PNA has been following the City of Lake Oswego’s adoption of the Be 2 Weeks Ready (B2WR) Program. Oregon has faced a series of emergencies, including floods, droughts, wildfires, ice storms, heatwaves, and a pandemic. These events show the critical importance of being prepared. The Oregon Office of Emergency Management (OEM) aims to empower people to prepare effectively because once a disaster occurs, preparation time is over. This is why individuals, families, and communities should strive to “Be 2 Weeks Ready.”
“Eat what you buy and buy what you eat!
(Don’t buy 50 pounds of beans or rice if nobody in your family likes these.)”
– Rick Eilers, PNA Emergency Preparedness Committee Coordinator
For information regarding Oregon’s overall efforts, click here.
Food Plan
Creating a food plan is essential for being prepared for emergencies, ensuring that you and your household, including pets, have enough non-perishable food to last two weeks. This plan involves gathering, storing, and preparing food without electricity or gas.
Key Steps:
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Safety Considerations:
- Avoid eating refrigerated food after four hours without power and discard any thawed frozen food.
- Discard food left at room temperature for over two hours.
- Use non-perishable, pasteurized milk quickly after opening.
- Never cook indoors with barbecues or grills due to carbon monoxide and fire risks; use safe alternatives like camp stoves.
- Discard damaged or expired canned goods and maintain cleanliness to reduce fire hazards.
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Food Selection:
- Choose familiar, non-refrigerated foods with long shelf lives, such as canned meats, protein bars, and dried foods.
- Consider special dietary needs and avoid salty foods to reduce thirst.
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Food Storage:
- Get creative with storage spaces, like under furniture, and declutter to create more room.
- Protect bagged items from pests and regularly rotate supplies to avoid expiration.
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Cooking Without Power:
- Plan for indoor cooking with alternatives like Sterno, wood-burning stoves, or alcohol burners.
- For outdoor cooking, consider charcoal, propane, or wood as fuel sources.
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Other Considerations:
- Use disposable or easy-to-clean utensils to minimize water use.
- Regularly eat from your stash to prevent food from expiring.
For more resources and food assistance, visit websites like www.ready.gov and www.oregonfoodbank.org.
