Essentials for preparedness

Essentials of preparedness

Every family and household should cover basic preparedness needs. The primary areas to consider are:

WATER: You must have water to survive even a couple of days. Low-cost preparedness options involve filling empty soda bottles with water and storing them around your house or apartment. You can also fill your bath tub with water if you have advanced warning of an approaching emergency.

A medium-cost solution is to purchase water storage containers and fill those in advance. You can add a few drops of plain clorox bleach to each container to discourage the growth of bacteria (for long-term storage). You'll find affordable water storage containers at www.BePrepared.com

It's also a good idea to have a hand-pump water filter on hand. I recommend an affordable water filter bottle made by Katadyn (a water filter company I've used and recommended for years). You can find other water filters at any camping store or outdoors equipment supplier such as www.REI.com

FOOD: Having extra food on hand is easy. Just buy some extra dried or canned goods at your local store. Raw, fresh nuts are good to store, as well as dried foods in #10 cans. Avoid salty, sugary foods because they dehydrate you and suppress immune function. Stick to bland foods that provide nutrition, not entertainment. They key here is to store your food before the emergency hits and make sure you have enough water to rehydrate dried foods.

A source I recommend is www.BePrepared.com but avoid their pre-made food recipes. Stick with their freeze-dried fruits, vegetables and meats in #10 cans. And remember, none of it is organic. (That's too bad. I still cannot locate an organic freeze dried storable food manufacturer that doesn' use hidden MSG.)

LIGHT: You'd be amazed how difficult life gets when you're fumbling around in the dark trying to find something to eat or drink. Don't be caught in such a situation: Get some reliable light!

But what works best in emergencies? Candles are a terrible choice because people fall asleep and burn down their homes with candles. (No kidding.) Flashlights that need batteries are also a terrible choice because few people bother to check the batteries, and they always seem to be dead right when you need them.

The best choice is a dynamo-powered LED flashlight that allows you to generate light by simply turning the handle. One minute of winding the dynamo handle can provide up to 30 minutes of light with the LED flashlights we offer through www.BetterLifeGoods.com and we've put together an amazing 50% off discount package on dynamo LED lights, radios and combo tools (see below for discount link).

HEAT and SHELTER: In every emergency, you'll need heat and shelter. (Or, if you're in the desert, you'll need shade and water.) Heat is easy to conserve with a well-made low-temperature sleeping bag. A wood-burning stove is also a fantastic solution and far better than any fireplace (which loses most of the heat it generates). Don't try heating your house with a propane heater or outdoor cooking stove, either: The carbon dioxide emissions will fill your house and cause you to never wake up again. So prepare with ample clothing and a good sleeping bag for each person in your home. Again, you can find quality sleeping bags at www.REI.com (get yourself some lightweight, hi-tech fiber sleeping bags that are easy to carry, yet still very warm).

COMMUNICATIONS: In emergencies, keeping in touch with emergency broadcasts is crucial. That's why a radio is one of the most important tools you can have. But guess what? Most people don't have a radio that actually works when the electricity is out!

This is why a dynamo-powered radio is the best solution for emergency preparedness. By turning the dynamo handle for one minute, you can generate up to 30 minutes of radio listening time. No batteries are required, and the units are so small and portable that you can slip them into your pocket or store them in the glove box of your car.

The best dynamo devices can also charge your cell phone. This lets you make outbound emergency calls when needed, even if your batteries are empty. When the electricity is out, it's crucial to have a reliable way to make a cell phone call. (In many cases, cell phone towers are still working even when the electricity is out in a particular region.)