No one can predict when or where the next disaster will occur. However, when it happens, conventional wisdom says that you need to be prepared to survive for a period of three days to a week without running water, electricity or access to stores for food and medicines.
For the past few years, the Defense Commissary Agency has promoted disaster preparedness through its "What's In Your Closet" campaign. That effort continues as commissaries stock large amounts of nonperishable foods, water, batteries and more to encourage customers to collect the necessities they may need in the event of an emergency.
"Although hurricane season started June 1, a natural or man-made disaster can occur anytime and without warning," said DeCA Director and Chief Executive Officer Philip E. Sakowitz Jr. "We owe it to the military community we serve to help them be ready for any emergency. That preparation can be done at savings of 30 percent or more by using their commissary benefit."
DeCA stores in certain geographic regions have routinely helped customers prepare their emergency survival kits with items related to the disasters that tend to strike in those areas. This year, DeCA has gone a step further and added disaster preparedness items to its "summer club pack" product assortment. Club packs are oversized or multiple products similar to the bulk items sold at commercial warehouse club outlets. DeCA offers seasonal club packs that often cater to holidays and certain events such as "Back to School" or in this case, disaster preparedness.
The latest summer club pack includes several types of emergency lights and flashlights, batteries, a household fire suppression device and a first aid kit. The pack already included nonperishable foods such as canned green beans, peas, corn, fruit cocktail, cases of water, juices and sports drinks, energy bars, crackers and cookies, vienna sausages, cereals, pop tarts, nuts, pet food, toilet tissue, paper towels, disinfectant wipes, diapers, trash bags and plastic flatware.
"Our suppliers have always worked with us to keep our stores stocked with the items that our customers need in the aftermath of a disaster," said Charlie Dowlen, promotions manager for DeCA's sales directorate. "In some areas, suppliers have pre-positioned pallets of emergency-related items at major distribution points, especially in the Southeast, to move to needed locations rapidly."
Before the next disaster occurs, DeCA is asking its customers to check their emergency preparedness and ensure their survival kit includes the following:
Customers can find out more about what should be in their emergency closet clicking on DeCA's disaster preparedness page. For more information on disaster preparedness, visit these sites: www.fema.gov; www.dhs.gov; www.redcross.org.