Bobby Portenoy’s Healthy Living Blog

Nobody should do without a good plan in advance for emergency situations. But, in order to make it an efficient quest, it shouldn’t be done chaotically. Many people begin with first-class intentions, but are misguided in their preparedness and food storage activities. They have a excellent aspiration in mind (i.e., being ready for the worst should a disaster or emergency occur), but there is no logic to their madness. After they have arbitrarily accumulated some of the necessities for any probable perceived threats, they are not then sure if they have all they need, and if they have allocated their capital properly. Of course almost anything is better than nothing, but there should be some prioritization beginning with preparation for a short-term disaster survival scenario all the way through to a “doomsday” predicament. Of course, you won’t be able to think of everything, but it is certainly superior to be over- than under-prepared, and the best way to tackle it is to construct a rock-solid emergency preparedness foundation and add to it in the proper sequence.

This is how it should be done: the first thing that everybody should store in case of emergency is a 72 hour emergency kit. A 72 hour emergency kit is an easy-to-carry and easily accessible package that contains items such as three days of water (vital) and non-perishable food items (preferably ready-to-eat goods), personal toiletry/hygiene items, first aid kit and medications, flashlight and batteries, blankets and sleeping bag, a radio, pocket knife, etc. 72 hours is the designated period in which it is most likely that after a disaster occurs regular services can resume. You should plan on being self-reliant for at least these three days.

The next stage up in the readiness pyramid is a three-month supply of food storage that would include items that you usually eat and can be rotated easily, eliminating any waste. These are such things as canned goods that fit without difficulty into your food pantry or an extra closet, as well as frozen foods (meat, preserves, and vegetables).

MRE’s (meals ready-to-eat), freeze-dried foods, and dehydrated foods are the next step up in prioritization. These food storage items store for lengthy periods of time in a climate-controlled environment, usually between 10 to 30 plus years.

Dry-pack storage items such as wheat, white rice, and beans move us even further up the readiness pyramid. These items are very nutrient dense, and take more exertion to prepare meals with, but are very versatile and can be included in too many recipes to count. They are important go-to’s on your emergency preparedness menu. Other dry-pack items include powdered milk, powdered eggs and powdered butter, bullion (chicken and beef), flour, pasta noodles, etc.

Taking things a step further beyond food, it is time to move up the readiness pyramid to the level containing extra clothing and footwear. Remember you should think about the climate in which you live and the change (or not) in seasons. If you have your home in a district that has harsh winters, be certain to have sufficient coats, sweaters, thermal underwear, warm clothing, gloves, boots, and blankets.

The next plane up the pyramid is firearms and ammunition. First and foremost these serve as tools for killing game animals for meat should this become needed. Secondly, these may serve as protection in the event of a disorderly societal breakdown (rioting, looting, etc.) where you may need to shield your family from harm.

Camping equipment basics such as tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, camping stoves/Dutch ovens, fishing pole and tackle, a Leatherman, matches, a lantern, and porta-potties will all make you much more certain in your abilities to survive in the outdoors if you need to move even further up the readiness pyramid, and have to abandon your home for whatever reason for a period of time.

People can get away witout showering, though it may be distasteful. That is why this category of personal hygiene items is nearer the peak of the readiness pyramid, but still very much a valid and useful part of it. The precise items you should include here are soap, shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste, a razor and shaving cream, deodorant, feminine napkins, and diapers.

After you have come this far, finish off the readiness pyramid with an emergency fund. This should cover as much as three to six months of living expenses, and then be supplemented with gold and especially silver (poor man’s gold) bullion.