Y2K Preparedness Action Plan
The Basics
From Webster's Dictionary:
Hoarding: 1. a supply or accumulation that is
hidden or carefully guarded for preservation, future use, etc. 2. to
accumulate for future use, preservation. 3. to accumulate money, food,
or the like, in a hidden or carefully guarded place for preservation,
future use.
Stockpiling: 1. a supply of material. 2. a large
supply of some metal, chemical, food, etc., gathered and held in reserve fo
use during a shortage or during a period of higher prices. 3. a quantity,
as of munitions or weapons, accumulated for possible future use. 4. to
accumulate for future use; put or store in a stockpile.
Prepared: 1. properly equipped; ready; prepared
for a hurricane.
In a worst-case scenario, how long could the power be out? No one knows.
But to assume, and plan for, a power outage of one to three days would be
foolish, irresponsible, and dangerous. Perhaps we should heed the advice
of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection's Year 2000
brochure ("Store enough supplies for two months.") and prepare for a
two month failure of the infrastructure, at a minimum.
Semantically, this website recommends that all Americans take personal responsibility
for their own emergency preparedness and stockpile essentials, not hoard. We would
never recommend or encourage law abiding citizens to intentionally break
any law. Much of the information and recommended supplies/equipment on this web site were gleaned from United
States Government Agency web sites and nationally recognized relief efforts
such as FEMA and The American Red Cross.
WATER
Water is the most important essential for survival. People can survive
for 4-5 weeks without food, but only 3-4 days without water. In a worst
case scenario, if the power grid were to go down, or if we were to have
a severe earthquake, the pumps which deliver
water to your faucet would cease to function. Water is also the bulkiest
item to store. The amount of water that you're able to store is dependent
upon how much space you have available. For drinking & cooking purposes
only, figure on needing 1 gallon per person per day. Therefore, a family
of 4 would require 56 gallons of water for just 2 weeks. Most people don't
think they have room in their home/apartment for 56 gallons of water. But
consider storing bottles behind the couch, in the closet, in the garage,
in the back of your kitchen cabinets, under the bed, etc. The
easiest method to store containers of tap water is to add 1-2 drops of
non-scented bleach per gallon, write the date on a label for the bottle,
and keep it stored in a cool, dark room, usually a closet. The chlorine
bleach disenfects the water, and keeping the water in the dark will prevent
the growth of most algae which need light for photosynthesis. Water can
also be obtained from your toilet's tank (not the bowl!) if no chemical
additives are used in the tank, and your hot-water heater may hold 30 gallons
or more of water. For those who can afford one, a hand-held hiker's water
filter can be purchased for as little as $80.00, and is effective for filtering
up to 100 gallons of pond/stream/river water. The American Red-Cross
recommends the Katadyn filter which retails for about $200. and filters
up to 13,000 gallons of water.
FOOD
Many companies are already backlogged with orders for 3,6 and 12 month supplies of
dehydrated food, also known as MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). However, it might be
better for you to simply buy an extra can or box of food that you're alread accustomed
to eating whenever you go to the grocery store. Mark the date of purchase on the
emergency supply food and store it separately from your regular pantry. Most canned
food will keep for several years, however, it begins to lose its nutritional value
after 3-4 years. Its recommended that you cycle through your emergency supply by
consuming the food each year and replacing it as you do so. Click here for a
recommended list of food items found at your grocery store. You may want to consider
buying some items in bulk so that you'll be able to provide for your friends and
neighbors in an emergency. Many restaurant supply stores like Smart & Final sell
a 50 lb. bag of rice for about $15.00 and a 50 lb. bag of pinto or black beans for
$15.00
ENERGY
Flashlights and plenty of extra batteries are probably one of the most
obvious essentials in an emergency preparation kit. There are also solar
rechargeable flashlights and dynamo driven flashlights which work by
continuously squeezing the handle. Emergency candles should be housed in
a safe container and should not be used after an earthquake until you are
absolutely sure there are no gas leaks. Regarding heat, never never heat
a room with a charcoal barbecue! Not only is it a fire hazard, but you
might not wake up due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Every emergency
kit should include a couple of mylar thermal blankets. The metallic
looking thin plastic is similar to what pop tarts are wrapped in. These
space age blankets are excellent insulators, helping you to retain over
90% of your body heat. They typically sell for $2.00 each. Sleeping
bags are much more convenient and much warmer than making a bed from blankets
alone. There are many options for cooking, including camp stoves, barbecues,
wood burning stoves, sterno cans, propane stoves, and solar stoves.
BASIC SUPPLY CHECKLIST
