In case of disaster, be stocked up

 

In case of disaster, be stocked up

By Alex Paul
Albany Democrat-Herald

CRAWFORDSVILLE — Preparing your family for a flu pandemic or any disaster that could create prolonged isolation and disruption of services isn’t easy, but it’s not an insurmountable project either, Brandi Hawkins recently told east Linn County residents at the Crawfordsville Community Church.

Hawkins and her husband, Robert, own Periwinkle Provisions, a natural foods store in Sweet Home. They also practice what they preach and have begun compiling their own stockpile of food, water, medicines and other needs.

Families don’t have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to developing a stockpile of necessary items. She said there are several good books available. Among them are “Making the Best of Basics,” “More With Less, Passport to Survival” and “Simply in Season.”

“After Hurricane Katrina, it should be clear there is a need to get people prepared,” Hawkins said. “It starts with assessing your individual family and your needs.” A stockpile for a man and woman with no children, would definitely differ from that for a family that included several teenagers, Hawkins said.

Families should not only stockpile food, they should also learn how to cook with specialty products and to adjust their tastes. Dehydrating foods is an excellent way to decrease the amount of space foods take up and significantly increase their shelf life as well.

“It would be wise if we all started looking for local outlets for our foods, not just at supermarkets,” Hawkins said. “Can you buy eggs from a local farmer? Honey is a wonder food and medicine. Can you get it locally? Do you have ammunition or do you know someone who is an excellent hunter who can provide meat for your family?”

Preparing for a disaster includes more than just gathering food and water, Hawkins said. “Do you have an inventory of tools and equipment that can be found and shared among your friends and fellow church members?” Hawkins asked. “What about documentation such as birth certificates and deeds? Trying to get that information after a disaster will be almost impossible. It needs to be done beforehand.”

Do you have enough cash on hand or a way to barter for goods and services? What about transportation. If you couldn’t purchase gasoline, do you have a bicycle or horse?

Storage can be done in food-quality 55-gallon sealed drums. They can be placed in a basement, of if your family doesn’t have a basement, in a makeshift one composed of sealed drums, wooden pellets and plastic sheathing all covered with dirt.

Common foods to store: wheat, cornmeal, legumes, seeds, medicinal and culinary herbs, spices, dry milk, baking products, vegetable oil, peanut butter, honey, molasses, dried fruits, dried vegetables and garden seeds.

Non-foods: medicines, ammunition for hunting, fuel (gas, wood, cooking fuel, kerosene, propane), water treatment products, colloidal silver (a natural antibiotic), candles, matches, toiletries, feminine products, paper products and diapers if needed.

Hawkins suggests that once families develop their stockpile, they use items from it on a regular basis and replenish what they use. That will keep the stockpile fresh.

She also suggests that families practice setting up equipment and other tools they don’t normally use. Do you know how to set up a propane-fueled cooking stove or lantern?

Hawkins said families should also learn to protect themselves. In a time of great need, crime could become a serious problem.

“I don’t want to cast fear into you, but it’s not the world of our youth,” Hawkins said.

Alex Paul can be reached at alex.paul@lee.net or 812-6076.