89. PREPTOBER Series - How do I prep for emergencies? 4 family survival kit tips.

Show Notes: Preptober Series - Emergency Preparedness - 4 tips on how to make your own 72 hour kits for each member of your family 1. create a family survival kit checklist - either come up with ideas and create your own... or print off the one we made just for you! Yes, we have a free 72 hour kit checklist ready for you on our website! Check it out at http://www.highfivemotherhood.com. Check things off as you are gathering items from around the house, shopping for items needed or placing items in your bags.  2. Gather or shop for your bag & contents - It's important to find a good, sturdy/durable hiking type backpack as your 72 hour kit bag. They won't hurt your back as easily and tend to be lighter to carry too. You can find most if not all of your items needed at Walmart, Amazon, or even your local grocery store. So don't feel like you have to go to a specialty sporting goods store to get your items needed. Small costs add up quickly - so be aware of your budget as you are shopping for your needed items. Also, good rule of thumb is to always use what you have to work with first before going out and buying new items.  3. Pack bags & choose where to store them - have every family member get their backpacks out and fill them together at the same time. This prep time can be a great family night activity where everyone gets to be involved. You can also snack on the previous goodies in the bag and replace them with new ones as you rotate it throughout the year. It's also important to write down the name of family member and items missing when checking things off each of their checklists - then don't forget to gather or shop for those items and place them in their bags as soon as possible. Don't procrastinate - do it when its on the front of your mind, your future self will thank you! Practice your emergency plan/drills with your family and where to meet up for your safe spot. The more you practice this process with your kiddos - the more second nature it will be and the less they will fear if it ever does end up happening for real.  4. Rotate items every 6 months - Generally we try to rotate our 72 hour kits every 6 months - so it's easiest for us to do it around April and October along with general conference. Doing it at that time helps engrain it in my brain better. So you can try that out with your family too! Check dates! Food expires faster than you think - so make sure to check for expiration dates and switch things out. Also rotate clothes (size up when growth spurts happen for kids), rotate water to help it taste better/avoid plastic leaching into your water, etc. Rotate entertainment/comfort items according to age level and preference too. For example - don't have a baby toy in there for a teenager or a coloring book in there for a baby.  Other episodes you might like:  88. Preptober series - Emergency Prep for families 23. Emergency Prep Talk 101 Important Info:  www.redcross.org churchofjesuschrist.org/emergencypreparedness www.ready.gov