Emergency Preparedness Supplies
Although emergency preparedness supplies vary for hurricanes, tornadoes, and other types of disasters, food and water are always essential. In building up emergency preparedness supplies, make sure to address both of these areas. Think of your needs, additionally, for a particular disaster, and base your water and food storage around this.
No individual can live without water. In an emergency preparedness plan, make sure to have enough for hydration, cooking, and hygiene. Because a standard water supply is likely cut off during and after a disaster, having backup is essential for survival. Water storage tanks, in this case, are the most economical and reliable for an emergency supply. Available stationary or portable, water storage tanks are made out of food-grade high-density blue polyethylene. Over time, add water to the tank or collect it from the rain. For an emergency, a person needs about 14 gallons per day and a family 56 gallons. As you build up your emergency water supply, keep these figures in mind.
Light affects an emergency water supply, so any tank used needs to be kept in a cool, dry place. Because the water will expand in winter, make sure that the container is no more than 90-percent full once temperatures drop.
Water kept in a tank is still in a raw, or undrinkable, state, on the other hand. To have usable water, include purification and filtration systems in your list of emergency preparedness supplies. Raw water contains microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses, and pollutants, which can cause sickness or death. Rather than take a risk, find an effective purification method that removes all microorganisms. If portability is not an issue, take an old-fashioned approach: boil the water or add bleach to kill microorganisms. If portability is crucial, opt for an ultraviolet device or a system that both purifies and filters water.
Water is essential for preparing emergency foods. However, putting together food storage involves a far more calculated approach than gathering water and filtering it. Having a year's supply of items is the ultimate goal of building up food storage. First, begin accumulating your "basics": grains, beans, sugar, salt, oil, powdered milk, and seeds. But, these items result in a limited diet, and for some variety, including an emergency food kit is encouraged.
Mountain House, AlpineAire, Provident Pantry, and Wise Foods all have emergency kits of freeze-dried foods in cans or pouches. To prepare, a serving of freeze-dried food is combined with water. After the food rehydrates, it is ready to eat. Each brand offers varying options. Some rely on prepared entrees or breakfast items, while others package individual fruits, vegetables, proteins, dairy, or grains separately. Wise Foods, in particular, stores its food in pouches inside a container that can be grabbed during an evacuation.
Although emergency foods are designed to last five to 25 years, storage conditions are crucial to their longevity and future usage. Like emergency water, food must be kept in a cool, dry, and dark place, such as a closet, crawlspace, or basement. Chemicals must not be present in the area.
Pouches of freeze-dried foods often contain two servings, but #10 cans hold several. Rather than preparing the entire can at once, have an effective solution involving an airtight container for storing your leftovers. If a container isn't available, freeze the food or reseal the can with a commercial re-sealer.
