ACERs:
This is from the ACE SWAT team:
We will send more info, in about a couple of hours, on federal resources
web sites for disasters.
If you know someone in the South who needs help, please call or email them.
Our prayers are with all those people and their friends and families.
In Alabama the Emergency Management Agency is
tel 205-280-2200
From FEMA, Federal Emergency Management Administration
www.fema.gov/fema/respfact.html
Returning Home
Safe drinking water (below)
Emergency Food and Water
Helping Children
Emergency Sanitation
Mitigation: Minimizing the Effects of Disaster
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LOCATING SAFE DRINKING WATER
After a disaster, it is possible that water supplies will be temporarily
cut off or become
contaminated. Because you must have water to survive, it is important to
know how to
locate and purify drinking water to make it safe.
WATER SOURCES
In the home. Melt ice cubes, and use water from the hot-water tank, the
toilet tank (not the
bowl) and water pipes.
Hot water tank. Turn off the power that heats it, and let the tank cool.
Then place a
container underneath and open the drain valve at the bottom of the tank.
Don't turn the tank
on again until water services are restored.
Toilet tank. The water in the tank (not the bowl) is safe to drink
unless chemical treatments
have been added.
Water pipes. Release air pressure into the plumbing system by turning on
the highest faucet
in the house. Then drain the water from the lowest faucet.
Outside the home. Rain water, spring water, and water from streams,
river,lakes, and
coiled garden hoses can be used after it is purified.
Water Beds
Avoid water from water beds as a source for drinking water. Pesticidal
chemicals are in the
plastic casing of the bed and chemicals have probably been added to the
water to prevent
the growth of algae, fungi, and bacteria. The water is safe only for
hand-washing and
laundering.
PURIFYING WATER
Boiling and chemical are two ways to purify water.
Any water that is obtained from sources outside the home or water that
does not appear
clear should be sterilized. Non-sterilized water may be contaminated
with the parasite
Giardia.
Straining water. Straining water containing sediment or floating
material through a cloth or
paper filter before beginning the purification process.
Heat sterilization. Boiling water is the preferred method of
purification because
disease-causing- microorganisms cannot survive the intense heat. Bring
water to a rolling
boil for 10 minutes. Pour the water back and forth from oneclean
container to another to
improve the taste. Adding a pinch of salt could also help.
Chemical sterilization. In some situations, boiling may not be an option.
The alternative is to
treat the water chemically. Plain household chlorine bleach may be used.
Be sure the label
states that hypochlorite is the only active ingredient. Bleach
containing soap or fragrances is
not acceptable. With an eye dropper, add 8 drops of bleach per gallon of
water (16 if the
water is cloudy), stir and let stand. After 30 minutes the water should
taste and smell of
chlorine. At this time it can be used. If the taste and smell (and
appearance in the case of
cloudy water) has not changed, add another dose and let stand. If after
one half hour the
water does not have a chlorine smell, do not use it.
CONTAINERS
Store the water in a clean and sanitary glass or plastic container.
Plastic containers are good
because they are lightweight and unbreakable. Metal containers should be
considered as a
last resort because they may corrode and give water an unpleasant taste.
Water that local officials report has been contaminated with toxic
chemicals or radioactive
materials cannot be purified using home decontamination methods.
Facts About Water
Water is the single most abundant substance in the human body, making up
to 60 percent of
an adult's weight and up to 80 percent of an infant's weight. A person
can live several days
without food, but just a few days without water. It is second only to
air in importance to life.
Because water is so important to human survival, never ration it. Drink
at least 2 quarts per
day, as long as supplies last, and look for alternative sources.
Updated: February 12, 1997
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Glynis Long
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