Emergency Preparedness

We see ads on TV suggesting we should have a plan in case of a disaster, and I wonder just how many people actually prepare ahead for the unknown? I mean, most do prepare when they know a hurricane is inevitable, especially when they've lived through a disaster and know the discomfort it can bring when you are not prepared!

For those of us who have fortunately not had to live through a disaster, but would like to be prepared for long-term power outages of a storm or what have you, here's a simple, budget-freindly plan to help! There's nothing like having a growling tummy in a bad situation and not having the food to feed it!

Here's what we've done, and it really has not been at all difficult, even on a budget! Each shopping trip we have simply bought a little extra of the non-perishable foods that we normally buy each week! Wow--that's not so hard, is it? I've added a few gallons of bottled water as well, so that if the water supply was not safe for a couple of days we'd have at least some that is drinkable.

Now, there are those who would suggest storing up food to last a year or more, but the type of preparedness I'm talking about is more for a short-term emergency. It would take much more money and planning to prepare for long-term survival! I'm sure there are websites out there that address those issues. What I'm talking about, rather, is to store up some food that you would normally eat, so that you can continue to use the older food and replenish your storage with fresher food. If you mostly buy that what you normally eat, you won't end up throwing out expired food that no one has an appetite for. Also, if there was an emergency, it will the be familiar foods that you already like that will be a comfort for you and your family!

Do you have some emergency preparedness tips to share? We'd like to hear!

Copyright 2008 The Munchkins and Me