So you’ve followed the emergency preparedness guidance of the experts by stocking up on food storage for yourself and your family. No matter what the future brings, your outlook is bright because you know you’re ready for even the direst times. But how long will your preparation efforts last? Do they have an expiration date? There are varying points of view on this topic, but the short answer is your food storage will have a “sustain life” shelf life of at least 20 years.

There are many conflicting opinions on this issue. The main problem with the lack of expiration date consistency is there are different levels of food expiration.  When your food is used within the “best if used by” range, you will experience its full taste and nutritional value. When your food is stored longer, chemical changes can occur. Over time, minerals and carbohydrates in food do not transform much. Proteins and fats, however, can deteriorate in quality and cause off-tasting food. Vitamins are also susceptible to heat, light, and oxygen destruction.

 Calorie intake is the most important life sustaining factor. Because calories do not mutate or fade drastically over time, the life of food storage products has more than one level.

If you want your food storage to have the best taste and highest nutrients, it is recommended that most items be used within 2-5 years. However, if you plan to use your food storage to sustain life, many items can last up to 20+ years. Once opened, most foods should be used within 6-18 months. However, many opened foods can remain life sustaining for up to 5 years if they are kept well covered and stored in a cool, dry area.

Please see the table below for our “best if used by” recommendations.

To maximize the taste, nutritional value, and shelf life of your food storage, follow these tips:

· Keep cans open for the least amount of time possible.

· To maximize freshness, keep oxygen absorbers in your opened cans.

· Scoop food out of your cans instead of pouring. Doing this will limit oxygen intake.

· Reseal your opened cans with their plastic coverings.

· Store your food in a dark, dry, cool place (a garage or cold storage area is highly recommended).

· Limit your opened cans’ contact with humidity.

It was the summer of 2001.

I was eighteen.

And I was moving away to college.

I was a bit of a pack rat growing up, a trait I was constantly nagged about. My mom often lamented that getting rid of a few things couldn’t hurt. My dad wondered why I insisted on buying more when I already had so much. But my take on the whole thing was you can never be sure of when something might just come in handy. Plus, who doesn’t need more stuff? Isn’t having stuff what makes the world go round? And what if I was to throw something away only to find I desperately needed it a few days later?

Anyway, from clothes, to old school papers, to books, I used to keep a healthy supply of could-be-important-someday items.

I was set in this frame of thought right up to the day I moved to college. Moving away from home was a big deal for me. I wanted to make sure I had all my bases covered. To make sure I was completely prepared for college life, I naturally wanted to take EVERYTHING I owned with me. And I wanted to do it all at once. I just wanted to get it over with.

The day I left home I somehow fit everything I could imagine needing into my small Toyota Corolla. My parent’s doubt that I would be able to do this motivated me even more. That car was full-believe me! I said goodbye to my family, drove off, threw my caution to the wind, and breathed a sigh of relief to finally be away from the chains of home.

My drive to college was a total of four hours. The first two went great.

And then I hit a hill…

The beginning of my trip was a breeze, but there are steep inclines in the road I was travelling on. As I began to trek up the first steep hill, my “check engine” light came on and my car slowed to about 5 miles per hour.

I got over the right shoulder and tried to make it up the rest of the way. Unfortunately, my car pretty much stopped. It became very clear I wasn’t going to get anywhere in my current situation. Although I had all the belongings I thought I could ever need, I had nothing that could help me where I was. I had no cell phone, food, water, flashlight, or flares…yeah - pretty much nothing.

To make matters worse, it was 11:00 PM and the next town was six miles away! With no cell phone or other means of communication, I had no choice but to start walking.

To my great fortune, I’d taken about 20 steps when an Avante Windows truck driver pulled over to see if he could help (I still can’t believe he saw me at such a late hour on an unlit road). Knowing the company he was driving for, I knew he wasn’t going to kill me. So I let him help.

We found out that my car was overheating due to the large amount of weight I had bee so eager to carry. To my great fortune, the trucker was going in my direction and he offered to haul my load in his truck. After unloading my car and filling his trailer, I was back on the road. I got to college safely and all my belongings came along with me.

As I think back now, I was not only incredibly stupid as a know-it-all-eighteen-year-old, I was also extremely lucky. I made it safely that night, but how many others haven’t? Walking alone on the side of the road at 11:00 PM is not safe! I got myself into that situation by not heeding the warnings of my parents who so often tried to remind me that I didn’t need to own everything in the world much less haul it all in one trip. It’s funny that having so much meant nothing when an emergency arose. The only thing my prized possessions had to offer was a large case of roadside trouble.

With a few small changes, this situation would have been completely avoided. First, I should have listened to my parents, who, it turns out, are usually right when it comes to situations like this. I also found that with everything I owned, I had no emergency or communication devices.

I was remembering this situation the other day and it reminded me of the importance of being prepared at all times, especially during times of rest. We often get stuck at the most inopportune times in the most unlikely situations. Of course, we should be prepared for the big disasters life can bring. But being prepared when everything seems to be in order is the only way to guarantee safety and peace of mind when difficulty arises.

Since 2004, hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis combined have killed over 680,000 people worldwide. The most recent event that added to this growing death toll was the Sichuan Province earthquake which took place on May 12^th of this year. The first time I heard the devastating news of this disaster, the death count was around 8,000. Today, that number has risen to over 67,000.

It seems to me that the last few years have delivered a higher frequency of large-scale natural disasters. Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of these events is we can’t predict their coming. And even when we have some idea of where and when they’ll strike, we can never be sure. A good example of this is hurricanes Jeanne and Ivan. I was living in Tampa, Florida the year these hurricanes hit. During the approach of both storms, we were informed that our area would be directly affected. After a lot of emotional stress and worry, we were fortunately spared from the devastation. This, of course, meant that millions of people who were told they were not anywhere near the hurricanes’ paths were stricken with the full force of these destructive forces.

Thinking about history’s recent events has prompted me to learn the best ways to prepare for the three major causes of natural disaster deaths: earthquakes, tsunamis, and hurricanes. Because earthquakes have been most prevalent in recent news, I decided to start my research there.

The beginnings of my investigation were met with a very compelling article by Doug Copp, a self-proclaimed survival expert. Contrary to most of our grade school instruction involving getting under a large piece of furniture (like a desk or table), covering our heads, and holding on, Doug Copp’s earthquake survival measures entail lying next to a large object such as a couch or bed. This, he says, will save lives because large items do not compact. Instead, they leave a triangular void around their perimeter. These areas are most commonly knows as “triangles of life.”

Copp’s article contains many persuasive yet controversial survival measures. For example, he advises his readers to get out and lie next to their cars in an earthquake. According to Copp, this increases the chance for survival because cars, being very large and heavy, create sizeable triangular voids.

While deciding to write this post, I was hoping to find a new twist on the best earthquake survival methods; this article seemed to be the perfect solution. It is fascinating and completely different from what I was taught growing up. Although I was quite excited by what I read, I decided to research Doug Copp before posting his advice list. After about 20 minutes fishing around Google, my bubble was burst. I have yet to find anything positive written about this guy. In fact, several survival groups and scientists have refuted his advice saying it’s irresponsible and not applicable to building structures and codes in the United States.

I’ve never met or spoken to Doug Copp or the organizations refuting his advice. But after reading both sides of the story, I’ve decided that sticking with the advice of FEMA and the American Red Cross will most likely yield the best survival results in an earthquake. These organizations, being dedicated to disaster prevention and recovery, are well versed in the methods of Doug Copp; they have not been persuaded by his survival techniques.

According to the American Red Cross, earthquake preparedness and recovery should entail the following:

Prepare a Home Earthquake Plan

• Choose a safe place in every room where nothing can fall on you.
• Practice DROP, COVER AND HOLD ON at least twice a year. Drop under a sturdy desk or table, hold on, and protect your eyes by pressing your face against your arm. If there’s no table or desk nearby, sit on the floor against an interior wall away from windows, bookcases, or tall furniture that could fall on you.
• Teach children to DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON!
• Choose an out-of-town family contact.
• Consult a professional to find out additional ways you can protect your home
• Take a first aid class and keep your training current.
• Get training in how to use a fire extinguisher.
• Inform babysitters and caregivers of your plan.

Eliminate Hazards

• Bolt bookcases, china cabinets, and other tall furniture to wall studs.
• Install strong latches on cupboards.
• Strap your water heater to wall studs.

Prepare a Disaster Kit for Your Home and Car With

• A First aid kit
• Essential medications.
• Canned food and a can opener.
• At least three gallons of water per person.
• Protective clothing, rainwear, and bedding
• Sleeping bags.
• A battery-powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries.
• Special items for infants, the elderly, and disabled family members.
• Written instructions for how to turn off the gas, electricity, and water if authorities advise you to do so.

Know What to do When the Shaking Begins

• DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON! Move only a few steps to a nearby safe place.
• Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you’re sure it’s safe to exit.
• Stay away from windows.
• In a high-rise building, expect the fire alarms and sprinklers to go off during a quake.
• If you are in bed, hold on and stay there. Protect your head with a pillow.
• If you are outdoors, find a clear spot away from buildings, trees, and power lines. Drop to the ground.
• If you are in a car, slow down and drive to a clear place. Stay in the car until the shaking stops.

Identify What to Do After the Shaking Stops

• Check yourself for injuries. Protect yourself from further danger by putting on long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, sturdy shoes, and work gloves.
• Check others for injuries.
• Administer first aid to those with serious injuries.
• Look for and extinguish small fires. Turn off the gas if you smell gas or think it’s leaking.
• Listen to the radio for instructions.
• Expect aftershocks. Each time you feel one, DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON!
• Inspect your home for damage. Get everyone out if your home is unsafe.
• Use the telephone only to report life-threatening emergencies.

*Information courtesy of the American National Red Cross. All rights reserved in all countries.

**For tips on hurricane and tsunami preparation, please visit http://www.shelfreliance.com/library/view/eks