Understanding Distribution Could Save Your Life

If you are new to emergency preparedness planning for yourself or for your family, you may find it hard to understand why our government instructs us to have an emergency supply of no less than three days of food. They have a good reason. It all comes down to distribution. We recently had a record breaking snowstorm in Colorado, and what was the first thing the news began to report on? Grocery store food shortages and fear buying.

You might have also been intrigued with last night's episode of "Doomsday Preppers" which showcased an American trucker who mentioned how critical the trucking industry would be if a disaster would strike. Unfortunately, National Geographic missed the opportunity to really explain what would happen if our country suffered a breakdown in the distribution of goods.

In America, the majority of distribution across our country is done by the trucking industry. In fact, the American Trucking Associations states that nearly 70% of all commodities, including food, are moved by the commercial truck trade. So what does that mean to you and me if there's an emergency in our county or even in our country? It could mean the difference between life and death if commercial trucks have no access to distribute food and supplies to local businesses.


Think about it. If you and I can't access roads, neither can truckers. If they cannot get into your community, your local stores won't be able to restock their shelves. So if you do not prepare ahead of time by having emergency food and supplies on hand now before an emergency, you will definitely put yourself or your family members in danger of going without water, food or even help for medical needs.

Maybe you think a disaster would never hit your neighborhood. Maybe you think you have enough food and water on hand right now to get by for three days. Maybe you think if something bad did happen your neighbors or family would help you. That's a lot of maybe's to count on. Even the American Trucking Associations, not just FEMA, says don't count on maybe, but instead expect that there will be shortages in the time of a crisis and that if there was a terrorist attack or pandemic the government's restriction of trucker's movement could worsen an already dire situation. In my opinion, three days is a good start, but even that might not be enough.

Need a reason to begin preparing for an emergency? Don't just take my word for it, or FEMA's word for it, listen to the truckers who deliver the supplies that our entire country uses every day. Below are some of the main points the American Truckers Associations say you should expect to happen in the event of an emergency. Then read more, go here for the entire detailing of "When Trucks Stop, America Stops."

Their report states, "The American Trucking Associations researched seven key consumer industries to quantify the potential consequences of restricting or halting truck traffic in response to a national or regional emergency." Here's what their tells us to expect:

• Significant shortages will occur in as little as three days, especially for perishable
  items following a national emergency and a ban on truck traffic. Minor
  shortages will occur within one to two days.
• Consumer fear and panic will exacerbate shortages.
• Consumer behavior during emergencies triples the rate of inventory turn-over.
• Supplies of clean drinking water will run dry in two to four weeks.
• Without truck transportation, patient care within the truck stoppage zone will be
  immediately jeopardized.
• Hospitals and nursing homes will exhaust food supplies in as little as 24 hours.
• Pharmacy stocks of prescription drugs will be depleted quickly.
• Hospitals and other diagnostic and treatment facilities will exhaust supplies of
  radiopharmaceuticals and oxygen.
• Service station fuel supplies will start to run out in just one to two days.
• Within days of a truck stoppage, Americans will be literally buried in
  garbage with serious health and environmental consequences.
• Uncollected and deteriorating waste products create rich breeding grounds
  for microorganisms, insects, and other vermin. Hazardous materials and
  medical waste will introduce toxins as well as infectious diseases into living
  environments.
• Just-in-time manufacturers will shut down assembly lines within hours.
• ATM and branch bank cash resources will be exhausted quickly.
• Regular bank functions will cease.

Their detailing of what to expect is a wake up call for all of us, but it shouldn't make us panic. That's why we need to be ready now. We cannot wait until the storm is at our back door for us to run to the store. So don't fear the worst, just prepare for the worst so you are ready now for any emergency.

Cost Nothing New Year Preparedness Ideas

Are all of you as stunned as I am that 2012 is already here and that January is nearly gone? I keep thinking that the older I get the faster the days go by, but I hope that isn't true because I have so many things to get done this year and I don't need time to zip by any faster!

The first few weeks of 2012 have been pretty busy around here. We have already started shopping for seed deals for spring plantings, and we have been doing some rearranging and recommissioning of furniture from other rooms to create more storage space for our food storage and supplies room. The addition of more shelving is something we have truly needed and we're committed not to spend a dime to get accomplished what we need to do.

Like everyone else we're broke and need every penny to get by for our bills and day to day needs and groceries. There are no expendable dollars around here to be used for elaborate shelving units. So whenever we're in a pinch like this we stand back and look around the entire house and the garage and ask ourselves what do we already have that could be repurposed into what we need, and 9 times out 10 we find a solution. This time it was a basement shelving unit whose items could easily fit on a garage shelf. Now we've freed up a whole new shelving unit (actually a really nice Rubbermaid four shelf unit we bought a decade a go that will hold a lot of weight) and we are ready to move it into our storage room this weekend.

I know so many people that want to get working on emergency preparedness but they say time and time again that they just can't afford it. I want to reassure anyone out there who thinks that they can't, that really they can do it. What you really can't afford is seeing your family suffer in a time of crisis. So stay positive and start prepping! Chances are many of the things you need to begin with are already in your house right now and it won't cost you a thing to start! Do you need some ideas on where to begin? Here's a list of things we've done in the past and still do, including our storage shelf repurpose that we are working on this weekend, and they are all things you can do right now, that cost nothing (but a little time) to get you more prepared in 2012. 

• Store your own water instead of buying it. Two liter pop bottles are what most people prefer to use when storing their own water and it’s what FEMA and the EPA and others recommend, but you don’t have to go out and buy pop just to have bottles to store water. Use whatever kind of bottles you have on hand such as plastic juice bottles, tea bottles, milk bottles even, but the key to using these bottles is IMMACULATE washing and disinfecting (with bleach water) and that the bottle you’re using is food safe! You could even use glass bottles but be sure they are stored in a safe place where they won't get broken. Then once the water is stored be sure to rotate and replace water bottles every 6 months to a year. Any water used after a year in storage should be treated or boiled.

• Clean out your food cabinets now and see what you have. Take inventory and start making a list of what you have and what you want to store. If you have any dried goods such as flour or rice that are nearing their expiration date but you don’t have money to replace them, put them in the freezer to extend their shelf life for months beyond their expiration date. However, do not freeze flour in only its original paper, always wrap it with plastic or place in freezer bags or seal it in a Foodsaver bag before freezing.

• Need storage space, don’t buy a shed or remodel, just declutter! Clean up your closets, spare bedroom, basement or attic. It’s time to clear out what you know you don’t need anymore and make room for your emergency preparedness items. When you’re finished, trust me, you will have the biggest weight lifted from your shoulders knowing you got rid of things you never used and you might find emergency preparedness or survival gear you’d forgotten you had which will save you from making an unneeded purchase.

• Don’t buy shelves unless absolutely necessary! We know numerous people who have spent hundreds of dollars on the shelving they use for food storage and we say don’t do it! Why? That’s money you can put into your supplies of foods, batteries, first aid or emergency radios instead spending the money on shelving.  Use of what you have! It doesn't have to be perfect, just functional. Any unused furniture could be used for storage such as two desks stacked to make shelves or an old set of dresser drawers, filing cabinets or a bookcase. If you have no extra furniture then make some yourself from found objects like shelves from free shipping crates often found outside manufacturing buildings, or use plastic milk crates stacked on top of each other. Even old wooden doors with cement blocks stacked between them can make a set of shelves.  

• Don’t go out and buy new backpacks for your get out of dodge (BOB) bag. If the time comes and you have to bug out or evacuate the only thing you really need is something durable and portable. If you’re kids are older but you still have an old diaper bag in the back of your closet use it or an over sized purse or duffel bag. If you’re husband plays hockey, use his old gear bag. I saw a great suggestion on You Tube recently where a prepper suggested a portable shopping cart with wheels that you often see people pulling behind them down city the streets, as it would be perfect if you're not strong enough to carry a bag. Even a plastic storage container or suitcase will work in a pinch as long as you can easily carry it.

• One of the best things you can do for free is get to your local library and get reading. Find first aid or boy scout manuals, books on foraging for food in the wild, you can even find some great survival and food storage books, as well as books on hunting, coping with stress and camping cookbooks. Remember knowledge is power and the more you know the more you’ll be able to cope emotionally during an emergency situation.

• Finally, don’t get obsessed or afraid, just get informed. Know what’s going on in your community and around the world. Keep up with current events so you know when certain food prices are on the rise because of bad crops or that gas is on the rise so you can fill up now instead of next week. Stay aware and know when bad weather may be headed your way. The key is not to get caught off guard and to be ready in case of any emergency by starting now, not waiting until the emergency is at your door step.

Remember, do what you can, when you can do it, and just keep prepping!

Wishing You a Very Merry Christmas

To everyone, everywhere, no matter how you celebrate what the meaning of the season is for you, our sincerest wish is that you have a peaceful and love filled time with those you love!

May all your winter dreams come true!

Merry Christmas!

The Preparedness Step Everyone Avoids

As many of you already know, we recently suffered a terrible loss just after Thanksgiving when my husband's father passed away. It's been a difficult time, filled with memories, good and bad, and time to reassess our life as a family and as preppers.

The first lesson we have learned and one that actually has been nagging at all of us I suppose since the day we were born, is that in time we will all die. We know it, we think about it, but unfortunately we almost never prepare for it. Such is the case of my father-in-law, who though he had death benefits for his funeral never had them changed after he remarried and it has been difficult for the family to obtain them to pay for his burial. He never wrote a will. He had purchased his burial plots, but never gave any of his sons power of attorney so they could assure his wishes. It is something none of them expected, even though they all knew his passing would come some day.

This lack of planning has caused numerous financial problems for those left behind. He never talked about the day he might die, whether out of fear or denial no one knows, and he never made sure everyone knew his wishes or that those who would have to have the responsibility of his burial had all the legal means to see it was taken care of.

As preppers, we work daily to assure our family has adequate emergency supplies. We store food, water, first aid and fuel, but in all the years we have been prepping I do not remember once anyone talking about being prepared for their own death. We live each day knowing our last day on earth will eventually arrive and in knowing that we owe it to the loved ones we will leave behind to be prepared for that final day. We need to embrace it's inevitability and we need to take action while we're alive to see that that our death and burial is handled with dignity and does not become a financial burden to those we leave behind.

I urge everyone today to make a list. Write it all down and let your family know where you will keep the list so they know where to find the information about the decisions you will make about your own funeral. (Even if you have already made your plans your family needs to know where the information is kept.) Begin recording your planning by first deciding on where you want to buried. Do you want to be cremated or placed in a casket? Write it down. What do you want to be said at your funeral and who you want to oversee your final wishes? Write it down. Then once your decisions are made, look online for examples of wills and make one yourself if you cannot afford an attorney. Most insurance agents are or have a notary republic in their offices that you can use as legal witnesses to any documents you need to prepare. Then remember if things change in your life, you have a falling out or you get a divorce or someone dies, update your documents to reflect who will be in charge in that person's stead.

Then take action, have insurance that will cover your burial, or if you have land of your own that you want to be buried on, make sure that the laws within your county or state will allow you to be buried there. If you already have insurance or don't want to buy any then at least start saving now and as soon as possible purchase the plot where you will be buried and contact a mortuary to begin the funeral planning and making payments now to pay for your own funeral. Both are enormous expenses that need planning immediately, not after you die, so that you can pay over time if necessary. Once you are dead the mortuary and cemetery will demand their money upfront, they won't make payment plans then, and rest assured the sooner you do it the lower the price will be as costs go up every year.

Remember, the day you die will be an emotional time for your family. The last thing you want is for them to suffer not only the loss from your passing, but legal and financial hardships because of your death. Prepare now, it will be one of the greatest gifts you can give to your family in their time of sorrow.

The Flu and You

It's that time of year again. No not just the holiday season, it's flu season. Runny noses, coughing, and other unsightly things even I'm too squeamish to describe. If you're like me you can't afford to be sick. You have children to take care of or a job to get to each day and you just don't have time to be sick. Or it's tough just having enough money to buy groceries each week, let alone a doctor's copay and a prescription.

However, getting sick is more than just putting a drain on our time and finances, it can be outright deadly. The rising incidents of super viruses and bacterias puts us all at a greater risk than ever before. Science has done a wonderful job at helping us heal and fight infections, but it's been a double edged sword. By suppressing other viruses and bacterias we have increased the ability for new viruses and bacterias to grow and be more immune to current medications, thus creating new strains which are harder to kill.

In the news this week, the rise of a new Swine Flu has the scientific world buzzing and the World Health Organization on high alert. Luckily in most cases when a new strain is identified practices are put into place to help stop it from spreading, but everyday citizens like ourselves need to protect our families with another reminder that clean hands and keeping your hands out of your mouth, nose or eyes are some of the best defenses against you and the flu. This is especially important if you haven't had a flu shot or if you're concerned your flu shot won't work this year with recent reports that it's only 59% effective. If you'd like to read more about this year's flu shot visit Healthmap.org's article here.

So could a pandemic happen? The recent blockbuster movie Contagion gave us all a scary glimpse of the worst case scenario. But let's not find out shall we. All it takes is all of us being prepared for the worst but doing everything to keep the worst from happening. I've taken the time to make sure our family has plenty of over-the-counter medications in our emergency storage as well as reminding family members daily to be diligent with hand washing. We can't see the future as preppers but we can do our best not add to the problem if a crisis comes around. So when making your emergency preparedness plans, think outside the box of tornados and floods, remember an emergency could equal an illness and could be just as devastating.

Want to know how pandemics happen? Watch the video below "How A Virus Changes the World" from TakePart.com to learn more. Then share it with your family members, people at work and on your website or blog. Spread information, not the flu!

From Our House to Yours

(This is my favorite Thanksgiving hymn that I remember singing each year in school choirs. It brings back many dear memories of this day and gives me a sense of peace listening to it again.)

Stocking Up and Finding Resources

I apologize for the delay in not posting the last couple of weeks. We've had a stretch of good weather giving us a chance to work on our dwindling wood pile and take inventory of our food storage and emergency supplies. We always do this in the fall right before the holiday sale season. We use Kathy Harrison's OAR system. OAR stands for "organize, acquire and rotate." A few times a year we go through everything, especially in the fall, and it helps us to know what we have, what we need, and make certain we use our supplies on an ongoing basis by rotating the older out and the new in. Fall and winter are the perfect time of year to begin stocking up on emergency supplies. During the holiday shopping season some of the best sales of the year happen not only on food items because of holiday grocery sales, but also because it's hunting season and many sporting goods locations have sales on backpacks, dried foods, camping supplies and more.
Sharing about our life as preppers over the last few weeks has been so rewarding and informative. When we first started prepping years ago, there wasn't a large online community of preppers like there are now. There were a few sites here and there and message boards, but now the prepper community can be connected to instantly through social media and for anyone who is wanting to be more self sufficient and work on their emergency plans, it couldn't be a better time to start.

If you're reading this you already know the importance of blogging and how you can get more detailed information and a collection of sources right from one site. That's what we're wanting to do here over the weeks and months ahead. We want to gather in one place all the great information we've collected over the years and share the new things we discover as we continue to work on our own self sufficiency. We LOVE the idea of being able to get what we know out there so others will realize being prepared isn't hard and it's the best insurance policy someone could ever buy for their family.

If you're connected with us on Twitter then you already know what a great resource it can be. We love it because it's a worldwide chat room where we can not only read information about prepping, weather, news updates, homesteading, gardening and more, but we can communicate quickly with other preppers from all over the world. Hashtags like #prepping, #preparedness, #homesteading, #preppertalk, #survival and others can help you find resources you might not have considered or even knew about. You can even follow FEMA and Ready. gov, along with your local emergency preparedness agencies so you can stay on top of updates on what is happening in your neck of the woods.

(Update: I've had some questions about the use of hashtags. Go here to read a great article that will help those who are new to hashtags or for those who want to learn how to use them better. Remember, anyone can use a hashtag in a tweet even if the tweet isn't connected to the subject you're expecting to read about, so use caution clicking links just as you would use when evaluating spam in your email box. Also, note that hashtags can be used by anyone so you may see varying opinions on the same subject. Do your own research and if you don't like what another person is tweeting you can use block to remove them from your Twitter feed.)

Another great place to connect with people who are just starting out or who have done it for years is You Tube. We're a bit shy around here, but we're hoping in the near future to add our perspective about "sheltering at home" on You Tube as well. We're amazed at the enormous You Tube prepper and homesteading communities. If you're looking for information on food storage, bee keeping or home security, from A to Z, someone has done a video on it.

The best part of being a prepper is that you always come across people who are willing to share what they know. Preppers also have a voracious need to know. It becomes a passion so we can learn as much as we can to help our families which will in turn help our community if a disaster strikes because we'll have the resources we need right at our fingertips. It's like the old adage says, knowledge is power. So if you don't know where to start or maybe you have already made your 72 hour emergency kit and want to learn even more about prepping, then dive into social media and you'll find a wealth of knowledge to help you on your way.

Keep safe everyone and happy prepping!