As the Tri-State area prepares for the first snow storm of the year, it seems like a good time to review basics precautions you should take at your home, office and car. Snow storms can strand the unprepared individual without emergency food, water and necessary medications. An emergency stock of food and water at your home or vehicle can provide the necessary energy to survive being stranded in a snow storm. We don’t always think about water during the winter but with the lower humidity and heavier clothing, our hydration needs are even higher than normal.
Foods that don’t require refrigeration, water, special preparation or cooking are the best. Family members with special dietary needs or who have food allergies need are especially vulnerable to being stranded without sufficient food supplies. Canned dietetic foods (such as soup) can be a simple way of insuring sufficient nutrition for elderly or special needs family members. If you lose electricity during a storm, use your perishable foods first. Next use foods from the freezer. If power is lost for an extended period of time, food could be stored outside temporarily if temperatures are cold enough. Only after your perishables and frozen foods have been used up do you begin to use your non-perishable foods.
Loss of power or gas does not necessarily a loss of ways to cook food. Fireplaces weren’t always a decorative item, food used to be cooked in the fireplace. Camping gear or heavy cast iron cook ware can be used in the fire place to cook a meal. Another option is using a camp stove, however use such devices with caution in a properly ventilated area. Candles can be used to warm canned food. Another option is to stock up on the new military rations that use a chemical heater to warm up the food. Be aware though that while convenient, military rations have extremely high sugar and salt contents. The sugar is needed for energy required during combat operations and the salt is to insure a long shelf life. Despite these shortfalls, they are convenient and easy to store.
If you find yourself stranded, remember to eat at least one balanced meal a day. Drink enough liquid to insure proper bodily functions (approximately ½ gallon of water per day). Water is more versatile that stockpiling other liquids and is more easily used by the body during stress. Water and caloric intake may need to be increased in proportion to the amount of work you need to do to survive. It may also be prudent to supplement your diet with vitamins and minerals. The longer you are stranded, the harder it becomes to keep fresh fruits and vegetables on hand. Without fresh produce, your diet rapidly becomes deficient in vital nutrients. A multi-vitamin can keep you functioning until fresh produce becomes available.
In addition to ample food, you need to also stockpile water for you and your family. Most experts recommend having a two week supply on hand for each family member. This may not be practical so try to stockpile as much as you can. Purchasing bottled water may be the easiest way of meeting this requirement. If you decide to store tap water, be sure to use only clean soda bottles as jugs that held milk or juice will be teeming with proteins and enzymes that can cause bacteria to grow. In the event of your water supply is cut off, water heaters do offer an emergency source of water. If you are forced to get water from outside, there are several products available for purifying water. Having some water purification tablets or other products on hand could mean extending your ability to wait out the storm or other disaster.
You should also insure a proper supply of prescription medications are on hand. Snow storms can strand trucks supplies on the Interstate or cargo planes at airports for several days. A rush on the pharmacies could lead to a shortage of medications. Take the time to make sure you have a battery or crank radio on hand for getting news updates. If you haven’t already, now would be a good time to replace the batteries in your flashlights. Keeping candles or some hurricane lamps on hand can provide necessary light and some relief to cold in the event you lose heat.
For your automobile, make sure it has been properly winterized. You will want to make sure at a minimum that you have a working flashlight, blanket, shovel, a first aid kit, some protein or energy bars, and of course water. Road flares or chemical lights are a good way to call attention to you location or that of another stranded motorist. You can add other items but these basics will get you through being stuck on the side of the road during a major snow storm.
The predictions are for 2-4 inches of snow by tomorrow afternoon. Regardless of the amount of snowfall, the storm should serve as a reminder to review your disaster preparedness procedures both at home and at work. While some of what was discussed is cold-weather related, much is applicable to any disaster with the addition of only a few more items.
No comments:
Post a Comment