A How-To in regard to Having Materials For a Multitude of Catastrophic Occurrences

Insiders’ Tips for Emergency Food StorageLearning from the wisdom of others is often easier than learning certain things for ourselves—especially when it has to do with emergency preparation. Those who have needed to use their own emergency food supplies have some great ideas for those of us who have not yet had to do so. One happy inclusion to your kits should be a small supply of hard candy or gum. They help to keep you from feeling thirsty, and they leave your mouth feeling fresher (after all, some of the food you will be eating is not gourmet). Avoid mint gum, though—everything around it will end up tasting minty as well. rc flying fish Also, some hard candies, like Jolly Ranchers, will melt if it is very hot outside. Consider using a can opener rather than purchasing cans with self-opening tops. There is a chance that self-opening cans will do just that in your kit. You should replace your food storage supplies every six months or so to keep your supply fresh. Rather than throwing or giving these items away, try them yourself. You may find that there are some items that repulse you, and others that taste great and would be good to include. Updating Your Emergency Supplies72 hour kits are a critical component to emergency preparation. If you have taken the time and effort to prepare one for your family, way to go!However, you must not simply forget about your kits once they are ready. Your 72 hour kits need to be inspected two times each year. Water should be replaced every time you do so. Also, check the “best until” dates on food and batteries and make sure they will still be safe to use for the next six months. Anything that is damaged or missing should be taken care of. New products for emergency preparation come out all the time. You may find something to add to your kit, or a big, heavy item that can be replaced with something smaller. Family circumstances also create the need to change your kits. For example you may need to add a new kind of medication, take out diapers if a toddler had been potty-trained, or change the clothing for a growing child. You can write a memo on your calendar to help you remember, or you can choose to always check your kits during daylight savings time. What is a 72 Hour Kit?72-Hour kits are an assembly of the most important supplies you need to survive if any kind of disaster strikes. They will keep you alive as you wait for relief to come—which, in any given disaster situation, is likely to take up to three days. There should be enough of the basics—food, water, clothing or shelter, basic medical items, and tools for light and communication—for your entire family for 72 hours. You can purchase these kits or you can put them together yourself. Depending on where you live or who belongs to your family, you may need to specialize some items in your kit. For many, it is smarter to prepare for a full week rather than 72 hours. In addition to your 72 hour kits, it is a good idea to look into preparing some long-term food storage supplies. Emergency Supplies You May Not Think About But Will Wish You HadWhen preparing for an emergency, you will have to resist the temptation to include just one more thing many times. However, there are a few basic items that you may really need, and will wish you had on hand when disaster strikes. Happily, these inclusions will take very little room away from your kits. You will want to include a discretionary amount of money in your kit. You do not know if your credit cards will work in an emergency, so at least a small supply of cash is important. Another vital addition is a copy of significant documents. Consider birth certificates, remote controlled air swimmers marriage licenses, property titles, insurance information, and your will. You do not know if you will need some or all of these in an emergency situation, and the originals may be inaccessible or damaged. Another good idea is to include some plastic bags. Air Swimmers This will allow you to waterproof extra found or given supplies in an emergency.