Disaster Readiness and Emergency Safety Tips

Use these tips to prepare when a storm is brewing as well as for recovery after the storm.

Before a Natural Disaster

• Find alternative sources of water:
  • Certified bottled water in factory-sealed containers and more facts about bottled water
  • Rainwater collected in clean, food-grade storage containers; boil before drinking to kill bacteria
  • Water from the freshwater storage tank behind the toilet (not the bowl) can be used if boiled first
• Review disaster readiness tips including a disaster supply checklist

After a Natural Disaster

NSF offers these helpful tips for water treatment, clean-up, sanitation and food safety:

• Emergency Drinking Water Treatment
  • Boil water to destroy most bacteria, cysts and viruses
  • Use purification tablets, certified distillers, filters and reverse osmosis units
  • Use liquid, not granular, household bleach, following these instructions from the EPA website
• Cleaning Up After a Flood and Sanitation in Disaster Situations
  • Avoid pushing dirt or bacteria further into your home by starting the cleaning process where food is prepared and work outward into the rest of the home
  • Sanitize using a bleach/water mixture or other sanitizing agent specifically formulated to kill germs and bacteria
  • Have septic systems pumped and checked after flooding subsides
  • Use certified water filters on faucets to ensure contaminants are reduced in drinking water
• Emergency Food Safety Tips
  • Discard all food that came in contact with flood waters, including canned goods
  • Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples and pacifiers as there is no way to safely clean and sanitize them
  • Wash heat-resistant dishes and cookware in a certified dishwasher on the sanitizing cycle or by hand and dip them in a solution of one capful of bleach and one gallon of water

Contact NSF if you have any additional questions.