During this past week, the weather has once again showed us that emergency preparedness is not only important, but essential.  Severe winds whipped across six western states, including California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Wyoming.  In some parts of California, hurricane-force winds of 157 miles per hour were recorded (Washington Post).  Several semi-trucks were overturned on Interstate 15, forcing officials to close the highway to trucks.  Many schools were closed and countless homes were damaged across these six states.  In one Utah neighborhood, trees were uprooted, trampolines were transported from one neighbor’s yard to the next, and garage doors were warped out of shape (Personal Blog).  Amidst all of the chaos outside, hundreds of thousands of people were left without power in their homes, some for days.  According to a “Bloomberg Businessweek” article, “The storm knocked out electricity to more than 350,000 utility customers in Southern California.  By early Friday, 270,000 of them were still without power.”

It’s times like these that make me grateful for my efforts to be prepared.  If I was found in a situation where going outside was a threat to my well being and I had no electricity in my house, I know exactly how I would sustain myself—I would get out my Mountain House freeze-dried food.

To make a Mountain House meal during an emergency situation, I would get out a small, preparedness stove that I keep in store for such a time (see photo).  I would boil 3 cups of water in a lightweight pot (1 ½ cups for my entrée and 1 ½ cups for some vegetables and fruits).  When the water had boiled, I would portion out my dried food from a #10 can or open a pre-portioned pouch and pour half of the boiled water into a bowl or the pouch.

If the food was in a bowl, I would cover the bowl with a kitchen towel to keep the moisture inside the bowl.  If using the pouch, all I would do is seal the bag (it has a re-sealable top).

As previously mentioned, after waiting 10 minutes, the food would be ready and I would be set to eat a delicious, hot meal.  How many people would be able to say they could eat a hot, quality-tasting meal when their power goes out?

My Mountain House pouch meal: Breakfast Skillet

You never know when the power is going to go out or when a natural disaster will strike.  If you have Mountain House food in store, you will be able to survive and maintain your stamina without the hassle of cooking without electricity.  If stored properly, Mountain House #10 cans can last for 25 years or more without the food losing nutrients; the pouches can last up to seven years.  With that kind of track record, purchasing a kit would be a wise investment.

As you can see based on the events of last week, emergency preparedness is not something you can afford to put off.  If you are new at starting your preparedness program, might I suggest ordering some Mountain House food.  Both the #10 cans and mylar pouches are available from Preparedness Plus Products, LLC.  Like I said, you never know when you are going to need it.  If you would like to speak with an expert about your individual preparedness needs, call Preparedness Plus Products, LLC at 1-800-588-5412 for a free consultation.

For more information on survival skills in a power outage, read the article “How to survive a night without power” on the KSL website.

Until next time,

Patty Prepared

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