Hurricane Sandy and Reflections On Preparedness

Hurricane Sandy has us all thinking about natural disasters and how to prepare for them. Since we live in a very rural area, we always have emergency supplies on hand, as a snowstorm or even a large tree that falls across the road could mean days without electricity or the ability to get out for provisions. However, we understand that most people don't feel they need to take these sorts of precautions. After all, the grocery store is only a few minutes away, right?

No matter where you live, there is always the possibility that you may need emergency supplies. Snowstorms, flooding, high winds, and earthquakes can happen almost anywhere, and while we may not feel the need to stock up on supplies until danger is imminent, it's always best to have some things on hand just in case.

The Joy of Cooking is not only a fantastic resource for recipes and reference information, but it also contains a fair amount of "desert island" reference material. We may chuckle at the old JOY illustrations on how to skin a squirrel, but there are times and places where squirrel meat could mean the difference between going to bed full or hungry.

Emergency water purification is one JOY preparedness gem to learn by heart, or at least know where to find it. Ideally, you should have on hand a supply of potable (drinking) water. Each person in your household will need one gallon for every two days--that's 3 1/2 gallons per week per person. However, if you do not have drinking water on hand in an emergency, there are several ways of purifying it.

If you have a camp stove, fireplace, or camp fire that you can use to heat things, you may boil water vigorously for 5 minutes to sterilize it. Alternatively, you may wish to have water purification tablets on hand. These tablets contain iodine or chlorine, and they should be used as instructed on the label. Finally, you may add household bleach (bleach that does not contain any fragrances, soaps, or other additives) to purify water. Use 8 drops bleach per gallon of clear water, or 16 drops for cloudy water. Stir the water and allow it to sit for 30 minutes before drinking. The water will have a distinct chlorine taste and odor. If it does not, add another dose of bleach and wait 15 minutes. If the water still does not smell chlorinated, the chlorine in your bleach may have weakened through age, and the water is not safe to drink.

For cooking, a small, propane camp stove is an excellent back-up cooking implement. While surviving on prepared and packaged foods is certainly possible, having at least one hot meal a day (or a way to make hot tea or coffee) will boost morale considerably, especially in chilly weather.

Also be sure to have a supply of lighters and matches in a waterproof container, candles or kerosene lamps, a utility knife, and a first-aid kit. If you burn yourself while cooking on a camp stove or over a fire (or on any occasion, really), submerge the burned area in cold water for 10 minutes. Dry off the burn and apply petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to the area. As the burn heals, keep it constantly moist with petroleum jelly. We like to keep a bottle of topical colloidal silver on hand as well, as it is especially suited to healing burns, and it has antibacterial properties to boot.

When cooking on a camp stove, choose foods that cook quickly. Instant rice, rolled oats, orzo, elbow macaroni, couscous, instant potatoes, and quick-cooking ramen or rice noodles are excellent meal components that are easily enhanced by freeze-dried spice and soup mixes, vegetable flakes, and canned meat or fish. Remember to never use a propane stove in an enclosed area.

Finally, have some energy-rich basics on hand. Peanut butter (not the "natural" kind, as its shelf life isn't as long; you may also consider purchasing some of the dehydrated peanut butter that is now on the market), granola and granola bars, dried fruit and nuts, chocolate, and jerky are some good items to have in an emergency stash. You may also wish to have some dry mixes on hand for pancakes, biscuits, or scones that can be made by simply adding water. Dried beans and grains can be good pantry staples, but be sure to keep them in airtight glass jars to keep out moths, weevils, and other insects. Be sure to also have a supply of iodized salt or electrolyte powder on hand--salt is necessary for your diet, and it can help with potentially bland emergency food. Also remember to rotate these foods out by periodically cooking and replacing them to keep your stores fresh.

On a somewhat lighter note, the adults among you may see fit to keep a healthy store of alcohol on hand--vodka, rum, tequila, gin, and brandy are all very shelf-stable, are safe to drink, and can lift the spirits in times of duress.

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