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Purify Water Simply and Effectively

September 12, 2017 By ParkerMama Leave a Comment

Learning how to purify water is one of the first skills a Prepper must have.  Storing water is only the first step in your emergency water preparedness plan. While we’ve shown you ways to store water for an emergency, you’re going to want to have a way to filter and purify outside drinking sources..

 Filtering and Purifying Water

Filtering water removes things the eye can see from the water, such as bugs, twigs and leaves.

To purify water means removing things the eyes can’t see, such as germs and bacteria that can not only make you sick, but kill you.

*this post contains affiliate links

How To Filter And Purify Water for Survival

 Safe Drinking Water

First filtering, and then purifying potential drinking water is the best practice in order to have safe for your family in an emergency.

Ways to make water safe for drinking include:

*Straining.

Homemade filtering systems.

*Bleach.

*Pool Shock.

*Boiling.

With any of the techniques above, you’ll need to first filter (straining, homemade filtering systems) and THEN purify (bleach, pool shock, boiling).

However, it IS possible to filter and purify water at the same time using the suggestions below.

LifeStraw

Filter and Purify Water With A LifeStraw

Portable and very affordable, you throw *this post contains affiliate links a LifeStraw into each family member’s 72 hour kit, providing an easy way to both filter up to 1,000 liters (264 gallons) of water and remove:

-99.9999% of waterborne bacteria, including E-Coli

-99.9% of waterborne protozoan parasites, including Giardia & Cryptosporidium

Bonus:  No funky after taste, the way you would get by using bleach to purify water.

LifeStraw Mission Water Purification System

Looking to purify water on a larger scale during an emergency?   Take a look at the LifeStraw Mission Water Purification System.  

This system uses a high volume gravity filter to filter and purify 4755 gallons of water.   Ideal for group and family emergency preparedness situation.

Pour the water into the top, and clean water comes out the bottom.  How much easier can it get?

Berkey Water Filters

Filter and Purify Water Long Term With A Berkey

The aftermath of an emergency can leave municipal drinking facilities scrambling to provide clean water.  Just ask any one that has been slammed by hurricanes and flooding.  Even after the taps are turned back on, the water flowing through them can be of questionable quality.

Berkey systems filter both treated water and untreated raw water from such sources as  lakes, streams and stagnant ponds.  The Berkey is made to tackle hostile environments where electricity, or treated water isn’t available.  No more having to worry if your tap water is safe to drink.

The Big Berkey

The Big Berkey system removes pathogenic bacteria, cysts and parasites, while reducing harmful chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides.

With a storage capacity of about 2.25  gallons (8.5 liters) this Berkey will filter approximately  12-15 gallons a day, making it the perfect size to keep on a kitchen counter top or by the sink.

How to filter and purify water for drinking during an emergency.

You Must Have A Way To Purify Water

Without access to safe drinking water, you have a life span of three days.   This makes safe drinking water more important than food storage.  You are only going to be able to put away so much emergency drinking water storage. Without a way to filter and purify outside sources of water, surviving a long term emergency is going to be much harder..

Access Outside Water Sources with a Sillcock Key

BTW, while we are on the subject of outside water sources, consider adding a Sillcock Key to your emergency kits. This inexpensive tool allows access to safe drinking water in public buildings during an emergency.

Interested in learning about what else should be included in every Prepper’s 72 Hour Kit and Supplies list?  Read our post on 72 Hour Kit Survival Checklists.

P.S.

Come and join us!

I have a theory that the reason so many people aren’t prepared for emergencies isn’t that they aren’t concerned, but they simply don’t know where to start, and it’s so easy to become overwhelmed.  Let us help you get what you need for the lowest prices in our Simply Preparing Deals Group!

Filed Under: Beginning Prepping, Survival Gear, Water Tagged With: 72 Hour Kit Checklist, drinking water storage, emergency preparedness, food storage, inexpensive water filters, life straw, pool shock, survival

Surviving Winter Storms: A How To Guide

January 9, 2017 By ParkerMama 3 Comments

Snowy and cold has been the forecast for my state this year, with the Northern part of Utah digging out from under 28 inches of the greatest snow on earth,  even as I type.  We are at about 150% of average snow fall here, with more on the way.  This is a big change from the last several years of drought,  prompting me to compile a list of the best posts on Simply Preparing on the topic of  Surviving Winter Storms.

*this post contains affiliate links

A Checklist for Surviving Winter Storms

Clothing

I always have to grin when recent transplants from warm weather states realize that they are actually going to need a warm coat to survive winter storms with below zero temperatures.

1.  Learning how to dress in layers for winter weather is a must.

2. Don’t let your body heat escape into thin air.   These behind the *this post contains affiliate links head earmuffs are my favorite and don’t make me feel like a five year old when I’m out in the winter weather.    But you may be more of a beanie sort of person.

3.Gloves  You’ll need winter gloves that are warm,  water proof, moisture wicking and will allow you to work out doors too.

4. Winter Boots   I have a pair of KEENS that I adore.  They give my feet the support they need, while keeping them warm too.

5.  Insulated snow pants.  Maybe a pair of thermals to go underneath.

6.  Wool Socks.  I remember first thinking that wool socks would be so uncomfortable.  The first thing I think of when I think of wool is rough and scratchy.  Plus, who wants to hand wash wool socks.  Then I found Smartwool.  Soft.  Warm.  Machine washable.  Your goal of surviving winter storms will be much more comfortable when your feet are dry and warm.

The Ultimate Guide To Surving Winter Storms

Surviving Winter Storms Without Electricity.

1. Your chances of losing power during a winter storm are pretty high.  Having a Propane Space Heater will allow you to heat the inside of your home safely.  If going this route, you’ll want to make sure you have a battery operated carbon monoxide alarm, which each of us should really have anyway.

Kerosene heaters would fall under this category.  The heaters burn a wick fueled by kerosene to keep a large space warm.

2.  Firewood.  If you have a fireplace or wood burning stove,  make sure you keep an extra cord of wood available to burn.  You’ll also need a good axe for splitting wood and chopping kindling.

3.  Pellet Stoves and Natural Gas Fireplaces.  These usually need electricity to run, however there is a brand of pellet stoves that will keep you warm with being hooked up to a power grid.  Be prepared.  They are an investment for sure.

No Secondary Source of Heat?  Try These Ideas:

Concentrate your efforts on one room where everyone will gather, preferably one without a lot of windows.

Use heavy quilts to cover doorways and under doorways, to help keep the cold from the other rooms seeping into your warmer room.

Grab that plastic shower curtain from your bathroom to cover windows with, or drape a blanket over an existing curtain rod. If you have them on hand, black contractor bags would be a great solution for insulating the windows.  Tape them up with duct tape.  Another option would be the plastic table cloths that always go on sale after the holidays.   If it’s sunny during the day, you can take these down to allow the sun to heat the room a bit.

Plug any leaks around your windows or outside doors with insulation foam.

Kerosene Hurricane Lanterns can add some warmth to a small space.  Think Little House on the Prairie.   Be sure to keep the kids away from them though.

Bundle up in coats, hats and gloves.

Break Out The Camping Gear.  A tent inside the house?  You bet!  Roll out those sleeping bags too.  Body warmth can go a long way to keeping each other warm in a tight space.

Wool Blankets.   Far superior to cotton or fleece at keeping you warm, wool blankets are a must have for surviving winter storms without electricity.

Hand Warmers.  I buy these by the box and stash them everywhere.  Little bits of bliss, I’ll tell ya.

Food

Surviving winter storms requires  you having a stock of non-perishable food items to last for a while.  Granola bars and shelf stable milk for breakfast.  Peanut butter and whole grain crackers.  A can of black beans mixed with a jar of salsa scooped up with tortilla chips.  Packets of ready to eat tuna and crackers.

If you heat with a fire or a wood stove you can heat up canned soups and stews.  In a real pinch, you can even eat these foods straight out of the can.  Just make sure you have a good can opener on hand!

You can purchase MREs (Meals Ready To Eat) that come with their own single meal use heaters.

Don’t forget the bottled water.  The rule of thumb is one gallon of water per person per day.

Sanitation

At the first sign of a winter storm, fill the bathtub up with water to use for flushing toilets. Add the water to the tank so that, if necessary, you can flush.

Here’s another opportunity to put that box of the black contractor grade garbage bags to use.  Place a bag in your drained toilet. Sprinkle some kitty litter into the bottom of the bag. Every time someone makes a ‘deposit’ into the black bag, add another scoop of kitty litter. You’ll be able to tie the bag securely and then store it outside until your services are restored.

A Guide To Surviving Winter Storms

Let There Be Light

The last thing you want is to be caught in the dark while surviving winter storm. Fortunately there are a lot of lighting options to choose from.

Camping Lanterns

Flashlights    Even the kids can have their own.

Candles   Don’t forget the matches.

Luci Lights have become one of my favorite choices for illumination when the lights go out.

Staying Safe Outside

1.  I’ve seen many people trying to remove snow from their roofs after a snow storm.  Make the job easier and safer with a roof rake.

2.  Ice Melt  Used for porches and sidewalks to keep them free from ice.

3.  Kitty Litter.  Yup.  Plain old non-clumping, non-scoopable, gravel kitty litter will help provide traction under your car’s wheels and down those front steps.  Can’t find this type of kitty litter?  Grab a couple of bags of sand.

4.  Snow Shovel/Pusher.

5.  Snow Scraper with Brush

Being Prepared Brings Peace

Preparing for any possibility during a winter storm is simple common sense.  Don’t be part of the herd racing out to the grocery store in hopes of grabbing a loaf of bread and a carton of milk before the flurry flies.   Take the fear of of winter storms by being prepared before hand.

What things to you to do to prepare to survive winter storms?

For more information surviving winter storms, read Simply Preparing’s List of 11 Things To Do Before A Winter Storm!

Plan on traveling during the winter months?  We’ve got you covered. Check out our post on   Last Minute Winter Emergency Road Trip List

Filed Under: Beginning Prepping, Safety, Survival Gear, Surviving In Style Tagged With: emergency preparednes, kerosene heaters, prepper's checklist, propane space heater, survivalist camping gear, winter power outage, winter storm survival, wool blankets

Top 10 Oils For Prepping

November 21, 2015 By Barb Leave a Comment

If you don’t yet have a stash (or a hoard) of essential oils, now is the time to start stocking up. Things are changing in our ability to access health care and you want to be able to take care of your family in non traditional ways. To that end, here is the top 10 oils for prepping and how to start building your stockpile of essential oils. Unfortunately there are so many things that I am not allowed to share about oils due to regulations. So it is my hope that using what I can say below leads you to peak your curiosity about oils and starts you on your research journey.

top 10 oils for prepping

Thieves Essential Oil

I add 1 drop of Thieves to a cup of warm water as part of my wellness regimen.*

Top 10 Oils for Prepping: Thieves Essential Oil

RC Essential Oil Blend

I diffuse R.C. to create a comforting aroma.

Top 10 Oils for Prepping: RC Essential Oil Blend

Panaway Essential Oil

Oils for Prepping: Panaway Essential Oils

Peppermint Essential Oil

Peppermint is great when used as a dietary supplement to support healthy digestion*. It’s so perfect and convenient to just add 2–3 drops to my water.

Oils for Prepping: Peppermint Essential OIls

Stress Away Essential Oil

Oils for Prepping: Stress Away Essential Oils

Frankincense

I apply Frankincense topically to help smooth the appearance of healthy-looking skin.

Oils for Prepping: Frankincense essential oil

Copiaba Essential Oil

Oils for Prepping: Copiaba Essential Oil

Digize Essential Oil Blend

Oils for Prepping: Digize Essential Oil Blend

Lavender Essential Oil

Oils for Prepping: Lavender Essential Oil

Lemon Essential Oil

Oils for Prepping: Lemon Essential OIl

All of the above oils are available in Premium Starter Kit that includes a diffuser. While the diffuser is not practical in an emergency situation the oils can all be used on their own and are small enough to pack in your Bug Out Bag, ESPECIALLY the sample sizes. Oils are not inexpensive but when you know how to use them the cost is more than justified in your prepping. Please do not buy “cheap” oils that you find in big box stores or possibly adulterated versions online. This is your family you are investing in.

THE 2015 YOUNG LIVING PREMIUM STARTER KIT CONTAINS:

    • Young Living Diffuser-you get a choice between the Home, Dewdrop Diffuser, Bamboo Diffuser, Raindrop or Aria Diffuser (price ranges but starts at $160-Home diffuser may be substituted for the Dewdrop based on availability). Hint: if you have problems with your hands opening items it may be best to choose one other than the Dewdrop. I have the Home, Bamboo and Aria and I love them all. If you want a basic one to get you started the Dewdrop or Home is a great choice. If you want a beautiful show piece for your home, you are looking for either the Raindrop or Aria.
    • Lavender Essential Oil 5 ml
    • Young Living Thieves Essential Oil 5 ml
    • Copaiba Essential Oil 5 ml
    • Purification Essential Oil 5 ml
    • DiGize Essential Oil 5 ml
    • Peppermint Essential Oil 5 ml
    • Frankinscence Essential Oil 5 ml
    • Young Living Lemon Essential Oil 5 ml
    • R.C. Essential Oil 5 ml
    • Panaway Essential Oil 5 ml
    • Stress Away Essential Oil 5 ml
    • 10 Samples packets of essential oils which are perfect for traveling or your purse!
    • Ningxia Red sample packs so you can taste this Wolfberry blend for yourself.
    • Young Living Product Guide

Get $25 back When You Purchase a Young Living Premium Starter Kit

Because I feel so strongly that you need to buy yourself some books or apps for your phone to learn how to really use your oils I will give you a $25 refund via paypal when you buy a kit so you can buy more educational materials or additional oils. All of that information is below. Once you buy your kit, you automatically become a wholesale member which gives you the ability to buy all your oils at 24% off retail.

Additional Oils You May Want To Use Your Refund On:

  • Oregano
  • Tea Tree
  • Manuka
  • Helichrysum
  • Hyssop
  • Myrrh
  • Lemongrass
  • Valor
  • Peace and Calming
  • Cedarwood
  • Deep Relief Roll-on (the roll-on blends are perfect for Bug Out Bags)
  • Breathe Again Roll-on
  • Tranquil Roll-on

young living dewdrop diffuser kit

HOW TO GET A DISCOUNT ON YOUNG LIVING PREMIUM STARTER KIT

If you are ready to buy a Young Living Starter Kit all you have to do is click the button to order your new kit below! Then email me (address in picture above) with your paypal address and I will send you the $25 within 72 hours-easiest Young Living sale ever! You MUST use this button (and buy the kit the same month you sign up) or make sure that my referral information (1926067) is in the boxes as shown:

How to sign up for Young Living

Buy Young Living

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Filed Under: Beginning Prepping, Survival Gear Tagged With: essential oils

Preparing for the Outdoors: The Ten Essentials

September 5, 2013 By Guest Author 2 Comments

If you are planning to spend any amount of time outdoors, it is critical that you make sure you are prepared for anything. Recreational activities like camping, hiking, and backpacking are great in order to get out and enjoy nature, and they can be fun for the whole family! However, emergency situations can and do happen in the wilderness, and if you are miles from civilization, the chances of survival largely depend on you and your gear. In order to be prepared for a trip out into the woods, make sure that you are familiar with the Ten Outdoor Essentials.

ten outdoor essentials when preparing for the outdoors

The Ten Outdoor Essentials is a list of items you need in order to enhance your chances of survival if an emergency situation occurs. Ideally, these items need to be brought on every outdoors excursion. After all, being prepared is better than being sorry. However, as you grow more familiar with the list, you can modify it to fit your needs. The Ten Essentials is helpful to approach as a number of different systems. When preparing for the outdoors the Ten Outdoor Essentials are:

  • Navigation – A map is a must have on any hiking or camping adventure. You need to know where you are going and how to find your way back. It is also helpful to take a compass and know how to use it to orient yourself. Topographic maps are extremely useful for backpacking and going off-trail. A GPS can be a helpful tool, although it should not be relied on only. *We have a great post on how to prep a map for your family for you to follow up with.

  • Sun Protection – Sunscreen and sunglasses will protect your skin and eyes from the harmful effects of spending time outdoors. Be sure to reapply sunscreen often and pick one that has a SPF of at least 30.

  • Insulation – Even if you don’t plan to be outside for a long period of time, it is always helpful to bring an extra layer of clothes like an insulating jacket and hat. The weather can change rapidly in the wilderness, and hypothermia is a real threat, even in the summer.

  • Illumination – A headlamp or flashlight can come in handy in just about every situation. Headlamps are preferred because they are lighter, use LEDs, and free up your hands. Just be sure to pack extra batteries. *We love this little tactical flashlight.

  • First Aid Supplies – A good first aid kit should include supplies to treat everything from blisters, scrapes, upset stomachs, bug bites, and aches and pains. You might even want to include a splint and latex gloves for broken bones or other serious injuries. First aid kits come preassembled or you can build your own emergency kit.

  • Fire – If you find yourself stranded in the woods, building a fire could save your life. Invest in some waterproof matches and be sure to include some sort of tinder or firestarter like dryer lint. *Make sure you teach your kids how to start a fire as well.

  • Repair Kit and Tools – Handy if your gear is in need of repair, a knife or multi-tool is a must. They can also be good for food preparation and a variety of other things. A good repair kit also includes sewing needles and thread, patches, adhesive, and safety pins.

  • Nutrition – Be sure to bring extra food so you can give your body the energy it needs. Jerky, energy bars, and dried fruit are all easy-to-carry items. *Dehydrated apples are a tasty choice that you can make inexpensively at home.

  • Hydration – Keep your body hydrated by making sure you have extra water. Bring a water bottle or hydration reservoir in order to have plenty. If you are going to be in the wilderness for an extended period of time, you will also need to find water sources and a way to treat water.

  • Emergency Shelter – Recommended even for day trips, an emergency shelter can keep you warm if you find yourself having to spend the night in the woods. Emergency shelters include space blankets or a bivy sack (Amazon affiliate link).

What are your essential items when preparing for the outdoors? What items did we miss? 

*Notes with additional resources added by Barb.

Filed Under: Beginning Prepping, Survival Gear Tagged With: family preparedness, guest post

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Why Worry About Preparing?

Preparedness for a disaster makes a lot of sense. With recent and predicted events like Hurricane Sandy, The Colorado Wildfires, Fiscal Cliffs, and rising food and gas costs just in 2012 there is no denying that things are changing in our world. Whether or not you believe "The End of the World As We Know It" is near there are plenty of everyday things to worry about: loss of a job, health emergency, local weather events to name a few.

I find that I worry less about the big "what if's" out there the more emergency planning my family does to deal with the unexpected. I will share the survival tips and tricks I have learned while on this preparedness journey and hope that you join in with lots of comments. We all have a lot to learn from one another.

Now, lets get started prepping! Pick a post and start reading. At the end of every post the blog randomly selects three more survival posts for you to check out. Set aside 10 minutes a day to build your preppers knowledge base. We can never be done learning or prepping, right?

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