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Get Prepped Newsletter: June 3, 2011

This week, we are focusing our attention on preparing our 72 hour kits for an emergency evacuation. The faster a person can leave their home solely depends on how prepared they are, and if an initial plan was set.

MESSAGE FROM TESS

Have you ever thought of your preps as being your own personal insurance policy?  I overheard my neighbors discussing how they would rather be over prepared than under prepared with having flood insurance.  That statement made me think that our personal preparations for short and long term emergencies are much like an insurance policy, you pay in a little each month to prepare for a worst case scenario. 

In the 52-week series Get Prepped, we are focusing on finding cost-effective ways for preparing for life’s unexpected events. To be as prepared as possible, we are starting at the basic level and working our way up to long term preparedness. This week, we are focusing our attention on preparing our 72 hour kits for an emergency evacuation.  The faster a person can leave their home solely depends on how prepared they are, and if an initial plan was set.  Having a pre-determined plan in place will save time, money, energy and sometimes a life.

I want to apologize to those of you who have received this newsletter multiple times each week.  There is a problem with my newsletter software, and I am trying to get the issue resolved.  I hope that you can bear with me through this techinical glitch.    

And, last but not least, a big thanks to my readers for being a part of Ready Nutrition! Your kind words of encouragement keep me going. Don’t forget to see what we’re are up to on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.  Also to better prepare your extended family, extend an invitation for them to read Ready Nutrition.

Regards,

Tess Pennington


PREP OF THE WEEK

Week 6 of 52: Evacuation Preparedness

This week, we will concentrate on the evacuation aspect of preparedness.  Many who have first hand accounts of mass evacuations from Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita will tell you that it is not fun.   When we think of evacuations, we typically think of the mass exodus we witnessed on television with the aforementioned storms.  Depending on the area you live in, there are times when evacuations are more localized and require you to leave your community or town.  Being that I live in Houston, I not only have to worry about hurricane season, but I also have to worry about chemical leaks from the refineries in this area.  If a refinery emergency were to occur, I would have to leave immediately, thus giving my family only a few minutes to evacuate our home. 

Having a pre-assembled bag with basic survival needs in place will expedite the evacuation process, as well as keep things running smoothly.  The main goal of having a 72-hour bag is to be equipped to survive for three days.  Therefore, keep your basic survival needs in mind: food, water, shelter, clothing, sanitation, medications/prescriptions.  In addition, I would also pack some extra emergency money or a credit card with enough money for gas and lodging  in case you run into a monetary issue.  Click here to get more details on preparing a 72 hour bag.

Preparing a bag for evacuations takes more time than one would think.  Taking survival needs into account  is one thing, but trying to collect prescriptions, children’s special items, and personal documents can be frustrating if you were under time constraints.  Preparing ahead of time for evacuations will cut down on the headaches, and keep you one step ahead. 

Preps to buy for Week 6: 72 Hour Bags

  • Backpacks for each member of the family (make sure the backpack has multiple compartments and pockets)
  • Water containers for each family member
  • Water purification tablets
  • Food for three days (remember foods that are lightweight and high in calories)
  • Mylar blankets or bivvy for each member of the family
  • Tent or some sort of alternative shelter
  • Season appropriate clothing (3 days worth)
  • Fire starters
  • Waterproof matches and/or Bic lighters
  • Charged cell phone or alternate communication
  • Maps of the city and state (if you have not already purchased) 
  • Flash lights for each bag with extra batteries
  • Mess kit and utensils for each family member

Don’t forget to pack items for pet needs.  In additions, some other items to include in your evacuation packs are a first aid kit, hygiene items (toilet paper, deodorant, feminine products, shampoo/soap), and personal documents.

Action Items:

1. Create an evacuation plan including an emergency meeting area for family members, multiple evacuation routes, a list of emergency phone numbers.  Having this checklist on hand will keep an evacuation as organized as possible.

2. Assemble evacuation packs.

3. Place packs near an emergency exit or in an easy to access area.

4. As a family, discuss the evacuation plan, and include a discussion on the protocol and emergency exits.


WHAT WE’RE UP TO

In our home:

What a difference a week makes.  After recuperating from a virus, I am officially back and playing “catch up” from last week.  This week has also been a week of starting new projects and finishing up old ones.  One project I started on was preparing my garden beds for the summer.  To make room for my summer garden, I removed the last of the Spring vegetables. I also raked up the rest of the leaves that were laying in the yard and transferred them into my garden beds.  Fallen leaves are a great way to add additional nutrients to your garden soil as well as to use as a mulch. 

Family Preps:

I have been able to put some more food away with the containers and Mylar bags that I ordered last week.  I thank God for every bag of food we are able to put away.  With the price of food (and everything else) on a steady climb, we are so thankful for what we have been able to put away. 

Outdoor Activities: 

With the sun beating down on us here in Texas, our outdoor activities have been winding down. However, I am always up for gardening.  These days, gardening in the early morning is much more pleasant than in the afternoon.  I started some new seeds this week, and hopefully, by mid-July I will have a garden full of peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Even though we are in the middle of a horrible drought, I am researching ways to conserve our water by capturing the gray water we usually throw away.  I forsee an article being written about this in the near future. 


RECENT ARTICLES

In case you missed some of our recent articles, be sure to read these:

What the Mayan Elders Are Saying About 2012

Short Term Emergency Check list


STATS AND FACTS

Did you know that June is National Safety Month?

Now that the kids have gotten out of school, this would be a good time to go over some summer safety tips. Teaching your family how to stay safe during the warmer months is a great introduction to them learning personal responsibility.  Beat the heat with these tips:

  • Stay hydrated.  My kids know they have to drink a glass of water before they go outside, and I make them take bottled water with them when we are driving around.
  • Stay indoors, preferably in an air conditioned area.  If air conditioning is unavailable, stay in the lowest area of the home (this is typically the coolest part of the home).
  • Use sunscreen when planning to spend time outside.
  • Wear light colored clothing. 
  • Protect yourself further from the sun by wearing a hat with a wide brim.
  • NEVER leave anyone inside a parked car that is not running.
  • Be sure and check in with adults who may be at-risk for heat strokes.  Mulitple government organizations suggests checking on these adults twice a day.

MEDIA

As busy as I have been, I have not had any new media opportunities, but I do plan on getting some more demonstration videos up for everyone on my YouTube Channel. So, stay tuned! In the meantime, click here and you can view some past media opportunities I had the pleasure of doing.


LETTERS TO TESS

One of the perks of my job at Ready Nutrition is to address questions and/or concerns that you may have with your prepping endeavors. Feel free to ask anything that is on your mind because no question is too big or small. You can email questions to: getprepped@readynutrition.com

This week’s question addresses alternatives to antibiotics:

 Tess,
  
I have enjoyed reading your newsletter!  I have a question… antibiotics.  My hubby and I are both paramedics so we are stocked when it comes to medical, except with this.  I got information from another prepper blog that I belong to about the following information.  I am curious what your thoughts on this is.  I have spent several hours researching other options, which is to order them from another country, which I question the integrity of the medication.  Thanks so much!
 
Blessings,
  
Dianna
 
  
Answer:
 
Dianna,
 
I have considered buying antibiotics through websites too, but do not trust the websites either.  My concern is that the meds they are selling were not stored correctly, or may be expired.  You just never know…   I have also heard from multiple websites, as well as preppers who happen to be doctors that stocking up on fish antibiotics is safe for human consumption.  It is true that many fish antibiotics contain the same active ingredients as those formulated for humans.  However, there are few considerations to keep in mind, such as using the correct dosage as to not over medicate yourself, and the differences in human metabolism vs. the metabolism rate of a fish.  Anyone who is planning on storing up fish antibiotics to use needs to do proper research, and it wouldn’t help to discuss this with a medical professional.
 
In an article on Survival Blog, the contributing author, who happens to be a doctor was able to purchase the below fish antibiotics online without any demand for medical license or prescription.  A paraphrase of the article and a list of the drugs are listed below. They are:
 
•FISH-MOX (amoxicillin 250mg)
•FISH_MOX FORTE (amoxicillin 500mg)
•FISH-CILLIN (ampicillin 250mg)
•FISH-FLEX Keflex 250mg)
•FISH-FLEX FORTE (Keflex 500mg)
•FISH-ZOLE (metronidazole 250mg)
•FISH-PEN (penicillin 250mg)
•FISH-PEN FORTE (penicillin 500mg)
•FISH-CYCLINE (tetracycline 250mg)

NOTE: It should be emphasized that FISH-CYCLINE [and other tetracycline antibiotics of various names] can become toxic after its expiration date, unlike most of the other medications listed. So consider acquiring the other ones listed, first.

These medications are available usually in plastic bottles of 100 tablets for much less than the same prescription medication at the pharmacy (some come in bottles of 30 tablets). The dosages are similar to that used in humans, and are taken two to four times a day, depending on the drug. The 500mg dosage is probably more effective in larger individuals. Of course, anyone could be allergic to one or another of these antibiotics, but not all of them. (Note that there is a 10% cross-reactivity between “-cillin” drugs and Keflex, meaning that, if you are allergic to Penicillin, you could also be allergic to Keflex). FISH-ZOLE is an antibiotic that also kills some protozoa that cause dysentery.

I have also heard that colloidal silver is also a great alternative.  I hope this helps. 

Thanks so much,

Tess

This article was originally published at Ready Nutrition™ on June 3rd, 2011