Emergency Rations

History

Emergency rations were first introduced as a required item for each crew member aboard a ship after a disaster in 3657. A ship, containing 30 members of crew lost power due to a mechanical fault. They called for help using their communications system but they were at least 30 days away from anyone who could help them. They were stranded until help could come.   As per protocol, they checked in via radio with the approaching help, until on the 27th day, the rescue ship received no message. They repeatedly tried to make contact but received no response. When they finally arrived on the scene, they found no-one alive. Since that day, the USC declared that all crewed ships should carry emergency ration packs for all of their crew; enough to sustain them until help could arrive.

Uses

Emergency ration packs exist to sustain a ship's crew in the case of emergency. When a ship is stranded, especially in deep space, it can take weeks for help to arrive. The rations are designed to supplement the existing food and water aboard the ship until they have outside assistance.   Their other main use is if explorers become stranded outside of their ship for any period of time, such as due to planetary storms and poor weather. In these cases they can use their rations until they can safely make it back to the rest of their crew.