Mock Emergency Alert – Day 2: Natural Disaster Scenario: Natural Disaster – Severe Flooding and Water Contamination
On Day 2 of our 7 Day Emergency Preparedness Challenge, we’re diving into a new and urgent scenario—a natural disaster that demands our immediate attention.
Imagine this challenging situation: Your area is in the grip of severe flooding, and to make matters even more dire, the water purification facility has been contaminated. Today, we’re facing a critical water emergency.
As we confront this scenario together, let’s share our experiences, solutions, and strategies for dealing with severe flooding and water contamination. The comments section below is where we connect, learn, and support one another during these tests. You got this! 
Please note: Today is a NEW emergency, none of the limitations listed yesterday apply. Your area is experiencing severe flooding and the water purification facility in your area has been contaminated. All water services coming to your home have been halted indefinitely. (If you use well water, your well is contaminated too) Today you will practice living without running water in your home and experience cooking, sanitation, hygiene, etc. with STORED water.
Goal: Learn what your water needs will truly be in an emergency
Today’s Tasks:
- Cook all meals (and CLEAN UP) using only stored water
- Take a shower or bath using stored water (Don’t cheat and skip this one!)
- Use stored water for flushing toilets
- Calculate your usage for the day and use that number to determine how much of a water supply you actually have
At the end of the day – - FILL any empty water containers you used, or have been procrastinating filling.
- Make a plan for how you will collect/purify additional water if/when you run out (use your daily report card to help)
- SHARING TIME: tell us in the comments what task you found most difficult to do using stored water today.
- Remember that Learning from each other is a huge part of the benefit of taking this exploratory journey together, so be part of the dialogue.
Today’s Limitations:
- For this day, and ALL days of the challenge: no spending money, no going to stores, and no restaurants
- Do NOT use running water at all. To help your family not cheat, you might want to turn off your main water supply for the day
Advanced Tasks because you’re a super hero:
- To conserve water, use a sanitation kit rather than flush precious stored water down the toilet.
- Get ambitious and do a load of LAUNDRY using stored water.
- Go to the nearest source of fresh water and fill up several water containers and purify it.
REMEMBER, TOMORROW’S CHALLENGE WILL BE DIFFERENT.
Make sure your fill out today’s REPORT CARD to see how well you did, to keep track of areas you can improve, to remember things you need to do, and things you need to buy. Use the data to make a game plan to take you to the next level of preparedness, whatever that may be.
7 Day Challenge REPORT CARD – Water Storage
Today we focused on WATER and becoming more aware of exactly how much we’ve got, how to use it, and how not to use it.
Goal: Learn what your water needs will truly be in an emergency
Daily Evaluation Questions to ask Yourself
- Did you have enough water stored to meet your needs for the day?
- Was your water drinkable? What could you do to improve the taste?
- How long would your present storage last at the rate that you used it this day?
- What are some additional, reasonable ways for you to storage more water?
- Do you have a plan in place for being able to purify additional water you might be able to find?
- How far away is a suitable water source and how could you get the water from it?
- Did you do a load of laundry? and do you have a plan for doing laundry going forward.
Challenge brought to you by Cindy, Karen and Linda because WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. Have fun, and remember to share your experiences here in the comments below or in our Facebook group dialogue.
Cindy, Karen and Linda