Grab
the shopping list you made last month and acquire the items you
need to finish your basic emergency kit. When you build your own kit, you can do so quite
economically by buying in bulk and splitting a large package (of
batteries for instance) between friends, or by watching for sales.
Drug stores, dollar stores, grocery stores and national chain box
stores often carry canned goods and bottled water at very reasonable
prices. You can also get individual kit items from most of the sources mentioned last month.
Second,
try out a water purification technique so you’re comfortable with
how to do it. There are two steps to water purification (or you
can purchase a water filter made by companies such as Katadyn,
Berkey, Sawyer, etc.):
1.
Clarify: Cloudy or dirty water must be made clear. It may be
passed through a filter (paper, cloth or other) or allowed to settle
and the clear water on top carefully drawn off.
2.
Disinfect: Boil or add bleach. To disinfect by boiling, bring
the water to a rolling boil in an uncovered pot for 3 to 5 minutes;
boiling longer is not necessary. To disinfect with bleach, add
8 drops or ⅛ tsp household chlorine bleach (unscented; 5% to 6%
sodium hypochlorite) to 1 gallon warm water (colder temperatures keep
the bleach from working as well).
Note:
These methods do not address non-biological toxic contamination.
To learn more, visit the US EPA’s website:
http://water.epa.gov/drink/emerprep/emergencydisinfection.cfm
Ready.gov
provides information on storing and treating drinking water.
Browse both the "Water" and "Managing Water"
options in the left-hand column. There's also a page for water
storage and treatment on the Church's providentliving.org.
*Use
list from month 1 to purchase supplies to complete the basic kit
list
*Learn
a water purification technique or purchase a commercial water filter
*Save
$11 per person for your year’s food storage supply
*Prepare
to visit the cannery again in two months (March) – notify the
cannery if you plan to purchase 8 or more of any one item so they can
have it in stock
*For
3-month storage: Buy 1 week of 3-month-type food this month
