C a c h e Va l l e y F a m i l y M a g a z i n e | F a l l 2 0 1 7
the
RUL E OF
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minutes
You can survive about three minutes without oxygen.
hours You can survive about three hours at a dangerous temperature.
days You can survive about three days without water.
weeks You can survive about three weeks without food.
Young children and the elderly are more susceptible to heat and coldrelated illnesses. A five-degree change in core body temperature can lead to significant health problems. Protect your family with warm clothes, blankets and an alternate heat source during the winter. Make sure your family has some way of keeping cool during the summer.
Three days: You can survive about three days without water. Store at least a two-week supply of clean water for each person in your family. That’s roughly two gallons per person per day. If you think your water is unsafe, bring it to a rolling boil for at least one minute, or treat it with unscented chlorine bleach. It takes about two drops of bleach for each quart of water, and four drops if the water is cloudy before you treat it.
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The treatment takes about 30 minutes before the water is safe to drink.
Three weeks: You can survive about three weeks without food. Store foods that you like to eat and know how to prepare. Choose foods that have a long storage life and require little or no cooking, water or refrigeration. If there is no power, try to keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to retain the cold temperature. Cold foods must be kept under 40 degrees, so make sure to have a food thermometer. Food, water, oxygen and shelter are the foundations of human life. Keep these in mind to prepare for whatever emergency situation may come. For more information, contact the Bear River Health Department at (435) 792-6500.