Hurricane supplies, bird flu emergency rations. whatever...

[The Backlash Cometh]

The reality for Floridians is that we have to stock up on about a month worth of supplies just to be ready in case we get hit by a hurricane. I usually wait to the last minute and end up buying things I don't really like, but which carry the necessary nutrients. Then, at the end of the season, we go through a goodwill purge and just give the stuff away to charities.

This year, because money is tight, I'd like to actually beat the rush. So, who has creative ideas so that we can actually make decent meals in case it's necessary, and actually want to keep the stuff after the season is over? I was thinking of buying MREs, but I'd hate to spend good money just to end up with some gross stuff. Anybody buy these things regularly?

[HeeBGBz]

1. I still have my Lucky Spam I bought before Katrina

I keep it around and I feel as long as I don't get hungry enough to eat it, I must be doing okay.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. Hey, it ain't our mother's spam.

There's some good stuff in Spam

[HeeBGBz]

5. Best meat in a can

That's why I save it. I may need it later.

[Coastie for Truth]

2. Our local (earthquake country) Red Cross List

Create an Emergency Plan

* Meet with household members. Discuss with children the dangers of fire, severe weather, earthquakes and other emergencies.
* Discuss how to respond to each disaster that could occur.
* Discuss what to do about power outages and personal injuries.
* Draw a floor plan of your home. Mark two escape routes from each room.
* Learn how to turn off the water, gas, and electricity at main switches.
* Post emergency telephone numbers near telephones.
* Teach children how and when to call 911, police and fire.
* Instruct household members to turn on the radio for emergency information.
* Pick one out-of-state and one local friend or relative for family members to call if separated by disaster (it is often easier to call out-of-state than within the affected area).
* Teach children how to make long distance telephone calls.
* Pick two meeting places:
* A place near your home in case of fire.
* A place outside your neighborhood in case you cannot return home after a disaster.
* Take a basic First Aid and CPR class.
* Keep family records in a water and fire-proof container.

Top

Prepare a Disaster Supplies Kit

Assemble supplies you might need in an evacuation. Store them in an easy-to-carry container such as a backpack or duffle bag. Include:

* A supply of water (one gallon per person per day). Store water in sealed, unbreakable containers. Identify the storage date and replace every six months.
* A supply of non-perishable packaged or canned food and a non-electric can opener.
* A change of clothing, rain gear and sturdy shoes.
* Blankets or sleeping bags. A first aid kit and prescription medications.
* An extra pair of glasses.
* A battery-powered radio, flashlight and plenty of extra batteries.
* Credit cards and cash.
* An extra set of car keys.
* A list of family physicians.
* A list of important family information; the style and serial number of medical devices such as pacemakers.
* Special items for infants, elderly or disabled family members.

Top

Home Hazard Hunt

In a disaster, ordinary items in the home can cause injury and damage. Anything that can move, fall, break or cause a fire is a potential hazard.

* Repair defective electrical wiring and leaky gas connections.
* Fasten shelves securely.
* Place large, heavy objects on lower shelves.
* Hang pictures and mirrors away from beds.
* Brace overhead light fixtures.
* Secure water heater. Strap to wall studs.
* Repair cracks in ceilings or foundations.
* Store weed killers, pesticides and flammable products away from heat sources.
* Place oily polishing rags or waste in covered metal cans.
* Clean and repair chimneys, flue pipes, vent connectors and gas vents.

Top

If You Need to Evacuate

* Listen to a battery powered radio for the location of emergency shelters. Follow instructions of local officials.
* Wear protective clothing and sturdy shoes.
* Take your Disaster Supplies Kit.
* Lock your house. Use travel routes specific by local officials.

If you are sure you have time...

* Shut off water, gas and electricity, if instructed to do so.
* Let others know when you left and where you are going.
* Make arrangements for pets. Animals may not be allowed in public shelters.

Top

Prepare an Emergency Car Kit. Include:

* Battery powered radio and extra batteries.
* Flashlight and extra batteries.
* Blanket.
* Booster cables.
* Fire extinguisher (5 lb., A-B-C type).
* First aid kit and manual.
* Bottled water and non-perishable high energy foods such as granola bars, raisins and peanut butter.
* Maps.
* Shovel.
* Tire repair kit and pump.
* Flares.

Top

Fire Safety

* Plan two escape routes out of each room.
* Teach family members to stay low to the ground when escaping from a fire.
* Teach family members never to open doors that are hot. In a fire, feel the bottom of the door with the palm of your hand. If it is hot, do not open the door. Find another way out.
* Install smoke detectors. Clean and test smoke detectors once a month. Change batteries at least once a year.
* Keep a whistle in each bedroom to awaken household members in case of fire.
* Check electrical outlets. Do not overload outlets.
* Purchase a fire extinguisher (5 lb., A-B-C type).
* Have a collapsible ladder on each upper floor of your house.
* Consider installing home sprinklers.

http://chapters.redcross.org/ca/scv/preparedness/emergencylist.html

[Maddy McCall]

4. Before hurricane season, go buy a propane stove and lots of propane.

A camp stove and the little canisters of propane. You can eat hot meals.

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. We have that.

When we were hit two years ago I tried making a makeshift stove out of a large pineapple juice can and tried using a regular pot to boil water. I never got above lukewarm water and my spaghetti was ... waterlogged. We were ready last year with the stove and propane canisters, but I think I need to buy camping stoves because they'll boil faster.

[Maddy McCall]

10. I LOVED having mine after Katrina.

We ate food as it thawed in the freezer, so we had meat pretty much for the first week.

We kept eggs and packs of bacon in the ice chest and had a big breakfast with pancakes, (mix, just add water) toast, eggs, bacon, and grits every morning. Mid afternoon, we always had our dinner--we ate rice and gravy (used the bacon drippings from the morning's bacon) and sometimes hamburger patties as the meat thawed in the freezer.

Did you know that you can buy hamburger meat precooked and sealed on the shelves at the grocer's? It's on the aisle with other canned meat. You can buy it unseasoned, or seasoned for tacos or Italian dishes. We ate plenty of that...I had stocked up on it before the 'cane.

And you can buy chunk chicken sealed in the same kind of bags.

By the second week, we were eating packaged stuff like Rice A Roni and canned veggies. We had bought some canned meat--stuff like canned hams, canned chicken and dumplings, Spam (fried, it isn't too bad), tuna, sardines (love them with onions on saltines), and even Chef Boyardee.

The camp stoves are GREAT. I have a Coleman--I bought 30 canisters of propane, and it took us through three weeks.

We fared better than most people. I'm an avid camper so the stuff that I take camping double-duties as emergency supplies...I have lanterns, a camp stove, a griddle, dutch ovens, etc.

[The Backlash Cometh]

14. Thanks Maddy!

Great ideas.

[northofdenali]

6. My mom always keeps plenty of water (she's in Merritt Island)

a propane stove with extra fuel (nice to be able to wash up, cook, and do dishes) and general camping equipment. She says she learned to "pack small" from me and my husband, because we do a lot of motorcycle camping. Some freeze-dried foods are very good, even tho they're a little expensive. We generally hit the dried-oatmeal packets for mornings, soup for lunch and an expensive freeze-dried meal for dinner. MRE's suck.

You'd be surprised at how many "no room" foodstuffs are out there. If we can find 'em in Alaska, I know you guys in the Lower 48 can!

I don't drink much coffee, but my teabags are always packed, along with TrueLemon (dried lemon in a packet) and sugar packs. This stuff all lasts; I've used some freeze-dried meals that tasted fine after a 5-year storage period. So it'll last through a number of hurricane seasons!

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. Here's a stupid question:

Will I find the freeze dried food at a regular supermarket? I never went looking for it, so I really don't have the answer.

[northofdenali]

11. Sweetie, look for any store that says "camping" on it!!!!

I've found camping freeze-dries at Safeway, Alberstons, Winn-Dixie, Publix and Wally World!
REI, and many others online. I'd go straight to the manufacturers, like Mountain House:

http://www.mountainhouse.com/

Google it if necessary, but try your local sporting goods, camping, etc. stores. At least you might be able to keep it in the community. If not, go to the big boxes. Or, as spouse says (he's been indulging, boxers

Mountain House, by the way, has the best freeze-dried chili of all of 'em.

REI is a "conglomeration" store with sporting and camping and biking (not motorcycles, the idiots = if they figured out the motorcycle angle, their CEO would make more!) type of supplies.

Try "stone soup".

I remember being absolutely bereft of everything except some oats on a raft race from Fairbanks to Nenana - no stopping, no "exits" once. There were a bunch of other racers. We all wound up stranded on this stupid island that wasn't supposed to be there. OK, we just have to wait a bit.

I think we combined oats, moose jerky, dried onion, somebody had a clove of garlic in his coat covered with lint, and some salt. Somebody else had some primitive water-filter thing, but we all figured all you had to do was boil it.

When you're hungry, anything cooking smells good and tastes better if it has onion!

:hug::NO STORMS::hug:

[The Backlash Cometh]

13. I love the story of stone soup.

It says a lot about the human character.

Thanks for the "feedback."

[northofdenali]

38. Not sure! But there's all kinds of irradiated food on the shelves -

including milk!

[SoCalDem]

9. Jars of peanut butter..crackers in an airtight tin

tuna...canned veggies...jiffy pop (can you still cook it on an open campfire?)...canned hams....canned chili....pudding cups..fruit cups...tuna (if you like it and are not afraid of the mercury)..

all that stuff can be eaten without cooking if necessary, and used later if you need to..:)

[The Backlash Cometh]

15. And peaches in cans.

My favorite dessert during an emergency.

[RB TexLa]

12. bottled water and a couple of big things of protein mix n/t

[The Backlash Cometh]

16. Protein Mix: My son just bought a huge vat of it. That's something

I would have never thought to use. Thanks.

[SoCalDem]

17. and beef jerky..and don;t forget the pet stuff too

and extra water for them too :()

[Minnesota Libra]

18. Do a google on emergency supplies and ALSO......

.....do a google for homemade emergency food bars that you can keep around and the kids love them too.
http://www.google.com/search?q=homemade+emergency+food+bars+&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

Kepp in mind with this next suggestion that I AM NOT RECOMMENDING the Morman religion at all but they believe totally in having one year's supply of food, etc on hand at all times. You can use their suggestions without adhering to the religion itself. Check out these links especially the first one.

http://lds.about.com/od/preparednessfoodstorage

http://www.jennysmith.net/relief-society/lds-emergency-preparedness.php

http://www.bellaonline.com/subjects/2372.asp

Good luck!!!!!:hug:

[The Backlash Cometh]

20. I'm building a pantry to accomodate all this stuff!

Wow. We've come full circle and are back to 1950. Thanks Georgie! You got your wish! Conservatives so loved that era. Bomb shelters and one year's supply of food.

[Minnesota Libra]

26. Yup!! republicans love keeping the rank and file in line. nt

[BushOut06]

27. I don't think hurts to be prepared, there are valid concerns

It's a good idea to be prepared for any sort of emergency. I don't think this bird flu will be anywhere near as bad as the "doom-and-gloom" people make it out to be - but the simple fact is, it very well could be. Besides, you still have hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, blizzards, solar flares (there's a HUGE one coming in either '07 or '08), and other natural emergencies to worry about.

[Minnesota Libra]

28. The natural disasters is definitely what to worry about and as we know....

.....the neocons don't care about the little guy:wtf: so we have to provide for ourselves.:grouphug: That is the mind set I wish all had.:hi:

[The Backlash Cometh]

31. I don't think there will be a national problem...but I do think there

will be regional problems. Where ever there isn't enough preparation. Frankly, if I prepare for the bird flu, it will be primarily to protect myself from the panic response from the public where ever there is poor community support.

[The Backlash Cometh]

30. You've also got to understand Florida construction.

We have no basements, we have no good attic space. And for reasons that I can't explain, the original owners built my house with the tiniest pantry.

[Minnesota Libra]

33. Your emergency supplies should NEVER be stored all in.......

.....on place any way. In the home, there can be space made under beds, sometimes in closets, in a garage, etc. There should ALSO be space made at a site AWAY FROM THE HOME just in case a quick evacuation must be made. This alternate site could be a small space in a family member's home, a shelf or 2 in a friend's home, or even a very small public storage space.

Just a suggestion.

[DoYouEverWonder]

19. Here's a new item

You know those solar powered lawn lanterns they've got out now. Get a set for your yard and leave them out. Then when the power goes out, bring them inside and you've got lights for the inside of your house.

[The Backlash Cometh]

22. Oh, wow. Save me the google.

Where can I buy one of those.

[DoYouEverWonder]

24. I've seen them

at Target. Probably Lowes and Home Depot too.

[MissB]

39. Pretty much everywhere at this time of year.

Any home and garden center or large home improvement center. I even saw some in a Bed, Bath and Beyond ad last week.

[BushOut06]

21. MREs aren't all that bad (at least some aren't)

Some of them are pretty gross, but some of them are actually pretty decent. And this was from my experiences ten years ago, I'm sure there have been some culinary improvements (I think they've added burritos, pizza - not sure how those would be).

If you can get some MRE heaters - you add a little water, they get quite hot - you can use them to heat up your MREs, coffee, or just keeping yourself warm.

The MREs that I found tasty were Corned Beef Hash (my favorite), Spaghetti, and Ham Slice. The ones you couldn't pay me to eat were Omelet w/ ham and Potatoes Au Gratin (we called them Potatos Are Rotten).

[The Backlash Cometh]

23. Where do you buy reliable MREs?

I read about the MRE heaters on the internet. That's when I decided to post this thread, because I didn't know if the information was reliable.

[BushOut06]

25. Not sure, I know you can buy some at Army/Navy stores

I've seen MRE's in some Army/Navy and military surplus stores. I'm sure you can find plenty of places that will sell them online.

Of course, the bad thing about most Army/Navy stores is that they're usually repug havens, and quite a few are run by neo-Nazi types.

[theHandpuppet]

29. Do you live near a CostCo?

They have large bags of dried fruit and nuts, large bags of basmati rice, soup mixes, etc. Of course you have to have enough water stored to cook dried veggies, so water storage is the first priority.

Anyway, we keep these foods stored in our pantry:
LOTS of dried and canned beans
Bags and boxes of rice, taboule, lentils, barley (great for making soups and it's cheap), oats and oatmeal
Bouillon cubes of all types for making broth or soup (chicken, beef, veggie)
Canned and dried milk
Bags of dried fruit and nuts
Powdered eggs (sold in cans)
Bags of onions, garlic and potatoes, stored in straw in the pantry
Canned greens
Large bags of jerky
Pancake mix (add water only) and syrup
Dried potatoes, both in box mixes like Betty Crocker and potato flakes
Canned chicken, turkey and beef, canned salmon, plus canned chili and beef stew
Ready-to-eat soups, dried soup mixes
LOTS of canned veggies and fruit
Peanut butter
Cereals
Granola bars
Hard candies
Cooking oils
Fruit juices and V8 juice
Honey and sugar, salt
Corn meal, all-purpose flour
Dry pet food for your four legged companions. We store ours in large plastic tubs and a galvanized trash can with plastic lawn bag liner.

For baking, I'd suggest you get buy things that require only water be added because you may not have access to refrigerated ingredients such as milk and eggs. There are plenty of biscuit/cornbread/pancake mixes sold this way. If an emergency arises and you have no power for cooking, you can still cook things like corn pone or pancakes in a skillet on your backyard grill. You can also buy "Butter Buds" which is a boxed, dry margarine mix you can easily make when butter or margarine is needed.

And of course, WATER. LOTS of water. We recycle or plastic jugs and keep at least 30-40 gallons on hand at all times, plus we have a large galvanized trash can (with liner) that can be filled at a moment's notice. Bleach can be used to purify suspect water. Here are the instructions: http://www.thefarm.org/charities/i4at/surv/bleach.htm

Hope this helps.

Edited to add: All of our foods are stored in large plastic tubs with lids.

[The Backlash Cometh]

32. Does SAMS have the same thing COSTCO has?

I'd prefer Costco, but there aren't any locations closeby.

[theHandpuppet]

35. Sorry, I don't shop at Sam's

I assume you're talking about Sam's club (as in Sam Walton of WalMart?)

Anyway, you don't need to buy these things at CostCo, it's just that they sell bulk items at a discount. Most of the items I listed are available at any grocery store. You can also find bargains at Big Lots and many of the dollar stores.

[Bridget Burke]

34. One warning: Canned goods are not immortal.

I'd suggest keeping a good supply in the pantry. Use the older ones & keep restocking.

(I once found a puffy can of anchovies in my pantry. Not wishing to encounter an Anchovy Explosion, I disposed of it gingerly.)

[theHandpuppet]

36. Yep, that's what I do

I stock my shelves with the older purchases towards the front so they get used first. It's also a good idea to take an inventory of the pantry at least two or three times a year and check all expiration dates.

[FlaGranny]

37. We actually like the MREs.

They are easy to prepare and taste pretty good too, but they are expensive. I tried dehydrated canned food, but that was awful. Yeech. I still have most of the dehydrated food and it is supposed to be good for 10 years, so I will keep it in case we run out of MREs. It WILL keep us alive. I also like the Atkins Advantage protein bars, but they seem to be getting scarce. I can only find peanut butter flavor. They taste good, they're filling and, of course, have lots of protein.

[MissB]

40. Have you ever tried the freeze-dried ice cream sandwiches?

:rofl: Seriously, Mountain House makes 'em. I bought them once for a space themed birthday party.

Dry ice cream is seriously wrong.

[FlaGranny]

41. I have some Mountain House

I tried two different entrees and they were horrible. I agree, dry ice cream IS seriously wrong. :-)

[graywarrior]

42. Here's my plan.

I'm moving the hell out of Florida and heading back to Maine.