(no subject)

[lizzybennet]

I attended a huge women's meeting today on emergency preparedness. The classes were on food storage, water storage, fuel storage and 72 hour kits. We had a speaker who worked in New Orleans for several weeks in the relief effort after Katrina. He had some very sad, as well as inspirational stories. We also watched a video about 9/11. It was a somber day. We really don't have any food storage, maybe 2 weeks worth if we weren't able to do any supplemental shopping. The advice is to have one years supply of food. We certainly have no water or fuel storage. Living in an apartment, we could not do any fuel storage anyway, but I think we can start doing some water storage. It is easy to feel comfortably safe living in Az. We don't have to fear hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, earthquakes, or flooding. There is flash flooding during the monsoon season, but only in the washes. It doesn't usually threaten housing. Forest fires are a concern, but those mostly burn in the mountains. By the time they hit the desert, there is not enough brush to fuel the fire.

It is a lot to think about, and a lot to plan for.

Oh, my mouth is killing me but it is not wisdom teeth pain. It feels like cavity pain. I think I'm making it worse by clenching my teeth when I sleep. It's much worse when I wake up from sleeping.

Comments

[texastea.livejournal.com]

I've got enough of *some* things for a year; canned milk, yeast, rice. I need to restock flour and Crisco. I have not nearly enough of canned goods. I have a case of green beans, a case of tomatoes, about a month's worth of canned meats, and plenty of macaroni/cheese, noodly things. This year, I am buying the three-gallon containers of water instead of the one-gallon ones. The one-gallon ones develop leaks and empty out over time. I keep a year's supply of multivitimins on hand for everyone, in case it becomes difficult to get a balance of all the food groups over an extended period of time. That reminds me that I need to get a whole bunch of peanut butter, beef jerky, and oatmeal.

I have quite a bit of propane for our gas camp stove, candles, matches, batteries and flashlights, and some raingear. I need more propane. I keep a good supply of baby wipes and antibacterial "squirt" stuff on hand. I need to get plenty of mosquito stuff - including the stuff specifically for children. Our pitcher pump will be receiving new leathers in the next week or so, just in case we need to be able to get water out of the ground sans electricity. (Our generator is heavy-duty, but we are on City water - no electric well.)

I intend to keep my vehicles filled and in good mechanical order, and to have a tent and sleeping stuff together to grab at a moment's notice, along with two changes of clothes for all.

I do three-month supplies of all my prescriptions, but I am going to get another three month supply and just pay for them out-of-pocket, so I will have those. If I had been in New Orleans or some areas of Mississippi last year, I might have died. It is a good idea for people with allergies, chronic heartburn, asthma, etc., to keep stocked up on meds. I also keep a good first aid kit together, complete with acetimenophin, regular aspirin, and ibuprofin.

The gardens are going in all over the place now, and we will be doing the same, as soon as I can borrow the tiller. You cannot have too much. There will always be someone who needs you to share.

Dog and cat food - I got to get that. Living in FLorida with the very real prediction of years and years of hurricane probabililty has kept us pretty much prepared. Right before the 2004 season, just about this time of year, actually, I became compelled to have a year's supply of most things available here, and I did it. Of course, we didn't use all of it up during our awful hurricane season that year, but we did dent it pretty badly, and I rotate my supplies so that the oldest are used first. I mark everything with a black Sharpie.

[mysteena.livejournal.com]

Almost everything you said fits in perfectly with what I learned today. I know living in Florida that you would use your emergency supplies on a regular basis. Do you have a problem finding places to store everything? That's another concern I have, but I know I shouldn't use it as an excuse. I can find space if I make it a priority.

As I was writing this, the thought occured to me: Would you ever consider moving away, because of the hurricane threat? I know Chris' mom has lived in Florida all her life and would never leave.

[texastea.livejournal.com]

In any other time of my life, storage would've been a problem. Now, I have a small spare room that I have converted into a separate pantry and supply room. I bought a huge oak cabinet (floor to ceiling) at an estate sale about a year ago, and put it in there. So I have room. It's a mess right now, but I have room!

Leaving Florida would be problematic for now; Jeff has minor kids who live here, and my family (including the grandchildren) are all here. But yes, we are all talking about moving away sometime. My friend, westernflower, is a native Floridian who is leaving for Texas because of the turn Florida has taken. It's sad when even she would consider splitting.