Hoarding for War, Shopping for the Apocalypse

[jeniac42]

I've got a question about the bottled water thing. On the ready.gov website they say to store water tightly in clean plastic containers (so you don't necessarily have to go out and buy bottled water). I always thought that water sitting around still like that was an invitation to bacteria. True or not?

[Stone]

I was surprised to see that in tall office buildings in LA they store a few gallons of water in every office in case an earthquake or something traps people in the building.

[Jaymes]

I just had a thought- what would be a list of what we would consider gourmet food that also meets shelf stability requirements of a FEMA type situation?

Eg:

1) foie gras

2) bottled pickled artichokes

3) confit of goose

4) dry salamis, chorizos

5) various fruit preserves

Any others?  Big problem would be bread I think.  .

Well, in my L.A. earthquake kit in the hall closet, I had some of that canned brown bread that the yankees steam with baked beans.

[Elissa]

canned brown bread

[Jaymes]

canned brown bread

B&M the famous Boston Bean company also produces a canned bread product. I think they have both plain brown bread, and brown bread with raisins.

They're both pretty good, either steamed over the pot of cooking beans, or plain out of the can, sliced and toasted and schmeared with cream cheese.

[ranitidine]

B&M the famous Boston Bean company

[Jaymes]

B&M the famous Boston Bean company

They're actually from Portland, Maine.

[Jaymes]

People with young babies might be well advised to make preparations, especially if you're relying on milk formula.  Pharmacies and supermarkets can run out of that in a day or two.  Otherwise, I agree that it's hard to imagine a situation so serious that drought and starvation are prospects.  In addition, I find it hard to see why such a situation is more likely to occur during conflict with Iraq than at some other time.

Well, I've been in the aftermath of two hurricanes.

Both times, we evacuated, and then came back home after the storm had passed.

Water was certainly readily available (it was everywhere), but it was contaminated. The first time, we hadn't stocked up at all. I had two small children. The electricity was completely out throughout the entire area. Trees blocked the roads, many of which were also six inches deep in water. Emergency and repair crews had a very difficult time getting through and the electricity remained out for the better part of a week. Stores didn't want to open because there was no electricity and it was dark back in the stores, even in broad daylight. One store close to us opened up for a very few people (including me) because we had small children. No refrigeration meant no milk for the kids. Powdered milk was no good because you didn't have any non-contaminated water to mix it with. Our stoves were electric, so you couldn't cook anything. At the store, two employees with flashlights accompanied each customer that could prove they had small children back into the cavernous store to get some formula/baby food, etc. We were wading in several inches of water. We had to pay with cash, exact change, because the registers were down. At the store, I bought the three gallons of water that they were letting each person get, canned milk, some other canned goods, matches and a small hibachi that I could use to cook some food and boil water. Even though I boiled water, we all got giardia.

The workers at the store were nervous and on edge. They were afraid of things getting out of hand, and of people rushing the store if they could see that anyone was being let in. They were concerned about rioting and looting. They really didn't want to let anyone in, and were down there replacing the window boards that had blown off when I and a couple of others came upon them. They had hired armed guards, but they weren't there yet. Broken glass was everywhere, and there was stuff in the aisles as we waded along in the dark. I almost tripped a couple of times. It was absolutely horrible in every aspect you can think of.

Several years later, we were again in hurricaine country, and this time, I didn't wait for even a HINT of a storm. I did indeed keep canned tuna, water, etc., on hand. Sure enough, a big storm came in and again we evacuated. But because I had stuff on hand, I didn't need to make the mad dash to the grocery store. I could concentrate on moving furniture to the 2nd floor, boarding up windows, packing up the kids and getting us out of there. But this time, when we came back home, we were prepared. We did have a mess as far as our property went, but we were just fine where food and water and light and warmth were concerned.

All I've got to say is that if you have never experienced a large, wide-spread disaster hitting your region, you will be absolutely astounded at how far-reaching its effects are should that happen.

Far beyond what you can imagine.

I'm by myself now, no small children to worry about. And I don't think I'm in a high-threat area (although it's no secret to anyone that Austin is the capital of Texas which is Bush's home state). I skipped the duct tape and plastic. But I did buy a couple gallons of water, non-electric can opener, and a few more canned goods than usual.

Just in case.

After all, as we say in Texas, "What could it hoit?"

[Fat Guy]

Wise words.

It's just "Baked Beans" and "Brown Bread," though the company's literature often refers to it as "New England Brown Bread."

[Elissa]

Well, I've been in the aftermath of two hurricanes.

...

Even though I boiled water, we all got giardia.

...

It was absolutely horrible in every aspect you can think of.

Dear Jaymes,

Sounds rough. But look what a character you turned out to be!

May we all confront adversity with such munificent results.

[Jaymes]

Well, I've been in the aftermath of two hurricanes.

...

Even though I boiled water, we all got giardia.

...

It was absolutely horrible in every aspect you can think of.

Dear Jaymes,

Sounds rough. But look what a character you turned out to be!

May we all confront adversity with such munificent results.

Golly, thanks.

[Richard Kilgore]

Jaymes is right on target with some of the possibilities during a widespread disaster. I also recall one hurricane we rode out --- the electricity and phones were down for ten days. The streets were fairly impassable and we cooked outside on a Coleman stove for days.

(Edited to correct my memory and spelling, as well as to reign in slight exaggeration.)

Edited March 18, 2003 by Richard Kilgore (log)

[Beachfan]

My earthquake kit will do. It's primarily lots of water, which we always have and a Costco 24 pack of light tuna.

[elyse]

Jaymes, I'm surprised the stores around you were so unsympathetic. The disasters I've been in, all of the stores either made sure they opened afterwards TO sell needed items get rid of refrigerated stuff. Sometimes they would sell it, sometimes give it away. Free. Really strange they were so freaked.

[nerissa]

I went through Hurricane Hugo, which was forecasted as a category 5 hurricane...some people say it was much worse. My incalitrant father refused to seek higher ground at our mtn. house. He was afraid that we wouldn't be able to get back into the city afterwards. The weatherman irresponsibly broke down on live t.v. and said that he was praying for those who were not evacuating. At that time, we lived in a 3 story 19th c. house with 50 windows...my parents boarded up every single one and every window on my grandparent's house. The storm took half of our roof anyway. We survived because the eye was centered on downtown charleston-the worst of the storm was slightly north of the eye, and it destroyed several towns.

Anyway--I recommend that if you think you might loose power, to start emptying your freezers. My neighborhood pooled its resources; one of our neighbors was a pastry chef and she had to empty a local restaurants' freezer. Another neighbor had a gas grill; we gathered on the porch and ate very well as no one had power that month. The aftermath in that respect was a pleasant experience--as the city fell dark and quiet each night. We felt safe enough because a neighbor was a prominent judge and therefore we had constant National Guard presence. We opened up our 1st floor shower to the neighborhood, as we were the only ones with hot water. I do remember, however, a distinct lack of fresh fruit and veggies. We were lucky because of our neighbors and the local restaurant scene... had access to some.

Like many others, I have enough dried beans and grains to last for a while. I am not planning to go crazy at the supermarket. I don't know how much one can plan for the unforseeable. Suzanne's F.'s tips about organizing your papers is the most sensible idea posted here.

[tommy]

Suzanne's F.'s tips about organizing your papers is the most sensible idea posted here.

i think that was the lovely and beautiful Liza.

[nerissa]

Sadly, no amount of food helped us that last September when we were evacuated. Instead, all our papers (passport, lease, bills) are organized in one folder and fine-tuning our evacuation plan. If anyone else is worried about evacuation, I recommend getting papers in order; the last time we fled, we didn't think to grab anything and had quite a difficult time getting past the police check-points because we couldn't prove we lived where we lived.

Tommy- you were right. I had confused Liza, with another lovely resident of Lower Manhattan, Suzanne F. My apologies. Still, it is the most sensible idea.

[Liza]

Thank you

As our last evacuation lasted four months, I keep copies of our papers at my office and with friends in another state. I now also carry with me a list of important numbers - account numbers, insurance policy numbers, OEM/ FEMA emergency numbers. I have a letter on file with human resources from my bank, which can serve as a form of ID if necessary. And keep a phone card in your wallet!

[Jaymes]

Jaymes, I'm surprised the stores around you were so unsympathetic. The disasters I've been in, all of the stores either made sure they opened afterwards TO sell needed items get rid of refrigerated stuff.  Sometimes they would sell it, sometimes give it away.  Free.  Really strange they were so freaked.

Well, that was just for the first two or three days.

They called in the National Guard, or someone else (been a long time ago, so have kind of forgotten, it may have just been local cops), and when order was restored, and generators were set up, and emergency lights were installed in the stores, and methods for taking in payment, etc., were re-established, things got much better on that score.

And then there was, indeed, a sort of "espirit de corps" and everyone became much more accomodating, with only a few instances of price-gouging.

BUT - the water from the taps was not safe to drink for about two weeks. And there was just so much bottled water to go around. After that, whenever a hurricane threatened, in addition to laying in a supply of bottled water, we filled all the bathtubs, and anything else large that would hold potable water. It isn't just what you drink, you know - it's also what you bathe in, and brush your teeth with, and wash your hands with, etc.

Edited March 18, 2003 by Jaymes (log)

[Kim WB]

I agree withthe comment about "perceived control"..in that the situation is out of my control, so that I revert to what is in my control: feeding my family. Intellectually, I understand that canned soup and bottled water will not save my family from the worse attacks..but yet, it somehow makes me feel competent and somewhat able to control my environment to stock the cans of soup on the basement shelves, count the gallons of water...it serves its purpose psychologically. I have also found myself selecting the comfort foods: large roasts with gravy, soups...even though this is the type of weather when I traditionally move away from such and lean towards lighter selections. I went to two shops today looking for a good hambone..will split pea soup save my children?...no..but those hours in the kitchen will give me a sense of safety, a reprieve from the ominous tone of CNN.

Edited March 18, 2003 by Kim WB (log)

[bavila]

Part of me thinks the warnings of government officials to prepare a 3-month supply of food in case of pandemic flu is a little silly. On the other hand, I just read in the Tulane alumni magazine of the university president's breaking into every building on campus that had food in order to feed the skeleton staff stranded on campus in the first few days after Katrina's flooding.

The website www.pandemicflu.gov offers these suggestions for what to have on hand:

Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, vegetables, and soups

Protein or fruit bars

Dry cereal or granola

Peanut butter or nuts

Dried fruit

Crackers

Canned juices

Bottled water

Canned or jarred baby food and formula

Pet food

Normally I don't put "non-perishable foods" and "eating well" in the same sentence. But I figure it's worth a try.

So tell me eGulleters, if you were holed up for three months, what would you want to have on hand?

[annecros]

Looks like a good solid list, but I would suggest one addition, having been in a disaster area.

Liquor.

[srhcb]

A 44 Magnum

Or a semi trailer full of Marlboros

SB (student of human nature)

[bavila]

Thank you to whoever merged my topic... I'm not so much concerned about the "why" of hoarding (that's the word I should have searched with!), but what people who care about food would choose from the non-perishable items.

I'm thinking roasted red peppers, good tuna, some of my mom's canned pears and tomatoes.

If there's no electricity -- maybe plenty of charcoal to use up a freezerful of meat?

Maybe Bubblehead Chef could weigh in with some good shelf-stable ideas.

[Behemoth]

So tell me eGulleters, if you were holed up for three months, what would you want to have on hand?

←

Whiskey and a shotgun.

(I see srhcb beat me to it. )