Food Storage :Where To Begin?

 

First  thing is  first,  make a  selection and  decide what  room   or  space  you  will use for your food and   first aid items. It should be the coolest place in the house.  The temperature should be a within the  40-60 degrees Fahrenheit range.   The room should stay dry at all times to avoid damage  or  spoilage to your  items.  Closets, under stairways, spare bedrooms,  crawl space or under beds,any unfinished area  of the home will work as well. North facing walls are cooler  because they are away from excessive heat  exposure from the sun.   This room is where you will store the foods  you  will use  to restock  your  pantry.   The  room  you  choose  will depend  on the  space  you have  available  within  your home. Whatever  space you  can  spare that  will serve to house  your  food  supply will be  good. The reasons for having a separate storage are  simple. Ever hear the saying “don’t put all of your eggs in one basket”?  In a true disaster scenario, it is better to lose some of your food , than all of your food!  Redundancy  is also the  key  to  this  strategy.  Having  the  same  items duplicated in  separate areas will  insure that  you have everything that  you  need should  an unexpected scenario arise.
To elevate the food up off the floor you  can  use  shelving, wooden  planks  or  pallets. The containers should never come in contact with the ground. The moisture from the  ground will rust the  cans  and  can get into the buckets.  Platforms can be made of bricks with wood across them to elevate the food up off the floor,  if you like.  A simple rotation system should be implemented to insure freshness.  The  best system would be  to  stock oldest food to be used first and the newest food to be held further back and moved  forward  as you replace  what  you  have  used. The air must be able to circulate around the food to keep it dry so make  sure they are properly  stacked to allow for this  air  space. Items  with  higher  oil content  or  dairy  products should  be placed  lower because  hot  sir  rises  and it will be  cooler closer to the  ground.
To insure proper rotation, always date the cans and put the newest cans to the back and use the oldest dated cans first. If you  leave a  space  under the  bottom  shelf then you  have  effectively  created a storage  space  for non  food  items.  Such as  cooking equipment, camping equipment ,sleeping bags, blankets, etc.  The smartest thing  you  can  do is  keep  everything  you  will need  for  a  survival  situation together that  way you will find it  when you need it.
If an  emergency arises  and you cannot  find  it ,  then you  might  as  well not have  it .  You may  not have the time  to  go  searching for  something  that is not  readily  available.   In an emergency  situation ….”Time is of  the  essence”.
Do not store food in an attic because it will get too hot and  your  food  items  will spoil.  Seal all cracks and crevices where mice or insects might get in.  Mice and insects  will ruin any unsealed buckets or cardboard containers.  The mice can eat right through the Mylar foil, cardboard and  even  some softer  plastics. Keep  these items in buckets with  sealed lids.  The moth larvae eat  through the Mylar also.  Heavy plastic containers, jars or metal cans with tight-fitting lids will keep mice and insects out.  You  can  also place a bay leaf in with grains, flour, beans, etc to keep them from being  invaded by insects.
Do not leave any food items that have not been sealed properly on the shelves  or you  will risk insect infestation.  Do not store chemicals in the same room as the food or  you  could  face  cross  contamination.
What  To Store.
The best thing to  do  is  focus   on the  foods  that you and  your  family  eat.  If  you  store  foods  that  you normally  do not  eat then you  will not  readily  use  them Rotating  your  supply is  important.  However  , if  you  do  not  eat the  food then you  won’t be  rotating it  will you ?  Not  to mention  that it is  important  for you to know  how  to  prepare the  foods  that  you  have  stored.
CANNED FOODS
Canned foods make an excellent food storage item. Typically, most canned foods have a shelf life of several years, some even longer.
They come in large varieties such as vegetables, meats, fish, soups and fruits to name a few.  Most canned foods, in an emergency situation, will not require that you heat or cook them before eating them. They may not taste as good cold, but they will sustain you. You can also take advantage of great sales on canned foods and stock up quickly.
You  can  also  look into stores in  your area  that  might  sell dented  cans  at a  reduced, price.  As  long  as the  cans  seals  have  not been  compromised there is  absolutely  nothing  wrong  with the  contents of that  dented  can.  Getting it at a  considerable  discount for it’s slightly  dented   exterior is a good deal  and an excellent  way  of  building  your food  storage  quickly  and  inexpensively.
BULK FOODS
Another choice for food storage are bulk foods. Generally they are more cost-effective because you are buying them in bulk quantities.
One thing you will need to do with bulk items after you purchase them is transfer them to  long  term  storage  containers.  Such as  5 gallon  plastic  buckets, #10  cans or Mylar vacuum sealed bags.  Many of the items that you can buy in bulk are items such as rice, grains and beans. If you are not familiar with cooking these items, you will need to educate yourself now. Cooking with whole grains takes time  and practice. Better to learn now than have to  learn  when you  and  you r family  are  hungry. These  items  can  be  very  versatile  once you learn to  cook  with them  and they  are  much  healthier  for you as  well.
Please  remember that  Salt  and  Sugar  are  essentials.  Salt is  necessary for  good  health and  sugar  is  needed to assist in making things   palatable and   for  energy.  Unless you  have the  money  to  buy cases of  honey.  Sugar will be   your  best  asset in providing the necessary calories  and  energy needed.  They  are  relatively  inexpensive in comparison to  most  other  bulk  foods.  Making it  rather  easy  to  stock up on these  two  very  essential  items.
**Another  thing  you  may  want to  consider  is that salt and  sugar  may   very  well be used   as  a bartering  currency during  a  crisis  when these items might not  be  readily  available.
Baking Items
Simple raw materials for baking, such as flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, oil and shortening, can be assets in a survival situation. With these staple items, you can make everything from pancakes or rolls to breading fresh fish. Powdered milk can be mixed with water. Oatmeal, wheat flour and sugar are other staples with which you can make baked goods.
For those looking for a simpler answer, mixes for muffins, corn bread and pancakes mean you do not need to add eggs or measure ingredients. These ready-made or pre-mixed ingredients can be time and  labor saving.  However, one  must  also  consider the  added  expense the pre-packaged  items will cost as  opposed to  bulk foods  that  you  can readily mix  to  make the same things at  a much  lower price.  If  your  budget  allows  then  feel free to purchase the  pre-packaged .
For long-term survival storage, honey stores for years and can replace sugar in recipes. Rather than storing flour or meal, purchase the raw grain and a hand mill. Then you can mill your own flour whenever necessary. Red winter wheat, golden wheat, corn and other grains can be purchased in 45-pound lots packed in nitrogen-packed bags and shipped in large plastic pails.   Or  you  can  purchase your own in the  local  feed  store and package them yourself.
Large canned goods, on the other hand, are difficult to transport. But if you’re stocking up your survival retreat or planning to weather the  storm at home, the large canned goods are easy to store and can keep you well-fed for months. While individual cans can be purchased, most popular are sets of multiple items. These are designed to provide a specific number of calories per day (they’ll recommend 1,800 per day, but you’ll probably want more) for a set period of time, often three months, six months or a year. Remember, however, if you have four people in your family or survival group, purchasing a one-year supply of food will only equate to three months worth for the family.
It is recommended that one purchase the largest set of these canned, dried foods one’s budget can handle. Then supplement the set with items tailored to you and your family or survival group. Also, MREs are excellent supplements, as prepared sets of #10 cans are typically vegetables, pasta and grains, while MREs are usually meat-based. Although there  are  some companies that  do  have the freeze dried  meats  available in  #10  cans if  it is within your  budget.
You may also want to add a few special items, such as hard candy, chocolate or desserts, to reward yourself , for quick energy or to  stave off  palate fatigue.
Don’t forget to add vitamins and mineral supplements.   Fruits, green vegetables and other items rich in vitamin C and other nutrients may be difficult to come by and a  good multi-vitamin can  make all the  difference in  your  nutritional  intake.  Well  worth  having in  your  food  storage.
MREs (MEALS READY TO EAT)
With these you will have a nice hot meal without having to cook. A disposable MRE heater provides a chemical reaction which heats the food.
Ease of portability of these meals is  also a  plus. They are small and easy to store, perfect for an evacuation scenario and keeping some in your car kit. They are also quite tasty. One disadvantage, however, is that they can be pricey and they do not provide as much roughage as you need. (This can lead to digestive problems if you plan to live on them for an  extended  period  of time.)
Beverages Other  Than Water
such as powdered milk, cocoa mix, a fortified fruit drink mix, evaporated milk, and some bottled juice.  In a winter emergency, having cocoa mix around is a blessing.  The  milk  will come in handy for many  things  including  cooking.  However,  one important  thing  you  must keep in  mind is  palate  fatigue.  If you  have the  same foods  over  and over  again  palate  fatigue  will set  in and in a survival  situation  it is  not a good idea  to  go  without  food.  Children  especially  can  suffer  from palate  fatigue  and it is  important  that  these situations  be  taken into account  when  building a  food  storage for  future   use.

Home Made Survival Foods
Canning goods is a tradition that will come in very handy in a survival situation.  From spaghetti sauce to your own jam. The types of  foods you can  preserve  with this  method  is  limitless.  However, when you are dealing with canning fruits, vegetables or meats, its important to follow the latest specifics from the true experts.
You can also dry, vacuum-pack and otherwise prepare food for storage. Vacuum pumps are available commercially or can be constructed in your own home. You can use them to seal dried food in mason jars and other containers.
When packing foods for storage, you want to eliminate oxygen (which is why a vacuum is so good). Bugs, such as weevils, and other organisms that can destroy your food need the oxygen to live, just as we do. That’s why commercial companies who prepare survival food pack grains, cereals, pasta, beans and other food in nitrogen-filled containers. You can accomplish a similar packaging yourself by using dried ice.
Simply take the 10 pounds of noodles (or 25 pounds of rice or other dried food) you picked up from the warehouse and put them in an appropriately sized plastic bucket with a lid that can create a good seal.  Add several chunks of dried ice. As it sublimates, your bucket will fill with carbon dioxide, which will displace all or most of the oxygen (since carbon dioxide is heavier, the oxygen should rise to the top and out of the bucket). Place the lid on the bucket, but don’t seal it all the way until you think the dry ice has completely turned to gas. This is a fine line, since you want to seal it before oxygen starts leaking back into the bucket.
Drying fresh  fruit ,  vegetables, herbs, spices  and  meats at  home is also a good  way  of  preserving  foods.
With a  good  dehydrator you  can make  fruit leather ( like   fruit  rollups) and  jerky.  Some  have  even dehydrated  scrambled  eggs.  You  can  dehydrate  any type of  food that  does not have a  high  fat  content ( at  can  turn  rancid  and  make  your  food  unappetizing).  Storing   dehydrated  foods  will  be  done  in the  same  manner as  bulk foods to  insure freshness and safety  when  you need them  most.  If  stored  properly dehydrated  foods can  last for 5  or more  years.
Comfort Foods
Coffee, hard candy and chocolate ( chocolate chips keep  well and  can be used the  same  as baking  chocolate and is  better than a chocolate bar when trying  to  maximize storage  space). Boosting morale with comfort foods can help keep spirits high in an emergency situation.
High Energy Items
You may need to make a special effort to keep your energy levels high, so stock up on items with plenty of protein and fiber. Peanut butter, granola bars and trail mix are recommended. Energy bars  and  protein bars  can  also  come in handy, if  you  can spare the  expense.  Also  having peanut  butter,  flour and  honey  you  can  make  high calories protein bars of your  own.
Specialty Items
Don’t forget to store specialty items that you might need. If you have a baby, cans of powdered formula would be good to have on hand, even if you’re nursing. Diabetics who eat certain foods and supplements will need to keep those on hand. Elderly people who use a meal supplement will need to stock that.
Making  sure  you  have an  ample  amount  of  cases  of  Ensure or  something like it would not  be a  bad  idea if  you have  children  or  elderly   family  members.  This  will help  to  supplement  their  diet and  keep  them  healthy in an  emergency  situation.
**Having nuts  like   almonds, walnuts, cashews and  grains like  rice and  oats will also give  you  an advantage aside  from the  menu  aspect.  They can all  be used  to  make  nut and grain  milk  to  supplement for  babies or  even lactose intolerant adults.  They  are  nutritious  and  easily  digested.
SEEDS
Many people forget this item. Seeds are a ‘must’ for every prepper in order to grow your own food.  In a long  term survival  scenario  it  will be  the  difference  between  surviving and  possibly starving to  death.   These should be rotated every year or two. Check your packets for an expiration date. As seed packets are inexpensive enough, it’s not a huge endeavor to rotate these.  Besides  you  can  always  practice  with  a  garden  now and use  those soon to expire  seeds in your own backyard garden and  grow  your  own  food.  Practice  makes  perfect.  A survival emergency  scenario  is not a  good  place to  practice skills that  you are  not  familiar  with.  Focus on  Heirloom seeds  rather  than  hybrid  as  they  are  stronger and have  stood  the  test  of  time.
**May  also  be  proven  to  be  valuable as  a bartering  method during  an emergency  situation  when seeds  would  not be readily  available.

Water

Water is  very  important to  survival.  It  is necessary for hydration,  for  hygiene,  for sanitation ; keeping us  safe from illness.  Water is of very important to all living things; in some organisms, up to 90% of their body weight comes from water. Up to 60% of the human body is water, the brain is composed of 70% water, and the lungs are nearly 90% water. Lean muscle tissue contains about 75% water by weight, as is the brain; body fat contains 10% water and bone has 22% water. About 83% of our blood is water, which helps digest our food, transport waste, and control body temperature. Each day humans must replace 2.4 litres of water, some through drinking and the rest taken by the body from the foods eaten.
A  human  being can  survive anywhere  from  2  to 10 days  depending on the  temperature.  The  higher  the  temperature  the  shorter to  survival time.  Although, no matter  what the  temperature the  human  body  requires  the  same amount  of water  to  stay  healthy regardless of  how  hot or  how  cold  it is.  The  reason  is  simply that the  body  requires it  to remove  toxins and  to regulate  body  temperature.
The  American  Red Cross  says :
After an emergency, such as a flood, hurricane, or earthquake, drinking water may not be available or safe to drink. As a result, you may have to find a source of safe drinking water or know how to treat your water for use in certain activities, such as drinking, making ice, washing hands, and brushing teeth. The following information will tell you how to plan for treating and storing your water in the event of an emergency.

Prepare an Emergency Water Supply

• Store at least 1 gallon of water per day for each person and each pet. You should consider storing more water than this for hot climates, for pregnant women, and for persons who are sick.
• Store at least a 3-day supply of water for each person and each pet (try to store a 2-week supply if possible).
• Observe the expiration date for store-bought water; replace other stored water every six months.
• Store a bottle of unscented liquid household chlorine bleach to disinfect your water and to use for general cleaning and sanitizing.

Water Containers (Cleaning and Storage)

Unopened commercially bottled water is the safest and most reliable emergency water supply.
Use of food-grade water storage containers, such as those found at surplus or camping supply stores, is recommended if you prepare stored water yourself.
Before filling with safe water, use these steps to clean and sanitize storage containers:

1. Wash the storage container with dishwashing soap and water and rinse completely with clean water.
2. Sanitize the container by adding a solution made by mixing 1 teaspoon of unscented liquid household chlorine bleach in one quart of water.
3. Cover the container and shake it well so that the sanitizing bleach solution touches all inside surfaces of the container.
4. Wait at least 30 seconds and then pour the sanitizing solution out of the container.
5. Let the empty sanitized container air-dry before use OR rinse the empty container with clean, safe water that already is available.

Avoid using the following containers to store safe water:

• Containers that cannot be sealed tightly
• Containers that can break, such as glass bottles
• Containers that have ever been used for any toxic solid or liquid chemicals (includes old bleach containers)
• Plastic or cardboard bottles, jugs, and containers used for milk or fruit juices

For proper water storage,

• Label container as “drinking water” and include storage date.
• Replace stored water that is not commercially bottled every six months.
• Keep stored water in a place with a fairly constant cool temperature.
• Do not store water containers in direct sunlight.
• Do not store water containers in areas where toxic substances such as gasoline or pesticides are present.

Make Water Safe

Water often can be made safe to drink by boiling, adding disinfectants, or filtering.
IMPORTANT: Water contaminated with fuel or toxic chemicals will not be made safe by boiling or disinfection. Use a different source of water if you know or suspect that water might be contaminated with fuel or toxic chemicals.

Boiling

If you don’t have safe bottled water, you should boil water to make it safe. Boiling is the surest method to make water safer to drink by killing disease-causing organisms, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites.
You can improve the flat taste of boiled water by pouring it from one container to another and then allowing it to stand for a few hours, OR by adding a pinch of salt for each quart or liter of boiled water.
If the water is cloudy,

• Filter it through a clean cloth, paper towel, or coffee filter OR allow it to settle.
• Draw off the clear water.
• Bring the clear water to a rolling boil for one minute (at elevations above 6,500 feet, boil for three minutes).
• Let the boiled water cool.
• Store the boiled water in clean sanitized containers with tight covers.

If the water is clear,

• Bring the clear water to a rolling boil for one minute (at elevations above 6,500 feet, boil for three minutes).
• Let the boiled water cool.
• Store the boiled water in clean sanitized containers with tight covers.

Disinfectants

If you don’t have safe bottled water and if boiling is not possible, you often can make water safer to drink by using a disinfectant such as unscented household chlorine bleach or iodine. These can kill most harmful organisms, such as viruses and bacteria, but are not as effective in controlling more resistant organisms such as the parasites Cryptosporidium and Giardia.
To disinfect water,
Filter it through a clean cloth, paper towel, or coffee filter OR allow it to settle.
Draw off the clear water.
To use bleach, add 1/8 teaspoon (or 8 drops; about 0.625 milliliters) of unscented liquid household chlorine (5-6%) bleach for each gallon of clear water (or 2 drops of bleach for each liter or each quart of water),
Stir the mixture well.
Let it stand for 30 minutes or longer before you use it.
Store the disinfected water in clean sanitized containers with tight covers.
To use iodine, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Chlorine dioxide tablets are another disinfectant that now is available in some outdoor stores. This disinfectant has proven to be effective against pathogens, including Cryptosporidium, if the manufacturer’s instructions are followed.

Filters

Many portable water filters can remove disease-causing parasites such as Cryptosporidium and  Giardia from drinking water. If you are choosing a portable water filter, try to pick one that has a filter pore size small enough to remove both bacteria and parasites. Most portable water filters do not remove viruses.
Carefully read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the water filter you intent to use. After filtering, add a disinfectant such as iodine, chlorine, or chlorine dioxide to the filtered water to kill any viruses and remaining bacteria.

Finding Emergency Water Sources

Alternative sources of clean water can be found inside and outside the home. DO NOT DRINK water that has an unusual odor or color, or that you know or suspect might be contaminated with fuel or toxic chemicals; use a different source of water.
The following are possible sources of water:

Inside the Home

• Water from your home’s water heater tank
• Melted ice cubes made with water that was not contaminated
• Water from your home’s toilet tank (not from the bowl), if it is clear and has not been chemically treated with toilet cleaners such as those that change the color of the water
• Liquid from canned fruit and vegetables

Listen to reports from local officials for advice on water precautions in your home. It may be necessary to shut off the main water valve to your home to prevent contaminants from entering your piping system.
Water from sources outside the home must be treated.  DO NOT DRINK water that has an unusual odor or color, or that you know or suspect might be contaminated with fuel or toxic chemicals; use a different source of water.
Water to be continued…………………

A wake up call for how we view the possibilities of violence during or after a disaster

We want to believe in the inherent goodness and decency in people. However, is it always within that persons control? Can we understand that sometimes inherently good and decent people can crack and do despicable things?

I stumbled across this BBC documentary that I found very interesting . I thought I would share it with all of you to put in perspective my warnings of security and self defense.

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Uploaded by CooDocu on Oct 27, 2011

What makes ordinary people commit extreme acts of violence?

In a thought-provoking and disturbing journey, Michael Portillo investigates one of the darker sides of human nature. He discovers what it is like to inflict pain and is driven to the edge of violence himself in an extreme sleep deprivation study.

He meets men for whom violence has become an addiction and ultimately discovers that each of us could be inherently more violent than we think, and watches a replication of one of the most controversial studies in history, the Milgram study. Will study participants be willing to administer a seemingly lethal electric shock to someone they think is an innocent bystander?

How Violent are You? - BBC Horizon

A list of Essentials for a Survival Situation

Water -  storage , safety and identifying possible  sources.
Food – determining  the  best  choices for  a  survival situation and learning  how  to store and prepare them.
First Aid – assessing needs and acquiring necessary knowledge to make a difference in case  of  an  emergency.   It  could mean  the  difference  between  life  and  death.
Securing your  location from  threats – animal, human, biological or radioactive.
Gardening – assessing  your  family’s  needs, establishing  and maintaining a garden.  Where do you  get the  seeds ,  what  kind  of  seeds, and  how  to save them once  your  garden is  established.
Hygiene and Sanitation – determining personal needs and  dealing with the lack  of indoor plumbing.
Hunting, Fishing and  Trapping -  determining your  family’s  needs/limitations, tools  and  equipment  needed and some  techniques to practice  for  when the time  comes.
Power and  lighting  needs – determining the  best  methods available for  power, lighting  and  what  you  will need  to look for.
Fuels – determining  what  your  family’s needs will be  for  cooking, operating your car or a  generator and  heating your shelter during  cold  weather.
Tools – essential  tools that  you  will need  to be  able to construct, repair, garden, etc.
Books/Instructional Booklets – information at  your  fingertips, quick reference  anytime  you  need it.
Bartering-  discussing  possible items that would  be a  good  idea  to  stock up on to facilitate transactions for needed or  wanted items/supplies.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Hello,  I have  noticed  that there  are  many  survivalist sites out there.  However, by the  same  token  I  have also  noticed that  many  people  are  put off by  them  because there is a  stigma  to  the   word  Prepper or  Survivalist.  I  think that  preparing  for  disasters, natural or  man  made is  of the  essence.  So I  would  like to  present  my ideas  in a  more  appealing  manner  for the  comfort of  those  who shy  away  from the  labels..
I  will be  presenting  a series of blogs  with  information  and  planning advice  that  could  very  well appeal to you.  Thereby, allowing  you  to see the  bigger  picture  about  what  could  very  well  be  coming down the pike, so  to  speak.
I  welcome all  constructive  feedback and  questions.  After all,  this is  about  our helping  each  other to  discover what  we  can  do to keep  ourselves  and our  loved  ones  safe.  Please  feel free to  ask .  All  legitimate  inquiries  will be  addressed to the  best  of my  abilities.
IF there  were a disaster in  your  area  tomorrow  would you  be  prepared  to  take care of  yourself and your family with the  skills and   supplies  you  presently  have in  your  home?
I do  not  by  any stretch of  the imagination  consider myself  an  alarmist , a doomsday-er, an  end of the  world-er or  any  other labels  there  may  exist  out  there  and I am  sure there  are  plenty.  What  I am  is a  single  mom  who lived  in Florida  for  25  years  and  am well acquainted  with  what  happens to  people   when they are  not  prepared  for a  disaster.  Now  you  would  think  that  in a  state that is  known for  hurricanes people  would understand that it is not  silly  to prepare before  hurricane  season is  upon  them.  We  were  without  electricity for  3  weeks  after  hurricane  Andrew, 2  weeks  after  hurricane  Katrina and  another 3 weeks after hurricane  Wilma.  On a limited  income ,  how well  do you think I  would have  been  able  to  feed  my family if I  had not prepared and had to  depend  on buying our food from restaurants kept running with  generators?
Another thing people fail  to understand is this: Hurricanes can be  predicted to a  certain  degree.  They  follow   tropical  storms until it  shows  signs of  strengthening, as  they  are  slow  moving time  is on our  side.  Even  their trajectory  can  be  planned  out  to a  certain  degree.  Their  estimated  arrival  can  also  be tracked.  Do you  really  believe a  tsunami, monster  tornado  or an  earthquake can  be tracked and  predicted  to  that  extent?  So  without  warning how much  time do you have  to prepare?  Do  you  believe these natural  disasters  can’t  disrupt  our  utilities and  transport  for longer than  3  weeks?  The  reality  of the  matter is  quite the contrary.  The  single  most  intelligent  thing that anyone  can do is  to  prepare.  When that  hurricane is  announced  and  it’s  arrival  date  is  made  public  then the  panic  sets  in;  When that  earthquake  hits or that  tornado has  passed.   People  rush  to the  supermarkets.  Those  who get there first will be able to  find  all they need.  However,  the ones  who  came a  bit  later or those  who did  not  prepare in advance will find  empty  shelves.  How much  advance  notice  does the public  receive  for an  earthquake, tornado or  tsunami?  You  see  where  I am  going  with this?  Did  you  know  that  all  supermarkets  across the  US   have about  of  3 to 4  days worth of  supplies on  location?  Without  transport  from  regional warehouses they  have only  what is  on the  shelves and in their  backroom storage.  Now  without water,  bread, batteries, canned  goods, etc. in the  supermarket what  will  you do?
No one  can  deny  that  we  are  headed  for  hard  times with the  economy the  way  it is.  It’s  not like  I  am  presenting  an unheard of  scenario.  How  many  have  lost  their  jobs and  ended  up  homeless?  How  many people  are  one paycheck away  from  ending  up on the  streets?  We  have all  read  about the  great  depression and I dare  say  we  all understand that  it  occurred  right  here  at  home and  not  some  far  off  land.  The  hardships, the  hunger, and the total despair of those  who lived  that  era of our  Nation’s  history.
As  our  society continues  on  the  road  of  development and  modernization technology progresses and the chains of interdependency become more ingrained  within us.  Our food,  our clothing all the  comforts  we use on a daily  basis  require transport   either  from  other  states  far  away  or  other  countries.   Through the  web  of globalization  we  have  gone  from a  country  of  production and  manufacture  to  one  of  consumption.  The  truth  is that  very  little  is now  made  here in the  US. Therefore it  stands  to reason  that if  something  happens  and  these modes  of  transport  are interrupted  for any  reason  so will the  availability  of  these  products.  This is  not  me  being  an  alarmist.  Quite the  contrary it  is  necessary  for  us  to be  realists and  see things  logically.  Think  about it .  Where  do  your  fruit ,  your  vegetables, your clothing ,  etc. come  from?  I   encourage  you  to  start  taking a  good  look at the  labels and  you  will see the  truth  of  my   words.  All it  would  take to  disrupt  the  transport  that  connects  us  to  our daily  essential  products  is an interruption in the  availability  of  fuel or the destruction of main  highways  and  streets.  Impossible you  say?  Look  around  you.  How many  freak  storms  and  weather  phenomenon  have  you  read  about  in the  newspaper  or  seen on the  news?  Hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, nuclear plant accidents, tsunamis not to mention  freak  waves.  Granted  many of these  monster  storms   and  earthquakes  have  occurred in other  countries.  Is  it  so  crazy  to  consider that it  could  also happen  here in the  US?  Starting to get the  picture?
Dealing  With Reality
Human Nature – What  are people capable of:  In  Florida during  the onset of  a hurricane  it could very  easily  be  seen  who the  dangerous people  would be  just  by the  way  they  would push  people  aside and  fight  with  someone for the last bottle  of  water on the shelf.  I know the  answer to this  question  but  I  would like to ask  you.  Do you  know  what  your  neighbor  is  capable of  when a devastating  panic  comes into play and there  is  no food  to be  had?  Just  take a look at  what happens  during a  Black Friday  Sale.  We have all seen the  videos, the  news paper  articles  or the tv/radio broadcasts of  people hurting  each  other  and  fighting  over  products  that  are  on sale and  they  just  have to  have.  Imagine what these people would be like in a  life  or  death  situation where there is no food  or  water  available.  Big  cities will be  worse due to the  high  concentration  of  people and the lack of  resources  once transport  is interrupted  for any  reason.
Be  Practical:  Understand the  risks  you  take  by  not  preparing  properly.  Take  measures  to  protect  yourself and  your  family.  Stock  up on  food  and supplies to make  sure  that  all are assured of food  water  and  first  aid when they need them.  Think  about  family  members  who have  not  prepared.  What  will happen  when  they have  no  food  or  water?  Will  you  be able to  share  what  you  have   to insure that they  too are taken  care of?  What  about  your neighbor  or that  little  old  lady  across the  street  who has  no one?  What  about if you  or  your significant  other  lose  your  job.  Do  you realize that having a  back up food  supply  could  help  tide  you  over  until  things  get  better?
Will you be  ready  to  defend  yourself  and your family?  Just  look  at  what  happens  during  a  black  out in  NYC  or a  riot  in  LA.  Learn  that  in  moments of  great  turmoil  some people  resort  to  violence.  It is a  proven  fact not my  own   wild imaginings.  Think about it.  Not  everyone is  willing to  go  out  and buy a  gun.  However,  safety and the protection of  your  family  is of  the  utmost  importance.  What  will you  do  in a  moment  such  as  this and  how  will you  protect them?  I  leave the  details  to  your  imagination  and  your  conscience.  As the  saying   goes, ”An ounce of  prevention is worth a  pound  of  cure.”   No  truer  words  have  ever been spoken.
Alone vs. a  group:  The  old  adage  says  clearly  that  there  is strength  in  numbers.   Effective security means having at least two families to provide security at all times.  This  can  include close  neighbors, family  and  friends.  However, one must  take into account that  for every individual added there  will be  another mouth to feed.  Effectively  adding  people  to  ones  group  calls  for adequate supplies and  resources.  The amounts having a  direct bearing on the  amount  of  people the  group can sustain.
The  enormity  of  getting a  family  prepared  can  be  overwhelming.  Take  a moment to ponder  the  fact  that  most  people  are not  even considering  the  need to prepare .  That already  puts  you  ahead  of the  curve.  Financial issues are  another  worry.  My recommendation is start out  slow.  Whenever you  go  shopping  buy a few  extra  items that  will be  designated  to the  food  supply. A  few cans  here  a  couple  of  bags  there  and  in a  few  weeks  you  will start  to see  your supply  grow.  One step at a  time  is  the  best  way  to  insure success.
Take  a good long  look at  your  pantry , be  totally  honest  with  yourself .  Will  you and  your family  survive  with  what  you  have  there if  you  are without a working infrastructure for  3  weeks or  more,  like  we  did  in  Florida  after hurricane Andrew?
Let’s  start by making  a practical list of the  essentials  we  will be needing in  case of an emergency such as  the ones  I  have  mentioned.  On my  next blog  I  will  be starting the  lists and the pertinent information I  have to  give  on  each   subject.
See you  next  time………