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Talent stocks up for a rainy day ... or Y2K TALENT -- Neither flood nor quake nor Y2K will keep this town from eating well -- or maybe we should just say eating. As part of the city's emergency preparedness program, Public Works Director Tim Dedrick has purchased a ton of government surplus food. We're talking 2,000 pounds of canned lunch meats, tomatoes, potatoes, juice, cereal and dehydrated beef, along with three to four days' worth of Army MREs (meals ready to eat) for the public works staff. "I just felt it was only the prudent thing to do," said Dedrick, who had seen a Bureau of Reclamation report on how the valley would be affected by a breach of the Emigrant Lake dam in an earthquake. "I-5 would be cut off. Most of the communities would be separated and isolated." Mayor Marian Telerski credits Dedrick's enthusiasm and his experience with the 1997 flood for the extent of Talent's preparation efforts. "When Tim does a job, he always does it thoroughly," said Telerski. Neither Dedrick nor Telerski could say how much was spent on the food, but Dedrick said it was cheap and of high quality. "In the event that we don't use all of it we'd probably give it away," Telerski said. In addition to the food, the city has purchased blankets, a few cots and sleeping bags. It also has acquired generators to run its water treatment plants and all city buildings as well as one auxiliary generator mounted on a trailer so it can be moved around town. The city has three 300-gallon potable water trailers, portable lighting, rain gear and changes of clothes for public works staff. Dedrick says the supplies should keep the city running for at least 72 hours during any Y2K-caused disruptions or other emergencies. "The whole city needed to be ready for any situation," he said. "I'm very happy we're ready now." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA