It's already the end of August, which means I need to really think about preparing for the colder months ahead. This means making sure I have plenty of groceries laid by and also being sure we have plenty of water in containers, just in case of power outages or freezes.
It's really hard to think about these things when temperatures are in the 90s, but better now than when an emergency hits!
The little store up the road has some veggies for sale that I'd like to put in the freezer for hearty winter meals. I also want to get some canned veggies and meats stored, as well as getting and alternative cooking source ready. The flea market I like to go to has little emergency stoves and pressurized fuel to use in them. I'll probably get two stoves and a couple of cases of the fuel.
Emergency ideas for families
Most weather related emergencies in our area only last two or three days, so that's what I'll be getting ready for. If you tend to have longer emergency times, it's a good idea to start getting ready now.
- Have enough bottled water on hand for drinking.
- Have other water you've drawn into jugs for washing.
- Have canned or dried foods available for meals.
- Have a safe heat source to use.
- Have a safe cooking source.
- Be sure you have extra blankets and sweaters to use.
- Keep extra gas for your vehicle stored in a safe location.
- Make sure you have a good first aid kit, sufficient over-the-counter remedies, and extra dosages of prescription medicines.
- Have extra batteries, flashlights, and other kinds of lighting that can be used safely. Candles can be a fire hazard, so we choose to use camping lanterns with good ventilation and rechargeable flashlights. I can recharge them using the inverter in my truck. Having even a single outlet inverter in your vehicle can help with recharging batteries, flashlights, and running a small electrical appliance. Keep your vehicle running when using your inverter.
- Store extra personal hygiene items in a single location - germicidal hand cleanser, wet towelettes, tissues, travel sizes of toothpaste, soap, shampoo, deodorant, etc.
I look at emergencies like this as ways to use camping skills I've learned over the years. It's not as much fun, but it's doable. A few camping items can come in very handy, even if they're used at home. Just be sure to be safe with it all. Store fuels properly. Make sure you have good ventilation or use camp stoves outside.
Don't be a victim to fire or carbon monoxide because of a winter emergency!
