February’s goal for Do 1 Thing is to have enough water on-hand for your family to last three days. This should be about three gallons per person.

Whether you live in the country or the city, your water supply relies on electricity to run the system. During a power outage you may find yourself without a way to get water. Your water supply can also become unsafe to drink. Both private wells and city water systems can be contaminated in a disaster.

Our first tip of the month is to purchase and store a 72-hour supply of commercially bottled water (or more — up to two weeks). A three-day supply for one person is three gallons of water, one gallon per person, per day. Also include an extra gallon for a medium sized pet. That gallon should last three days, but plan for more or less depending on the size of the pet.

During an emergency, you should drink at least two quarts (a half gallon) of water a day. Drink 3-4 quarts a day if you are in a hot climate, pregnant, sick, or a child. Some of the water in your supply may be used for washing or cooking.

If you buy commercially bottled water, it should be replaced once a year. Store your water in a cool, dark place to keep it tasting fresher longer.

If supplies run low, never ration water. Drink the amount you need today and look for more tomorrow. More water tips will follow the next two weeks.

I recently visited Mrs. Rose’s first grade class at Eastside Elementary School in Niles for a bullying program. This school is doing Project Based Learning (PBL) and these first grade students have chosen an awesome project to learn from. It’s called “The Buddy Bench.” This program has been used elsewhere but for these students, it’s a new project and they are excited about it.

It began when one of Mrs. Rose’s students shared a story about a sibling getting bullied. The sharing student had tears while relating the story of the sibling and the bully situation the sibling was in as the victim. The rest of the class was upset that this behavior was happening in their school.

Their questions of “why?” were tough questions. “What can WE do about this?” One answer to this question was “The Buddy Bench.” Let’s let other students know that they have friends and they are not alone in this school. The child can sit on this bench and friends will see they are having a bully issue. They can then help.

The children are excited about this project and have been doing different things within the school to make their school a “Bully-Free Zone”. Fundraising is going on for the bench. The children teamed up with other grades within the building and did a poster campaign. These posters are hanging throughout their building.

These small children get it. They understand the effects of bullying and are working on many age-appropriate solutions. This was the second time I have presented classes to them on bullying and they are very receptive to this information.

We should follow their example, no matter what age group or environment and do what we can to minimize bully situations and the negative effect on all involved.

 

Rob Herbstreith is a trooper with the Michigan State Police Niles post.