Earthquakes

Supplies

Supplies to Keep on Hand (in your home, office or car)
The Office of Emergency Preparedness has a list of vendors of emergency goods and services on their web site at www.berkeley.edu/oep. When creating your own disaster supply kit, be sure to include:

• Flashlight and spare batteries, light sticks
• Food and water (for three days)
• First Aid Kit
• Battery-powered AM/FM radio
• Whistle
• Money (small bills and change)
• 3-day supply of prescription medicines
• Extra prescription glasses, contact lenses and solution
• Heavy work gloves (with leather palms)
• Blanket or coat
• Durable, comfortable shoes
• Out-of-State emergency contact phone numbers. Go to “Disaster Supplies for Home” for a more detailed list.

Disaster Supplies for Home

Six Basic Supplies

There are six basics you should stock in your home: water, food, first aid supplies, clothing and bedding, tools and emergency supplies, and special items. Keep the items that you would most likely need during an evacuation in an easy-to-carry container – suggested minimum amounts/items are marked with an asterisk (*). Possible containers include:

• A large, covered trash container on wheels
• A camping backpack
• A duffle bag 1.

Water

Store water in sanitary, food grade plastic containers. Avoid using containers that will decompose or break, such as milk cartons or glass bottles. A normally active person needs to drink at least two quarts of water each day. Hot environments, stress and intense physical activity can double that amount.

• Store 1-2 gallons of water per person per day (2 quarts for drinking, 2 quarts for cooking, 1 gallon for hygiene)*
• Keep at least a 3-day supply of water for each person in your household. (And don’t forget your pets – they will need food and water, too.)

Food

• Store at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food. Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking, little or no water, and low in sodium. If you must heat food, pack a can of sterno, a camp stove, or barbecue. Select food items that are compact and light-weight. Include a selection of the following foods in your Disaster Supplies Kit:
  1. Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables.
  2. Canned juices, milk, soup (if powdered, store extra water)
  3. Staples – sugar, salt, pepper
  4. High energy foods – peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars, trail mix, vitamins
  5. Foods for infants, elderly persons, or persons on special diets
  6. Comfort foods – cookies, hard candy, sweetened cereals, hot chocolate, instant coffee, tea bags
  7. Pet supplies (food & water)

Storing Emergency Foods:

• Even if the electricity goes out, the food in your refrigerator will stay cold for 24 hours if the door is kept closed. Thus perishable food should be eaten first. Eat food from the freezer next. When those are gone, then eat non-perishable food in cupboard.
• Most emergency food should be stored in a cool, dark place (40-60 degrees F)
• Use a permanent marking pen to write the purchase date on each package. Rotate your supplies every 6-12 months to insure freshness.
• Store food in air tight or tightly sealed plastic or metal containers. Take precautions to keep out insects and rodents.
• Do not store food near gasoline, oil, or other petroleum products. Smells can be absorbed into the food.

Shelf-life of Stored Food:

Here are some general guidelines for rotating common emergency foods:Use within six months

• powdered milk (boxed)
• dried fruit (in metal container)
• dry, crisp crackers (in metal container)
• potatoes

Use within a year:

• canned condensed meat & vegetable soups
• fruits, fruit juices & vegetables
• ready-to-eat cereals & uncooked instant cereals (in metal containers)
• peanut butter, jelly
• hard candy, canned nuts
• vitamin C

May be stored indefinitely (in proper containers & conditions):

• wheat
• vegetable oil
• dried corn
• baking powered
• soybeans
• white rice
• dry pasta
• instant coffee, tea, cocoa
• non-carbonated soft drinks
• salt
• bouillon products