Storing In The Home-- What If Your Home Is Ruined?

[Melissa569]

I agree that having things on hand is a good thing no matter where you live, as every area has some kind of natural disaster possibility, as well as other emergencies.

But, storing all your supplies IN YOUR HOME... Obviously you would have easy access to them, since we usually run home in emergencies. So in that sense, it would be a good thing.

But that's assuming your home is still ok after a disaster, or that your storage room is unharmed and accessable. If not, you are in the same boat as an unprepared family. I mean in a blackout, or simple social unrest, sure you would be off to a great start. But there are so many other disasters, that could prove to be a challenge, when you depend on years of storage saved up in your home. Does anyone prepare for these situations? If so, how?

For example:

* A flood (tsunami, seasonal/river)-- If you store your supplies in a basement or even on the first floor, much of it could be ruined.

* A tornado, Earthquake, or hurricane-- Weather you store up high in an attic, or in a basement, these disasters have the potential to flatten a home, cutting off your access to your storage room/supply.

* Fire-- If your house burns down, so does your storage room and all its supplies.

* Evacuation-- If there were ever a terrorist threat to a city (bomb, biological warfare/release of a deadly desease), or a fire threatening to burn nearby homes, and you had very little time to grab some things and leave-- how much do you think you would be able to take with you? Would it be enough?

* Being away from home when disaster strikes (at work, school, at the store, out of town, etc.) -- that would probably be the most likely scenario, actually. Think blocked or congested roads, etc.

Just interesting to think about these things... :)

Edited April 5, 2010 by Melissa569

[Dravin]

Evacuation-- If there were ever a terrorist threat to a city (bomb, biological warfare/release of a deadly desease), or a fire threatening to burn nearby homes, and you had very little time to grab some things and leave-- how much do you think you would be able to take with you? Would it be enough?

72 hour kit, they're a fairly popular preparedness supply.

[zippy_do46]

I agree on the 72 hour kit. I talked to several members who had to come to our building during Rita and other storms. They said that their 72 hour kits were a blessing. Some had only time to grab this and their personal scriptures.

I also keep bottled water and some other emergency supplies in my car.

[john doe]

Well, you could just do nothing and depend on the kindness of strangers to help you.

Or you could attempt to be as prepared and be as smart about your storage as possible. A 72 hour kit should be the first part of your preparedness. Store it where it can be easily accessed and but also in a safer portion of the home. Also, encourage your neighbors and friends to have storage on hand. Chances are that not everyone's total storage would be destroyed. I would rather be somewhat prepared for likely emergencies than not prepared for anything at all.

[WyomingEMT]

a pair of dark sun glasses, a tin cup and the manual (how to beg properly) can go along way when you have lost everything. I hope my neighbors house is still standing, his basement is loaded with food, and goodies.

[Elgama]

This happened to a Sister in our branch she said she was greatly blessed with things when her home was flooded and her storage destroyed, she felt the Lord looked after her because she obeyed the commandment set. The storage isn't just for times of disaster its there for economic hardship as well

[LDSVALLEY]

Good question. There is no correct or perfect answer to life's problems. It is possible you could lose your entire storage in an emergency. And some people use that as a reason not to create one. We could look at anything from life insurance, auto insurance, eating healthy etc with the same thinking.

In some cases we must apply common sense of course, if you live in a flood plain does it make more sense to create a food storage area in your basement or second floor? If you have a shed should you store some out there? If your worried about being in a high potential evacuation area then get together with trusted relatives or friends who live in other areas and form a food storage group where you each spread your storage to each others homes so there is enough to go around for all.

If your in a tornado area you should have a strong safe haven for your family, make it bigger for some or all of your storage.

We need to be prepared in all ways. With our 72 hour kits we can be out in 2 minutes. 5 more minutes and we can gather our GIT QUICK stuff. Give me 20-30 minutes and our full 8 camping\supply bins will be packed and the utility trailer attached. 50-60 minutes and as much food storage as I can cram in goes with us.

We have a small house, we just planned carefully. 72 hour bags are 4 feet from the back door. The git quick stuff is in bedrooms, stuff used daily but kept together on shelves so it can be grabbed fast. We camp so we simply packed the gear into bins in the shed that is easy to grab, load and run. The food storage is in the back hall by the back door in boxes or at the bottom of the basement stairs on shelves with empty storage bins next to them.

There are still many things we should do we have not done yet. The key is to first think what is the most likely events, then within your resources how best can you plan for as many of them as possible then begin the process.

[WyomingEMT]

I sorry, I was trying to be funny. I know how serious food storage and prepardness is. Store what ever you can, and if someone else has lost there food and property, you will have some food and provisions to share.

[LocalFarms]

Got our year supply, camping gear, first aid kits and year supply in the RV

[pam]

No matter where you store your food, something can happen. The idea is that you did your part in following counsel to be prepared.

[NeuroTypical]

We prepare for many different things. In addition to our food storage, we have 'bug out bags' in case we have to leave. We also have 'get home bags' in our cars in case there's a problem. We used them just last week, when a surprise snowstorm stranded me and our two kids in our car for a few hours.

Cash is an excellent component to planning that helps smooth over a ton of 'what ifs'.

LM

[ADoyle90815]

In the case of earthquakes, chances are that most homes built after codes were established should survive. Even then, it's best to have supplies in a bag that can be grabbed, and to have a separate kit in the car as it might take longer to get home after a major earthquake or other disaster if roads and bridges are badly damaged. I also think having extra cash is important, as ATM cards are useless without power.

[Guest Alana]

I think about this sometimes because I could see our home sliding down the hill that we live on, especially since we live by a very active fault line. I don't really worry about it because the chance our home is destroyed is such a small chance compared to the benefits of having the supplies here. Even if my house is destroyed in 10 years, hopefully I've learned enough about food storage and kept it rotating by using it frequently enough to make it pay for itself anyways. Now to buy a grain mill...

[MarginOfError]

It's important to remember that the principles behind food storage are not only about self-sufficiency of the individual or of the family. It also entails self-sufficiency of the community. We are asked to build food and financial reserves so that we can weather tough times and support others in time of need.

In a way, it's a bit like herd immunity. If majority of the population receives an immunization, the immunized majority can protect the rest of the "herd" by not giving the infection enough time to take root. In the same way, if enough households in a community have a food reserve stored up, when a major disaster strikes, those that are prepared will be able to help carry those that either weren't prepared or who can't access their supplies.

That's why it's important that we teach all good principles to all people (not just the spiritual ones), because doing so allows them to become more self-sufficient and that can only benefit us.

[Hemidakota]

I agree that having things on hand is a good thing no matter where you live, as every area has some kind of natural disaster possibility, as well as other emergencies.

But, storing all your supplies IN YOUR HOME... Obviously you would have easy access to them, since we usually run home in emergencies. So in that sense, it would be a good thing.

But that's assuming your home is still ok after a disaster, or that your storage room is unharmed and accessable. If not, you are in the same boat as an unprepared family. I mean in a blackout, or simple social unrest, sure you would be off to a great start. But there are so many other disasters, that could prove to be a challenge, when you depend on years of storage saved up in your home. Does anyone prepare for these situations? If so, how?

For example:

* A flood (tsunami, seasonal/river)-- If you store your supplies in a basement or even on the first floor, much of it could be ruined.

* A tornado, Earthquake, or hurricane-- Weather you store up high in an attic, or in a basement, these disasters have the potential to flatten a home, cutting off your access to your storage room/supply.

* Fire-- If your house burns down, so does your storage room and all its supplies.

* Evacuation-- If there were ever a terrorist threat to a city (bomb, biological warfare/release of a deadly desease), or a fire threatening to burn nearby homes, and you had very little time to grab some things and leave-- how much do you think you would be able to take with you? Would it be enough?

* Being away from home when disaster strikes (at work, school, at the store, out of town, etc.) -- that would probably be the most likely scenario, actually. Think blocked or congested roads, etc.

Just interesting to think about these things... :)

Excellent posting...I now tell those who ask, first priority is attunement of the Spirit. When that is obtain, then listen.

Living in Cali, especially Southern Cali, we live on a separate plate that can finally rip off its top layer and we could end up in the Pacific Ocean. What good is it, having food storage when your home in drown in salt water. Living by the Spirit, will advice you on what to do, what to store, when to leave if it is necessary.

As my daughter tells me, I was standing in water on a hill that is 300-feet up. I think we need a boat vice worry about food storage.

However, I cautios for the summer months and what may lay ahead with rising food costs.

[Cacinok]

a little late to the party, but i'll throw in my 2 cents.

as people have mentioned, your Bug Out Bag will get you through many short term emergencies. a get home bag (i.e., an emergency bag left in a car w/ the specific purpose of giving you enough supplies to walk home from work) will also add to the days you can survive away form home.

if you truly want to be prepared, you'll have a bug out location (BOL) and stock it w/ some food. if you have to bug and you have no where to go, you're essentially a refugee. it'd be nice if your BOL was a secluded cabin on 100 acres w/ solar/wind power, well, etc., but the reality of it is we can't all afford that. so what do you do? you talk w/ trusted family and friends and arrange for them to be your BOL and you'll do the same for them. then you preposition some food in their house and they'll do the same in yours. you and they will be sacrificing space, but that sacrifice could save the life of a loved one. ideally, these BOLs would be in different directions and distances from you. for example, we have 3 BOLs, one to the N NW, one to the E and one to the S SE. two can be reached w/ one tank of gas of our excursion. the third would take an additional 10-15 gallons of diesel, which is easy enough to carry. if a disaster, take a nuclear explosion, occurs to our immediate west and it'll be a long term disaster, i know that the prevailing winds will push the cloud straight to us. the BOL to our N NW would be best.

if you don't have friends and family close enough to function as a BOL and you're worried about your supplies being destroyed all at once, then go rent a small storage unit 30 miles away from you and put some preps there. most of the disasters that would chase us from our homes are, usually, going to be localized, for example, a tornado, most hurricanes, most wild fires, etc. this way, you always have some extra supplies.

also, we should have a close BOL and ones far away. the close one would be used if, for example, your house burned down.

[mrmarklin]

You raise a good point. Ponder this:

I live 20 miles as the crow flies from my job. But if a disaster ocurred during working hours, it could take several days to walk home. Why? Because I have to cross a bridge on a bay, and walking around to my home is 60 miles. There is no food storage or 72 hour kits AFAIK on the job premises.

We do have a lunch room and there are usually some things in the refrigerator!

[pam]

Okay I have to plead dumb here but what does BOL stand for? I know I'm going to smack myself across the head when I find out.

[beefche]

pammy, read Cacinok's post again. It stands for bug out location.

[bl8tant]

You raise a good point. Ponder this:

I live 20 miles as the crow flies from my job. But if a disaster ocurred during working hours, it could take several days to walk home. Why? Because I have to cross a bridge on a bay, and walking around to my home is 60 miles. There is no food storage or 72 hour kits AFAIK on the job premises.

We do have a lunch room and there are usually some things in the refrigerator!

I don't know if this is a possibility for you, but I keep a separate 72-hour kit in the trunk of my car, which I drive 40mi each way to work every day. It has enough food, water, and useful stuff to last four people for 72 hours. My kit at home has more "stuff", including clothes, but having a separate kit in the car means that even if I get stuck or stranded some distance from home I won't be completely out of luck.

[zippy_do46]

My daughter learned this need when an 2-hour trip home during Rita turned into over 8 hour trip. She was a teacher and could not leave school until the children were gone.

[pam]

pammy, read Cacinok's post again. It stands for bug out location.

I told you I was pleading dumb.

[lindapruss]

I agree with you. That is why I put EVERYTHING into 55 gallon barrels that have the inner seal and are used in overseas shipping. They are more expensive, but I buy recycled ones. Sometimes it smells like olives etc. but a few scrubbings and they are great.