Saturday, September 17, 2005

Being Prepared - Emergency Preparedness

In the past several weeks I have been reflecting on counsel given by my Church to have a year's supply of food, and emergency supplies on hand. I believe this is inspired counsel, especially seeing how much a natural disaster can completely devastate a whole area. Food storage in New Orleans may have helped some of the victims (at least those whose homes were not completely destroyed), but with a disaster of that magnitude it may have been helpful to have a 72-hour kit. A 72-hour kit is something usually stored in a backpack that is quickly grabbed, containing first aid supplies, food and water for 3 days, a change of clothing and a few other necessary supplies.

If you are interested in emergency preparedness and food storage, there is a great resource at Provident Living. You can find lists of the types of food you should store, how to store the food, where you can get food storage and the amounts of food and water that you should have depending on your family size. There is also a list of emergency supplies that would be beneficial to have on hand.

Anyway, I think it would benefit all of us to think about how we can be prepared in case of disaster. Maybe it is starting out small with knowledge and a plan -- such as where to turn off the gas in your home, how to get out in case of a fire, or if you were separated from family members where would you meet (have several options in case some places are not accessible).

"If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear." (Doctrine and Covenants 38:30).

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