Whether it be an injury or illness, natural disaster, economic downturn or pandemic, there could be a time when the basic items you have on hand are all you will have access to.
There are many preparedness resources available online with guidance to help us start the process of home storage, or encourage us to build upon what we already have in place. Beready.utah.gov is a State of Utah resource devoted to preparedness, and another source of information is the Provident Living section of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
For the training topic tonight I will share some information found in a Family Home Storage brochure entitled “All is Safely Gathered In”, found on Provident Living website. It reads:
Build a small supply of food that is part of your normal, daily diet. One way to do this is to purchase a few extra items each week to build a one-week supply of food. Then you can gradually increase your supply until it is sufficient for three months. These items should be rotated regularly to avoid spoilage.
Store drinking water for circumstances in which the water supply may be polluted or disrupted. If water comes directly from a good, pretreated source then no additional purification is needed; otherwise, pretreat water before use. Store water in sturdy, leak-proof, breakage-resistant containers. Consider using plastic bottles commonly used for juices and soda. Keep water containers away from heat sources and direct sunlight.
Establish a financial reserve by saving a little money each week and gradually increasing it to a reasonable amount.
For longer-term needs, and where permitted, gradually build a supply of food that will last a long time and that you can use to stay alive, such as wheat, white rice, and beans. These items can last 30 years or more when properly packaged and stored in a cool, dry place. A portion of these items may be rotated in your three-month supply.