Just in Case (11 page)

Even fun foods can supply important elements to the emergency diet.

SUPPLEMENTS

Maintaining your health is important during a crisis. Stress increases the body’s need for many vitamins and minerals. Supplements can fill in the nutritional gaps left by a diet of all stored foods. I store a threemonth supply of good-quality multivitamins, vitamin C, and antioxidants. Check with your physician for recommendations on the appropriate supplements for your family.

FRESH FOODS

You can eat, and eat well, on stored foods, but after a while most of us will crave, both physically and emotionally, something fresh. For that reason, I suggest storing seeds for sprouting. The process is easy and, as long as you don’t forget about rinsing them, pretty foolproof. See page 203 for more details.

Many fresh fruits and vegetables will store in a root cellar or basement if the temperature and humidity are right. We store apples, onions, winter squash, potatoes, carrots, and beets in our basement in late fall, and we’re often still enjoying them in February. See page 164 for more details on cold storage.

INDIVIDUALIZING YOUR SYSTEM

There are a few things to keep in mind when purchasing food for your storage program. It may be tempting to buy economy-size cans and jars, as they are usually considerably cheaper than smaller sizes. But if your family is not large enough to consume the contents of these large containers at one sitting, you will then have to deal with leftovers at a time when you may not have reliable refrigeration. It is more cost effective to purchase food in quantities that you can consume in a sitting than to throw away rotted food.

You must also consider how you will prepare storage foods in an emergency. Some foods, like beans, are much less expensive and take up less space dried than canned, but dried beans require an overnight soaking and then hours of long, slow cooking in a lot of water to become palatable — a bad option when both water and fuel might be in short supply. I store about fifteen pounds of dried kidney, black, navy, and garbanzo beans as well as ten pounds of lentils, but I also put canned beans in my storage pantry for the convenience.

If I lived in a place where access to clean water was likely to be an issue in an emergency, I would opt for more canned meals that could be heated and served or even consumed cold rather than dehydrated meals, which require the addition of water. If I lived in an apartment with very limited storage, I would store at least some MREs, because of their small size.

Whatever method you choose, begin now! Write down a three-day menu plan for your family based entirely on foods you can store. What would you need to prepare those meals and snacks? What is on hand? What are you lacking? Make your purchases and assemble everything in a dedicated spot. Next week, add another three days. I got a tremendous amount of satisfaction from achieving that first week of storage. Adding the next week was much easier. Much of what I needed was already on hand.

It is wise to try out your system from time to time. Prepare a complete meal using only your camp stove. Use only stored foods and eat by candlelight. Don’t open the refrigerator and don’t run to the store. No cheating! Could you do it? Was something critical, like a manual can opener, missing? Now is the time to figure out what works and what doesn’t and make adjustments. Practice like this will serve the dual purposes of tweaking your skills and systems and rotating your supplies. It might just turn out to be the best night of the week.

FINDING AND STORING WATER

W
ATER IS THE MOST
common substance on the planet and, after air, the most necessary for life. We can live for weeks with very little food but only days without water. Most of us are quite spoiled when it comes to water. We are used to turning on a faucet and having clean water available. We flush, shower, and drink without a thought about just how fragile and critical that supply might be. It does no good to have a case of pasta in your pantry if you have no water in which to cook it. Life gets unpleasant (and unhealthy) pretty quickly when you can no longer flush your toilet. When thinking about family preparedness, it is crucial to assess your family’s access to water and to secure an emergency supply now.

Any number of incidences will put your water supply at risk. If you live in an urban area, it is likely you get your water from a municipal water supply, probably from a river or a reservoir. Electricity is needed to pump the water from its source to your home. No electricity means no water. The water in the river or reservoir is susceptible to chemical or biological contamination, whether accidental or purposeful. If your supply is from groundwater from your own well, you are at risk of a temporary pump failure or a dry well. In a natural disaster, even a generally reliable source may become unreliable.

There are four steps to ensuring you can meet your family’s water needs in a crisis:

1.
Identify the ways in which your water system is at risk, and do what you can to minimize those risks.

2.
Store a minimum amount of water now.

3.
Seek out those places in your home, yard, and community that could be emergency sources of water.

4.
Learn how to purify potentially contaminated water.

IDENTIFYING RISKS TO YOUR WATER SYSTEM

If, like most Americans, you get your water from a municipal water service, take some time to trace your water from the tap to its source. You may need to contact your local water commissioner for that information. Think back over the past decade or ask someone who has lived in your neighborhood for a long time if they have ever been without water. Was it the result of a line break from earthquake damage or contamination after a storm? Think about other possibilities. If you have your own well, how does your electric well pump operate if the power is out? How vulnerable are you to longterm drought?

STORING WATER

There is good news and bad news about storing water. The good news is that water is inexpensive and easy to acquire, and if properly bottled in opaque, airtight, uncontaminated containers, it will last almost indefinitely. With the proper storage containers, acquiring water can be no more difficult than turning on your faucet. The bad news is that water is heavy and bulky and takes up a tremendous amount of space. It would not be possible for me to store all the water that my large family would need for a two- or threemonth period in our current situation. Even a two-week supply would put a severe strain on my storage space. However, I live in an area with fairly predictable rainfall and snowfall, have water delivered by a gravityfeed system that does not require electricity, and have ready access to a year-round river.

TRANSPORTING WATER

When you’re thinking about water containers, consider whether you might have to carry water any distance. A gallon of water weighs about eight pounds, so a five-gallon container, weighing about forty pounds, is about as large a container as most people can manage. A five-gallon collapsible water jug with a rugged handle can be had for less than ten dollars and is worth the investment if you will have to carry water. I can lift the five-gallon collapsible jug fully loaded, but I can’t carry it too far.

So I have ample water resources, and I am comfortable with having on hand only a three-day supply of water for cooking and drinking, which equates to one gallon per person per day. If I relied on a well with an electric pump I would want more water and a backup hand pump or a generator that would run my pump if the power were out. Only you can decide how much water is enough for your family. If your supply of clean water is at risk, most preparedness experts suggest keeping a two-week supply on hand.

When storing water, be very careful about choosing containers. Never use any container that has held nonfood liquids, especially hazardous material like petroleum products. Plastic especially tends to hold odors and flavors that will contaminate your supply, so avoid reusing containers that have held milk, juice, or acidic items like pickles. Also avoid lightweight containers not intended for longterm storage. They will degrade and leak over time. Do not store your water near paint, chemicals, petroleum products, or animal wastes, as the smell can invade even heavy plastic containers. Metal containers are not a good choice for water storage. They rust and can make water taste bad. Used two-liter soft drink bottles work well for storage, but make sure every trace of sugar is removed or you will likely have a problem with bacteria growth.

The Department of Transportation has developed a burst test and handling standard referred to as DOT#34 for plastic containers used in interstate hauling. You can get these containers in sizes from five to fifty-five gallons. The five-gallon containers are designed to stack, which is convenient. If you want to store a large supply of water, these containers may be the way to go. It is also possible to purchase water in fifty-five-gallon drums from most food storage and emergency supply companies. This is a good option for those living in an arid climate with little access to surface water. (If you do choose to purchase a barrel, you will also want a siphon and hose to remove the water.)

For the average family, it is probably cost effective to purchase water in gallon jugs. Commercially bottled water will keep almost indefinitely although it is still a good idea to check it from time to time, at least every six months, and replace it if it looks cloudy or smells funny.

I recently purchased one-gallon water storage bags. They were inexpensive, less than a dollar apiece, and fold flat when not in use. If partially filled, they can be frozen. The downside is that they are awkward to carry because they don’t have handles.

To prepare a new or used container for water storage, wash it well in hot soapy water. Then rinse and rinse again until every trace of soap is gone. Then fill the container with a solution of one tablespoon of bleach to one gallon of water. Let the bleach solution sit in the container for thirty minutes, and then pour it out. Refill with clean water (don’t rinse the container before filling it). Make sure to thoroughly clean and disinfect the cap or lid as well.

Stored water can begin to taste stale. One option for preserving its freshness is ascorbic acid powder. One teaspoon per gallon of water when you fill the container will keep water fresh tasting, with a slight citrus flavor that most people don’t mind. Check with your pharmacist about a source for this powder. I found small bottles in the canning section of a hardware store.

EMERGENCY WATER SOURCES

In addition to water you store, water is available from sources in your home such as your hot water tank, plumbing pipes, and even the toilet tank (not the bowl!), as long as it is free of chemical additives. Flushing your hot water tank once or twice a year will keep it clear of sediment and keep the water inside it cleaner.

Suppose an explosion ruptured the water lines to your home. Your first step would be to shut off the main water valve to your home. Know where this valve is and have an appropriate wrench to do the job. Then, to access the water already in your plumbing, turn on the tap in the highest part of the house and then turn on the tap in the lowest basin. The water in the line will flow to the lowest point. (If you have circulating hot-water heat, check with your heating contractor about doing this. If that system is depleted of water, it could damage the furnace.)

If there is time, for instance before an anticipated storm, you can store water in your bathtub and washing machine. Make sure the tub is well cleaned and free of soap residue, and then fill to below the overflow port.

Water from a swimming pool or a water bed can be used for flushing a toilet but, because of the chemicals, should not be consumed.

Rain and snow can both be consumed untreated if collected in clean containers. Rainwater is the softest, purest water you can get. It seems foolish to waste it, even if you have plenty of tap water available. A barrel or bucket under a downspout will collect rainwater, but it may contain sediment from your roof or gutter so it should be filtered and treated.

Snow should be taken from a spot as far removed from roadways as possible. If there is a crust, break through and gather snow from the layer below. It is wise to keep several buckets and a clean shovel on hand if you plan to collect snow.

SHUTTING OFF THE WATER

Make certain all the adults in your home know how to close the main water valve that shuts off water to your home. If the outside water lines are damaged from an earthquake or an explosion, you will need to prevent your house water from flowing out and dirty water from flowing in. The valve is usually located in the basement and will require a pipe wrench and some muscle to turn.

Don’t forget to check out your immediate neighborhood for natural springs and small streams that could be good sources of emergency water.

Whatever source you use for water, remember that it is necessary to purify water not just for drinking but also for hand washing, tooth brushing, and washing fruits and vegetables as well as dishes. If you are cooking with it, purify the water first, then add whatever food you will be preparing.

PURIFYING WATER

If your tap water is not running and you’ve run through all the water you’ve stored, you may find it necessary to use water whose cleanliness you can’t confirm. Remember, just because water looks clean doesn’t mean it doesn’t have the potential to make you very ill. Even clear water can carry a variety of unseen bacteria and other parasites that can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and even life-threatening illnesses like typhoid and dysentery. When in doubt, assume your water is contaminated and treat it accordingly. Learning how to purify water is one of the important skills you can learn in the quest for self-sufficiency, and acquiring the tools and supplies necessary to do so is an imperative in any preparedness plan. See page 157 for further details.