Vital Records

With all the destruction that occured during Hurricane Sandy imagine trying to find your insurance information among all the debris.  Imagine now that you have made copies of all of your important papers and had them laminated and sent off to a trusted friend or family member.  Barbara Salsbury recommends you seal this information in a large envelope, tape it closed, and mail it to someone you trust.  If the tape is ever torn, you know someone opened it but at least you will have this information available in a stressful time.  This way you will have all of your information in one location, safe from a flood, tornado, or earthquake. 

I also suggest that you keep your birth certificates, SS cards, insurance info, marriage license, etc. all together in one location, or even in a fire safe box within your home.  I try to make copies of all our photos onto cds and flash drives, and I keep them in our important information box.  Everyone in my family knows where this box is and to grab it if we had to evacuate.

Don't forget to include:

• birth certificates
• SS cards
• immunization records 
• marriage license
• home and auto insurance information
• wills or other testaments
• investment information
• bank accounts
• credit card information
• life insurance 
• medical information, list of family doctors
• list of medications  
• anything else you wouldn't be able to reproduce or prove you own without documentation   

Grab-n-Go Evacuation Preparedness

We have had quite the fire season here in Utah and there have been several mandatory evacuations.  If you had to immediately leave your home would you be able to grab the most important items and leave??  If I wasn't prepared for that I would probably be running around like a chicken with it's head cut off.  My family has lists hanging on our hall closet door, and we had a family night meeting to practice our grab-n-go lists.  Just like a fire, tornado, or earthquake drill you have to practice.  We timed ourselves and tried to get everything on our list. It was fun but I know that isn't how it will play out in an emergency.  I made a few different lists because we may have 5 minutes, or maybe up to a days notice of an evacuation.  Start with the most basic and important items such as birth certificates, SS cards, purses, computers, pets, etc. and then add the extras if you have more time.  I even let my children add what they wanted to take if we had the time to grab it and added them to the lists.   

You'll see that my lists are not fancy and I hand wrote them onto note cards.  They are divided up into 5 minute, 1 hour, and the third card is if we have longer than 1 hour to grab things.  I also noticed that I need to update my cards because my daughter's hamsters died a few months ago and I need to take them off.  Also my children's ideas of what is important to them change and I need to update that as well.

Everyone's lists will be different, but my list 5 minute list says:

• Bird and food
• File Folder Box
• Laptop
• 72-hour kits
• Water under stairs
• Mom's purse & Dad's planner
• Cooler with fridge items (milk for toddler and other food)

This is a great video showing 2 different families and how they were prepared, or not, to be evacuated.

 In a stressful situation you will not be thinking clearly at all!  Have a list all written out and know where your most important items are.  We have a file folder box with all of our important papers in it.  We will just grab it and leave.  Also, think about storing your photos on flash drives and store them in the file folder box as well.  It will be too hard to try and save every family photo album, plus they will take up precious space in a car.  Decide now what items will make the lists and who will be in charge of getting them.  There would be no way I could gather everything by myself, so we divided up the duties of who will grab what and in what rooms of the house each of us is in charge of.  

mapofutah.net

Another great tip is to have a map of your area with more than one route out.  Know where the local high schools are, or churches, because that will probably be where you'll be instructed to go.  Keep the map in your car along with your car kit.  


This is also a great time to go over your Family Emergency Plan.  Talk with your family about a meeting place if they are not at home during an evacuation.  How would your husband, or you, get home from work?  Make sure to have an Out Of State Contact (OSC) and let that person know they have been chosen :)  My sister knows that she will be our contact and my children are to call her and let them know if they are ok and where they are located.  During an emergency the local phone lines will be tied up, but calling out of state will give you better chances of getting through.  My sister will be our home base for me to check in and see how everyone is doing.  Giving your OSC a copy of important papers is also a good idea, just in case you aren't home during an evacuation.   

Click HERE to see a very detailed family emergency plan. 

 And click THIS LINK to print off family information cards.


Click HERE to see a great grab and go list from preparedldsfamily.blogspot.com

Grocery Deals & Grab-n-Go List!

Would you be ready to evacuate your home in 5 minutes? Herriman residents were asked to do this and we need to take note of what happened and BE PREPARED!!! Today, write a list of the items that you would need to grab-and-go. This is called a grab-and-go list and should be posted in several places in your home. Have a trial run with your family and have your 72-hour kits ready and accessible. Don't procrastinate, do it today!!!

Grocery deals are slim this week. I wanted to mention that if you haven't been shopping for your 3-month supply, you could get many items in one stop and save a lot of money by shopping at Winco. They are located on 7200 S. just west of I-15. I LOVE this store. Many canned and boxed goods are the same price as the case lots sales. Their bulk bin area will save you money on spices, cocoa powder, pastas,etc. Produce is also cheaper in general at Winco. If you are ever out that way I would stop in and take a look. I will make my shopping list for about a month and then shop at Winco.

The following amounts are what a person or family would need for a year storage. I only show these so you understand what it will take for a family to live off of storage. Work on your 3-month storage until that is complete and then work toward the year long storage.
PP=per person and PF=per family

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES 185LBS EACH PF (fresh, canned, and dehydrated)
MEATS 20LBS PP(frozen, canned and fresh)
DAIRY 16LBS PP
GRAINS 300LBS PP (this includes pastas, cereals, crackers, rice, oats, wheat and flour)
OILS & FATS 25LBS PP (salad dressings, peanut butter, shortening, butter, mayonnaise, and oils)
SUGAR 60LBS PP (honey, white sugar, powdered and brown sugar, molasses, corn syrup, jams & jellies, flavored gelatin, and powdered drink mix)
WATER 14 + GALLONS PP FOR 2 WEEKS

**REMEMBER THAT I ONLY LIST THE DEALS THAT I FEEL ARE THE BEST PRICES.

• CANTALOUPE .39LB
• KROGER COTTAGE CHEESE, SOUR CREAM, DIPS .88EA
• BREYERS ICE CREAM $2.48
• MICHELINAS ENTREES .88

• APPLES .89LB
• CANTALOUPE .33LB
• YELLOW ONIONS .49LB
• SIRLOIN PORK CHOPS OR ROAST BONE-IN $1.59LB
• SHUR SAVING MILK $1.89
• WF PASTA 22OZ .99
• WF SALAD DRESSING 16OZ .99

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH MEAT SALE

• LEAN GROUND BEEF SOLD IN 2LB CHUB $1.79LB
• OVEN RUMP ROAST BONELESS $1.79LB
• SANDERSON FARMS WHOLE CHICKEN FRYER .89LB

SEPTEMBER GOALS:

Case Lot Sales: This is the month for case lot sales at most grocery stores. It is a great time to stock up on items that you will use all year long. I love to get broth, cream soups, chicken noodle soup, canned fruit, mandarin oranges, honey, paper towel, toilet paper, etc. Smiths stores start on the 8th and Macey's starts at the end of the month on the 29th.

Fruit: The recommended amount of fruit for a one year storage is 185lbs per person. This is a great month to get canned fruit at the case lot sales. Dehydrating fruit is another way to store fruit. Tell your friends and neighbors that you will take their extra bounty off their hands for them. Then you can dehydrate the fruit and store it is mason jars that are vacuum sealed with a Food Saver. Think of things like raisins, canned mandarin oranges, canned pears & peaches, dried apples, etc.

Non-Food Goal: Sewing Supplies-This month you will need to collect thread, scissors, needles, buttons, zippers and extra fabric. We could see a time when we will be wearing and using our clothing items a lot longer than we are used to. Kids grow fast and knowing how to sew and repair clothing will be a necessity.

Enjoy the Journey!
Enjoy the Blessings!
Feel the Peace!