Do you have 3 months emergency supplies & food?

[Saving in So Cal]

Re: Do you have 3 months emergency supplies & food?

I also live in earthquake country, so have been thinking about this issue for some time, particularly after the Katrina disaster.

We have enough food and water on hand to last a couple of weeks, maybe a month if we were very careful. Other supplies are more iffy. In prep for Y2K, I read a lot about preparedness. Most of the books I read recommended having a large supply of necessities and using a system similar to LuxLiving's. Although it definitely seemed like a prudent idea, it requires organization and a commitment to continually "store what you eat and eat what you store." I wasn't ready for the commitment then.

However, I just finished reading The 9/11 Commission Report and one of its broader messages was that we have to be responsible for our own emergency preparedness. The doctors, nurses, police, firefighters, etc. simply can't do it all. The more we are able to do for ourselves, the better off everyone is. I don't know if I can achieve the ideal, but I can definitely improve and I am going to try for a 60-day supply of necessities.

I am not sure what to do about the medicine issue. It's easy enough to have aspirin, tylenol and similar first-aid type medicines on hand. But, you really can't do that with other drugs. Both my parents and my in-laws take maintenance drugs. They can get 90-day supplies, but only at certain intervals. They can't stockpile their drugs.

[Elgin526]

Re: Do you have 3 months emergency supplies & food?

Well, not the way my DH eats....

We didn't intend to stock pile, but I think we could stretch our pantry and freezer to a good 2 months on short rations. I buy in bulk quite a bit from Costco, just for the savings, and I have a big pantry and an upright freezer, both are full at the moment. Assuming there is power to run the freezer, we'd be fine. If we lost the meat we'd be hard up for protein, though, since I don't keep much in the way of beans and nuts around the house. Maybe I could have DH hunt for squirels with his BB gun...yum...squirel stew!

All kidding aside, it actually wouldn't cost much to stock pile food for three months. Rice and dried pasta (carbs) and dried beans (protien) are increadibly cheap and easy to prepare, rice is ready in 20 to 40 minutes depending on what you get and how much you make, and beans just need to soak overnight before cooking. Add in canned broth and veggies and you're good to go, a stock pile of food that requires no refridgeration and not much energy to prepare (just need heat to cook the beans and rice). Now, you'll be eating a lot of soup, rice, and beans but you won't starve. You can stock up "goodies" over time. Just buy an extra pack/can of whatever it is you want to have on hand every week, and in no time you've got a nice little stock pile going. Canned meats, pancake mix (many only require water, no eggs or milk), packages of cookies, bags of chips and pretzles. If you've got the freezer space, you can stock up on frozen items to get "fresh" meats, fruits, vegtables, and bread/pastry items. If it's a real emergency and there is no power, you'd lose these items though.

[debtfreeme]

Re: Do you have 3 months emergency supplies & food?

I love conversation on this topic! Granted, I work in emergency preparedness already, but to me the real question is not being prepared for a pandemic but being prepared in the all hazard approach.

In the event of an earthquake (NorCAL here for me) I know what to do as I have been prepared for that forever, same for flooding, same for pandemic. If you prepare with an all hazards approach you are much better prepared because a lot of those lists for preparedness in a pandemic do not count basic supplies in case of losing electricity, heat, cool air, housing.

To me it is important to be ready for anything. I live in a small house with limited storage, I have one cabinet in the kitchen, three small shelves in the pantry and 1 tiny shelf in the freezer and one shelf and drawer in the refrigerator. I go shopping often but the pantry and the cabinet is always full, most shopping if for perishables, milk and juice. I stock up on things I know I will eat during a time when I can’t get to the store. Case in point, my ankle injury two weeks ago meant I did not go anywhere for over a week and I needed to go shopping even before the accident. But because of what I had in the house I was fine. (One room mate did bring fresh bread and milk about 5 days into me being house bound.) I was fine with what I have already on hand.

The real secret is being creative with your purchases and making sure you can make multiple meals out of one product, not that you need 5 products to make one complete meal and can’t use them for anything else. Mix and match food just like you mix and match clothes.

I do have extra supplies upstairs for medicines that I can. Most insurance plans allow you to have a mail in process where you can buy 90 days of supplies at one time. Look into this as it can save you money AND keep you more prepared. Just mark on a calendar 30 days before you run out and you can place an order (long time ago I worked for an insurance company too!) that is the usually time line in ordering, when you open you last package, order more.

Make agreements with people near you that you can help each other. If you are running errands, then you can do one for a neighbor as well. Stopping at the store is easy and so very nice when some one is ill. I always have cash in small bills and change for little things I might need, milk, bread, cereal whatever so my room mate could pick up two or three things and I had the money for her without her waiting.

Be as prepared for everything as you can and you will make it through the “pandemic” when it happens.

The most important thing? Practice what you preach, and keep a list of what you have!

[JanH]

Re: Do you have 3 months emergency supplies & food?

Our insurance company doesn't allow for 90 day supplies. I tried once, but they would only dispense 30 days at at time and you have to use half before they will give you more. Check with yours to see what they allow.

[debtfreeme]

Re: Do you have 3 months emergency supplies & food?

Do you have a mail order plan associated with your insurnace? I have not heard of a compney that does not have that! (i used to administer multi plan insurance)

[Ima saver]

Re: Do you have 3 months emergency supplies & food?

No, I don't stock up on food. we eat at home very little, so I have stuff that is years old. I do stock up on bottled water, make my own. I have 12-16 gallon jugs made up all the time. I do stock up on toilet paper, so maybe I can trade for food!

[JanH]

Re: Do you have 3 months emergency supplies & food?

Do you have a mail order plan associated with your insurnace? I have not heard of a compney that does not have that! (i used to administer multi plan insurance)

I'm not sure about the mail order plan thing. I'll have to look. That would be a great idea especially around hurricane season. My doctor once prescribed a three month supply at once and the insurance company wouldn't fill it all. Just one month. but I didn't go through the mail. Have to check that out. Thanks!

[ren]

Re: Do you have 3 months emergency supplies & food?

If you have Aetna, you may be able to use their mail order service. Best part is that you save a nice chunk on it (at least the way my employer has it set up -- generics that are $10/month at the pharmacy are $25 for three months, brand name drugs that are $40/month become $80/3 months). It's worth looking into, at least.

[JanH]

Re: Do you have 3 months emergency supplies & food?

If you have Aetna, you may be able to use their mail order service. Best part is that you save a nice chunk on it (at least the way my employer has it set up -- generics that are $10/month at the pharmacy are $25 for three months, brand name drugs that are $40/month become $80/3 months). It's worth looking into, at least.

I'll have to check this out. Thanks!

[sarah]

Re: Do you have 3 months emergency supplies & food?

I have been reading about a possible pandemic for a while. I decided that the main thing that I would stock would be powered Gatorade. At 50% strenght it is a good hydrator. I am also going to add some basic food stuffs and some cat food. I must admit that the idea of a pandemic scares me. I do think that it is coming. It is just a matter of when.

[PRICEPLUS]

Re: Do you have 3 months emergency supplies & food?

Six months of food. Water filtration system. Masks and gloves as well as medications. Everything is updated from time to time. Protecting ones life is the most important investment. Period!

[mountainmist]

Re: Do you have 3 months emergency supplies & food?

I wish that the network "news" programs would STOP showing all those 3-block long lines of people lining up at tiny convenience stores for water & batteries AFTER a disaster strikes.

I wish they instead would focus on the families who followed instructions - instructions that have been put out CONSTANTLY every since 911, to have at the very very minimum a 3 day supplie of food & water, with flashlights,radio & batteries, and first aid kit.

I really get irritated that the press pays so much attention to all the people who don't care about themselves & their families and who don't care about what disaster experts have been advising for years & years & years.

I was really irritated to see so much attention being given to people who simply had no idea what they would do until the power came back on. I think the attention given to these ill prepared idiots, in this day and age, well post-Katrina, that it's simply revoltingly disgusting.






LOL

[geojen]

Re: Do you have 3 months emergency supplies & food?

DH and I are working on it. I've started stockpiling dry cereal, gallons of water, and other non-pershiables, but I think the most we could last is a month right now. I really need to get busy and get more water stocked up. What other people call "alarmism" is really being prepared. In this day and age, anything could happen. So all you who aren't prepared don't come knockin on my door in an emergency!

DH isn't much help though. His contribution is to stock up on ammo so that he can "hunt" for food and protect us from looters

[Ima saver]

Re: Do you have 3 months emergency supplies & food?

I always keep about 12 gallons of water on hand! (And of course, toilet paper)[Automated by GetSmile]

[PetMom]

Re: Do you have 3 months emergency supplies & food?

three days is an obvious minimum.

and one thing I had overlooked in case electricity is out is that I have a hand held electric can opener (obvious but easily overlooked as electricity can be effected too).

wet wipes (homemade ones applicable too) and other paper products are obvious and most certainly the water, lots of it.

I have also heard of having cash as in some disasters as the banking & charge card stuff can break down.

Also, huge contractor heavy bags to double bag the smelly garbage and put in a separate place.

And something I thought of printable or hard copies of instructions of first aid etc... in case the internet where I get my info is not working.

Also, for kids: toys, puzzles, books. For pets lots of chewables so you don't start looking chewy to them! There will be obvious boredom and concern in case of a disaster. The radio and batteries are just givens to have.

Cell phones, land lines won't work either, maybe I should look into carrier pigeons now to!

And some dire predictions warn us to have the always commotible liquor and cigarettes to use as bartering! Hmmmm...If I were stuck in the home for 3 months with some of my family members I might be hoarding the sauce for me!