Emergency Kits

[FaithInScienceToo]

Having seen the recent devastation of Katrina and Rita on TV, and having gone thru a 3.2 quake a few nights ago, I thought about getting an emergency prep kit together...here's info on how to do so if a Celiac...

Gina

PS - those of you in flood-prone areas may want to put yours in buoyant containers.

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Are you prepared to leave your home and depend on the Red Cross for your meals? Recent natural disasters point up the necessity of considering YOUR needs as a celiac in special situations. Think of yourself and be prepared....just in case!

IT IS SUGGESTED THAT YOU PREPARE YOUR DISASTER KIT WITH A SUPPLY TO LAST TWO FULL WEEKS.

Keep the items that you would most likely need in an easy to carry containers. Possible containers could include a large, covered trash container, camping backpack or duffel bag.

The following are just a few suggestion to help in making up your celiac disaster kit:

- Medication: Make sure that you have an adequate supply of required medication. Place in proper containers that are labeled.

- Vitamins: Enough for several weeks.

- Water: Water should be stored in plastic containers. Avoid containers that will break. Store one gallon of water per person per day. Two quarts for drinking, two quarts for food preparation/sanitation. Purifying agents.

- Pain reliever: A brand that works for you. To help you get through a very stressful time.

- Dried foods: Items such as powdered milk, coffee, tea, cocoa, eggs, cornmeal, rice flour, instant potatoes, nuts and fruit. Consider packaging up dry ingredients for a recipe that would just need to have water added to the dry ingredients. Pack dry ingredients in a heavy duty zip type bag and ingredients can be mixed right in the bag. Pancakes, bread and muffins.

- Canned fruits and vegetables: Small cans are best. These are always available and ready to use.

- Juices: These are available in single serving boxes or cans.

- Milk: Powdered or canned are available.

- Canned meat/fish: Salmon and tuna fish are excellent choices as they are very nutritious foods.

- Canned beans: Beans are excellent survival food.

- Canned broths: chicken and turkey broths are excellent Use to flavor rice and as a soup base.

- Stress and comfort foods: Cookies, hard candy and snacks that are gluten-free.

- Staples: Sugar, salt, pepper.

- High energy foods: Jelly, peanut butter, nuts, rice crackers.

- Rice cakes....these will no doubt last forever.

Remember to rotate the foods in your Celiac Disaster Kit every three to six months to ensure freshness.

The Red Cross has publications available that would be very helpful in planning for a disaster. The publications will offer suggestions for many special items, tools, first aid kits, sanitation, bedding and clothing. Contact your local Red Cross Office nearest your home for a copy of these publications.

A few more suggestions when planning a disaster kit.

- First aid kit.

- Tools and supplies: Several saucepans, one for cooking only gluten- free foods, one for boiling water.

- Mess kits or disposable plates, cuts and utensils.

- Clothing and bedding: Include one complete change of clothing, footwear for each person.

NOTE:

If you are fortunate enough to own a dehydrator be sure to take advantage of it and package up some foods for your kit.

For those that have a vacuum sealer put it to use by packaging foods. It would be a great time to put it to good use.

[Jnkmnky]

Good idea. All my frozen gluten-free breads would be worthless and moldy. I'm going to have to order some gluten-free products that are storeable for emergencies. I guess EnerG pretzels and peanut butter will have to sustain us as that's all I know will last a long period of time in storage.

[bluelotus]

Ewww, Ener-G bread....that stuff is left over from the 1940s and repackaged. So nasty. But, you are right, probably the only stuff that would last.

[Kasey'sMom]

Thanks for the post. I realize I have these things around the house, I just haven't assembled things in kits. I'm going to make a kit for my dd as well.

gluten-free nutritional snacks bars would be great to have in the emergency kit. Also, it might be handy to have a light-weight, styro-foam cooler. Also, I have bought cereal by the case. I thought I would take my foodsaver and seal small bags of cereal.

[tarnalberry]

I didn't see it mentioned, but don't forget flashlights and a battery powered radio to be able to hear the important news warnings. :-)

[Kasey'sMom]

For UMCOR we did health kits. For each kit we included the following items, that were sealed in a zip lock bag.

1 Hand Towel

1 Wash Cloth

1 Bar of Soap

1 Pair of Clippers or Finger Nail File

5 Band-Aids

1 Large, Heavy Duty Comb

1 Large, Tube of Toothpaste (6months or longer on exp.)

1 Toothbrush

**Aslo we would want to make sure the soap and toothpaste are gluten-free.

We didn't put these things in the kits but for babies and women it would be helpful to have some diapers and feminine supplies.