Emergency Prep


Month 1 (December 2012)
Welcome to emergency preparedness!  December is a great time to think about emergency kits - you can get some great gift ideas looking at neat gadgets that might go in an emergency kit.  And the work load for the month is pretty light: saving some money (you've already been doing that), collecting emergency items you already have in one place, and getting a couple extra things when you grocery shop.


Emergencies happen quickly and you don’t have time to search or shop for things you need, so the heart of any emergency preparedness is a well-stocked emergency kit that will last you 3 days (or 72 hours, the time when it's most difficult for outside aid to reach you).  The goals for the next 8 months are: complete 72-hour emergency kits for each person; kits for each vehicle; and complete emergency plans.
You can buy an already stocked kit from many places (a few of which are listed below), but it’s also surprisingly easy to make one out of things you probably already have around your house.  The first step is bringing together all those parts of a kit that are scattered around your house or appartment.  Use the attached basic kit list and treat it like a scavenger hunt (FHE lesson anyone?) to collect in one place what you already have.  Then make a shopping list for next month from what you don’t have on the list.  We’ll address first aid in an upcoming month. 
Potential sources for purchasing pre-made emergency kits: redcrossstore.org , Emergency Essentials: beprepared.com , rei.com , costco.com .
SUMMARY:
* Using a basic emergency kit list, find as many things from around the house as you can, put it all in a box and write down what you need to complete the list.  (Or buy pre-made kits)
*Save $11 per person for your year’s food storage supply
*For 3-month storage: Buy 1 week of 3-month-type food this month
See “Basic Emergency Kit” under Emergency Preparedness on the Document Website.

Month 2 (January 2013)
Grab the shopping list you made last month and acquire the items you need.  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

Month 3 (February 2013)


A first aid kit is an important part of your general emergency kit.  This month, using the list on the website (linked below), look around your house for the necessary first aid items.  You will likely have most of what’s on the list and perhaps even use the items regularly (our family uses bandaids all the time!).  If you’ve already got a first aid kit you use, relocate it to be right next to your emergency kit.  That way you can still use your existing supplies while maintaining the grab-and-go benefits of the emergency kit.  Going in with friends to purchase supplies is a great way to save money—you can get them in bulk and split up a big package. 
As with emergency kits, first aid kits can be purchased pre-made.  Here are some examples of stores that sell them: target.com , rei.com , Emergency Essentials: beprepared.com , redcrossstore.org , cvs.com .
* Purchase, or make from the list provided, a good first aid kit to add to your emergency kit
*Save $11 per person for your year’s food storage supply 
*For 3-month storage: Buy 1 week of 3-month-type food this month
See “First Aid Kit” under Emergency Preparedness on the Document Website.


Month 4 (March 2013)
For your emergency kit, the basics listed in Month 1 (December) and first aid will get you pretty far, but extras like tools, some money and important documents and information will make life-under-stress much easier.  Attached is the complete emergency kit list: the basics, first aid, and “extras” like tools, diapers, medications, and useful gadgets.   Use your discretion as to what items are absolutely necessary (and what items you would be willing to carry) for your kit. 
The extended list suggests you’ll want a little money: some cash in small bills and some quarters would be most useful.  Consider carrying enough to completely fill your car’s gas tank and buy a meal for your family, and possibly enough for a hotel stay – perhaps around $200.  This may require saving for several months.  For example, you could withdraw $5 cash every time you use your debit card at the grocery store, as long as you remember to put it in your emergency kit!  $200 can seem like a lot, but having cash on hand in an emergency could be a lifesaver, literally. 
Documents that would be useful would be copies of titles, deeds, wills, bank account info (this is listed on a check too), birth certificates, government IDs, power of attorney documents, etc.  These should all be photocopies, and they should be in a large plastic, watertight bag along with the cash.
This month you will go to cannery and pick up 2 months worth of food storage from the cannery. (If it seems a bit overwhelming to collect emergency gear and visit the cannery, there’s built-in wiggle room next month to finish collecting emergency gear).  Use your $11 this month toward the cannery trip.  You are ½ of the way toward your goal of having a year supply of food! 
*Round out the kit with any desired extras: tools, money, documents, etc.  
*Visit the cannery and get 2 months' worth of food storage. 
*Save $11 per person for your year’s food storage supply (use this trip)
*For 3-month storage: Buy 1 week of 3-month-type food this month.
See “Full Emergency Kit” under Emergency Preparedness on the Document Website .  


Month 5 (April 2013)
It is time to put your emergency kit into one, easy-to-carry bag just in case you need to leave in a hurry.  This bag is for emergencies only so the only requirements are that it holds together and you can carry it for a fair distance.  It does not need to be beautiful.  You can use an old school bag, shoulder bag, carry-on, beach bag or even an old church bag.  If you can sew, you can make your own out of sturdy materials.  Now, pack everything you’ve collected in the bag and voila - You have a finished kit! Place it near the door you would be most likely to use in an emergency – maybe the one where you keep your keys – and you're ready to go.
*Acquire/re-purpose/make carrying bag for your emergency kit
*Finish Month 4 (March) if necessary
*Save $11 per person for your year’s food storage supply
*For 3-month storage: Buy 1 week of 3-month-type food this month.


Month 6 (May 2013)
In case of fire you should know (and practice) how to evacuate in two ways from each room in your home. You might want to draw a map of your floor plan to help with this.  Choose a familiar point a short distance from your home as a place to meet once you get out of the building. Make sure you have all necessary smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in place with fresh batteries – and plan on changing the batteries at least once a year. This is a good time to bring up fire safety with kids - they need to know how safe you are in case of a fire because you’ve planned and practice a home evacuation.   
Locate your gas and water turn-off valves and make sure you have a wrench that can turn them off (righty tighty, lefty loosey!).  You may need to turn off your gas and water if you need to leave your home prior to an expected disaster (a hurricane for example).  You should also know how to turn off your electricity.  For more information see http://www.ready.gov/utility-shut-safety
Learn how to shelter in place.  An excellent resource for this is Massachusetts’ emergency web page teaching how to take cover in your own home. You will want to have on hand things like heavy plastic garbage bags and plenty of duct tape.
*Create and practice a house evacuation plan (in case of fire); Update smoke detectors
*Know how to shut off your gas and water
*Learn how to shelter in place
*Save $11 per person for your year’s food storage supply
*Prepare to visit the cannery again in two months (July) – 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


Month 7 (June 2013)
Family disaster plans allow you to keep track of loved ones in case of separation during an emergency. If one person is at work, one at home and several more at several schools when an emergency hits, you need to plan how you will all get in touch with and find each other afterwards. An excellent tool for making a such a plan is the Family Emergency Plan created by FEMA and available at ready.gov/make-a-plan.  The wallet-sized cards in the attachment do not include the regional meeting place so you will want to write that in.  Familiarize yourself with this information and be sure to include a copy of your plan in your emergency kit.
This month is a great time to prepare for one more emergency, that of sickness.  By the time you realize you or one of your family members are sick, it's usually too late to go to the store for what you need.  Stock things you might need that are non-perishable, such as: ginger ale, sports drinks or something to keep you hydrated; medicines, especially fever and pain reducers; simple crackers that are easy on an unsettled stomach; canned chicken noodle soup.  
*Create a family disaster plan and put copies of it in each family member's wallet and in your emergency kit
*Prepare foods and medicines you might need in case of sickness
*Save $11 per person for your year’s food storage supply
*For 3-month storage: Buy 1 week of 3-month-type food this month.
Month 8 (July 2013)
The last kit to put together is one for your vehicle. Now that you’ve prepared a full emergency kit, the car kit should feel easy.  The attached list is from ready.gov .  Make sure you include a copy of your emergency plan in your kit.
This month, go to the cannery and pick up 2 months worth of food storage.  Use your $11 for food storage toward this cannery trip.  You are 3/4 of the way toward your goal of having a year supply of food! 
*Put together a car kit
*Visit the cannery and get 2 months worth of food storage
*Save $11 per person for your year’s food storage supply (use this trip)
*For 3-month storage: Buy 1 week of 3-month-type food this month
See “Car Kit” under Emergency Preparedness on the Document Website.