DOWNEY - Residents are invited to pick up a free food-grade plastic barrel Saturday that is ideal for storing emergency water.The giveaway will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 28 outside City Hall, in the parking lot just west of the Downey Police Department. Residents are asked not to begin lining up earlier than 8:30 a.m. The barrels vary in size from 25-55 gallons. Each barrel will be clean and come with an instruction label with detailed information on how to store water. Additional accessories will be available for sale. Coca-Cola Bottling Company donated the barrels. Experts recommend storing 3-7 gallons of water per person (plus pets) in the event of an emergency when fresh water may be unavailable. The giveaway will conducted in a drive-through format. At a similar giveaway earlier this year, more than 500 barrels were distributed.

********** Published: August 26, 2010 - Volume 9 - Issue 19