Pandemic Preparedness-

    Preparing for a Pandemic is more than just storing water and food.  It is preparing to have to deal with wide spread flu or other pestilence.  Pestilence is not what we think of as dealing with pests such as flies, bugs, etc.  Pestilence by definition is any virus, natural disaster or epidemic that could cause a loss of transportation, communication, medical care, loss of utilities, banks closing, or death.  So next time you hear the word- Pestilence- don't think of only bugs.  Being prepared for a pandemic is being ready to take care of your family in your home instead of having to go to a shelter were there are thousands of people all without the basics of water, food, and sanitation.
   In a pandemic we need to be able to take care of more than just food and water.  We need to be prepared to handle medical needs, sanitation needs, and shelter needs as well. So we need to find alternative methods to do these things. We have had or will have forums on these individual topics throughout the year. Melanie put them all into a condensed form.
    Some medical alternatives are having a supply of medicines on hand if you could not get them at the drug store. Maybe consider a supply of alternitive medicines such as herbs and/or oils. A first aid kit to handle injured people in the case of an earthquake or other event.  N95 face masks to filter the air we breathe from the smells, ash, contaminates in the air. Ways to bathe/shower and wash hair.  Some of the products that Melanie recommended are vinyl gloves, work gloves, books to have a hard copy on how to deal with first aid, survival and other knowledge we may need, herbal medicines, (we will have a class on this later in the year so you'll know which herbs do what things), a supply of vitamins, moist wipes, cooking and heating methods, and anything else you think you may need.
    One of the suggestions that Melanie had was to have a sprayer.  The type that is used to spray insecticides (the pump up kind).  This can be used to shower with-water inside and being pumped up it can be a creative shower.
     Melanie also showed us some alternative cooking methods and how they worked for her. She suggests we have 3 options for cooking in case the sun isn't out, we are out of propane, etc.   Melanie said also that for washing clothes we should use liquid soap as the powder doesn't desolve and work as well in alternative ways to wash clothes.
     Melanie brought Jennifer with her to speak to us also.  Jennifer went to Haiti a few years before the recent earthquake on a Humanitarian mission.  She told us that it took her about 2 months to get used to the ways of life there.  She learned to deal with no running water, no electric, purifying her own water, using only a gallon a day of  water, ways to cook and doing without toilet paper and other things that we take for granted here.  It was interesting to hear what she dealt with and what we may deal with in case our conviences that we take for granted are suddenly gone.  The fact that it took her 2 months to adjust is good to know also.  It supports the direction that we have been given from our prophet to have a 3 month supply of everyday things that we are used to eating, drinking etc.  so that we have time to adjust and deal with our new circumstances and not be overwhelmed with new foods as well. 
    We thank Melanie and Jennifer for taking their time and effort to come to help us be prepared for a pandemic.  It is good to hear from different peoples experiences and learn from them.