Food & Water Supply Tips and Reminders for Hurricanes/Disasters

Ever wonder what the recommended 3-day food supply for each occupant of the household looks like? Most disaster checklists recommend packing a three-day food supply for each occupant of the household, but people have trouble picturing how much that really is.

Not the results of this study of "three day food supply" shoppers versus "72-hour food supply" shoppers! "In a recent study by the American Red Cross one group of consumers was asked to "shop" for what they thought was a three-day food supply. A second group was asked to shop for a 72-hour food supply. The experiment that was done in Florida, Texas, and California, showed that the three-day food supply shoppers came out with 2.2 days worth of food while the 72-hour shoppers picked enough for only 1.2 days."

Hurricane season is a good time to assemble an emergency food supply and other disaster necessities. Items with a long shelf life are recommended, but remember those items will disappear from stores quickly when hurricane warnings are issued. A gallon of water per person per day for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene is what is recommended. Pack food that is nonperishable, requires little or no cooking and definitely no refrigeration. Don't plan leftovers; select can or jar sizes that can be finished at a meal. Don't forget baby food, special dietary requirements, a hand-crank can opener and food and water for your pets. Also consider including disposable plates and utensils (that do not need to be washed in hot water). Remember to have on hand ample supplies of prescription medicines, as well as a list of the prescription numbers. Keep a list of doctors and pharmacists along with their phone numbers. Another good idea is to write down styles and serial numbers for medical devices, such as pacemakers. Keep supplies in a central location and above potential flood level. Food should be stored in the coolest cabinets or pantry, away from appliances that produce heat. Also protect the area from insects and rodents (and from pets!).

Exactly what does a three-day emergency supply of food look like? According to Louisiana State University AgCenter consumer food and nutrition education specialist Donna Montgomery, it should contain "food you like and normally eat." She also suggests that you may need to do some re-packaging. She stated in a recent article distributed to members of the Extension Disaster Education Network that: "food that comes in cardboard boxes, thin plastic or paper should be stored in metal, glass or rigid plastic containers in order to avoid insect and rodent damage." This also will prevent damage due to moisture. You may want to keep a supply of heavy ziplock storage bags on hand to use for sealing in boxed items such as crackers, cereals, etc. She adds this important reminder, "If you don't have a way to boil water when the power is off, do not include instant foods." She advises consumers to "choose shelf-stable foods that do not require a refrigerator or freezer. Once opened or prepared, many foods lose their shelf-stable character - and will go bad."

While the amount of food you need depends on your age, gender, physical condition and activity level, Montgomery offers several general nutrition guidelines for a three-day supply, based on the Food Guide Pyramid. Remember: these are per person (adult):

• From the Bread, Cereal, Rice and Pasta Group, between 6 and 11 servings are recommended daily. That works out to 18-33 servings for three days. This group includes crackers, dry bread sticks, pretzels, melba toast, read-to-eat cereal, granola bars, rice cakes and popcorn cakes. Instant cereal, instant rice and cup-a-noodles fit in this group, too, but they require extra water and a way to boil it.
• From the Fruit Group, between 2 and 4 servings are recommended daily, totaling between 6 and 12 for three days. You can pack canned fruit, fruit leather (roll-ups), applesauce, dried fruits (raisins, prunes, apricots), canned or bottled fruit juice. If you include powdered fruit drinks, you'll need extra water.
• From the Vegetable Group, between 3 and 5 servings are recommended daily, for a total of between 9 and 15 servings for three days. This group includes canned vegetables, canned vegetable soups. If you select instant vegetable soups or instant potatoes, you'll need extra water and a way to boil it.
• From the Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs and Nuts Group, only 2-3 servings are needed daily, for a three-day total of between 6 and 9. This group includes canned tuna, canned chicken/turkey, canned meat, canned soup with meat, canned chili (meat or bean), sardines, canned beans, canned ravioli/spaghetti, canned ham/pork, canned stew, Vienna sausage, nuts, commercially prepared turkey or beef jerky. If you select instant soup (meat or bean), you'll need extra water and a way to boil it.
• From the Milk, Yogurt and Cheese Group, again only 2-3 servings are needed daily, for a 6-9 serving three-day total. This group includes boxed (shelf-stable) milk or soymilk, canned evaporated milk and canned pudding. Powdered milk requires extra water.

Additional storage and cooking tips from FEMA are:

Rotate your food supply. Use foods before they go bad, and replace them with fresh supplies, dated with ink or marker. Place new items at the back of the storage area and older ones in ront.

Your emergency food supply should be of the highest quality possible. Inspect your reserves periodically to make sure there are no broken seals or dented containers. Throw out any bulging cans.

If the Electricity Goes Off...

• FIRST, use perishable food and foods from the refrigerator.
• THEN use the foods from the freezer. To minimize the number of times you open the freezer door, post a list of freezer contents on it. In a well-filled, well-insulated freezer, foods will usually still have ice crystals in their centers (meaning foods are safe to eat) for at least three days.
• FINALLY, begin to use non-perishable foods and staples.

How to Cook if the Power Goes Out: For emergency cooking you can use a fireplace. A charcoal grill or camp stove can be used but outdoors only. You can also heat food with candle warmers, chafing dishes and fondue pots. Canned food can be eaten right out of the can. If you heat it in the can, be sure to open the can and remove the label first.

• "Your 3-day Emergency Food Supply" gives tips on handling food after a disastr and includes sample menus.
• The Disaster Handbook (UF/IFAS) offers a fact sheet on emergengy food and water.
• Tainted Foods are Serious Problems After Disasters (FEMA).

This is a paragraph taken from a FEMA document about sources of water in your home:

"There are also sources of water in your home that you may have not thought of. For example, your hot water heater is an excellent source of water. Turn off the power that heats your tank and let it cool. When you want water, place a container underneath and open the drain valve on the bottom of the tank."

Other resources:

• Florida AgSafe Web site
• Disaster Handbook Web site
• Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN)

BE AWARE, BE ALERT, BE ALIVE!