We did it! We made it through the 7 Day Mini Challenge and hopefully our food storage areas are a little cleaner, more organized, and we have a game plan for the holes in our preparedness plans. Today will be working on our final task and for this one we will be spring cleaning our 72 hour kits!

• Check/Rotate Food and Water Supplies:
  • Rotate any food and water supplies that are close to expiration, replacing them with fresh items. Make sure you have a good water filter in addition to any stored water.
  • Include light-weight snacks like freeze-dried fruits and just-add-water meals for easy cooking.
  • Don’t forget to check cooking fuels/stoves so you can prepare your meals.
• Update Emergency Contact Information:
  • Review and update any emergency contact information, including phone numbers and addresses.
• Check Medications and First Aid Supplies:
  • Ensure that medications and first aid supplies are up to date and replace any expired items.
• Rotate Clothing:
  • Check clothing items in the kit for size suitability, especially if you have small children. Replace with appropriate sizes if needed.
• Refresh Personal Hygiene Supplies:
  • Ensure you have essential personal items such as toiletries, sanitation supplies, etc. Don’t forget to include diapers if you have babies!
• Inspect Tools and Equipment:
  • Verify that all tools and equipment (e.g., flashlight, multi-tool, radio) are in working condition. Replace batteries as necessary.
• Include Seasonal Items:
  • Adjust the contents of your kit based on the current season (e.g., for spring remove extra clothing layers and add extra things like sunscreen and bug spray).
• Check Documentation:
  • Review important documents stored in your emergency binder that should be part of your kit (e.g., copies of identification, insurance policies) and update as needed.
• Don’t Forget Pet Supplies:
  • If you have animals that will be evacuating with you in an emergency make sure to have food, water, leashes, litter, poop bags, toys, etc. for them.
• Organize and Reassemble Kits:
  • Neatly organize all items back into the disaster kit, ensuring everything is packed securely and efficiently. Try storing like items in different pockets so you can easily find them.
  • If you have small children consider packing small light backpacks for each of the kids with the bulk of the extra supplies in the parent’s packs.
• REVIEW:
  • Go over my Emergency Preparedness Plan handout and double-check that you have all areas covered for your 72 hour kits and evacuation list

-Jodi Weiss Schroeder
http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net