved longer if the food is kept at a cooler temperature. There is nothing wrong with having canned peaches stored in a bedroom closet.
6. This week, purchase 1 can of fruit and 1 can of vegetables for each member of the family. They can all be the same or they can all be different. Consider what your family favorites are and you may want to stock more of them. When you get them home write the date on the top of each can with a permanent marker. Last week we marked the cans in our cupboards with an X. You are now ready to use your stored goods in the order in which they were purchased. Use the X cans first and date all incoming cans from now on.
7. Think water. Review the entry on this site Water Storage…What if the Tap Goes Dry. This will give you lots of ideas. Now do it. Store some water this week. Remember you will need 1 gallon of water per day , per person and per pet. If your freezer is not full, add a block of ice (or a frozen jug of water), or bags of ice cubes. These will not only be good water sources when the need arises but also will make your freezer much more efficient. Don't forget the water for your 72 hour kits. You will not be able to store all the water you will need this week but aim for a 2 day supply. Add this article to your binder.
Thats it! Go forth and do!! And don't forget to report back. We learn best when we learn from each other. Remember your coupon code from last week is still good at TotallyReady.com.
I’ll be doing emergency numbers today… I’m not sure what to do about shoes though. The kids only have a few pair and they grow so fast that there aren’t any extras they don’t like. Any advice? Should I hit a clearance and buy ugly “emergency” shoes?
I have a few ideas. What about hand me downs? It doesn’t make sense to have family and friends mail you shoes, you can buy them for that price. But,if they are close ask.Last week we talked about bartering in our Money Saving Tips. What about a barter? Do you have friends who have children older than yours. Maybe you have extra whistles or some other items that could go in a 72 hour kit that you can trade. If you have gotten together a group to work together on the Seven Steps start with that group. Right now is a great time to purchase shoes on sale. They will be sturdier as stores are clearing out winter and making room for the spring lines. You can purchase very plain even ugly ones and I would get them a size too big. You can always pad them. OR You could get cute ones a size too large and put them under the bed for an emergency and if you don’t use them by the time they fit let your children wear them and replace the shoes with another pair that are too big. If anyone else has a solution please share it with us. Amy, let us know what you decide.
My kids love apples. Would it be ok to buy the pie filling apples that come in glass jars for food storage?
Absolutely. If you are storing food in glass jars pack them in a box or wrap in butcher paper or foil. It is heat and light that reduces the nutritional value of food stored in glass.A box or wrapping will also help prevent jars from knocking into each other and breaking.