Emergency
Preparedness
Planning ahead for situations when you may need an emergency food supply is a
good idea. How much and which foods to store will depend on the members of your
household, your preferences, special health conditions, ability to use the food
in an emergency, space for storage and how far you live from a market.
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Planning for a Three-Day
Emergency Food Supply
A three-day emergency food supply should be sufficient for most situations. In
addition to your short-term food supply, store water, personal hygiene items,
flashlights, blankets and other supplies for emergency use. The food supply needs
to be nonperishable; select foods that require no refrigeration, minimal or no
preparation or cooking, and little or no water. Try to select foods that are
compact and lightweight
Juice - canned or powder |
Nuts, trail mix, individual juice boxes |
| Roasted soy beans |
Canned fruit |
| Dried soup in-a-cup type |
Individual Fruit cups |
| Smoked or dried meats, like |
Dry Cereal (cold or hot) beef jerky |
| Canned Tuna or chicken |
Dried fruits (raisins, prunes, etc. ) |
| Canned Soup apricots, etc. |
Canned spaghetti, ravioli |
| Non-perishable food for any pets |
Microwavable Mac n' Cheese |
| Mayo, relish, ketchup, cheese, mustard
packets etc |
Peanut butter |
| Pudding and Gelatin cups |
Jelly |
| Cheese or peanut butter |
Honey crackers |
| Canned vegetables |
Canned chili with beans |
| Crackers |
Pork and beans |
| Cookies |
Hard candy, lolipops |
| Cereal bars, granola bars |
Bottled water |
| Milk- powdered, canned Carnation Instant Breakfast |
Baby Food shelf-stable brick pack |
| Microwave
Popcorn |
Staples- sugar, salt, pepper, powdered instant
potatoes,rice |
| Hot Cocoa mix |
Poptarts (toaster pasteries) |
| Koolaid |
Tea,
instant coffee |
|
Foods that can be included in Shelf Stable Packages
Shelf
Stable Foods |
Unopened
in Pantry |
In
Refrigerator After Opening |
In
Pantry After Opened |
Baby Food,
Jars or Cans
Fruits & Vegetables
Meats & Eggs
Cereal, dry mixes
Formula |
2 months
after date
2 months after
date
Use-by date
Use-by date |
2-3 days
1 day
1-2 days |
2 months |
| Bacon Bits,
imitation |
4 months |
|
4 months |
| Beans, dried |
12 months |
|
12 months |
Canned Goods,
Low Acid
(such as meat, poultry, fish, gravy,
stew, soups, beans, carrots, corn, pasta,
peas, pototoes, spinach) |
2-5 years |
3 to
4 days |
|
Canned Goods,
High Acid
(such as juices, fruit, pickles,
sauerkraut, tomato soup and foods in
vinegar-based sauce) |
12-18 months |
5-7 days |
|
Cereal, Ready-to-Eat
Dry Cook before eating (oatmeal, etc.) |
6-12 months
12 months |
3 months
6-12 months |
|
| Cocoa and
Cocoa Mixes |
Indefinitely |
|
1 year |
Coffee
Ground, in cans
Instant, jars and tins |
2 years
12 months |
2 weeks |
2-3 months |
Condiments
Barbecue Sauce
Catsup, cocktail sauce or chili sauce
Chutney
Horseradish, in jar
Mayonnaise, commercial
Mustard
Olives, black and green
Pickles
Salad Dressing, commercial, bottled
Salsa, picante and taco sauce |
12 months
12 months
12 months
12 months
12 months
2-3 months
12 months
12- 18 months
12 months
10-12 months
12 months |
4 months
6 months
1-2 months
3-4 months
2 months
1 year
2 weeks
1-2 months
3 months
1 month |
1
month
1 month
1-2 months |
| Cookies,
packaged |
2 months |
8-12 months-
frozen |
4 weeks |
| Crackers |
8 months |
Freeze
or refrig 3-4 months |
1 month |
| Fruits, Dried |
6 months |
6 months |
|
| Garlic, chopped,
commercial jars |
18 months |
Refrigerate;
use by date on jar |
|
| Gravy, jars
and cans Dry gravy mixes |
2-5 years
2 years |
1-2
days |
Mix entire
packet |
| Honey |
12 months |
|
12 months |
| Jams, Jellies,
Preserves |
12 months |
6 months |
|
| Juice,
boxes |
4-6 months |
8-12
days |
|
| Lentils,
dried |
12 months |
|
12 months |
| Marshmallows,
Marshmallow Creme |
2-4
months |
|
1 month |
| Milk, canned
evaporated |
12 months |
4-5 days |
|
| Nuts, jars
or cans |
12 months |
4-6 months,
Freeze
9-12 months |
|
| Peanut Butter,
commercial |
6-9 months |
|
2-3 months |
| Popcorn,
Microwave Packets |
12 months |
|
1-2 days
popped |
| Toaster Pastries,
fruit filled
Non-fruit fillings |
6
months
9 months |
|
Keep foil
packets sealed |
| Shortening,
solid |
8 months |
|
3 months |
Tomatoes,
Sun dried, packed in oil
Packed in Cellophane |
12 months
9 months
|
6-12
months |
3-6
months |
| Water, bottled |
1-2
years |
|
3 months |
|
Shelf
Stable Foods |
Unopened
in Pantry |
In
Refrigerator After Opening |
In
Pantry After Opened |
Baby Food,
Jars or Cans
Fruits & Vegetables
Meats & Eggs
Cereal, dry mixes
Formula |
2 months
after date
2 months after
date
Use-by date
Use-by date |
2-3 days
1 day
1-2 days |
2 months |
| Bacon Bits,
imitation |
4 months |
|
4 months |
| Beans, dried |
12 months |
|
12 months |
Canned Goods,
Low Acid
(such as meat, poultry, fish, gravy,
stew, soups, beans, carrots, corn, pasta,
peas, pototoes, spinach) |
2-5 years |
3 to
4 days |
|
Canned Goods,
High Acid
(such as juices, fruit, pickles,
sauerkraut, tomato soup and foods in
vinegar-based sauce) |
12-18 months |
5-7 days |
|
Cereal, Ready-to-Eat
Dry Cook before eating (oatmeal, etc.) |
6-12 months
12 months |
3 months
6-12 months |
|
| Cocoa and
Cocoa Mixes |
Indefinitely |
|
1 year |
Coffee
Ground, in cans
Instant, jars and tins |
2 years
12 months |
2 weeks |
2-3 months |
Condiments
Barbecue Sauce
Catsup, cocktail sauce or chili sauce
Chutney
Horseradish, in jar
Mayonnaise, commercial
Mustard
Olives, black and green
Pickles
Salad Dressing, commercial, bottled
Salsa, picante and taco sauce |
12 months
12 months
12 months
12 months
12 months
2-3 months
12 months
12- 18 months
12 months
10-12 months
12 months |
4 months
6 months
1-2 months
3-4 months
2 months
1 year
2 weeks
1-2 months
3 months
1 month |
1
month
1 month
1-2 months |
| Cookies,
packaged |
2 months |
8-12 months-
frozen |
4 weeks |
| Crackers |
8 months |
Freeze
or refrig 3-4 months |
1 month |
| Fruits, Dried |
6 months |
6 months |
|
| Garlic, chopped,
commercial jars |
18 months |
Refrigerate;
use by date on jar |
|
| Gravy, jars
and cans Dry gravy mixes |
2-5 years
2 years |
1-2
days |
Mix entire
packet |
| Honey |
12 months |
|
12 months |
| Jams, Jellies,
Preserves |
12 months |
6 months |
|
| Juice,
boxes |
4-6 months |
8-12
days |
|
| Lentils,
dried |
12 months |
|
12 months |
| Marshmallows,
Marshmallow Creme |
2-4
months |
|
1 month |
| Milk, canned
evaporated |
12 months |
4-5 days |
|
| Nuts, jars
or cans |
12 months |
4-6 months,
Freeze
9-12 months |
|
| Peanut Butter,
commercial |
6-9 months |
|
2-3 months |
| Popcorn,
Microwave Packets |
12 months |
|
1-2 days
popped |
| Toaster Pastries,
fruit filled
Non-fruit fillings |
6
months
9 months |
|
Keep foil
packets sealed |
| Shortening,
solid |
8 months |
|
3 months |
Tomatoes,
Sun dried, packed in oil
Packed in Cellophane |
12 months
9 months
|
6-12
months |
3-6
months |
| Water, bottled |
1-2
years |
|
3 months |
Storage Tips
• Don’t forget to store animal food for your pets.
• Avoid stocking foods high in salt that will increase your thirst.
• Store single servings or one-meal sizes to avoid leftovers, since refrigeration
may not be available.
• Keep food in the driest and coolest spot in the house- a dark area if
possible
• Keep food covered at all times
• Open food boxes or cans carefully so that you can close them tightly
after each use.
• Wrap cookies and crackers in plastic bags, and keep them in tight containers.
• Empty opened packages of sugar, dried fruits and nuts into screw-top
jars or air-tight cans to protect them from pests.
• Inspect all food containers regularly for signs of spoilage, and before
use.
• 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 front.
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Other
Items to Store
| • Chlorine
bleach, one gallon hypochlorite |
• Charcoal
for outdoor of 5.25% sodium cooking |
| • First
Aid kit |
• Disposable
plates, cups |
| • Flashlight
and extra tableware, plastic bags batteries, candles |
• Can
opener, other utensils |
| • Matches
in a waterproof paper towels, packaged container hand wipes |
• Radio
with batteries |
| • Covered
two-quart saucepan |
• Personal
items; clothes, personal hygiene supplies |
| • Canned
heat burner and extra fuel |
|
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Storing Water for Short-Term
Emergencies
In preparing for an emergency, keep at least a 3-day supply of water for each
person in your household (one gallon per person per day, on average).
Storing Emergency
Water Supplies
Plastic, glass, fiberglass or enamel-lined metal containers are suitable for
storing water supplies. Never use a container that has held toxic (poisonous)
substances. No matter how well you clean these containers, tiny amounts of toxic
substances may remain in the container's such as soft drink bottles or those
you purchase water in are best. Milk jugs and other containers that previously
held food items are almost impossible to adequately clean. Use these only when
other containers are not available. Two-liter plastic soft drink bottles work
well. Thoroughly wash the container and lid immediately before filling it with
treated water. Use clean, hot water and detergent. Rinse well with hot water
after washing.
Before storing your water, treat it with chlorine bleach, to
prevent the growth of microorganisms. Use liquid household chlorine
bleach that contains 5.25% sodium hypochlorite and no soap. Do
not use scented or "color safe"
bleach or bleaches with added cleaners. Add 16 drops of bleach, or 1/4 teaspoon,
per gallon of water and stir. Two liter soft drink bottles are about 1/2 gallon
in size; use 8 drops or 1/8 teaspoon bleach. Mix the water and bleach thoroughly
and let stand for at least 30 minutes before using the water. To store water,
seal your containers tightly, label them "Purified Drinking Water," date
them and store them in a cool, dark place. To increase the shelf
life of water stored in translucent containers (those you can
see into), group the containers together in dark plastic bags
to keep out the light. Store the water supply away from gasoline,
kerosene, pesticides or other chemicals. Plastic water storage
bottles can allow the vapors from these chemicals to enter the
bottle and contaminate the water.
Water can be stored in the freezer. This will keep the water at an acceptable
quality for a longer period of time and will help keep any food in the freezer
from thawing in the event that the power goes off.
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- Dear Home Delivered Meal
Customer:
We want to be sure that all of our home delivered meal customers are
prepared for a power outage that may occur due to a winter storm or other
emergency. Please go through the check list below to be sure you are
prepared. Let us know if you are in need of assistance in obtaining any
of the below items.
- I have 3-5 gallons
of fresh water stored for each member of the household.
- I have food on hand that
does not require refrigeration or cooking that would last 35 days for
each member of the household (see attached list for ideas).
- I have a manual can
opener on hand that you are able to use.
- I have at least one week
of my prescription and over-the-counter medications on hand at all
times.
- I have a battery
operated radio, flashlights and a supply of extra batteries on hand.
- I have extra blankets,
coats, hats, and gloves available.
- I have enough cash on hand
to get me through a long weekend.
- I have someone who will
check on me if there is a power outage.
- Non-perishable food for
any pets.
- Gas or charcoal for grill
and a safe place to use it.
- Disposable plates, cups,
tableware, plastic bags
- If you use oxygen tanks,
have enough for 3 days
- Candles and matches
- Packaged hand wipes/baby
wipes if your skin is very sensitive
- First aid kit
If you have an electric
garage door opener, learn how to disengage it in the event of a power
outage.
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