After witnessing the deadly tornadoes that devastated Oklahoma recently, we are once again reminded how destructive natural disasters can be. As we are coming into tornado and hurricane season, individuals are cautioned to plan and prepare in advance for severe weather or any other emergency situation they may find themselves in.

Following a natural disaster or major emergency, services that we typically take for granted, including running water, electricity, and telephone communication services, may be knocked out. It is therefore wise to plan for these inevitabilities by preparing an emergency kit that will allow you and your family to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours after disaster strikes. This emergency kit should be stored in a large, watertight container, and stowed somewhere accessible so that it can easily be moved in a hurry should the need arise.

Prepare an Emergency Kit

Obviously every family's emergency kit will vary depending on the needs of family members and pets. To help you plan for a disaster and prepare an emergency kit that meets your specific requirements, 72hours.org offers an excellent interactive online resource that caters for various family situations and disaster scenarios to assist with your planning.

Food and Water

Every family will need food and water as basic requirements – you will need to store enough food and water for each member of the family (including pets) to last for three days (minimum). Your water supply may become contaminated, or may even be cut off, following a disaster, and it is essential that you have access to safe drinking water during this time. It is recommended that an emergency kit contains at least 1 gallon of drinking water per day for every person, or if you wish to include water for cooking and washing/bathing this should be increased to a minimum of 3 gallons of water per day for each member of your family (don't forget the pets).

Storing Tap Water

It is safe to store municipal tap water in food-grade plastic containers, without any further treatment or additives. Make sure the bottles are labelled and stored in a cool, dark area. Water should not be stored longer than six months – replace with fresh water once six months has passed. When storing commercial bottled water, ensure that the water is stored in its original sealed container, in a cool, dark area. Keep an eye on the expiration date, and if this is not indicated on the bottle, make sure that you mark the date of purchase on the bottle and replace annually.

How to Treat Water Following a Disaster

Should you run out of drinking water before you water supply is restored you can use the water in your water heater or toilet cistern as long as you have not added chemical additives/cleaners, and the water is treated following the guidelines below before you consume it.

Treatment Process:

Filter the water with a home drinking water filter, or pour the water through a home-made filter constructed from layers of clean cloth or paper towels to remove any sediment or dirt particles that may be suspended in the water.

Boiling: If you do not have a top end home water filter that removes bacteria and other pathogens to high degrees during the filtration process, you will need to purify the water after you have filtered it. If you have power or some other method of cooking at hand, this can be achieved by boiling the water. You will need to bring the water to a rolling boil and keep the water on the boil for between 3-5 minutes. Once the water has cooled down, you can improve the taste by oxygenating the water. This can be achieved by agitating the water by pouring it between two clean water containers.

Disinfecting: Water can be disinfected by adding unscented, regular household bleach (as apposed to ultra/color safe bleach) to kill any pathogens. Using an eyedropper add 16 drops (¼ teaspoon) of bleach per gallon of water if the water is cloudy, or 8 drops of bleach per gallon of water if the water is clear. Agitate the water before letting it stand for half and hour. The water may taste and smell faintly of chlorine, however this is normal.

Swimming pool and spa water should not be used for drinking using the treatment process outlined above, but if required, it can be filtered with a top quality drinking water filter, such as a Berkey Filter, to remove chlorine to render it fit for drinking. If a home water filter is not available swimming pool water can be used for non-drinking purposes only.

Be Prepared

To ensure the safety of your family when disaster strikes, heed the boy scouts motto: “Be Prepared”. For more information on preparing for hurricanes visit https://www.haveahurricaneplan.com/ or download The Official 2013 Hurricane Survival Guide developed as a community service by the Capital Area Chapter Red Cross. To get started preparing an emergency plan or kit that meets the needs of your family visit 72hours.org or Ready to prepare, plan and stay informed.