Commissaries keep emergency items stocked Published Aug. 6, 2008 By Defense Commissary Agency and Keesler News Staff FORT LEE, VA. -- 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 several years, the Defense Commissary Agency has promoted disaster preparedness through its "What's In Your Closet" campaign. Commissaries stock large amounts of nonperishable foods, water, batteries and other supplies to encourage customers to collect the necessities they may need in the event of an emergency. "A natural or manmade disaster can occur anytime and without warning," said Philip Sakowitz Jr., DeCA director and chief executive officer. "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." "Starting June 1 each year, we build a 'hurricane section' and maintain enough stock in case of an emergency," said Gordy Harris, Keesler Commissary director. "All emergency items are available in one place. "We try to keep at least two semis full of water at all times during hurricane season," he continued. "We also keep several extra pallets of meals-ready-to-eat in stock at all times." DeCA stores help 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. 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 worked with us to keep our stores stocked with 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 to move to needed locations rapidly." Mr. Harris still remembers the challenges Keesler faced after Hurricane Katrina nearly three years ago. As far as supplies go, "more is better -- you never know how long power or water services will be out of order - being prepared and well stocked is the key," he stressed. "Make sure you have plenty of gas and enough cash for several weeks in case automated teller machines are down. Most importantly, have a plan and evacuate early. "Most people who went through Katrina learned how costly it can be to underestimate the power of a hurricane and how long it can take to get back to some degree of normalcy," Mr. Harris added. "Prior to the next hurricane, I believe our customers will stock up with more necessary emergency supplies than ever before, just in case they need it." Susan Griggs, Keesler News staff, contributed to this report.