Food & Water Shortage

Keep canned and dry foods on hand. Without electricity, food in the refrigerator will spoil and you may not be able to cook. Generally, canned and dry foods have a shelf life of at least one year. Keep enough food to last each member of the family for a week. Don't forget food for your pets. For your canned food, you'll need a manual can opener. You may also want to keep disposable plates, cups and utensils. You can print a complete checklist of earthquake supplies.

Water should be the primary concern. The human body cannot survive more than a few days without it. Damaged water lines may result in contaminated water or no water at all. Your best bet is to keep plenty of bottled water on hand. Generally, each person will need between two quarts and a gallon per day. So keep 1-7 gallons per person on hand just to be safe. If there is still water in your tap, you'll need to disinfect it. Find directions on how to make your water safe.