Year Long Survival Plan -Month 3

“Determination and perseverance move the world; thinking that others will do it for you

is a sure way to fail.”-Marva Collins

Sometimes it’s easy to get started on a project, but a couple of months in motivation can wane. Remember that perseverance is the key to success when it comes to self reliance and emergency preparation.

You don’t have to have it done all at once. But if you stop now you’ll never reach your goal of being prepared. This month recommit yourself to your self-reliance efforts and do your best to complete the goals here. Even if you’re only working on your 72 hour kit you’re being proactive about your safety and the safety of your family.

72 Hour Kit

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ITEM LIST
This month it’s time to start making sure that your 72 hour kit has some food in it. This will be food that doesn’t have to be heated or cooked. You can simply open it and enjoy it. If you find there are items on this list you don’t like, substitute some that you do instead. Just make sure that you have plenty of calories.
For this month, collect:

• 1 pound of dried fruit or trail mix per person – you can also use fruit leather (at honeyville or at amazon). Having dried fruit will help those with Diabetes when their blood sugars drop too low and is a good snack without having too many carbs.
• 1 pound package of saltines per person
• 1 box graham crackers per person
• 2 liters of juice per person – tomato and orange are recommended but you can use any juice you like
• $40 cash

ACTION LIST
Juice should be in a shelf-stable bottle that doesn’t need refrigeration. You’ll also need to rotate your juice every 6 months to keep it fresh and safe to drink. This can be a valuable source of sugar and nutrients in an emergency.

Once you’ve collected these items, you can store them in the emergency backpacks. Make sure each person is carrying his or her own food. If somehow you get separated everyone should have what they need to survive.

Long-Term Food Storage

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ITEM LIST
For this month you’ll be storing some canned food items as well as making sure you have some of the household kitchen items you enjoy using and rely on daily. You’ll also start to add to your water supply.

This month you’ll need to collect:

• 15 cans of soup per person for a 3 month supply, 50 cans for a year supply. You can learn how to make your own soups too, and can them which will last for years.
• 1 pound of salt per person for a 3 month supply, 5 pounds for a year supply
• 2 pounds of fat per person for a 3 month supply, 20 pounds for a year supply
• 5 gallons of water per person for a 3 month supply, 20 gallons of water for a year supply
• 2 rolls aluminum foil and plastic wrap, 100 gallon size resealable bags for a 3 month supply, 8 rolls aluminum foil and plastic wrap and 400 gallon size bags for a year supply

ACTION LIST
When it comes to fats, you can purchase oils or shortening. It’s a good idea to do a 50/50 mix. For long-term storage it’s difficult to store butter unless you freeze it. But without electricity you’ll need to substitute shortening for butter. You may also want to consider storing water in large food safe barrels. When you’re storing over 100 gallons of water it’s a good idea to store it outside so that if it leaks you don’t flood your home.

$ Saving Tip. If you purchase 2-liter sodas or have other bottled beverages, you can store tap water in them. If you don’t, you can ask around and get some donated. This means you don’t have to purchase store bought water. First, make sure you clean them with soapy water and rinse them well.

To make sure you have no microbes growing in the bottles, soak them in a sink (or bathtub) filled with water and one cup of bleach. Make sure the bottles get filled as much as possible and turn them over so that all surfaces touch the water. 10 minutes should sanitize them well. Don’t forget to add the lids.

Remove the bottles and let them completely dry. This may take all day. Once they’re dry, fill bottles with water. If your water source is chlorinated you’re done. You can seal the bottles and label them with the date you filled them.

If you don’t use chlorinated water you’ll need to add bleach. This keeps the water from growing bacteria. The basic rule of thumb is 8 drops of bleach per gallon of water. For a 2-liter bottle, use 4 drops. Make sure you use plain bleach and nothing with scents or other additives.

Water should be stored in a cool, dry place that’s not exposed to sunlight. It should also be stored off of the floor.

Shelter and Security

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ACTION LIST

• Gutters
• Carbon monoxide alarms
• fire extinguishers
• Battery backups/supplies
• Escape routes are clear
• outside furniture
• Doors & Windows

This month you need to perform an inspection of your home to insure that it’s as safe as possible. It’s important to take care of issues before disaster strikes so that you can minimize damage and you also have time to take care of any problems.

Indoors

1. You need to check all electrical cords. Look for fraying on the cords that can lead to fire damage. If you have children or pets it’s possible they could have been chewed and damaged. Cords stuck between furniture can also become damaged.All electrical equipment should also be plugged into a surge protector.
2. Battery backup units are also a great benefit during a power outage.
3. Check carbon monoxide alarms and purchase at least one fire extinguisher if you don’t currently have one.
4. Check all plumbing for leaks.
5. Open and close all of your windows and see that they do so easily. If not, correct any problems so that they can be used as escape routes if needed.
6. If your home has a second or third story, purchase an escape ladder so that you can escape your home if needed. This will work for a fire, home invasion, or other natural disaster. These can be lifesaving.
7. Also go through and insure that all of your escape routes can be easily used. Keep clutter away from areas that may be used for escape.

Outdoors

1. You’ll need to secure any loose items that might be able to fly away in a storm such as furniture, grills and toys. This is especially important if you live in an area with tornadoes or hurricanes.
2. Clean your gutters so that water can flow correctly through them.
3. Inspect your roof for damage and replace shingles as needed.
4. Make sure that all flammable liquids are stored away from the house. And if you have natural gas or propane tanks, inspect the fuel lines.
5. Take a look at all of your doors and windows and fix any problems with weather sealing.
6. Insulate any pipes that can potentially freeze during cold weather.
7. Finally, take a look at your house number. It should be clearly visible for a 911 response if needed. If it isn’t, correct it this month.

Going through and inspecting your home when times are good will help you prevent some disasters from happening and will reduce the damage when disasters come that you can’t control.

Monthly Preparation Goal

This month make it a goal to always have at least a half tank of gas in your vehicles at all times. When the fuel level drops to the half-way point go ahead and fill it up. Don’t wait for it to be on empty.

This will insure that you can always drive away from your area if you need to evacuate during an emergency. Gas is one of the first things to become scarce in an emergency situation.

That’s it for this month’s prep. If you get all that done and you still want to do more, go back to the month before and see if there is anything else you can do again.

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