I having been cleaning out my tornado shelter/laundry room and checking everything we need to make it if a disaster should happen.
First don’t store water in milk jugs or buy water in the gallon jugs. They break down and leak everywhere! I had a huge moldly mess to clean up! So now I am storing my emergency water in soda jugs until I can get enough water containers collected from the thrift store. I am going to get the kind that you take camping so they will not leak or puncture.
I was putting a change of clothes in for everyone in case we would need to leave. I was going through all our stuff I was going to give to the thrift store to get the extra clothes. As I was, I was thinking how if we all had to evacuate what would be the best way to keep track of the kids. Now that we have 4 it is a little harder.
I love to see Mike and the boys in red shirts so I’m always buying them for them. Well, I took 6 red shirts out and put them in our “survival kit”. Then if we need to evacuate on a bus or in a crowd of people I can keep track of everyone better. Also, you never remember what they have on in those types of situations. This way, if I have everyone put on a red shirt at least I will know what they are wearing if they get lost!
Another tip is to keep a permenant marker in with your survival kit. Then if you do have to evacuate write on the kids skin their names, your name and address and a relatives address out of town or state. You could also keep index cards with safety pins to pin it on their clothes but that could get ripped off.
Anyway, are you ready in case of an emergency? If not do it now! You never know when you will have an emergency. You can go here to get a list of info. on how to prepare. www.ready.gov . I cost me about $20 in supplies for things like bandages etc. Everything else we already had on hand.
TAwra
Great idea about the matching red shirts and writing on your children’s skin. I’m going to keep that tucked away for the next time our Women’s group teaches Emergency Preparedness! Love your blog! Thanks for keeping it real and positive!
Purchase unscented chlorine bleach, then store your emergency water in the bleach jugs. The chlorine remnant will keep the water from contamination. Be sure to remove labels and write “Water” and the date on the jug with a Sharpie. If you change out the water, use nail polish remover to erase the date so you can rewrite the new date.
Doesn’t it just make you furious that these jugs might remain in landfills for hundreds of years, but will split at the seam so we can’t recycle them effectively?
I live in Florida, and every hurricane season I plan to be prepared, but can you believe I never am. I guess I look at it this way. If its a serious enough storm I am leaving anyway, so why do I need water, canned food, etc.. I evacuate for cat 2 and over. we just had a tropical storm come through. Lots of rain and wind, but no real damage in my area. I guess that one day my lack of preparedness will catch up with me!
In an emergency don’t forget your pets.
have their food, medication and leashes or cages so they are ready to go when you are.
Always have a favourite blanket or toy so they are not stressed by the emergency or the numbers of people around them.
These tips are just wonderful! Thanks so much for your site!
As PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS told me that using recyled soda bottles to store water was only safe for six months, even though I put a dash on bleach in the bottles. Soooo, ensure that you change the water periodically. You can do a load of cold water wash it.
By the way, if we avoid using prepared drinks like sodas, and we will have less bottles to recycle.