The last 24 hours (and still ongoing) have brought the mid-west some really bad storms. High winds, tornado’s & sever weather have just wrecked havoc leaving a path of destruction. And it’s not even storm season yet…by normal conditions.
Today the weather forecasters made comment although it’s months early, this is the start of our tornado season with more rough weather is due by weeks end….lucky us!
So it’s time to check the storm tubs which contain the following:
Hand crank radio with battery or electrical ability…a must in this area. With television & radio now all digital, the first heavy wind drops the signal. So much for information! We were fortunate to find one that has TV also and it’s been worth it’s weight in gold.
Flash lights for everyone, extra batteries for each & glow sticks. The glow sticks give off an amazing amount of light and the kids will feel like they are helping…and you will know where they are!
Appropriate changes of clothing for each family member..changed out seasonally & check sizes.If necessary baby items, diapers etc.
boots with 3-4 PR of sock. Storm damage can leave an awful mess & boots with downed branches or siding are a must. Extra socks because you have to take care of your feet. Nothing worse than wet feet
first aid kit-military surplus medical kit is wonderful! We mailed off for ours and it has a full surgical kit in there. We keep Tylenol, aspirin and antihistamine, tea tree oil & clove oil for dental needs in ours. Be sure and stash a few days supply of any medications you may need along with copies of your prescriptions.
Food for 3-4 days at a minimum…per person
Water 3 gallons per day per person….this we still have to work on but are using bottled water for now.
Cards, games books a few notebooks, knitting and copies of emergency contact info.
Yes, some folks will say we’re nuts but Katrina was an eye opener. 1 good storm system can put down over 100 tornados. We had a huge wind storm here a few years ago that took power out of over 300K homes for over a week, some were out for over 3 weeks. We were able to cook on the fire pit and camp stove with canned goods and fresh garden vegies. Soups and stews I’d canned the fall before were pretty tasty.
They say the average home has only a 3 day supply of food. Living in the midwest… 3 days supply…..it’s just plain nuts.
What about you, do you have a storm shelter and ready tubs?
Stay safe out there!
Katie
Why in the world would folks say you're nuts for being prepared for an emergency? I'd say THEY are the ones lacking brain power. Too many people think they will "be taken care of" should a real emergency occur. Something as simple as being without electric power would throw so many people into a state where they could barely function.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting the list of emergency supplies you did. A good reminder for those of us who try to be prepared!
Saw it on the news this evening! Think it's time for people to get out of tornado alley! :( Be safe!
ReplyDeleteHey Mama! Thanks for stopping in. I think the majority of people think it will not happen to them and get really lax about safety....and were the first to holler because fast food eateries were closed!
ReplyDeleteIt's only for a few months Sue. There are weather issues no matter where you live..snow earthquakes or hurricanes. I think we found the sweet spot of them all.
ReplyDeleteOh honey, you're speaking my language. People sound surprised when I say I can pull together a week or two's worth of groceries for a friend in need within 5-10 minutes from my pantry/freezer, and it won't even make a dent in my stash. :D
ReplyDeleteWe don't have a storm shelter, but we *do* have 2-3 places in the basement with no windows, plenty of food, some water (that's in progress - gotta clear some room in the garage for my 55-gallon water barrels), and the kids are thrilled at the idea of using their 'emergency kits' that are near the front door (at some point they'll be safely stowed away in the closet by the front door).
I *am* light on, well, light. We don't have anything besides a few votives and outdoor camp lanterns (unsafe for inside) and a few strategically placed flashlights. So I'm on the hunt for pretty kerosene lamps and ways to turn mason jars into lamps (there's some cool stuff out there!), and making candles using non-canning mason jars (I have some with chipped rims that are still usable for non-canning purposes). Okay, yeah, sorry, this is one of my 'fun' things I do. ;)
Oh, and we also have about 75% of an emergency kit in the van shoved under the back bench seat. I've gotten distracted with other things and haven't finished tracking down a few extras to stick in there.
ReplyDeleteStill working on hubby's kit for his car though... So many things, so little time.