How to Make Bread Without an Oven

Have you ever wondered how you would make bread without an oven? Wonder no more.

Check out this "Emergency and Outdoor Bread Manual" prepared by Prepared Pantry and learn how to bake bread in a dutch oven and bake bread on the grill. Yummy recipes for biscuits, steamed bread, flatbread, sopaipillas, pancakes, and Trail Syrup are included.

They've also shared food safety tips when living without refrigeration, what to do when the power goes out, and campfire cooking tips.

Thanks Prepared Pantry!

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)

Preparing College Students

For those of you who are college students or if you have loved ones away at college, you may be interested in checking out these sites:

The Pantry Panel has a blog post entitled "Food Storage for College Students" at:
http://mormonfoodstorage.blogspot.com/2008/10/food-storage-for-college-students.html

Prepared LDS Family has a post entitled "College Food Storage" at:
http://preparedldsfamily.blogspot.com/2008/10/college-food-storage.html
where she has prepared a "College Food Storage" spreadsheet at:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=po2cukCUXR8pCt8hpUclUTQ

The Idea Door has a "College Student Emergency Kit" list at:
http://www.theideadoor.com/Preparedness/COLLEGE%20STUDENT%20EMERGENCY%20KIT.pdf

Meridian Magazine has an article "Keeping Our Kids Safe While Away at College," written by Carolyn Nicolaysen:
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/emergency/080806college.html

Tin Can Stoves

I remember making and using one of these for a Girls' Camp many years ago. :) They really work!

"Cut out one end of a #10 gallon can. Cut a door about 3" high and 4" wide on the side of the can at the open end, leaving the top of the door attached. Bend door upward and outward. Then slide the cut-out lid into the closed end of the can, settling it firmly there. Punch 4-5 smoke holes with can opener into the sides from this closed-top end. The double thickness of metal will conduct heat more efficiently.

The source of heat is a "buddy burner" which is made by inserting a coil of tightly folded newspaper, rolled strips of corrugated cardboard, or sawdust -- in a tuna can and soaking with melted paraffin. Each one will burn 1.5 hours. To control or put out the flame, use foil or a wire attached to the tuna-can lid."

(Source: Handout on Emergency Cooking)

Survival Ration Bar

3 cups cereal (oatmeal, barley flakes or wheat flakes)
2 1/2 cups powdered milk
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 package citrus flavored gelatin
1 cup white sugar
Optional: (chocolate chips or mixed fruit)

Directions for mixing:
Place all dry ingredients (except gelatin) into mixing bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of water to the honey and bring it to a boil. Dissolve the gelatin in the honey-water mixture, then add it all to the dry ingredients. After mixing well, add water a teaspoon at a time until the mixture is barely moist enough to be molded. Pack in a refrigerator dish or other mold. This recipe makes two bars (each bar 1/2 the size of a match box), or drop on cookie sheet (bite size for eating).

Each bar will provide about 1,000 calories and is sufficient food for one day. It can be eaten dry, or cooked with about 2/3 of a canteen cup full of water.

The bars may be placed in the oven and dried under very low heat -- 250 degrees F., then wrapped in foil and stored indefinitely in a covered container (rotating every 6 months to a year).

(Source: Booklet from Utah Division of Comprehensive Emergency Management, "72 Hour Emergency Survival Kit - Plus - Food & Water Storage")

NOTE: The size package of gelatin was not specified, nor the amount of time required for drying in the oven in these instructions. I tried googling to see if I could find any specific amounts and was not successful. Your best guess will have to do until we hear from someone who has actually tried these. :)

Shelter in Place

Although the thought of a Chemical Agent emergency brings unpleasant thoughts, preparing for one could save lives and bring you peace of mind. I found the following information on Peninsulas Emergency Preparedness (http://www.pep-c.org/shelteringinplace):

The Threat of Chemical Agents

Chemical agents are poinsonous gases, liquids or solids that have toxic effects on people, animals and plants. Chemical, biological, or radiological contaminants may be released accidentally or intentionally into the environment. Most chemical agents cause serious injuries or death. Severity of injury depends on the type and amount of the chemical agent used, and the duration of exposure. Were a chemical agent attack to occur, local authorities would instruct the public to do one of two things:

• Evacuate immediately
• Shelter in Place.

But you should take action if you notice any of the following:

• An unusual smell or sound, such as an explosion.
• Visible smoke, fire, or a vapor cloud.
• Skin or eye irritation.
• Breathing difficulty.

Guidelines for Evacuation

EVACUATION means to leave the area of actual or potential hazard. Emergency managers carefully develop plans and procedures for evacuation to avoid confusion and get people out of an area safely and quickly. If the order is to evacuate, do so immediately and carefully follow all directions. DO NOT wander around but know where you are going and how to get there.

Click here for more information on creating an evacuation plan for your family.

Guidelines for Sheltering In Place

The most important thing for you to do is follow the instructions of local authorities and know what to do if they advise you to shelter-in-place.

Remember that instructions to shelter-in-place are usually provided for durations of a few hours, not days or weeks. There is little danger that the room in which you are taking shelter will run out of oxygen and you will suffocate.

Remember this rule of thumb
Ten square feet of floor space per person
will provide sufficient air to prevent carbon dioxide build-up
for up to five hours.

If the order is to remain in your home, office or school, you will need to follow these directions:

• Move or stay inside.
• Close and lock all windows and doors.
• Turn off the ventilation systems (heating, air conditioning, fireplace dampers, fans, etc.).
• Get your family disaster supplies kit and make sure the radio is working.
• Bring your pets with you, and be sure to bring additional food and water supplies for them.
• Go into a room with the fewest doors and windows and seal the room (see instructions below).
• It is ideal to have a hard-wired telephone in the room you select. Call your emergency out-of-area contact and have the phone available if you need to report a life-threatening condition.
• Turn on the radio or TV and listen for updates or further instructions from local authorities.
• Stay in this room until local authorities announce that it is safe to come out.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a wet cloth if necessary.

You can use your entire house or only a few rooms. Make sure you choose an area that has a telephone, water, a toilet, and someplace you can seal off easily. A bedroom is an excellent choice.

How to Seal a Room

• Dampen towels and place over the crack under the door.
• Cut plastic sheeting to fit over the windows and vents. Secure the plastic in place with duct tape.
• Tape around the door.

DO NOT ventilate (or air out) or leave your sealed shelter until you are told to do so. Avoiding chemical exposure is your primary goal. Leaving your sealed shelter to rescue or assist victims can be a deadly decision.

There is no assistance that the UNTRAINED can offer victims of a chemical attack that would likely be of any value to them.

If You Think You Have Been Exposed to a Chemical Agent

If you were outside before taking shelter and think you may have been exposed to a chemical agent, there are several things you can do.

• If you are in a sealed shelter, take off at least your outer clothes, put them in a plastic bag and seal the bag.
• If water is available, wash or take a cool to warm (not hot) shower, using lots of soap and water. Do not put the soap in your eyes; just use lots of water.
• If you leave the area, tell emergency responders or medical staff at your destination that you may have been exposed.
• Tell the emergency responders about the sealed bag so that they can arrange for its safe removal after the emergency.

If you have symptoms of exposure, call 9-1-1 immediately and follow their instructions.

Click here for a Sheltering in Place Checklist

Click here for information on Sheltering in Place when you're not at home

(Source: http://www.pep-c.org/homepage/)

Emergency Heater in a Can

Found this information on a site entitled "Emergency Preparedness". This is something that was talked about in a Preparedness class I took a few weeks ago. I like how thorough these instructions are:

"Uses:
Heater in Home
Heater in Car during winter months.
Heater for Camping
Heater for your 72 hour kit.

Supplies:
1 empty quart can (you can purchase at any paint store)
1 bottle of rubbing alcohol
1 roll of toilet paper (with cardboard removed)
paint can opener (you can purchase at any paint store or mini philips screwdriver. )
pack of matches or lighter.

To make as a gift: Remove core of toilet paper. Fold the roll of toilet paper in half and stuff into the empty quart can. Put the can and the rest of the items in a ziploc bag separately so the recipient may pour the alcohol in the can when heat is needed. Copy the text below and include it with the kit.

Assembly for Use:

1. Remove core of toilet paper
2. Fold the roll of toilet paper in half and stuff into the empty quart can.
3. Slowly pour 1 pint alcohol into can.
4. Light w/ lighter or match.
5. To extinguish, replace the lid.
6. Put the following instructions in with the rest of the items.

Instructions for using Emergency Car Heater:
Use 70% isopropyl alcohol-any higher percent the flames could be too high. Do not use scented alcohol, it will smell awful in your car. 4 pints of isopropyl will keep a car 60 to 70 degrees for 24 hours. They are extremely safe and don’t produce carbon monoxide.

Warnings: Be careful the can rim will be hot to touch during and for a while after burning, although the can could be held from the bottom even while the heater is burning. It is suggested that you carry a metal pan or cookie sheet or fold a square of tin foil into fourths to set the heater on. DO NOT pour more alcohol on the heater while burning. Wait for it to burn out or smother with metal lid.

**It is recommended that you keep a window cracked open while burning the heater.**

This heater is NOT recommended for cooking!"

(Source: http://pgward.org/ep/archives/215)

Keeping Warm During Winter Emergencies

"Expect that when an emergency situation occurs, that it can be a worst case situation. If something like an earthquake should happen in the dead of winter, what will you do to keep warm until the utilities can be hooked back up and heat your home again? It will be a real challenge to keep warm when the furnace won’t be working for days at a time. If you have very young children or older or infirm people living with you that cannot move around very quickly, they can get cold very quickly. Here are some ideas that you can use to help everyone keep warm in such conditions.

Blankets and Quilts: Most of us will have a number of blankets on hand, but if you have comforters or quilts that have multiple layers of material that can insulate, they will work much better. Old-fashioned quilts that have the heavier materials or down comforters will work the best. Don’t try to use what appear to be ordinary bedspreads advertised as comforters. They don’t have the insulation qualities that you will want.

Blanket Robe or Insulated Overalls: If you need to get around the house, it is hard to do so just “wrapping up” in a blanket. Fold over one edge over your shoulders until its edge is off the ground and use a large safety pin or two to hold it in place and safety pin or two to create sleeves for your arms to go through. If you have insulated work or snowmobile overalls, this will work even better for you.

Sleeping Bags: Try to have ones available that are rated for extremely cold conditions that will go below freezing. If you only have warm weather rated bags, you can increase their warmth by adding a blanket to the inside of it rather than just trying to lay it over the bag when sleeping. If you can’t be on a bed, be sure to have some kind of insulation like an air mattress or foam pad to keep the cold of the floor away.

Emergency Foil Blankets: Don’t try to use these alone, because the only effective thing they can do is reflect the heat that radiates from you. Use them in conjunction with blankets so that you have conductive and convective insulation in conjunction with radiant heat insulation. They are by design disposable and will tear easily.

Chemical Hand and Feet Warmers: These are little packets that have a chemical reaction take place with iron powder that generates heat when they are activated. They are good for a few hours and will help keep the chill away. But be aware that they do have a shelf life and after several years, the heat activation will not be all that effective. There are also reusable gel pack heaters that you put into boiling water for five to twenty minutes and pop a metal button which then starts a heat reaction. But to renew the packs, you have to drop them in boiling water again which might be hard to do in your emergency situation. Also be aware that if the temperature gets below a certain point, they will spontaneously start the heat reaction whether you want it or not.

Hot-Water Bottle: An old-fashioned hot-water bottle is a nice thing to have as long as you have an available heat source to heat the water for your bottle on a regular basis. The water should be very hot and not yet boiling to go into the rubber bladder. Wrap a dry towel around it to keep it from scalding your skin that may be next to it. Check these bottles, if you have any, from time to time to see that no cracking is occurring and that there are no leaks.

Layered Clothing: Several layers of light clothing will provide more warmth than one thick layer. Layering even ordinary clothing will help. Thermal underwear will be a good start. Man-made fibers like polyester will work much better than cotton, which if it gets wet, will wick away your body heat very rapidly. Wear a hat all the time. Most of the heat you lose comes from a bare head. Use layers of socks, starting with a thin inner sock. Use gloves. Avoid tight clothing which may cut off your blood circulation. If you have growing children, try having oversize snow suits that can give you a “one-size-fits-all.” Teenagers may think such clothing may look a bit funny, but it will keep you warm and alive.

Live in a Smaller Space: Rather than trying to warm up the entire home, focus on a smaller, more manageable space. Although things may seem tight, put your entire family and pets in one room to do your eating, playing, reading and sleeping. Close the other doors and if you have doorways without doors, you can use a blanket to separate space. If you have a self-supporting tent, you could set it up inside your home and it could very efficiently be heated, even by normal body heat. If you have a fireplace, you could set up the tent in front of it to get warmth.

These are just a few of the possible ways of keeping warm if the electricity or gas is shut off."

(Source: R. Hatch, Ward Preparedness Specialist)

Many Resources

I am amazed with the amount of valuable information available regarding preparedness. Many thanks to the wonderful people who share their knowledge and information to help others!

I've been printing some of these helpful articles and putting them in a binder so I have them available to me in case of an emergency. Here are some of the great finds that I have come across this past week:

• "Let There Be Light" - Article on lighting, heating, cooking, power sources, fire starters, etc. (linked from Let Us Prepare)
  
• "Food Storage Recipes" - (linked from Filling Your Ark)
  
• "Emergency Prep Manual" - (linked from Filling Your Ark)
  
• "Water Storage" - (linked from Filling Your Ark)
  

Thanks for sharing!

Sanitation, Part 1

"In an emergency situation, the most pressing concern will be to have proper clothing and shelter against any extremes in heat and cold, followed by having sufficient water (at least a gallon per day per person). If the emergency situation should last any time longer than a few days and water supplies (including sewer capabilities) should be stopped, the level of preparing for the situation will profoundly go up. Somewhere between the need for sufficient water and having sufficient food will be the need for having proper sanitation.

In any major disaster situation, such as the tsunami in Indonesia, where tens of thousands of people may die, many times more people will die in the weeks following such an event. The primary reason for this is the lack of proper sanitation. Disease takes its toll on those who succumb to disease from bad water and bad hygiene conditions. You will be much more in danger from disease than from the possibility of starving if sanitary conditions break down.

I would like to share with you some things to consider as a part of your emergency preparedness planning in being prepared for any sanitation concerns you may have for you and your family. The usual waste produced by Americans, including waste water, exceeds 200 pounds per person per day. In an emergency situation, where waste removal may not be in service for garbage and waste water, we will need to be very careful in how we dispose of and remove waste. Flies, rodents, rats and other pests will be attracted to waste and can become carriers of disease if they get into our homes and yards. Wastes can be put into three general categories: human waste, liquid waste (washing, kitchen and bath), and solid and semi-solid waste (food waste, paper, glass and other general “garbage” items).

Human waste (both solid and liquid) in even very small quantities can become sources of disease-producing germs if it is not properly dealt with. Diseases can come from what can be called the five “F’s”: feces, fingers, flies, food and fluids. Improperly handled food or water that has been contaminated by improper sanitation or contact with vermin can quickly spread diseases such as dysentery, cholera and typhoid. Keeping everyone’s hands washed clean and watching where fingers “go” will be important. Clothing and especially underclothing will need to be kept clean in an environment where there may be a shortage of water to do washing. Eating utensils, dishware and cookware will need to be kept clean of old food to keep the next meal from possibly becoming contaminated. A good disinfectant solution is to add one teaspoon of liquid bleach to a quart of water to sanitize your utensils. If there is a disruption of culinary water and sewer services, it may become very important to have a portable emergency toilet.

If there is a disruption of your home’s water supply, it will not be a very good idea to try to use your toilets without a supply of water to flush the waste away. If you have stored water, you will want to use it for much more important uses to keep you and your family alive. A portable toilet will become very important. It will be easier to use and put to use rather than trying to dig a proper sanitary latrine in your back yard. A “cat hole” is not a good answer to long term sanitary needs for it will contribute to disease. You may have a portable chemical toilet, but it will still need some amount of water to be useable and you will still need to have an effective means of disposing the waste water, where it will not come into contact with your environment or be accessible to vermin.

An effective and low cost solution is to get an emergency portable toilet that you can get at sporting goods outlets which consists of a six gallon plastic bucket and a “pop-on” toilet seat cover. Use heavy duty plastic bags as liners that will not leak upon removal. You will want to have a fairly deep hole in your back yard (three or four feet deep) or else a tight fitting lidded container that won’t leak. When in use, it may be a good idea to use items like saw dust or some other liquid absorbent filler to keep the liquid sloshing down. Having a bit of lye or some kind of household disinfectant or soil to cover or suppress the odors will help. When the plastic bag is filled to a point where you can carefully dispose of it, you will want a tight-fitting leak-proof container you can put the filled bags where insects and vermin cannot get at, or you may want to have a fairly deep hole (at least three to four feet deep) in your back yard where you can safely dispose of the bag, cover with a few inches of soil at each disposal and have a cover to keep vermin out and people from falling in. Of course, it goes without saying that it would be good to have a good supply of toilet paper on hand and hand soaps or sanitizers.

The material for this information comes from a very good book on preparedness: The Sense of Survival, by J. Allan South, c. 1990 by Timpanogos Publishers."
(Source: R. Hatch, Ward Preparedness Specialist)

Sanitation, Part 2

"...we took a look at the great need for personal sanitation of our body waste to prevent the spread of disease. I would like to continue the look at the need for sanitation in other aspects of our life in an emergency situation.

It will be quite important to have a variety of different kinds of soap to maintain the cleanliness of ourselves, our clothing and the items we cook and eat with. Such things as hand soap, mild shampoo, dish soap and laundry soap will be very important to keep a good supply of that will at least match your year’s food supply. It may not be a bad idea to look at recipes for making different kinds of soap by hand. These recipes can be found in preparedness manuals and on the internet. Sanitizers such as cleaning agents and bleach should also be kept to sanitize and sterilize items as needed.

Should there be a long period of time without having a reliable supply of water and power, you may want to look at creating kits that will give you the means to clean clothing and yourself using a minimal amount of water. ...

Another piece of equipment that you may want to create is a hand powered clothes washer. An easy way to do this is to use a 6 gallon bucket with a small hole in the center of the lid cut out to allow for the handle of an unused toilet plunger. The plunger can be used as an agitator to work dirt out of your clothing inside the bucket. This is a simple idea that you can put together yourself. ... Another option you may want to look at are wash boards and hand-powered wringers from such places as Lehman’s, which can be found on the internet.

There is another area of concern that you should look at and plan for if there is a long term situation where there is a reduced supply of water and the use of the sewer system. When washing and cooking, there will be some amount of liquid water that will have soap, grease, food and other items in it that will need to be properly disposed of. Digging a small soakage pit will give you the ability to more safely dispose of such waste materials. Dig the pit and replace the dirt from the hole with fairly large rocks for the liquids to drop into and be absorbed by the surrounding soil. You may want to recover any kitchen fat and grease to be used in making homemade soap. If not, you may still want to recover it with some screen material, which can then be removed and then buried with other solid wastes. Food scrapes will also need to be separated and then put into solid burial to keep vermin and insects away from it. You may want to have a pit to burn any trash items to keep the amount of buried items to a more manageable size. When the waste items come to about one foot’s depth to the surface, it is then time to finish burying it and then mounded over with about another foot in height of soil.

The material for this information comes from a very good book on preparedness: The Sense of Survival, by J. Allan South, c. 1990 by Timpanogos Publishers."
(Source: R. Hatch, Ward Preparedness Specialist)

Rule of Threes

"When encountering an emergency situation, what we do will be affected by what someone introduced to me as the "Rule of Threes."

One cannot last longer that three minutes without air. Do we have effective fire emergency drills to know what to do in the presence of smoke and fire?

You cannot last longer than about three hours in extremely cold weather without appropriate clothing.

Do we have correct winter clothing available and set aside - or even brought along on long trips - just in case we are forced to cope with extreme winter conditions?

Three days is normally what a person can survive without water. It will be even less when the temperatures are very high or there is great stress or physical activity. Do we have at least a gallon of water per day per person set aside for our 72-hour kits? Do we have some amount of water in our vehicles if we are traveling in the back country or on deserted byways?

The human body can take a great deal of stress and will survive up to about three weeks without any food. But that is not a pleasant thought. Do we have sufficient supplies to last at least 72 hours, or a month or even a year or more?

Our church leaders have stressed the need to prepare for the unexpected. If something happens where the government or the church cannot respond to our needs in our neighborhood, do we have the means to help ourselves or our neighbors until there is a return to normal conditions?

Let us all look at what needs we have to have sufficient for our needs when an emergency situation should happen."
(Source: R. Hatch, Ward Preparedness Specialist)