Do It Yourself

service got interrupted. Unfortunately, even though the agency gives sound, life-saving advice, most people don’t bother to take the time to read and assimilate the material. Therefore, whenever a disaster strikes, and power services are also out of commission so residents can’t get onto their computers to get the info they need, they are lost. Although all of us think an emergency could never happen to us, we have to realize that we must be prepared for any “what ifs” life throws at us.

So what could you do in case a tornado struck, damaging your dwelling, disrupting all of your utilities, and you finally realized it may be days before you have access to some assistance? One of the first needs you’d come across is that of clean, fresh water. Following a disaster, local water sources, such as ponds, lakes, and rivers can not be trusted. You never know what might have blown into that water, therefore you certainly wouldn’t like your loved ones drinking it. Some people are going to be fortunate enough to have a supply of bottled water available. If this type of supply wasn’t contaminated because of the storm, it will meet your immediate needs.

It is advisable to realize that when there is a disaster, you will have a run on any supermarkets that continues to be standing, and there definitely won’t be enough bottled water to go around. This is why it’s good to prepare yourself and keep some stored at home, preferably within the lower level in the area you’d go to if there are a storm warning. You also need to remember that although boiling water causes it to be safe, if the utilities are disrupted, you will not have any way to boil the water. Aside from having a portable water purification system, pre-planning to cover something which may never happen is by far the best choice.

Something the EPA does tell you is the fact that in times of disaster, you will want to discover what the water filtration companies are saying and water supplies. They are able to provide you with more relevant information related to your own particular situation. For instance, there might be a well that you’re unaware of but which you can access to get the water you’ll need. Therefore, it’s a wise decision to keep a battery-operated radio in the area of your lower level where you will go to enable you to get any emergency information which might be broadcast.