January 24, 2011

Whole Dried Peas

My husband and I have found that Sprouts Grocery Store sells whole dried peas in bulk.  These are different from split peas because they still have the outer casing and provide more nutrients.  When cooked and eaten with whole grain, they create a full protein, much like corn and beans.  Dried peas can also be sprouted.  They have a shelf life of 8+ years. Definitely something to consider adding to your food storage!

To prepare and cook peas:
1. Soak peas overnight
2. Strain the peas and put them in a 3 quart sauce pan and add enough water to cover the peas entirely.
3. Cover and bring to boil. (Add salt if desired)
4. Simmer the peas for 30-40 minutes (according to your liking)

January 21, 2011

Haz Mat Emergencies

    Sorry its been so long since we've put up a new post but we've been really busy. This entry is taken from the IS 5a course offered by FEMA. Here are some simple guidelines to follow should you ever find yourself in a Hazardous Materials emergency. Generally, evacuation is the safest route, but sometimes that isn't possible. FIRST THING TO DO IS CALL 911! Also, never approach the situation yourself.
What You Should Do
 After you have been alerted of a hazardous materials incident, you should await further information from emergency response personnel. Upon receiving this information, follow it. Your primary objective is to keep your distance from the incident in order to minimize your chances of contamination.
      If you are caught outside in an incident, try to stay upstream, uphill, and upwind. You want to stay upstream from toxic waste flowing in water, so it is not carried towards you. Many toxic vapors are heavier than air and will tend to settle in low areas; thus, you are usually safest uphill where the topography will provide some protection.
       How far away from an incident should you go to be safe?  In general, however, you should go at least 10 city blocks (one-half mile) from the danger area; for many incidents, you will need to go much further.
In-Place Sheltering
       In certain circumstances, it is safer to keep community residents indoors than to evacuate them. The following procedures are intended to reduce risk in most incidents where in-place sheltering is used:
 ·        To reduce the amount of toxic vapors entering your home, seal entry routes as efficiently as possible. Close windows and doors, and seal drafty places with wet towels, blankets, or tape.
 ·        Turn off all ventilation, including furnaces, air conditioners, vents, and fans.
 ·        If dangerous vapors are entering the building, take shallow breaths through a cloth or towel. (The same procedure may offer some protection from smoke in a fire.) While use of a cloth may be of value, it is important to emphasize that it is strictly a defensive measure and can provide only minimal protection. It certainly does not enable the wearer to enter a toxic environment! Portrayal of daring rescues on television using handkerchiefs for protection is erroneous and misleading, and should not be imitated.
 ·        Remain in protected areas of the house where toxic vapors are reduced, and be sure to take your radio with you.
 Other Protective Measures
      A hazardous materials incident offers opportunities for exposure by three primary routes: inhalation, absorption, and ingestion. The following guidance will help you minimize your exposure by these routes.
 Minimizing the Inhalation Hazard. 
   If you are in a motor vehicle, close off ventilation and shut your windows. As we have seen, covering your mouth and nose with a cloth provides a minimal amount of protection from contamination. The best protection is to distance yourself from the source; sightseeing at an incident of this type is an unnecessary risk to your health.
 Minimizing the Risk of Skin Absorption. 
   The skin can easily absorb many toxic materials. Since even a small amount of a chemical substance may be toxic, you should avoid contact with any spilled liquid material, mist in the air, or condensed solid chemical deposit. Keep your body fully covered—including gloves and socks—but remember that these measures are only minimally effective. Once you have left the area, you should fully disrobe, proceed through decontamination, and dress in fresh clothing.
 Avoiding Ingestion of Toxic Substances. 
   Toxic substances can be ingested if your food or water supply becomes contaminated. If you learn that you will be sheltered indoors, quickly fill up your bathtub with a supply of uncontaminated water and turn off the intake valve to your home. Do not eat any food that could have become contaminated in an incident.
 Decontamination. 
   A person or item that has been exposed to a hazardous material is contaminated and can contaminate other people or items (i.e., cross-contamination). For example, if you enter your car after being exposed to a toxic substance, you will contaminate your car. The specific procedure for decontamination will vary according to the chemical to which the individual was exposed, but here are some good guidelines. Certain items—e.g., leather and some plastic and rubber materials—absorb toxic substances so easily that they cannot be completely decontaminated; these items must be discarded. If you believe you may be contaminated and medical assistance is not immediately available, remove all of your clothing, shower thoroughly, don fresh loose warm clothing, and seek medical help. Advise all who come in contact with you that you may have been exposed to a toxic substance so they can take proper precautions. To avoid contaminating your home and others, place your exposed clothing in a nonpermeable container without allowing it to contact other materials, and arrange for proper disposal.
1.      Wash down outer clothing (unless the chemical is water-reactive).
2.      Remove clothing, working from the top down.
3.      Wash down your entire body (unless the chemical is water-reactive).
4.      Wrap up or dress in clean clothing.
5.      Discard contaminated clothing in a well-secured plastic bag. Then, report to trained medical personnel at the earliest opportunity.            
Reporting a Hazardous Materials Incident
     If you witness a hazardous materials accident, spill, or leak, call 911 or your local emergency notification number as soon as possible. In rare cases in which no local emergency forces appear to be available, you can contact the NRC to report an emergency. Provide as much of the following information as possible:
·        The chemical involved, if known
·        Information on the substance’s placard or label, if it is visible
·        Precise location of the incident
·        Size of the incident, in quantitative terms
·        Direction in which the plume is moving
·        Color of the smoke or spilled liquid
·        Altitude and movement of the plume (i.e., is the plume rising or sinking?)
·        Number of injuries
·        For a transportation incident, a description of the vehicle involved (e.g., tanker or pickup truck), including any identifying marks, numbers, or placards+
- Casey