Title : Disaster Preparation - Safe Food and Water By Dr. Willie T. Ong
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Disaster Preparation - Safe Food and Water By Dr. Willie T. Ong
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Nobody
wants a disaster to happen. Typhoons, floods and earthquakes come unexpectedly
and may lead to a temporary cut-off in electricity, food and water supply. There’s
no harm in being prepared just in case. In this article, I will share with you
some basic knowledge on how to keep food and water safe during these times.
Essential Food and Water Supply:
First of all, have some stock of canned goods in
your house. These packed foods can last for months and are an essential part of
your food supply. Suggested food items are canned meat, tuna, soup, spaghetti,
juices and fruits. Moreover, instant noodles, cereals, peanut butter, jams,
chocolate bars, biscuits and powdered milk last long too.
For your water supply, each person should be
allotted at least 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of clean water per day. Half of this
water is for drinking, and the other half is for cooking and cleaning yourself.
How much food and water should you stock? Most
experts recommend having at least a 3-day supply, divided into three meals a
day per person (9 meals in 3 days), and 1 gallon of water a day per person (3
gallons of water in 3 days).
Of course, don’t forget to stock on a month’s supply
of your maintenance medicines and some first aid medicines. Take note that the
tips here are just a guide. We are not asking you to hoard food and water just
yet.
Keeping
Your Food Safe:
When the electricity is out, keep your refrigerator
doors closed most of the time to delay food spoilage. Eat the perishable foods
first in the refrigerator (like meat, chicken, eggs and leftovers) before opening
the canned goods. Keep the freezer closed even if there’s no power. The ice in
the freezer can keep foods safe for up to 48 hours.
If you suspect some foods to be spoiled already,
throw it away. Foods with a foul odor, and those that have come in contact with
flood water are unsafe to eat. Canned goods that are bulging, damaged or those
that have been soaked in flood waters are not safe to eat. Flood water contains
lots of bacteria that are hard to remove from food.
If you are breastfeeding your baby, continue to do
so. If you are using infant formula, use clean or boiled water to prepare the
milk. When cooking food, such as noodles, don’t use contaminated water.
Be sure to clean and disinfect areas that have come
in contact with flood water. Kitchen utensils, pails and floors should be
sanitized. Wash these items and surfaces with soap and water, then rinse with
clean water. You can prepare a diluted solution of 1 teaspoon of unscented
chlorine bleach (5 to 6% sodium hypochlorite) dissolved in 1 gallon of clean
water. Soak kitchen utensils, chopping boards, plates, cups, spoon and fork in
this solution for one full minute, then allow to air dry. (Note: For disinfecting
non-kitchen items like sink, floor and toilet areas, use a more concentrated
solution of chlorine bleach by mixing one-third cup of bleach in 1 gallon of
water.)
Keeping
Your Water Safe:
After a flood or an earthquake, clean
water may not be available. The disaster may have damaged the wells and water
pipes. It is especially dangerous if human wastes (in the sewage) have leaked
into the water supply. To prevent such an occurrence, the city should have an
emergency plan for its water supply, like the setting up of a water treatment
facility early on.
Use your common sense. Don’t use dirty water for cooking
food, washing dishes, brushing your teeth, washing your hands, and preparing
milk for children.
Do not drink water that has an odor, or if you suspect might be from a
contaminated source. Sources of water from inside the home, such as the swimming
pool, are not safe for drinking, although they may be used for cleaning.
Avoid drinking coffee and
alcohol during these times because it
can dehydrate the body, and make you
thirst more for water.
In an emergency, there are three ways to
make your water safe: boiling, using disinfectants and filtering. There are
commercially available portable water filters that can be used to clean the
water.
Studies show that boiling is the best
way to kill viruses, bacteria and parasites in the water. If your initial water
supply is clear, then you can proceed to boil the water for at least 3 minutes
from the time of boiling. However, if the water is cloudy, you can first filter
the dirt and sediments by having the water pass through a clean cloth or a
paper filter. You can also let the water stand for a few hours to let the
sediments settle first. After boiling, let the water cool down before storing
this in sealed and clean containers. If you don’t like the bland taste of
boiled water, you can add a pinch of salt to a liter of water.
Another way to get safe water is to use
a disinfectant, such as chlorine bleach, iodine, or chlorine dioxide tablets.
These solutions can destroy the disease-causing germs. Just like in boiling
water, cloudy water should first be filtered using a cloth or paper towel, or
allowed to stand to let the sediments settle at the bottom. After getting the
clear-looking water, you may use any of the three disinfectants.
1.
Household
unscented chlorine bleach – If there are instructions on the label, follow
them. Otherwise, use unscented chlorine bleach preparation composed of 5 to 6% sodium hypocrite. Add 8 drops (1/8 teaspoon or 0.6 ml) of this solution for every
gallon of clear water. If the water is cloudy or from a suspicious source, add
twice the chlorine at 16 drops (one-fourth teaspoon or 1.3 ml) per gallon of
water. This is equivalent to 4 drops of chlorine bleach for every liter of
cloudy water. Mix the bleach thoroughly in the water and let it stand for 1
hour before drinking. Store in sealed and clean containers for future use.
(Note: On the average, there are 60 drops of liquid in one teaspoon, which is 5
ml.)
2.
Povidone
iodine – Another way to disinfect water is to use 10% povidone iodine. Use 4
drops of Povidone iodine for every liter of clear water. Let it stand for an
hour before drinking. However, experts say that this method should only be used
for a short period of time.
3.
Chlorine
dioxide tablets may also be used if available. Follow the instructions for use.
Lastly, where can we obtain our initial
water source to be used for boiling or disinfecting? You may use tap water if
available. Other sources would be to collect rainwater, or water from rivers
and streams (moving water).
We do hope such a disaster does not
happen. But having a trial preparation for such an event is a good exercise,
and may even save your life.
Written by Dr. Willie T. Ong
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