Seven Steps Week 45
Since this is Christmas week and many will be traveling I am going to spend just a minute today reviewing what we have accomplished over the last eight weeks . We have:
1. Written a will and made our funeral arrangements known to our family, or at least written them down. We have mailed this information to our out of state contact.
2. We have worked on our car kits and added: a rain poncho, lighter and phone list.
3. We have completed our Pet Kit.
4. We have begun Pandemic preparations and added: large plastic garbage bags, rope, clothes pins and patient medical form.
5. We have added to our food storage: 3 cans of fruit per person, 1 can of vegetables per person, 10 pounds of rice or pasta, 10 pounds of sugar, 10 cans of milk and paper plates, cups and bowls. We have also added vitamins and completed a three month supply of deodorant, shave cream, TP and toothpaste.
6. We have added to our workplace kits: an orange safety vest, food, shoes, tooth braush and toothpaste, prescription medications, over the counter pain relievers, emergency phone numbers and $10.00.
7. Around the house we have: cleaned out a cupboard to make more room for food storage, purchased a battery powdered clock, counted our blankets to be sure we have at least two heavy ones, per person (the number of people you would shelter during a pandemic or when providing refuge after a natural disaster) on hand,
purchased a good hand operated can opener, tried a new recipe, shared a food storage recipe, changed furnace filters, cleaned gutters, checked the batteries in our smoke alarm, checked our battery supply, discussed budgeting for preparedness with our family, gone without electricity for a few hours to test our preparedness and prepared a hot meal without electricity.
I am sure some of us have not completed every step but, as in the past if you have some that still need completing use this week to accomplish a few more. You may have family home who can help you clean out a cupboard, and even build a few shelves! You will be heading to the store for last minute items so throw in a few extra cans of fruits of veggies or add some more paper products to your cart.
The most important prepraedness step you can do this week is to discuss with your family any family members who may need your help to prepare for a pandemic or who will need to be taken to someone’s home when that ocurrs.
Another thing to prepare for is nuclear disaster. Paul Williams proves that Al Qaeda has nukes in The Day of Islam. See http://www.internet-grocer.net/nukes.htm
If you live through the detonations, radiation and fallout, it’s quite likely that your vehicle won’t work because of the electro-magnetic pulse (EMP) that a nuclear detonation produces (which takes out electronics).
It would be wise to have a sturdy bicycle and/or a horse and buggy/wagon.
After the blasts, you won’t be able to get them at any price.
FYI, the Saudis say Al Qaeda has 30-40 nukes. The Russians say it’s only 14-16. Some have already been smuggled into the US via our wide open border with Mexico.
It’s an important book to read!
We have had terrible weather here over the past week (as I am sure many of you have) and it has been so nice not to have to go anywhere for food and things. My husband even commented that there is real peace in being prepared for an emergency and if you can convince him, well that is an accomplishment!
Thank you so much for all your efforts to help us get prepared. I’ve been thinking about the paper products needed for a pandemic. Would it be wise to also have a pan large enough to heat water for the washing of dishes? From what I have read about how pandemics work, it is expected that each community would have up to three or four waves of pandemic illness. I would probably wash dishes while our family was in self quarantine and not ill, and save paper products for a time when there was actual illness. Otherwise, I don’t think I would have room to store enough paper products for an 18 to 24 month stretch of expected pandemic illness in the world. I think I would also store hand dish washing soap. In 1918, the second wave of the flu was the most deadly and occurred in the late summer early fall. The first wave was in the spring time but was not as deadly. Does any one else have a handle on this?
Those are good things you have done. Thanks for posting this.