I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Suzanne, professional Survival Mom and Operations Manager at Grey Tactical Outfitters in Destin, FL.

JH: Suzanne, thank you for joining me today.

S: Hi, John.  You are welcome.  I enjoy Lisa’s blog and visit the site often. My husband and sons are always interested in Instant Survival Tips! It is a pleasure and honor to be here.

JH:  Likewise.  The work your family is doing here at Grey Tactical Outfitters is rather uncommon.  How long have you been in business?

S:  We opened the doors on our Retail Store 18 months ago and put the Training Programs in place a few months later.  We’ve been part of the military community here in Northwest Florida for many years – it is exciting to see so many Troops frequenting our store!  The product feedback we receive from our customers who serve (in the Armed Forces) is invaluable to us.

JH:  Did your involvement in the military and Special Ops communities spark your interest in survival and tactical equipment?

S: Yes, though “sparking our interest” is not how I would put it.  It rapidly became an emergency management lifestyle.  Two decades ago – wow, has it been that long? – two decades ago we were stationed in Guam, with an infant son.  While there, we weathered two typhoons as well as one earthquake that shook us for an entire minute! Besides being scary, these events presented me with real problems (my husband was deployed – a lot!)  For example, once we went without running water for more than a month.  We collected rainwater from the roof in clean garbage cans for the baby’s bath, and grew accustomed to using bleach to ensure that our drinking water was pure. Oh yeah, I contracted giardia while pregnant with our second.  Being pregnant, it took a few months to obtain approval for a prescription to treat the giardia.  I was miserable and sick but things ended well with a 9 ½ pound baby boy.  For a while, in Guam, we only had power for only about one hour per day. We had to preposition laundry and other chores that required power. If the lights came on in the middle of the night, we jumped up and scrambled to vacuum, do dishes, cook, etc…!  Shortly thereafter we became the only family to acquire a generator, so we ended making lots of friends out of our neighbors, which was lots of fun.

JH:  Your family certainly has an uncommon history.  I suppose your sons have grown up with a natural awareness of these often-overlooked survival concerns?

S: Oh yes, the boys are all part of the business, and they all have their own “go-bags.” They once lived without electricity for three days when we were in Okinawa.   I had them help to secure all of our outdoor stuff during a hurricane there.  It was in Okinawa and Guam that I learned the value of food storage.  I bought canned and dry goods when they were available, as there were no guarantees the shelves would be restocked.  You never knew when the ports would close and disrupt the supply chain.  Those experiences made hurricane season here in Florida feel like home!  Speaking of Florida – the gardening here is fabulous.  I love to garden and could talk about it for days!  Maybe we can speak again on the topic some other time?  I will tell you this:  we love to have citrus trees around the house.  Half of our fruit-bearing trees are planted in the ground, with the other half in planters in case we have to evacuate.  I love to grow potatoes in pots as well.  The pots prevent the potatoes from contaminating the soil for next year’s garden.  So much to think of regarding gardening… I really love it.

JH:  Many of those experiences seem difficult to anticipate.  In hindsight, what would you do differently to be more prepared?

S: Looking back, I wish I had identified more of the things we weren’t good at and sought out more information or even formal training.  In fact, over the years my husband has scheduled a number of courses for us.  I took a course on dealing with terrorism.  All of us, the boys included, took courses on dynamic driving in unstable environments.  It is true – those early experiences taught us the value of training.

JH:  Now I understand why you run a preparedness business!  Your store is full of top-notch gear – I am working my Birthday and Christmas lists!  What advice would you give to someone who wants their family to learn about survival and preparedness?

S:  Consider some of the things that could happen and document them in a list. For example, hurricanes, earthquakes, power outages, shortages… each presents threats to a family and their needs.  Consider canned and dry goods.  My boys like rice, so we always have large bags of it packed away. I am gluten-free and like products from Augason Farms.  We practice all the fundamentals: canning, gardening, as well as the storage and rotation of medical supplies and other consumables.  It is a lifestyle that we built incrementally, over time, and I recommend others do the same.

JH:  Yes, I agree, and like how you recommend these things “incrementally.”  May I ask what you include in your Every Day Carry (EDC)?

S:  Sure.  I have one small “go-bag” in my car, in a briefcase (with larger bags packed elsewhere.)  It includes a string backpack with sweats and tennis shoes in case of a breakdown.  Of course a medical kit, a small amount of food and water, two different flashlights, water purification, fire starter, matches, an emergency blanket, a knife… I believe in carrying a firearm, as well.  Even our dog is practicing carrying his go-bag now. We have a canine bag and pack it with water, dog food, and pet medicine for him.  It is helping to keep him fit! Truthfully our family sees much of this as fun rather than work.

JH:  Given that people are becoming increasingly interested in survival and preparedness, how will your business evolve over the next few years?

S:  Our plan is to grow by constantly researching the best new products.  Our close ties with the Special Ops world keeps us in tune with the latest and greatest gear and we pass the knowledge on to customers. We want to be force-multipliers for customers through training and education, so I do not hire salespeople in my store.  Our employees are experienced in survival and preparedness (note: most are current and former military who are here to serve as trainers.)

JH:  I know that I value their input when I am here… so much to learn!  Suzanne, thank you again for taking the time to talk to me.  As a gear-junkie I could discuss survival equipment every day.  If anyone has questions about the work you are doing here at Grey, how can they contact you?

S:  You are welcome, John.  Our “GTO Store” can be found at GreyTacticalOutfitters.com.  I enjoyed our conversation  – it really brought back memories!

JH:  I enjoyed it as well.  With hurricane season approaching, I am happy to have friends like you!  I look forward to talking to you again soon.

Visit John’s website The Survival Template.

© 2013, John A. Heatherly. All rights reserved.

Here are their answers to the question, “What advice do you have for new Survival Moms?” Thanks, ladies!

From Courtney: My best advice is that it’s okay to start small and to take baby steps towards preparedness. A lot of people are quick to give out checklists and say, “You need to go out and buy all of these items RIGHT NOW”, when in reality, it’s okay to start shopping the Buy One Get One Free deals and just keep a couple of extra cans of food on hand.

Maybe next week you can start planting a garden. Take a couple of classes on survival related topics. Stock up on books (hard copy, not e-books, preferably) that will help you through a difficult situation. Over time, you’ll be prepared and you’ll feel better about it.

From Sarah: It’s normal to get overwhelmed and panicked at first, to have the, “I am so unprepared!!!!” feeling. But that’s the jumping point. That’s the time when you make the decision to change and DO something about it instead of just obsessing.

It doesn’t need to be expensive. Water goes on sale often. Set a $5 a week goal. Use $5 a week or set it aside until you have enough for a major purchase. Just get started.

You can’t hunt or grow toilet paper. Look for great sales and stock up. Utilize your garage rafters for items that won’t be effected by heat or cold (like TP and blankets or extra clothes).

Breathe. Pray. Thank God that you realized that you needed to prepare for something and then thank God that you have something in place, even if it’s only a weeks worth of food and water.

Yes, there will ALWAYS be more that you can do. Don’t forget to prepare for tomorrow but live for today. Matthew 6:34: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” This verse goes hand in hand with the woman of Proverbs 31. Prepare for tomorrow, but do not worry about it.

From Amy: Don’t wait until tomorrow! Start small but start now. Start planning how to organize what you have, what you need now and what changes you need to make this happen.

From Lisa: It took some work to communicate to my husband my concerns. He’s a trained Boy Scout, he knows what to do. I had to remind him that I never made it out of Brownies. I didn’t know all that stuff about lighting fires and building shelters.

This clinched it for me. We’ve been paying off debt and listening to Dave Ramsey on the radio, who often quotes Proverbs 6:5: “Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler”. I went to my Bible to read it in context. The next line reads “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise”.

Discovering this site, and being encouraged by it, has made me be more organized in my prepping. It’s not just flashlights and candles for the next black out. That’s the biggest thing, read all you can, and get your ducks in a row. That’s empowering.

From Donna: 1. The fact that you are even thinking of becoming more prepared is a REALLY big step. Now, just keep walking forward.

2. Start small. It is so overwhelming when you first start, but remember, every little thing you do brings you peace and comfort.

3. Know that preparedness is not a destination, it is a journey. You will likely never arrive and feel that you are done, but be ready for a wonderful experience.

4. You are not alone. There are a lot of us who want to prepare not only for ourselves but to help others too. Work with those around you and the journey will be much less overwhelming.

From Sandi: Take it slow and steady. Focus on one skill at a time. Trying to do it all at once becomes overwhelming.

From Lezlie: My best advice would be to never let anyone make you feel like you are ‘crazy’ or a ‘worry wort’ or even a ‘hoarder’. If they can’t see that you do what you do out of love and for their safety, and you’re out of breath from trying to educate them, then smile and ignore Seek out other like minded people.and again….get to know your neighbors!

From Alanea: First, stop giving your family food from fast food chains. They are laden with addictive chemicals! And if a long term situation exists, you don’t want the stress of having your kids craving a happy meal and the ultimate tantrum that will ensue when you cant provide.

Also to prepare your kids, learn how to play Dungeons & Dragons. Every week we have “electricity free night”, (usually the same night as BBQ night). And now, because of D&D they actually look forward to it. Having card games and coloring books is all great, but what if you’re out of a light source, or having a light source is just not safe? D&D is a purely verbal game. According to my kids, I’m the best Dungeon Master EVER!!! I also do a lot of orienteering games with my kids disguised as treasure hunts. And my kids and I also have another good game, not hide and go seek, just hide. When we go on walks or are around town I randomly shout “HIDE” to them and they find cover wherever they can. They are getting really good. But never forget to talk to them. We aren’t scared, cause we are prepared!

From Jacqueline:  There is so much a Mom can do daily to be sure you’re ready for anything. Right down to a case of the stomach flu, you have a bucket with all supplies in one spot. I am in the process of really re-organizing because our needs are always changing. I am not the best at this, but I am getting good at it. I have gained so much knowledge that I think that is more valuable to me than my supplies. My skills on how to cook from scratch and having certain spices to sewing and crocheting along with my husbands labor skills we can fare pretty well. However, I am not to sure of myself. I am working on taking mental notes of those in my neighborhood and how we could pull together if need be.

As I said when I started out, I have encouraged more to start to do something by just talking a little bit about what I have learned with out letting people know exactly why. It is a small group right not that really know why I do this. It all started because I was laid off of my job. I thought I would always be working. So thank you Survival Mom, you inspired me and I have continued to do so as well!

© 2013, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

Each month there are great entries and it’s hard to pick just one! If you’ve nominated yourself in the past, give it another try! We do look for entries with lots of information, since our goal is to learn from each other.

What Possible Emergencies are You Preparing For?

I’m preparing for anything that could possibly displace, inconvenience, or disrupt my family’s day-to-day life and routines! I know, that’s a pretty broad spectrum.

On a national level, dilemmas such as possible financial collapse, terrorist attacks (like the Boston Marathon bombing, most recently), and government acts of aggression (our own U.S., and others…such as North Korea) have all been on my mind. I have a heightened awareness, and stay on top of what’s going on in the news regarding all of these events, but I try not to dwell on thinking about catastrophic national events too much because, for me, it slows me down.

Locally, I am preparing for weather-related emergencies (such as tornadoes, hurricanes, or fires), and how the national emergencies I mentioned will affect my family, within our community.

What have you done to prepare your home and family for these possible emergencies?

I like to be organized and prepared for the unexpected…it’s just my personality. I’m the mom who had the diaper bag packed for almost every scenario when my kids were babies, the one who gives “practical” (but unique and tasteful) gifts to make life easier, and the go-to girl at work when someone was in a pinch or needed tools. In fact, in the early days of my marriage, I was the (ahem) more skilled one with the electric drill (my husband has since become quite the tool guy, though, in his defense!). So, I’ve always considered myself somewhat prepared for first aid issues, weather-related emergencies, power outages, etc. However, in the past six months or so, I’ve realized that I’m not *nearly* as prepared as I should be!

And, let’s just say, the panic set in.

Once I calmed down, I started by putting together a family first aid kit and 72-hour bags for each member of my family. I’m currently working on adding supplies needed for camping, food storage, etc. each week, and I am trying to read or educate myself a little bit each day on related topics. As outlined on this site and in other places, I focused first on the “big” things (water, sanitation, etc.).

We planted a garden, and various fruit trees and bushes, and have a compost bin. Even though we live in a dense suburban neighborhood with Homeowner’s Association restrictions, we have been pretty efficient in how we use our property without it compromising aesthetics or space for our kids to play, in my opinion.

image by marvinxsteadfast

I’m also clearing out clutter! I realized early on that in order to properly store and prepare, I had to have the space to be able to do that, since our house is modest in size (without a basement). So, a yard sale is in the works, and consigning my kids’ outgrown clothes has generated a little bit of money towards supplies and storage needs.

I’m starting to network locally with like-minded people. This has been a tough one for me, but I’m slowly making progress. And, I’m having conversations with my kids (ages 9 and 6) about being prepared for emergencies and having an awareness of their surroundings, in a matter-of-fact way that hopefully is helpful and not scary or worrisome.

Finally, and this is a personal decision (obviously), I decided to get my concealed carry handgun permit, and learn how to shoot different types of guns. Even though I grew up around guns and had been taught by my father about gun safety, I wanted to feel comfortable enough to defend myself and my family, should (God forbid) a situation ever arise. My husband and I are avid about teaching gun safety to our kids, have joined a firing range where we now practice regularly, and I am taking additional training classes to improve my skills.

What resources (books, websites, etc.) have helped you the most in preparing?

A cornerstone of feeling prepared, for me, is being informed. That means learning and knowing skills but, in my world, it also means knowing what’s going on locally and nationally, and seeking accuracy in the news (I know, a challenge!).

So, I dig deeper and get my news from various sources (mostly online), including Twitter. And while I don’t rely on Twitter for 100% accuracy, it is a good source for getting real-time updates, links to articles that aren’t in the mainstream media, and networking (especially locally, in my experience). One thing I avoid are websites which lean towards being conspiracy- or doomsday-related, though, simply because they mainly do nothing but fill me with worry and dread, and then I get discouraged and usually end up stuck. Not helpful, to me at least.

Other sites I frequent daily are Southern Savers and Totally Target for deals and ways to save on food and household supplies. Because I’m currently a stay-at-home mom, money is very tight. I like these sites because they make couponing easy, and the money I save week-to-week is money I can use for supplies for preparing. There are so many good sites now for deals, but these are my two favorites. (I tend to think in terms of small, manageable tasks that I can actually keep up with, and not get overwhelmed by…leading to discouragement!).

When I hit “panic mode” a few months ago, I felt very overwhelmed in figuring out how I was going to prepare my family for emergencies on a larger scale. There is SO much information online, and it was hard for me to know where to start. I started with putting together a comprehensive first aid kit…which was relatively small in scope, but gave me a sense of accomplishment when I finished. Believe it or not, I used Pinterest to find ideas for that one, mainly because I like visuals! Pinterest is a great source for lots of survival/prep/organizing ideas and, to me, pictures are always helpful and inspiring.

Next, I found a good, basic Emergency Preparedness series at A Bowl Full of Lemons. It’s written by an organized mom, and is broken down into an 8-week series. (Right up my alley, again, with manageable chunks I could do each week or so).

As I’ve become “more advanced,” (ha ha) I found Lisa’s website and book (Survival Mom), which I’m currently reading (on loan from our local library), and I ordered a set of books from www.disasterpreparer.com by Arthur Bradley (Handbook to Practical Disaster Preparedness for the Family, Disaster Preparedness for EMP Attacks and Solar Storms, Prepper’s Manual: 50 Steps to Preparing for any Disaster). Eventually, I hope to get to more “hard core” prepping websites for learning skills and techniques.

For now, this site is my go-to site for reference needs!

What advice do you have for New Survival Moms who want to prepare their families as well?

This is a hard question for me, because I hardly feel like one to be giving out advice, since I’m still so relatively new to preparing! But, here’s my stab at it:

Start small. I started with a family first aid kit, then 72-hour bags. I’m now moving on to gathering supplies and items for long-term food storage, and adding to our basic needs for camping and my family’s ability to be self-sufficient. The same goes for information and resources; simple is best for starters, so you don’t get overwhelmed and discouraged. You can always bookmark sites, articles, etc. for a later date, once you’ve gotten past the basics.

Try to do a little bit each day, or at least weekly. Whether it’s buying one thing towards your supplies, learning or researching a new skill, or finding a new resource/contact, it will keep the momentum going to want to do more, and give you a feeling of accomplishment. And, don’t beat yourself up for feeling “behind” or late to the party. Just get started, and (as Lisa says is the #1 Rule of Preparedness): Do your best where you are with what you have!

Involve your kids, and get them enthused about being prepared. They don’t have to know what your preparing for, or your every worry, and it can be fun if you frame it in the right way or find a cool, kid-friendly option. One of the best purchases I’ve made was a hand-crank LED lantern for my son (by Haba, called Terra Light…available at Amazon). That lantern has served us well in power outages (it doesn’t need batteries) and the kids think it’s cool because you wind it up to make it work!

© 2013, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

Along with sunshine, though, come a few not-s0-fun health challenges. Here are just a few, along with some strategies for dealing with them.

1.  If anyone in the family has sensitive skin, buy the smallest possible size of sunscreen. There’s no point in spending $10 or more, only to find out too late that it causes a serious, itchy rash on some unfortunate loved one. (I speak from experience!)

2.  Speaking of itches and rashes, check out the new Itch Relief Patch! These clear, round medicated patches can be placed directly on any itchy area. From the company itself:

“BeKOOOL’s new Itch Relief Patches can now be found online at Drugstore.comand Walgreens.com , and in the anti-itch sections of the following retailers: Walmart, Dollar General, Harris Teeter and H-E-B.”

My son wandered into a mound of ants two weeks ago, and I was very glad to have some samples of these patches! They prevented him from scratching the ant bites and the novelty of being covered with a few of these patches made the experience kind of fun.

3.  Living in the desert, I’ve learned there are 2 ingredients for staying cool: water and moving air. Always have extra water in your vehicle for times when you’re stuck on the side of the road or end up somewhere far from air conditioning! Keeping 1 or 2 small battery-powered fans* in your vehicle emergency kit would be another good idea as well as a small spray bottle.

It’s amazing how just a few mists from a water spray bottle helps keep the body cool.

*Be sure to keep plenty of extra, fresh batteries on hand!

4.  A small aloe vera plant can be grown just about anywhere, and it’s one of the best ways that I know of for cooling sunburned skin.

image by Lin Pernille Photography

5.  A very simple product to keep on hand for warm weather problems is cornstarch. It’s great for soothing chafing from sweaty skin and diaper rashes.

6.  Keep in mind that certain groups of people have a particularly hard time when the weather gets really hot: babies and toddlers, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with chronic health issues.

If anyone in your family fits in one of these categories, have a plan for keeping them cool, especially if the power goes out and takes the air conditioning with it.

7.  Dehydration can become a serious issue during the warmest months of the year. Watch for sales on cases of water, Gatorade, and other drinks that include electrolytes. We just discovered Activate, which includes a dose of real vitamins and supplements.

Here’s a recipe for making your own rehydration drinks.

8.  Summer air pollution and pollen can set the stage for a really unpleasant asthma season. Make sure you have the right kind of medication with you at home and in your purse and/or vehicle.

Check to see if a local news station posts pollen reports on their website to help keep track of local conditions. You can also visit airnow.gov.

9.  Lyme disease continues to affect thousands of people every year. In 2008, there were more than 28,000 who contracted the disease. (I couldn’t fine more recent stats than ’08.)

You should know that the possibility of Lyme disease is greater in some parts of the country than others. If you live in one of the higher-risk zones, keep a vigilant eye out for any sign of  a tick bite. Keep in mind that the most dangerous ticks that can carry Lyme disease are the nymphal ticks (babies), and they are about the size of a poppy seed!

10.  Sunstroke. I’m adding this one because it happened to me one summer when I was about 9 or 10 years old. I remember the horrible sunburn, the blistered skin, the fever.

Pay attention to outside temperatures, especially if your kids are playing outdoors during 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.* Their little bodies heat up quickly, and if they are distracted by all the summer fun, pool parties, etc., they won’t notice a bad sunburn until it’s too late.

(*Can you believe that we used to call those the, “peak tanning hours”??? How crazy was that??)

Stay safe this summer, Survival Moms!

© 2013, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

I decided that I would buy canned, dehydrated, and freeze-dried versions of fruits and vegetables that I used most often and/or were next to impossible to grow in the Phoenix climate. Pineapple met both those criteria.

Recently, my friends at Freeze Dry Guy sent over some freeze-dried pineapple to celebrate this as a new product, and I fell in love with this versatile version of a favorite fruit. My kids love a good, juicy pineapple any day of the week, but the freshest ones aren’t always available. Freeze-dried pineapple has a light, sweet taste and a nice crunch and is ready, in its #10 can, whenever you are!

Here is what I’ve discovered I can do with this tasty, tropical fruit:

1. Add it to oatmeal cookies! Yummm! You can rehydrate it first or just add a half cup or so directly from the can.
2. Add it to Oatmeal Pecan Bars! Double yummm!
3. Rehydrate the pineapple and use it in a sweet-and-sour sauce for chicken or pork.
4. Add some pineapple to a chicken and veggie stir fry, along with some cashews!
5. Include it in a snack mix with other dried fruit, nuts, freeze-dried yogurt, and mini chocolate chips. Surprisingly, pineapple and chocolate go very well together, my friend!
6. Add to your favorite bran muffin mix.
7. Mix in a half cup or so with zucchini bread batter!
8. Rehydrate a cup or two. Drain and add to butter and brown sugar for a tart-yet-sweet topping for Pineapple Upside Down Cake (or muffins).
   

   image by DeaPeaJay

9. Mix a bit of freeze-dried pineapple in with cream cheese for a bagel topping.
10. Add a cup or two to a super simple party punch recipe: equal parts lemon-lime soda and citrus juice.
11. Mix up some pineapple cocktails for a luau!
12. Toss it into a salad, either rehydrated or not. The crunchy texture is a nice addition to a salad of greens.
13. Rehydrate half a cup or so and sprinkle it over vanilla ice cream.
14. Add it to yogurt. It tastes great with vanilla Greek yogurt.
15. Use it for a tropical tasting smoothie.
16. Use it in place of fresh or canned pineapple in any recipe with “Hawaiian” in the title!
17. Add it to any granola recipe.
18. Sprinkle it over pizza, along with some chopped ham or bacon!
19. Eat it straight out of the can for a healthy, no-sugar-added treat!

Here are the details for Freeze Dry Guy’s sale:

© 2013, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by jcantroot

In July 1993, a raging river flooded old downtown West Des Moines. I had just moved in to my soon-to-be new house as a single mom. I had been recently divorced by my husband after 26 years. He was my high school sweetheart, and I thought we would be married for life. My little house represented a new beginning for my daughter and I. I had unpacked everything I owned and headed to the lake on July 6th.

July 10, I was swept out of my house

I had a friend take some of my things into downtown Des Moines to store. He and one of my employees had rode the motorcycle back to check on me. I was running towards my car screaming to the man that my keys were in it. He h

image by University of Salford

urried to drive it around the corner away from the raging water in time for me to escape two blocks.

Relying on family, friends, and strangers

Preparing for something else

© 2013, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

Photo by Colby Codner

Walking Onions, also known as “Tree Onions” or “Topsetters,” may be the toughest plants in the garden.  The picture above was taken in Oklahoma, where 12 original bulbs survived the heat and lack of water of the last few summers to take over a raised bed and part of the yard.

If planted in the fall, these onions are hardy through the winter and produce topsets of bulbs the next year.  These bulbs can be harvested and eaten, or they will fall over and start to root (hence the term “walking.”)  The green shoots can be eaten like ordinary green onions and taste great when filled with cream cheese or in other recipes.  The base bulb can be harvested as well, though if the bulb is removed the plant will no longer be there to spread.  My plan is to let these onions walk all over the wild areas of the property, then harvest green leaves, top-bulbs, and a few root bulbs later in the year (Mine were ordered online – Ebay and Etsy have them – and they arrived bundled in tape and cardboard.  Pretty cool.)

Can anyone offer any creative recipes that use Walking Onions?

About the Author:

“Heatherly makes you feel like you could survive on your own (for at least a little while) after reading this book (The Cave and The Sea) — not that I’m going to give it a try any time soon.” -Forever Young Adult

“’The Hunger Games’ smash-hit book and movie got my daughter and one of her friends interested in archery. Maybe John A. Heatherly’s novel ‘The Cave and the Sea’ will do the same for teenagers regarding learning primitive survival skills…” -SurvivalCommonsense.com

“I don’t throw the term ‘life changing’ around lightly but this book (The Survival Template) has very likely altered the way I think, the way I plan and the way I see my future as I’ve laid it out.” -SurvivalMonkey.com.

© 2013, John A. Heatherly. All rights reserved.

This month YOU or someone you nominate could become our Survival Mom of the Month! We want to recognize you for what you have accomplished to help your family be ready for anything.

Winners will receive a copy of my book, Survival Mom, a set of Marjory Wildcraft’s DVD series Grow Your Own Groceries,a PurifiCup Portable Water Purifier and a $25 Amazon gift card. Sorry, you’ll have to furnish your own tiara!

Complete the form below and submit it by May 5. The winner will be notified on May 6, and will reign as our official Survival Mom throughout the month!

SPONSORS:

© 2013, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

Dear Lisa,

I wanted to reach out to you because I found your website last fall when I was bracing for a hurricane and had a 3 week old. I had not thought before he arrived about what to do in an emergency. But since

image by Ed Yourdon

finding you I have slowly begun to change some things for long term storage and safety for my family.

We have since been through a blizzard that had us stuck indoors for several days, and last Friday, we were sequestered unexpectedly in our home for 15 hours due to the Boston bombing manhunt. It hit very close to home emotionally and physically, but, I was prepared, thanks in part to you.

Since the fall, I have begun stocking up on water and have a freeze dried food delivery each month. I have also made a list of items I want to have on hand for “green living” such as a solar oven, and have begun requesting these items for holiday and birthday presents, etc. I have stocked up my emergency kit supplies in the hall closet and continue to discuss with my husband different scenarios of where we would go if we needed to leave our home in an emergency.

We have friends and neighbors who were caught off guard on Friday, with empty cabinets, a sense of helplessness, and they were worried about being stuck in their homes for days. In my family, that was one less thing to worry about amidst all the chaos of the day. I am truly grateful to you for your dedication to helping others be safe. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Namaste, Laura

© 2013, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

Have you ever noticed how, whenever a big storm is predicted, people start rushing to stores to clean them out of ever food item and supply they have on the shelves? In one sense, it’s probably good that they are trying to anticipate the emergency, despite being last-minute about it. It sure beats those people who don’t bother to prepare at all, then complain when emergency services are overwhelmed by requests for assistance.

image by kirstyhall

But why panic in the first place? Why not have a stash of necessary items always ready for such an emergency? Even if there isn’t a storm approaching, it’s nice to know that you don’t have to rush out to the store every time you run out of toilet paper. Keeping some extra around the house is always a good idea!

With this in mind, I decided to ask CampingSurvival.com’s Facebook fans what they felt were the emergency supplies that stores were most likely to run out of when people start to panic. Then I compiled the top comments in various categories so I could share it with you. Since this list is based on the comments of our Facebook fan page, some of the items (canned meat, for instance) may not be the absolute first things for a store to run out of, but are still items that you should consider having among your emergency supplies nonetheless.

Without further ado, here the list of the Top 50 Things to Disappear from Store Shelves during an Emergency, compiled by yours truly:

FOOD

1. Bread
2. Butter
3. Cereal
4. Coffee
5. Eggs
6. Flour
7. Fruit, canned and fresh
8. Honey
9. Meats, canned
10. Milk
11. Peanut butter
12. Pet food
13. Salt
14. Sugar
15. Vegetables, canned and root vegetables
16. Water

POWER AND LIGHT

1. Batteries
2. Candles
3. Charcoal
4. Coolers
5. Flashlights
6. Gasoline
7. Generators
8. Glow sticks
9. Ice
10. Lamp oil and oil lanterns
11. Lighter fluid
12. Matches
13. Propane, propane stoves

FUN

1. Alcohol, drinking
2. Beer
3. Cigarettes
4. Condoms

FIRST AID

1. Alcohol, rubbing
2. Antiseptic
3. Aspirin/pain relievers
4. Cold medicine
5. First aid kits

HYGIENE

1. Feminine hygiene products
2. Paper plates/napkins
3. Shampoo
4. Soap
5. Toilet paper

BABIES

1. Baby food/formula
2. Diapers

IMPROVISATION

1. Duct tape
2. Plastic bags
3. Plywood
4. Radios
5. Rope

Now, before you file this away as mildly interesting reading, take this list and compare it to what you have stocked up. Check to see what you may be missing or what you need more of. And don’t forget that this is only a Top 50 list, so there are plenty of other items that I don’t have space to talk about in this (already long!) blog entry.

Feel free to offer feedback on our Facebook page and, as always, stay aware and prepared.

Tom Sciacca is a former US Marine, a veteran of the Gulf War, a survival enthusiast and President of CampingSurvival.com.

© 2013, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.