While traveling the other day the thought came to me that I need to have all of my preparedness information organized in a easy to follow, uplifting notebook/manual for the benefit of my family. I feel like I am pretty on the ball with these sorts of things, but an organized preparedness manual will help me and my family stay level headed in a variety of stressful situations.

I want my children to be able to flip through the manual and have specific instructions on how to cook from our food supply, how to use our emergency preparedness equipment, or how to handle a variety of emergencies.

I asked my daughters if they were ready to step into my shoes if for any reason I were unavailable; they looked dazed. I have more confidence in them than they do but I still proved my own point. My children are not confident in their own level of preparedness.

Family Preparedness Manual

My manual is a high quality three ring binder. I have chosen to print my pages over copies of some favorite family photos just for the fun of it. The pages are laminated for strength and cleanliness.

In my manual there are multiple sections and I will add more sections as the Spirit directs me to do so. The first section in our preparedness manual is our menu complete with recipes and instructions. The section includes everything from herbal teas and homemade marshmallows to sprouting. Anything that has to do with our food supply is included in that section in sub-categories.

Some other sections in no particular order are:

ü      Inventory of the first aid kit as well as emergency first aid instructions.

ü      Emergency numbers and documentation

ü      What to do in case of a nuclear attack

ü      What to do in case of a biological attack

ü      How to handle a pandemic

ü      Steps to handle an evacuation including a packing list of absolute essentials

Think of what you want your family to know. I know from my own experience and from traveling and teaching that the most prepared among us can do better. Most families that consider themselves prepared have not prepared their children to carry on in their absence. We can not assume that we will always be available to help them.

A well organized manual that the whole family is familiar with and has practiced from will be a life saver.

Of course ther is no substitute for hands on practice. So as you are preparing you manual take the time to also instruct your children. That way when they use the manual it will not be completely foreign to them.