Water Storage for Emergency Preparedness

Rain, Rain, Go away,
Come again another day.

Tsunami in Japan.....
Historic Flooding in the Mississippi Valley …..
Deadly tornadoes devastate the Midwest ……..
A major slide in the Snake River Canyon......
The Creeks are filling up .......

Water Storage is probably the last thing we want to be thinking of right now.  Whether some places are having fire, drought or floods, hey, water always comes out when I turn the faucet on.  Like most living in the U.S., we take water for granted.  Having left our water storage back east when we moved here, I have delayed my water preps here long enough. Well one reason because there was plenty of snow.  It did come down nearly everyday, but I am told that this is an unusual winter with this much snow. So now we have to be weary of all that snow on top of the mountains melting to fast and flooding the valley.

But it’s time to take the plunge even if water doesn't seem to be at a lost, and I hope this will encourage you to do the same whether it is big or small.        

           Water storage is essential … 

My modest, realistic goal for now is to achieve a solid 3-month supply of  water.  

   MAY I ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN ME?  !!!

  Here is how, why, and what about

Water Storage

Water is life 

Water that we take for granted when things are normal becomes absolutely critical in times of an emergency. This is an area you can't afford to overlook in your preparedness preparations. Fact: "The human body can't survive even one week without water". In general terms, the human body requires 4 times as much water as food. Therefore, for every pound of food consumed in one day, it is necessary to consume about 4 pounds of water (which is about 1/2 gallon).

  In an emergency situation you must have an ample supply of clean water – at least one gallon per person per day. You should store, at minimum, a two-week supply for each member of the family. You will use this water for drinking, food preparation and personal hygiene. Store your water in thoroughly washed plastic, glass, fiberglass or enamel-lined metal containers. Never use a container that has held toxic substances.

THE MOST TO THE LEAST for your budget. 

Water Storage Drums The easiest way to store the bulk of your water storage is in 55 or30 gallon polyethylene (plastic) water storage drums (FDA approved for storing drinking water).  The Shelf Reliance Water Storage System provides you with the means to store and access healthy water at home. The coloring of this barrel is specifically designed to block UV rays, preventing the growth of algae and bacteria. Such measures allow for indoor and outdoor storage of your water supply.
      Use your supply of clean water for cooking, cleaning, washing, and drinking needs, and keep yourself hydrated and comfortable in case of an emergency with the Shelf Reliance Water Storage System.

55 gallon WS Drum runs about $65.00
30 gallon WS Drum runs about $55.00
But than you need a siphon pump that runs about $25 to $35.  If you have the money and the room it's worth it.      http://www.storablefoods.com

                                   Basic 25 Gallon Boxed Water

When the emergency requires you to evacuate, this basic 25 gallon boxed water kit possibly is, besides your family, the most important item to take with you. After filling, each water box weighs approximately 40 lbs. The basic 25 gallon boxed water kit includes five heavy-duty (stackable up to three high to save space) box each with its own metalized five-gallon water storage bag with pour spout. In an emergency, the heavy-duty boxes can be converted to portable toilets, making the basic 25 gallon boxed water kit even more useful.
The value is about $40.00    http://beprepared.com 

5-Gallon collapsible Water Bottle or Water Cooler's bottles 

Can be brought at camping stores or Home Depot/ Lowe's  for around  $10 to $25 .



 Canned Drinking Water Canned Emergency Drinking Water with a 30+ year shelf life has become the new disaster preparedness choice for governmental agencies, hospitals, public institutions as well as families and businesses.  This is the type of water yo buy once and never worry about it again.   Case of 12 cans runs about $35 to $40        http://www.safetykitstore.com

Water Boxes  boxes can be stored for 5 years and provide a great source of emergency water. Ideal for 72 hour kits each box comes with a straw and 8.5 oz. of water. Price is any where's from $.85 per box to $10 for a pack of three.  http://www.thereadystore.com

 
Bottled Water is drinking water packaged in plastic bottles or glass bottles.  Did you know that it costs you as much as 75% more to keep your food cold if your freezer is empty? If you are unable to keep your freezer full of food and as a way to have some “extra” water storage, keep small water jugs or containers in your freezer. This will also help save money on electricity and ensure this water is safe. Besides saving money on electricity you will ensure some of your water supply is available in case of an emergency. Water containers can easily be removed if you need additional room for food storage.   If the power goes out, your water storage in the freezer will serve at least three purposes:
    * First, the ice jugs or bottles will keep your food cold to help ensure your food supply stays safe.
    * Second, your water storage will be safe and available. As the water melts you will have drinking water.
    * Third, if you have to leave home and need to take food supplies and keep them cold, the smaller frozen
       jugs or bottles are easily turned into the ice for your ice chest. Their smaller size works better when fitting
       into small or large spaces as needed. 

Plastic containers, such as recycled soft drink bottles, are best to for short term storage. Seal water containers tightly(can dip cap area in melted wax if you like),  label them and store them in a cool, dark place. Rotate water every six months.    

Can your own water  I had gather free canning jars from people who were moving and many came from yard sales.  Use standard canning jars, but I have used mayonnaise jars as long as lids fit properly. Bottles should be throughly cleaned and placed in boiling water.  Separate boiling water is than placed in the clean jar and a hot flat lid place on it and than a clean screw on lid tightly. My water had at the time I moved was 3 years old and still tasted clean.

Seal A Meal I use my Seal A Meal to store water on one side of the pouch and than the food on the other.  Perfect for 72 hour kits.  Or just doing water alone.  Using the plastic bags to create 8oz pouches which are easy to take with you if needing to leave your home.

  THAT DISASTER HITS HOME

If, for some reason, disaster catches you without a stored supply of clean water, you can use the water from the ice cubes in your freezer, the water in your pipes and the water in your hot water tank. If you have time before the event (disaster) you can fill the bathtub and sinks with water. As a last resort, you can use water in the reservoir tank of your toilet (not the bowl). To use the water in your pipes, let air into the plumbing by turning on the faucet at the highest level (upstairs) in your house. A small amount of water will trickle out. After doing this you will be able to draw water from a faucet at the lowest level of the house (downstairs). To use the water in your hot-water tank, to be sure electricity or gas is off, and open the drain at the bottom of the tank. Start water flowing by turning off the water intake valve and turning on a hot –water faucet. Do not turn on the gas or electricity when the tank is empty.

You can find water outside your home from the following sources – rainwater; streams, rivers and other moving bodies of water, ponds; lakes and natural springs. This water must be purified for drinking purposes. Avoid water with floating material, an odor or dark color. Use saltwater only after it has been distilled. You should not drink floodwater.  

 Purify Your Water Before Use
You should purify all water of uncertain purity before using it for drinking, food preparation or personal hygiene use. There are different ways to purify your water. None is perfect. Often the best solution is a combination of methods.

If you don't have a purification system, boiling and disinfecting and distillation are methods that will kill most microbes in water.

Boiling and disinfecting are two methods that will kill most microbes in water. Distillation is another method that removes the microbes that resist boiling and disinfecting. It also removes heavy metals, salts and most other chemicals. Boiling is the safest method of purifying water. Bring water to a rolling boil for 3-5 minutes, keeping in mind that some water will evaporate. Let the water cool before drinking. Boiled water will taste better if you put oxygen back into it by pouring the water back and forth between two clean containers. This will also improve the taste of stored food.

Disinfecting involves using household bleach to kill microorganisms. Use only regular household liquid bleach that contains 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite. Do not use scented bleaches, color-safe bleaches or bleaches with added cleaners. Add 16 drops of bleach per gallon of water, stir and let stand for 30 minutes. If the water does not have a slight bleach odor, repeat the dosage and let stand another 15 minutes. Again, the only agent used to purify water should be household liquid bleach. Other chemicals – such as iodine or water treatment products sold in camping or surplus stores that do not contain 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite as the only active ingredient – are not recommended and should not be used.

Distillation involves boiling water and then collecting the vapor that condenses back to water. The condensed vapor will not include salt and other impurities. To distill, fill a pot halfway with water. Tie a cup to the handle on the pot’s lid so that the cup will hang right side up when the lid is upside-down (make sure the cup is dangling into the water) and boil the water for 20 minutes. The water that drips from the lid into the cup is distilled. Distillation actually removes some microbes that resist boiling and disinfecting. It also removes heavy metals, salts and most other chemicals.

You cannot eat and not drink. I strongly recommend you have water on hand at your house.

This was a merchant who sold pills that had been invented to quench thirst. You need only swallow one pill a week, and you would feel no need of anything to drink. "Why are you selling those?" asked the little prince. "Because they save a tremendous amount of time," said the merchant. "Computations have been made by experts. With these pills, you save fifty-three minutes in every week." "And what do I do with those fifty-three minutes?" "Anything you like..." "As for me," said the little prince to himself, "if I had fifty-three minutes to spend as I liked, I should walk at my leisure toward a spring of fresh water." Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince, 1943

Radiation Information

RADIATION INFORMATION:

Chances are you have been hearing conflicting messages as I:  "Where heading for a disaster cause of Japan", "Stock up on iodine", "Don't worry about it; you won't need it", "It's dangerous and can cause further problems", "It will protect you from radioactive fallout" and "It won't hit the US (or will it?) ".   It leaves you wondering what to believe.  After hearing some people's concerns here in the valley, I hope to present both sides of the issue on the back side of the Nuclear Meltdown in Japan.  May I encourage you to always pray about any information for you and your family.

     There is reason for such confusion and even distrust. Nuclear mishaps over the last few decades have shown government's response to such measures being questionable at best. One might say the walking the line between preventing public chaos and a national health incidence has become too thin.

We live in a radioactive world--humans always have.  Radiation is part of our natural environment.   We are exposed to radiation from materials in the earth itself, from naturally occurring radon in the air, from outer space, and from inside our own bodies (as a result of the food and water we consume).

This radiation is measured in units called millirems (mrems)

The average dose per person from all sources is about 620 mrems per year.  It is not, however, uncommon for any of us to receive less or more than that in a given year (largely due to medical procedures we may undergo).  International Standards allow exposure to as much as 5,000 mrems a year for those who work with and around radioactive material. (This is from the American Nuclear Society)
  For an interactive version of the dose Chart which is based on the internationally recognized units (Sieverts and millisieverts) go here.  

 

What is radiation?

When people talk about dangerous radiation they mean ionizing radiation at levels far above the ‘background radiation’ levels we experience every day.
      Non-ionizing radiation such as visible light, radar, microwaves and radio waves is largely harmless. Ionizing radiation, however, has the power to break molecular bonds in living tissue, causing damage and in extreme cases death.
   Ionizing radiation is the excess energy or mass produced by unstable atoms. It comes in two forms; waves such as X-rays and gamma rays, and particles such as alpha and beta particles. When these pass through living tissue, or are ingested, they can remove electrons from atoms turning them into positively charged particles, or ions, which may damage the body’s cells.

Effects of Radiation Exposure on Human Health 

Although a dose of just 25 rems causes some detectable changes in blood, doses to near 100 rems usually have no immediate harmful effects.  Doses above 100 rems cause the first signs of radiation sickness including:     

• nausea
• vomiting   
• headache                                      
• some loss of white blood cells

Doses of 300 rems or more cause temporary hair loss, but also more significant, internal harm, including damage to nerve cells and the cells that line the digestive tract.  Severe loss of white blood cells, which are the body's main defense against infection, makes radiation victims highly vulnerable to disease.  Radiation also reduces production of blood platelets, which aid blood clotting, so victims of radiation sickness are also vulnerable to hemorrhaging.  Half of all people exposed to 450 rems die, and doses of 800 rems or more are always fatal.  Besides the symptoms mentioned above, these people also suffer from fever and diarrhea.  As of yet, there is no effective treatment--so death occurs within two to fourteen days.  In time, for survivors, diseases such as leukemia (cancer of the blood), lung cancer, thyroid cancer, breast cancer, and cancers of other organs can appear due to the radiation received.


Thyroid, the organ to protect from Radiation exposure, WHY?

The 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident, the post-9/11 fears of terrorist attacks on nuclear facilities, and the March 2011 disaster at the Japanese Fukushima nuclear plant are all situations that have focused attention on protecting the thyroid gland from radiation. 

   One of the most carcinogenic nuclear fission products found in fallout is radioactive Iodine (Iodine-131).  Iodine-131 is very dangerous because the thyroid gland readily absorbs it just as it would the natural, healthy form of iodine.  If humans or animals are deficient in iodine, they are at a substantially higher risk of thyroid damage including thyroid cancer as a result of exposure to fallout. Nuclear fallout literally "falls" from the sky and can eventually end up in our soil, our water, and our food supply.  While the Japanese are perhaps one of the best prepared cultures for such a tragedy due to their high intake of iodine from seaweed, the majority of others are not.   The Japanese typically ingest 100 times the amount of daily iodine.

What does the thyroid gland do?

The thyroid gland produces hormones that work as messages to other parts of the body, telling them how to function properly.  The two major hormones are thyroxine (T4), and triiodothyronime (T3). 

The thyroid is the only organ that can absorb iodine, a vital mineral found in food.  In turn, the iodine combines with T3 and T4 to produce hormones.  These hormones help with proper functioning of the metabolism, the heart and blood pressure.

Normal thyroids produce 20 percent of T3 and 80 percent of T4.  When there is a disruption of the iodine needed to produce hormones, thyroid disorders can develop.  If left untreated, these disorders can lead to more serious health issues, such as heart problems.

  

People worldwide are stocking up on potassium iodide, but experts are warning that K1, as it is also known, can be dangerous if used improperly. Potassium iodide helps prevent some of the damaging effects of radiation.  The thyroid gland in the neck is one of the most sensitive organs in the body to radiation. Exposure to high levels of radiation — as occurs during a nuclear plant meltdown — can lead to thyroid cancer.

So how does potassium iodide help?

The thyroid uses iodine normally to make thyroid hormone. The radiation from a nuclear event releases radioactive iodine into the air. When the radioactive iodine enters the body, the thyroid quickly scoops it up.

    Taking potassium iodide pills temporarily stops the thyroid. If taken prior to radiation exposure, the iodine pills counter the effect of the radioactive iodine on the thyroid. This helps prevent the development of thyroid cancer down the road.

    Usually, only one dose of potassium iodide is needed since a single dose protects the thyroid gland for 24 hours — assuming you remove yourself from the exposure area.

    It’s important to note that potassium iodide pills protect only the thyroid. They don’t prevent your body from taking in the radiation and don't help prevent radiation damage to other parts of the body.

    Potassium iodide is available without a prescription as pills or drops. It is also found in radiation exposure kits. But taking iodine pills is not something you want to do unless instructed by your doctor or emergency management officials.

     There are also other medicines that help if exposed to various radioactive substances. They treat contamination from various radioactive substances, including plutonium, by increasing elimination from the body.

    It’s important to remember that experts are not suggesting anyone in the U.S. take potassium iodide, and of course there is no current risk of radiation exposure from a nuclear meltdown in the U.S.

      Additionally, experts say, all the predictions so far have pointed to any such KI purchases as being unnecessary. Dr. Leonard Wartofsky, an endocrinologist at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., and a past president of the Endocrine Society, said "All of the predictions are that there will not be enough radiation reaching Hawaii or the West Coast to be of any concern." He added that radiation needs to be in the 50 rad region before KI should be ingested, saying, "It's not going to be anywhere near that in the United States. It's hitting the panic button unnecessarily."

    Taking KI can also be harmful to certain people. For example, the CDC notes that potassium iodide can be harmful to people who are allergic to the substance or who have the skin disorders dermatitis herpetiformis or urticaria vasculitis.

     That's not all. People with thyroid conditions can worsen them by taking potassium iodide. If such patients do need to take KI, they do so under a doctor's supervision.
     Additionally, women who are pregnant, as well as infants should not be given potassium iodide as infants could suffer a serious thyroid disorder.

But we need Iodine.  What's an alternative to K1?

   Iodine is probably one of the most misunderstood nutrients of our time; although as the realization of its importance for whole body health grows, the volume of understanding is becoming much greater. When people think of iodine, they think of the thyroid gland because it accounts for approximately 60% of thyroid hormone production. This has led the CDC to create its daily recommendation of iodine to be just 150 mcg (micrograms) for the average adult for general thyroid health, which does not take into account the need in other areas of the body.
   Iodine plays a major role in the health and wellness of the entire body.  Aside from preventing thyroid goiters and nodules, iodine has proven to be critical for other iodine dependent tissues such as the breasts, prostate, reproduction organs, digestive tract and essentially all tissues of the body exposed to microbes and pathogens.  This partially due to iodine's antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic and antiviral effects.  This has led practitioners making recommendations of daily iodine considerably higher than the current 150 mcg daily.

     Many of the recommendations of how much iodine one should take have been distilled from studying cultures that eat iodine rich foods such as sea vegetables including dulse and kelp.  It has been found that cultures such as the Japanese, where these foods are a regular staple to their diet, have lower incidences of breast and prostate cancer, as well as cardiovascular disease.
    The Japanese culture consumes at conservative estimates ten times more iodine than the United States averaging in between 1 1/2 mg to 6 mg daily, with some estimates going as high as 13 mg daily.  So does this mean that we should be taking daily dosages in these  higher amounts? 
   The recent nuclear scare should serve as a wake-up call.  The iodine you consume in foods and supplements gets released from the body in 24 to 48 hours, which means daily consumption or supplementation of iodine is critical for maintaining iodine dependent health.

     

Brownstein, David M.D. Iodine Why You Need It, Why You Can't Live Without It

Zimmerman MB. Iodine Deficiency. Endocr Rev 2009;30(4):376-408.

Risher JF, Keith S. iodine and inorganic iodides; human health aspects. Concise international chemical assessment document #72:World Health Organization, 2009.

RADIATION STORIES: 

1-   In his book Macrobiotic Diet, Michio Kushi states: "At the time of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki in 1945, Tatsuichiro Akizuki, M.D., was director of the Department of Internal Medicine at St. Francis Hospital in Nagasaki.  Most patients in the hospital, located one mile from the center of the blast, survived the initial effects of the bomb, but soon after came down with symptoms of radiation sickness from the radioactivity that had been released.  Dr. Akizuki fed his staff and patients a strict macrobiotic diet of brown rice, miso* and tamari soy sauce soup, wakame and other sea vegetables, Hokkaido pumpkin, and sea salt and prohibited the consumption of sugar and sweets.  As a result, he saved everyone in his hospital, while many other survivors in the city perished from radiation sickness." 

* miso: paste made from fermented soya beans and barley or rice malt, used in Japanese/macrobiotic cookery

2. Combating radiation poisoning tips:  Chelating (detoxifying) excess ionizing radiation & destructive radioactivity from your body and treating radiation burns naturally
                                by Ulla, designer of Healing Cancer Naturally @2006 & 2007 

If you have submitted your body to ionizing radiation either for medical diagnostic purposes (fluoroscopy/mammography/other medical x-ray exams) or in the course of radiotherapy treatment, or if you are otherwise concerned by excessive radiation exposure, overload or poisoning (such as living near a nuclear reactor facility, working with diagnostic radiological equipment/in the nuclear processing industries/uranium mining/uranium or plutonium processing), or if you have been exposed to radioactive particles or higher ionizing radiation doses stemming from other sources such as depleted uranium (DU), testing of atomic weapons, frequent flights in higher altitudes, a nuclear disaster etc., here are a number of tips and suggested remedies how to naturally help your body excrete damaging radioactive elements (e.g. strontium and radioactive iodine) or detoxify (or scavenge) their noxious byproducts such as free radicals as well as deal with radiation burns by using dietary, nutritional, herbal and other naturopathic approaches and modalities.

Note: Healing Cancer Naturally does not endorse conventional cancer and tumor treatment by radiation therapy (radiotherapy/X-rays).

3- Baking Soda Baths (sodium bicarbonate)   "If you were near Chernobyl or if you had an x-ray or radiation treatments for cancer, my radioics practitioner said that you can soak your body in baking soda baths to help pull out the radiation from your body.  If you look all over the web, there is talk about patients who have had mouth cancer who were given radiation treatments to get rid of the cancer, and then told to gargle with baking soda mixed in water."