The Prepper's Guide To: Bug Out Bags

The Prepper's Guide To: Bug Out Bags - Your Essential Bug Out Bag Guide Book For Disaster Survival Planning was free for the Kindle when I wrote this blog post.

The Prepper’s Guide to Bug out Bags is your essential guide to 72 hour disaster survival planning and beyond.

It covers the basics of how to choose your BOB and the vital equipment you will need to pack inside it to ensure you are one step ahead of the crowd when it comes to prepping.

All the survival topics are covered from water, food and shelter guides to what sanitation, first aid and communications equipment you will need.

There is also a very handy Bug out Bag supplies checklist at the end to help you and your family plan for survival.

Chapters Include:

Introduction
Choosing Your Bob – Key Considerations
Water Solutions For Keeping Hydrated
Food Provisions On The Go
Clothing - Stay Warm And Dry
Shelter & Bedding Options
Sanitation & Hygiene Awareness
First Aid & Medicines – Keep Healthy
Communications – Don’t Bug Out Blind
Lighting & Heat Options
Self Defense & Weapons
Plan, Prepare & Practice
Miscellaneous Preparations
Your Essential Bob Checklist
Resources

Food Storage Recipe - Almost Instant Split Pea Soup

I love Split Peas soup, but hate how long it takes to cook it and wanted an easy way to make it. After making the Instant Refried Bean the other day I got to thinking about doing this to other items in my stockpile. I went onto Google and found this http://frugalabundance.com/gfcf/instant-split-pea-soup.htm and instantly had to do it. It was super easy. I took my bags of split peas and using my Magic Bullet I ground them up pretty quick. Now whenever I want some Split Peas soup it will be a quicker way to make them. Would be great for a survival situation also. Will not use as much cooking fuel to fix them I would think. Since it won't take as long to cook them. I have all of my Ham TVP bits that will work in this and dehydrated carrots and celery. All set to be able to make some awesome soup that has to a lot cheaper than buying the canned Split Peas soups. I am all about being frugal.

Learn About Solar Power - Free Book

Been wondering what types of backup energy would be the best to have on hand. I seriously think that having a couple of different types is a good way to go. Have wood for heat , kerosene for heat, maybe a small wind mill, etc. Get this Free Solar Book to find out more information about solar power. It is a free book so you don't have to spend any money to find out anything.






The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster Ultimate Family Preparedness Pak

120 Serving Breakfast Only @ $198 (120 Servings breakfast assortment. No entrees) - Order Now!The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster Ultimate Family Preparedness Pak

120 Serving Breakfast Only @ $198 (120 Servings breakfast assortment. No entrees) - Order Now!The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster Ultimate Family Preparedness Pak

120 Serving Breakfast Only @ $198 (120 Servings breakfast assortment. No entrees) - Order Now!

DIY Solar Powered radio

DIY Solar Powered radio

Make your own. Great! Hmmmm , where can I get a soldering iron??

Instant Refried Beans - DIY

 We use a lot of refried beans in our house. Always having to buy tons of cans and restocking the stockpile is getting old. The other day I was looking for an easy fix online and I think that I found one at http://www.budget101.com/side-dish-mixes/instant-refried-beans-mix-1479.html!

Really easy. I think it took me about 10 minutes to do a whole bag of Pinto Beans and get them all jarred up! Grind them up into a powder in my Magic Bullet - you can use coffee grinder or blender also. The only thing that I did different was instead of using the seasonings listed in the recipe - I had to use taco seasoning. Which seemed to work fine. I have some more pinto beans that I am going to do this with later. Today is a busy day so have to wait til have more time. Also I am planning on doing a Almost instant split pea soup mix also. Being able to cook good food quickly is a huge plus.

Signature Sleep Contour 8 Mattress Giveaway

Welcome to the "Out With the Old... In With A New"

Signature Sleep Contour 8 Mattress Giveaway

Sponsored by: Signature Sleep

*********************

Hosted by:

 Adventures of a Midlife Mommy

Down South Savings 

&

My Journey To Living Well

One lucky reader will win a Signature Sleep Contour 8 mattress of their very own, in their choice of size

{Full or Queen only}

 According to a recent article by the CDC, Americans are not getting enough sleep and it is quickly becoming an epidemic.

Lack of sleep can often be caused by health problems, such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea or a neurological problem, but it can also be caused by simply having poor sleep habits.
If you suffer from lack of sleep, that is not due to a health problem, there are several easy steps you can take to assure that you get the best sleep possible, according to a recent Harvard article

Your mattress can make or break you when it comes to getting a restful nights sleep. We spend approximately 197,100 hours in bed, over our lifetime, so shouldn't those hours be spent on a comfortable mattress?! 

 Signature Sleep mattresses are the product of years of innovation and commitment to quality. Signature Sleep offers a complete line of quality mattresses and accessories, guaranteed to satisfy every customer. For your convenience and cost savings.

You can get more info about Signature Sleep and read Adventures of a Midlife Mommy's full review HERE. 

Check out the easy PromoSimple form below to get your entries in... GOOD LUCK!

Signature Sleep Contour 8 Mattress Giveaway

DISCLAIMER: Prepared For Survival was not compensated for this publication and is not responsible for prize shipment.

Giveaway open to US residents 18+ only. Winner must provide shipping info {NO PO BOXES} within 48 hours of prize notification or risk prize forfeiture. Anyone caught teying to obtain multiple entries WILL BE DISQUALIFIED!

- See more at: http://www.midlifemommyadventures.com/signature-sleep-info-page.html#sthash.h9Ua3NsR.dpuf

Dehydrate Carrots & Celery!

 What do I do when I am stuck in the house during a snowstorm? I try to work on preps. Went to the grocery store on Sunday and found a bunch of their carrots marked down. I bought them all. Brought them home and, while watching a little bit of March Madness, I cut these babies up and stuck them in my Food Dehydrator. I had some celery in my fridge that I went ahead and added to it all. Filled up all 7 trays!!

 Great to add to soups and any other recipes. I stored them in a glass air tight jar. I was really surprised at how quick they were dehydrated. Only took about 7 hours. I was thinking that it would take all night.Now I have a bit stocked up in my stockpile.

Preppers Garden Food Production

Preppers Garden Food Production was free for the Kindle when I wrote this post. Controlled access for food crop seed on a global basis has progressed at an alarming rate. This is controlled by Monsanto and the likes but is mandated by the White House as a matter of national security. As a result of this action, more then 200,000 farmers, in just India, have committed suicide. This is the ultimate offense against humanity, short of out right genocide, and unconscionable.
Prepper's Garden Food Production will give you access to the information you need to grow all your food and your own seed, to avert control of your food access by this tyranny!

Backpack Gourmet: Good Hot Grub You Can Make at Home, Dehydrate, and Pack for Quick, Easy, and Healthy Eating on the Trail

Backpack Gourmet: Good Hot Grub You Can Make at Home, Dehydrate, and Pack for Quick, Easy, and Healthy Eating on the Trail was free when I wrote this for the Kindle.
Meals on the trail can be as delicious and varied as meals prepared at home. You can create meals to suit your tastes or diet--vegetarian, low fat, Asian, Italian. Meals prepared and dehydrated at home are compact and lightweight, perfect for the backpacker, and safer than packing perishable foods. The author shows how to prepare the meals so that they will travel well and will be easy to reconstitute in camp. The easy step-by-step instructions detail how to cook and dry lightweight, satisfying meals at home and then prepare them easily in camp--truly complete, instant meals. Includes over 160 recipes for soups, stews, pasta, casseroles, and breakfast and snack ideas as well as tips on drying food in a dehydrator or oven.

Global Incident Map Displaying Outbreaks Of All Varieties Of Diseases

Global Incident Map Displaying Outbreaks Of All Varieties Of Diseases

I have been reading The Jakarta Pandemic! It has got me thinking about things. More areas where we all need to be prepared!

Food Storage Recipe - Homemade "Ice Cream"

I am always trying to find things for my kids to eat for snacks that are so "junky", like chips etc. I was given this recipe a while ago. I cannot remember where I got it from , but my Little Man loves it!

Homemade "Ice Cream"

A few bananas that are a bit overripe - not too overripe

2 tablespoon creamy peanut butter


2 teaspoon of cocoa powder

Peel your bananas and slice them up. Put them in the freezer until they are frozen. Put them into a food processor and pulse them until they turn into mush. You will need to push the sides down to get the bananas down and keep them pulsing. After a few minutes of scraping the sides down and pulsing the bananas should have a creamy texture. When they look like whipped ice cream you can add the peanut butter and cocoa. You could also add anything else that your family likes ~ berries, chocolate chips, etc. This is like soft serve ice cream. You can freeze it for a few minutes to get a firmer texture. But we find that the soft serve is great.

Food Storage Recipe ~Basic Smoothies

Easy, quick,and made from what should be in your food storage.

A Basic Smoothie

1/4 cup of tang

1/4 cup non~instant dry milk

2 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 cups water

2 cups ice

fresh or frozen fruit ~ use bananas, strawberries, pineapple, mango, or peaches

Put the water in the blender and start blending. 

While it is blending add everything else.

 Blend it together until it is smooth.

 Kids love this. Great for breakfast.

Rain Barrel Systems How To - Every Homeowner Should Be Using a Rain Barrel!

Rain barrel systems are a great way to save money on your water bill, and help save our Earth's natural resources.

Rain barrels catch rain water from your roof. These barrels can be used to water your gardens, shrubs, trees, and even your lawn.

The systems are a very cheap DIY project to build on your own. You can also purchase pre-made systems. Some of the pre-made systems are very decorative as well. If you live in an area where you have a home owners association, you may have to clear a rain barrel system first.

A simple 50 gallon food grade barrel with a spout on the bottom is all you need for a rain barrel collection system.

Place the rain barrel under a corner of your roof to catch the most rain water. You can hook a gutter system to your rain barrel to catch even more water.

A screen over the top of the barrel will keep out leaves and other debris. Homes with small children should have some kind of sturdy screen to keep small children from falling in. A screen can also keep out small animals.

The rain barrels work on a gravity system to water an area. A soaker hose can be attached near the bottom, and gravity will do the rest of the work. You can purchase pumps that will pump the water out of the barrel with enough pressure to run a sprinkler.

Rainwater irrigation is an excellent choice for watering vegetables. Rainwater is clean and fresh, and does not contain chemicals that may be found in city water.

You can store rainwater for long periods of time if it is stored in a dark colored barrel. The dark barrels do not allow in sunlight, which produces algae.

By utilizing rain barrels you will be doing your part for the environment by reducing the use of our natural resources. In some areas of drought, the perfect option for homeowners is to use rain barrel systems.

To get started we need to know how to get a rain barrel collection system set up quickly and inexpensively!
Setting up a Garden Rain Barrel is so easy anyone can do it with a little guidance.

Click here to discover tips, how to information and sources where you can get your own rain barrel or plastic drum to start saving water and money! RainWaterBarrel.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Garden Tips!

Getting your garden planned is work and fun. The number one tip that I can give is to not plant too early. Make sure the risk of frost is gone. Select easy veggies to grow that are your families favorites.

Some easy veggies to grow:
              Tomatoes
              Bush Beans
              Cucumbers
              Peppers
              Zucchini
              Squash
              Onions
              Lettuce
              Eggplant
              Peas
              Radishes
              Carrots

Check around online or ask a local nursery when the best time to plant for your area is. Plan out your garden with stakes that are labeled with each veggies name so that you know where you are going to plant them. Put in poles for the climbing plants. Keep the smaller plants grouped together and make sure you give the tomatoes plenty of room to sprawl. They will quickly take over a space, so let them have their room!

Water your garden in the early morning or evening. Let the water have time to soak in to get to the roots. Surface watering is not good. Your garden should get about 2 inches of water a week.

Thin out the seedlings as they start growing. Get rid of the weaker ones. This will allow the others to really grow and be healthier. Removing weeds often will also assure healthy veggies.You will have to be out in your garden often to weed it.

Invest in some rain barrels to catch rain water for watering your garden. This will save you money. Just a half inch of rain can fill a rain barrel. 

Get the whole family involved with the garden. Kids have a lot of fun in one. Let them have their own seeds and section to grow what they like. I let my Little Man have one every year and we found out that he has quite a green thumb. Pretty awesome and he really loves growing veggies.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Blu-ray Combo Pack Giveaway!

We’re proud to announce The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey coming to Blu-ray &DVD March 19th 2013!

 
Take the quiz below , post your results in the comments, and one lucky winner will win a copy of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Blu-ray Combo Pack!

                Contest ends on April 1st 2013 - I have to have the winner's name and address sent in by April 9th 2013. 
 

J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic adventure follows the journey of Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an amazing quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Sorcerers.

From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” the first of a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.




Take the Are You 100% Hobbit Quiz! What has a tendency to be very brave, is around 4 ft. tall with sharp eyesight, little to no facial hair, and loves cake? If you thought we were talking about you, then you might be a Hobbit Indeed! Take the quiz to find out just how much of a Hobbit you are!
 Creatures of Middle-earth! Hobbits, Elves and Dwarves are just a few of the magical creatures that call Middle-earth home. Check out vital stats and unique features about each one!

•           The Hobbit Handbook! Our Hobbit Handbook includes everything you need to throw the best viewing party in Middle-earth right at home!

•           Get Social! Tweet with the #TheHobbit hashtag to get your audience excited about the premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey coming to Blu-ray & DVD March 19th 2013!

  

After you take the quiz above go to the comments and post your results from the Are You 100% Hobbit Quiz! You will win a copy of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Blu-ray Combo Pack!
The prize will be sent via FedEx or UPS. No P.O. Boxes please.

Food Storage Recipe - Chunky Pizza Soup

Another quick and easy recipe! Perfect for a quick meal or lunch.

Chunky Pizza Soup

1 19 ounce can of Basil Rotini Tomato Soup

1 can Italian style diced tomatoes, throw the whole can into this - do not drain.

3 slices of Canadian bacon , chopped up into small pieces

1/2 cup of croutons

Shredded mozzarella cheese

In a medium sized saucepan mix together the soup, tomatoes, and the Canadian bacon. Mix it well and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for a few minutes.

Divide the croutons up between 2 bowls. Pour the soup over the croutons and top with the shredded cheese.  

A Treasure Hunt!

 Did you find all the treasures? Share our Treasure Hunt with your friends so they can win too! Head on over to the Treasure Hunt to look for all of the treasure code price tags. Enter the codes that you find in the "price tags" and get a coupon for up to 10% off of your next purchase of Office Supplies. Share this video with all of your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Let them know how it is just a quick video that has great rewards. Watch for the red price tags that have special treasure codes on them. They can use those codes to get some savings on their office supply needs.Watch the video to find out What is eProcurement. Find solutions and savings!
It is really easy to set up an account for your Small Business or for any of your other office needs.Any office no matter the size can benefit from these Business Solutions and find out about the various tools that you can utilize there. The eProcurement tools let you Schedule and save, use quick checkout, and more. This is a great tool for any business. Small or large. The tools will help you get everything done quickly and with savings. As you will see in the video , you're business can take more control over their ordering and spending. Saving money by streamlining your ordering process and getting free shipping on most orders over $45.00.  Who doesn't want to save money? So , get over there and set up your account. Watch the video and find the treasure codes to save more.

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Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Giveaway

I am currently hosting a Amazon Kindle Paperwhite giveaway! I think that a Kindle is a great survival tool to have. Fill it up with prepping, resource, cooking, and more. Get a solar powered charger for it and you're all set.

There will be one winner of this Amazon Kindle Paperwhite. A value of  $119.00.  

Ending date of the giveaway: 03/17/2013.  

Where it can be won: U.S. & Canada.

The prize is from - http://trooprr.com/ - for the launch of our new website.

To enter this giveaway, you can: Like/Follow/tweet

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Trailersteading: Voluntary Simplicity In A Mobile Home (Modern Simplicity)

Trailersteading: Voluntary Simplicity In A Mobile Home (Modern Simplicity) was free when I wrote this blogpost.

All the advantages of a tiny house at a fraction of the cost!

Imagine what you could do with your time if you didn't have to spend $16,000 a year on rent or a mortgage. Old single-wide mobile homes can often be found for free (and installed for a couple of thousand dollars) in rural areas, so trailersteading is akin to dumpster-diving. A trailer allows you to live without debt, to keep your ecological footprint to a minimum with energy bills at or below the national average, and even to blend right in with traditional-house dwellers after a few years.

Trailersteading profiles nine mobile-home dwellers who have used trailers as a stepping stone toward achieving their dreams. Some have spent the cash they saved by renovating their trailer on extra insulation, pitched roofs, classy interiors, and even basements, while the found money has allowed others to go off the grid. Many also took advantage of a low-cost housing option to pursue their passions, becoming full-time homemakers or homesteaders.

In addition to the case studies, the book presents easy methods of minimizing the negative sides of trailer life and accentuating the positive. For example, did you know a single-wide is easy to retrofit for passive solar heating? That a simple plant-covered trellis can break up the blockiness of the trailer's external appearance? Learn which parts of installing and upgrading your trailer are easy for a DIYer and which parts should be left to the experts, along with how to cheaply heat and cool a mobile home.

124 photos and diagrams.

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Plan Your Garden Now!

It is finally getting to be that time of year again. Time to be able to start our gardens! My favorite thing to do when it gets warm. I have been thinking about it all winter. I have my seeds laid out and already have it planned on what is going where.

You should start small if this is your first garden. It is easy to get overwhelmed. Gardens do take a bit of work. I started out with just a small patch of tomatoes in my front yard. Now I am going to have a few different patches in my yard. Plant what your family and friends will eat. You don't want to waste your time and money planting a bunch of stuff that no one will even use and then it goes to waste.

Choose your location! Pick a nice and sunny patch in your yard that is away from trees and shrubs. They can steal any nutrients out of the soil that you want your veggies to be getting. If your patch gets at least 6 hours of sunlight a day than your garden should do great.

Food Storage Recipe - Fried Mashed Potato Balls

Fried Mashed Potato Balls

• 2 cups cold mashed potatoes
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup real bacon bits
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• Oil for frying

• Place mashed potatoes in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stir in the egg, cheese, onions and bacon bits. Shape into 1-in. balls; roll in bread crumbs. Let stand for 15 minutes.
• In an electric skillet, heat 1 in. of oil to 375°. Fry potato balls, a few at a time, for 2-1/2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Serve warm. 
•  
• My kids love these. Munch on them as a snack sometimes and I always have potatoes in the house. I have used instant mashed potatoes with this recipe also and it turned out great. I used a packet of the Idaho instant ones that are flavored like fully loaded baked potatoes. Yummy. can't get enough of them. 

Food Storage Recipe - Macaroni & Cheese Soup

Easy recipe to cook up quick. Kids love it.

Macaroni & Cheese Soup

1 1/2 cup of water

1 package of shells and cheese dinner

2 cups of milk

1 cup of frozen sweet peas

4 hot dogs thinly sliced - last time I made this soup I used the little sausage wieners.

Boil the water and cook up the macaroni shells as directed. Drain.

Stir in the cheese mix, milk, peas, and hot dogs.

Cook it until it is heated thoroughly!

Food Storage Recipe - Chicken and Bean Burritos

I broke out the freeze-dried chicken last night and made this awesome meal. You can also make this with canned chicken and it is even better! But , when all you have on hand is the freeze-dried than you have to use it. That is what we are all preparing for, isn't it? This is a quick meal that is super easy and everyone loves it.

Chicken and Bean Burritos

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can Condensed bean with bacon soup
3/4 cup Chunky Salsa
3/4 cup of Freeze-Dried White Chicken to 1 1/2 cup of warm water, Let sit 5 minutes and drain off excess liquid. Or Use 2 cans White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained 

8 flour tortillas , warmed   

  Put the onion and garlic in pan with heated oil and cook up until it is tender. 

Add the soup, salsa, and chicken to this same pan and cook until it is bubbly.

 Serve on tortillas.  

10 tips to becoming a prepper and survive doomsday

10 tips to becoming a prepper and survive doomsday was free for the Kindle when I wrote this post.
 Are you prepared to be one of the few that will survive a doomsday event?

At some point in the future, sooner rather than later, a doomsday event will occur.

What that event will be, no one knows; a worldwide flu pandemic, a massive solar flare, an asteroid strike, climate change, massive natural disaster or an alien invasion. After the event, many people will survive, but then social order will collapse. There will be no rules, people will fight and die for water, food and resources.

However the "preppers" will be one step ahead. They will have prepared for this scenario. The will have the resources in place that they will need to survive in the new world. A world without electricity, telecommunications, internet, supermarkets and a water supply. The "preppers" and their families will be the ones that survive and prosper.

You may not think a doomsday event likely. Are we likely to be invaded by giant lizard people from Pluto? No probably not. Are we likely to be hit by a massive solar flare that will wipe out our entire electronic systems sending the world into a new dark age? Possibly. Are we likely to experience a worldwide flu pandemic that will wipe out over 70% of the world's population? Medical opinion is that we are long overdue such a pandemic; such an event is highly likely.

In this one hour lunch time read series book experienced preppers share their best tips about preparing for doomsday and more importantly life after doomsday.

You will learn which food to store, water purification, the most suitable shelters, what makes the perfect location, what vehicles you should have available, how to choose and obtain suitable fuels, how to prepare for a world without medical professionals, how to cope with the loss of modern communication systems, how to hunt and protect your family from the mob and what education is essential.

Make no mistake, if you don't prepare now, when the time comes you will be fighting with the mob for your next meal. Don't put yourself in that position, take action now, learn the basics and prepare for life in the new world.

The Science Behind Food Storage

When it comes to food storage, few people actually consider the science behind the process. All they know is that storing food in the proper container helps to prevent the food from becoming stale. Yet, gaining a better understanding of the science behind the process of food storage will go a long way toward helping you keep your food fresh and ready to eat whenever you need it. At Wise Food Storage it’s something we take pride in.

The Mylar Pouch

One item that is regularly used with food storage is the Mylar bag. Scientifically referred to as boPET, Mylar is used in a number of different applications. Aside from being used for food storage, Mylar is also used in insulation for homes and electrical wiring. It is also used to protect comic books and other collectibles from moisture and temperature variations. It is even used in spacesuits. Given all that Mylar is capable of doing, it should come as no surprise to learn that it is also a highly effective tool for food storage.
The reason Mylar is so effective with food storage is quite simple: it keeps the food protected from the air. While air is necessary for our survival, it is highly detrimental to food due to the gasses that it contains. Oxygen is particularly problematic because it helps mold grow and expedites spoilage. It is for this reason that it is important to get as much oxygen out of the package as possible before storing food.
While food manufactures use expensive equipment to suck the oxygen out of the packaging while replacing it with a gas that assists with preservation, the same effect can be accomplished with the help of a Mylar storage bag. When properly flushed and sealed, the Mylar bag can create a vacuum barrier that keeps the good gases in while keeping the oxygen out.
In fact, with the help of a quality Mylar bag, freeze dried food from Wise Foods Storage can actually remain stored for up to 25 years!

Emergency Survival Kits - What To Think About Before Making One

It doesn't matter where you live something could happen that makes an emergency survival kit a priority.  Power outages, storms, just to name a couple of things that you should be prepared for. Having an emergency survival kit can be a life-saver. Stocking up on supplies, having a plan, and learning new skills doesn't have to cost a lot of money or take a lot of time. In the end you will be glad that you did it for your family. They will be glad that you did it also. Below is a list of some things to think about before you even start to build your survival kit.

What natural (and unnatural) disasters could happen in your area? Do you live in a quake zone? wildfires? flooding? tornadoes? blizzards? Do you live near a nuclear power plant? These are just a few things to think about and then prepare accordingly. Have a plan on how to protect your home, a map of "escape", and other precautions. Find out what your region's potential for being flooded, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc. The more you know about where you live , the better you will be able to get prepared for what might come. Here is a good place to start - Natural Disaster Alert Maps
or here - Alert Map

You also need to think about how long you might be without access to utilities or supplies.  Has anything in your area happened before? If it has than you might have an idea of about how long it might take for power and more to come back online. Take that into account while planning your emergency survival kit. You have to have plenty of clean water, food, etc. If your power is out for an extended time how do you plan on cooking? Cleaning? Heating your home? Get prepared now and learn how to turn off the water, gas, and electric to your home. If something did happen major to your home being able to shut off the gas is very important. It is handy to have a radio, flashlight, etc . I just got one of these, Ambient Weather WR-089 Compact Emergency Solar Hand Crank AM/FM/NOAA Weather Radio, Flashlight, Smart Phone Charger with Cables, I was really surprised at how small it was, but it charges everything in our house. Cellphones, my Kindle, my little USB fan/light, and more. So the size is probably really perfect. I can grab it and put it in my Bug-out-bag. I am even thinking of buying a second one just to have in the trunk of the car at all times. 

It is not something that you want to happen, but you should also be prepared for any medical emergencies. Have a well-stocked medical kit. Maybe take your family and learn CPR. Does someone in your household have a medical condition that requires prescription medication? It is something to think about and get prepared for now.

If you do have to evacuate your home, do you have a way out and a portable kit at the ready? A Bug-Out-Bag? Each family member should have their own that is always ready. If you have to leave grab it and go. It should have enough supplies in it to last about 72 hours. A Bug-out-bag is more for short term survival. So you should have another plan for long-term survival on top of having a bug-out-bag. You should even keep one in your car. Plan on a meeting place for your household in case something happens when not everyone is at home. Maybe even stash spare set of keys to your vehicles out side of the home , but well hidden. Just in case you are not able to get back into your home. Have all of your important papers, I.D.s , etc in one handy, waterproof, and fireproof container that you can grab easily while you leave.

How many people are you getting your survival kit prepared for? Are you thinking about neighbors and friends also. Do you have any pets and children that you have to prepare for? Children and pets are a whole other thing to prepare for. Pet food, snacks, toys, etc. Have items on hand for little kids to keep them occupied while you do the worrying. You should have at least a 4 week supply of food stocked up. A way to get clean water is another must! You have to have a way to filter and clean water after your stockpile of bottled water runs out.

These are just some of the things to think about while starting your emergency survival kit. If you think about all of this and then what your family needs , you should be well on your way to having a prepared household.