Last Minute Deal

Okay so we are getting close to the end of the month. I know most of you are stocked up with your water but for all you last minute shoppers, here's a deal! At the Sobeys in Cranston they are having a water bottle sale. Right at the front doors you can find 12 pack of water bottles for $0.99 Yep that's 99 cents for 12 bottles.....Hurray before they are gone. Sale is good until Friday December 4.

PS. For a 3 day supply you will need to buy 2 of these packs per person. Example for a family of 4 that would mean I would have to buy 8 packs or spend $8 to be prepared for 3 days.....for my whole family!!! Super Cheap!!! (this isn't including deposit, but you will get that back when you recycle)

GET GOING!! GET PREPARED!! HAVE FUN!!

Add Flavour!!

Do you or you children secretly hate drinking water?? Hold your heads high there are many options for you!

Take a peek down the juice isle next time you are grocery shopping. There are many wonderful choices of water flavorings from koolaid to crystal light! Buy individual packets for your 72 hour kits or buy bulk crystals for your food storage. Don't forget the cannery offers those classic peach flavored crystals! Incase of offers orange and apple flavours! Which are now at the Beehive Bookstore.

Purified or stored water may taste a little different so even if you are addicted to pure water you may want to pick some up just in case!! Go ahead TREAT YOURSELF!

Finding Water with a MAP

If you have to leave your home for more than 3 days you will have to find other water sources.
Since water weighs 8.5 pounds (18 kilograms) a gallon, you can't carry all of your water for a multi-day trip, especially if you're walking. You are going to have to find water on your journey.
Next time you are at the store.....PICK UP A MAP!
Look for ones that will show you ponds, lakes, streams, and rivers.
If they don't, you will have to find them then mark them on the map. Once you know where these water features are located, you will be able to use them as you travel.

A few bucks can go a long way! Don't forget to throw it into your 72 hour kit..........what?? you don't have a 72 hour kit???? Don't worry......you will!!!!!

Stay tuned for December's theme!!! I CAN"T WAIT!!! I AM SOOOO EXCITED FOR DECEMBER!!! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Hidden Water Sources

I have copied the below from the FEMA (Federeal Emergency Management Agency) website:

HIDDEN WATER SOURCES IN YOUR HOME
Safe water sources in your home include the water in your hot- water tank, pipes, and ice cubes. You should not use water from toilet flush tanks or bowls, radiators, waterbeds, or swimming pools/spas.
You will need to protect the water sources already in your home from contamination if you hear reports of broken water or sewage lines, or if local officials advise you of a problem. To shut off incoming water, locate the main valve and turn it to the closed position. Be sure you and other family members know beforehand how to perform this important procedure.
To use the water in your pipes, let air into the plumbing by turning on the faucet in your home at the highest level. A small amount of water will trickle out. Then obtain water from the lowest faucet in the home.
To use the water in your hot-water tank, be sure the electricity or gas is off, and open the drain at the bottom of the tank. Start the water flowing by turning off the water intake valve at the tank and turning on a hot-water faucet. Refill the tank before turning the gas or electricity back on. If the gas is turned off, a professional will be needed to turn it back on.
EMERGENCY OUTDOOR WATER SOURCES
If you need to find water outside your home, you can use these sources. Be sure to treat the water according to the instructions on the next page before drinking it.
 Rainwater
 Streams, rivers, and other moving bodies of water
 Ponds and lakes
 Natural springs
Avoid water with floating material, an odor, or dark color.
You should not drink flood water.

JUST FOR FUN!!!!

Okay so here is some preparedness fun! Have you ever wanted to peak into other peoples food storage?? I certainly love to look at others. Everyone has great ideas and they are always different. So much to learn from other people. Did you know http://www.youtube.com/
has many videos of people's food storage? Well now you do... just type food storage in the search and have fun! I certainly did!!

Just a reminder....

So I am just checking to see if anyone has been thinking about water??
Just so you know....I am confessing....I had to stock up myself. Those handy little water bottles disappear really quickly in my house. I didn't have any in my storage. How can I preach and not practice?? Well I bought 3 flats of 35 and my goal is to have 5 on hand. Of course as soon as I use one up I will buy one to replace. I want to be using them and cycling through them!
I feel GREAT!! It's amazing how much better you feel once you've done something you should! I am hoping everyone who reads this can reward themselves with a great feeling. Treat yourself and those you love to a nice supply of water. I would love to hear any comments if you would like to share! Anyone else stock up on water out there???

Quick Facts About Storing your Water

So a wise friend just emailed me some valuable information that we can all benefit from (Thanks Chris)
Here are Her Great Tips (I am mostly just cutting and pasting from her email)

-Add a rain barrel to the side of your home!

-Don't forgot to put something under water storage containers, when in contact with cement, so it doesn't get absorbed into the container.

-If you have to use your water, it may taste flat, so what you need to do is aerate it, squish it back and forth, to add the air into it, and it will give it better flavor.

I like the "reliance" brand blue aquatainers that are square that you can find at Wal-mart to store water for about $10.00 a container. I've have taken orders from those, and have had lots of strange remarks from people when I truck out of the store with them! Each one holds 7 gallons of water or 26 Litres. Ideally, they can be stacked, when emptied, but really shouldn't be stacked when full.

With the blue aqua tainers, I know I need 2 containers for each member of the family for a 2 week supply of water! The reason you should store 2 weeks of water, is that it usually takes about that long to sometimes restore the proper water supply. They are a bit more portable than the huge tank, and could easily be set up on a kitchen counter. It was recommend that you would have 14 gallons of water for 2 weeks per person. You also need to consider extra water ie. in your hot water tank, to wash up dishes, flush toilets.
Years ago, when I spoke to City of Calgary water treatment, they said we didn't need to treat our water, because of all the chemicals already in it...just like what you said on your blog!!
But, that it would be a recommendation when changing water to rinse the containers out with bleach, as if anything were to grow it in, it would do so around where the water level is on the container. I have used the aerobic oxygen that you can buy at "Good for You" . I prefer to do that, so I don't have to change the water.

Thanks for your Great TIPS!!! Please if anyone else has something to share, email me!

Short and Sweet...no not me...your goal list!

Gulp! Gulp! Gulp! Aaaaaaahhhhhh!

Yes you know what I'm talking about! WATER!

So after some questions and comments today I thought I would come up with a quick goal sheet! Some people just want to be told what to do! And I like that in a person!

START WITH
Drinking water bottles....I like to buy these 1.5 litre water bottles from Wal-Mart because they are only .67 cents! Next time you are there, check the Pop/Water isle. Sometimes the shelf is empty but usually I can find some. Buy enough for your 72 kit. - Done! (Don't forget you can also buy one of those flats of water...usually I get a 35 pack at Superstore for around $4-$5
These are also handy.

NEXT
Might I suggest the Water Purifying Pump. This is really exciting for me because they are not in Calgary yet...I am hoping to take orders for everyone by the end of the month. Maybe we can get a discount?? I will let you know how much and when as soon as I can.

But if you are worried, go and get a straw from the Beehive bookstore...only $15.95!
These will be great for your 72 hour kit!

Done.....now wasn't that inexpensive and easy???

I think I'll go get another glass of water!

GET GOING!! GET PREPARED!! HAVE FUN!!

Purifying Water From a River, Lake, etc...

I am the type of person that can follow a recipe and still screw it up! So the idea of purifying water and then drinking it.....well.... it kind of scares me!

What if I screw it up and make everyone sick???

After some hours of research I have found some exciting and reassuring products that even I feel comfortable with.

Okay before you start boiling and bleaching water your self, let's consider some products.....

Survival Water straw = $16 it can purify up to 5000 gallons ....GALLONS!! Let me do the math... that's almost 19,000 litres!!!!! Let me say that again....1 $16 straw can purify 19,000 litres.

EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ONE!!!!!!! EVERYONE!!!!!!!! I have 4 and gift them all the time.

Okay so spend $16 and you are done!!! RIGHT??? Well sort of...

This idea is great for drinking because it is a straw.... but what if you wanted a pot full of purified water to make dinner?? Are you going to suck it up and spit it into the pot??? YUCK!

So here is option 2 - A Purifying Water Pump.

I found one on-line but to ship it to Canada was double the price. So I contacted my favorite preparedness store (In Case Of) and they are expecting to have something similar and even better available for the end of November/09 for less money!! These pumps are light and fairly small. They can fit easily into a backpack with lot's of room to spare. They can be put right into the water source or any type of container.

Stay tuned I will be doing a group order for people when they come in.

Okay so now you have a water straw and a water pump......DONE RIGHT??? Sure but let me suggest one more item....

A Water Test Kit.

I picked up a couple at Walmart for $15 a kit.

Ah Ha!!! Now I can feel safe once I've purified the water. I can do a quick test to see if I have done it right!! I won't kill anyone after all!

These kits are a 1 time use. I figure as long as I continue to get the water from the same source and treat it the same way I should be okay.

Now we are done! Well sort of ....here are some other ideas you may want to consider.

The Do it yourself Old Fashioned way....

Clarify or Strain your water of impurities. Your water source will probably have "Bits and Pieces in it." It does't look appealing ...it kind of reminds me of that gunk floating around at the bottom of a fish tank. The fastest way to get rid of it is to run it through 3-4 coffee filters stacked together. As they clog up replace with 3-4 more. These filters are super cheap and always come in bulk!! Don't forget to add that one to your next grocery list. Go Figure??

Next if you don't have any fancy schmancy straw or pump you can boil the water. Most websites say to bring your water to a boil then continue to boil for at least 5 minutes. But because we are in Calgary you need to add 4 minutes for the altitude... so approx 10minutes of boiling.

If you can't boil it you can also bleach it. If your like me....you really don't know how much? a tablespoon? A teaspoon? a few drops??? What was it again??

First of all....all bleach's are not equal!!! Liquid household chlorine bleach can be used to purify water provided the label says it contains hypochlorite as its ONLY active ingredient. Do not use granular or powdered forms of household bleach as they are poisonous!

And forget those scented kinds as well!

Add 2 drops of bleach per quart of clear water,

8 drops per gallon, or

1 teaspoon for 5 gallons

(double this if the water is cloudy).

***Liquid bleach loses strength over time and in just one year of storage the dosage must be doubled to be effective.

Two year old bleach must not be used.

It is not potent enough to kill disease causing bacteria.

After adding to water, stir and let stand for 30 minutes before drinking. Liquid bleach will kill most common forms of bacteria but is totally ineffective against GIARDIA and other hardy forms of PROTOZOA.

Okay so for me and my house.....we have the following items

Suvival Straw

Water Bottles with a filter built in

Drinking water Purification Tablets (didnt' metion above but you can buy these anywhere)

Coffee Filters

The right kind of bleach. I rotate it so that it is never over a year old.

Water testing kit.

And.....hopefully by the end of the month we will have the New water Purification Pumps!

Hope this has been fun and full of ideas for you!

Get Going!! Get Prepared!! HAVE FUN!!

Getting Started with Water Storage

Here we go!!!! For the month of November we are going to focus on WATER. Why? Because we can't live without it. Really....

WATER = LIFE

How much water should you have?

Provident Living Suggests "Store drinking water for circumstances in which the water supply may be polluted or disrupted"

So what does that mean??? 1 days worth, 1 weeks worth, 1 years worth??

The average person will need approximately 4 litres a day. 4 litres a day per person will cover drinking, food preperation, cleaning and personal hygeine.

My family has 4 people so that equals 365 days x 4 people x 4 litre/day = 5840 litres. This seems like a lot and I don't really know if I will need water for 365 days???

SO HERE IS THE BIG QUESTION FOR THE DAY....

TO STORE??? OR NOT TO STORE???

Might I suggest.........STORE!! Here are your 2 options

OPTION 1 - STORE WATER
OPTION 2 - STORE ITEMS TO HELP YOU PURIFY WATER FROM ANOTHER SOURCE

Either way your answer is STORE SOMETHING!

Some people have told me that they will just get water from the river if they need it. I like that idea exept for the carrying part. Water isn't light you know! I mean I hope times don't change where I am lugging jugs of water on my head for 3 hours just to cook dinner?? No disrespect for those that do! Also, is the river safe to drink out of? Well I've done some research and NO it's not. You will need to treat it first. Even for washing things!

I like being prepared so I have included a few options for my personal use...hopefully these ideas may assist you in deciding what's right for you.

First of all I have stored good clean tap water... Nothing beats this!! It is safe and already treated!

I have a large 1000 litre tanker in my basement. This tanker has a water spout on it as well as a large spout for emptying. As long as I keep it away from heat and sun the water will be good for 1 year. I will just empty and refill. If I buy an item called Aerobic Oxygen and add it to the water it will last up to 5 years.

This seems really easy and convenient. The only consideration is the cost.....$400. If you can afford it....what are you waiting for??? If not save up!! or consider some of my other options!

-Water cooler jugs full of water. If you have a water cooler it's even handier because then you have an automatic dispenser. $5 - $15 for approx 20 litres

Plastic water storage containers usually for camping $5-$10 for approx 10 litres

Also, don't forget to throw in some water bottles. These are handy for drinking out of or for dispensing from larger containers. They can go anywhere.

If your budget is tight...collect 2 litre pop bottles. Once washed out these handy and free little guys do just as well as any of the above.

The beehive bookstore sells the tankers and can be reached at...

Calgary Beehive Books
6624 Centre Street (Straight east of Chinook Mall)Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Phone: 403-249-8124
Fax: 403-240-0422
Web Site: http://www.ldsbookscanada.com/

Option 2 - find a water source and treat it....
This one has lot's of exciting information so I will do a seperate blog for it....stay tuned!

Most of all.....water is so precious...think about which scenario fits you best and get going!!! GET PREPARED!!!! HAVE FUN!!!