Happy Thanksgiving to all Dukes County employees and friends of Dukes County.

By buying an extra can of nutritious canned food every week or so, you can build up a food reserve before you realize it that will last you for at least a two or three weeks, and probably much longer. Two or three weeks of breathing room after a disaster can give you great peace of mind and allow you to stop and think and plan for a future course of action (while the unprepared are all in a great panic). It is even possible that some additional help will arrive after a week or two. Once you build up the supply, don’t forget to rotate it so you don’t end up with expired food.

Charles J. Cotnoir
Vineyard Haven

The writer is director of Dukes County Emergency Management.