Phase Three: Continuing the Preparation Process and Increasing Your Survival Skill Set

The third phase of your Emergency Preparation is continuing the Preparation Process and Increasing Your Survival Skill Set.  In simpler terms it means continuing to purchase supplies and increasing your knowledge.

I believe that even the best laid plans will fail if you are lacking in the survival skills department. You need to start another list ( I know! I love lists and sometimes go overboard with them but seriously it helps me stay focused) and start writing down what skills you are interested in learning or expanding on. You might even make a list of what skills you have already mastered. I have learned how to preserve food through canning, how to create a pattern and sew clothes, and how to grow a garden, but I want to expand on my food storage and my gardening skills. I also want to learn more about making soaps and candles and other convenient household items that we currently can purchase at a moment's notice. As I mentioned in yesterday's post I also want to expand my knowledge of firearms and practice using them at a firing range.  So I have lots to learn.  Reading anything and everything that I can get my hands on is the way that I increase my knowledge and skill set.

While you are researching and expanding your skills don't forget to keep up your original emergency preparation list. That list should keep changing and evolving as you learn more and more and realize where you need to improve and where you are proficient and prepared.

So my beginning list looked like this:

Set up a first aid kit

Create and store 72 hour kits (I am creating Bug Out Bags with 72 hour kits included)

Purchase and store water (1 gallon per person per day, 3 days worth to start)

Start to store non perishable food items

Now my list looks like this:

·  Set up a first aid kit I have a basic kit completed but I am still adding items (inventoried including expiration dates. I plan to rotate them each daylight savings.)

 

·  72 hour food kits completed (inventoried including expiration dates. I plan to rotate them each daylight savings)

·  Create BOBs or Bug Out Bags, I would say these are only about 40% completed. Still feeling my way around the recommended lists and deciding what to include in mine.

 

·  I currently have 2 gallon containers and 2 full cases of water bottles, plus the water in my 72 hour kits already stored. I also have 2 refillable water reservoirs that will go in mine and my husband's BOBs. My plan was to start with 3 days worth then 1 week, then 1 month and so on. If we can bug in we also have a 12 person hot tub full of water that we can use for washing clothes and flushing toilets.

 ·  I have purchased mylar bags as well as a new foodsaver with canning jar attachment and plan to store food using a combination of both methods. I have been increasing the volume of food in my pantry and storage areas for a few years now and perfecting my organization and rotating methods. I would say I already have about 2 weeks of food stored at all times (in addition to our regular grocery items purchased each week), maybe more. I am concentrating on dry storage right now with items like beans, rice, and salt.

 ·  Obtain a concealed weapons permit and purchase a firearm and the ammunition.

·  Need to research and add water filtration to my emergency prepping.

·  Copy and store all important documents (birth cert., passports etc) in a water tight container

·  Build an emergency cash stash at home in small bills.
 

·  Continue to print and add skills, recipes and plans to your emergency prepping binder that I mentioned in Phase One. That way if you don’t have internet access or power to turn on your computer you will still have a resource available to you.

See what I mean about the list evolving?  I have realized that having a weeks worth of food and water for each member of my family should automatically be the norm for every household in the US.  I have also realized that I could go on and on with prepping. The list will likely never end. As long as I rotate my stored food and I am wasting nothing then I don’t see the harm in being prepared.

Like I mentioned before, there is such peace in knowing that I have something put away in case there was some type of disaster or emergency tomorrow. I have something to keep us going though I know I need to work on much more. How is your list coming?

Firearms for Beginners; from the RoadWarrior

I know I have been kind of scarce the last several days and only re-posting links to others' blog posts. I have been doing lots of research into things and continuing to work on my own emergency preparation. I am working on my next blog post which is the final step and then I will begin to break down some of the components of emergency preparation. I am a newbie at this too and I am sharing my tips and hints as I go along so that you will hear from someone who has the same questions and struggles.

One of the things my husband and I have been discussing, but not yet decided on, is whether we want to own firearms to protect ourselves. It's been something on our mind for several years. We have never owned a gun because we believed the risk was too great before with small children in our house (not that it's wrong to own them if you have children, we just chose not to take the risk.) Now that our children are 18, 15, and 13 things are a little different. We believe we should have the right to bear arms and since that right is currently under scrutiny and danger of being taken away we also believe that it is time to exercise that right. It's kind of like a silent vote. If most people don't use the right then it is more likely to be taken away.

However purchasing a gun is anything but simple. If you have never been around guns and don't have any knowledge to go on then it is a daunting task to be sure. We really have no idea where to start. Today I came across a blog post geared directly toward the beginner. Great information!  Already I am forming an idea of which guns we may want to start with and what calibers are most popular.

http://www.shtfblog.com/firearms-for-beginners-part-one-ammunition/

This is to be only Part 1 in a series so make sure to keep checking back for further blog posts. I am looking forward to the next post and I am searching for a copy of Cartridges of the World as I type for further research.

Check out the Snoman's sites

We had a great but cold and rainy weekend.  Stayed very busy with the hubby. We did some shopping on Saturday. He was looking for more inventory for his online video game store so we were browsing flea markets and thrift shops. Sunday we attended church and then hung out at home. I added all my new supplies to my BOBs (bug out bags), made an inventory of my first aid kit, and even put together two emergency car kits. It was a productive yet oddly relaxing day for me.

As you research and start purchasing your supplies I wanted to share this website that I found several weeks ago.  I have watched several of his videos on youtube and read many of his blog posts/articles. He's very informative and covers a wide array of material.

http://www.survivalnewsonline.com/

On Youtube his name is SNOmultimedia  and he also goes by Snoman. 

Check out his site and information. I am sure there is some great information in there that you can use.

Perspective

It's been a crazy week here in my household.  The fridge decided to go out on Monday and that created a little chaos as we had to move it's contents, put it on ice to keep from losing food, and then replace it.  Major purchases should never be made on the fly and in an emergency, but what can you do?

So in order to keep things simple this week, I have chosen to share a few blog posts from others with you instead of writing my own posts.

Today I am sharing a blog that helps to keep things in perspective with her motto; "Prepare Locally, Pray Globally". This pretty much puts into words my thoughts on emergency prepping. She also gives you some things to think about with her lists of things she's prepping. 

Check out Mom with a Prep:

http://momwithaprep.wordpress.com/2013/01/06/prepping-prepare-locally-pray-globally/?preview=true&preview_id=27&preview_nonce=e3dd8778fa

Great blog and great perspective!

I came across this blog post while perusing Pinterest recently. I found that it condensed all the information that I found on mylar bag food storage when I was researching dozens of blogs and websites.  So as you start to purchase your emergency food supplies and work through how you want to store your supply here is a great article on Mylar bags to save you some time in the research department.

http://foodstorageandsurvival.com/8-tips-for-storing-food-in-mylar-bags/

Happy Prepping!

Gun Control Works!

Just a quick post today to post this video. Well worth watching and gives you something to think about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0sujnvIV4g4

Phase Two Emergency Preparation: Purchasing Food and Supplies

Phase Two is the more active phase of preparation.  You will need to start completing the steps on your list.  I have 4 things on the beginning of my list:

• Set up a first aid kit
• Create and store 72 hour kits (I am creating Bug Out Bags with 72 hour kits included)
• Purchase and store water (1 gallon per person per day, 3 days worth to start)
• Start to store non perishable food items

This step can be overwhelming, so do this in the way that is easier for you. You can start with the first item and don't even think about the others until #1 is completed. Or you can do like I have done. I have chosen to work on  all four at the same time because I think that having some of these items is better then having water, but no food, or food but no first aid kit available to me. Even if my first aid kit isn't completed at least I will have some items organized and ready if an emergency event happens tomorrow. Plus some items we have here at home but they just need to be pulled to the side and organized.

This phase can also be the most expensive, so you will have to decide how little or how much you want to purchase.  However with a little leg work and patience it doesn't have to break the bank. I do a lot of bargain shopping so I found that Aldi's and Ollie's both had great items for my 72 hour kits without breaking the bank. I picked up items each time I went grocery shopping and it took me about a month to complete my 72 hour kits. If I ran into Walmart for something then I made a run by the camping department and the clearance isle.  I found something to purchase every time and it usually was just a fraction of the normal cost. I also happened to go in Harbor Freight with my husband one weekend and found they had great prices on many items that I wanted to add to my emergency preparation. For my Bug Out Bags I searched my attic for old back packs and found 4 out of 5 needed bags for my family. The last I paid less than $4 for at a thrift store. Couponing is also a great way to stock up on needed items.

One of the most important pieces of advice that I can give you is to be organized. Remember that 5th step in Phase One was to make a list and I recommended that you start a notebook to keep all your lists together. In my notebook I have my preparation list as well as a list for the Bug Out Bag for each member of my family. That way I know exactly what is in each bag (with a list of expiration dates as well) and I can easily see what I need to pick up. That notebook along with my binder will be 2 of the most important tools I have as I prepare.  How is your emergency preparation coming?

Phase One Emergency Preparation: Five Beginning Steps towards Emergency Preparedness

I am becoming better prepared because I want to take care of my family. I am blogging about it because I want others to be prepared as well.  Being prepared is the right thing to do. It also makes logical sense to encourage others to do the same because if no one around me is prepared then my resources are going to dwindle even faster and then I won't even be able to take care of my family. Today's post is Five Beginning Steps towards Emergency Preparedness.

The first thing that I recommend that you do is to research.  Check out the Red Cross site and the recommendations made for how much food and water to store per person.  Look at the recommended lists for a first aid kit. Check out other blogs on 72 hour kits. There are lots and lots of resources to read through like  http://teotwawkiblog.blogspot.com and/or  http://preparedness365.blogspot.com . You will find some bloggers have stopped posting but still have great older posts with information you can still use. If you are on Pinterest then search "emergency preparedness" or "72 hour kits" and you will find many, many more blogs and websites available to read. Research until you have an understanding for emergency preparation and survivalism and a feel for how deep or thorough you want to prepare for an emergency.

The second step I recommend is to create either a pinterest board for all the links you collect or a notepad on your computer desktop with the urls to the different websites.  I have both. Pinterest is a great resource because you can search specific topics like dry canning or candle making and save the link to the specific blog post. You can also create a secret board on Pinterest so that no one really knows just how much you are researching and doing to prepare for emergencies. While it is good to encourage others to prepare themselves, I don't think broadcasting to the world that you have food and water for 3 months in your garage is a great idea.

The third step is to put together a binder with information that you want to have in hand should there be no power or access to Internet.  I am currently working on mine and I am including recipes and directions for items that I might want to make like home made vinegar or emergency candles. I am also including first aid instructions that might come in handy. Anything that might be useful in an emergency you want to print it and have it on hand now. 

Fourth, decide on an amount of money, no matter how small, and start putting it aside for your emergency fund. I recently cleaned out some rooms in my home and sold some items that I didn't want.  Instead of spending the money I decided to hang on to it for my emergency cash fund. I also found an opportunity to bring in an additional amount of money weekly that I will devote toward my emergency preparation. This way I don't put any added burden on my family. You could walk your neighbors dog, mow some one's grass, etc.  Or maybe you could quit smoking and use the funds that you would normally spend on cigarettes to purchase needed items. If it is important to you then you will find a way to squirrel away something each week.

The fifth step is to start a list of things that you plan to purchase and store in preparation. I started using a notebook to keep my lists in so I could add things and mark them off once I have them.  Here is the beginning of my list:

• Set up a first aid kit
• Create and store 72 hour kits (I am creating Bug Out Bags with 72 hour kits included)
• Purchase and store water (1 gallon per person per day, 3 days worth to start)
• Start to store non perishable food items

These steps are just the beginning.  This is a process and will take time. I have created this list to get you in the mindset and to prepare you for the process.   The steps listed here won't take much money but are active steps toward becoming more prepared. Once you have these steps completed then you will be ready to start actually purchasing and storing your emergency supplies.

Are you prepared for the worst case scenario?

If you read my last few blog posts then you will see that I am working toward becoming the person that I want to be and on being a better wife, mother and all around better person. I am working on changing several aspects of my life right now. My main goals are on becoming healthier, (i.e. more active, eat healthier and in the long run a thinner, more toned body) and becoming more organized and prepared for what life throws at me. I have found that I am more cranky and ill with my family  when I am feeling the pressure, on a deadline and/or feeling overwhelmed and like I have no control over my life. I also become very emotional when I am over tired and/or haven't gotten a good night's sleep.  I tend to lash out at those around me and I don't like who I am during those times.  Therefore I know that I will be much happier if I can get my house organized and get myself on a great routine so that I don't feel overwhelmed by small schedule changes.

The next change that I want to make is to become better prepared for emergencies (all kinds from natural disasters to health issues and financial hardships) so that I know my family is taken care of no matter what. I am not a doomsday prepper.  I didn't freak out with Y2K and certainly didn't think the world was going to end in 2012. However, I have mentioned in past blog posts that I think most of us are too reliant on stores and the current availability of supplies and we take for granted things that only a generation ago they had to do themselves.

In a way I started working on these skills at a very young age. My parents taught me to be a problem solver and find creative solutions to problems we ran across. My Father taught us to use power tools and build and fix things.  I can use a drill press, a table saw, and other power tools better then some men I know. Right after I got married and had our first child, I decided that I wanted to be able to sew her clothes and used the basic skills my Mother taught me. I expanded my knowledge and was able to teach myself enough to teach others to sew and to create pretty much anything from fabric including curtains, clothes, costumes and even bridal and special occasion wear.

As I have gotten older I have realized that I don't JUST want to learn how to do something. I like to understand why it works, other ways to do the same thing, and any other uses. I love to learn new things and expand on my knowledge.  I have now made candles, made my own paper, grew many a garden, started plants from cuttings, made home made bread, canned my own jelly, built small pieces of furniture like shoe shelves, refinished second-hand furniture and much much more.

I am starting a whole new direction now. I am leaning more and more toward the self-reliant area of homesteading and survivalism.  I want to be prepared. My family experienced Hurricane Hugo in 1989 first hand and we had no power for at least 10 days. In the last decade I have seen major hurricanes hit New Orleans and New York, tsunamis and major earth quakes hit other countries, and snow storms and ice have shut down many a city over the years. There are forest fires, flooding, terrorism, that displace people every day from their normal lives. I don't want to over react or go overboard. I won't have a huge warehouse or storage full of supplies and weapons, but I want to be able to take care of my own family in the event of a catastrophe.  I want to pass on skills to my children and grandchildren that they can use to prepare for themselves in the future.

So with that being said, my blog will have many more posts of that nature coming up.  Stay tuned and come back often if you want to learn new things of the survival nature as well.

Another month past and not a lot has changed around here.  The 2nd little munchkin I started keeping is finally adjusting to being in a home daycare setting away from his Mommy.  It's been a tough transition and I am just beginning to feel my head clear.

I am still trying to carve out time each day to read my Bible and worship the Lord but most days feel like I am failing miserably. It's ok, still training.

I am still working on self improvement. I have teamed up with my SIL and we are checking in with each other each day and trying to motivate each other to do 30 mins of exercise every day for 30 days.  I am choosing NOT to work out on Sundays and a couple days have been spring cleaning instead of organized exercise (like jogging or kickboxing) but I have don't pretty good. I have only missed one or two days in the last couple weeks where I didn't do any deliberate exercise.

My husband and I have been putting forth a concerted effort to work on our ebay businesses and bring in some income worth the effort we are putting into it. That has been going pretty good. We have worked on it most evenings. I am learning to be very deliberate with my time and working in 5 minutes here and there (between toddler activities, feedings and diaper changes) whenever I can to accomplish the things on my todo list.

The one thing that has really changed recently is I am making an effort to complete something as soon as I think of it. This means that I am more active during the day. I have to plan out the small blocks of time that the munchkins are napping for things that need to be done without little hands in the way.  And I leave things I can do while sitting with them for when they are otherwise occupied.  So far it's going pretty good. I stay busy all day, sleep better at night and feel pretty accomplished at the end of the day.

As my life and I are simultaneously evolving into something that I am more happy with I have realized that I really want to be more prepared for the unknowns in life. Things like job loss, illness, natural disasters, etc really scare me. So I am working toward making myself feel a little more prepared. It gives me a focus for my couponing, budgeting and the time in my day.  This aspect of my life will soon become an even bigger focus of my blogging. I need a creative outlet and the blog is that outlet. So stay tuned for the next phase of life change for me.