Going to an Emergency Shelter

Should you need to go to an emergency shelter, what do you need to take?

Water is by far the most important item here. Most experts agree that the minimum amount of water you need is one quart per person per day. A gallon a day is more common.

Our homemade emergency/bug out bag contains 4 one-gallon collapsible plastic containers. These are kept empty until needed. They can be filled as we are leaving. It takes 42 seconds for us to fill a one-gallon container from the kitchen sink. If we want to use filtered water it takes 2 minutes to fill the same container.

While the bug out bag is finding its way to the car, truck or whatever we are using at the time, the water containers will be filling at the kitchen sink. We also keep one full box of bottled water and a partial box ready at all times.

Food is the next item of concern. Since this is material for use at a local shelter, anything that needs to be cooked is out. Staples such as energy bars, jerky, some candy bars are all okay. Just remember to rotate the food supplies frequently. A better idea is to purchase some meals ready to eat or MREs.

Candy also has expiration dates. You just have to decode them. Hershey’s uses codes, just like everyone else. The last two digits are the use by date. In our example, if the numbers are 9G, this translates to use by date of 2009 July. Everything is date coded. You just have to decode what you see. Then the question becomes: “Is this the date of manufacture or the expiration date”?

A public emergency shelter is not the place to have canned goods. Canned beans that have not been heated are not that good. Of course after several days of no food, anything looks good even cold Spam. Public emergency shelters are not typically equipped to allow camp fires or gas stoves. However, if you did not go to a public shelter, canned goods are fine. A good idea is a mixture of supplies. Anything perishable is not a good idea.

Remember when you return home you may not have electricity. You will need a source of heat or a stove of some type. The grills still work until they run out of charcoal or propane. Most gas grills have a side burner and you can purchase a gas burner or camp stove that runs on gasoline or propane. Even use a sterno canned fuel setup.

It takes a little bit of planning. But it is easier to it now.



Are You Going to Stay at Home During a Disaster?

Building Materials for Shelter

Clean Water During an Emergency

Disaster Preparation for Your Home and Securing Your Property

Emergency Home Plans For Your Family

Forest Fires Leave You Little or No Time to Prepare

How Do You Avoid Civil Unrest During a Disaster?

Hurricanes - Do You Know What to Do Should One Head Your Way?

Information on Floods

Insurance Information and Other Important Family Documents

Meals Ready to Eat - Military Style Survival Food

The Bug Out Bag or Emergency Bag You Buy Online

The Emergency Bag Which You Make at Home

Whether You Have a Snow Storm or Ice Storm - Be Prepared

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