Warmth
This is my first actual blog message. I just spent an hour composing and typing a very wonderful and lengthy profile for this blog: an introduction to why I was doing this and a little treatise on the conditions of our modern world, etc. But then I hit the wrong key or something and all my hard work disappeared. I finally figured out how this is supposed to work, but now I have run out of time.
To make a long story short, I have been assigned to be our Relief Society’s Emergency Preparedness Specialist. I have decided to do a blog. This way, I can post any brilliant ideas or great information more frequently than I can my monthly presentation before the group at church.
I have decided to do a theme a month. November was when I introduced the first theme or scenario.
Scenario #1
You have no usable water flowing from your faucets.
This can happen if the city’s water pipes break during a big earthquake, or something can just happen in your neighborhood that wipes out your water supply. Or somehow the city’s water supply can become harmful. Do not take a shower in bad water, by the way.
We prepare for this scenario best by purchasing bottled water in the amount of one gallon a day per person in your family for 2 weeks. If this is too much, do as much as you can…for 4- 5 days, for example.
Since you won’t be able to flush your toilets, you need to have on hand packages of those white 13 gallon kitchen trash bags. You lift the lid of your toilet and place an opened 13 gallon trash bag down in your toilet, letting the sides of the bag flow out over the rim of the toilet and then put the seat down and the toilet is ready to use. Then you tie up the bag of human waste and dispose of it somewhere. Go potty in comfort… No need to squat over a bucket!
For December I introduced…
Scenario #2
It’s winter and you are stranded in your car!
To be prepared for this, you need a car kit that includes water, food, flashlight, warm blankets, etc. More on the
“etc” later.
I just recently discovered the Warm Hands product (there are other brand names) that is sold in camping sections of stores like Walmart and Target. You take this packet out of its plastic package and shake it. The air mixes with the powdery material in the porous packet and within a half hour, it is warm and after an hour it is hot! But not too hot to burn your skin (although you should take precaution anyway). I met a man at church who uses them daily in his truck driving job. He puts one in each pocket of his shirt. You can put them in your mittens. They make smaller ones for your socks, and bigger ones for your sleeping bags. They stay nice and hot for 10-12 hours or even longer. Caution, when you take one out of the package, there will be several left in the package. Cover the package with aluminum foil so air doesn’t get in and activate them prematurely. I took one to bed with me the other night when it was extra cold in our bedroom and just laid it under my pajamas on my sternum …ah, comfort!
Remember…”If ye are prepared,ye shall not fear.” D & C 38:33 ~~Thanks for logging on…~~Joanie
