Preparedness Is a Buffer Against the Storm

Being prepared has been a part of my life for over 20 years and I take small steps every day toward my goal of having an area of safety around my family. It’s my buffer from the craziness of the world. I have been thinking about the confidence and security that being prepared gives me and why I should prepare for an emergency.

I guess my preparedness efforts go in cycles. Sometimes I’m buying food, canning, and freezing. Other times I work on my 72-hour kit and camping supplies. It gets to be overwhelming if you try to do it all at once.

Prioritize Your Preparedness Efforts – Make a Plan

Food Storage

Food is really important to me. This is a big Area of Safety for me; to know that no matter what may happen to us financially, I can feed my family. We have a well-stocked pantry, a 3 month supply of food so I can basically make any kind of meal without having to go to the grocery store.  This is smart because I live in the country, but it also saves me money.

In addition, I have a years supply of various grains, beans, sweeteners, and spices. Many years ago, while my husband was going to college, we lived off our food storage. It was a valuable lesson in self-reliance for our family. What is your food storage plan?

72 Hour Bug Out Bag

How concerned are you about needing to evacuate from your home? I have a fully stocked, 72-hour emergency kit that will sustain me if I have to leave in an emergency. I keep it in the garage and may never have to use it, but isn’t it foolish not to prepare?  I don’t want to be someone who has to go to a shelter with nothing but the clothes on my back!

Are you ready to bug out – or bug in?

Medical Supplies

Concentrate your efforts on purchasing medical supplies. The great thing about these  – most items do not have expiration dates! The dollar store has gauze, band-aids, gloves and many other items for your first aid kits. It doesn’t have to be expensive to get started.

How prepared are you for a medical emergency?

Get the Skills You Need

While it’s great to have food, medical supplies, and a 72-hour kit, it won’t do you much good if you are unprepared to use it.  Here are some skills you need:

• I have diligently learned to can, dry and freeze fruits and vegetables. There is nothing quite as satisfying as looking at those jars on the counter after a day of hard work! Take a class or ask a friend to teach you how.
• Get first aid training and become familiar with treating severe bleeding, dressing and cleaning wounds, treating shock, and other life-saving measure you might need to know. Having this knowledge really is peace of mind!
• Learn about using herbs and essential oils and how natural approaches to health care can benefit your family. Not only will it come in handy – it will save you money.
• Learn and practice the skills needed to go camping. Not only is it fun to “rough it” but it’s great practice for power outage times. A hot meal can make all the difference in an emergency.
• Have some money put away. I’ve lived paycheck to paycheck before. It’s very stressful and certainly not fun! How different would your life be if you had six months of savings that you could lean on?

Today let’s begin a quest in earnest – A year’s supply of basic food, a fully stocked pantry – able to sustain us for 3 months, a functioning 72-hour kit, medical supplies in case of emergency or pandemic (or a cold) and 6 months savings against the unknown.

Take the Red Cross Preparedness Quiz and see if you are ready. Review the 10 Principles of Preparedness and make a plan.

PreparednessMama.com is about learning the skills you need so that whatever emergency your family might face; economic hardship, natural disaster, or just fear of the unknown – you can have an Area of Safety around your family to be prepared.

Why should I prepare for an emergency?

Because it’s the smart thing to do!