We have all been watching the mother-of-all-storms descend on Florida this past week. The massive storm resulted in the largest evacuation order ever, estimated at six million displaced citizens. As we watch the images on the television, the common sights are gas lines and bare grocery store shelves. I was watching B-Roll at one of the grocery stores where employees were handing out 2.5 gallon water jugs to customers. There appeared to be a two jug limit.
That is all fine and good, but how long will five gallons of water realistically last? The quick answer? Not long. I was deployed to New Orleans following Katrina. The water was not potable for weeks. We were issued cases of water for drinking and even brushing our teeth. We used a lot of water. We brought that water in with us and had a steady stream coming in as we dealt with the aftermath of the storm. Water is already staged at FEMA locations for use after the storm. The problem comes in the delivery systems. It is better to be self-sufficient than reliant on the government for aid that will be sporadic at best.
Which is why I have to wonder why so many Americans see gas, bottled water and bread as the most important staples in preparation for a storm. It is important to have gas, but you will likely be stranded. The gas is better used to power a jenny when transformers fail or trees knock out power lines. Bread will last for a week, but as we saw in Katrina, the supply lines broke down making fresh produce and bread scarce in the immediate areas affected by the storm. Water and Power-Ade were in high demand. I picked up several cases of both before venturing out each day to deliver to anyone who asked. No questions asked. If someone wanted water or Power-Ade (donated), we gave it to them.
So back to my question. How long with two jugs of water last? A normal active person requires half a gallon of water per day. The recommended storage amount is one gallon per person per day. By that standard, two jugs will last a family of four one day, which might be stretched to two days. In other words, not long at all. How long will one Lifestraw (or similar product...this is not an advertisement for this specific brand) last a family of four? The Lifestraw is rated to filter to .02 microns. With a known water source, that is a significant filtration. It will not filter chemical contamination dissolved in water, it will not filter salt water (you need to use reverse osmosis for that) and will not filter Hep A, Norwalk Virus or rotavirus. But it will filter most normal fresh water sources. Particularly rain or pond water that have not been contaminated.
The Lifestraw will filter 1000 Liters which provides enough water for a family of four for three months, for not much more money than those two jugs of water. The Lifestraw and brands like it run between fifteen and twenty dollars. I would see it more as an augmentation to stored water than a pure replacement. Get the clean bottled water and use the straw in the event you end up in an extended emergency. The major drawback being the potential for chemical contamination of flood waters, which might be the only water source in a storm. But at two ounces and such a cheap price, this is an item that is cheap enough that you really can't afford not to have one an extended emergency situation.
I don't know if I will be deployed to Florida following Irma or not. I am "on the list," so I should know in the next couple of days. I am certain that my own water needs will be met. So I probably won't bring a Lifestraw with me. In the era of early alerts and quick delivery, people had plenty of time and warning to order this product or a similar brand well before the storm hit. Why we focus so much on limited resources and not a resource that allows us to be self-sufficient shows how short sighted and government reliant we have all become. Having witnessed the devastation of Katrina, I would say that the more prepared we are, the better our chances of not becoming a statistic. This is a cheap investment in self-sufficiency. We should all own a couple. They are cheap and portable. For a more permanent solution, I also wrote a few weeks ago about how to build your own water filtration system with a filter and good grade buckets.
Those affected by the storm and all the first responded remain in my thoughts and prayers. These devastating storms are displacing a lot of people. The damages from this storm are going to be astronomical. There are going to be long-term consequences for those affected by the storm. But for now, the most immediate needs are going to be food, water and shelter. Just a little bit of forethought can ease the stress caused by these immediate needs. We should be passing out filters to everyone along with whatever other aid we are providing. I am sure the government can purchase these at a fraction of the price. Compared to the cost of the overall aid packages we are sending, these are a bargain item.
Feel free to leave your own thoughts, comments or experiences.