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Emergency Planning

Objectives:

Protect your family and loved ones and be completely independent of the need to be sustained by outside resources beyond your control. Keep a reserve of food to lessen the worry of an uncertain future. Be prepared in the event of a hurricane, terrorist attack, pandemic or simply a loss of electrical power or fuel shortage.

Things to think about:

Where do you live? If you live in a large urban environment when a disaster hits there is a greater chance that it will affect you directly because travel ability will be limited. Those who live in rural areas are somewhat sheltered just because of the location. But that doesn’t mean that they are in the clear. If there is a disaster in a large city where are those city people going to go?

Here in Northern Canada we are particularly at risk if we lose communications and the ability to travel in the dead of winter. Imagine if the trucks carrying our food could not reach the grocery store or if you were not able to get to the store due to deep snow or another ice storm.

All it takes is an pandemic type illness or security breech at the US border and we are out of luck for those fruits and vegetables from the US and the rest of the world, especially in the winter. A security breech in the USA would close the borders so tightly that trucks bringing food into Canada would be delayed for long periods of time.

At the time of the SARS problem one of us worked at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Toronto - the "epi-center" of the problem. We knew of people who when quarantined went up to the cottage instead of at staying home. You know these people first went to the grocery store to stock up. Now imagine if we had a pandemic illness that affected people locally! Would you want to go shopping or buy food others have breathed on?

It's a good idea to keep your car's gas tank at least half full and keep some basic tools in the trunk.

Disaster and emergency kits are tools that are going to help you maximize your safety and comfort levels in times of emergency. What are preparedness items? Preparedness kits contain items like flashlights, candles, and solar powered radios - items ranging from needles and thread to a family first aid kit, from matches to a camp stove. They provide you with light, heat, and communication. We supply preparedness items such as first aids kits, 50 hr candles, sewing awls, sprouting kits, sprouting seeds (also packed in an inert environment), organic sprouting seeds in bulk or smaller packets we also have beans for sprouting, planting or cooking (these can be nitrogen packed in Mylar bags if requested), Sterno stoves, solar radios (some are DC adaptable) to help you be self sufficient and relatively safe & comfortable in the event of an emergency or disaster. These items will supply you with light, heat, safety and communications.

Prepare your family with items for emergency and disaster preparedness kits and long shelf life foods.

We are the official Canadian dealer for Ready Reserve Foods^®, carrying products you will feel safe using. Ready Reserve Foods^® have a shelf life of 7 to 15 years plus (depending on storage location and ambient temperature). RRF uses a heavy duty double enamel lined can. This is a special enamel that is corrosive resistant. They are 2 to 3 times as rigid as a supermarket can. The boxes are double test, and they are white to reflect the light and keep the heat out, which is a must for long term storage. RRF are packed using automated equipment in a unique process that removes the oxygen and replaces it with an inert atmosphere using nitrogen. An inert environment cannot support life so no bacteria can survive and therefore no decomposition can take place. This giving the food it's extended shelf life of 7 to 15 years. RRF does "real time testing" on their foods, beyond the standard shelf life. RRF has "real time" tested their foods for over 26 years.

For ordering information click here

Units of measure:

A #2 1/2 can measures about 4" in diameter and 4 1/2" tall. If filled with water it would hold about 1 quart.

A #10 can measures about 6" in diameter by 7" tall. If filled with water it would hold about 1 US gallon.

A food reserve for 2 adults for one year takes about as much space as a refrigerator and can easily be stored in a closet or under a bed.

With over 100 products RRF storage units are nutritionally well balanced, providing the needed calories, vitamins (except Vitamin C), protein and carbohydrates for optimum health. In times of stress the lack of adequate vitamins and minerals can cause serious disease in only a few months. We also have Survival Tablets, a convenient, lightweight, lifesaving food ration for emergencies. These foods supply best possible nutrition in the smallest possible volume.

The variety of grains, fruits, vegetables, ,desserts, drinks and more makes menu planning easy. Every can comes with instructions and/or recipes. We also sell recipe books to help you create delicious meals with variety that your family will enjoy eating.

Although you can eat most of the RRF right from the can if you had to, the best way to prepare most of the foods is to rehydrate them. Each can provides specific instructions on how to prepare the contents.

**Please Note: all the RRF cans and kits are dehydrated, so water is required the best preparation.

Don't forget the water. It is essential to your LIFE - not just to rehydrate food!

We also sell water containers, pump, spigots, purifying tablets, water filter systems, water purification drops, hand operated grain mills, battery and solar powered radios, heat reflective blankets and more.

Definitions:

Low moisture or dehydrated foods have most of the water content drawn out through modern air drying methods. The end result is a product that is much lighter and up to 80% less bulk than "wet pack foods". This drying technique gives food an extended shelf life. When compared to supermarket "wet pack" can goods, RRF are 5 to 10 times lighter depending on the product. To create the highest quality stored food in the industry, RRF dries all foods from raw and as close to garden fresh as possible. Natural enzymes are locked in to assure easy assimilation of the vitamins and minerals from the food. Because these foods are dehydrated they can be stored in an extremely cold environment; no worries about the contents freezing as there will be no expansion or degradation in the product as there is with contents that contain water.

Nitrogen Packing RRF are vacuum packed and during this process an inert atmosphere is introduced into each can. This atmosphere consists mostly of nitrogen which displaces the oxygen in the can. Since oxygen is the number one factor in the breakdown of food, the shelf life is extended to 7 to 15 years longer.

Freeze Dried Foods These foods have almost all the moisture removed. The food is quick frozen and then super heated causing all the water to vapourize into steam. The primary advantage of this method is processing of meat products. However these products retain their bulkiness as if they are still a wet product.

Extreme Survival

Having to survive under extreme conditions could be a result of many things. The one thing we want to focus on is terrorism. Since 9/11 we have lived under the constant threat of terrorism. Although not much has happened, it certainly has made us more aware of what goes on around us. Many North Americans have fallen back into their daily rituals and feel that it won’t or can’t happen to them. We strongly feel that this is a real possibility. The 3000+ people in the World Trade Center did not expect to die that day. Something you may want to keep in mind is that these terrorists have no time schedule. They will make their move when it is least expected. They are prepared to wait for as long as it takes.

So what do you do to prepare? First consider your location. Watch the news and decide if you are in a high-target area. Places such as New York and Los Angeles fit this description. If you are in a high-target area, you will need to do more in the way of preparation.

Make sure you know what you have on hand for an extreme emergency. Keep an inventory and update it regularly. Food and water are the most important followed by shelter, temperature protection & comfort and appropriate clothing. Be ready to leave town if it is necessary.

Have a plan for your family. Set up a central location where you will all can meet in the event of an emergency. Quickly assess whether you have to leave town or if you can safely stay at home and wait it out.

Suggestion from FEMA - What to do in Case of Home Emergencies

Use flashlights - do not turn on electrical switches if you suspect damage.

Check for fires hazards and other household hazards.

Sniff for gas leaks starting at the water heater. If you smell gas or suspect damage turn off the main gas valve; open windows and get everyone outside quickly.

Shut off any other damage utilities.

Clean up spilled liquids, medication, bleach, gasoline and other flammables immediately.

Confine or secure pets.

Call your family contact and do not use the phone again unless there is a life-threatening emergency.

Check on your neighbours, especially the elderly or disabled.

Make sure you have an adequate water supply in case the main service is cut off or you are unable to pump from your well.

Stay away from fallen power lines.

Remember! FIRE! WIRE! GAS! GLASS!

Be in control of your future by being prepared for things you have no control over!

We treat customers in the way we would like to be treated.

Contact Us: Telephone: toll free at 1-888-810-4709 Parry Sound,Northern Ontario,Muskoka and Georgian Bay
Send mail to: info@enviroharvest.ca with questions or comments about our product or web site.