Are you prepared...if you and your family have to leave your home with only the pack on your back? The prophets have warned us repeatedly to have a 72-hour kit ready in case of any emergency. We've had sacrament talks about it, Relief Society lessons, and maybe even an Enrichment night on 72-hour kits, but does your family really have what it takes? This month Crafty Chic is deviating from its usual craft project to bring you the ideas for the ultimate 72-hour kit.

By Heather Hales, senior editor & Lori Garcia, editor-in-chief

PREPAREDNESS QUIZ

Are you prepared? Do you have an emergency plan. Take our preparedness quiz, and see if you are a Disaster Diva, a 72-Hour Kit Queen, or a Hopeful Homemaker?

(1) Does your family have an emergency plan?
A. What emergency plan?  
B. We have talked about having an emergency plan in FHE  
C. Our family has a detailed disaster plan--and all family members know what it is.

(2) Do you know where flashlights, matches, candles, oil lamps, etc., are located in your home?
A. We have flashlights in every room in the house (with batteries, ready to go.)
B. I have some really pretty scented candles I made at Enrichment last month
C. There is a flashlight downstairs over the washing machine--if I can get to it in the dark.

(3) Do you know how to turn off the water/gas in your house?
A. I've seen it done before. I could probably do it in an emergency.
B. Not only could I do it, but our family has practiced--and we have a wrench close by to easily turn off the main valves.
C. That's what husbands are for!

(4) Do you have working smoke alarms?
A. They beep sometimes--that's how I know they're there.
B. We have smoke alarms in every room.
C. We regularly test our smoke alarms and have a fire safety drill scheduled quarterly.

(5) Do you have an emergency radio?
A. We have a battery/crank operated emergency radio that we can manually crank if the batteries run down.
B. Does a Walkman count?
C. We have a emergency radio--somewhere.

(6) Does your family have a designated meeting place in case of an emergency?
A. We always meet by the big oak tree.
B. In FHE we created an emergency plan and designated the big oak tree as our meeting place.
C. Meeting place? I know I can find our kids on the playground equipment.

(7) Do you have enough food in your 72-hour kit?
A. Does gum count?
B. We have enough food in our 72-hour kits. I should know, we packed them 10 years ago in Homemaking.
C. We rotate our 72-hour food kits twice a year during conference.

(8) Do you know how to cook food without electricity or gas?
A. Each summer our family goes camping and tries roughing it by cooking over open fire.
B. We learned how to cook over open fire years ago in Girls Camp.
C. Does that mean I could use a lighter?

(9) Do you have enough water for your needs, or do you know how to purify water?
A. We could always find a stream, right?
B. We have used bleach to store water in our food storage. Our 72-hour kits have water purification tablets in them to purify drinking and cooking water.
C. I've heard of using bleach to purify water in food storage. I haven't done it and algae is growing in my stored water.

(10) Do you have sufficient clothing for both hot and cold climates?
A. We have a couple of pairs of mittens and extra sock for cold climates, but not much.
B. We live in the desert, we don't need warm clothing.
C. We continually restock our 72-hour kits to ensure that we have both winter and summer clothing and the right sizes for our growing family.

Key:
Give yourself points according to the answer you chose.
1. A=1, B=2, C=3
2. A=3, B=1, C=2
3. A=2, B=3, C=1
4. A=1, B=2, C=3
5. A=3, B=1, C=2
6. A=2, B=3, C=1
7. A=1, B=2, C=3
8. A=3, B=2, C=1
9. A=1, B=3, C=2
10. A=2, B=1, C=3

15 or fewer points
If you scored 15 points or lower, you're definitely a Hopeful Homemaker. You mean well, but you really haven't spent much time on learning how to be prepared in case of disaster. You really need to look into all the emergency info including 72-hour kits, purifying water, learning emergency planning for your family, etc.

16-25 points
If you scored 16-25, you're a 72-Hour Kit Queen. You've attended Enrichment and learned about what you need to make a proper 72-hour kit. Even though you know what you should do, you're not always keeping everything up-to-date. Admit it, you have a granola bar in your 72-hour kit that's older than your oldest child. It's time for you to update your knowledge and put it into practice.

26-33 points
If you scored 26-33, you're a Disaster Diva. You have your 72-hour kits packed, check them regularly, and are all-around prepared for any emergency. Not only that, but you regularly practice emergency skills like lighting a fire without matches, purifying water, and conduct a quarterly emergency plan with your family. Watch out. Even though you're on a roll, it's easy to slack. Keep up the good work and help your fellow sisters.

ULTIMATE 72-HOUR KIT

If sealed, the contents of this 72-hour kit will last for two years.

3 packs of instant oatmeal
3 packets of hot chocolate
2 granola bars
3 beef jerky sticks
3 apple cider packets
3 packs of Ramen
2 small cans of fruit (lunch size fruit cocktail things)
9 pieces of small hard candy (a pack of life savers would work)
1 small pack of gum
2 fruit snacks (this can be fruit roll-ups, small boxes of raisons, those fruit chew snacks...)
1 plastic spoon
Need 1 gallon of water for cooking these items (+ additional water for drinking 2-2 1/2 quarts per person per day, which is approx. 2 liters)

Meal Planner
(This way you can make it last 72-hours)

DAY ONE

DAY TWO

DAY THREE

Toiletries, etc.

-toothpaste
-toothbrush
-toilet paper
-matches
-garbage bag- used to carry items, trash, warmth, protection, etc.
-bleach or water purification tablets
-sewing kit
-first-aid kit
-medicines
-cold and warm weather clothing
-cooking utensils
-emergency radio

* Information was collected from the Tempe Ward, Tempe Arizona Stake, USA, Enrichment Night.