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Water Supply During a Hurricane
During a hurricane, drinking water is your best friend. Typically, the formula for water availability is 1 gallon of water for each house hold member for a supply for 14 days. For the average family this is a lot of water, and the cost can be quite high. Not to mention, the addition of unnecessary plastic waste introduced to the environment.
We have all seen the shelves in stores empty of water as a hurricane approaches. You will save a lot of money, time, and have plenty of drinking water if you keep a WaterBOB Emergency Drinking Water Storage in your hurricane kit.
I am not sure about you, but storing the amount of water for my personal household is difficult. WaterBOB makes drinking water easy, accessible, budget friendly, and environmentally friendly. It has a pump for dispensing and will stay fresh for 12 weeks. Keep the location near your safety area and use a portable thermus, or other drinking container for refills. A good example for placement is a large bathtub. Not only is the perfect location, if there is a leak, it will just go down the drain, not in your home.
From personal experience, living in a in a urban area, fresh water will be up and running quickly. People in rural, or who use well water, this can be a life saver. However, no matter where you live, until you get the “all clear” make the The WaterBob main source of drinking water.
Other Considerations
Other items to consider for water purification and hydration are filtration straws, purification tablets, drinking canisters, and other non-caffeinated bottled drinks that do not require refrigeration.
Note: Caffeinated beverages do not count as hydration fluid and can actually contribute to dehydration by making the frequency of urination of fluids from your body more frequent.
Some of you love coffee in the morning. Enjoy if you can, but it doesn’t count towards your fluid intake for hydration. I love my cup of java in the morning, but do not enjoy a caffeine headache. If coffee or a caffeinated beverage is available, by all means enjoy. Be sure to follow with the exact amount of fluid with a non-caffeinated beverage to stay hydrated.
Keep a few extra containers of water available near and available at all times. If you are not a water drinking person, mix it up with decaffeinated tea, sports drinks, and other non-refrigerated beverages. But drink up!
Tip: Though the WaterBob will be more than enough drinking water, keep a few gallons available in case of a malfunction. Some water is better than no water.
Preventing Dehydration
Please keep in mind, staying hydrated is a priority. Please take this seriously. Dehydration happens quickly under stress, with small children, the ill and elderly. During a hurricane or other disaster, help others keep track and stay hydrated as well. A small child or elderly family member may need assistance. You may be the only one who can help and monitor their fluid intake and monitor them for signs of dehydration.
According to WebMd symptoms of early dehydration include:
- Thirst
- Dry or sticky mouth
- Not peeing very much
- Dark yellow pee
- Dry, cool skin
- Headache
- Muscle cramps
Note: As soon as you feel thirsty, this is a clear indicator you are already dehydrated. Be aware, during a crisis you can ignore or even not realize you are thirsty. Drink water regularly, thirsty or not. The 8 glasses of water per day rule does not apply during extreme circumstances. During a hurricane or other crisis you will require more drinking water than usual. Providing and exact formula for water needs for each individual varies.. What I can say with absolute certainty, fluids and electrolyte balance is essential for health and wellness. If you or a family member has a health condition that involves fluid intake restrictions or limitations check with their medical provider how best to provide and monitor their heath and wellness during a hurricane, well before the storm.
For a more in depth review of the signs and symptoms of dehydration click here
Refrigerator and Freezer
Do you get items that come in insulated boxes to your home with gel packs and/or some kind of insulation box? If the answer is yes. Start collecting gel ice packs and insulated packaging and store at room temperature. The perfect storage for these is in a cooler or an insulated bag. I personally like a cooler with wheels, but any cooler will do for storage. If you have room, keep a few in the freezer. When a storm approaches place the gel packs in the freezer. Your freezer should be packed full with minimal air gaps to keep items frozen as long as possible. Do the same for the refrigerator and organize your refrigerator for quick access. The more items, and the less time opening of your refrigerator and freezer during a poor outage could mean saving and not throwing away spoiled food.
Have a cooler appropriate for your family size to keep some refrigerated items stored for use inside your safety area. You can place the gel packs in there as well. Ice will be in short supply. Follow the cooler rule the same as the refrigerator. Keep it sealed, keep it organized, open only when necessary.
If you do not have gel packs, you can make your own. A freezer bag filled with water can substitute just fine. Frozen water bottles are also a good way to keep items cool. Place them flat in the freezer and make good use of them. Frozen water bottles are also a good way to keep items cool. When they melt, make use of them by using them with a filtered straw or other filtering device or non-potable uses. Gel Ice Packs will remain cool and can come in handy to use when the temperature rises in your home to cool down. We will go in to this a bit later.
How do I know if the food in my freezer is spoiled?
As a storm approaches, fill a plastic 1/2 gallon (medium) Tupperware type bowl with water and let it freeze. Once frozen place a quarter on top of the frozen water. If the water melts to the point the quarter is on the bottom of the bowl, its been too long. Unless you have power and the ability to cook, and consume, it’s time to purge.
Keep the freezer packed full as stated. It is also a good idea to purchase a thermometer for your appliance. The rule is, if the thermometer reads above 40 degrees F some items can be refrozen. Let’s be honest. How do you know when and for how long the temperature has been above 40 degrees? Personally, I follow my rule. If the quarter is on the bottom of the bowl, at some point for an unknown period of time the contents of my freezer dropped below 40 Degrees. It is not worth the risk. So, when in doubt, just throw it out. It hurts, I get it. It’s a lot of money. However, the cost of eating spoiled food is much greater than replacing what is spoiled.
Just to Sum it up
Drinking water is your best friend
When in doubt, throw it out.
Stay tuned for more on Hurricane Readiness.