Family Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness

I came across some helpful information entitled "Family Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness" by Debi D. Koontz. Thought it was worth sharing! The following is her introduction.

"I have a strong belief in the importance of family preparedness. In my home we live on our food storage whenever life throws us an unexpected difficulty. We do not think of our storage as only being there in case of some drastic emergency like an earthquake or civic unrest. Using your food storage in your daily life is the only way to be successful in having a complete and efficient supply on hand for whatever you and your family may be called upon to bear.

I would be the first to admit that I am, by no means, an expert in this area, but I do have an interest, which has prompted me to research this topic, and I can share ideas and experiences that I have had. I hope this information will be of some use to someone somewhere, and that perhaps it may help families prepare in time.

This booklet is in two parts. The first part are some notes, ideas and hints on all aspects of starting, organizing and using your food storage. It is beyond the scope of this work to be complete in all areas on this topic, but is simply a starting place with basic information.

The second part is a detailed list of most of the items that should be considered for your storage. I did not simply list each item, but described reasons, uses, advantages or disadvantages about each item. Many item descriptions include information on how best to store them. Please read through the list and the descriptions and decide which are most important to you and your family. If you are just beginning, it may be wise to prioritize what items you intend to store. The list is divided into three sections: Food; Health & Grooming; and Household & Emergency supplies. Many medical and emergency uses are given for various food items, however, if it’s food then it will be listed in the food section, regardless of it’s other uses (medical, emergency, etc.) Each part of the list is listed in alphabetical order. This booklet covers everything from mild to extreme circumstances.

When you read through the list you may be tempted to think, Oh, I want so much! I’ll never do it! Well, take heart. Don’t let fear or doubt overwhelm you. Any storage is better than no storage and even the best storage had to start with a single item. Just begin and then build it as you can. You can do it!

Should anyone reading this wish to contact me please feel free to contact me via e-mail at debidawn@earthlink.net . I would love to hear from you. If you wish to pass the information in this booklet along, that’s fine, but please keep it complete and intact, with my name attached (for copyright and possible future publication purposes). I appreciate this. So, now, read on and enjoy. I sincerely hope this is of use to you and your loved ones.

(Source: "Family Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness", by Debi D. Koontz)