By The Ready Store

How much water do you think you use on a daily basis? Depending on your personal hygiene preferences:  5 gallons? 10 gallons? 20 gallons?

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the average American uses 80 – 100 gallons of water per day! In fact, over 410 billion gallons of water are withdrawn from the country’s water supply each day!

Now imagine that supply wasn’t available. What would you do? That’s why having an emergency water supply is so important – not only for natural disasters but water outages and other problems.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, recommends that you have 1 gallon of water per person per day. That means if you want to prepare for a month for a family of four, you’d need about 120 gallons of water!

You can see how water storage preparations would begin to add up!

That’s why our new 500 gallon water tank is a great way to help you prepare. This behemoth tank is a great way to prepare for a long time to come!

Good material. The lining is BPA-free with heavy-duty walls that are ¼” thick. The walls are made from food-grade high-density polyethylene. That means you can store water in it and not worry about harsh, man-made chemicals.

Space saving comparison. With the 500 gallon tank, you’ll save on space compared to 500 gallons of the equivalent tanks. The 500 gallon tank measures 4 feet wide by 5 ½ feet tall. That’s not much space when considering how much water you get!

How long will it last? If you follow FEMA’s recommendation of preparing 1 gallon of water per person per day, you’ll obviously be cutting back on your water consumption. If you chose to use more water per day, the 500 gallon tank would still last! You can use this chart to plan for your family’s needs:

Questions?
If you have any questions about the 500 gallon tank, we’d love to help! Post your questions below and we’ll answer!

By The Ready Store

WaterBricks began as a smart way to transport water to impoverished countries while helping them build their communities. Now, WaterBricks have become a durable, vertsatile water storage option for millions of Americans!

Check out how WaterBrick started, how you might be able to use the WaterBrick and demonstrations on just how durable a WaterBrick can be!

History
Adams came up with the idea of the WaterBrick – an interlocking brick water container that could double as housing. The water would be delivered to those in need and then they would be able to use the bricks to create shelter and housing for their communities.

The Ready Store was the first company in the nation to begin selling WaterBricks back in 2010. Now, they are recognized as a high-quality, dependable source of water storage in the industry!

Building A House
WaterBricks were designed so that once the contents were emptied, you can reuse the container to create a transitional housing. It doesn’t require a foundation or mortar, just stack them and run a ¾” PVC pipe vertically along the grooves and it joins together. They are surprisingly strong.

Please note that WaterBricks are not an approved building product in the United States.

Storage Variety
WaterBricks are great for camping, home water storage, boating or even transporting other materials in a food-grade container. Some people use them for transporting ammo, paintballs or other materials. You can even freeze the WaterBricks to make giant ice cubes.

With the interlocking peices, you can strap them to campers, RVs or even use them handles to carry them around.

Durable
The WaterBricks are so durable that they can stop a bullet! The bricks are 9 inches long and most bullets didn’t get half way through the brick.

We even decided to throw one off our roof to see what happened. Take a look:

By The Ready Store

While many of us are excited for the hot weather of summer, others are worried about another type of heat: Wildfires!

Groups like the Westcoast Wildland Strike Teams, based in Portland, Ore., spend weeks on end camping out fighting wildfires across the coast.

And while fighting fires to protect our communities, who do the Westcoast Wildland Strike Teams depend on? The Ready Store!

We were so excited to receive this letter last week from Kevin Hawke, Engine Boss and Emergency Medical Technician for the WWST.

Dear The Ready Store,

On behalf of Westcoast Wildland Strike Teams from Portland, Oregon, I would like to extend a big “thank you!” for providing us with such great products for our busy fire seasons.

While out fighting forest fires all summer my engine crew is often “spike camped,” which means we must stay out in the woods for several weeks at a time, and we are in charge of our own food and water supply. Proper nutrition is vital while working 20 hour shifts, and we appreciate an easily prepared hot meal to keep us going strong.

The MRE’s, #10 cans, and freeze-dried food pouches store perfectly in our engine compartments, and can withstand the bumpy conditions of our engines driving up and over bumpy logging roads all day.

While covered from head to toe with black ash, and nodding off from exhaustion, the last thing I want to think about is how to prepare food for up to 16 firefighters. The MRE’s, the freeze-dried food in #10 cans, and the pouches are considered delicacies out there compared to the “food” we are given by the commanding agency.

We also have a few vegetarians in our company, so we appreciate the vegetarian options available.

We will continue to use The Ready Store exclusively as our food and water supplier!

Once again we extend a big THANK YOU, and we will continue to use your products while we are protecting life, property, and the environment. Have a great day!

Kevin Hawke
Engine Boss & Emergency Medical Technician
Westcoast Wildland Strike Teams

Thank you Kevin for protecting us! We hope to continue making good products that your strike team will enjoy!

If you’d like to send us an e-mail about our products, you can e-mail customerservice@thereadystore.com. You can also review a specific product by clicking on “Add Your Review” next to the product photo after logging into your account.

You can also receive 50 ReadyRewards points for each review you do! (Limit 10 reviews per day.)

By The Ready Store

We’re excited to tell you that The Ready Store will be participating in the Great Utah ShakeOut on April 17th at 10:15 am!

The ShakeOut is a state-wide earthquake drill planned to help businesses, organizations, families and individuals prepare for an earthquake in Utah!

On Feb. 7, 2012, nine states in the Midwest participated in one of the largest earthquake drills ever in the area. Over 2.4 million people registered for the event in Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi.

Similar drills have occurred in other areas of the United States. Now, the ShakeOut drills are spreading across the nation to states like Utah, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. They also have drills planned internationally in Tokyo, New Zealand, British Columbia and more!

Here is a video that Be Ready Utah put together for the event. The video explains the effects of the earthquake would have on the state of Utah.

If you are a Utah resident and would like to participate in the drill, visit Shakeout.org/Utah to register.

They also supply videos, manuals and other resources that you can use to prepare and train those around you!

By The Ready Store

Most people know that there are microscopic organisms in backcountry water that can make you sick. But how prevalent are these organisms?

Many people have tolerances to certain types of organisms in water and thus think that they don’t need to treat any of their water! However, there are many protozoa, bacteria and viruses that can cause severe illness.

Here are a few of the most common and threatening organisms, advised by Ray Brooks.

Protozoa
Protozoa are the most common disease causing organisms in backcountry water. They are also the largest and easiest to remove with microfiltration. However, they are the hardest to kill with chemicals.

Cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidium is a type of protozoa that is found in 97 percent of the rivers and lakes found the in the United States. In 1991, two studies found cryptosporidium present in 65 – 87 percent of U.S. surface water samples.

Giardia. Giardia is just as common as cryptosporidium in backcountry water. It’s estimated that 2- 5 percent of people have giardia at a given time in the U.S. In fact, from 1979 – 1988, an estimated 4,600 people were hospitalized per year as a result of giardia. The CDC reports during 1991 – 2000 show that giardia was a cause of 16.2 percent of reported infectious outbreaks spread through drinking water.

If you become infected with giardia or cryptosporidium symptoms can be very intense. They include watery diarrhea, abdominal cramping, weight loss, fever and vomiting.

The hard part about identifying protozoan infections is that they typically have a long incubation period. It typically takes 5 – 28 days before symptoms appear. Until 2005, people had to let these infections run its course. However, now a drug called Alinia can help.

You can also treat water with Katadyn or MSR microfilters to remove protozoa. Chlorine dioxide is also helpful in killing cryptosporidium.

Bacteria
Bacteria that is found in backcountry water that affects humans, is the same type of bacteria that is found in improperly processed meat. The method of transmission is the same – through traces of feces contamination.

Campylobacter jejuni. This is one one of the most common bacteria in backcountry water. C. jejuni can survive in high-altitudes. It can also survive in surface water for months at a time. C. jejuni can be carried by poultry, horses, cows, waterfowl, rodents, deer, elk and bears.

C. jejuni affects an estimated 1 million people every year. Symptoms include diarrhea, cramping, abdominal pain and fever. Symptoms usually arrive within 2 – 5 days of ingestion. Illness usually lasts a week.

E. coli. E. coli actually consists of four classes. These four classes cause gastroenteritis in humans. Symptoms include watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, low-grade fever, nausea and malaise. E. coli is usually found in the intestines.

Salmonella typhi. People affected by salmonella typhi know it by its common name – Typhoid Fever. There are about 400 cases reported in the U.S. each year and the majority of these cases originated from international travel. Typhoid fever can be life-threatening and it’s recommended that you get an immunization shot or booster before traveling internationally.

Cholera. Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The infection causes severe vomiting, leg cramping, water diarrhea and a rapid loss of body fluids. Without treatment, cholera can cause death within hours.

Bacteria can be removed from water through Katadyn, MSR filters and purification tablets.

Viruses
Viruses in water have only one source – human feces from infected carriers. The majority of outbreaks occur due to cross contamination. Outbreaks have also occurred from well or river water contaminated with raw sewage.

Enteric adenovirus & astroviruses. Enteric adenovirus is the most common virus found in water. It can cause respiratory problems but can also cause illnesses such as gastroenteritis, conjunctivitis, cystitis and rash illness. Enteric adenovirus causes 5 – 20 percent of the gastroenteritis in young children.

Norovirus and the calcivirus group. Noroviruses symptoms include headaches, fever, vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms usually appear within 48 hours. Norovirus can survive in up to 10 ppm chlorine – well above the levels used in public water systems. You can, however, treat norovirus with chlorine dioxide at 1 ppm in 30 minutes.

Rotavirus. One of the hard things about rotavirus is that it has an incubation period of 2 days. Symptoms include vomiting and watery diarrhea for 3 – 8 days. They are usually accompanied by fever and abdominal pain. Children are particularly affected by rotavirus and account for the hospitalization of 55,000 children in the U.S. each year.

Hepatitis A. Hepatitis A can be very prevalent in water outside the U.S.. However, it can be present in backcountry water in our borders. Hepatitis A affects liver functions and can cause long-term problems. It’s recommended that you get an immunizations shot for international travel.

Enteroviruses. This family of viruses includes 62 separate viruses that can infect humans. Most of the viruses cause cold- or flu-like symptoms. However, some of them can cause Polio, aseptic meningitis and more.

To combat viruses in water, you should first use a microfilter, then treat the water for 15 minutes with chlorine dioxide.

Other concerns
Blue-green algae. Also known as Cyanobacteria, this algae can affect water’s color and smell. You should try and avoid cyanobacteria water, however, if you’re forced to use that water, try and filter water where the algae doesn’t seem to be as thick. Be sure to run the water through activated charcoal. Microfilters will remove the majority of the toxins.

Contaminated water. You’ve probably seen pools that have a skull-and-cross-bones sign in front of them. These pools are usually contaminated with metal deposits or chemicals. While activated charcoal will remove many organic chemicals, it probably won’t remove metals, salts, or carbonates.

According to a recent joint report by United States intelligence agencies, global water shortages could lead to conflict and possible war between nations.

The report was requested by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. While the report notes that the risk of war would be minimal within the next 10 years, that the risk will increase after 2022 – particularly in the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia.

The report is based on a classified National Intelligence Estimate on water security… It says floods, scarce and poor quality water, combined with poverty, social tension, poor leadership and weak governments will contribute to instability that could lead the failure of numerous states.

Those elements “will likely increase the risk of instability and state failure, exacerbate regional tensions and distract countries from working with the United States on important policy objectives,” said the report, which was released at a State Department event commemorating World Water Day.

Clinton, who unveiled a new U.S. Water Partnership that aims to share American water management expertise with the rest of the world, called the findings “sobering.”

“These threats are real and they do raise serious security concerns,” she said. (Read the Huffington Post article.)

Fresh water needs have been growing over the past few decades. In fact, demand for fresh water is projected to increase by 55 percent by 2050. There is bound to be more natural competition for water supplies.

The report also notes that countries could use water as a weapon.

The report predicts that upstream nations — more powerful than their downstream neighbors due to geography — will limit access to water for political reasons and that countries will regulate internal supplies to suppress separatist movements and dissident populations. (Read the MSNBC article.)

Since water supplies could be so precious, the report also notes that water-related infrastructure, like dams and reservoirs; could become frequent targets of terrorist attacks. Even if an attack is not successful, a threat to U.S. water structures could increase spending among citizens and cause costly government measures for protection.

On the plus side, speakers highlighted a report released earlier this month showing that the world’s nations achieved a U.N. goal of cutting in half the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water five years ahead of the 2015 target. (Read the Huffington Post article.)

By The Ready Store

According to humanitarian aid organizations, natural disasters have increased over the last 40 years. They also report that emergency-aid organizations are facing unique challenges in the future.

Increased urbanization
According to the Cooperative Housing Foundation, a major problem of disasters is the increased amount of people who are moving to cities.

The level of world urbanization today and the number and size of the world’s largest cities are unprecedented. At the beginning of the twentieth century, just 16 cities in the world—the vast majority in advanced industrial countries-contained a million people or more. Today, almost 400 cities contain a million people or more, and about seventy percent of them are found in the developing world. By … 2017 the developing world is likely to have become more urban in character than rural. (Read the National Academies Organization report.)

Increased frequency of disasters
According to the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, natural disasters have drastically increased since the 1970s.

The number of reported events [natural disasters] has more than quadrupled, from 78 reported in 1970 to 348 in 2004. Not only is the frequency of these events increasing, but more people are being affected than ever before. Urban populations are expected to surge to nearly 5 billion by 2030. The UN expects nearly all population growth over the next few decades to occur in the cities of middle and low income countries.

That’s why many are predicting that 21st century disasters will be exceptionally calamitous. Last year’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan was the most expensive natural disaster in history, costing an estimated $235 billion. Not only is the economic toll higher, but in cities with poor building codes, the human toll is considerable, as evidenced by the 2010 earthquake in Haiti that killed hundreds of thousands of people. (Read the Forbes article.)

Recommendations
Courtney Brown, from the CHF International, said there are three things that government and organizations can do to respond natural disasters:

Assistance should focus on communities, not households. She debates that in rural communities, self-sufficiency is needed. While self-sufficiency is recommended for urban people too, she debates that it might not be as needful in communities that already have infrastructure in place to help one another.

Urban livelihoods should be protected. She proposes that emergency plans should focus on businesses being able to maintain a supply chain. The quickest way to respond to a disaster would be to keep things normal.

Markets are key. CHF proposes that the majority of relief should go through local markets. In that way, people would be able to buy food, and other goods they need during an emergency. This would allow for the free market to continue without government intervention during an emergency. (Read Brown’s interview with Forbes.)

By The Ready Store

Judy in Chicago had just purchased a new hose for her grandchildren to use as they played in the backyard during the summer.

However, she immediately returned the hose when she got home and read on the label, “Wash hands after use” due to the possibility of leached lead!

Findings
Many commercially bought water hoses contain dangerously high levels of lead which leech into the water flowing through them. In fact, according to Consumer Reports, water sitting in a garden hose that has been left in the sun can contain a level of lead that reaches 100 times over what is considered a safe amount.

Many garden hoses are made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) – a toxic plastic – and lead is often used as a stabilizer in PVC. The dangerous levels of lead in garden hoses could potentially cause lead poisoning, cancer, birth defects and/or reproductive harm. (Read the Natural News article.)

A few years ago, ABC did a report where they purchased 10 garden hoses from nation-wide distributors. They filled the hoses with water, sealed both ends, and allowed them to sit in the sun for a day. The water was then tested for lead.

Four of the 10 hoses were found to leak extremely high levels of lead into the water.

Filling your water storage with a hose
Many people use a simple garden hose to fill their water containers or tanks. This means that if you’re using an unsafe type of hose, you could be storing lead in your water tank!

Obviously, you don’t want to fill your emergency water supplies with lead! By purchasing a lead-free hose or a filter, you can ensure that this won’t happen.

What hoses are safe?
We’d answer that question by saying it’s OK to drink from a hose only if it’s labeled safe or if you flush it first. Otherwise, the water standing inside may contain worrisome amounts of lead and other chemicals that leach from the hose itself. Many hoses are made of polyvinyl chloride, which uses lead as a stabilizer…

When you buy a hose, choose one labeled safe for drinking. With any hose, flush it by letting
the water run for a minute or so before you drink. (Read the Consumer Report article.)

By The Ready Store

Yesterday, we addressed why rotating your water storage was so important. However, we had a lot of questions from people asking how to set up water storage. Here are a few tips to consider:

Type of container
Size. Make sure that the container is big enough for your needs. It’s recommended that you have 14 gallons per person in your family.

UV coated. You want to make sure that light isn’t getting in to your water. This can increase the possibility of contaminant growth inside the container or barrel. You want to make sure that it’s dark inside that tank!

Material. Besides making sure that you have a UV coating on the barrel, you’ll want to make sure that it’s BPA free. With some containers, BPA can seep into the water and create some problems.

Quality. You’ll also want to make sure that each of the containers is durable and won’t warp, crack or split easily.

Preparing the container
When you first purchase the tank or container, it might come with preparation directions. To ensure that the inside is clean, you can use a mild dish soap and clean water to wash out the inside walls, base and lid of the container.

We recommend using a Water Preserver to keep your water safe for 5 years. If you don’t use a water preserver, you’ll have to rotate your water storage every 6 – 12 months.

Installing the container
Place the tank or container in it’s final resting place.

You’ll want to place a wood board or block between the barrel and the cement. If you don’t, toxins from the cement can seep into your water supply. Don’t store water barrels directly on cement!

Fill the container half way. After you fill it half way you can check the seams the valves on your container, if you have them. (This is when you add the preserver.) Once the seals are checked, fill the rest of the container.

If you’re container is larger, you may want to strap the barrel or tank to the wall. This will prevent it from falling in an earthquake. I’ve seen many photos out there of people who staking their water barrels on home-made shelves and if you do this, you need to make sure that they are strapped down securely in case of an earthquake.

If you’d like to see a video demonstration, here ya go!

By The Ready Store

A lot of times, we get the question of how often you should rotate your water storage. Water is one of your most important resources and it’s important to ensure that your water supply is good to drink.

How often?
You should rotate your water every 6-12 months. The reason you’ll want to change out your water supply is to ensure that no bacteria or contaminants are growing in your water supply.

What bottles NOT to use
There are a lot of people out there that say that you can put water your water in any type of containers. However, not all containers are designed to house water for a long time. For example, you’ll probably want to avoid BPA containers.

Although studies support the safety of BPA exposure at low levels, such as those in normal water-bottle use, both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the National Toxicology Program have expressed substantial concerns about the effects of BPA on the endocrine and cardiovascular systems; infants and children are at particular risk. A 2009 study from the Harvard School of Public Health revealed that participants who drank for a week from bottles containing BPA showed a two-thirds increase of BPA in their urine. (Read the National Geographic article.)

How to clean out your container or tank
Cleaning out your container is pretty simple.

1. Wash tank – You’ll want to use a mild soap and water. You’ll probably want to use a house so that you can rinse the container out thoroughly. If you can reach into the container, you can use a scratch pad if you feel that it’s necessary.
2. Rinse it out – Make sure that there is no soap or chemical inside the container once you rinse it out.

Treating the water before storage
A lot of people recommend using chlorine bleach to treat your water before storage. However, this can get pretty tricky – adding too much chlorine can be harmful, adding too little won’t help much.

We recommend the Water Preserver. This little bottle is designed to treat 50 – 55 gallons of water and extends the shelf-life from 12 months to 5 years!