| | How can Faith-Based and Community-Based Organizations (FBCOs) help to ensure that people have food and water during an influenza pandemic?
Category: Food, Water, & Air Safety Questions
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Answer:Your congregation or organization can help during a pandemic in the following ways: - Emphasize the importance of stockpiling extra food supplies to have on hand during a pandemic, as you may not be able to get to a store or stores may be out of supplies.
- Work with your local water utility or public health authorities to notify the community about the supply and quality of community water. Although there may be disruptions in water service, you should assume that drinking water supplies will be safe. If community water supplies are not safe to drink during a pandemic, your local water utility or public health authorities will notify the community.
- Encourage families with more resources to gather supplies, not only to support themselves, but also to support one or two other families. The federal government recommends that individuals and families keep a two-week supply of nonperishable food and water in case there are disruptions in their availability. However, if the pandemic is severe, community disruption may last for a longer period.
- Prepare to help with food distribution through local food banks and Meals-on-Wheels programs. Such programs can be adapted in a way that will avoid close contact between food distributors and recipient families, while also ensuring the provision of necessary supplies.
Example of Faith-Based and Community-Based Organizations (FBCOs) ensuring that people have food and water during an influenza pandemic. Ensuring adequate supplies of food and water is an important part of pandemic planning. For example, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Humanitarian Emergency Response maintains a Web site that members can access for preparedness information and to share techniques for surviving. In a May 2007 article, one member described how he and his family made preparations for food storage. When he lost his job, he and his family decided to use the loss of income as a learning experience. They practiced living entirely on stored food to determine how well prepared they really were. At first, it wasn’t difficult, because their cupboards were full of everyday foods. However, as the food supply began to dwindle, they had to do more planning to provide nutritious meals. They learned to drink reconstituted powdered milk and to use dehydrated vegetables, rice, beans, bouillon powder, and potato flakes. Spices, cooking herbs, bottled flavorings, baking powder, baking soda, and yeast were helpful in the effort. The church member noted how living on stored food with a family of young children could be a real challenge, because children won’t eat things they don’t like. Providing informational resources to the community as this example shows can provide families and individuals with real life strategies for coping in a pandemic or other emergency.
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Last Updated:11/06/2007
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