Emergency, Survival, Camping And Preparedness Equipment

Preparedness on a Budget

Most of us don't have a lot of extra money lying around to invest in being prepared for a situation that may never happen... but the folks who have seen unexpected tragedy and were unprepared say they sure wish they'd had some foresight! You don't have to be rich to be ready for an emergency, just be able to plan and improvise.

- You will need shelter. If you don't have a tent, or only have one tent that's too small to hold your entire family and gear, improvise! You can find used tents at yard sales or thrift stores, or check out the classified ads in your local newspaper. Military surplus stores carry tents, although they may be quite heavy for their size. Rolls of clear or white, heavy-duty plastic sheeting can be found at most any hardware store, and can be made into a great shelter with some duct tape and poles made of PVC pipe, branches, fence posts, or other reasonably straight and sturdy object(s). Tarps and all-weather blankets can also be pressed into service. If you live out in the country, consider hay or straw bales stacked and draped with plastic!

- Clothes shouldn't be a problem! Pack at least one change of clothes for both the warmest and coldest temperatures that you expect to encounter. Cotton is cool in the summertime, but can cause hypothermia in cold temperatures because it tends to hold moisture next to your skin, so avoid it for cold-weather gear. Remember that dressing in layers of clothing is best. There are lots of specialized fabrics that are outstanding, but their price may be outstanding also (check out yard sales, thrift stores and the classifieds)! If you are allergic to or can't afford wool for winter wear, acrylic fabric is a great alternative. When updating your wardrobe, look at old garments and shoes to see if they might be suitable for emergency wear (after a tornado mows down your neighborhood, no one is going to care if what you're wearing went out of style 10 years ago). Either silk or polypropylene is good for underwear. DO NOT neglect your feet! A pair of polypro socks will help feet breathe and reduce blisters, and sturdy shoes are a must... even if you have tough feet, it will be difficult to walk on broken glass and storm debris! A pair of tennis shoes will work, and a pair of boots would be a great addition. Don't forget hats and gloves. Please, keep a sturdy pair of shoes right next to your bed, in case you are awakened in the middle of the night by a fire or other disaster. Remember that children grow fast... be sure to update their shoes and clothing frequently so they'll have something that fits!

- Water is absolutely vital! Even if you haven't stored some water in empty 2-liter pop bottles or other containers, there are other sources. A typical hot water heater will contain about 30-40 gallons of water, and the water in the toilet tank (not the bowl!) can be used. If you have a SafeWater Anywhere or AquaRain filter, you can have safe drinking water from nearly any source. Water can also be boiled (to make boiled water taste better, put it in a container and shake thoroughly after boiling to re-introduce oxygen), pasteurized (heated to 149 degrees F. for a period of 6 minutes), or treated with iodine or chlorine. An Esbit stove is fast, portable and efficient for boiling or pasteurizing water (don't forget to put a lid on your pot to conserve energy and save time!). The Red Cross recommends chlorine bleach (16 drops of unscented, 5.25% sodium hypochlorite per gallon of water, allowed to stand for 30 minutes). The effectiveness of chemical treatments is highly dependent on the temperature of the water... very cold water from a mountain stream can take more than twice as long to treat as water at 70-80 degrees, and very cloudy water will require a longer treatment time than clear water. If water is cloudy or muddy, pre-filter it through a piece of clean cloth, a coffee filter, or an AquaRain Pre-Filter bag. Just because you've taken water from a crystal clear mountain stream, do not assume that it's safe to drink... the little critters that can make your life a living hell are too tiny to see with the naked eye! Water can also be obtained from leafy plants by placing a clear plastic bag around the leaves on a live plant and attaching it firmly to the branch with a rubber band, piece of string, etc. While this method won't yield large quantities, it's certainly better than nothing!

Food could be hard to find during an emergency.  The issue of food supplies is where many people get bogged down, yet it doesn't have to be difficult or expensive. The trick is to build up your food supplies deliberately and methodically. We recommend a minimum 3 month supply of food... you may want to have more or less on hand. Try to buy things on sale, in bulk where practicable, and get things that keep well and that you like and will use. Buy a few extra cans each week, or buy when things go on sale... this week it might be 2 extra cans each of green beans, corn and tuna fish, next week perhaps coffee is on sale and you buy 4 cans of it. Ask relatives, friends and neighbors if they'd be interested in going in with you on bulk items... maybe you can't use 100 pounds of rice, but if you can split the product (and the cost) among several people the price will drop dramatically. Dried beans, white rice, sugar, salt and honey can be bought in bulk, are very inexpensive, and will last a very long time in storage. Flour kept in tightly sealed containers (such as a BlueBucket) will keep well for about two years, and commercially available canned foods will last about 3 years. When you buy something, use an indelible marker to write the date you purchased it on the package. That way you can rotate your food and use the oldest products first, and can keep your supplies constantly fresh and replenished. Keep your food supply in a cool, dark, dry place to prolong shelf life. Foods that will attract vermin should be sealed up in metal or hard plastic, airtight containers.  When buying canned foods, remember that the biggest can may not be the best value... if you can't use it up at one meal and have no refrigeration for the leftovers, you're wasting food and money. Here are some general suggestions for your food supply, please tailor it to your own needs and desires.
Staples -
    Flour and/or hard red wheat - White flour keeps about 2 years in proper storage, whole wheat flour for less time. Hard red winter wheat will keep nearly indefinitely, but you'll need some method to grind it into flour. Fry bread tastes great, is easy to make and requires no yeast.
    Corn meal has about a 2-3 year shelf life.
    Sugar, baking soda and salt will store indefinitely. Buy it on sale and in bulk, and store in airtight containers.
    Spices will stay good for several years if kept tightly closed.
    Rice and dried beans - white rice will keep for years, brown rice only for about 6 months due to its high oil content. Dried beans will last for years if stored in an airtight container.

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