Water Bottles

The first item in any emergency survival kit should be water. An adequate supply of clean, drinkable water is a top priority during survival preparedness. The average, active person should drink approximately 2 quarts of water a day. If you live in a hotter climate you will need to drink more, [...]]]>

Water Bottles

The first item in any emergency survival kit should be water. An adequate supply of clean, drinkable water is a top priority during survival preparedness. The average, active person should drink approximately 2 quarts of water a day. If you live in a hotter climate you will need to drink more, as will children and nursing mothers.

 Water may also be a part of your emergency food supplies, since it may be necessary for cooking. Water is also needed for hygiene. As a result, you should store at least a 2 week supply for each member of your family (remember, in case of evacuations, your portable survival kit should contain at least 3 days of water per person).

 The safest and most reliable emergency supply of water is commercially bottled water. This water should be kept in its original container, and not opened until needed. Commercially available water should be stored until its expiration date.

 If you are preparing your own containers of water, always use food grade water storage containers which are readily available from camping supply stores. If you are reusing containers, only use plastic 2 liter soda bottles. Containers that previously contained milk or fruit juice cannot be adequately cleaned to prevent bacterial growth. Also, cardboard containers are not designed for long term storage and may leak. Glass containers may break.

 All containers should be thoroughly cleaned with dishwashing soap and thoroughly rinsed to remove all residual soap. Plastic soft drink bottles should also be sanitized rinsing every interior surface of the bottle (and lid) with a solution of 1 teaspoon non-scented chlorine bleach to 1 qt of water. After sanitizing, thoroughly rinse with clean water.

 Each container should be completely filled with tap water. If your tap cater is chlorinated by your local utility company, tightly close the container, write the date on the outside, and store in a cool, dark place. If, however, your water supply is from a well or other untreated source, you will need to add 2 drops of non-scented liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water. You can also use commercially available water treatment (purification) products. These must contain between 5.25 and 6 percent sodium hypochlorite as the only active ingredient, or they should not be used. If you are not using commercially bottled water, replace your supply every 6 months.

 Water is a critical resource in an emergency disaster survival situation. A top priority of your emergency preparedness should be to make sure you have an adequate supply for the longest possible time. This means not only having water, but making sure that it is bacteria free (properly chlorinated).

The first thing you need to consider is if there are any disaster situations [...]]]> The ability to survive an emergency disaster situation does not depend as much on luck, as it does on being prepared. There are several simple steps that you can take immediately to increase your preparedness for an emergency disaster situation.

The first thing you need to consider is if there are any disaster situations that may be specific to where you live. Do you live in a flood plain, an earthquake zone, or a region that is prone to hurricanes or tornados? Each of these events will require you to customize your basic emergency survival kit.

Your basic emergency survival kit should contain the following items:

• Water – At least 1 gallon per person, per day, for at least 3 days. This will be for both drinking and sanitation
• Food – At least a 3 day supply per person of non-perishable food
• A can opener, if your emergency supply contains canned food
• A battery powered radio or weather radio with extra batteries
• A flashlight or lantern with extra batteries (or fuel)
• A first aid kit
• A whistle to signal for help
• A dust mask, to filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting (like a painters tarp) and duct tape to create a shelter-in-place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for sanitation
• A suitably sized wrench and /or pliers to shut off utilities
• Local maps

It is important to remember that this is not an all inclusive survival kit, but more of a basic emergency preparedness kit. You will also need to account for unique family needs such as prescription medication, eye glasses (or contact lenses), infant formula and diapers, and pet food, just to name a few.

To insure you have the ability to evacuate at a moments notice, your emergency disaster survival kit should be stored in a portable container, and its contents should be reviewed yearly as your family’s needs change.

Your emergency disaster survival plan should not be based on luck. It is important to be prepared, and a little advanced planning can go a long way to improving your chances for survival.