Sunday, September 19, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
National Preparedness Month September 2010
September is National Preparedness Month. This is a good time to review how well prepared we are for emergencies. I would like to refer everyone to the following web sites for some great information on preparedness:
SEPTEMBER – Heating/Cooking
Purchase: Alternative cooking device, fire starters
(Camp stove, stove in a can/Sterno, Dutch oven)
Rotate: Fuels (sternos, charcoal, etc, check propane cans/tanks)
Organize: Camping and cooking equipment
Learn: Cooking without electricity, Learn how to make solar, reflective stoves
To Do: Use a recipe with your food storage
Notes on Heating and Cooking
Heating and cooking without electricity are skills we must all learn to do. There are several options we can use when our power is out. Barbeque grills, camp stoves, Dutch ovens and portable can cooking devices can be used. All will need good ventilation (must use outside) as they all need oxygen to burn and will give off toxic CO gas. Many people will have several propane tanks in storage which can handle many weeks of cooking with your barbeque grill or camp stove. Please be aware that propane and white gas can be very dangerous and explosive, so store them safely. Charcoal briquettes for Dutch ovens are much safer to store. With Dutch ovens, you can have warmth and cook just about anything with these ovens. There are also several types and sizes of canned heat. Sterno fuel is a formulation of denatured alcohol, water and gel. It is perfectly safe when used as directed. Cans may last from 45 minutes to 2-1/2 hours and can be reused if fuel is still remaining. It is recommended, however, replacing Sterno cooking fuel 2 years after purchase. Solar ovens are the new thing now. One can cook most any meal using the sun's rays. No fuel, no mess. However the drawbacks are: you must cook during the day and cannot be cloudy and overcast. Solar ovens are a great alternative option to have.
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