Emergency food storage is not about fear mongering or scare tactics. It’s about emergency preparedness. You are preparing in advance so chaos and scarcity won’t ensue should a real emergency occur. But, these are the days wherein things that are right are called wrong, things that are wrong are called right, and the political spin doctors are working overtime. No wonder emergency food storage may be seen by some (who hang on every word of the mainstream media) as being “extreme”. When you live in a country that has a deficit of over $14 trillion, has over $75 trillion in unfunded liabilities, whose real unemployment is over 20 percent (Shadowstats.com), and where gold is over $1,200 denominated in the country’s currency, how would anybody with a little horse sense construe having some emergency food storage as being extreme? Unless they just don’t interpret the above figures as extreme!?

Common sense has become a very uncommon commodity. When bills more than a thousand pages long that are not even read have passage through Congress even considered, this is a huge red flag, and should give rise to concern and action on the part of individuals for protection. What more important action could we take to preserve our lives and freedoms than to protect ourselves from gross departure of our sacred constitutional principles by being self reliant and obtaining for ourselves and our families an emergency food storage supply to take car of our survival needs, and to secure our financial situation with constitutional money (gold and silver)? Common sense dictates: if you don’t take care of yourself, why should anyone else? What’s more – the future is uncertain – to beware and to prepare is nothing else if not logical.

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One of the reasons for storing emergency food is that food not only sustains us nutritionally, it is also great “normalizer” and an excellent balancing factor in the face of hardship. In the aftermath of an emergency if you are not cut off from a food source, your mind and spirit can be at least buoyed up and your power to endure enhanced. Think about it– people just tend to be in a better mood and more emotionally balanced when they have food in their bellies. I know a few people who when they get hungry are rather grumpy! Multiply that by a factor of 10 or more if you are hungry and despairing in the aftermath of a disaster. The tears would come a lot more easily. On the other hand, with food, the situation becomes more manageable. There is something about being satiated and our appetites being fed that counts a lot in “cooling our jets.”

Some think since our civilized society is so advanced that we would be able to weather any kind of emergency without disruption. Ask the Hurricane Katrina survivors if that’s true or not. It’s more close to NOT when it comes to hoping that Big Brother (Uncle Sam) is going to meet our every rescuing need. The government is woefully unable to fill such big shoes on such a wide scale. And we shouldn’t wait around expecting them to. Darwin had a few things right with his Theory of Evolution and Survival of the Fittest. In the case of having emergency food, you will be the “fittest” of a great number of people if you have it. There will be no regrets. Even if it only ever brought you peace of mind, emergency food would have done its job in my way of thinking.

You have the whole world at your feet right now at this moment. Yes, times are hard, but you have access to more food right now than you could ever consume in a lifetime. How sad would it be if you didn’t at least begin to obtain emergency food that could sustain you for a few week’s time? I dare say your WalMart is full of food enough for everybody right now, but in event of a major societal disruption (human caused or natural) it wouldn’t matter. Remember, it wasn’t raining when Noah built his ark. He was seen as a kook, but this shouldn’t bother you as much as your will to live should carry you forward to life sustaining emergency food accumulation.

Your emergency food supply can be very, very simple. Start out with a goal of a couple of weeks of emergency food. You can expand as resources allow. What is emergency food exactly? Emergency food may be nothing different from what you already eat on a daily basis. To make things simple it can be canned foods and items that require only easy preparation. You may also want to acquire some dehydrated and freeze dried emergency food selections. These two food choice types usually require only water and a heat source for reconstitution and they take very little time and effort to make ready for consumption. They also have the added benefit of storing for 5-plus years in many cases. A lot of people choose to add freeze dried and dehydrated foods to their emergency food storage pantry because they may not want to maintain/rotate them. They use them as an insurance policy. Whatever emergency food you should decide to gather, the important thing is that you get a start, even if it is slow and steady. Don’t be embarrassed or think you are under-doing it if it is only a can or a package at a time. Slow and steady wins the race!

Food is one of the main expenses of a family budget. If you can accumulate enough emergency food for both the short term and the long term (one year), you can weather many of life’s storms. If you should become financially strapped, such as a layoff, income loss due to physical illness that disables you for a time, etc., wouldn’t it make sense to have prepared in advance with emergency food “insurance”? You pay for health insurance and life insurance, why not look at food in the same light? Emergency food can in many different ways be your saving grace.

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If you have come this far in your emergency preparedness efforts in regards to your food storage, you are ready to move on to what James and others call “creature comforts.” After all, when we have fulfilled the bottom level of Maslow’s Pyramid (being able to survive with adequate amounts of food, water, and shelter), it’s human nature to want to move up his Pyramid, eventually leading to more fulfillment and self-actualization. The reason we speak of the “creature comforts” in a discussion related to food storage is because quite often those things that will offer you comfort in lean times are also stored in the same place or near to your food storage room. The best reason food storage and other creature comforts are stored together or in close proximity is because you will want to have these items together for easy access should you have to “bug out”, or even just for convenience sake. Of course, some people hesitate to “put all their eggs in one basket,” so it is fine to disburse you food storage about the house, but don’t be so scattered that you forget where the 72 hour kit is vs. the dehydrated food vs. the canned food, wheat, rice, etc., etc.

The creature comforts that go beyond food storage are first and foremost what you would use in a prolonged state of disarray or chaotic conditions following the original emergency state of conditions. Think hygiene. Things like shampoo, soap, toothpaste, and toothbrushes should all be added to your food storage supply after you have the basics needed to live on for one year food wise. Other things like diapers and feminine napkins should not be overlooked. Deodorants and combs/brushes would also be useful. The types of things that you use every day and rarely need to think much about, but that you would really miss being a part of everyday life, are the things you need to make a list of and put in your food storage room. Warehouse membership clubs are perfect for buying in bulk like this to save money. Both men and women will probably want some disposable razors and shaving cream.

Some people even put games in with their food storage. Books could work, too. Got a Rubik’s Cube? People need an escape, especially during times of duress. So, add some cards or simple toys that don’t need batteries for the children. Hard candies that store well are an excellent addition to food storage.

It really boils down to what you use, both for food storage and for the “beyond” part (creature comforts). Of course, it would be nice for everybody to have some items used only in emergencies, much as rescue workers have on hand the “Jaws of Life.” But beyond those few things that are only for emergencies, have those things on hand that can as much as possible make it seem as though it is “life as usual.” Put them beside your food storage, and go to your food storage convenience store often to rotate the stock.

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Our civilization is quite advanced, making it even that much more important to prepare for any number of things that could go awry, and calling upon the use of something as simple as food storage. See, when any system gets so far advanced and inclined towards such high levels of technological specialization in so many varied facets, it becomes increasingly more susceptible to a breakdown or interruption, because when just one part of the whole becomes dysfunctional it creates a domino effect throughout. Just as happened with the housing market. And to make an analogy most can appreciate, how helpless do you feel when your car gadgetry malfunctions? When you car windows won’t roll up nor down with just the click of a button, do you sometimes long for the manual window-roller-uppers?

Although not caused by a defect in the normal “man”-aged workings of society, we can see how a “change” in the status quo will cause mass chaos, as witnessed by a series of big hurricanes a few years back. What happens? Many basic essentials are the first to fly off the store shelves, and this surely includes food. Food storage, water storage, 72 hour kits, and other emergency supplies collected far in advance could prevent this mad rush to a grocery store—only to find that crowds of people made it there before you did, leaving very little left of the significant items for you to purchase. Remember, this is not an apocalyptic event, just nature taking its course. Recall also the pictures on television those people who waited until the last minute before evacuating and being stranded on freeways for hours at a time because of overtaxed capacity. If you are going to get out of Dodge, do it before everyone else decides to!

In his book, “Making the Best of Basics,” author James Talmage Stevens speaks of an in-home food storage convenience store. Aside from disastrous situations, how nice would it be to never “run out” of an ingredient needed for a recipe, not having to run to the neighbors for an item to complete the mix? What if you should forget that you have no more diapers in the home and your baby has a bout of diarrhea? Even if the store is close, it’s nice to have a backup supply.

We have learned in recent years that the unexpected can and does happen. “Nobody saw it coming!” was the common refrain in response to the economic crisis. In times of volatility and uncertainty, could there be a trucker’s strike, or exceedingly high gas prices that cause a disruption in the supply chain delivering food to the marketplace? This and many other unforeseen scenarios could happen, thus bringing to the forefront the need for food storage and emergency supplies. With the advanced JIT (Just-In-Time) concept of inventories, it is said that grocery store shelves could be emptied in 3 days or less. But, if you have an in-home food storage convenience store as part of your wise and prudent emergency preparedness efforts, you’re not among those who panic. We’re not talking about Armageddon or the Apocalypse here. We’re just talking about good, old-fashioned common sense.

Food really can go missing from grocery storage shelves as attested to by even recent articles found here and here. Got food storage?

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Okay. As far as similarities, both types of food are great for long-term storage and are almost identical as far as shelf life (about 25 years). Also, both need to be kept in similar temperature, humidity, and oxygen conditions.

However, the similarities between the two types of food end there. From that point on, there are three major differences between freeze-dried food and dehydrated food:

First of all, I want to make it very clear that my species did not climb to the top of the food chain so that we could become vegetarians. I like meat. Maybe you do, too. So for me, I need to have meat that tastes good in my home food storage. Well, the meat, as you will see, is very, very different between the dehydrated and freeze-dried types of food storage.

See, dehydrated food doesn’t have any seasoning or additional ingredients added to it when it is made. In fact, most dehydrated foods are just a single ingredient and that’s it. Whether it is fruit or meat, it is just that one item. This is a huge problem for a meat-eater like me because what this means is that a dehydrated piece of meat is just that. A piece of meat. Nothing added to make it taste good or to make it enjoyable. Therefore, if you want any seasoning or anything like that, you need to add it in later.

On the other hand, freeze-dried food does have seasoning and additional ingredients already added in. So when it comes to meat, seasoning and added ingredients have already been added in! That makes eating meat and other items oh so tasty.

This is the first major difference between the two types of food. Even though dehydrated food can range from everything from rice to pancake mix to Ramen noodles, you need to make sure you have some ingredients to add to them once they are hydrated. Otherwise they are quite insipid and tasteless. Freeze-dried food, on the other hand, contains lots of different ingredients and some fantastic seasonings. So, you just heat it up and eat it and mmmmmmmmmm. Remarkable.

The second big different between the two types of food is that although both freeze-dried food and dehydrated food just need water and heat, the prep time varies greatly. Freeze-dried foods are usually quicker to prepare than dehydrated foods. The times can vary anywhere from as little as 15 minutes to one hour depending on what it is you are cooking, but, as a general rule, the dehydrated food takes longer to prepare than the freeze-dried food. Note: If you have a pressure cooker on hand you can cut the prep time down considerably on both types of food. Pressure cookers will save you a ton of time and energy regardless of which type of home food storage you have.

Finally, the third difference between the two types of food is that freeze-dried food is usually a full meal that contains multiple items. Think “TV Dinner” or even “Meals on Wheels” when you think freeze-dried food. Unlike dehydrated foods, freeze-dried foods are meals that are completely ready to eat once they are heated up and water has been added. Again, dehydrated food is usually just a single ingredient. You will need to mix them with other items or season them or they won’t taste that great.

Now, does this mean freeze-dried food is better than dehydrated food? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Well, actually, yes.

But before you start thinking freeze-dried food is some Bastian of Morality and dehydrated food is one step below plankton pee, it should be noted that dehydrated food takes freeze-dried food behind the woodshed every day of the week when it comes to price. Dehydrated food is way cheaper. Way cheaper. Dehydrated food also usually makes more food than freeze-dried food per serving—again, this adds to the value and price ratio advantage.

So, a quick recap here: Freeze-dried food tastes better, is ready to eat sooner, and has a wider variety of food once prepared. Dehydrated food does not taste as good, takes longer to prepare, and is just that one item when you prepare it. However, dehydrated food is much, much cheaper than freeze-dried food.

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Who doesn’t drive nowadays? Okay, I’m not talking about your infant or toddler. And I’m not talking about your aging parents or grandparents. But most people in our civilized society that have the means (and many can afford at least a beater car) use a car as a means of transportation. Think about how much time you actually spend in your car. It may not be 1/3 of your life like it is with sleeping, but especially if you have any significant commuting to and from work, you spend a lot of time in your car. Do you maintain your car perfectly with every scheduled routine maintenance? If you are like most people, you probably at least make sure the oil gets changed regularly, but what about everything else?

Using the words of a teenager: “So, like, you have this all nice stereo system in your car, and, like, you spent all that money for a cool thing, but, like, you don’t have nothing in case you got– like stuck somewhere?” So what if you are who the teenager is talking about? Oh, well, you have a cell phone, so you are taken care of! Maybe not… Why chance it? Isn’t it nice to know that should you be in a situation you had not expected, that you had the foresight to protect against these types of scenarios? And what about your driving children? Your teenage children drive you crazy, but they also drive a car and you love them. So if there was anything that you could do to ensure their safety you would probably do it, right?

An emergency car kit is a wonderful resource. You have smoke alarms in your home. You probably have a fire extinguisher, too, or should have. But what do you have in the trunk of your car, besides junk? You really should have a lifesaver back there. Come on now, get with the program– have an emergency car kit, at least for the peace of mind. What if you never use it? Well then, Hallelujah! But if you should need it, and you don’t have one, you’ll kick yourself and probably swear, and feel really rotten. But more importantly, you’ll be endangered! Emergency preparedness is not all about doom and gloom. In fact, it is just the opposite. In a sense it’s taking control now of what you can’t control later. Everyone would be on board with this idea if they could see that in their future it would be needed. But being as most of us cannot see the future, we have this thing we call emergency preparedness, and it sets us up for success for the obstacles that life puts in our way instead of failure.

Got Emergency Car Kit?

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According to outdoor survival experts, the most important necessity for survival is shelter.  When you are in the outdoors, think of what you are wearing as a type of shelter.  For your survival it is necessary to be shielded against the elements in some manner.  In the cold, your main concerns are to keep your body temperature up to prevent hypothermia and to keep it covered sufficiently so that you don’t experience Jack Frost(Bite).  If you will be spending any amount of time outdoors in winter conditions, you need to plan for your stay as if it will be longer than you had expected.  This is wise because you can never be sure when you might get stuck outdoors due to your car breaking down, somehow getting lost in the wilderness, and other unforeseen scenarios.  How many people have you seen that are way under dressed when they venture outside the doors of their home?  Are you guilty of it?  I have been at times.  We are in a hurry and we have to get someplace quickly and we won’t be gone for long, so we just basically go in our pajamas and slip on some flip flops and it’s the middle of winter!  We have little if any protection if we were to meet up with an emergency situation that called for spending an extended period of time in the outdoors.  Well, it’s not that cold outside we reason.  But the mountain lake water isn’t that cold either when we just dip our hand in it for a couple of seconds.  What happens when it turns into minutes, or hours?  You get the picture.

Keeping dry is part of keeping warm.  When we are wet and cold outside this threatens our survival even more.  It’s comparable to  when the temperature is zero degrees Fahrenheit outside and then with the windchill factor it’s 80 below (not quite, but seemingly so).  It’s imperative when you are in the outdoors, especially in the wintertime, that you keep dry.  If you find yourself wet, get indoors quickly and change clothes and dry off before you venture back out again.

When you go outdoors, pay particular attention to your most sensitive areas that you know from experience get the coldest.  It can make an outdoor trip miserable if you aren’t adequately prepared for the environment because you haven’t dressed appropriately.  For me, I know that my feet, hands, and ears are pretty critical.  Is it the same for you, or is it your Rudolph nose?  I make certain that these areas have extra protection.  If you don’t have good, warm wool socks to protect your toesies, wear two or three regular pair.  Keep your head covered.  Your ears aren’t a good thing to lose.  Mike Tyson proved that to Evander Holyfield.  Ears can be easily frostbitten.  And for heaven sakes, have a good pair of gloves!  The Hot Hands in the video that I mention are great little additions, too.  Sometimes if your fingers get a little nippy, you can warm them up a little by crossing your arms across your body and placing your hands where the sun don’t shine– under your armpits, silly.

If you are over prepared and over dressed, you have the advantage in surviving in the outdoors.  You can’t put more “shelter” on if you don’t have it with you, but you can take some off it you have too much on.  So layering your clothing is critical.  And wool is a great thing to have because it drys more quickly than other materials.

I’m sure you’ve heard this somewhere before, but– Boom Shacka Laka, Star Wars, and Chewbacca– stay warm and dry in the outdoors so you can be safe and survive!

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Hopefully most people have been taught in their younger years the way to perform the Heimlich Maneuver (a.k.a. abdominal thrusts) on the victim of an obstructed airway. It is a lifesaving method that everyone should know in order to assist someone who is totally at the mercy of unsuspecting bystanders. If a person is still choking, it is advisable to let them try to emit the food material by their own power, but if not, and their airway is clearly obstructed, by all means intervene and perform this lifesaving technique. This is the very essence of emergency preparedness. It is quite a simple technique with profound consequences. It can mean the difference between life and death.

Emergency preparedness isn’t completely geared to helping others in a bind, however. It includes being prepared to help yourself first and foremost. As far as emergency preparedness goes, you can’t really help other people if you can’t take care of yourself.

If you happened to be all alone and you were eating some solid foods and by accident didn’t chew carefully enough, or for whatever reason swallowed a chunk of food that obstructed your airway, you have some options. If you are prepared for an event such as this you can come out victorious and live to see another day. The emergency preparedness technique of the Heimlich Maneuver can readily come into play if you have practiced it and understand the concept of using it to help yourself.

The motto of the Boy Scout is “Be prepared.” For anything. This is where I first learned not only the Heimlich maneuver, but further how to perform a version of it to empower myself in case I was not under supervision of anyone or was otherwise on my own without assistance if I should ever stop breathing due to an obstructed airway. In the previous emergency preparedness video about the self-administering of the Heimlich, I have dumbed it down a bit because I was just demonstrating, and I didn’t want to hurt myself. But you still get the idea. In the video you may have noticed when I perform the first method, I am using my hands up against the corner of the counter top, and that makes it less effective. In a real life situation you would not stabilize yourself or negate the forceful thrusts in this manner. And in the second method, upon reviewing the film, I notice that I am up against a door, not a more firm wall, and I am probably lifting myself off of my feet and making weird noises, as well as not being flush up against it (was I being overly dramatic?).

Regardless of my flaws, the point is still illustrated well enough to aid those who wish to polish their emergency preparedness skill set and have another tool of knowledge. You can’t develop too much in the way of emergency preparedness skills. There is always more to learn that you hadn’t thought of before and these gems are extremely useful. You won’t ever be sorry you took the time to learn about different aspects of emergency preparedness because you never know what can happen!

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For the trip I had plenty of water with me, food, emergency blankets, tools for the truck, extra gas, and a lighter in case I needed to make a fire. I dressed very warmly with a coat, hat, and gloves. My clothing was layered. It’s always easier to take off a layer than add one if you have nothing to add because you have not thought ahead.

I had a 4-wheel-drive pickup so I could drive up the mountainside high enough to get to where the pines were. My cutting tool was simply a small bow saw because I was intent on only securing a small tree, as that was all the tree I have room for and want to take care of.

The trip to where I was cutting the tree down was in a national forest, and it required a permit. Always find out and follow local laws so you can be a responsible world citizen.

The trip was delightful and this is a practice that I recommend and will continue with my family. One recommendation I have in regards to getting your Christmas tree permit is to find out when they go on sale and get one within the closest vicinity to where you live ASAP. I had to drive a couple of hours to get where I cut my tree down. Had I acted sooner (usually right after Thanksgiving) I would have beat some of my competition and gotten a permit in a range about half the distance I ended up traveling. Check with the forest service in your state to inquire as to where these permits are sold. Merry Christmas!!! Without any further ado, here is your Christmas tree emergency preparedness/safety video:

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