Emergency Prep Tips

Let's talk about some simple things that we can realistically do to make our homes more ready in case of an emergency.

-Have a PLAN!! There are lots of different situations to think about, but if you have a basic idea of what you will do, life will be that much easier. We have a plan on where to meet if there's a fire at your home. Our kids know that they need to run to one specific neighbor's house. That's part of our plan. If my husband is at work and can't be home, we have a meeting place planned. You might also want to talk to your child's school and ask them their emergency procedures. If there is a need to evacuate town, we will drive to my grandma's an hour south.

Your plan can be as simple as that.

-Have a portable 72-hour kit. Click on the links on the RIGHT of the page for more information.

-Know how to shut off your utilities. You need to know how to shut off your water, even in non-emergency situations.

I believe in most cases that the gas company will shut that off if their is a natural disaster, but you may want to call and find out for sure.

We live near an Interstate and if their was a chemical spill from a wrecked semi-truck, there may be a need to shut off items in your home that may caught fire like your water heater or furnace.

-Protect important documents. This could be as simple as using a fire-proof safe, or having an easy to grab Emergency Binder. You may want to make copies and give them to a relative in the event the originals are destroyed.

-Have a "Car kit." I don't have an actually kit in my car, but there are several items throughout my car that will be of use in an emergency. These items may include the following: Blankets, flashlights and batteries, high-energy foods like protein bars, extra clothing, jumper cables, first aid kit, water, small shovel, extra diapers and wipes, etc.

I have used all of these items, except the shovel, in my every day situations as well, so it's good to be prepared for whatever...not only disasters.

-30-day supply of medications. We've talked about 72-hour supply of medication, but depending on the severity of your medical situation, you may want to have a month's worth in your home. You most likely will have to get permission from your doctor and/or insurance company to do this.

-Know how to provide your own lighting, heating and cooking if the power goes out. In most natural disasters, the power is the first thing that goes. I also believe that it is one of the first things to get back into operation, but you may have a few days (or more) at home when you will need to do without. Flashlights are best for light. If you use candles or lanterns, remember to have adequate ventilation. If you have a grill, you can have extra propane or charcoal on hand.

-In conjunction with that, you might want to have a fire extinguisher on hand. I finally went to the store to look at one last summer, and the small ones they make for cars are about $12. Not bad.

-Lastly...my favorite...ALWAYS have at least HALF of a tank of gas in your vehicle!!! With gas prices, if feels better to get a little bit at a time...at least I think so. Also, if I have more than half a tank, I can get to my grandma's house or possibly my parents' house without stopping for gas. You may also want to always have gas in a gas can as well.

Home organization

There are probably a million websites about tips for becoming organized and nearly as many products you could buy to "help" you in your search for organization. Personally, I have found that I need to do what works for me. This means that in some things I am pretty organized and other things I have to let go. It can be hard for some of us who are a little too controling...but let's help each other.

Here are some things that work for me:

1. Declutter. Get rid of the unnecessary.

You don't have to keep every drawing your child draws or every outfit they outgrow. On the other hand, I do not believe in being wasteful. If you have some good quality items that you haven't used for 6 months or longer, give it to your local charity or women's shelter.

I like to organize one room or closet at a time, usually every other week so I don't get overwhelmed.

Another item that can cause clutter is magazines! Tear out what you want and get rid of the rest.

2. Establish a routine. Daily, weekly, monthly, etc.

3. Use a filing system. Even if it's a box somewhere, you need so place to file important papers. Check out my post on the Emergency Binder.

4. Get your family involved. This may include job charts, or just asking for help when you need it.

5. Use technology- for budgeting, paying bills, communicating, etc.

6. Meal plan. Weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. Whatever you can do will help your sanity. I promise!



Remember, one thing at a time. You can do it!

72-hour kit: Medication

Medicine is an important part of any emergency kit. Storing over-the-counter medications like Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen may be useful if you are away from home or if you are unable to go to a store for a period of time. If you have children at home, you should store appropiate medicine for them as well.

I store a bottle of each medicine in my kit. When I run out of one in my medicine cupboard, I get the bottle out of my kit. Then I buy a new one for the 72-hour kit. It has been helpful to have these extra medicines handy when I am unexpectedly run out and one of my kids is sick.

If you or a family member has a specific medical need that makes it necessary to take medication regularly, this medication is extremely important to have an emergency. My husband takes medicine weekly, along with daily vitamins. I store at least 3 days worth of the needed medication, one week's worth for the weekly meds. You may need to have a plan for medications that need to be refrigerated, if needed.

I use an old medicine bottle with a child-proof lid for the pills we need to keep my kids safe. I also have a card with each medicine and vitamin labeled.

I place the medicine in a small plastic bag, wrap it with packing tape, and label it with the date so I know when I need to rotate it.

This medication has also come in handy when we have had miscommunication between the doctor's office and the pharmacy.


This is step 4 on the PLAN 9 pamphlet put together by the Southwest Utah Public Health Department.

Previous Steps...
Step 3: Clothing
Step 2: Food
Step 1: Water

3-month supply: Milk

Powdered milk is probably not the first thing you think of when you need a refreshing drink. In fact, if you've used it at all, you know that is doesn't really smell fabulous. BUT, in times of emergency, ESPECIALLY with children in the house, you need the protein and calcium provided in milk. So...

Let's talk about our 3-month supply of MILK!!!

Amount to store per person: 16 lbs.

Remember, you can use THIS great excel spreadsheet to figure your family's food storage needs, THIS food storage calculator, OR just estimate how much your family really uses in a given period of time. The first worksheet says 4 lbs per person, but I think it's a typo because then is says that you need 4 cans of 4 lbs each. Just FYI.

So here are some different milk products you can store:

Powdered milk, which includes Instant Nonfat and Regular.
Evaporated milk
Sweetened Condensed milk

Instant Nonfat powdered milk is a little bit smoother in texture because it has a little more air in it for easy mixing. Regular powdered milk, or non-instant is denser and can be harder to mix but is usually less expensive and more can fit into a can. Canned milk has at least a 5 year shelf life, although I bought a few cans a while back that are good for 30 years.

I have been using powdered milk for a while now, but only in my cooking. Simply stir 1/4 cup of powdered milk and 1 cup of water and you have a cup of milk for any recipe. (My husband has a "refined sense of taste" and he's never noticed when I use it.) This is not only a good way to get used to using powdered milk, it also helps me to rotate my food storage AND it's cheaper than fluid milk so using it saves me money.

Where to find powdered milk?

Powdered milk is available in a box at any grocery store, but this will not store long. For longer term storage, you want to purchase powdered milk in #10 cans. Some stores in Utah carry these, but here are some links for other options:

Self-Reliance
Augason Farms
Emergency Essentials
LDS Cannery- definitely the cheapest option, but you have to have access to a cannery.

Evaporated Milk is shelf-stable canned milk. This product is made by removing 60% of the water from fresh milk. It takes up half the space as fresh milk with the same nutrients. When mixed with the right amount of water, it becomes more like fresh milk.

Evaporated milk is often used in baking and cooking, but can be a great item to store. It have about a 15 month shelf-life, but comes in small cans that make rotating easy.

Sweetened condensed milk is also fresh milk with water removed from it, but has sugar added to it as well. Because of this, the shelf life is extended. This product is most commonly used in desserts.


Stock-up prices (lowest to highest):

Evaporated milk: $.05 per oz
Sweetened Condensed milk: $.10 per oz
Regular powdered milk: $2.10 per lb ($.13/oz)
Instant nonfat: $4.14 per lb ($.26/oz)


Check out Every Day Food Storage's post about powdered milk.