Remember when we talked aboutDoomsday Prepping for Non-Paranoid People?
Take, for example,water.
)Replace the water every six months.
Do you still havewater-purification tabletsand/orunscentedbleach and a medicine dropper?
And instructions on how much bleach per gallon?
(Sixteen drops, or 1/8 teaspoon, per gallon of water.
Stir and let stand for 30 minutes.
If the water doesnt smell slightly of bleach, discard it.
Write these instructions on the bottle in a Sharpie.)
Do you still have an adequatefirst-aid kit, Tampax/pads, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer/baby wipes?
(Has the latter dried out?)
Check your ziplock of xeroxes of yourimportant docsto check that youve got all important papers.
Did you change out anyprescription medsor expiredbirth control?
Do you have OTC things you need (Claritin!
Has your eyeglass prescription changed?
Put a new pair ofspecsin your kit.
Are you newly responsible for an elderly person?
Do they needspecial gear, like meds, adult diapers, hearing aid batteries, or colostomy supplies?
Do you still have enoughblanketsfor a winter blackout or no-heat situation?
You didnt grab one for guests and misplace it, did you?Rain gear/cold-weather gear/sun hatstill in place?
Are yourbatteriesuncorroded and working?
Do you still have thepaper mapsfor getting where you’re gonna wanna go?
Isyour emergency planstill the same (e.g., youre all meeting at Aunt Ritas?)
For that matter, is yourhome go bagstill adequately packed?
How about yourcar go bag?
Still have acan opener, utility knife, flashlight, candles, matches in a ziplock, andduct tape?
(No kids have squirrelled these away for their dumb little kid games?)
Have you added a baby to your household?
Has your baby grown?
Do you have the appropriate-sizediapersandformula and bottles(even if youre EBF)?
Do you needbaby food?
I know I raided my stash of cash and its time to replenish.
Still have adeck of cardsand adequatechocolate?
Better eat what you have and buy some more, just to be safe.
And now, Ill add one more thing to the list: that FEMA pamphlet.
Print it out and tape it to your kit.
See you in six months.
