Posted on 10/25/2001 4:13:15 PM PDT by real saxophonist
Stocking up for WAR2K
For those inclined, three-day store of water, food good idea
By Kristen Browning-Blas
Denver Post staff writer
Wednesday, October 24, 2001 - Remember Y2K? We stocked up on bottled water, batteries and maybe a few canned goods.
Now those same checklists and stockpiles apply to War2K.
Although emergency preparedness experts say it's not necessary to re-equip the fallout shelter, they agree it's always a good idea to keep at least a three-day supply of food and water on hand, whether the threat is terrorism or a blizzard.
"It's really a good opportunity for us to push awareness and preparedness," says Polly White, public information officer for the Colorado Department of Emergency Management. The agency's Denver office suggests stocking three to five gallons of water per person per day, canned foods, first aid supplies and possibly pet food and baby food.
That simple advice is harder to follow than it sounds.
What kinds of canned goods should you buy, and how many of each? How should they be stored to extend their life, and how long will they last?
Some of the best advice comes from The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, which asks its members to keep a year's worth of food on hand so they can be self-sufficient in case of job loss or any emergency.
While the church does not provide a shopping list, leaders recommend storing basic life-sustaining commodities.
Depending upon where members live, those might include water, wheat or other grains (corn, rice), legumes (dried beans, peas, lentils), salt, honey or sugar, powdered milk and cooking oil, says church spokesman Dale Bills. To avoid spoiling, stored food is used to prepare daily meals and is replaced as it is eaten.
"Store what you eat and eat what you store," advises Cheryl Mulhauser, a member of the LDS church and Colorado State University cooperative extension specialist, who maintains a year's supply of food in her home.
Bills keeps large bags of flour in his basement storage area and uses the stock to replenish kitchen canisters.
Fellow LDS member Kent Hinckley keeps his stock in an 8-by-12-foot storeroom lined with shelves. "We have flour, but we also have cake mixes," says Hinckley, who views food storage as just another aspect of responsible living.
"I have life insurance, health insurance, car insurance and a few dollars in the bank," he says. "I look at my food storage in the same way."
Arapahoe County resident and LDS member Cindie Smith has made it through job changes, earthquakes and droughts, thanks to her food stocks. With seven children, Smith is an expert at feeding a big group and feels comforted by knowing she has a three-month food supply on hand.
She was able to share water from two 50-gallon barrels with neighbors after earthquakes in California. After one quake, Smith and neighbors printed out a list of basics for future emergencies.
"Our nation's water supply has been and continues to be safe, and we're taking additional steps to ensure its safety," says Environmental Protection Agency spokesman Roger Gorke. The agency has set up a Safe Drinking Water hotline at 800-426-4791 to answer individual questions.
People who want to keep water for long periods, however, are urged to buy bottled water or store tap water in sterilized containers. Water can be sterilized by adding 16 drops of liquid bleach to each gallon and letting it stand 30 minutes.
Pat Kendall of CSU's Cooperative Extension offers the following food-storage advice to people interested in establishing an emergency pantry:
Begin by buying extra non-perishable foods on your next shopping trip. Stick to family favorites. "A crisis is not the time to learn to eat new foods," advises CSU's Cooperative Extension.
Make space for about three cans per person per day, or about two mixed cases per person per week. To make it easier to rotate stock, write the date of purchase in black marker on the top of each can or box.
Freeze-dried foods available at camping stores last nearly forever, but can be high in sodium, which will make you more thirsty. And they require water for preparation. If you still have supplies from Y2K, check expiration dates.
"From a safety point of view, as long as (an expired canned good) is not dented or oozing, it should still be safe," says Kendall. "But will it taste like food? That is the question."
Temperature in the storage area should be between 32 and 70 degrees. It should be dry and ventilated to prevent moisture. Do not store food on the floor - the lowest shelf should be two to three feet off the floor.
Seal cracks where rodents or insects could enter.
Use only food-grade containers that will not transfer chemicals to the food. Non-food-grade containers include trash bags, paint cans, industrial plastics and barrels.
Place dried foods in glass jars or freezer boxes or bags.
By The Denver Post
Wednesday, October 24, 2001 - Tips:
Stock foods that don't require refrigeration.
Single-serving meals avoid leftovers, especially when safe storage is an issue.
Cans can be used as heating and serving containers.
Be sure to include a manual can opener.
Canned foods can be heated indoors with canned heat (such as Sterno). Charcoal grills, hibachis and camp stoves must be used outdoors.
From www.foodpreservation-tips.com: Save boxes from canning jar purchases and use them to stack and store canned goods.
Always store home-canned goods in a cool, dark place. Do not stack jars on top of each other.
Foods recommended for storage:
Water - at least one gallon per person per day for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene.
Ready-to-eat canned foods - vegetables, fruit, beans, meat, fish, poultry, meat mixtures, pasta.
Soups - canned or dried soups in a cup.
Smoked or dried meats - commercial beef jerky.
Dried fruits and vegetables - raisins, fruit leather.
Juices (vegetable and fruit) - bottled, canned or powdered.
Milk - powdered, canned, evaporated.
Staples - sugar, salt, pepper, instant potatoes and rice, coffee, tea, cocoa mix.
Ready-to-eat cereals, instant hot cereals, crackers, hard taco shells.
High-energy foods - peanut butter, jelly, nuts, trail mix, granola bars.
Cookies, hard candy, chocolate bars, soft drinks, other snacks.
- From CSU Cooperative Extension
Sources:
The Colorado Office of Emergency Management, 303-273-1622, has a list of items for a 72-hour family emergency kit on its website, www.dlg.oem2.state.co.us/oem/PublicInformation/ 72hrkit.htm.
For water questions: EPA, www.epa.gov/safewater, or 800-426-4791.
To contact the CSU Cooperative Extension Service, call your local co extension office or visit www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/SITE/ techmenu.html.
"Sadly, it is common for a survivalist to encounter people who have prepared for disaster by buying thousand of dollars worth of guns and ammunition — but no food. The implication is obvious." Bruce Clayton, Life After Doomsday
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