Tips for a Disaster...

Last week, a huge catastrophe struck our country by surprise, and many families were taken aback by the damage it has caused. Many were left homeless, many were left hungry, and many were left by their loved ones...

There are many reasons why most are suffering right now. Mainly it is because of unpreparedness...

Here are some tips to help prepare before a disaster strikes...

1. Canned and dried foods can really come to the rescue in these situations. Purchase low sodium varieties and store them in a cool, dry place, making sure that you mark the purchase date on the product.
2. Collect easy recipes that use these foods and store them right by the foods, along with basic utensils like a can opener, bowls, spoons, and plates.
3. There are lots of shelf-stable items that are not canned. Look for juice boxes, stock and broth in boxes, dried fruits and snack items, and others that can be stored without refrigeration.
4. Rotate your stock of canned and dried foods occasionally to be sure that your supply is fresh.
5. Many fruits and vegetables will hold their quality at room temperature, so keep some of them on hand always. Apples, bananas, tomatoes, grapes, heads of lettuce, squash, onions, potatoes, celery, peppers, and other produce will store well as long as they are stored in a cool and dark place.
6. Water is an important staple, not only for drinking but also for re hydrating dried foods. So keep a good supply of bottled water on hand, for drinking, cooking, and even brushing your teeth.
7. At least a gallon of water per day per person in your household is the bare minimum.
8. Before Hurricane Katrina, experts recommended that you keep enough on hand for three days' worth of meals, but I now think that's too little. After seeing the long response times to Hurricane Katrina's victims, I would recommend keeping at least one week of supplies on hand - two is better.
9. In addition to food, your well-stocked pantry should include batteries, a radio, pet food if your household includes little critters, lots of bottled water, flashlights or emergency lights, candles, can opener, matches, and any prescription medicines your family needs. I recently found electric candles that run off batteries. They can last up to 24 hours, so are a good source of safe lighting.
10. A first aid kid is also necessary; if you have the room, think about storing extra clothes and blankets too.
11. Remember to keep your cell phone with you and make sure the batteries are well charged.
12. Remember that if you don't have a source for cooling foods, you'll need to make just enough for you to eat within 1-2 hours. A cooler filled with ice is just fine for keeping foods cold, but it won't chill warm or room temperature foods fast enough to prevent safety problems. So either eat all perishable food within the 2 hour time frame, or discard it.
13. If the weather is safe enough so you can grill outdoors, make dinner packets with heavy duty foil. These one-dish meals can be lifesavers; and cleanup is minimal.
14. I'd also recommend stocking paper plates, cups, napkins, and plastic utensils. I ordinarily don't recommend these because they're not environmentally-friendly, but when you are faced with a water shortage, they make your life much easier, and safer too.

- disaster tips, about.com

So there you go, we could never know when another catastrophe will hit us, and we could never know if it will be worst than other storms. We might as well be prepared..