1. Place a pot in your grab and go pile. Make sure the pot is heavy as you will probably be using in on an open fire, camp stove, or barbecue grill. You will only be adding one pot as during an emergency you won’t want to be carrying more than that. A lid for the pot is also important and with limited water you may need to reuse any water you have used to cook your food and you definitely don’t want water evaporating.
2. Add a dining cover, ground cover, to temporarily repair a leaky roof and even to haul debris. They are much less expensive than a tent and much easier to carry. If you have a large family add a few tarps and extra rope.
3. Clear a ten foot area around your propane tank and your barbecue grill. We often hear about clearing a defensible space around our homes but most of us think we are safe because we don’t live in a wooded area. Propane tanks and barbecue grills can be very dangerous. Tanks can and will explode during a weather emergency and barbecue grill can easily create a grease fire with dangerous flame. Grills have also been known to tip over and catch lawns and lawn furniture on fire. Give yourself plenty of space away from your house so you have time to put out the fire before it can cause major damage.
4. Purchase one can or container of protein per family member. This may include; tuna and other fish, meats, peanut butter or beans. This is not the only time we will add protein to our food storage so check the sales this week and add items that are on sale.
5. Move heavy items to bottom shelves. This is especially important during a hurricane, tornado or earthquake. You do not want heavy items falling out of shelves on to family members. Anything that is heavy or with sharp edges should be on bottom shelves.
6. Check your garage and area around heaters and water heaters and move any items that are flammable away from heat sources. If you have a shed store propane bottles, cleaners, lawn mowers (yes, they are flammable) in the shed. Also move any weed killers and pesticides away from heat sources. They can become deadly if they are exposed to a fire.
7. Draw a floor plan or your home. Using markers or colored pencils mark at least two escape routes from each room in case of a fire. Spend time this week walking through those options with your family. Practice good fire safety techniques, low to the ground, feel the door before opening and always practice meeting at your designated meeting place.
