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Preparedness Keys - Survival & Food Storage For Beginners

Updated on March 11, 2016

Food Stored in Jars

Items may be stored in a variety of ways for long term convenience and quality. Jars are handy as well as plastic totes and containers.
Items may be stored in a variety of ways for long term convenience and quality. Jars are handy as well as plastic totes and containers. | Source

Plan For Emergencies

Preparedness keys are the key points of gathering food, water, and shelter items to protect you and your family by planning for emergencies. We never know what is going to hit our home town or our family dwelling. Anything from natural disasters to fires or floods or an economic hardship can set us reeling if we are unprepared.

For the beginner this can be very confusing.

There are tons of items and goods you could gather but what are the essentials?

Where do you start?

Other preparedness keys include emergency drills and safety plans. Put into regular routine there are other ways to add to your preparedness through home production and gardening.

Once you begin planning and gathering you can take heart knowing you and your family can be ready for anything!

Survival Manuals - And Preparedness Books

Survival manuals and preparedness books are great resources even for folks that have been prepping for a long time. The tips and the methods used for storing foods are different in regions that have a dry climate vs. one that is humid. Storing foods in a cold country and prepping in a higher altitude can add challenges to your planning.

Gather not only survival tools, foods, and water but knowledge as well. The more you know the better your survival will be and the safer your family is.

Preparedness 1 2 3 List

Preparedness 1 2 3's include a 72 hour kit, a water supply, and a stock of food storage. Start your emergency plans with these basics and build it an item at a time.
Preparedness 1 2 3's include a 72 hour kit, a water supply, and a stock of food storage. Start your emergency plans with these basics and build it an item at a time. | Source

Emergency Plans

Preparedness Keys 1, 2, and 3

Images are great for reminders. Plan for emergencies with these first 3 preparedness key points:

1 Get An Emergency Kit

2 Store Water

3 Food Storage

By creating simple goals and check lists you can be in survival mode quickly.

Save for investing in expensive tools and equipment later.

Emergency kits and water can be obtained on a small budget in a matter of days. Food storage for a months supply can be stocked in a few weeks. It takes just the commitment to get started.

Adding items to the emergency plan weekly enables one to build an adequate supply. Add what you can afford. Going broke on emergency supplies is not ideal planning. Pick a section to work on and set a goal for obtaining these products. Make goals and ponder the skill sets that need to be emphasised in the family unit. Exercise the planning and work on the details as you go. It will come together if you keep at it.

Bug Out Kit --> A.S.A.P!

Get or make a 72 hour or bug out emergency kit NOW - don't wait...

Disasters aren't marked on a calendar.

They can strand and leave you helpless without warning.

The simplest kit can help until you can get to a more comfortable situation.

Emergency Survival Kit Fanny Pack - 1 Person
Emergency Survival Kit Fanny Pack - 1 Person
A one person size mini kit would be an ideal emergency kit to keep with you everyday. Pack in the car or locker.
 

72 Hour Kits - Bug Out Bags

The pieces in these kits can give you an idea of what is suggested in a 72 hour kit. Mayday has long term storage ideal products and the High Calorie (energy) bars can be stored in temperatures up to 140 degrees. These are an ideal food item for storing in the trunk of your car.

You will need food and water, a simple first aid kit, flashlight, a few personal items for hygiene, a warm blanket, and something to protect you from the elements like a poncho or a raincoat. Simple items for starting a fire are required as is a communication device. You may want a whistle or a small battery powered radio. Decide on what you could easily carry and pack your kit accordingly.

First Aid Supplies and Skills

How are your first aid skills and supplies? After food and water these items should be the next priority.
How are your first aid skills and supplies? After food and water these items should be the next priority. | Source

First Aid Kit

In your 72 Hour Kit

A 72 hour kit isn't complete without an adequate first aid kit. Keep one well stocked in your home. A portable kit can be kept in the trunk of your car, back pack, or tote bag. You never know when it could come in need for yourself or someone you may help!

Supplies for treating minor cuts and wounds, such as bandages, gauze, and tape, antibacterial ointment, burn cream. First aid skills are very important to survival planning. Take a CPR class and get to know more about what to do in case of a medical emergency.


A Complete First Aid Kit - First Aid Supplies

As complete a first aid kit as you can get is what you need to have with your emergency kit or bug out bag. A 72 hour kit isn't complete without one. A complete kit includes most of the necessities needed for treating a first aid situation.Make sure you have ample room for personal first aid supplies and daily medications you need to have with you..

Water - THE Essential emergency essential

Source

H2O & Water

Store Plenty Of Water!

A good supply of clean H2O for drinking is essential for healthy survival. Recommended drinking water per person per day is 64 oz.

In disaster times water disappears quickly in the market and grocery stores.

Water goes to the highest bidder.

Ask anyone in a hurricane zone about paying $10 for a gallon of water!

In Florida during the storm season that brought Hurricane Andrew water, batteries, and bread were the first things to sell out.

Around tornado, earthquake, severe storm, and hurricane prone areas a supply of emergency essentials including water is a must!

These conditions are always unpredictable and can happen quickly with no warning signs. The damage resulting in their arrival can leave a city without power, water, and routine operation for days.


Source

Store Food For Emergency

Why?

Catastrophes are only the last reason. There are many answers to why you would store foods.

Running a busy schedule? Having food on hand in the home means less trips to the market. How many times do we run to the store for one more thing? The time, money, and the resources saved in the long run can be an added plus.

Pantry food storage selections can include ready in minutes meals and cut time, unhealthy food options, and the expenses of dining out or skipping a meals.

Why not practice storage for simple emergencies? What if the electricity goes out? What if you are unable to work for a period of time because of illness or some other complication? If planned correctly this will help us get through difficulties easier.

What are the basic food favorites in our pantries?

Buying foods in bulk can save us time and money in the long run and they are healthier for us if we buy them as close to nature intended as possible. When transitioning to food storage for meals, make sure you start adding grains like wheat to your regular routine menus.

The emergency situation will not allow for the body system to accommodate new foods so it is important to start using them in our families diet immediately. When we need to depend on these foods is not a great time to experience the discomfort that may arise if a digestive track decides it can't handle certain foods. Know this ahead of time and plan accordingly.


Food Storage Night - Funny Kids!

There are high selections and a great quality of foods in today's market. The right recipe from the preparedness pantry can be a gourmet meal choice and something your kids will LOVE. Unlike the apparent disaster with this little family.

Source

Emergency Food Storage

Food Quality

Emergency foods in storage need to be stored correctly to maintain the food quality.

There are a variety of styles and containers to secure your food storage from pests and time damage. Buying some items in bulk save you money and can save space in some instances.

Keep your foods in a dark place away from extreme temperature changes. Ideal storage is between 55 to 70 or so degrees.The place you chose for your storage area should have in interior wall away from temperature extremes. Do what you can to Not store food containers on the floor. Elevate boxes or store on shelves.

DO NOT put your food in the garage if you plan on leaving it there in the hot summers like we have here in the south west.

You would be better off storing a big pile of tin cans and paper and becoming a goat because that's exactly what diet you will end up with!


Source

Emergency Plans

Safety Drills

Think about what your family needs to prepare for. Fires, floods, storms, and other inclement weather. These are common emergency plan scenarios.

Every plan is different, Tailor make your survival plan for your family's needs and discuss them on a regular basis. Go over the plan at least every 6 months to access your families changing needs and attention spans!

Example: Fire Drills? Where to meet if everyone is separated? Grab the bug out kits! What do we do in the event of _________ (earthquake, fire, tornado, hurricane, X disaster)

Survival Supplies Check-list - Create Your Home Inventory

Make your shopping check list! Know what to survival supplies to store. Listed below are suggestions for creating a home inventory and food storage plan. Review products you regularly use in your household.

  • What foods are consumed most frequently? Example: Soups, chili, stews, canned meats
  • What health / hygeine products do we need most? Example: Soap, shampoo, toothpaste
  • Which basic home staples? Example: Bleach, Toilet Paper, Dish Soap, Laundry Soap.
  • Is there a first aid kit and related supplies in the home, car, and bug out kit? Example: peroxide, rubbing alcohol, bandages. Are daily medications included in this kit?
  • Set a list up for food storage and survival goals.

    My list includes this whimsical statement:

    My own private island with an underground bunker, plenty of land, fresh water to garden, and ranch area for critters and farming! (Ok, that's probably not going to happen but it's a fun thought! =)

****Quicky Storage Inventory Sheet*****
****Quicky Storage Inventory Sheet*****

Inventory Sheet for Storage

Free Printout Page

Preparedness begins with categorizing and lists.

Download and print 4 copies of:

****Quicky Storage Inventory Sheet*****

(click on image to access inventory sheet)

Topics for the pages:

1 - FOOD

2 - HEALTH / HYGIENE

3 - HOME STAPLES (cleaning / paper products)

4 - MISC (items you don't use often)

Print an extra one and on it put Preparedness Keys.

On this list write:

72 Hour Kit

Water

Food Storage

Add anything and everything you can think of for your personal survival and preparedness needs.

Put things like don't forget the dog!

When you have completed these goals, add a check mark so you can proceed to the next goal.

Take the grocery / household receipts from one month and enter items purchased under the categories on the inventory sheets. Place a check mark next to those items for each time you have bought them during the month.

These are your core food / home items.

Take that list to the next section.

Calculating Inventory

I need how much?

If you are showing you go through 12 - 15 boxes of cereal a month multiply that by the months you want to store for. Storage goal is for 3 months? You'll need about 36 boxes. 144 cereal boxes if you want the year covered.

Look the lists over you made from your grocery receipts. Your food storage inventory has just begun!

Preparedness Keys Summary

Survival Planning

Get an idea of what your emergency plan should be for your family and write it down.

List your favorite foods and home products.

Put together a 72 hour kit.

Get the survival plan in motion!

Plan it - use it!

Thank you for visiting! If you have any questions or concerns about food storage, preparedness, or anything related, I will be happy to answer them for you!

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