What can you pack in 5 minutes?

There is an emergency. You have only 5 minutes to grab what you can and run. What do you grab?

If you don't have a plan, you'll grab what you can in a panic. Later on you'll be wishing for items you left behind in your haste.  Taking an inventory and making a plan now will pay off when you have only minutes to spare.

What to do:

1. Bag: Each family member needs their own bag. A backpack is preferable but use what you have. You can obtain backpacks as your budget allows. If all you have are trashbags or pillow cases so be it.
2. Shelter: What do you have for shelter? Do you own a tent? Tarps? Know where they are. Make sure they are accessible.  Plastic sheeting will work. Rain ponchos are handy. Rope is good to have. If you can get paracord from an army navy store do it. It's great stuff to have handy. Look it up on the web. 
3. Fire: Experts recommend having at least 3 ways to start a fire. Lighters and matches work great and are cheap.  Other fire starting methods are worth considering if your budget allows.  
4. Water: Everyone needs a container to carry water. Stainless steel bottles are all the rage now. I found some on clearance for $2 each. If you have nothing else, plastic water bottles will do. Something with a screw top is best.
5. Water: You'll need something to boil water in. The best way to sanitize water is by boiling. Weight is a consideration. Most cooking pots are too heavy to add to a backpack. Ideally each family member who is old enough to start a fire and boil water should have some kind of pot for boiling water. I've seen people use smaller size stainless steel dog food bowls.  If you can afford it camping cookware is light weight.
6. Food:  What do you have in the pantry? You want items that don't require refrigeration. Ramen noodles are light weight and filling. Pop tarts and instant oatmeal packets are easy to carry also. Canned meats like tuna add weight and require some type of can opener. Toss a bottle of chewable multivitamins in each bag. Who knows how well you'll be eating in an extended emergency situation. Any multivitamin is better than no vitamins. 
7. Medication: Does anyone require prescription medication? If so talk to your doctor about getting extra for an emergency supply. What about tylenor or ibuprophin? Triple antibiotic ointment, bandaides, pepto, and other first aide items. What do have on hand?
8. Clothing: Each person should have a change of clothes and flip flops. If your shoes get wet you can wear the flip flops while they dry. You may be using communal showers and the flip flops will help prevent foot fungus.  Add a small sewing kit for repairs. 
9. Feminine Products:  Hygiene - tampons, pads, soap, shampoo, deodorant,toilet paper   
10. Baby Products: Do you have a baby?  You know what your baby's needs are. Consider buying some cloth diapers and pins just in case disposable diapers are not available. No one wants to deal with wet poopy diapers but it beats not having any diapers at all. 
11. Firearms: Depending on the situation you may benefit from having guns handy - hunting, personal protection. If you are a small woman like me then a ruger 10 .22 rifle or a youth model .410 pump shotgun are low price choices that will get the job done. A youth model .20 gauge pump shotgun packs more of a punch than the .410 and is worth a look. If you are a taller/larger woman and can easily handle a .12 gauge pump shotgun like Sarah Palin does go for it. Don't settle for a single-shot gun unless that is all you can get. Keep ammunition handy but store it and the firearms safely. If you haven't handled guns before find the money to visit a gun store with a firing range. It isn't cheap but worth the money for proper training.  Pistols are not as versatile as a rifle or shotgun, and I don't recommend them as a first choice in a survival situation.
12. Identification: Separation of family members can occur in an emergency. After hurricane Katrina children were separated from their parents. Invalid elderly were difficult to locate after they had been evacuated. With this in mind everyone needs their own bag with identification in it. A list of friends and relatives names, addresses, and telephone numbers could come in handy. If the identification is wearable all the better.
13. Personal Papers: All paperwork can be replaced, but it is so inconvenient. If you have birth certificates, diplomas, and other important papers gather them together so you can quickly grab them and toss them into your pack. 

Finally put your pack on. How heavy is it? How far could you walk carrying that kind of weight.?You may want to lighten your load.  Keep in mind that as you eat the food in your pack it will weigh less. So see how heavy the pack is minus the food before you go leaving equipment out.

Set the goal of studying survival regularly!

OK ladies . . . how do you fit yet another thing into your schedule?

I'm going to make some suggestions and then you can post a comment on how you make it work.

Motivation:

• We make time for what is most important to us.
• Knowledge is power. Gaining survival knowledge will make you powerful.
• I love the topic. I've studied it all my life. It's fun and interesting to me.
• Post a comment below to share what motivates you.

Finding Time:

• I do a lot of reading in the bathroom. I leave my reading material on shelf with in easy reach.
• A little time spent reading adds up over time. Most of what I read is on the internet. Print out topics and  read for 5 minutes when you arrive early to work.  Read on your lunch break. Read a few minutes after you crawl into bed for the night. It works for me. 
•  There are a lot of good short videos to watch on YouTube.  Set a goal of watching one each time you use the internet.

Practice what you learn: 

•  Practice is the most challenging and fun part of learning emergency survival skills.
•  When you learn a new skill actually try it out. 
•  Many skills can be practiced in your back yard. If you are in an apartment, you might practice some outdoor skills at a nearby lake or perhaps a park.  Park grills are great places to practive fire starting skills.
• Don't short yourself on practice. You need to know how your gear works and if it works. 
• It's great to try out a new piece of gear in perfect conditions, but can you use it the dark? How about in the rain and wind or snow?  Does your family know how it works? Can they use it?
•  Once you have accumulated enough gear and supplies go camping for a few days to see how comfortable you are and make a list of adjustments you need to make. Teenagers might be resistant. Now that my daughter has a smart phone she is more open to camping and outdoor experiences. It takes what it takes. Better to have a happy fun time than a miserable experience that alienates everyone to the idea of roughing it.

So let's hear it! Share how you are finding time to gain the knowledge and skills you need.

Break Glass In Case Of Emergency!

What would you do if there was an emergency?

An event like hurricane Katrina or the earthquakes in Haiti deprived those affected of every modern convenience. Are you prepared to face an event like that today? What would you do if you were stranded at work miles from home?  Do you have children? What would they do if you couldn't make it home to help them? Do you have an elderly relative living in your home? How would they cope?

Start preparing now!
 
1) Set the goal of studying survival regularly
2) Perform a home inventory of items you already have that would help you in an emergency.
3) Make it a goal to invest in your survival plan with every paycheck.
4) Share your survival plan with your family. Ask for their input. Get their agreement.

Through this blog, I'll share with you how I'm working my emergency survival plan with my family and help you see how you can too - even with limited resources, limited time, and limited support from your family.  I'll share the free resources on the internet that I've found educational and even inspirational.