First 5 Preps We Recommend That You Stock
Thinking of becoming better prepared in case of an emergency? The overwhelm is real and you are not alone. Thinking about hedging every element in your life that is vulnerable to natural disasters or supply chain breakdowns can cause a real-life breakdown inside of you. Like anything, you need to approach a preparedness outlook one step at a time.
No matter the natural disaster or unexpected event, there are a few items all folks should start with. Considering basic human need, here are the first five preps that we recommend that you consider purchasing:
1. Water Filtration
The most basic human need beyond shelter is water. Those who do not have a preparedness mindset, but who feel they should do something will often purchase flat upon flat of bottled water. This might be ok for a day or two, but it is not realistic when we consider that many disasters will require water for longer than a couple days, or if you are attempting to prepare to support a larger group of people.
Bottled water may be ok for a beach outing, camping trip or a road trip, but owning a good quality water filtration system can mean the difference between life and death in an emergency situation. Both Berkey and Alexapure water filtration systems are great technology available for everyday situations. These systems are capable of taking any water source, outside of salt water, and turning it into drinkable water.
These water filtration systems can be a bit pricey however they are capable of producing over 530 litres of filtered water, before you need to change out the filter. This more than covers the cost of the same number of litres of plastic bottles of water. Being able to produce your own filtered water in a disaster situation can provide days upon days of drinking water (used for cooking as well) for a number of people. Also, unlike bottled water it will not produce any waste.
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2. Stored Food
There are many ways to store food for times of need; bags of rice, canned food, flour, sugar and dried meat are all good options if you’re looking for items you can pick up at your local grocery store on your next trip out. Remember to choose foods you can cook with minimal to no power, or items that can be eaten right out of a package.
Dehydrated or freeze-dried food is the preferred method of food stores for most people looking to store food for an emergency. MRE Meals (Meals Ready to Eat) are an excellent option. MRE’s can be quite expensive, however they contain an entire meal’s worth of calories and nutrition and can be cooked by adding only boiled water directly to the packaging. Minimal effort, maxim output. Check out the entire line of Storage Food at Good2GoCo – Canada’s number one supplier of long term storage food!
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3. First Aid
A well-stocked first aid kit can be purchased or curated yourself. If you aren’t familiar with first aid care, we recommend that you consider taking a course to become more knowledgeable. Purchasing a pre-filled kit will assure you have the basics, but once you own it and go through it you may find you need a few additional items. Check out the Good2GoCo line up of Survival Supplies including first aid kits.
Personal hygiene can also be considered part of this category, as it is vital to keeping your person clean and free of bacteria. This can often be a forgotten area of preparedness, so make sure you stock extra soap, baby wipes, alcoholic swabs or cleaning wipes, women’s hygiene products and baby powder, as these can provide simple solutions to complex problems.
4. Power Backup
Supplementation for power can be a very overwhelming topic. Remember, you do not need a power supply that will keep every appliance, light socket and curling iron running. Consider the basic needs and how much power they require. This may be cell phones, communication radios, am/fm radios, lanterns or a small number of rechargeable batteries.
Not a lot of power is required to keep a small portion of electronics running. Generators and solar panels are the top choices for generating power in a disaster situation. Keep in mind that generators require fuel, which will also need to be stored, while solar power requires sunlight, which may be a compromise depending on where you live. Take into consideration your needs for power as well as your access to the ability to keep that power going before deciding on which method is best for you. Good2GoCo has a huge line of Solar Products to choose from – and the list of what we have to offer is growing!
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5. Temperature Control
You may wonder why we did not address shelter as one of the top five items – and beyond that - temperature control may also seem like an odd replacement. We will assume you are able to use your own home as a shelter, so preparing a shelter would be unnecessary. That said – this does not mean that your home will always be warm in the winter or cold in the summer.
Regulating temperature can be a matter of life or death. If you live in Florida and the power goes out, removing your ability to turn the AC on, you need a way to cool your body temperature down to keep from overheating. Likewise, if you live in Montreal and the power goes out in the middle of winter, you need a way to generate heat to keep you and your family warm.
Grave situations can come from our bodies getting too hot or too cold. This topic will take a lot of consideration when you think about where you live, the dangers that you are susceptible to and the general temperatures you are exposed to throughout a yearly cycle. It could be that you live in a region that is exposed to both extremes of weather: high heat in the summer as well as plunging temperatures in the winter. You will need to give this area some considerable thought. Generators and Solar Products can support winter temperatures along with adequate blankets (including Emergency Blankets) as well as Clothing and Footwear.
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Run though this list again and consider your areas of vulnerability. Purchasing a water filtration system as well as a couple water storage containers could easily take care of your water needs. More thought might need to be put into food however purchasing long term storage food is an easy solution and gives you time to figure out more long term needs.
This does not need to be an overwhelming endeavor, but something your whole family can participate in. Once you get the hang of these five areas, more areas of preparation interest will come to you, allowing you to branch out and break down the preparation process, eliminating stress and anxiety.
Let us help you with this process! Check out our brands for solutions to all five of these categories!
May God bless you and your families,
Good2GoCo Family