Food Considerations in Times of Crises: Long-Term 91+ Days (3/5)

The idea of relying almost entirely upon your 91+Day or Long-Term food storage is not something out of a doomsday novel. I personally have known a few families who have been forced to live off of their Long-Term storage because of sudden deaths, financial tragedies, and loss of employment within their families. I have seen families live from 6-months to 2-years on food they have stored and continued to replenish over that time-frame.

Whatever your motivating factors are for your building of the 91+Day Storage, be sure that your plans adequately address these three commonly overlooked areas:

• Individual Calorie-Intake
• Appropriate Nutritional Content
• Variety of Meal Preps & Family Preferences

Individual Calorie-Intake

All too often, I observe that individuals plan food-storage based on pre-packaged meal consideration alone, with caloric-intake consideration as an after-thought at best. Even with products that I highly recommend, it is crucial that individuals and families get a proper grasp on the caloric values that their preps will provide when needed. This requires a little more effort, but getting it right is more important than simply getting it, right?

Generally, you will find a “…based on a 2,000 Calorie [Daily] Diet…” on most packaging options. This amount of calories will prove inadequate for most adults, therefore, care should be given to provide sufficient calorie amounts for the following groups:

• Infants (if not breastfeeding, formula usually is the supplement)
• Children
• Adult Females
• Pregnant Females
• Nursing Females
• Adult Males
• Elderly Adults
• Disabled individuals

Activity levels will vary within given groups. Consider a heightened activity level if using food storage during a time of crisis and participation in response efforts. An great reference point for calories and your home-food storage can be found in Chapter 8 of the late Jack Spigarelli’s Crisis Preparedness Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Home Storage and Physical Survival. Although some of the information in the book is outdated (product/brands), the reference points are valuable as a place to begin

Appropriate Nutritional Content

Vitamins and minerals are often overlooked and can be sometimes intimidating to calculate and handle. I found a worthwhile resource that shares interesting facts and recommended daily amounts (RDAs).  HERE is the link.

Staying active, healthy, and strong is not a result of simply eating a certain number of calories and nutrients, it also has to do with maintaining an adequate activity level. Optimum physical conditioning is quite simply a function of calories & nutrition in (Eating), calories & waste out (Physical Activity). The body is a magnificent machine that will respond to stress in many ways. The most productive and health-promoting management of stress involves  strenuous physical activity that is adequate to your body and condition. Consult with your qualified healthcare practitioner to develop and execute a plan to optimize your physical conditioning. This can increase your longevity and improve your quality of life, thinking, and productivity.

Inadequate physical activity and unmitigated stress levels sustained during such a time of crises will prove a silent killer. Stress levels obviously increase in response to dramatic lifestyle changes. The nutritional component of your 91+Day preps is one-half of the survival puzzle, being appropriately and actively engaged is the other.

Variety of Meal Preps & Family Preferences

Almost all of us have read and heard the term “eating fatigue.” As it relates to food-storage, this term suggests that the monotonous consumption of a limited presentation of meals can “tire you out.” The effect of such fatigue takes a real toll on an individual’s body and mind. Without a variety of foods across a spectrum of taste and texture, individuals eat less in frequency and quantity. This has harmful effects on health. It also affects individuals psychologically. 50 buckets of wheat simply won’t cut it.

To secure against eating fatigue and its accompanying ills, here are some ideas to assist in creating enjoyable & varying meals:

• Compile a Favorite Recipe Booklet
• Develop 2-4 Different Presentations of a Preferred Recipe
• Choose Practical Recipes
• Plan on Serving Breakfast for Lunch/Dinner, Lunch for Dinner, Dinner for Lunch

Compile a Favorite Recipe Booklet

Every family has a set of favorite home-cooked meals that can be simplified to meet basic preparation standards. It’s simply a matter of compiling them and writing them out in a basic instruction format. These can be handwritten/printed on an index-card and laminated or handwritten/printed on a sheet of paper and laminated. It’s best to utilize both sides of whatever paper is used. Lamination is fairly inexpensive and will protect the instructions against weathering and damage.

A couple of images are also a neat way to enhance your home-recipe booklet. This will not only provide a simple project for the family, it will enhance organization and appeal of the recipes as a vital tool for preparation.

Develop 2-4 Different Presentations of a Preferred Recipe

I enjoy eating spaghetti. Spaghetti has got to be one of the most easily adapted foods to make! You can simply change the types of pasta/noodles, meats, sauce, and seasonings to end up with a delicious variety of presentations on that dish. Meals with beans, meats, rice, and vegetables can also be widely adapted to fit a variety of flavors.

Chicken soup is another excellent example of a meal that is easily and quickly adapted. One of my preferences for soups is due to the water that you will consume with the meal. This helps to unconsciously prevent dehydration-just be sure to keep the sodium content to a minimal here.

It’s always best to space out meals. For example, I wouldn’t plan on eating spaghetti 2 days in a row if it was avoidable. But if I absolutely had no option, I would eat spaghetti for lunch on the first day and then plan on it for dinner the next.

Another important consideration is strategic planning. If you know that the next day’s activity will require loads of energy and strenuous physical activity, load up on carbs the night before. On the other hand, if you have had exhausting 16-hour shifts at rescue efforts, eating nutritious and light will assist your body in its rest/recovery stage. I might consider eating a soup with veggies and some hard-boiled eggs or even oatmeal. This would help give my muscles the proteins they need to recover from strenuous exertion.

Choose Practical Recipes

One particular food I am fond of is phở, the Vietnamese soup. I enjoy it with beef as the meat. The only problem though is the time it takes to make. That soup is not practical for my application for two reasons: (1) the time required to make it requires several hours of preparation, and (2) the resources used (stove & Crock-Pot®) would be too taxing on what I’m willing to expend in terms of energy. Lasagna is another favorite of mine that would be on the bottom on my list in terms of ingredients/resource demand.

Plan on Serving Breakfast for Lunch/Dinner, Lunch for Dinner, Dinner for Lunch

This point is very simple and apparent. As a child, I remember enjoying the variation of breakfast for dinner. Now I realize that this was an option because sometimes “breakfast” ingredients were the only available foods we had on-hand. But in a situation where ingredients allow for a variety of foods, switching up the meals at mealtimes enhances the experience of eating while diminishing the monotony of meal-repetition. You will find that attention to details will go a long way to improve coping and successful psychology management.

-The Berkey Guy

Food Considerations in Times of Crises: Short-Term 90 Days (2/5)

Minimal preps refers to minimal amounts of resources and energy needed to prepare something, in this case it is food. As your emergency preps move closer to the a Long-Term time frame, you should anticipate a transition period. A transition from what-to-what? Well, this series specifically focuses on food considerations. So, we’ll keep it there. But these posts are written with complete novices in mind, so the transition is from a somewhat productive consumer, to a well-connected producer.

I suggest a tiered-approach to building up your short-term food preps. Here is one such suggested tier structure:

• 0-14-Day
• 15-45 Day
• 45-90 Day

0-14 Day

This time frame was discussed in posts 1a/5 and 1b/5. The principles discussed there have an emphasis on minimal expense of resources and energy. Again, I only suggest guidelines because flexibility must be retained. If you are not able to adjust with changes, you will not last.

The 14-Day preps is in anticipation of search/rescue efforts and a time-frame to set-up a basic foundation and secure locations, amongst a myriad of other variables given the circumstances. Ideally, the primary preps which provide nutrition during this time are those which are simply opened and eaten. That’s it.

The next transition is a mento-physical (yep, I made that up) one. Remember, the days are not set in stone. They are simply guidelines that will need specific adaptation to your situation.

15-45 Day

Preps which you will use during this period should physically introduce you to the energy intensive use of food storage beyond your 91-Day preps. By this time, you should have figured out access to water for cooking, washing foods, etc. The emphasis here is minimal preps such as adding water, mixing basic ingredients which might be sourced from #10 cans, individual-component packages, and so on. These preps will physically require more of an energy & resource expense than the Open/Eat preps but not as much as the 91-Day preps. It would not be a bad idea to integrate your immediate preps with supplemental ingredients such as bouillon, dehydrated veggies, freeze-dried meats, and more.

Another vital aspect of this time-frame worth mentioning, is the quality of networks and trusted-acquaintances you should be creating & strengthening. Nobody lives in a vacuum. If you have ever been in even a short-term disaster such as a two week period, it can feel like an eternity. 30-45 days is a relatively short-amount of time when compared to a year, but feels like an extensive amount of time when you are actually living it.

Other preps which can prove beneficial at this time involve the integration of skills that require a slightly greater input of energy and execution such as light gardening, small game hunting, sprouting, and unleavened breads. Do not be lead to believe that such activities can be performed without skill or knowledge. Nothing could be further from the truth. Gardening is not simply a matter of dig, bury, water, and reap. Small-game hunting is not simply a matter of point-and-shoot. Sprouting is almost as simple as adding water and observing, but not completely without acquaintance and experience. Unleavened breads will not satisfy high-fructose syrup & flavor dependents. So get a head-start and familiarize yourself in these areas while things are relatively peaceful.

45-90 Day

45 Days is one whole month past your 15-Day preps and should find you fairly well acclimated to your situation now. The main difference between the preps which you are using now and the ones you used in the beginning is that a greater percentage of items require more effort such as rice, beans, dried meats, dehydrated foods, and more. You should be actively bartering and interacting with others. This greatly reduces strain, promotes psychological coping and health, and adds to the security of the interactive network.

The idea of baking breads may not appeal to many people, but having experienced home-made fresh bread throughout my life, I recommend it! Bread baking is not difficult but requires patience and practice while learning. Bread baking machines are not what I’m referring to by the way.

The distinguishing feature from the 90-Day Short-Term and the 91+ Day Long-Term storages, is the hope of things returning to normal and some modern comforts becoming available again without having to cross the 90-Day threshold. If you can weather the 90-Days successfully, then 91+ Days is no big deal.

-The Berkey Guy

Food Considerations in Times of Crises: Immediate Nutrition-No Preps (1b/5)

Yesterday, I mentioned the characteristics of Immediate Nutrition components. They included the following:

• Easily & Safely stored
• Easily Accessible
• Open & Eat
• Retains shelf-life of 3-6 months
• Light-weight & Compact
• Weather-Resistant Packaging
• Nutrient-Dense*
• Tastes Good & Your Body Processes it well

As promised, I’ll go into a little more detail on the points mentioned above.

Easily & Safely stored

This point is face-value obvious. In your Immediate Nutrition preps, the ability to safely store food that is properly packaged to retain its integrity and constitution cannot be underestimated. Often, hermetically sealed mylar pouches are used as the packaging of choice. They block the sunlight from diminishing shelf-life through heat and translucency. Mylar is also particularly inexpensive to purchase and package yourself. Among other packaging solutions, if you are using a bag or carrying vessel that is vulnerable to crush incidents, I recommend considering a crush-resistant case of some sort to house your nutrient-rich food and medications.

Easily Accessible

Ideally, choose a packaging option that can be accessed and opened with one hand. This is not particularly due to a potential 127-Hour like situation, but tactically and from much outdoor experience, it is ideal. When considering the storage vessel such as a backpack, duffel bag or other, it is best to develop a compartment pattern that will be relatively uniform for your requirements. In other words, I might decide to always place a pocket-knife and high-energy meal bar in the outermost pocket of every backpack and a particular compartment of your duffel.

Again, not absolutely necessary, but developing a simple system like this will help to lessen the “thinking load” at a critical moment, should one arise. It would also prove extremely beneficial to store a meal bar/snack in a free pocket of your shorts or shirt, cargo pants, tactical vest or somewhere on your person. During a time where you might experience extended hours of uninterrupted work eating is often a burden. Having a snack that is easily and quickly accessible will cause almost no interruption to your efforts.

Open & Eat

The idea of Immediate Nutrition is attractive because the working given is that you want to limit the amount of energy expenditure and required resources while you remain engaged in your activities. Being able to simply open & eat your nutrition is like an aircraft being refueled mid-flight.

Retains shelf-life of 3-6 months

This point is one that will require more work and research on your part in order to arrive at a custom and practical solution. My motive for suggesting this kind of shelf-life has more to do with my knowledge that most people will not regularly maintain equipment-much less emergency food- on a monthly basis. Three-to-six months provides at solid timeframe to regularly review your preps and supplies.

Light-weight & Compact

These points are valuable because of energy and space limits that supplies impose. Beyond having the “right” equipment to address your efforts during a crisis, your degree of success in mitigating threats is a function of efficiency and proper attention to priorities. Although many individuals who prep like having a whole cache of supplies, the bare-essentials will keep you lightweight and able to move about freely, increasing your ability to perform efficiently.

Weather-Resistant Packaging

Mylar pouches are great because they provide protection against sunlight as well as moisture and extreme temperatures. Be sure to include altitude gains/losses in your considerations for preps. Another excellent latent benefit of mylar pouches is that they can be used as a reflective surface. This means that empty pouches have potential to be configured to concentrate and reflect heat, act as a signal, and reflect light.

Nutrient-Dense*

Foods that are compact in storage and serving-size but which provide essential nutrients for activity function are what I am referring to here. The true definition of nutrient dense has to do with delivering the most nutrients per kcalorie of food. You’ll recall that there are six main categories of nutrients: carbohydrates, fats, minerals, proteins, vitamins, and water. The idea is that you limit the amount of energy in calories while providing the maximum amount of nutrients in that portion.

*in order to avoid a technical discussion on nutrient density, the working definition of nutrient density in this post simply refers to foods that provide essential nutrients in a compact size.

Tastes Good & Your Body Processes it well

In my experience, too many people buy foods for emergency preps without thinking through and without the experience of trauma psychology. It is best to choose foods with which you are already familiar and which you know will not create an adverse bodily reaction at the time of consumption or thereafter.

I mention trauma psychology because the body’s inherent response to emergent events causes people to act immediately, often irrationally. This is the reason that professional responders train repetitively, to maximize the preservation of life.

During a prolonged time period where living conditions and the comforts of life are compromised, food has a fundamental impact on our thinking and emotional-state. Although you might be able to handle a drastic change in the quality and quantity of available nutrition, others (adults, children, elderly, disabled, etc.) may not adjust well. It is a simple action-item to ensure that nutritionally-dense food which is familiar and enjoyed is the readily-available solution. Such food should be easily processed by the body and not magnify any pre-existing known medical conditions, or provoke undiscovered allergies.  So, do your homework to ensure that you have what you need, like, and know. You’ll be better-off because of it, in times of crises.

-The Berkey Guy

Food Considerations in Times of Crises: Immediate Nutrition-No Preps (1a/5)

I spoke with a good friend of mine a few months ago and asked him what his ideal 72-Hour kit would contain. He’s a very idealistic guy who leaves no question as to what he’s thinking. His immediate response was: “It would be all water!” His response was right but impractical.

Aside from the 3-Component Categories of any 72-Hour kit which I advocate (Water, Nutrition, Tools), my friend’s suggestion emphasizes life sustainability. Who can argue with that?

The most effective modes of preparedness meet two characteristics in their utility toward sustaining life:

1. Easy Access
2. Easy Use

Immediate Nutrition component characteristics:

Food Considerations in Times of Crises: Overview

Millions of voices in the marketplace are all screaming for your business, “Buy this product!” It can get downright tiring and confusing when you’re trying to make a choice about which product and service you’re gonna use. If you’re lucky enough to really know what you want  and why you want it before shopping, then finding the right fit can be fun!

A major offering within the preparedness and self-reliance marketplaces is food and food-storage. I promise to not inundate you with acronyms this time. Suffice it to say, this post-series is designed to accomplish two objectives:

• To provide a fresh perspective on the principles of food storage
• Strengthen your understanding of a nutritional food-strategy & the social applications of nutrition

To help you sort out the wheat from the tares, here are some principles regarding food considerations before and during a crisis, when you’ll depend upon your food preps & skills to keep you thriving. This content is aimed at principles behind the practice. I’m a believer that practice in peace prompts precision when pressed.

• 1-Immediate nutrition-no preps
• 2-Short-Term 90 Days-minimal preps
• 3-Long-Term 91+ Days-transition complete, you now prep your preps
• 4-Building Your Safety Net-your safety network is not a back-up, it is a primary system of strength
• 5-Buggin’ Out-know your terrain & navigate the turf. Educate yourself on what to expect & prepare for your performance there.

-The Berkey Guy

How To Begin Your Water Preparations: Items & Skills for Barter (5/5)

One of the most powerful points of this series is this one: Develop items/skills for barter.

Items and skills for trade suggests the idea that in the event that you have no access to your own water supply, at least having items and skills of value, will allow you to barter items/skills that you will need such as water. It also allows you to grow in previously undiscovered areas of talent and interest. As you discover and develop a skill, you will eventually be able to build a network of contacts who share the same interest and varying skill levels. This will also position you to leverage such skills to instruct others and help them on their way to stronger self-reliance.

If you have doubts about areas that you immediately are uncomfortable considering, relax. You don’t have to become the world’s foremost expert on tracking, or be able to kill a deer using dental floss and a magnifying glass…unless that’s something you really do want.

But seriously, here are some ideas that will help you develop areas that are beneficial:

• Learn about pathogenic microbes & how to avoid the most commonly acquired illnesses
• Take a course to become an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician)
• Read some books on negotiation strategies & techniques
• Learn how to sprout
• Learn the basics of gas-powered engines & the most common causes of engine failure
• Learn about the edible plants in your neighborhood…and the poisonous ones you should avoid
• Take a CPR course
• Learn to cook on a camp stove & dutch-oven
• Learn the basics of welding

Never been one to get your hands dirty? Here are some more suggestions for the techies & others out there:

• Get your HAM Radio License
• Learn Morse Code…yes, Morse Code
• Learn about emergency signals for hikers/trail-walkers
• Take a CERT class (Community Emergency Response Teams)…they’re FREE!!!
• Learn about Incident Command
• Start gathering data from your local city/town, county, and state on their anticipation for natural disasters and other potential threats/risks
• Volunteer your time to help others in some way

There is a whole world of opportunity for us to get involved in new areas and become more rounded-out individuals. The endeavor in becoming more self-reliant not only prepares us for emergent events, but most importantly it allows us to develop relationships with others with whom we can learn and grow.

Have a skill or post that you’d like to contribute and share here? Let us know…we’d be glad to hear about it & post-it.

Part 1/5        Part 2/5         Part 3a/5         Part 3b/5       Part 4/5         Part 5/5

Monday’s Post (July 18, 2011) will begin another 5-Part Series: Food Considerations in Times of Crises

-The Berkey Guy

How To Begin Your Water Preparations: Access Contingency Plan (4/5)

Now that you have your:

• MOWAPS- Mobile Water Purification System
• CCP- Consumption Contingency Plan
• STWS- Short-Term Water Storage <90 Days
• LTWS- Long-Term Water Storage > Days,

We are ready to lightly cover creating your Access Contingency Plan (ACP). This differs from the CCP because although the CCP does consider potential sources from which you’ll draw accessible amounts of water, the CCP emphasizes consumption quantities. The ACP is specifically designed for considering all sources of water and utilizing that plan when the time is right. This post will lightly cover principles of your ACP rather than minutiae because there are obviously too many variables which will need to be adapted to every situation and circumstance. Besides, I want you to use your thinking noodle!

Your ACP can be created before any of your water preparations. It is my experience that the ACP is much more easily created and thought-through over a period of time, rather than one static moment in time. It can be challenging to create your ACP, nonetheless rewarding. I recommend beginning your ACP outline as you begin with your MOWAPS. Trust me, the more you think critically about your water and its importance, things will jump out at you that others simply have not thought of, or they take for granted. Simple things.

Here are the important points of your ACP creation:

• Your standard for the ACP should be drinking (potable) water.
• Always include your MOWAPS as part of your ACP.
• Your STWS/LTWS are your primary sources of water until you reach a critical point in the remaining amounts of water in your water storage…(if you’d like to know more about this aspect please let me know in the comments below).
• Your network of Like-Minded & Trusted Associates (LMTA) is a necessary component for your ACP.
• Items/Skills-for-Trade (I/SFT) are also necessary components for your ACP.

 Your standard for the ACP should be drinking (potable) water.

This point might seem obvious, but during times of crises and chaos our rational thinking turns off and our sympathetic response kicks in: fight or flight. When it comes time for you to execute your ACP, if your established sources of water include potable water, then no additional energies or efforts will have to be spent on improving the level of water to make it potable, and risks associated with contaminated water will be minimal at least.

On the other hand, if your ACP targets water sources that are known to require treatment & added energy with resources, your plans and provisions will be much more involved and detailed. The whole point of preparedness is to mitigate risk and maintain homeostasis (balance) with minimal effort/energy expense.

The Sport Berkey water bottle gives you purified water where/when you need it.

Always include your MOWAPS as part of your ACP.

The emphasis of always including your MOWAPS as part of your ACP is because less-than-desirable water may be your only water source in a worst-case scenario. I’d recommend the Sport Berkey as the most versatile personal MOWAPS because it works! Even if you are using your STWS/LTWS, you will still want to remove/reduce the chemicals that were used to preserve the water for storage, and the Berkey products do just that. But whatever your MOWAPS is, be sure that it can remove/reduce the chemicals from treated water.

Your STWS/LTWS are your primary sources of water until you reach a critical point in the remaining amounts of water in your water storage.

Your safest and most reliable source of water will be from your Short-Term/Long-Term Water Storage. You can be confident about the quality of the water you have personally attended. Water that is coming from control or management outside of your direct supervision is supplemental and only supplemental to your water storage. It might prove tempting to approach a public reservoir that might be an open-air reservoir, but I strongly advise against it, primarily because there are trespassing laws & security practices set in place that discourage access. Creeks, lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams which are easily accessible to your property are secondary water sources that I would prioritize for your use. Such sources would supplement your primary quantities nicely.

You’ll want to include in your ACP, a provision for a critical point at which you will begin to replenish your water storage. Replenishing will ensure adequate hydration-levels and all uses of your drinking-water storage.

Your network of Like-Minded & Trusted Associates (LMTA) is a necessary component for your ACP.

The idea that anyone can survive independently is one of the biggest mistakes within circles of self-reliant communities. Whether in good times or not so good times, our quality of life is directly proportional to the quality of relationships that we enjoy. Beyond having family and friends that you can trust for help, networks of like-minded folks will meet areas of strength where yours is weak.

Items/Skills-for-Trade (I/SFT) are also necessary components for your ACP.

Items and skills for trade suggests the idea that in the event that you have no access to your own water supply, at least having items and skills of value, will allow you to barter items/skills that you will need such as water. It also allows you to grow in previously undiscovered areas of talent and interest. As you discover and develop a skill, you will eventually be able to build a network of contacts who share the same interest and varying skill levels. This will also position you to leverage such skills to instruct others and help them on their way to stronger self-reliance.

Part 1/5        Part 2/5         Part 3a/5         Part 3b/5       Part 4/5         Part 5/5

-The Berkey Guy

How To Begin Your Water Preparations: Long-Term Water Supply (3b/5)

Long-Term Water Storage (LTWS) is almost identical to Short-Term water storage except for 3 unique distinctions:

1. LTWS should be treated as a replenishment source.
2. LTWS should be preferably be stored in bulky containers rather than Short-Term Water Storage.
3. LTWS should be strategically placed and accessible, more so than your Short-Term.

LTWS should be treated as a replenishment source

Long-Term water storage is potentially the crowning jewel of your preparations. Seriously. Many people are overwhelmed with the false perception that establishing their LTWS is expensive and daunting. Some even have second-thoughts before actually carrying through with it. Truth be told? It’s one of the easiest and most essential aspects of Real Life Insurance. The most difficult part is probably deciding where exactly to place it.

Your LTWS should be viewed as the primary source from which you will replenish portable and easily refillable containers. The bulk storage tank(s) will serve to keep a safe and manageable supply of water on-hand for a recommended period of 91+ Days.

LTWS should be preferably be stored in bulky containers rather than Short-Term Water Storage

Your Short-Term water storage is unique in that it can be easily stored in several areas because the quantities are smaller than your Long-Term provisions. When we talk about bulk containers, this can be adjusted relative to your CCP, but I generally refer to bulk as an amount more than you can comfortably and practically transport.

The fact that you have a larger quantity of water stored requires that you make sure it is properly maintained and the integrity of the water remains uncompromised. Because of the density of water in bulk containers, it requires extreme temperature exposure over a sustained period of time to affect the water (freezing & evaporation). However, it is still best to use an opaque-colored container to limit the sun’s rays from heating any air inside of the container, promoting evaporation. The opacity also inhibits potential contamination from growths like algae, because of their process of photosynthesis. If your storage is going to be placed within a structure that is dark, use of a safe translucent container would work ideally, making the visibility of the water level and quality easier to handle.

One additional aspect of bulk containers is their potential for withstanding additional weight, such as drywall, a shelving or cabinet unit, or other items that might knock against the container or land on top of it. This can happen with ground movement from an earthquake or structural damage from a tornado or hurricane. The characteristic that you would be interested in, in this regard, is called compression testing. You can often find out what the compression testing is from the manufacturer or distributor of the HDPE containers or other bulk storage units. Compression testing or a compression rating, simply refers the ability of that object to withstand compression.

LTWS should be strategically placed and accessible, more so than your Short-Term

Because your LTWS is your well or source of water from which you will replenish your STWS, it is paramount that your positioning and placement of the LTWS be well-planned and practical. Placing your LTWS off-site from your practical residential access might complicate things if your transportation is impeded for some reason. Here’s an example.

Mr. & Mrs. Wisefeet live on the outskirts of a densely populated metropolitan area. In their provisions for an emergency, they have two 64″ D x 116″ H bulk containers at a location 5 miles from their home, a property they own. Each one of these containers holds 1,500 gallons for a combined total of 3,000 gallons on-hand. But logistically, they have bridges and major paved highways that are the primary access routes. It is anticipated that these routes will be structurally unreliable, congested with traffic, or both. How are they planning on accessing their BOL?

In the example, they have two large sources of water, accessible to them if they can arrive. Their placement of their STWS will be vitally important as well. Their STWS is placed at their residence, work locations, and within their vehicles. They have enough water within their Short-Term plan to sustain them for 14 days, their timeline to transfer to their BOL.

My emphasis on the placement and access of the LTWS being more crucial than the STWS is simply because the LTWS is a commitment that is not easily changed. It is not designed to be mobile and as easily manipulated for transport as the STWS. Your STWS placements/quantities, can more readily be changed and adjusted with minimal effort and energy.

Part 1/5        Part 2/5         Part 3a/5         Part 3b/5       Part 4/5         Part 5/5

-The Berkey Guy

How To Begin Your Water Preparations: Short-Term Water Supply (3a/5)

Short-Term Water Storage is any water storage that is designed to provide drinking water for 90 days or less (3 months). That is my definition and what I recommend working toward, if you haven’t achieved that already. Whether you are a doomsday prepper, or just someone who feels it’s a good idea to have extras on hand for an emergency, a three-month supply is an excellent foundation to build. Let’s get specific now:

• Why 90-Days?
• How do I store it?
• Where should I store it?

Why 90-Days?

Ninety-Days is a relatively short amount of time. I have researched and continue to research data that is compiled by experts such as scientists, engineers, geologists, etc.. Much of their data is available if you know where to look, know what you are looking for, are able to get past the dry gobs of information, and most importantly, if you have the time to do this. Having said that, my recommendation for a ninety-day minimum of storage considers the earliest that water could be made available to the masses, but anticipates that you could at least “be on your own” for that amount of time.  I also believe that when a major earthquake, or an event of significant magnitude strikes, three months time is a “transition time” for people to adapt to new situations.

How do I store it?

There is much debate regarding this point, particularly regarding storage containers. I recommend using brand-new and unused containers, such as 55 gallon drums, Aquatanks, and other containers which are designed to be used for long-term storage of drinking water for humans. HDPE (high-density polyethylene) is a popular option that many people use for storage containers. Many prepper minded people do whatever they can to save a buck in their preps, but in choosing a safe container, I don’t recommend being stingy.

One of the biggest myths out there is that using “food-grade” or “certified-reconditioned” drums are perfectly safe or “as-good-as” virgin containers. If we’re talking about plastics, that is completely false for at least two reasons: (1) all plastics will absorb and retain a percentage of whatever chemicals or liquids which are stored inside, over the life of the container, and (2) these chemicals or liquids will leach back into the drinking water that is stored inside. Even when companies steam-wash the drums or do chemical washing of the drums, they cannot remove what has been absorbed into the plastic. Remember, these drums are used within the food industry to store concentrated liquids and formulas. Therefore, the plastic absorbs percentages of concentrates, which is why I recommend spending a little more money to buy an unused, brand-new container for your drinking water. If you absolutely have to use a re-conditioned drum, at least use a drum liner to ensure safety.

You’ll also want to look at several options available to treat the water for storage. Here’s another area of controversy. I recommend using Water Preserver Concentrate for your water storage and rotate your water out every 6-12 months. There are other products out there that are good products, but I recommend only the ones that have some kind of verifiable lab testing. Although there are good products out there which sound solid in theory, too many knock-offs exist which have compromised my trust for the few that actually work but have no verifiable data to support. The main point here is to treat your water so as to secure it from pathogenic microbes, contamination, and compromise.

Where should I store it?

Once you’ve decided on your water storage containers to house your Short-Term CCP, you’ll need to choose a couple of different locations to store the water for access when it’s needed. Always be sure to keep your water storage in an area with these principles in mind:

• Cool & Dark: Out of direct sunlight & away from exposure to extreme temperatures
• Dry: Away from areas of potential flooding, extreme humidity, and critters
• Accessible: Place water storage in various locations where easily & readily accessible and safeguarded

Keep your water storage in temperature ranges of 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit. This will maximize storage life and quality, along with the other factors mentioned previously.

It is also a good idea to be strategic about placing your water storage. For example, avoid placing barrels in open areas where tampering can easily occur or under trees where bird-droppings might pose a contamination risk. Placing your water storage in one location might complicate things if your access to that location is restricted, so spread it out to at least two or three locations. They can all be on the same site, just different locations.

Be sure to review your CCP regularly with those whose lives may depend on it within your family, friends, or network of only trusted and reliable associates. They should know how, where and when to access it when necessary.

Part 1/5        Part 2/5         Part 3a/5         Part 3b/5       Part 4/5         Part 5/5

-The Berkey Guy

How To Begin Your Water Preparations: Drinking Water-Consumption Plan (2/5)

Now that you hopefully have your Mobile Water Purification System (MOWAPS) taken care of, you can begin analyzing your consumption of drinking water and make a plan to build up your Short-Term & Long-Term Water Storage (Tuesday’s & Wednesday’s post).

The basics of your Consumption Contingency Plan (CCP) for drinking water consumption can also apply to your use of water for general purposes, only it will require a greater quantity of water. We will only discuss drinking water consumption here.

The basic rule-of-thumb is that an individual should have 1/2 gallon (64 ounces) of water on hand for drinking each day. Obviously, children will receive less and newborns are not given water unless they are being given formula which has water content mixed into it. My recommendation calls for a minimal amount of 1 gallon of water per person per day. Altitude/climate/individual activity level will alter this amount and will not be discussed in this post. Please also remember to make provisions for individuals whose specific medical conditions might require added amounts of water on-hand.

Given that water is bulky (volume + weight), the importance of developing a CCP is crucial for three reasons:

1. It clearly defines your demand for water with and without an unanticipated/undesired event occurring.
2. It positions you to take better control of your water preparations at the pace which you determine.
3. It prepares the logistical framework for storage locations and quantities. This reduces your vulnerability and dependence upon another for your personal/family water supply.

There are always at least two ways to do work:

• An efficient way
• A less efficient way

Here is probably the most efficient way to develop your CCP:

1. Make provisions for 1 gallon of water/per person/per day for each person you are considering within your CCP-example: 5 people = 5 gallons/day (Total Daily Provision= 5 gallons)
2. Begin with a calculated goal of 14 days for your initial CCP. To set a unique calculated goal, simply choose the number of days you prefer. I chose 14 days as a foundation because EVERYONE can start there as a minimum.
3. Now multiply your Total Daily Provision (daily gallons) by your Calculated goal (Days) to arrive at your CCP. Ex. (5 gallons) x (14 days) = 70 gallons

More examples:

• “There’s only two of us at our residence and we’d like to have enough drinking water for at least 90 days.”  Provisions based on 1 gallon per person/day and for at least 90 days will look like this:

(2 gallons) x (90 days) = 180 gallons

• “We have 2 adults and 2 small children in our home. How much should we store for to last us 60 days?”  Provisions based on 1 gallon per person/day and for at least 45 days will look like this:

(4 gallons) x (60 days) = 240 gallons

• “I’m single and I just want to store 30 days worth of drinking water.”  Provisions based on 1 gallon per person/day and for at least 30 days will look like this:

(1 gallons) x (30 days) = 30 gallons

In each of the above examples, I used the amount of 1 gallon per person/day for two reasons: (1) A healthy adult generally needs only 1/2 gallon of drinking water per day in order to to maintain appropriate hydration levels-the extra half-gallon/day serves as a buffer for minimal teeth/face washing and/or in case water is spilled, or minimal food preps,  and (2) the added stress of having to ration to bare minimums of 1/2 gallon per person/day during an emergent event is absolutely unnecessary and avoidable. Less stress is best. Plus, it can also be leveraged for bartering. More on Short/Long-Term Storage on Tuesday’s & Wednesday’s Post.

Here is the least-efficient way to calculate your water consumption, assuming you actually maintain adequate daily hydration levels:

• Have a pen/pencil and a notepad with you and have those who reside at the same location do the same if they are capable. For children and those unable to do it themselves, you’ll double your calculations to cover them.
• Take note and measure the amounts of water you drink throughout a 24-hour period of your regular activity levels, have the others do the same. Then combine amounts and follow the steps for multiplying that daily amount times the calculated goal to arrive at the CCP.

Please share feedback, ideas, insight, & other comments.

Part 1/5        Part 2/5         Part 3a/5         Part 3b/5       Part 4/5         Part 5/5

-The Berkey Guy