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Instant food from camping to crisis Meals ready-to-eat in some local plans MMM-MMM MRE

September 9, 2007 12:35 am

By COREY BYERS

Chicken tetrazzini, beef pot roast, penne pasta with vegetable sausage--all delectable-sounding dishes, to be sure.

However, if you're in a state of dire emergency, you may be eating one of these from a bag, depending on where you live.

Regionally, localities don't tend to stockpile meals ready-to-eat, or MREs, for big emergencies, but they are an option.

Who actually keeps them on hand depends on the city or county.

King George County's Fire and Rescue Chief David Moody said he has between 1,000 and 1,500 meals in storage.

Moody said he has a mixture of MREs and heater meals, which come with a heater.

Moody said they'd be distributed during "large, significant emergencies."

This includes when people are displaced from their homes or widespread power outages prevent people from acquiring food.

County school cafeterias would serve food in such emergencies, too.

Moody said schools would have the proper staff, equipment and food on site to serve many people.

"The MRE or heater meal is just something to get those people by until a more permanent type of food is established," he said.

Chief Edwin Allen of the Fredericksburg Fire Department said the city does not keep a supply of MREs, mainly because it doesn't have the storage space.

Allen said the city could order MREs through the state. However, for a mass feeding, his department would work with the Red Cross to serve meals at places like James Monroe High School.

Meals ready-to-eat may come in handy when a kitchen isn't available for cooking in.

"If you get them in there somehow, you don't need infrastructure to prepare them like you do for [other food]," said Lee Ferrell, president of Long Life Food Depot in Richmond, Ind.

Ferrell has sold MREs for 24 years.

His company takes military-grade meals and sells them to individuals, businesses and government agencies.

People will purchase the meals for various outdoor trips, such as camping or hunting.

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management recommends having three days of food supplies stored for times of crisis; food that does not require electricity for storage or preparation.

Ferrell said his products, which have a five-year shelf life, are better than canned goods, which are only good for a couple of years.

"It's a really fantastic solution to how you have food that will last a long time and not have to repurchase it every year," he said.

Doug Boggs, an emergency coordinator in Spotsylvania County, said his office has a limited number of MREs.

"The reason I don't have a lot is because they have a shelf life," Boggs said. " That's why I don't have cases and cases."

Counties can order the meal packs before an anticipated emergency--such as a hurricane.

Boggs said they would most likely go to emergency personnel rather than the public.

"Especially if it's a direct hit we could have them shipped in overnight," Boggs said.

Gerald Jaskulski, a division chief with Stafford County Fire and Rescue said he has a minimal number of meals for his staff, too.

"Today's MREs are not what people are thinking of--they heat up and they taste better," Jaskulski said.

Moody prefers having some on hand rather than relying on shipments in a potential statewide emergency.

"In a large hurricane, everyone needs the same thing--you have a supply-and-demand issue."

Corey Byers: 540/735-1976
Email: cbyers@freelancestar.com