Last Sunday's Joint RS and Priesthood Meeting

I thought Bro. Gardner did an awesome job on Sunday talking about being prepared for hurricane season. I liked how he impressed on us through pictures, words, and discussion that hurricanes are a reality that we need to prepare for.

There one thing he mentioned that I want to reiterate.

Days before a projected hurricane hit, whole isles at the grocery stores will clear out.

I remember going to Kroger a couple days before Ike and...

Bread isle...empty
Canned goods (soups, beans, fruit, etc.)...gone
Cereal Isle...empty
Water...gone
Chip and snack isle...empty

I'd never seen a grocery store so depleted of products.

This was no coincidence. When a huge storm is pending in the gulf, the shelves of grocery stores will clear.

This is why having at least a two week supply of food requiring little to no prep time is important for you and your family.

One way to gradually build your food storage is to grab a few extra cans, bags, or boxes of what you're already buying. If your buying canned pineapple or corn or beans, buy one or two extra (how ever many your budget permits).

If you don't usually buy canned, bagged, or boxed products, you might need to make an exception when building a food storage, especially if you can't think of alternatives.

Also, distributors like Emergency Essentials (BePrepared.com) specialize in selling all sorts of food storage items. In addition to longer-term food storage items, they sell items ideal for 72 hour kits and crisis situation food storages (power outage/water outage), i.e. MREs (Meals-Ready-To-Eat) and Freeze-Dried Pouch Foods. Both items store well up to 7 years. Just looking at what's available at Emergency Essentials and other companies like it could also give you ideas on what foods you'd like to have stored for hurricane season.

Just some food for thought.

What do you do (or will you do) to be prepared for hurricanes?

Where to start if you don't have a food storage

I was looking at beprepared.com the other day and read their baby steps in starting a food storage.

First and foremost, they suggest starting with water, building your water storage.

I thought that was interesting, but it does make sense. You can survive something like 2 to 3 weeks without food, but you can't go more than 2 or 3 days without water.

My husband and I use three different ways to store water. Namely...

• Used juice bottles with PETE on the bottom
• 5 gallon jugs/collapsible containers purchased from an outdoors store
• Purchased water bottles, bought in bulk

Other families store those hug, blue water jugs that you see office break rooms or hallways.

If you already store water, what containers do you use? And where do you store it? We have some under the sink, in our sons' closet, and stacked in a corner.

It's recommended by numberless websites to have at least 14 gallons of water per person on hand. That's two weeks worth based on the 1-gallon-per-day rule of thumb.

After hurricane Ike swept through, Nate and I were fortunate not to loose our power, but the mayor had stated that the tab water wasn't safe to use. In that moment I was grateful for the water we had stored. We didn't have to boil water all the time before we used it. We had it already available in the juice bottles, water bottles, and jugs we had in store.

For more information on storing water see the Drinking Water post.

After you get the water taken care of or mostly taken care of, I suggest either building a 72 hour/hurricane kit(s) for your family or building a week or 2 week supply of food that you can prepare without electricity depending on what you feel prompted to do. I think both are important during the hurricane season.

Two summers ago, hurricane Ike left 19 out of 20 homes without power. In our ward, while some families just had a day without power, others went a full week or so without power.

Look here for a basic 72 hour checklist.

To see ideas for an example two week emergency supply of food, go to the Emergencykitchen.com post.

We have our 72 hour kits in backpacks and a travel bag. I've seen some people but theirs in travel carry-on size suitcases that roll.

What do you use for your 72 hour kits? What foods do you stock up on for hurricane season? I'd love to know.

Sterno Fuel for Emergencies

For this hurricane season, it might be beneficial to look into an alternative heat source for cooking that doesn't require electricity.

I've taken a look at Sterno Fuel.

Here's quick FAQs on the Sterno Website

What is Sterno® Cooking Fuel made of?
Sterno® fuel is a formulation of denatured alcohol, water and gel. It is perfectly safe when used as directed.

What happens if the cooking fuel is consumed internally?If Sterno® is ingested, please immediately call Poison Control at 1-888-313-8954.

A medical specialist will advise you of the appropriate course of action. This number is staffed by certified medical professionals and is for MEDICAL EMERGENCIES ONLY. Alternately, you may seek medical attention.

For all other consumer inquiries please call 1-877-478-3766 and press 2 to speak to a customer service representative.

Can food be prepared directly over the flame?

Although the emissions will not cause harm, it is not recommended. Certain foods may drip or burn and cause dangerous flare-ups resulting in bodily harm or damage to property. Do not attempt to eat any food that has fallen into the can or may have cooking fuel on it.

How long does Sterno® burn?
The 8 oz. can burns consistently or in increments equal to 2 1/2 hours. The 7 oz. can burns consistently or in increments equal to 2 1/4 hours. The 2.6 oz. can burns consistently or in increments equal to 45 minutes. The cooking fuel is extinguishable and can be re-lit without affecting product performance.

Will Sterno® Freeze?
No.

How long can I keep Sterno® on my shelf?
It is recommended replacing Sterno® cooking fuel 2 years after purchase. Always replace cover when not in use. Sterno® is made partly of denatured alcohol which evaporates from prolonged exposure to air.

How can I dispose of old cooking fuel?
If it is only a few cans, make sure the lid is secured tightly and dispose in a normal manner. If it is a large quantity, contact your local waste collection service for information.

The flame is blue, is that normal?
The flame from an alcohol mixture is normally blue and sometimes invisible. Always assume a flame is present until properly extinguished (see can label). Safe handling procedures should always be used when lighting and re-lighting. For a detailed chart of product safety handling tips – Click Here.

I also browsed around google to see what people say about sterno, and I found this website.
http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=0022l5

On it a woman asks...
"A widow who lives in a small apartment needs an inexpensive way to cook / heat foods. If I get her some sterno cans what is available to to place over the fire to cook in? Would she need to leave a window cracked?"

The question caught my attention because if a hurricane hit and we were caught in our home with no electricity how would we use sterno?

One person wrote,
"I had the same dilemma. I then got the 'ole thinking cap on and here are some ideas, most can be purchased at a thrift store for $1 or under:
1. Fondue cooker (comes with pan and raised heat area)
2. 4 bricks set on sides and a makeshift grill across it
3. Same as two but make it tall enough for your oil lamp (sans glass) to go under it and have a flame adjuster to boot!
4. Colander type pan (metal) upside down with fuel underneath.
Go visit all your nearby thrift stores and let your imagination do the work! It's inexpensive and fun - the goal is dual purpose for everything, and then you win ;-) "

Another person wrote, "if you can run out to HomeDepot or any garden center and see if you can get a thin piece of slate or Marble or any stone type material.

Its heavy but its the best thing to put between your cooker and your table. Heat dissipates well and wont burn at any temp. "

Reading it got me thinking about items I already had, and I remembered that I have a fondue cooker that I have stored away somewhere that I got as wedding gift. So...all I need is some sterno, and I'm set to cook after a hurricane wipes out the electricity.

However, reading more also gave me two things to consider.

1. Sterno takes 10-12 minutes to boil water

2. "Sterno is only good for warming up the precooked food, such as canned soup or MRE, just like the military's trioxane tablet canteen stove." Of course, that's a person's opinion, but in an emergency/power's off situation, I don't recommend cooking anything much fancier than canned meals and food that tells you to just add boiling water (i.e. ramen-like food and instant oatmeal).

Anyway, I hope that gets your brains a-turnin' about hurricane season.

I found a sterno like product at Sam's. You get 12 fuel cans for $12.76. Each can gives you enough fuel for 6 hrs of cooking. I didn't check the package's expiration date, but if it is indeed like sterno, it'll last 2 years on the shelf.

This is all FYI, but...Happy Preparing for Hurricane Season!!!

Emergencykitchen.com

Hello! Here's an awesome Emergency Prep website Heather Blake emailed me about. I posted below a sample of what's on the website. Take a look!

Your Personal Emergency Plan
by Sally and Ray Strackbein (http://www.emergencykitchen.com/)

What will you do in an emergency? Can you and your family be safe at home or will you share a community shelter with hoards of people coughing, snoring, sleeping on the floor, sharing the bathroom - or having to go outside or in a corner? Remember Katrina? Everyone needs a personal contingency plan. Remember the last hurricane, earthquake or winter storm? My then 82 year old mother was without electricity for 6 days after Hurricane Floyd, even though her area suffered only moderate wind and rain. If the food or water supply is contaminated or interrupted, do you have supplies on hand to sustain yourself and your family? If the community is getting sick, can your family stay home for an extended period of time? If you need to shelter at home, are you ready? If the power fails, can you stay safe and warm? We recommend preparing for at least 2 weeks or more. Please use this list and prepare now before an emergency. If you wait, you'll be too late.

Non-perishable food has a long shelf life, but won't last forever. Use and replace your stored food to ensure that it will be edible when you need it. For more information on the shelf life of food, see Shopping and Storing at www.EmergencyKitchen.com. Experiment to discover what you like.

Important: If you don t have a manual can opener, buy one. Avoid foods that need to be cooked with a lot of water, high heat or more than a few minutes of cooking.

Communication: Select a contact person who lives out of your local area. Make sure each family member carries that person s phone number, email address, and postal address at all times. Sometimes a person out of the affected area can be reached when local people cannot. Meet or talk with child care or elder care personnel. Make sure good plans are in place for extended care in case of emergency. Be sure each family member knows when to stay put and when to go to a pre-selected meeting place. Revisit or update plans frequently.

Cooking: A Sterno Stove is a good solution for warming food. It can be purchased at any store that sells camping supplies (Wal-Mart, K-Mart, sporting goods stores). Store matches in zip lock bags or a have lighter. Heat small quantities at a time. Plan no-cook meals. Eat canned vegetables as a salad, with salad dressing or vinegar and oil. You can eat canned tuna, ham, or chicken with a vegetable salad or mixed with mayonnaise packets

Water: Store 1 gallon of water per person for each day you are preparing for. You can purchase bottled water or you can bottle it yourself from tap water. You can buy collapsible water containers wherever camping supplies are sold. Another option is to wash out soda bottles and fill them with water. If you store your own water, treat it by adding 4 drops of unscented chlorine bleach to each 2 liter or half gallon bottle of water. Don t use milk
containers (bacteria risk).

Hygiene: Have plenty of paper plates, paper towels, plastic utensils and plastic garbage bags on hand. Trash pickup may not be reliable in an emergency. Buy wet wipes or waterless hand sanitizer, available where soap is sold. Eyeglass cleaning wet cloths are handy also. Buy a supply of latex or synthetic gloves and N95 masks to protect yourself from contagion.

Warmth: Have several sets of thermal underwear if you live in a cold winter climate. Layer clothing to keep warm. Don t forget hats, knitted skull caps and gloves. It might get cold indoors. Drape blankets over your dining table and use it as an indoor tent to keep warmth encapsulated.

Power failure: Keep flashlights, battery operated lights, battery radio and plenty of extra batteries on hand. Have at least one telephone that doesn't need electricity.

Health: Prepare a first-aid kit. If you take prescription medication, get an extra refill even if you have to pay for it yourself. Buy extra over the counter medications or supplies you might need. Ask your doctor if you should have a flu shot.

Community: Attend an emergency preparedness meeting of neighbors, apartment residents or property managers as soon as possible. If there is no meeting planned, get together with other neighbors and organize one. It is very important to be familiar with your neighborhood or apartment association s emergency plans. Talk with neighbors and friends. Share ideas and plans. You don t have to do everything yourself when you plan together.

Records: Back up your home or small business computer frequently, CDs and DVDs work well for backups. Take photographs or video tapes of all of your business and personal possessions. Put important documents, your photos/videos and your backups in your safe deposit box. The lessons from Katrina and New Orleans teach us that you cannot depend on backups stored in your local area. Back up online or send backup media and photos of your possessions to a trusted person at a distant location. If there is a disaster like hurricane Katrina, you will be able to restore your data and show what possessions you owned. Update your photos periodically.

Shoes: Always wear (or have available) comfortable walking shoes. You may have to walk!

Get lots more free "how-to" tips and recipes for non-perishable food at http://www.emergencykitchen.com/

Need a speaker for your group? Call Sally and Ray Strackbein, CBCP. 703-262-0361.

Thinking about Hurricanes

Hurricane season isn't for another couple months, but I think it's important to keep it in the back of your mind.



It's interesting to note that the Church itself doesn't stress having 72 hour kits anymore, but it does encourage members to prepare a simple emergency plan. Telling us to consider having ...


Three-month supply of food that is part of your normal daily diet.
Drinking water.
Financial reserves.
Longer-term supply of basic food items.
Medication and first aid supplies.
Clothing and bedding.
Important documents.
Ways to communicate with family following a disaster.



Knowing that hurricanes strike where we live, we should make sure we add what's needed to be prepared for hurricanes to the above list.



I was looking at a website run by the National Weather Service, and it gives a lot of good information about hurricanes and how to prepare for them.



A quote on the website says "preventing the loss of life and minimizing the damage to property from hurricanes are responsibilities that are shared by all." In other words, do your part in preparing for the hurricane.



The website suggests to...

• Develop a Family Plan


• Create a Disaster Supply kit


• Have a Place to Go


• Secure your Home


• Have a Pet Plan

Before I mention anything else, I should say that if you are asked to evacuate, you should do so without delay. But unless you live in an extremely high risk area, it's unlikely you'll be asked to evacuate. So, it's important for you to have a plan of what you're going to do.

To develop a Family Plan, the website says to...

• Discuss the type of hazards that could affect your family. Know your home's vulnerability to storm surge, flooding and wind. If you live in an apartment, the leasing office should know.


• Locate a safe room or the safest areas in your home for each hurricane hazard. In certain circumstances the safest areas may not be your home but within your community.


• Determine escape routes from your home and places to meet.


• Have an out-of-state friend as a family contact, so all your family members have a single point of contact.


• Make a plan now for what to do with your pets if you need to evacuate.


• Post emergency telephone numbers by your phones and make sure your children know how and when to call 911.


• Check your insurance coverage - flood damage is not usually covered by homeowners insurance. National Flood Insurance Program


• Stock non-perishable emergency supplies and a Disaster Supply Kit.


• Use a NOAA weather radio. Remember to replace its battery every 6 months, as you do with your smoke detectors.


• Take First Aid, CPR and disaster preparedness classes.

Their suggested Disaster Supply Kit includes...

• Water - at least 1 gallon daily per person for 3 to 7 days


• Food - at least enough for 3 to 7 days (non-perishable packaged or canned food / juices, foods for infants or the elderly, snack foods, non-electric can opener, cooking tools /fuel, paper plates / plastic utensils)


• Blankets / Pillows, etc.


• Clothing - seasonal / rain gear/ sturdy shoes


• First Aid Kit / Medicines / Prescription Drugs


• Special Items - for babies and the elderly


• Toiletries / Hygiene items / Moisture wipes


• Flashlight / Batteries


• Radio - Battery operated and NOAA weather radio


• Telephones - Fully charged cell phone with extra battery and a traditional (not cordless) telephone set


• Cash (with some small bills) and Credit Cards - Banks and ATMs may not be available for extended periods


• Keys


• Toys, Books and Games


• Important documents - in a waterproof container or watertight resealable plastic bag— insurance, medical records, bank account numbers, Social Security card, etc.


• Tools - keep a set with you during the storm


• Vehicle fuel tanks filled


• Pet care items— proper identification / immunization records / medications, ample supply of food and water, a carrier or cage, muzzle and leash

Interestingly, if you're keeping up with a three month supply and having enough water to last 14 days for your family, you just need to set a little bit aside to use for your Hurricane disaster kit for the season.

A day or two before Hurricane Ike a year and a half ago, the grocery store selves for canned items and dry goods were almost completely barren. I'd never seen anything like it. I was grateful to already have water and food stored at home. The funny thing, however, was that I was at the grocery store to get quarters to do the laundry before the storm hit because I didn't know the next time I could do it and the laundry needed to be done. To my annoyance, the service desk at the grocery store was closed during normal hours, and I didn't want to waste gas driving to the bank (they probably were closed anyway). Luckily, I was able to borrow quarters from a friend. Otherwise, our family wouldn't have had enough clothes and bedding for the next week. From that experience I learned that any suggested list for a disaster kit isn't all inclusive. If I would have put some thought into what my family needed to be prepared for the hurricane, I would have seen that we would've been out of clean clothes the day before the hurricane strikes and seen that shoot...I don't have any quarters.

Not wanting to over stuff this post, I'll talk about having a Place to Go, securing your Home, and having a Pet Plan in another post.

Best wishes.