Power Outage Survival Kit

This past week has been a very trying time for us in Southern Indiana and in Kentucky. There have been a lot of power outages and hundreds of thousands are still without power. I found the below article and wanted to share it. Always remember , that if you have to get out the kerosene heater to use it safely. Here is a link to a site that has some great tips for using a kerosene heater - Kerosene Heater Safety

As usual your power outage kit must be ready to deploy with you should the need arise therefore I have found it best to assemble my kit within a backpack of some sort. Hanging your kit on a door hook behind the kitchen door or a close by bedroom door is a smart trick and assures that it is readily available in the dark should it be needed.

Items which I always consider keeping in the kit would include:

1. A battery operated or hand cranked radio complete with extra batteries.

2. A Clock which operates on battery power. I have combined both the hand cranked radio and a clock in one unit I have purchased however sometimes the clock loses its time when the battery is weak so I highly advise keeping a battery clock handy.

3. Now this next item is very important. Keep a non cordless telephone in your power outage bag to connect directly to the telephone line. Portable telephones will not function when you have no power available. I also maintain a cell phone however needless to say the numbers are different so I try to maintain both on hand for emergencies.

4. You can never have enough lanterns or flashlights along with their associated extra batteries. This is also a function of my cranking radio-clock but we try to maintain a flashlight or lantern in every room of our home. This will prevent accidental falls in the dark

5. Several 6 to 12 hour light sticks are useful for keeping in your black out kit also. They are a lot of fun also for the kids.

6. A digital quick response food thermometer is a useful addition to your kit. Perishable food temperatures should not reach above 40 degrees for more then a 2 hour period. Use this thermometer to periodically check the internal temperature of the food for harmful bacteria conditions.

7. We keep several candles available in the kit however we use them strictly in a dire emergency because of the fire hazard associated with them. Usually we prefer the battery flashlights and lanterns. A quick note on fire safety is to ensure that all your smoke and fire detectors have a battery backup.

8. If you or a family member happens to be on any sort of medical equipment ensure that you have an alternate means of power for it. I always have small portable power units that can easily be carried around. Should it require refrigeration maintain a small cooler with ice packs in it. The breakable ice packs are great for this. I also maintain a DC operated cooler for this purpose if needed. Keep extra medications in the event that pharmacies do not have back up power and are not working.

9. Generators can be useful however take appropriate precautions in regards to proper ventilation. I consider the preferred method to be having your generator outside and connecting it to an indoor power receptacle specifically for the generator.

10. Keep paper products available as well as a manual can opener.

11. Store up on one gallon of water per person along with a supply of paper cups. A neat little trick is to store several containers of clean water in your freezer. In case you lose power to help to keep your food cold and as it melts you can use it as drinking water.

12. You should also consider an alternate cooking source such as a BBQ grill or a small propane camping stove. I keep both available.

13. Should heat be necessary always maintain extra means of heat such as blankets, fireplace or heat source. We generally keep extra blankets readily available as well as a kerosene heater for use if the main heating system fails to operate due to the lack of electricity.

That about wraps it up. You can conclude your pack with several personal items that you and your family members consider essential. Keep in mind if you have a Bug out vehicle that is equipped with people items for emergencies you could easily move to it temporarily. Campers and motor homes are especially useful in emergency black outs.

Copyright @2008 Joseph Parish

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The Urban Homestead

I got this book today in the mail and LOVE it. The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-sufficient Living in the Heart of the City (Process Self-reliance Series) is a great book for anyone who lives in the city , but still wants to be self-sufficient. There are many projects in this book that include how to grow a patio garden, how to cook with the sun, how to preserve food, and many more. I do not live in a "city", I am in a small town, but I still find this book to be a great addition to my survival library.





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Baking Bread

I spent all day Monday baking bread. I baked 3 loaves. That should last us the week. I buy bread dough in packs of five at the local low-price grocery store for $2.00 and then I bake it up as I need it. Cheaper and taste better, plus the heat from the stove warms the house up!! Nothing better than a warm house and a piece of fresh baked bread. I also buy my rolls like this. I used to bake totally from scratch , but I have gotten a bit lazy and run down from chasing a toddler around the house , so I buy these loaves of bread dough that are frozen and all I have to do is set them out in the morning to rise and then bake them. Slice them up and enjoy!!



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I Guess I am Going To Find Out How Good Our Stockpile Is!

Hubby just got laid off! So i guess now we will find out how good our stockpile and every thing else that I have been trying to learn and do is going to work for us. I hope he is not out of work for very long. He already called about a new truck driving job so who knows. But since he will be out for a while I will be using our stockpile.
This is kind of good in a way. Just another way to learn what I need to stockpile and what needs to be learned and such. I am depressed because he will be out of work and we will have no money coming in, but I am going to be using this as a learning experience. (I am looking for me a J.O.B. too now)


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Variety is The Spice of Life

I have noticed that my stockpile does not have a lot of variety. I have a ton of flour, sugar, honey, salt, dry milk, rice, etc staples like that, but I noticed that we do not have a lot of different things. I mean , really, how long before the kids start complaining and we all get sick of plain rice! We all get tired of eating the same thing over and over. Appetite Fatigue!
Store up food that your family enjoys eating. Store a variety of beans, grains, spices, canned foods, flavorings, broths, soup mixes, dried fruits, nuts, tuna, and more.
One of the best things that you can do is to buy a great food storage cook book. I have several that I have bought and love. I have gotten so many good ideas and tips from them. Store up ingredients for all of your favorite meals.

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