Disaster emergency preparedness
 | Disaster emergency preparedness
Disaster emergency preparedness - Getting through a disaster is the goal of an emergency preparedness plan. However, simply outlasting the conditions is not sufficient. Rather, because help may take weeks to arrive after a severe incident, effectively sustaining yourself during that time period is crucial to survival. In this regards, adequate food and clean water are essential to emergency preparedness, and building a supply well in advance eliminates last-minute scavenging. Last minute gathering rarely yields a sufficient supply. Instead, the roots of food storage must be planted years in advance, with the goal of having enough items to sustain everyone in your household a year. With a relatively short lifespan, canned goods, however, are not the most efficient. Instead, basic items form the foundation of food storage. In this case, grains, beans, powdered milk, honey, oil, sugar, salt, and seeds constitute a sufficient start. On the other hand, although these items provide a nutritionally-sound foundation, they result in a limited diet, one without sufficient fruits, vegetables, or proteins. For nutritional diversity, an emergency food kit is a solution. Consisting of dehydrated foods packaged in airtight cans or pouches, emergency food kits allow a household a varied diet with minimal preparation during times of disaster and provide up to a year's supply in a single package. Brands of emergency food, such as Mountain House, AlpineAire, and Wise Food Storage, all offer various storage options, but all have a similar concept. For all, water is added to a serving of freeze-dried or dehydrated food, which rehydrates in minutes. In some cases, the meal can be eaten as-is, or for a traditional cooking experience, multiple servings of rehydrated foods can be combined together in a pan and heated. Some brands, however, consist primarily of already-prepared meals, while others offer greater variety through cans or pouches of individual ingredients. For emergency preparedness, basic items and kits work together to fulfill daily caloric and nutritional needs. Typically, if serving suggestions are followed, a kit supplies an individual with 1,000 to 2,000 calories per day of food. Because of their airtight packaging, emergency foods last 10 to 25 years when unopened. Opened items, however, must be consumed over the next year, and storage conditions should be adequate. Light and moisture deteriorate freeze-dried and dehydrated foods, and to preserve your items for emergency preparedness, you should select a dry, dark, and cool storage area; closets, some basements, and crawlspaces often meet all requirements. At the same time, sufficiently closing an opened container, such as a #10 can, with multiple servings keeps your food supply lasting. In creating an emergency preparedness plan, you should include a commercial resealer for closing the can, include airtight storage containers, or opt to freeze any leftovers. |
