Sunday, May 26, 2013

Top 50 Things to Disappear from Store Shelves during an Emergency


I just read this from Tom Sciacca who is President of CampingSurvival.com and thought I'd pass it along to a few more people.

The Top 50 Things to Disappear from Store Shelves during an Emergency
Have you ever noticed how, whenever a big storm is predicted, people start rushing to stores to clean them out of ever food item and supply they have on the shelves? In one sense, it’s probably good that they are trying to anticipate the emergency, despite being last-minute about it. It sure beats those people who don’t bother to prepare at all, then complain when emergency services are overwhelmed by requests for assistance.
800px-Japan_earthquake_store_shelvesBut why panic in the first place? Why not have a stash of necessary items always ready for such an emergency? Even if there isn’t a storm approaching, it’s nice to know that you don’t have to rush out to the store every time you run out of toilet paper. Keeping some extra around the house is always a good idea!
With this in mind, I decided to ask CampingSurvival.com’s Facebook fans what they felt were the emergency supplies that stores were most likely to run out of when people start to panic. Then I compiled the top comments in various categories so I could share it with you. Since this list is based on the comments of our Facebook fan page, some of the items (canned meat, for instance) may not be the absolute first things for a store to run out of, but are still items that you should consider having among your emergency supplies nonetheless.
Without further ado, here the list of the Top 50 Things to Disappear from Store Shelves during an Emergency, compiled by Tom Sciacca:
FOOD
1. Bread
2. Butter
3. Cereal
4. Coffee
5. Eggs
6. Flour
7. Fruit, canned and fresh
8. Honey
9. Meats, canned
10. Milk
11. Peanut butter
12. Pet food
13. Salt
14. Sugar
15. Vegetables, canned and root vegetables
16. Water
POWER AND LIGHT
17. Batteries
18. Candles
19. Charcoal
20. Coolers
21. Flashlights
22. Gasoline
23. Generators
24. Glow sticks
25. Ice
26. Lamp oil and oil lanterns
27. Lighter fluid
28. Matches
29. Propane, propane stoves
FUN
30. Alcohol, drinking
31. Beer
32. Cigarettes
33. Condoms
FIRST AID
34. Alcohol, rubbing
35. Antiseptic
36. Aspirin/pain relievers
37. Cold medicine
38. First aid kits
HYGIENE
39. Feminine hygiene products
40. Paper plates/napkins
41. Shampoo
42. Soap
43. Toilet paper
BABIES
44. Baby food/formula
45. Diapers
IMPROVISATION
46. Duct tape
47. Plastic bags
48. Plywood
49. Radios
50. Rope
Now, before you file this away as mildly interesting reading, take this list and compare it to what you have stocked up. Check to see what you may be missing or what you need more of. And don’t forget that this is only a Top 50 list, so there are plenty of other items that I don’t have space to talk about in this (already long!) blog entry.


Hope you will take account what you do have and items you feel you should still get.  Nothing like a list to make you realize you may of missed something!

Cherlynn
brchbell@yahoo.com

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

May Days

I haven't been writing very much lately.  By the time I go out and get each days work done I'm to shot to do anything when I come back in except go to bed.  I never realized how much my old body would slow down as I age.  Not that I'm that old mind you but slow down I am.   I remember all the seasons of my life so far.  The ones with the crying baby all night or the twins at that stage where they grab everything with in reach at the grocery store.  all the way through to helping the kids choose their college and head toward their dreams.  Now we are retired but I never thought that would mean I was tired but by golly I sure am most of the time.  A new life and I just have to learn the rules to survive a new stage of life.  I'm learning to work in shorter sessions and take lots of breaks.

Now many of you are wondering what this has to do with emergency preparedness.  Well for me entering this new stage in my life its pure survival.

In our life time we will all face many trying times.  It might be a loss of job or birth of a baby.  It might be a tornado or loss of a parent.  It might be facing each day.  Yes there comes a time in life where facing each day will be the hardest thing you will do.  Having the faith to face what ever it is we have to face is one of the best preps we can have within us.

Be a surviver, have the faith and courage to to keep going on no matter what you have to face. Having a deep faith is the only way you can survive.


Cherlynn
brchbell@yahoo.com

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Spring is here!

Oh my, have you started your gardens yet?  Are you finding mushrooms?  Is your asparagus coming up yet?  Well I have started my garden.  Last falls garlic is coming up great and the onion sets look great.  My asparagus in my raised beds has been sprouting up for over 3 weeks now giving us plenty of fresh asparagus several times a week.  My peas on the other hand doesn't seem to be doing well at all.  The little bit that has sprouted is dead the next day.  Maybe it will decide to actually be Spring now and the peas will really start to grow.  The lettuces I interplanted in the beds is coming up nicely and in a couple of weeks we might be eating salads again.

I got a flat of broccoli to set out and thinking I might as well do so today.  I've been setting them out on the back deck for a couple of weeks during the day so they should be ok.  I've transplanted  my tomato plants into larger containers and they are grower bigger every day.  I am looking forward to the ground getting warm enough that I can start setting out tomatoes and peppers again.

I'm grateful for the moisture we've recieved  even if some it was snow.  I pray that the moisture will continue so we don't face drought conditions again like last year.

Make sure you are getting extra food put away so you don't face a crisis if everything crashes around us.   So many claim we'll have an economic collapse but I truly don't believe that will happen.  But you never know what will happen in the future so it's better to be prepared for whatever comes your way.

If you don't want to garden you can watch for deals that you can store away.  Sam's Club now covers Augason Farms emergency food storage pails.  You can find deals all over if you just start watching and build your storage up.  Don't forget about storing up the nonfood items you use all the time too!  Make a list of everything you and your family uses that is nonperishable.  You will find out what you really need and be able to have those items on hand in case of crisis.

Have a blessed day and enjoy the world around you and your family.

Cherlynn
brchbell@yahoo.com