Let's Talk Disaster

As the days get longer and colder, my focus has shifted from trying to keep the house cool to what I will do if we have a natural disaster again. Last year, the snow and ice piled up for weeks. Since we don't usually see that in the mild Seattle area, most people were not prepared for what comes with it-icy streets, nutty drivers-and what didn't (gas trucks and the trucks that supplied the grocery stores with things like bread and milk). Being stuck at home, trying to invent a meal that consisted of sundried tomatoes in oil, refried beans and faux chicken patties (the only things left) was not fun. Knowing that the stores where I lived were unable to carry through with deliveries for the housebound only added to my anxiety. I learned my lesson. A couple years back, we had the worst windstorm the area had seen a very long time, knocking out powers to MILLIONS of people, some for weeks. I was among the many that didn't have fuel in my gas bbq (at least I was the first in line at the gas station waiting with propane can in hand), and had to rely on going to the store with about a million other people for things that would be easy to cook on a bbq or the single burner of the bbq. A recent survey showed that while 85% of Americans are concerned about what to do if a disaster strikes, only 13% have a plan and a kit with supplies. The Red Cross website has a plan to help people get kits ready, with a "disaster calendar" that shows how buying just one or two things a week while you are out at the grocery store can build a kit that can have your family ready for whatever comes your way. Some of the things in my kit: instant mashed potatoes in a variety of flavors, gallons of water (just throw one in your cart per grocery trip!) Bear Creek dry soup mix, pasta sauces, dry noodles, canned fruit, cereal bars, instant oatmeal.

An overview of a kit and a link to the disaster calendar http://www.seattleredcross.org/show.aspx?mi=4171