Power in Preparedness!

A Preparedness Plan

We sometimes feel overwhelmed by the goal to prepare for emergencies, but here is an opportunity to work together as a family and as a community to feel empowered while getting prepared. Power in Preparedness is a 12-week preparedness plan that covers all the essentials of emergency preparedness in bite-size chunks.

• Each week focuses on one area of preparation and contains a Family Home Evening outline that begins with a story from the Book of Mormon, which in some way relates to the preparedness theme.
• The outline also includes suggestions for songs, discussion questions, and objectives that help to bring the principles to life.
• Activity ideas, ranging from quick-and-easy to more involved, help to translate the preparedness principles into action.
• Treat ideas and recipes make sure that it feels like Home Evening.
• Each week also includes simple overviews of skills and information that a family can use for study and practice.

Your Family

Remember that every family is different. Whether a family includes an individual, a couple, or parents with children, we can each benefit from improving our preparedness for emergencies. These materials are intended to be resources from which to draw to help your family prepare at a level that suits your circumstances. Remember that the commandment is to store what we will need to survive; we are not required to purchase every piece of preparedness equipment available on the market. In fact, we are counseled not to go into debt in order to reach our preparedness goals. Emergency preparedness can be worked at in an incremental process as a form of provident living. Above all, emergency preparedness is a matter of faith and prayer, and of following the Spirit.

The Spirit

Following the Spirit is a good place to start. As you introduce this plan to your family, you may wish to talk about the beginning of the Book of Mormon when Lehi leaves Jerusalem and takes his family into the wilderness. Read 1 Nephi 2:1-7. Lehi is inspired by a dream to take his family into the wilderness with only their provisions and tents. Because he is prepared to follow the Spirit, he is able to save his family and begin a new life. Heavenly Father will also guide each of our families in the preparations we need to make, and that is the most powerful support of all.

The Stuff

Think about a good place to put these materials. Collect your emergency preparedness materials into a binder or folder. Put the binder in a safe spot where everyone in the family can find it—maybe in a kitchen cabinet near the phone. Post critical information where it can be seen at a glance—maybe taped to the inside of a kitchen cabinet.

Remember, choose what works for your family.

The Lessons

There are 12 Family Home Evening Lessons to teach your family about preparedness.

Week 1 Water Storage
Week 2 Earthquake and Fire
Week 3 First Aid and Medicines
Week 4 Emergency Lighting, Heating, and Cooking
Week 5 Emergency Shelter and Clothing
Week 6 Hygiene and Sanitation Storage
Week 7 72-Hour Kits
Week 8 Vehicle Preparation
Week 9 Three-month Storage
Week 10 A Year’s Supply
Week 11 Emergency Storage of Family Records
Week 12 Financial Preparedness

72-Hour Kit Challenge is a series of handouts that are part of a one-year plan for monthly suggestions to assemble 72-hour kits.