| |
Make a family plan in case of disaster. See what the experts suggest.
Excerpts from FEMA document
"Are You Ready?"
Managing Water
-
Allow people to drink according to their needs. Many people need more than
the average of one-half gallon, per day. The individual amount needed depends
on age, physical activity, physical condition, temperature and time of year.
-
Never ration water unless ordered to do so by authorities. Drink the amount
you need today and try to find more for tomorrow. Under no circumstances
should a person drink less than one liter (four cups) of water each day. You
can minimize the amount of water your body needs by reducing activity and
staying cool.
-
Drink water that you know is not contaminated first. If necessary, suspicious
water, such as cloudy water from regular faucets
or water from streams or ponds, can be used after it has been treated. If
water treatment is not
possible, put off drinking suspicious water as long as possible, but do not
become dehydrated.
-
Do not drink carbonated beverages instead of drinking water.
Carbonated beverages do not meet drinking water requirements. Both
caffeinated drinks and alcohol dehydrate the body, increasing the need for
drinking
water.
-
Turn off the main water valves when there is a disruption in the municipal
drinking water. You need to protect the water sources already in your
home from contamination if you hear reports of broken water or sewage lines,
or if local officials advise you of a problem. To close the incoming water
source, locate the incoming valve and turn it to the closed position.
-
Be sure you and other family members know how to do this.
-
To use the water already in your pipes, let air into the plumbing by turning
on the faucet at the highest level in your home. A small amount of water will
trickle out. Then obtain water from the lowest faucet in the home.
-
To use the water in your hot-water tank, be sure the electricity or gas is off
or you will burn out the tank or element. Then open the drain at the
bottom of the tank. Start the water flowing by turning off the water intake
valve at the tank and turning on the tank drain faucet. Refill the tank before
turning the gas or electricity back on. If the gas is turned off, a
professional will be needed to turn it back on.
-
Treat all water of uncertain quality before using it for drinking, food
washing or preparation, washing dishes, brushing teeth, or making ice. In
addition to having a bad odor and taste, contaminated water can contain
microorganisms (germs) that
cause diseases such as dysentery, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis and others.
There are many ways to treat water. None is
perfect. Often the best solution is a combination of methods.
-
Before treating, let any suspended particles settle to the bottom or strain
them through coffee filters or layers of clean cloth.
-
Make sure you have the necessary materials in your disaster supplies kit for
the chosen
water treatment method.
|
There are three water treatment methods. They are as follows:
|
•
Boiling
• Chlorination
• Distillation |
These instructions are for treating water of uncertain quality in an emergency
situation, when you have used all of your stored water and no other reliable
clean water source is available.
Ref: FEMA "Are You Ready?"
Boiling
Boiling is the safest method of treating water. In a large pot or
kettle, bring water
to a rolling boil for
1 full minute, keeping in mind that some water will evaporate.
Let the water cool before drinking.
Boiled
water will taste better if you put oxygen back into it by pouring the water back
and forth between two clean containers. This also will improve the taste of
stored water.
Chlorination
You can use household
liquid bleach to kill microorganisms. Use only regular household liquid bleach
that contains 5.25 to 6.0 percent sodium hypochlorite. Do not use scented
bleaches, color safe bleaches, or bleaches with added cleaners. Because the
potency of bleach diminishes with time, use bleach from a newly opened or
unopened bottle.
Add 16 drops (1/8
teaspoon) of bleach per gallon of water, stir, and let stand for 30 minutes. The
water should have a slight bleach odor. If it doesn’t, repeat the dosage and let
stand another 15 minutes. If it still does not smell of chlorine, discard it and
find another source of water.
Other chemicals, such
as iodine or water treatment products sold in camping or surplus stores that do
not contain 5.25 to 6.0 percent sodium hypochlorite as the only active
ingredient, are not recommended and should not be used.
Distillation
While the two methods
described above will kill most microbes in water, distillation will remove
microbes (germs) that resist these methods, as well as heavy metals, salts, and
most other chemicals.
Distillation involves
boiling water and then collecting only the vapor that condenses. The condensed
vapor will not include salt or most other impurities.
|
To distill, fill
a pot halfway with water. Tie a cup to the handle on the pot’s lid so that
the cup will hang right-side-up when the lid is upside-down (make sure the
cup is not dangling into the water) and boil the water for 20 minutes. The
water that drips from the lid into the cup is distilled.
|
Methods |
Kills Microbes |
Removes other
contaminants (heavy metals, salts and most other chemicals |
|
Boiling |
√ |
|
|
Chlorination |
√ |
|
|
Distillation |
√ |
√ |
|
 |
Managing Food Supply
Ref: FEMA
"Are You Ready?"
Do's:
-
Keep food in covered
containers
-
Keep cooking and
eating utensils clean
-
Keep garbage in
closed containers and dispose outside, burying garbage if necessary
-
Keep your hands
clean by washing them frequently with soap and water that has been boiled or
disinfected
-
Use only
pre-prepared canned baby formula for infants
-
Discard any food
that has come into contact with contaminated floodwater
-
Discard any food
that has been at room temperature for two hours or more
-
Discard any food
that has an un usual odor, color, or texture
Don'ts:
-
Eat foods from cans
that are swollen, dented, or corroded, even though the product may look safe
to eat
-
Eat any food that
looks or smells abnormal, even if the can looks normal
-
Use powdered formulas with treated water
-
Let garbage
accumulate inside, both for fire and sanitation reasons
-
Thawed food usually can be eaten if it is still
“refrigerator cold.” It can be re-frozen if it still contains ice crystals.
-
To be safe, remember,
“When in doubt, throw it
out.”
|
