» 2008 » November Y.E.P.

72-Hour Kits (Reminder)

November 21, 2008 — Debbie

(This post was originally posted on Ms Sparky on September 13, 2008. I moved it to Your Emergency Plan when I separated my personal blog from my political blog.)

Emergency preparedness is just one of my obsessions. My husband is doing that whole “eye roll” thing right now and saying “no shit”! We’ll see who’s doing the “eye roll” thing when we’re having one of our power outages (or worse) and he has a full belly!!!

Hurricane Hanna and Ike again remind us of the importance of having our 72-hour kits updated and ready to go. Go to my 72-Hour Kits Page (tab at top) or just click HERE for information on how to put your 72-Hour kits together.

I noticed the hit rate on my 72-Hour Kits page went up about 1000% just before Hurricane Hanna and hasn’t stopped yet. DON’T WAIT UNTIL YOU NEED ONE. Put your kit together now and put it away. Then it will be ready when you need it.

If you already have a kit, check it for expiration dates. Make sure everything is good and then put it back where you can easily get to it!

And…a quick note on your gas tank. Get in the habit of filling up at the 1/2 full mark. I am really bad about that. But, it will cut down on a whole lot of panic if you have to evacuate.

The photo above is a summer shot of what’s left of Mount St. Helens in Washington State after her infamous blow on May 18, 1980. 61 people died. We may not have hurricanes in Washington but I live less than 30 miles from the summit of Mt. St. Helens!! So, I have my own little things that can wreak havoc on my day!!

Don’t Be Scared…Be Prepared!!

Ms Sparky

Posted in 72 Hour Kits-Home. Tags: 72 Hour Kits. 6 Comments »

Don’t Be Scared……Be Prepared!!!!

November 21, 2008 — Debbie

(This post was originally posted on Ms Sparky on May 23, 2008. I moved it to Your Emergency Plan when I separated my personal blog from my political blog.)

A recent AP article came out discussing the 2008 hurricane predictions from NOAA, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. READ IT!

“US GOVERNMENT: UP TO 9 ATLANTIC HURRICANES IN 2008″ published by the Associated Press on May 22, 2008.

Wildfires, floods, and weird weather has been occurring all over. Hurricanes predicted in the East, earthquakes predicted in the Midwest and California, tsunamis predicted on the west coast, tornadoes happening everywhere. These are all being “scientifically” predicted. If they are going to happen there is nothing anyone can do to stop them. Hoping these things never happen to you is normal. Not planning for them is naive.

A little pre-planning doesn’t make you a “doomsday-ist”. Being just a little bit prepared could alleviate a whole lot of stress and aggravation and could possibly save your life or the lives of your family members. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to use your 72-Hour Kits, then they will be available. If you find you never have t use them, better yet! It’s kind of like the seat belts in your car. You put them on just in case. Putting them on after an accident is too late.

I have several pages (tabs at top) designed to help you get your 72-hour kits ready. It’s free. I’m not trying to sell anything. It’s information that I have gathered from the internet, Red Cross and my own personal experiences. I truly believe in this. I give you information to put them together yourself a little at a time or you can buy them already put together from hundreds of suppliers and be done with it.

Every time there is a disaster, people are unprepared and “can’t believe this happened to them”. They have to wait for State, Federal and charitable organizations to bring them supplies. Wouldn’t it be great if you didn’t have to wait for food and water to arrive to feed your hungry children?

Anything can happen anytime, anywhere. Please take the time to inform and prepare yourself and your family.

Ms Sparky

Posted in 72 Hour Kits-Home, Disasters In The News. Tags: Disasters In The News. 1 Comment »

To Grandmothers House We Go…

November 21, 2008 — Debbie

The whole country is getting ready to spend the Thanksgiving Holiday with friends and family. Can you smell the turkey cooking.? The aroma of homemade bread and pumpkin pie permeating the house? I’m drooling!! I can’t wait to get there.

Millions of families are going to jump in the car and hit the highways. They will be focused on one thing and one thing only…Grandmas Pumpkin Pie.

Little thought will be given to car except making sure it has fuel. It seems every year we hear of tragic incidents of motorists getting lost or stranded. What if there is an accident and you are stuck on the highway for hours. I remember one year Interstate 5 was close in southern Oregon due to snow and hundreds of people were stranded for a couple days. They had to send emergency supplies in via snowmobiles.

ALWAYS check weather and road conditions. The Weather Channel has up to date forecasts. Program the road condition numbers for the states you will be traveling through, into your cell phone.

Just a little preparation can make a world of difference. Here’s a little excerpt from my “Car Kits” Page
Be sure to check out the rest of the list.

Water-ALWAYS carry a couple gallons of bottled water in your vehicle. Cycle your water regularly. Watch for overheating in the summertime and freezing in the winter.
Blanket-A warm blanket can come in handy for a variety of reasons. Fold it small and tight, put it in a plastic garbage bag and just forget about it.
Food – Pick foods that will not be affected by temperature extremes such as crackers, granola bars and so on. Rotate these foods on a regular basis.
Wetwipes-For a quick clean up.
Toilet Paper – It’s worth a millions dollars when you need it and don’t have it.

A basic car safety kit is always advisable go to my “Car Kits” Page or Click HERE for a great selection of ready to use kits.

Don’t forget to throw in some fun activities for the kids.

Safe travels and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Debbie