No prep work today, we were ready! Of course, it turns out that here at the house we won't even get a stiff breeze from him. But no matter, everything we did (except put all the patio furniture in the shed or hooked to the fence) was stuff that needed doing anyway. Cleaned up a pile of old scrap wood, cleaned the gutters, reorganized my GHB, etc... I don't feel like anything was unusual or an over reaction. I felt really good about our status if Earl came or if he doesn't. At work, I spend quite a bit of time in the city EOC today and then briefing my bosses. They appreciated my efforts to keep them up to speed and the readiness information that I was able to share.
Earl won't have much of an effect on us here in the Old Dominion. I'll be interested to see how the Outer Banks fare and my friends up in Massachusetts. If you are in the path of Earl, please leave a comment to let us know.
9/1/10
The Latest on Earl Sept. 1, 2010
Well, our buddy Earl is still at it. He is back up to Cat. 4 @ 135 mph. He's spewing hurricane force winds for 90 miles and tropical storm force for 200 miles. They've done a full evacuation of Ocracoke Island, NC (rumored to be where Blackbeard hid much of his treasure - maybe some will wash up!) and removed all non-residents from Hatteras Island. Most of the NC coast is under a Hurricane Warning, most of the coast from Va. up to Delaware under Hurricane Watch. The rest of the East Coast clear up to Maine is under Tropical Storm Warning or Watch, and Cape Cod, Mass. is under Hurricane Watch.
It looks like the Outer Banks will get a heavy, but glancing blow, and Virginia will get some as well. The rest of the coast is still any one's guess. Where I work, in Newport News, will probably get heavy rain, 45 mph winds, and storm surge combined with high tide at 4:30 a.m. to go up to 4 feet above normal.
Today I wrapped up my last minute preps. I bungee corded my one remaining trash can to the fence (the others are empty and in the shed). I got 10 more gallons of gas treated with Star Tron (32 total, about 3 days of judicious use in the generator). I adjusted my 72 hour kit in my GHB (Get Home Bag) in case I get stranded at work. I added some clothes, rotated the food, added a poncho, and my hardhat & safety glasses.
I'm pretty confident that we are ready. Living the preparedness lifestyle keeps us ready for most things, with a few acute last minute adjustments. Are you ready for Earl, or whatever else life throws at you?
It looks like the Outer Banks will get a heavy, but glancing blow, and Virginia will get some as well. The rest of the coast is still any one's guess. Where I work, in Newport News, will probably get heavy rain, 45 mph winds, and storm surge combined with high tide at 4:30 a.m. to go up to 4 feet above normal.
Today I wrapped up my last minute preps. I bungee corded my one remaining trash can to the fence (the others are empty and in the shed). I got 10 more gallons of gas treated with Star Tron (32 total, about 3 days of judicious use in the generator). I adjusted my 72 hour kit in my GHB (Get Home Bag) in case I get stranded at work. I added some clothes, rotated the food, added a poncho, and my hardhat & safety glasses.
I'm pretty confident that we are ready. Living the preparedness lifestyle keeps us ready for most things, with a few acute last minute adjustments. Are you ready for Earl, or whatever else life throws at you?
8/31/10
Earl Update
Looks like Earl is moving farther west. That could bode ill. He is still a Category 4, but is predicted to slow a bit as he approaches shore. There is a Hurricane Watch in place for the Outer Banks of N.C., and the far Southeast corner of Va. We should know by tomorrow morning if the Outer Banks will need to evacuate and how much of the Hampton Roads/Tidewater Va. area will be affected. For today's prep work, I cleaned out my gutters, got 25 gallons of gas for the generator, and we're getting ready to go to the store to get a little more water, and a bit more non-perishable food (plus some fresh fruit, veggies and milk for the week).The nice thing about living a preparedness lifestyle is that when something like this is on the horizon, I just have a few acute needs to take care of. Far easier than panic buying and fighting the crowds with the storm just hours away.
I feel better prepared for this storm than previous ones. I owe a thanks to you, my readers, for that feeling. Having you out there, holds me accountable. Thinking about what to write encourages me to do it, and needing to be honest and credible means I really have to do it, not just talk about it.
I have a couple more last minute things to do tomorrow, but they are really icing on the cake. I'll stay updated on Earl throughout the day for my work, but also for you. "Like" us on the If It Hits The Fan page on Facebook (Hey! We passed 50 likers today! Thanks!) so you'll get any important updates I post.
More tomorrow to let you know what my last minute efforts are. If you are along the coast from NC to Maine, and in to Canada, please be sure you are ready, and have your family evacuation planning in place. Also, please post in the comments to let me know what you are doing and how you fared after this is over.
I feel better prepared for this storm than previous ones. I owe a thanks to you, my readers, for that feeling. Having you out there, holds me accountable. Thinking about what to write encourages me to do it, and needing to be honest and credible means I really have to do it, not just talk about it.
I have a couple more last minute things to do tomorrow, but they are really icing on the cake. I'll stay updated on Earl throughout the day for my work, but also for you. "Like" us on the If It Hits The Fan page on Facebook (Hey! We passed 50 likers today! Thanks!) so you'll get any important updates I post.
More tomorrow to let you know what my last minute efforts are. If you are along the coast from NC to Maine, and in to Canada, please be sure you are ready, and have your family evacuation planning in place. Also, please post in the comments to let me know what you are doing and how you fared after this is over.
8/30/10
Disease Wrap Up and Hurricane Earl Aug. 30, 2010
Wow! Lots going on. I'm going to do a quick wrap up on the diseases, then move on to Hurricane Earl, which is bearing down on the East Coast.
Pandemic
Despite the non-event that the H1N1 Pandemic was, a severe pandemic is a threat that the epidemiologists say is not an "if," its a "when." If an easily communicable disease that has a high mortality rate appears, one of the only effective methods of stopping it is with a large-scale quarantine. We can prepare for that in much the same way we prepare for any major SHTF scenario. Food, water, alternative lighting and power, extra supplies, and the ability to pay expenses with emergency savings. Jack Spirko refers to this as "disaster commonality." One thing to stock up on that would set pandemic apart from other scenarios is extra disinfectants, bleach, alcohol gel, etc...
Mosquito-Borne Virus
The West Nile and Equine Encephalitis, among others, seem to be spreading this year. Since these are transferred by mosquitoes that bite infected animals, then humans, the best prevention is to avoid mosquitoes. Use mosquito repellents such as sprays with DEET and citronella tiki torches. Wear long sleeves and pants when outside during the early morning or at dusk when mosquitoes are most active. Build some bat houses on your property and empty any standing water. You can also consider some of the high-tech electronic repellents, but I don't have any experiences with those. If these mitigation methods fail, know the symptoms of what is happening in your area and seek medical assistance if you show them. Check with your local health department to see what, if anything, is active in your area.
Hurricane Earl
He's currently a Category 4 and bearing down on the East Coast. The indicators are that he will skirt the Coast from the Outer Banks of North Carolina clear up to the Maritime Provinces of Canada.
If you are in that area, look at your preps and see what needs fine tuning this week. This past weekend, I cleaned my generator's carburetor and made sure it was running at tip-top condition. I also cleaned up a bunch of yard debris and took it to the dump. Today I secured all of our patio and yard furniture either by putting it in the shed, or bungee cording it to the fence.
I've got a very busy week at work, but I will make a quick post each night with Earl updates and a daily prep associated with it. Fiona is running right behind Earl, so we might get a one-two punch. Or we might get nothing, in which case my yard is cleaner and my generator runs great. Either way, I'm ahead.
If anything major changes with Earl during the day, I'll stick a quick post on the If It Hits The Fan Facebook page, so "like" us there and get the information as it happens.
Pandemic
Despite the non-event that the H1N1 Pandemic was, a severe pandemic is a threat that the epidemiologists say is not an "if," its a "when." If an easily communicable disease that has a high mortality rate appears, one of the only effective methods of stopping it is with a large-scale quarantine. We can prepare for that in much the same way we prepare for any major SHTF scenario. Food, water, alternative lighting and power, extra supplies, and the ability to pay expenses with emergency savings. Jack Spirko refers to this as "disaster commonality." One thing to stock up on that would set pandemic apart from other scenarios is extra disinfectants, bleach, alcohol gel, etc...
Mosquito-Borne Virus
The West Nile and Equine Encephalitis, among others, seem to be spreading this year. Since these are transferred by mosquitoes that bite infected animals, then humans, the best prevention is to avoid mosquitoes. Use mosquito repellents such as sprays with DEET and citronella tiki torches. Wear long sleeves and pants when outside during the early morning or at dusk when mosquitoes are most active. Build some bat houses on your property and empty any standing water. You can also consider some of the high-tech electronic repellents, but I don't have any experiences with those. If these mitigation methods fail, know the symptoms of what is happening in your area and seek medical assistance if you show them. Check with your local health department to see what, if anything, is active in your area.
Hurricane Earl
He's currently a Category 4 and bearing down on the East Coast. The indicators are that he will skirt the Coast from the Outer Banks of North Carolina clear up to the Maritime Provinces of Canada.
If you are in that area, look at your preps and see what needs fine tuning this week. This past weekend, I cleaned my generator's carburetor and made sure it was running at tip-top condition. I also cleaned up a bunch of yard debris and took it to the dump. Today I secured all of our patio and yard furniture either by putting it in the shed, or bungee cording it to the fence.
I've got a very busy week at work, but I will make a quick post each night with Earl updates and a daily prep associated with it. Fiona is running right behind Earl, so we might get a one-two punch. Or we might get nothing, in which case my yard is cleaner and my generator runs great. Either way, I'm ahead.
If anything major changes with Earl during the day, I'll stick a quick post on the If It Hits The Fan Facebook page, so "like" us there and get the information as it happens.
8/22/10
Pandemic, Schmandemic... Is it coming or not? Aug. 22, 2010
First, some housekeeping...
Tropical Storm Danielle has formed in the Atlantic. If the track and predictions hold, she will escalate to hurricane strength by Wednesday, and may affect the mid-Atlantic region by early next week. Plenty of time to set aside a little extra water, food, lights, and generator fuel.
Our Facebook page is up to 41 "likes" - I am truly excited! Please keep spreading the word and please give me some feedback so I can keep this relevant and interesting. You can also become a "follower" of the blog and help promote it that way. I'm thinking I need to get ready for some sort of appreciation give-a-way. Some sort of prep item or book, once we reach a certain number of likers or followers. I'll think on it and make an announcement soon.
Now on to today's topic...
Pandemic Disease: What is it and what can we do?
As many of us learned about a year ago, a pandemic is when a communicable disease has begun to spread easily from person to person and has affected countries around the world. It is more widespread than an epidemic. If you are about my age or younger, you never experienced a pandemic before, although we had three influenza pandemics in the 20th Century. The Spanish Flu of 1918-19 killed over 50 million around the world, including nearly 700,000 in the US. It was an H1N1 virus related to the most recent pandemic. The Asian Flu of 1957-58 killed about 2 million globally and 70,000 in the US. In 1968-69, the Hong Kong Flu killed over 1 million in the world and 34,000 in the US. The H1N1 flu pandemic of the past year was declared over just last week.
Pandemics of plague, typhus, yellow fever, and other diseases have killed 100s upon 100s of millions of people throughout history. There are concerns about new outbreaks either of existing diseases, or mutations that society is not prepared for with vaccines or treatments.
Viral hemorrhagic fevers such as Lassa or Ebola, are one concern. Lassa makes occasional appearances in the desert Southwest, and is spread through the inhalation of infected mouse feces. Ebola, usually found in Africa, has a terribly high mortality rate, but is actually fairly difficult to catch if basic precautions are taken against contact with infected bodily fluids. Ebola Reston is one mutation that infected a primate importation facility in Reston, Virginia several years ago. While that particular version was not a danger to humans, it showed that the Ebola virus can mutate to be spread through the air and ventilation systems. If Ebola that kills humans mutates that way, movies like Outbreak (Outbreak (Snap Case) ) could become reality.
Diseases such as Tuberculosis and Staph Infection (MRSA) are becoming "superbugs" in that they are resistant to established treatment and antibiotics. If they mutate to the point of being more virulent and easily transmittable, the results could be disastrous.
The last thing I want to bring up is some of the diseases that are typically spread by insect vectors, not human to human, but that may be more widespread because of a lack of natural prevention. Malaria, West Nile Virus, and Eastern Equine Encephalitis are just a few diseases spread by mosquitoes to humans. EEE has a 35% mortality rate in humans, and has recently shown up in humans in Michigan, Florida, and other locations. Why are these becoming more prevalent? I think it has to do with White Nose Syndrome, a deadly fungus that is destroying bat populations. It was first seen a few years ago in the Northeast, but is rapidly spreading around the country. Its mortality rate is over 90% in the caves that it has been found in. I saw something today that said that the little brown bat may be extinct by 2014 at its current death rate. With that many bats dying off the mosquitoes are losing a natural predator that is allowing them to be more prolific.
Once again, this is running long. I'll talk about what we can do in a couple of days.
Tropical Storm Danielle has formed in the Atlantic. If the track and predictions hold, she will escalate to hurricane strength by Wednesday, and may affect the mid-Atlantic region by early next week. Plenty of time to set aside a little extra water, food, lights, and generator fuel.
Our Facebook page is up to 41 "likes" - I am truly excited! Please keep spreading the word and please give me some feedback so I can keep this relevant and interesting. You can also become a "follower" of the blog and help promote it that way. I'm thinking I need to get ready for some sort of appreciation give-a-way. Some sort of prep item or book, once we reach a certain number of likers or followers. I'll think on it and make an announcement soon.
Now on to today's topic...
Pandemic Disease: What is it and what can we do?
As many of us learned about a year ago, a pandemic is when a communicable disease has begun to spread easily from person to person and has affected countries around the world. It is more widespread than an epidemic. If you are about my age or younger, you never experienced a pandemic before, although we had three influenza pandemics in the 20th Century. The Spanish Flu of 1918-19 killed over 50 million around the world, including nearly 700,000 in the US. It was an H1N1 virus related to the most recent pandemic. The Asian Flu of 1957-58 killed about 2 million globally and 70,000 in the US. In 1968-69, the Hong Kong Flu killed over 1 million in the world and 34,000 in the US. The H1N1 flu pandemic of the past year was declared over just last week.
Pandemics of plague, typhus, yellow fever, and other diseases have killed 100s upon 100s of millions of people throughout history. There are concerns about new outbreaks either of existing diseases, or mutations that society is not prepared for with vaccines or treatments.
Viral hemorrhagic fevers such as Lassa or Ebola, are one concern. Lassa makes occasional appearances in the desert Southwest, and is spread through the inhalation of infected mouse feces. Ebola, usually found in Africa, has a terribly high mortality rate, but is actually fairly difficult to catch if basic precautions are taken against contact with infected bodily fluids. Ebola Reston is one mutation that infected a primate importation facility in Reston, Virginia several years ago. While that particular version was not a danger to humans, it showed that the Ebola virus can mutate to be spread through the air and ventilation systems. If Ebola that kills humans mutates that way, movies like Outbreak (Outbreak (Snap Case) ) could become reality.
Diseases such as Tuberculosis and Staph Infection (MRSA) are becoming "superbugs" in that they are resistant to established treatment and antibiotics. If they mutate to the point of being more virulent and easily transmittable, the results could be disastrous.
The last thing I want to bring up is some of the diseases that are typically spread by insect vectors, not human to human, but that may be more widespread because of a lack of natural prevention. Malaria, West Nile Virus, and Eastern Equine Encephalitis are just a few diseases spread by mosquitoes to humans. EEE has a 35% mortality rate in humans, and has recently shown up in humans in Michigan, Florida, and other locations. Why are these becoming more prevalent? I think it has to do with White Nose Syndrome, a deadly fungus that is destroying bat populations. It was first seen a few years ago in the Northeast, but is rapidly spreading around the country. Its mortality rate is over 90% in the caves that it has been found in. I saw something today that said that the little brown bat may be extinct by 2014 at its current death rate. With that many bats dying off the mosquitoes are losing a natural predator that is allowing them to be more prolific.
Once again, this is running long. I'll talk about what we can do in a couple of days.
8/12/10
District Deluge August 12, 2010
Just a quick entry today, but first welcome to some new followers! Hope you guys enjoy my musings and can get something out of it. Please leave comments and add your thoughts.
Washington, D.C. Storm
This morning, DC got hammered by a horrendous storm. Here's a link to the Washington Post story. Over a hundred thousand people without power. Several subway stations closed due to flooding. Roads flooded, cars washed away, people needing rescuing from their car roofs. Trees down, including one that went through a baby's bedroom (thankfully the sleeping baby was unhurt).
We don't need a hurricane or a tornado to be at risk for severe weather. A summer storm can do just as much damage. So, what do we do? Getting ready for storm season is much of the same no matter where you are. A power source, lighting, food & water, sanitation & medical needs. Depending on the time of year, a source of heat, or some sort of fan or cooling device.
I also wanted to note that living and commuting in a major city can have its own risks and preparedness needs. If you are in one of those cities, and especially if you live or work in a high rise and use mass transportation, I encourage you to check out this book PREPAREDNESS NOW!: An Emergency Survival Guide (Expanded and Revised Edition) (Process Self-Reliance)
by Aton Edwards. I picked this book up last year at the International Spy Museum. For those of us who are not in major cities, there is not much useful information, although I gained a few "a-ha" tidbits and thought it was worth having anyway. But if you are in that situation, there is some great information. It also would make a great gift for that family member in the big city who really hasn't started thinking about preparedness yet.
On a positive note, the Atlantic is currently devoid of all tropical weather activity. Have a great weekend and do something to help get your family prepared.
Washington, D.C. Storm
This morning, DC got hammered by a horrendous storm. Here's a link to the Washington Post story. Over a hundred thousand people without power. Several subway stations closed due to flooding. Roads flooded, cars washed away, people needing rescuing from their car roofs. Trees down, including one that went through a baby's bedroom (thankfully the sleeping baby was unhurt).
We don't need a hurricane or a tornado to be at risk for severe weather. A summer storm can do just as much damage. So, what do we do? Getting ready for storm season is much of the same no matter where you are. A power source, lighting, food & water, sanitation & medical needs. Depending on the time of year, a source of heat, or some sort of fan or cooling device.
I also wanted to note that living and commuting in a major city can have its own risks and preparedness needs. If you are in one of those cities, and especially if you live or work in a high rise and use mass transportation, I encourage you to check out this book PREPAREDNESS NOW!: An Emergency Survival Guide (Expanded and Revised Edition) (Process Self-Reliance)
by Aton Edwards. I picked this book up last year at the International Spy Museum. For those of us who are not in major cities, there is not much useful information, although I gained a few "a-ha" tidbits and thought it was worth having anyway. But if you are in that situation, there is some great information. It also would make a great gift for that family member in the big city who really hasn't started thinking about preparedness yet.On a positive note, the Atlantic is currently devoid of all tropical weather activity. Have a great weekend and do something to help get your family prepared.
8/8/10
Gifts for the Prepper Part 1, Water Aug. 8, 2010
First, an update... TS Colin has disipated into a low pressure system and is off the radar (literally and figuratively). There is a low pressure system about due east of Cuba/Miami, that seems to be strengthening and moving west/north west. We'll keep an eye on that one.
What can you give a person who has started into the prepping mindset?
This topic came up because we are joining two other families next weekend for one of the husband's 40th birthday. Over the past year, he has awakened to the problems in the world, and has begun to prepare for his family's safety and security. For his birthday, I wanted to give him some items to help him get there. I won't say what in case he reads this.
I could just list a lot of gear that would be good for a person to have, but I will break it down into several categories, with several items in each category. Each item will be one I either own or have other hands-on experience with and will suggest based on that. I am linking each item through Amazon. If you can find the items at a better price elsewhere, go for it. But, if you are going to buy it through Amazon, please use my link. I'll get a small commission out of the deal. If you are going to buy anything through Amazon and use my link to get to thier website, that will also benefit me. Thanks in advance.
Let's get started on the suggestions and remember, these are not just good for birthdays, but Christmas is only 139 days away!
Water
Water is needed for all life. The budding prepper will probably have room in the larder for both storage and purification methods. Let's take a look at several of both that I have worked with.
Potable Aqua Purification Iodine Tablets
$6.99 These are from the same supplier that the US military uses. They will kill Giardia and other nasty micro organisims. They do nothing for visibly dirty water or water contaminated by chemicals. The small bottle is great for keeping in a GHB (Get Home Bag) or 72-hour kit.
Katadyn Combi Water Microfilter
$139.90 This is a hand-pumped water filter with an activated carbon prefilter and a silver inpregnated ceramic filter. It gets out chemicals, protazoa, chemicals and dirt. It takes some time and effort to use, but the water comes out great. I used mine one time when the public water had a broken line and when I turned on the faucet, got out gross, dark brown, thick water. The Combi Filter gave me clean and crystal clear water. If you get this, also consider the Katadyn Combi Replacement Element Carbon (2-Pack)
$8.95 to keep it at tip top condition and ready to go.
Berkey Light Water Filter With 2 Black Filters & 2 Free PF-2 Fluoride Filters
$209.00 This will purify 4 gallons and hour with a capacity of 2.75 gallons.The black filters are good for pond water or third world rivers. I have a friend who keeps his on this kitchen counter and uses it for all of his drinking water. He lives in a major US city and gets flouride-treated water. He uses this for this drinking and cooking water to avoid the unneccessary intake of fouride (which is toxic at high levels). A great example of something to have on hand If It Hits The Fan, but also for daily use.
Reliance Products Aqua-Tainer 7 Gallon Rigid Water Container
$21.12 OK, first of all, this can be found at Wal-Mart for about $10, so I'd suggest you go there to buy it, but you can see details on this link. This is a fantastic way of storing water in minimal space. These Aqua-Tainers stack neatly and are very stable. They also have a handy spigot for getting the water out.
Olive Drab Genuine GI USA Made 1 Qt Plastic Canteen
$4.95 613 GENUINE GI CANTEEN COVER - OD
$12.50 There are newer and fancier water bottles, but these are proven in the toughest of environments. The cap seals tightly and the cover will keep the water cool. The cover even has a small pocket to hold a bottle of purification tablets. The ad doesn't say, but the cover should have two "ALICE" clips on it to attache to your belt, pack, or other location. Just in case, consider getting G.I. Alice Keeper Clip/belt Slides (10 Pack)
$3.95 (spares are always good). Also look at getting G I Spec Stainless Steel Canteen Cup
$9.95 for use with mixing in instant coffee, kool aid, or other mixes, as well as putting it over a heat source for hot drinks or stew.
Camelbak H.A.W.G. NV 100 Oz Hydration Pack, Black/Charcoal
$109.95 Camelbak is the leader in hydration systems. There are other makes out there, including some a lot cheaper, but you get what you pay for. The H.A.W.G. (Holds A lot of Water and Gear) was the first Camelbak I bought, back in the late '90s. The design has been modified since then, but in positive ways. The 100 oz reservoir will provide enough water to get you through a strenuous, hot day. The 1,120 cubic inches of gear space will allow you to keep some extra clothes and a little food and gear, making this a great day pack for hiking or mountain biking, or keep in the car for a GHB. It can also attach to larger packs if you need more capacity.
Siphon Pump
$14.95 I'm not going to suggest a particular brand of 55 gallon water barrel, but a number of them are available on Amazon, or through local sources. I will say, that if you are storing potable water, get a new barrel, approved for drinking water. Don't risk it with a used drink syrup or olive importation barrel (although those are good for water you are harvesting from rain water and will use for sanitation or gardening). Anyway, if you are going to store water in 55 gallon barrels, you need a way to get it. These pumps are handy, easy to use, and inexpensive. I had several with my Y2K supplies, but don't currently store water in that fashion.
Well, this has ended up being a lot longer than I expected. I will break this up in to several categories over the next few weeks to help you fill out your Christmas shopping (or wish) list with some basic prep gear.
What can you give a person who has started into the prepping mindset?
This topic came up because we are joining two other families next weekend for one of the husband's 40th birthday. Over the past year, he has awakened to the problems in the world, and has begun to prepare for his family's safety and security. For his birthday, I wanted to give him some items to help him get there. I won't say what in case he reads this.
I could just list a lot of gear that would be good for a person to have, but I will break it down into several categories, with several items in each category. Each item will be one I either own or have other hands-on experience with and will suggest based on that. I am linking each item through Amazon. If you can find the items at a better price elsewhere, go for it. But, if you are going to buy it through Amazon, please use my link. I'll get a small commission out of the deal. If you are going to buy anything through Amazon and use my link to get to thier website, that will also benefit me. Thanks in advance.
Let's get started on the suggestions and remember, these are not just good for birthdays, but Christmas is only 139 days away!
Water
Water is needed for all life. The budding prepper will probably have room in the larder for both storage and purification methods. Let's take a look at several of both that I have worked with.
Potable Aqua Purification Iodine Tablets
$6.99 These are from the same supplier that the US military uses. They will kill Giardia and other nasty micro organisims. They do nothing for visibly dirty water or water contaminated by chemicals. The small bottle is great for keeping in a GHB (Get Home Bag) or 72-hour kit.Katadyn Combi Water Microfilter
$139.90 This is a hand-pumped water filter with an activated carbon prefilter and a silver inpregnated ceramic filter. It gets out chemicals, protazoa, chemicals and dirt. It takes some time and effort to use, but the water comes out great. I used mine one time when the public water had a broken line and when I turned on the faucet, got out gross, dark brown, thick water. The Combi Filter gave me clean and crystal clear water. If you get this, also consider the Katadyn Combi Replacement Element Carbon (2-Pack) $8.95 to keep it at tip top condition and ready to go.Berkey Light Water Filter With 2 Black Filters & 2 Free PF-2 Fluoride Filters
$209.00 This will purify 4 gallons and hour with a capacity of 2.75 gallons.The black filters are good for pond water or third world rivers. I have a friend who keeps his on this kitchen counter and uses it for all of his drinking water. He lives in a major US city and gets flouride-treated water. He uses this for this drinking and cooking water to avoid the unneccessary intake of fouride (which is toxic at high levels). A great example of something to have on hand If It Hits The Fan, but also for daily use.Reliance Products Aqua-Tainer 7 Gallon Rigid Water Container
$21.12 OK, first of all, this can be found at Wal-Mart for about $10, so I'd suggest you go there to buy it, but you can see details on this link. This is a fantastic way of storing water in minimal space. These Aqua-Tainers stack neatly and are very stable. They also have a handy spigot for getting the water out.Olive Drab Genuine GI USA Made 1 Qt Plastic Canteen
$4.95 613 GENUINE GI CANTEEN COVER - OD $12.50 There are newer and fancier water bottles, but these are proven in the toughest of environments. The cap seals tightly and the cover will keep the water cool. The cover even has a small pocket to hold a bottle of purification tablets. The ad doesn't say, but the cover should have two "ALICE" clips on it to attache to your belt, pack, or other location. Just in case, consider getting G.I. Alice Keeper Clip/belt Slides (10 Pack) $3.95 (spares are always good). Also look at getting G I Spec Stainless Steel Canteen Cup $9.95 for use with mixing in instant coffee, kool aid, or other mixes, as well as putting it over a heat source for hot drinks or stew.Camelbak H.A.W.G. NV 100 Oz Hydration Pack, Black/Charcoal
$109.95 Camelbak is the leader in hydration systems. There are other makes out there, including some a lot cheaper, but you get what you pay for. The H.A.W.G. (Holds A lot of Water and Gear) was the first Camelbak I bought, back in the late '90s. The design has been modified since then, but in positive ways. The 100 oz reservoir will provide enough water to get you through a strenuous, hot day. The 1,120 cubic inches of gear space will allow you to keep some extra clothes and a little food and gear, making this a great day pack for hiking or mountain biking, or keep in the car for a GHB. It can also attach to larger packs if you need more capacity.Siphon Pump
$14.95 I'm not going to suggest a particular brand of 55 gallon water barrel, but a number of them are available on Amazon, or through local sources. I will say, that if you are storing potable water, get a new barrel, approved for drinking water. Don't risk it with a used drink syrup or olive importation barrel (although those are good for water you are harvesting from rain water and will use for sanitation or gardening). Anyway, if you are going to store water in 55 gallon barrels, you need a way to get it. These pumps are handy, easy to use, and inexpensive. I had several with my Y2K supplies, but don't currently store water in that fashion.Well, this has ended up being a lot longer than I expected. I will break this up in to several categories over the next few weeks to help you fill out your Christmas shopping (or wish) list with some basic prep gear.
8/3/10
Disasters in the News Aug. 3, 2010
Wow! Two posts in two days... A new record for If It Hits the Fan! There are a couple of imminent disaster risks in the news today I wanted to comment on.
Coronal Mass Ejection
Fox News ran this article today. Seems there was a massive solar flare yesterday, which will reach Earth tonight. While it will provide sky watchers with much larger Northern Lights in latitudes that seldom see them, it may also put satellites at risk. NASA released information several years ago that reported that we are heading into the most intense period of solar activity since the massive solar storms of 1958. We did not have the electronics then that we do now. Solar activity in 1998-99 knocked out several satellites, including one that made 45 million alpha-numeric pagers useless for a couple days. I remember wondering where my news reports and spot metal price updates were before I found out all pagers were down. This Washington Post article discusses several power outages and electronics failures from solar storms in the latter half of the 20th century. This website details problems caused by solar activity dating back to the 1850's. Consider all those problems when we weren't dependent on electronics like we are today.
I'm sure that Wednesday morning, we'll wake up and 99% of our electrical and electronic capacity will be up and running. But I think the threat from spiked solar activity over the next couple of years is something to be aware of, and we should look at possible ways to mitigate damage that may come.
Tropical Storm Colin
He currently has degenerated back to a depression. The projected path puts the remnants hitting North Carolina or Virginia next Tuesday or Wednesday, but at a much weaker state. We'll keep a eye on him, but it looks right now as if we have dodged another tropical bullet.
Coronal Mass Ejection
Fox News ran this article today. Seems there was a massive solar flare yesterday, which will reach Earth tonight. While it will provide sky watchers with much larger Northern Lights in latitudes that seldom see them, it may also put satellites at risk. NASA released information several years ago that reported that we are heading into the most intense period of solar activity since the massive solar storms of 1958. We did not have the electronics then that we do now. Solar activity in 1998-99 knocked out several satellites, including one that made 45 million alpha-numeric pagers useless for a couple days. I remember wondering where my news reports and spot metal price updates were before I found out all pagers were down. This Washington Post article discusses several power outages and electronics failures from solar storms in the latter half of the 20th century. This website details problems caused by solar activity dating back to the 1850's. Consider all those problems when we weren't dependent on electronics like we are today.
I'm sure that Wednesday morning, we'll wake up and 99% of our electrical and electronic capacity will be up and running. But I think the threat from spiked solar activity over the next couple of years is something to be aware of, and we should look at possible ways to mitigate damage that may come.
Tropical Storm Colin
He currently has degenerated back to a depression. The projected path puts the remnants hitting North Carolina or Virginia next Tuesday or Wednesday, but at a much weaker state. We'll keep a eye on him, but it looks right now as if we have dodged another tropical bullet.
8/2/10
Prepper Ponderings Aug. 2, 2010
Here we are again with some Prepper Ponderings. Short notes about various topics.
Storms a-brewin'
Tropical Depression 4 has formed in the Atlantic. If the projected path and duration hold true, we could see some tropical weather in my area about a week from today. I tested the generator a couple weeks ago, but will do it again tomorrow and rotate some gas cans.
Speaking of gas, you know it goes bad, right? I'm sure that, like me, you always relied on Sta-Bil to keep your gas a bit longer. A friend recently turned me on to Star Tron Fuel Treatment. It is way better than Sta-Bil. I had some older gas, already treated with Sta-Bil in my generator and it was running pretty rough. Star Tron not only preserves gas, it also revitalizes. I put a splash of Star Tron in the genny's gas tank, sloshed it around, and started it. The thing ran like I had brand new, high octane gas in it. Amazing. I had the same results after refreshing my lawn mower's gas. Star Tron is now required for all my storage gas.
Another concern for an approaching storm is water. We have enough stored water for about five days. Also, we are on a well and the genny will run the well pump if we lose power. My biggest concern is with excessive rain dirtying up the well water. For that I have a filter. Even if you are on city water, a good quality filter can be a great asset. How many times have you heard about localities issuing "boil water" orders because of a failure in the treatment system?
The New Pioneer
This is a new annual magazine from Harris Publishing, the same folks who bring us Tactical Handguns, Guns of the Old West, et. al. The editor is Nancy Tappan, widow of one of the early leaders in the survivalist movement, Mel Tappan. Among the authors are specialists in a wide range of preparedness topics, including N.E. MacDougald, managing editor of Survive magazine back in the 80's. At $9.95, this is pretty steep, but considering it is an annual, not out of line. The articles run the gamut from guns to rural land to organic seeds to flea market treasures. It will inform and entertain the camouflage commandos, the hemp shirt hippies, and even we regular folk. The articles are well-written and researched. I suggest you visit your local bookseller to find a copy. They do not have a website and don't seem to be available through Amazon or through subscription.
Va. Disaster Prep
As part of my efforts to help people prepare for what life brings them, I have started consulting business, aimed at the concerned family, with no personal mentor available. Please check out my website and let me know if you think this is viable. A prepper friend who is a lawyer and an entrepreneur put the idea in my head when I was telling him about this blog and some other things I am working on. He said a lot of people want to prepare, but don't know where to start, and don't have the time or interest to do a lot of research. He thought there would be a market for someone to provide that guidance, so I'm giving it a try. I don't think I'll be able to retire from this gig, but I think I can help a lot of folks and make some decent side money at the same time.
That's it for today. I'll try not to be so long between posts, I promise!
Storms a-brewin'
Tropical Depression 4 has formed in the Atlantic. If the projected path and duration hold true, we could see some tropical weather in my area about a week from today. I tested the generator a couple weeks ago, but will do it again tomorrow and rotate some gas cans.
Speaking of gas, you know it goes bad, right? I'm sure that, like me, you always relied on Sta-Bil to keep your gas a bit longer. A friend recently turned me on to Star Tron Fuel Treatment. It is way better than Sta-Bil. I had some older gas, already treated with Sta-Bil in my generator and it was running pretty rough. Star Tron not only preserves gas, it also revitalizes. I put a splash of Star Tron in the genny's gas tank, sloshed it around, and started it. The thing ran like I had brand new, high octane gas in it. Amazing. I had the same results after refreshing my lawn mower's gas. Star Tron is now required for all my storage gas.
Another concern for an approaching storm is water. We have enough stored water for about five days. Also, we are on a well and the genny will run the well pump if we lose power. My biggest concern is with excessive rain dirtying up the well water. For that I have a filter. Even if you are on city water, a good quality filter can be a great asset. How many times have you heard about localities issuing "boil water" orders because of a failure in the treatment system?
The New Pioneer
This is a new annual magazine from Harris Publishing, the same folks who bring us Tactical Handguns, Guns of the Old West, et. al. The editor is Nancy Tappan, widow of one of the early leaders in the survivalist movement, Mel Tappan. Among the authors are specialists in a wide range of preparedness topics, including N.E. MacDougald, managing editor of Survive magazine back in the 80's. At $9.95, this is pretty steep, but considering it is an annual, not out of line. The articles run the gamut from guns to rural land to organic seeds to flea market treasures. It will inform and entertain the camouflage commandos, the hemp shirt hippies, and even we regular folk. The articles are well-written and researched. I suggest you visit your local bookseller to find a copy. They do not have a website and don't seem to be available through Amazon or through subscription.
Va. Disaster Prep
As part of my efforts to help people prepare for what life brings them, I have started consulting business, aimed at the concerned family, with no personal mentor available. Please check out my website and let me know if you think this is viable. A prepper friend who is a lawyer and an entrepreneur put the idea in my head when I was telling him about this blog and some other things I am working on. He said a lot of people want to prepare, but don't know where to start, and don't have the time or interest to do a lot of research. He thought there would be a market for someone to provide that guidance, so I'm giving it a try. I don't think I'll be able to retire from this gig, but I think I can help a lot of folks and make some decent side money at the same time.
That's it for today. I'll try not to be so long between posts, I promise!
7/21/10
Hotter than the Hinges of Hell July 21, 2010
That’s how my dad described some beef stew my wife fixed us for lunch one day. It can also describe the weather around here over the past month. We’ve had many days in the high 90’s and even a handful in the triple digits. It’s uncomfortable and can be dangerous during good times, but imagine if it happened during a grid down situation. I thought we’d review some of the hazards associated with extreme heat and some steps we can take to mitigate the dangers. For source material, I am using some military documents (links at the end) and my own experiences as a Marine in the deserts of California, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and as a police officer in a summer resort area. I present this as general information, not as medical advice. I encourage you to seek professional medical advice on this topic.
What is a heat injury?
Heat Cramps – These are the mildest form of heat injury, but in a crisis situation, could be debilitating. Your body sweats to lose heat buildup. The hotter your body becomes, the heavier you sweat. The heavy sweating causes your body to lose salt and water. That can cause heat cramps, usually as intermittent muscle cramps in the calves and thighs.
Heat Exhaustion/Heat Prostration – This is more severe. It indicates that your body has lost a significant amount of water. Symptoms include weakness, headaches, dizziness, profuse sweating, clammy skin, and elevated body temperature.
Heat Stroke – This when your body’s core temperature exceeds 105.8°F (41°C). Symptoms include confusion, aggressive behavior, red, dry skin, and may quickly lead to unconsciousness and death.
All of these result from the body failing to regulate its heat. Factors in that failure may be internal (not acclimatized, health and fitness issues, recent alcohol intake, not rehydrating, and prior heat injury) or external (direct sunlight/lack of shade, constricting or heavy clothing, extremely high temperature, high humidity, and high levels of activity).
Prevention
There are five basic factors associated with preventing heat injuries.
Acclimatization – As we live much of our lives in air-conditioned splendor, our bodies have gotten use to it. The office worker who goes out on a 90° Saturday to do yard work is going to be much more susceptible to a heat injury than the person laying hot asphalt all summer in 95°. The office worker is not acclimatized, the asphalt layer is. That doesn’t give you the excuse to stay on the couch all weekend! If you are not acclimatized, you simply need to take more prevention measures and pay closer attention to symptoms. If you anticipate long term exposure to hot environments (new job, summer camping trip, etc…) start gradually building your activities and heat exposure for a week or two prior to the new activity.
Hydration – most people are dehydrated on a regular basis. If you are thirsty, it’s too late. A cold beer or an iced tea, while they might make your feel good as you drink them, are bad in a heat environment. The alcohol and caffeine are diuretics and contribute to dehydration. You need to maintain hydration by drinking water or diluted sports drinks on a regular basis, no matter your feelings of thirst or not. Drink a half quart to a quart and a half every hour, depending on how much you are exerting. Keep an eye on your urine output. It should be as close to clear as possible. Dark yellow urine indicates dehydration. Stop your activity and rehydrate before resuming.
Don’t ration water. Drink up to maintain hydration. There are countless stories of people dying in the desert with water still in their canteens. A sip here and a sip later will dehydrate you. Drinking your fill when you have the chance may keep you hydrated until you find relief or rescue.
Do what you can to have water available. We always carry a couple of gallons in our vehicles. I carry a bottle of water to work and refill it throughout the day. We store several cases of bottled water in the house. I have a Katydin Combi-Filter that will make even the nastiest of water safe to drink. I have several water tasks on the to-do list. I need to get several bottles of purification tablets, build a bucket system to use our well if the pump or power fails, and get a Big Berkey filter system to sit on the kitchen counter.
Work/Rest Cycle – The hotter it is and the harder the work, the shorter the work rotation and shorter the rest rotation. For “hard work” in a Heat Category 1 (78° - 81.9°F), the Army indicates 40 minutes of work to 20 minutes of rest. In a Heat Category 5 (>90°), they indicate only 10 minutes of work to 50 minutes of rest. Now, I’m not sure it’s realistic to work 10 - rest 50 when it’s 91°, but be sure you are resting sufficiently to cool your body down.
Shade – In a hot environment, shade is your friend. Old time desert travelers would hunker down and rest under a rock outcropping or build a lean-to for shade during the heat of the day and travel early in the morning or late in the afternoon, maybe even at night if the moon light was bright enough. Even if you have to work in direct sunlight, try to find or make shade for your rest breaks.
Clothing – We’ve all seen the old Western movies where the Mexican towns’ people wear the loose, cotton, long-sleeved shirts, large, straw sombreros, and woven ponchos. That wasn’t just for Hollywood, that was for real. They lived, worked, and yes, took afternoon siestas, in the hot Southwest sun. The Bedouin tribesmen of the Arabian peninsula dress in layers of loose, natural fibers and wear keffiyeh that keep their heads shaded and double as protection from sandstorms.
Take clues from the people who have lived and thrived in hot environments for generations. Wear loose, natural fibers. Keep exposed skin covered. A hat with a large brim made of breathable materials will do wonders for keeping you cooler. Some people rave about Under Armor and similar new wicking fabrics for keeping cool. I don’t have any experience with them. Please leave comments about them if you do.
First Aid
For most heat casualties, first aid needs to happen rapidly to ensure it does not get worse and lead to death. I’m going to reference the Army’s “7 R Management Model” for responding to heat injuries.
Prevention is far better than treatment. Heat can kill or put out of commission the strongest and fittest of us under the wrong circumstances. Hydrate, rest, dress right, and seek out shade if you in a hot environment. Be alert for the symptoms of heat injury, both for yourself, and for others around you. Start treatment at the first sign of heat injury, and don’t delay seeking professional medical treatment if needed.
Resource: USMC Heat Injury Prevention
What is a heat injury?
Heat Cramps – These are the mildest form of heat injury, but in a crisis situation, could be debilitating. Your body sweats to lose heat buildup. The hotter your body becomes, the heavier you sweat. The heavy sweating causes your body to lose salt and water. That can cause heat cramps, usually as intermittent muscle cramps in the calves and thighs.
Heat Exhaustion/Heat Prostration – This is more severe. It indicates that your body has lost a significant amount of water. Symptoms include weakness, headaches, dizziness, profuse sweating, clammy skin, and elevated body temperature.
Heat Stroke – This when your body’s core temperature exceeds 105.8°F (41°C). Symptoms include confusion, aggressive behavior, red, dry skin, and may quickly lead to unconsciousness and death.
All of these result from the body failing to regulate its heat. Factors in that failure may be internal (not acclimatized, health and fitness issues, recent alcohol intake, not rehydrating, and prior heat injury) or external (direct sunlight/lack of shade, constricting or heavy clothing, extremely high temperature, high humidity, and high levels of activity).
Prevention
There are five basic factors associated with preventing heat injuries.
Acclimatization – As we live much of our lives in air-conditioned splendor, our bodies have gotten use to it. The office worker who goes out on a 90° Saturday to do yard work is going to be much more susceptible to a heat injury than the person laying hot asphalt all summer in 95°. The office worker is not acclimatized, the asphalt layer is. That doesn’t give you the excuse to stay on the couch all weekend! If you are not acclimatized, you simply need to take more prevention measures and pay closer attention to symptoms. If you anticipate long term exposure to hot environments (new job, summer camping trip, etc…) start gradually building your activities and heat exposure for a week or two prior to the new activity.
Hydration – most people are dehydrated on a regular basis. If you are thirsty, it’s too late. A cold beer or an iced tea, while they might make your feel good as you drink them, are bad in a heat environment. The alcohol and caffeine are diuretics and contribute to dehydration. You need to maintain hydration by drinking water or diluted sports drinks on a regular basis, no matter your feelings of thirst or not. Drink a half quart to a quart and a half every hour, depending on how much you are exerting. Keep an eye on your urine output. It should be as close to clear as possible. Dark yellow urine indicates dehydration. Stop your activity and rehydrate before resuming.
Don’t ration water. Drink up to maintain hydration. There are countless stories of people dying in the desert with water still in their canteens. A sip here and a sip later will dehydrate you. Drinking your fill when you have the chance may keep you hydrated until you find relief or rescue.
Do what you can to have water available. We always carry a couple of gallons in our vehicles. I carry a bottle of water to work and refill it throughout the day. We store several cases of bottled water in the house. I have a Katydin Combi-Filter that will make even the nastiest of water safe to drink. I have several water tasks on the to-do list. I need to get several bottles of purification tablets, build a bucket system to use our well if the pump or power fails, and get a Big Berkey filter system to sit on the kitchen counter.
Work/Rest Cycle – The hotter it is and the harder the work, the shorter the work rotation and shorter the rest rotation. For “hard work” in a Heat Category 1 (78° - 81.9°F), the Army indicates 40 minutes of work to 20 minutes of rest. In a Heat Category 5 (>90°), they indicate only 10 minutes of work to 50 minutes of rest. Now, I’m not sure it’s realistic to work 10 - rest 50 when it’s 91°, but be sure you are resting sufficiently to cool your body down.
Shade – In a hot environment, shade is your friend. Old time desert travelers would hunker down and rest under a rock outcropping or build a lean-to for shade during the heat of the day and travel early in the morning or late in the afternoon, maybe even at night if the moon light was bright enough. Even if you have to work in direct sunlight, try to find or make shade for your rest breaks.
Clothing – We’ve all seen the old Western movies where the Mexican towns’ people wear the loose, cotton, long-sleeved shirts, large, straw sombreros, and woven ponchos. That wasn’t just for Hollywood, that was for real. They lived, worked, and yes, took afternoon siestas, in the hot Southwest sun. The Bedouin tribesmen of the Arabian peninsula dress in layers of loose, natural fibers and wear keffiyeh that keep their heads shaded and double as protection from sandstorms.
Take clues from the people who have lived and thrived in hot environments for generations. Wear loose, natural fibers. Keep exposed skin covered. A hat with a large brim made of breathable materials will do wonders for keeping you cooler. Some people rave about Under Armor and similar new wicking fabrics for keeping cool. I don’t have any experience with them. Please leave comments about them if you do.
First Aid
For most heat casualties, first aid needs to happen rapidly to ensure it does not get worse and lead to death. I’m going to reference the Army’s “7 R Management Model” for responding to heat injuries.
- Recognize the symptoms as a heat injury
- Rest in the shade or in air conditioned location
- Remove clothing – maybe just loosen it if the casualty is not severe
- Resuscitate – a person with heat stroke may lose consciousness and stop breathing – apply CPR as indicated, or monitor if CPR is not needed
- Reduce temperature as fast as possible with wet towels, fanning, ice water, etc…
- In the Mojave Desert, several of our Marines suffered heat stroke. Submerging them to the neck in ice water tubs helped prevent permanent damage or death.
- Rehydrate with cool water if the person is conscious
- Rush to medical treatment if circumstance dictate
Prevention is far better than treatment. Heat can kill or put out of commission the strongest and fittest of us under the wrong circumstances. Hydrate, rest, dress right, and seek out shade if you in a hot environment. Be alert for the symptoms of heat injury, both for yourself, and for others around you. Start treatment at the first sign of heat injury, and don’t delay seeking professional medical treatment if needed.
Resource: USMC Heat Injury Prevention
7/2/10
Prepper Ponderings July 2, 2010
As I work on the blog this morning, the heat wave has broken and it is a beautiful 70 degrees. I am sitting on the back porch listening to The Survival Podcast and enjoying a Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 with a Diet Coke… I know, the DC is bad for me, but I am down to about three a day instead of the 6-8 that I used to drink. As for the cigar, my doctor (who is also a marathon runner) said he can’t tell me that a couple premium cigars a week are a health hazard. I don’t use any other form of tobacco, and my other vices are few.
I thought today I would start a new blog feature, Prepper Ponderings. This will be an occasional entry of short reviews, commentary or questions for items that don’t have enough information to make a whole post.
Update on my EDC Kit
I’ve been carrying the kit everywhere I go for the past week. Within just a day I had issues with the key ring/carabiner jingling and announcing my movements. I was deciding to cut a piece of bike inner tube to make a silencer for the keys when I realized that the fabric loop on the side of the pouch that the ‘biner clipped to was coming unwoven. So, I just cut the whole loop off and now either clip the keys to my belt loop or stick them in my pocket. I have added a half-sized Bic lighter and a CPR face shield as planned. I still need to swap out the flashlight with a Maglite Solitaire (I’ve decided to go with the LED bulb for long life). The kit is working as planned, and has not raised any questions or eyebrows at work.
Magazine reviews
I get folks asking me what are some magazines they can get to give them information that will help guide them to more self-sufficient living. From the early 80’s into the 2000’s, I read American Survival Guide (originally Survival Guide). I still have many back issues and refer to them sometimes. A friend and I even got an article published about our experiences in Kuwait during Desert Storm. ASG produced a slick magazine with great articles on topics as varied as wilderness survival, the latest guns, preparing food for long-term storage, and hardening your home. As I understand it, they sold out to a large publisher and it ruined the content, quickly driving the magazine to extinction. If you can get back issues on EBay or Craig’s List, go for it!
Jim Benson was the editor of ASG. He currently has an on-line only survival magazine, Modern Survival, but I haven’t subscribed. From the sample articles I’ve seen, it looks to be of the same quality as ASG. I just am not a fan of on-line magazines. If any of you subscribe, please leave your assessment in the blog comments.
I currently subscribe to two magazines that would be of interest to my readers, Backwoods Home and Mother Earth News. Backwoods Home is a newer mag, started by the publisher and his family back in 1999 (I think that year is right), and still a family run magazine. BWH is a great magazine. It has a similar range of articles as the old ASG, with less of a focus on guns (there is a monthly article by gun guru Massad Ayoob) and lots of Q&A. The publishers are unashamedly libertarian in their political beliefs, but confine that side of it to just a couple of pages a month. If you don’t lean that way, either read those pages to broaden your outlook or skip them. Don’t use that as a reason to avoid BWH completely. They offer a great series of books and annual anthologies as well.
Mother Earth News has long been a major player in the self-sufficient living sector. They do a lot on primitive and “green” living skills. Years ago, they had a reputation as strictly a hippie, commune-living, technology is bad magazine. Today, there are still a couple articles a month that have a point of view from that end, but like BWH, don’t read those articles if you want, but don’t use that as a reason to avoid the magazine completely. They also have a great selection of books, and you can get every issue ever made on a DVD for just $40-50. Look on-line for some really good deals on subscription rates.
There are a few other magazines I pick up a couple times a year at the bookstore. Wilderness Way, Back Home, and Countryside & Small Stock Journal sometimes catch my eye with the cover story, but I don’t get them frequently.
Ron Hood, a long-time leader in the survivalism field, has recently started a new magazine, Survival Quarterly. I haven’t seen an issue, but I have heard good things about it. I plan to send off my subscription soon. Again, if you get SQ, please post your review in the blog comments section.
How does my garden grow?
I’ve mentioned before that I am working on my first garden. I am growing everything with nothing but dirt, compost and water. No chemicals or other additives. I guess you could call it organic. My lettuce varieties are going great! I have several varieties and we enjoy eating them in salads. My carrots look good above the dirt, but I haven’t harvested any yet. I don’t know how to check if they are ready! My tomatoes (four varieties of heirloom) have not produced any fruit, yet. I have some flowers blooming, so I hope to get at least a few ‘maters soon. The cucumbers are out of control. They have overgrown their stakes; I have a few ready to harvest this weekend, and dozens of tiny cukes getting ready to burst forth. I’ll be eating cukes, giving them to neighbors and co-workers, and maybe even trying to put up some pickles.
On that note, I picked up the latest version of the Ball Blue Book, one of the best all around user guides to canning. My folks tried making relish, chow-chow and chutney back in the 80’s and my step-mom is going to dig out the pot, tools and jars from the attic for me.
That’s about it for today. Let me know if you like this format to intersperse with the longer, single topic posts.
I thought today I would start a new blog feature, Prepper Ponderings. This will be an occasional entry of short reviews, commentary or questions for items that don’t have enough information to make a whole post.
Update on my EDC Kit
I’ve been carrying the kit everywhere I go for the past week. Within just a day I had issues with the key ring/carabiner jingling and announcing my movements. I was deciding to cut a piece of bike inner tube to make a silencer for the keys when I realized that the fabric loop on the side of the pouch that the ‘biner clipped to was coming unwoven. So, I just cut the whole loop off and now either clip the keys to my belt loop or stick them in my pocket. I have added a half-sized Bic lighter and a CPR face shield as planned. I still need to swap out the flashlight with a Maglite Solitaire (I’ve decided to go with the LED bulb for long life). The kit is working as planned, and has not raised any questions or eyebrows at work.
Magazine reviews
I get folks asking me what are some magazines they can get to give them information that will help guide them to more self-sufficient living. From the early 80’s into the 2000’s, I read American Survival Guide (originally Survival Guide). I still have many back issues and refer to them sometimes. A friend and I even got an article published about our experiences in Kuwait during Desert Storm. ASG produced a slick magazine with great articles on topics as varied as wilderness survival, the latest guns, preparing food for long-term storage, and hardening your home. As I understand it, they sold out to a large publisher and it ruined the content, quickly driving the magazine to extinction. If you can get back issues on EBay or Craig’s List, go for it!
Jim Benson was the editor of ASG. He currently has an on-line only survival magazine, Modern Survival, but I haven’t subscribed. From the sample articles I’ve seen, it looks to be of the same quality as ASG. I just am not a fan of on-line magazines. If any of you subscribe, please leave your assessment in the blog comments.
I currently subscribe to two magazines that would be of interest to my readers, Backwoods Home and Mother Earth News. Backwoods Home is a newer mag, started by the publisher and his family back in 1999 (I think that year is right), and still a family run magazine. BWH is a great magazine. It has a similar range of articles as the old ASG, with less of a focus on guns (there is a monthly article by gun guru Massad Ayoob) and lots of Q&A. The publishers are unashamedly libertarian in their political beliefs, but confine that side of it to just a couple of pages a month. If you don’t lean that way, either read those pages to broaden your outlook or skip them. Don’t use that as a reason to avoid BWH completely. They offer a great series of books and annual anthologies as well.
Mother Earth News has long been a major player in the self-sufficient living sector. They do a lot on primitive and “green” living skills. Years ago, they had a reputation as strictly a hippie, commune-living, technology is bad magazine. Today, there are still a couple articles a month that have a point of view from that end, but like BWH, don’t read those articles if you want, but don’t use that as a reason to avoid the magazine completely. They also have a great selection of books, and you can get every issue ever made on a DVD for just $40-50. Look on-line for some really good deals on subscription rates.
There are a few other magazines I pick up a couple times a year at the bookstore. Wilderness Way, Back Home, and Countryside & Small Stock Journal sometimes catch my eye with the cover story, but I don’t get them frequently.
Ron Hood, a long-time leader in the survivalism field, has recently started a new magazine, Survival Quarterly. I haven’t seen an issue, but I have heard good things about it. I plan to send off my subscription soon. Again, if you get SQ, please post your review in the blog comments section.
How does my garden grow?
I’ve mentioned before that I am working on my first garden. I am growing everything with nothing but dirt, compost and water. No chemicals or other additives. I guess you could call it organic. My lettuce varieties are going great! I have several varieties and we enjoy eating them in salads. My carrots look good above the dirt, but I haven’t harvested any yet. I don’t know how to check if they are ready! My tomatoes (four varieties of heirloom) have not produced any fruit, yet. I have some flowers blooming, so I hope to get at least a few ‘maters soon. The cucumbers are out of control. They have overgrown their stakes; I have a few ready to harvest this weekend, and dozens of tiny cukes getting ready to burst forth. I’ll be eating cukes, giving them to neighbors and co-workers, and maybe even trying to put up some pickles.
On that note, I picked up the latest version of the Ball Blue Book, one of the best all around user guides to canning. My folks tried making relish, chow-chow and chutney back in the 80’s and my step-mom is going to dig out the pot, tools and jars from the attic for me.
That’s about it for today. Let me know if you like this format to intersperse with the longer, single topic posts.
6/25/10
WTH is EDC? June 25, 2010
Having a well-stocked, rural retreat does no good if you aren't able to get there when it hits the fan. Of course, most of us can't walk around with all of our gear on our backs every day, either. What is a prepper to do? A BOV (bug out vehicle) with a GHB (get home bag) are great. I have a GHB in my daily driver that I am also outfitting as a BOV. But what if I am not near my truck? Maybe I'm in my office, or out in the city conducting business... Maybe I'm just out to dinner with the wife.
Things happen, that's why we prepare. I just put together a small, discrete, EDC (every day carry) kit that I can have with me pretty much anywhere I go. It won't raise alarm, nor will it make people look at me as if I have three heads.
Things happen, that's why we prepare. I just put together a small, discrete, EDC (every day carry) kit that I can have with me pretty much anywhere I go. It won't raise alarm, nor will it make people look at me as if I have three heads.
So what is it, and how can you build one? First off, this will work for me. Your situation is going to be different. Take what I have done, and use it as a launchpad for your own EDC that will fulfil your needs.
The other day, at Lowe's, I found a durable, nylon/Velcro cell phone pouch that came with a AAA flashlight, a small carabiner, and what seems to be a very strong belt clip. It was only $5.99, so I picked it up with this project in mind. How much useful gear can a person get into a cell phone pouch? You'd be surprised.
I've got my key ring (truck, truck tool box, house, office, and handcuffs), the AAA flashlight, two good size alcohol prep pads, a 2"x2" sterile wound dressing, a small roll of surgical tape, two surgical gloves, five adhesive bandages, a tube of Chap Stick 15 SPF, a small Sharpie marker, a Swiss Army Knife (I recommend only genuine Victorinox or Wegner - don't waste your money on an off brand SAK), and about 6.5 feet of 550 parachute cord. Everything is intended to be used for a small local emergency, or to aid me until I get additional help or back to my BOV or home. The only additions I foresee making are including one of the half-sized Bic disposable lighters, and trading out the cheapo flashlight that came with the pouch for a Mag Lite Solitaire which is about the same size, but much better quality. I will also add a barrier mask for CPR and use a black Sharpie to subdue the logo on the flap.
Does that little pouch hold all that stuff? Take a look for yourself...
I can have this with me whether I'm wearing short and a t-shirt, or in my suit at work. When someone needs a bandage, I'll have one ready and hopefully strike up a conversation about basic preparedness.
I hope all my readers will get inspired to make their own EDC kit. It can be done very inexpensively, and the time will come when you will be glad you have it.
Please visit our new If It Hits The Fan Facebook page and "like" us.
6/20/10
Government Sanctioned Prepping? June 20, 2010
This week I came across two documents, both originating with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. Both also gave the impression that the government (or at least Virginia) is growing in its commitment to developing the preparedness mentality among citizens.
The first item is a report from the University of Virginia entitled Population Behaviors in Dirty Bomb Attack Scenarios: A Survey of the National Capital Region. The 64-page report details the findings from interviews with nearly 2,700 residents of Northern Virginia, Southern Maryland and Washington, D.C. The survey asked respondents about their preparations, plans and expected behaviors in the event of one of several dirty bomb scenarios in that area. There are a lot of interesting findings from the report. One that validates what many of us probably feel about our family and friends who are failing to prep is that "denial and 'not wanting to deal with it' were most likely to keep people from preparing." I know many that fall into the "ignorance is bliss" line of thought.
A disturbing finding is that about 80% would shelter in place if directed to do so, but fewer than a third have an emergency kit prepared, and only 13% have a kit, a family meeting location and a written plan for an emergency. I wonder how all those unprepared people plan to survive and thrive. Waiting on FEMA I would assume...
This was a very interesting report, and I suggest that everyone interested in prepping read it to get an idea of what your friends and neighbors are planning to do in an emergency. To me it is that much more reason to ensure that my family is not a burden on the system. It is also further motivation to keep this blog going to spread information and help get more folks prepared to not be burdens.
The second VDEM item I got was the 2010 Emergency Preparedness Survey that they have released to gauge the readiness of the Commonwealth's citizens. I don't know that the results will be statistically valid, because there is no random sampling, it is just anyone who takes the time to complete the survey. I would think that those who already have an interest in preparedness would be more likely to take the survey, thus skewing the results to reflect a higher than true rate of preparedness.
Among other questions, the survey asks what situations you feel might hit your community, what steps you've taken to prepare, and some demographic data. If a person was able to answer "yes" to all of the preparations questions, he would be better prepared than 87% of the people in the Washington region survey, but it is only a bare minimum start. The minimum suggestions from the government are little more than feel-good measures that might be of use in a small scale problem like a brief winter storm or during a heavy rainfall. The main intent is to keep alive until the government arrives to increase our dependence on them. I believe that a person should be self-sufficient and dependent on no one but one's self during times of trouble. Doing so will make each of us stronger and more resilient, as well as better off during the good times.
The first item is a report from the University of Virginia entitled Population Behaviors in Dirty Bomb Attack Scenarios: A Survey of the National Capital Region. The 64-page report details the findings from interviews with nearly 2,700 residents of Northern Virginia, Southern Maryland and Washington, D.C. The survey asked respondents about their preparations, plans and expected behaviors in the event of one of several dirty bomb scenarios in that area. There are a lot of interesting findings from the report. One that validates what many of us probably feel about our family and friends who are failing to prep is that "denial and 'not wanting to deal with it' were most likely to keep people from preparing." I know many that fall into the "ignorance is bliss" line of thought.
A disturbing finding is that about 80% would shelter in place if directed to do so, but fewer than a third have an emergency kit prepared, and only 13% have a kit, a family meeting location and a written plan for an emergency. I wonder how all those unprepared people plan to survive and thrive. Waiting on FEMA I would assume...
This was a very interesting report, and I suggest that everyone interested in prepping read it to get an idea of what your friends and neighbors are planning to do in an emergency. To me it is that much more reason to ensure that my family is not a burden on the system. It is also further motivation to keep this blog going to spread information and help get more folks prepared to not be burdens.
The second VDEM item I got was the 2010 Emergency Preparedness Survey that they have released to gauge the readiness of the Commonwealth's citizens. I don't know that the results will be statistically valid, because there is no random sampling, it is just anyone who takes the time to complete the survey. I would think that those who already have an interest in preparedness would be more likely to take the survey, thus skewing the results to reflect a higher than true rate of preparedness.
Among other questions, the survey asks what situations you feel might hit your community, what steps you've taken to prepare, and some demographic data. If a person was able to answer "yes" to all of the preparations questions, he would be better prepared than 87% of the people in the Washington region survey, but it is only a bare minimum start. The minimum suggestions from the government are little more than feel-good measures that might be of use in a small scale problem like a brief winter storm or during a heavy rainfall. The main intent is to keep alive until the government arrives to increase our dependence on them. I believe that a person should be self-sufficient and dependent on no one but one's self during times of trouble. Doing so will make each of us stronger and more resilient, as well as better off during the good times.
6/17/10
You Have Car Insurance, Don't You? June 16, 2010
In the three years prior to Y2K, I spent thousands and thousands of dollars (which I didn't have at the time) to prepare for it. Thanks to the billions and billions of dollars spent by governments and corporations around the world, it was a non-event. I now try to make my prepping activities a part of my general lifestyle, not to get ready for a specific event. I budget for supplies, I incorporate my preps into daily life, and the ultimate goal is to have whatever I need If It Hits The Fan, but also that those things that I have done also contribute to my ongoing happiness and success.
"Didn't you learn from Y2K?" "Why are you wasting your money?" "You'll never use that stuff!" "What are you going to do with that much food?"
If you are a prepper, you've heard these same questions and statements. They often come from friends or family that buy a new car every couple years, take frequent vacations, are always going out to eat, have toys like ATVs, boats, and jet skis, all of it "paid" for with credit. "I can make the payment, why shouldn't I buy that...?" They might have enough food in the house to make it until next payday, but Visa is on standby if they don't. When a disaster hits, whether large-scale affecting everyone, or a very personal one, these people are not ready and must depend on the kindness of others, or more likely, the government (which we know is really us, but they don't see it that way).
I look at people like this in several different ways. If they are close friends or family whom I love and care about, I have to determine if they are at least open to changing the way they live. I can't jump right into, "So what are you going to do when the electrical grid collapses due to an electromagnetic pulse attack?" That will convince them that they've been right all along and I'm paranoid. Maybe I'll mention that we are working our way out of debt by following Dave Ramsey's principles and I'll offer to lend them a copy of "Total Money Makeover." Perhaps I'll reminisce about the last time we lost power for 3 days in an ice storm and how cozy we were with our generator running the house and how nice it was not to have to worry about fighting the crowds for a loaf of bread or gallon of milk. If they are resistant, the best I might be able to do is put away a little extra when I can with the plan of distributing it as charity during a time of need. I also need to make it clear to them that if disaster strikes, they cannot come here. We don't have room and we can't provide for them. If they seem like they might be interested in hearing more, I think it is best to move gradually. Let them guide the conversation. Ask them what they did during the last "xyz" situation. Suggest they listen to The Survival Podcast or read Making the Best of Basics by James Talmage Stevens. The key is to not scare them off and to let them explore this way of life at their own speed, offering guidance and collaboration when needed.
The next group of people is the casual acquaintance. Someone I work with or who is a friend of a friend. I used to talk openly about my preps with any and all who would listen. I was often met with "I'm coming to your house when it gets bad." I warned people off with offers of ammunition, one bullet at a time. As I've matured, I realize how bad that image was to the preparedness movement. I've also realized that I am not the only one who approached the situation that way. Nowadays, I just don't bring it up. If someone reads between the lines, or stumbles upon this blog, and realizes what I do, then they are probably already leaning toward preparedness (if not already actively involved in prepping). Perhaps that person will soon become a close friend and trusted prepping partner.
The last group of people is the total strangers. I actually feel pretty good about talking to these folks. They don't know me, where I live, or where I work, but they are in my community and I'd rather them be able to take care of themselves than depend on the government to help. That is part of the reason I do this blog... to reach people who have some interest or concern with preparing their families, but don't really know anyone to talk to directly. I recently chatted with a fellow at Wal-Mart who was buying his 12 year old son a Mossberg 20 gauge shotgun. He very proudly told me that the boy took two deer last year with a 20 gauge single shot. If I had a business card showing my blog, along with a couple of other resources, I could have passed it to him. As it was, I congratulated him on his son's achievement and thanked him for passing on the traditions to a new generation. I'm hopeful that this blog will serve as an introduction to prepping for many who are not yet ready to dive in head first, but who know things can go bad and have a feeling that they must do something.
Really, to the novice, one way to approach prepping is to ask if they have car insurance. Some will say that they have the bare minimum because the law requires it. You probably won't make much headway with that type. Others will say that they have very high coverage to protect their family's assets in the event they cause an accident. These are the folks that will get it. Prepping is another form of insurance, but where you really hope you never have to use your car insurance, prepping can be done in a way to insure your family's assets during disaster or personal crisis, but it can also improve your day-to-day life. Eat tomorrow on today's dollars. Grow a garden to lower your food bill and give your family healthy, natural food. Learn how to build or repair things that you need around the house. Have guns and fishing gear for recreation or providing food. Collect Silver Eagles and pre-65 U.S. coins because they are neat, and they store wealth or can be used for barter. It goes on and on. Prepping is just another form of insurance, but one that can save your life, not just pay for it.
"Didn't you learn from Y2K?" "Why are you wasting your money?" "You'll never use that stuff!" "What are you going to do with that much food?"
If you are a prepper, you've heard these same questions and statements. They often come from friends or family that buy a new car every couple years, take frequent vacations, are always going out to eat, have toys like ATVs, boats, and jet skis, all of it "paid" for with credit. "I can make the payment, why shouldn't I buy that...?" They might have enough food in the house to make it until next payday, but Visa is on standby if they don't. When a disaster hits, whether large-scale affecting everyone, or a very personal one, these people are not ready and must depend on the kindness of others, or more likely, the government (which we know is really us, but they don't see it that way).
I look at people like this in several different ways. If they are close friends or family whom I love and care about, I have to determine if they are at least open to changing the way they live. I can't jump right into, "So what are you going to do when the electrical grid collapses due to an electromagnetic pulse attack?" That will convince them that they've been right all along and I'm paranoid. Maybe I'll mention that we are working our way out of debt by following Dave Ramsey's principles and I'll offer to lend them a copy of "Total Money Makeover." Perhaps I'll reminisce about the last time we lost power for 3 days in an ice storm and how cozy we were with our generator running the house and how nice it was not to have to worry about fighting the crowds for a loaf of bread or gallon of milk. If they are resistant, the best I might be able to do is put away a little extra when I can with the plan of distributing it as charity during a time of need. I also need to make it clear to them that if disaster strikes, they cannot come here. We don't have room and we can't provide for them. If they seem like they might be interested in hearing more, I think it is best to move gradually. Let them guide the conversation. Ask them what they did during the last "xyz" situation. Suggest they listen to The Survival Podcast or read Making the Best of Basics by James Talmage Stevens. The key is to not scare them off and to let them explore this way of life at their own speed, offering guidance and collaboration when needed.
The next group of people is the casual acquaintance. Someone I work with or who is a friend of a friend. I used to talk openly about my preps with any and all who would listen. I was often met with "I'm coming to your house when it gets bad." I warned people off with offers of ammunition, one bullet at a time. As I've matured, I realize how bad that image was to the preparedness movement. I've also realized that I am not the only one who approached the situation that way. Nowadays, I just don't bring it up. If someone reads between the lines, or stumbles upon this blog, and realizes what I do, then they are probably already leaning toward preparedness (if not already actively involved in prepping). Perhaps that person will soon become a close friend and trusted prepping partner.
The last group of people is the total strangers. I actually feel pretty good about talking to these folks. They don't know me, where I live, or where I work, but they are in my community and I'd rather them be able to take care of themselves than depend on the government to help. That is part of the reason I do this blog... to reach people who have some interest or concern with preparing their families, but don't really know anyone to talk to directly. I recently chatted with a fellow at Wal-Mart who was buying his 12 year old son a Mossberg 20 gauge shotgun. He very proudly told me that the boy took two deer last year with a 20 gauge single shot. If I had a business card showing my blog, along with a couple of other resources, I could have passed it to him. As it was, I congratulated him on his son's achievement and thanked him for passing on the traditions to a new generation. I'm hopeful that this blog will serve as an introduction to prepping for many who are not yet ready to dive in head first, but who know things can go bad and have a feeling that they must do something.
Really, to the novice, one way to approach prepping is to ask if they have car insurance. Some will say that they have the bare minimum because the law requires it. You probably won't make much headway with that type. Others will say that they have very high coverage to protect their family's assets in the event they cause an accident. These are the folks that will get it. Prepping is another form of insurance, but where you really hope you never have to use your car insurance, prepping can be done in a way to insure your family's assets during disaster or personal crisis, but it can also improve your day-to-day life. Eat tomorrow on today's dollars. Grow a garden to lower your food bill and give your family healthy, natural food. Learn how to build or repair things that you need around the house. Have guns and fishing gear for recreation or providing food. Collect Silver Eagles and pre-65 U.S. coins because they are neat, and they store wealth or can be used for barter. It goes on and on. Prepping is just another form of insurance, but one that can save your life, not just pay for it.
6/9/10
If It Glows, It Blows June 9, 2010
Although we live in a rural location, I commute an hour each way to work in a major city, Newport News, Virginia. Newport News is 25 miles long and 4 miles wide, with the James River on the south edge, and the Chesapeake Bay at its end. What does this have to do with being prepared for disaster? At the south east end of the city is the Northrup-Grumman Shipyard. One of only two shipyards in the country where nuclear powered Navy vessels are built and repaired. The north west end of the city lies within the 10 mile Emergency Planning Zone of the Surry Nuclear Power Station. Right smack in the middle of town is the Jefferson National Nuclear Accelerator Lab. My office is in the mid-town, and I drive all over the city throughout the day.
When I got to work this morning, I checked the local news. Imagine my interest when the first article I read told of the radioactive contamination that was found on the clothing of a shipyard worker who had been working on the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier. The second article let me know that yesterday Surry had an electrical system malfunction that shut down one of its nuclear reactors. I already knew that the quarterly test of the radiological emergency alert sirens in town was planned for today. At least nothing had gone wrong at the nuclear accelerator labs (that "they" told us about). Fortunately, neither of these events caused a radiological release and nobody was at risk. But it raises the question of "what if?"
A terrorist dirty bomb in the heart of the city. A truck carrying nuclear materials has a wreck on the interstate that breaches the transport containers. An accident at the power station causes a radioactive cloud to travel fall over the city. Any number of similar situations could happen. Is it likely? Not really. There are multiple safeguards in place. But it is not outside the realm of a realistic chance of it taking place. So the question is, how can I go about my daily life, preparing for something like this, but continuing to thrive if it doesn't happen?
In Desert Storm, I wore Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) gear. This was a charcoal lined oversuit and rubber overboots with rubber overgloves and a M17 gas mask and hood on my side at all times for about 5 straight days. I can't do that waiting for something to happen. It would clash with my necktie and sport coat, I'd start to stink, and people would think I was a nutjob and I'd get fired. On top of that, the oversuit is really for chemical agent exposure and would not protect me from radiation. I'd need a rubber suit. I guess I could get an old school Civil Defense-era Geiger counter, but it's kind of tough to tote around a big yellow box all day, and again, there is the nutjob factor. But, there are some important things I can do that will help me stay safe.
Emergency Alert System
In my office, I have a weather alert and EAS radio that will let me know when a radiological emergency is publicized. The key there is "publicized." There will be a time lag from when an emergency happens and when it is announced. That can be life-threatening in certain circumstances. So I need other options.
NukAlert
NukAlert is a small, discreet key fob that functions as a 24/7 radiation monitor and alarm. Essentially a 21st century Geiger counter. It has a 10 year battery life, and the manufacturer offers a very reasonably-priced battery replacement/unit reconditioning. It is $160 for one, or $145 each for two or more. I can have one of these with me at all times without anyone else knowing about it. If the alarm on it goes off, then I know I need to leave the area immediately and tune in to emergency broadcasts. From my previous postings, you know I hate debt and function on a budget. This is not budgeted, so i need to plan for it in the very near future. Hmmm. A birthday is coming up soon, perhaps a loved one will buy this for me... I'm just sayin'. Anyway, once I have this, if it goes off, that means I've been exposed to some level of radiation. What then?
Potassium Iodide (KI)
Potassium Iodide will prevent your thyroid gland from absorbing radioactive iodine and can reduce the risk of thyroid cancers and other diseases that might otherwise be caused by exposure to radioactive iodine that could be dispersed in a severe nuclear accident. These pills are taken one a day until you are able to leave the contaminated environment. Although they have FDA-mandated expiration dates, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, they do not lose any potency or effectiveness past that date. They are very stable. So why not make this very inexpensive long-term investment and keep a pack of them in my truck as a part of my Every Day Carry (EDC)?
I encourage you to shop around for the best price on these, but if you use the links above for either one, please let them know you learned of them from this blog.
With these relatively inexpensive preparations, I can be ready for a nuclear accident or attack and be able to safely and quickly get out of town. I am fortunate to live far enough away from Newport News that my home will be safe. For those who live in that city or anywhere else that has nuclear or radiological risks, a wise preparation over and above these might include having a fall-back location such as a relative's house or vacation home. But that leads into discussions about Bug Out Locations (BOL) and Bug Out Bags (BOB) and how to evacuate. And those discussions will have to wait for another post.
When I got to work this morning, I checked the local news. Imagine my interest when the first article I read told of the radioactive contamination that was found on the clothing of a shipyard worker who had been working on the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier. The second article let me know that yesterday Surry had an electrical system malfunction that shut down one of its nuclear reactors. I already knew that the quarterly test of the radiological emergency alert sirens in town was planned for today. At least nothing had gone wrong at the nuclear accelerator labs (that "they" told us about). Fortunately, neither of these events caused a radiological release and nobody was at risk. But it raises the question of "what if?"
A terrorist dirty bomb in the heart of the city. A truck carrying nuclear materials has a wreck on the interstate that breaches the transport containers. An accident at the power station causes a radioactive cloud to travel fall over the city. Any number of similar situations could happen. Is it likely? Not really. There are multiple safeguards in place. But it is not outside the realm of a realistic chance of it taking place. So the question is, how can I go about my daily life, preparing for something like this, but continuing to thrive if it doesn't happen?
In Desert Storm, I wore Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) gear. This was a charcoal lined oversuit and rubber overboots with rubber overgloves and a M17 gas mask and hood on my side at all times for about 5 straight days. I can't do that waiting for something to happen. It would clash with my necktie and sport coat, I'd start to stink, and people would think I was a nutjob and I'd get fired. On top of that, the oversuit is really for chemical agent exposure and would not protect me from radiation. I'd need a rubber suit. I guess I could get an old school Civil Defense-era Geiger counter, but it's kind of tough to tote around a big yellow box all day, and again, there is the nutjob factor. But, there are some important things I can do that will help me stay safe.
Emergency Alert System
In my office, I have a weather alert and EAS radio that will let me know when a radiological emergency is publicized. The key there is "publicized." There will be a time lag from when an emergency happens and when it is announced. That can be life-threatening in certain circumstances. So I need other options.
NukAlert
NukAlert is a small, discreet key fob that functions as a 24/7 radiation monitor and alarm. Essentially a 21st century Geiger counter. It has a 10 year battery life, and the manufacturer offers a very reasonably-priced battery replacement/unit reconditioning. It is $160 for one, or $145 each for two or more. I can have one of these with me at all times without anyone else knowing about it. If the alarm on it goes off, then I know I need to leave the area immediately and tune in to emergency broadcasts. From my previous postings, you know I hate debt and function on a budget. This is not budgeted, so i need to plan for it in the very near future. Hmmm. A birthday is coming up soon, perhaps a loved one will buy this for me... I'm just sayin'. Anyway, once I have this, if it goes off, that means I've been exposed to some level of radiation. What then?
Potassium Iodide (KI)
Potassium Iodide will prevent your thyroid gland from absorbing radioactive iodine and can reduce the risk of thyroid cancers and other diseases that might otherwise be caused by exposure to radioactive iodine that could be dispersed in a severe nuclear accident. These pills are taken one a day until you are able to leave the contaminated environment. Although they have FDA-mandated expiration dates, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, they do not lose any potency or effectiveness past that date. They are very stable. So why not make this very inexpensive long-term investment and keep a pack of them in my truck as a part of my Every Day Carry (EDC)?
I encourage you to shop around for the best price on these, but if you use the links above for either one, please let them know you learned of them from this blog.
With these relatively inexpensive preparations, I can be ready for a nuclear accident or attack and be able to safely and quickly get out of town. I am fortunate to live far enough away from Newport News that my home will be safe. For those who live in that city or anywhere else that has nuclear or radiological risks, a wise preparation over and above these might include having a fall-back location such as a relative's house or vacation home. But that leads into discussions about Bug Out Locations (BOL) and Bug Out Bags (BOB) and how to evacuate. And those discussions will have to wait for another post.
6/8/10
Five Steps to Freedom June 8, 2010
A huge part of being prepared is minimizing one’s dependence on outside resources. Whether that means waiting for FEMA to come bring a bottle of water and a bag of ice after a hurricane, or not being able to cook dinner tonight because no one went to the supermarket. Here are five simple steps that nearly anyone can take to increase independence from the system. Doing these things can build self-sufficiency, save money, and even help a person have a little fun.
Grow something.
Genetically modified crops, salmonella, out-of-season price increases, trucker strikes. Why would anyone not grow at least some of their own fruits or vegetables? If all you have is a plastic pot in a windowsill, or you have a 10 acre homestead in the country, you can grow some or all of your own produce. Jules Dervaes and his family grow 6,000 pounds a year on their 1/10 acre lot in Pasadena, California.
I just had the first harvest from my first garden. I have a 12’ x 4’ box filled with top soil and horse manure compost. I’ve got cukes, tomatoes, lettuces, carrots, two blackberry bushes, and radishes. The radishes came up first and tasted delicious. A garden that size is manageable for me as I learn about the soil and what works. In future years, I expect that my garden will grow, and its output will increase. I’d encourage the novice to start small. It’s better to have to expand it later than to get overwhelmed and abandon the project.
If a yard is not available for your gardening, look into containers. The Topsy-Turvy , ornamental pots, or just 5 gallon buckets all work great. If that is too much, grow a few herbs on the kitchen window sill in a tray. Right now, boxes of Triscuit crackers have basil seeds in them, ready to plant as a part of their Home Farming promotion.
Whatever steps you take, you’ll add tasty, healthy food to your diet; reduce your tax footprint (even if your state has no food sales tax, you won’t need to use as much fuel going to the store); get some fresh air and exercise; increase your self-sufficiency; and be more prepared for whatever life throws at you. Don’t forget to find some hapless neighbors on whom you can furtively drop off your excess zucchini.
Change your oil.
When I had cars that were built in the 70’s and 80’s I changed my own oil. Routine maintenance was a breeze on those older cars. As cars got more complicated and I got busier, I turned to Jiffy Lube and repair shops. I have recently started changing my own again. It’s really still a simple matter, requiring one time purchases of ramps or jack stands, wheel chocks, a filter wrench, a socket set, and an oil drain pan. From there, you need 5 or 6 quarts of oil and a filter… that’s it. Check your owner’s manual for specifics, then crawl on under and do it. If you’ve never done it before, ask around for someone to show you, or check YouTube for how-to videos.
The first few times, it will be a long project and a pain in the rear, but it will get quicker and easier, and eventually it will be quicker than going to get it done. Plus, it will cost you about a third of what you would pay to get it done. Just be responsible with your used oil and take it to a place that accepts it for recycling. Also, be careful and follow your manual’s instructions so that you stay safe. You don’t want your car dropping down on top of you!
Once again, this is an opportunity to do something for yourself and save some money. It’s also a good skill to have so that you can help out an elderly relative or even make a few bucks on the side doing it for folks who are satisfied being dependent on others.
Get a generator.
Nearly everyone lives in a part of the country that is subject to power loss ranging from several hours to several days or even weeks. Around here, it is usually due to hurricanes or ice storms. Elsewhere it could be from range fires, tornadoes, or any number of other reasons. Not everyone is ready for a giant diesel generator hard wired to the breaker box or a natural gas whole-house unit. If you are not at that point, you really should consider a small, inexpensive genny. For just a few hundred dollars, you can get a unit that will be enough to run a couple extension cords to power the refrigerator and a few lights.
You need to look at the power draw of whatever essentials you want to run. The refrigerator will have a surge draw (when the compressor kicks on) that is higher than its continuous draw. A generator will also have a surge and continuous output. For instance, say your refrigerator has a continuous draw of 1,200 watts and a peak of 2,400. You have three lamps with 60 watt light bulbs (here’s a place where a CFL bulb can really pay off), a color TV with 300 continuous watts and 400 surge, and a window fan with 100 continuous and 150 surge watts. Your inexpensive genny has 3,500 and 4,400 continuous and surge, respectively. You really can’t get full efficiency, so you could watch TV with the lights and fan on, but then, every few hours, turn off the TV and two lights and run the refrigerator for an hour or so to maintain the temperature so you don’t lose your meat and milk.
A generator like this can be had, including shipping, for $479 from Amazon. You could shop around locally at your big box stores, or check Craig’s List and yard sales for someone who bought it for a specific storm, and won’t think ahead to the next one. A poster on a forum I frequent just got a nearly new genny at a yard sale for $100! To keep it in top shape, you’ll need to learn how to do basic annual maintenance, such as oil and spark plug changing. Start it up and run it with a light plugged in once a month for 15 minutes or so. Naturally, you need to have adequate fuel. For a small unit, 10 gallons of gas will run it for most of a day (you probably won’t run it 24 hours unless you are powering some crucial medical equipment or something like that). You can keep six gas cans, each holding five gallons, in a pretty small space. That will get you through three days, a reasonable time frame for many power outages. You can always store more if you have the space. When storing fuel, don’t keep it in the house or near an open flame. You’ll also want to treat it with fuel stabilizer. Gas goes bad in just a month or two unless it is treated. Some people swear by Sta-Bil, others by Sea Foam. A friend who is a meticulous researcher has recently turned me on to Startron. I trust his judgment without question, so Startron is my new fuel stabilizer of choice. Twice a year, rotate your fuel in the lawn mower, car, or other engine, and get fresh gas with new treatment.
Finally, be sure to follow instructions when using a generator. It can be lethal to you if the exhaust gets in the house or to a lineman if it is hooked into your home’s power system incorrectly.
Store some food and water.
FEMA tells us to store three days of food and water. The Latter Day Saints (Mormons) encourage their flock to keep a year’s worth. I’ll never say that a year is too much, but three days is definitely not enough. Money is tight, so most folks don’t have the luxury of heading to Sam’s Club or ordering long-term storage foods from Emergency Essentials to fill the pantry in one trip. But, everyone can gradually build up several weeks’ worth of food. Two principles to keep in mind are “First In First Out” (FIFO) and “Store What You Eat, Eat What You Store.”
FIFO means that you rotate your stocks. By having multiples of things you eat on a regular basis, you don’t have to run to the store to immediately replace something and you won’t run out. If you use a few packs or cans of something, but have several more in the pantry, you can wait until it goes on sale before buying again. That keeps you from being at the mercy of whatever the retail price happens to be at the time you need something. Storing what you eat means just that. If your family does not like rice, a 50 pound bag will do you no good when you need it. Similarly, a case of military MRE meals will have a very negative effect on a picky eating child or spouse. If your family likes tuna, pasta, and peanut butter, stock up when you have a coupon or it goes on sale. My pantry has the above, plus pasta sauce, granola bars, oat meal, soup, cereal, crackers, rice, and other items that we eat daily. We wait for sales and use coupons to keep it stocked up.
Water is actually more necessary than food for life. FEMA says one gallon a day per person for drinking and hygiene. That is not nearly enough. I suggest 3-5 gallons per person at a minimum. Water is heavy and bulky, and the containers can have their own issues. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I could be better prepared when it comes to water. We have a couple of cases of bottled water and several 2.5 gallon jugs at any given time. But, we are on a shallow well and have a generator that will run the well pump. Future endeavors will include a rainwater harvesting system and an improvised old fashioned bucket on a rope contraption for the well. For your needs, look at reusing 2 liter soft drink bottles (clean them extremely well), five gallon Aqua-Tainers, or even 55 gallon food-grade barrels if you have the room. Don’t reuse milk jugs because they are fragile and won’t last. I’d also suggest some sort of water filter. You can go as basic as a Britta pitcher or as advanced as a Big Berkey filter system.
If you don’t have a pantry or an extra closet, you will have to be creative with how your plan to keep your new food stores. Look around for unused space. Under the bed is a great place. We have an antique church pew that hides seven or eight cases of water. Consider cutting out a section of sheet rock then nailing in 1x4 shelves to serve as shelves for canned goods. You can hang a simple curtain to cover it. The storage space is only limited by your imagination. Imagine how much better your life will be if you lose your job or disaster strikes your region and you have a month’s food supply already on hand. What about if you just have unexpected dinner guests and haven’t been to the grocery store? You’ll also save money by buying when you want to, not when you need to.
Eliminate debt!
Debt is the biggest disaster that nearly everyone faces each day. Debt prevents success. It tears apart families, and is at the root of our nation’s poor economy. To quote Jack Spirko, “Debt is cancer.”
Debt can be beaten. All it takes is to refuse to be trapped by it any more. We have been really helped by the principles that Dave Ramsey teaches. His seven baby steps are proven methods of beating debt and building wealth. I won’t go into them here, but please look them up. Disasters are a lot easier to take if you have no debt to worry about.
One key in the battle is to make a detailed budget and stick to it. Telling your money where to go each month is so much better than wondering where it went. It is amazing how much money just “disappears” when there is no budget. It’s also great to be able to pay cash for purchases that you plan for. Remember the folks mentioned earlier that bought a generator at a yard sale for $100? The asking price was $300, but it was the end of the day and they had cash on hand for just such an opportunity and the sellers gladly took the money. If these folks had a lot of debt and didn’t budget, they might have been able to get a 25 cent Slinky at the yard sale, but the generator opportunity would have passed them by. I know that when the next power outage happens, they’ll be really grateful.
Using these five simple steps: Grow something, Change your oil, Get a generator, Store some food, and Eliminate debt, you and your family can be well on your way toward self-sufficiency, being prepared for disaster or everyday life, and true Freedom. The longest journey starts with the first step. This will get you going.
Grow something.
Genetically modified crops, salmonella, out-of-season price increases, trucker strikes. Why would anyone not grow at least some of their own fruits or vegetables? If all you have is a plastic pot in a windowsill, or you have a 10 acre homestead in the country, you can grow some or all of your own produce. Jules Dervaes and his family grow 6,000 pounds a year on their 1/10 acre lot in Pasadena, California.
I just had the first harvest from my first garden. I have a 12’ x 4’ box filled with top soil and horse manure compost. I’ve got cukes, tomatoes, lettuces, carrots, two blackberry bushes, and radishes. The radishes came up first and tasted delicious. A garden that size is manageable for me as I learn about the soil and what works. In future years, I expect that my garden will grow, and its output will increase. I’d encourage the novice to start small. It’s better to have to expand it later than to get overwhelmed and abandon the project.
If a yard is not available for your gardening, look into containers. The Topsy-Turvy , ornamental pots, or just 5 gallon buckets all work great. If that is too much, grow a few herbs on the kitchen window sill in a tray. Right now, boxes of Triscuit crackers have basil seeds in them, ready to plant as a part of their Home Farming promotion.
Whatever steps you take, you’ll add tasty, healthy food to your diet; reduce your tax footprint (even if your state has no food sales tax, you won’t need to use as much fuel going to the store); get some fresh air and exercise; increase your self-sufficiency; and be more prepared for whatever life throws at you. Don’t forget to find some hapless neighbors on whom you can furtively drop off your excess zucchini.
Change your oil.
When I had cars that were built in the 70’s and 80’s I changed my own oil. Routine maintenance was a breeze on those older cars. As cars got more complicated and I got busier, I turned to Jiffy Lube and repair shops. I have recently started changing my own again. It’s really still a simple matter, requiring one time purchases of ramps or jack stands, wheel chocks, a filter wrench, a socket set, and an oil drain pan. From there, you need 5 or 6 quarts of oil and a filter… that’s it. Check your owner’s manual for specifics, then crawl on under and do it. If you’ve never done it before, ask around for someone to show you, or check YouTube for how-to videos.
The first few times, it will be a long project and a pain in the rear, but it will get quicker and easier, and eventually it will be quicker than going to get it done. Plus, it will cost you about a third of what you would pay to get it done. Just be responsible with your used oil and take it to a place that accepts it for recycling. Also, be careful and follow your manual’s instructions so that you stay safe. You don’t want your car dropping down on top of you!
Once again, this is an opportunity to do something for yourself and save some money. It’s also a good skill to have so that you can help out an elderly relative or even make a few bucks on the side doing it for folks who are satisfied being dependent on others.
Get a generator.
Nearly everyone lives in a part of the country that is subject to power loss ranging from several hours to several days or even weeks. Around here, it is usually due to hurricanes or ice storms. Elsewhere it could be from range fires, tornadoes, or any number of other reasons. Not everyone is ready for a giant diesel generator hard wired to the breaker box or a natural gas whole-house unit. If you are not at that point, you really should consider a small, inexpensive genny. For just a few hundred dollars, you can get a unit that will be enough to run a couple extension cords to power the refrigerator and a few lights.
You need to look at the power draw of whatever essentials you want to run. The refrigerator will have a surge draw (when the compressor kicks on) that is higher than its continuous draw. A generator will also have a surge and continuous output. For instance, say your refrigerator has a continuous draw of 1,200 watts and a peak of 2,400. You have three lamps with 60 watt light bulbs (here’s a place where a CFL bulb can really pay off), a color TV with 300 continuous watts and 400 surge, and a window fan with 100 continuous and 150 surge watts. Your inexpensive genny has 3,500 and 4,400 continuous and surge, respectively. You really can’t get full efficiency, so you could watch TV with the lights and fan on, but then, every few hours, turn off the TV and two lights and run the refrigerator for an hour or so to maintain the temperature so you don’t lose your meat and milk.
A generator like this can be had, including shipping, for $479 from Amazon. You could shop around locally at your big box stores, or check Craig’s List and yard sales for someone who bought it for a specific storm, and won’t think ahead to the next one. A poster on a forum I frequent just got a nearly new genny at a yard sale for $100! To keep it in top shape, you’ll need to learn how to do basic annual maintenance, such as oil and spark plug changing. Start it up and run it with a light plugged in once a month for 15 minutes or so. Naturally, you need to have adequate fuel. For a small unit, 10 gallons of gas will run it for most of a day (you probably won’t run it 24 hours unless you are powering some crucial medical equipment or something like that). You can keep six gas cans, each holding five gallons, in a pretty small space. That will get you through three days, a reasonable time frame for many power outages. You can always store more if you have the space. When storing fuel, don’t keep it in the house or near an open flame. You’ll also want to treat it with fuel stabilizer. Gas goes bad in just a month or two unless it is treated. Some people swear by Sta-Bil, others by Sea Foam. A friend who is a meticulous researcher has recently turned me on to Startron. I trust his judgment without question, so Startron is my new fuel stabilizer of choice. Twice a year, rotate your fuel in the lawn mower, car, or other engine, and get fresh gas with new treatment.
Finally, be sure to follow instructions when using a generator. It can be lethal to you if the exhaust gets in the house or to a lineman if it is hooked into your home’s power system incorrectly.
Store some food and water.
FEMA tells us to store three days of food and water. The Latter Day Saints (Mormons) encourage their flock to keep a year’s worth. I’ll never say that a year is too much, but three days is definitely not enough. Money is tight, so most folks don’t have the luxury of heading to Sam’s Club or ordering long-term storage foods from Emergency Essentials to fill the pantry in one trip. But, everyone can gradually build up several weeks’ worth of food. Two principles to keep in mind are “First In First Out” (FIFO) and “Store What You Eat, Eat What You Store.”
FIFO means that you rotate your stocks. By having multiples of things you eat on a regular basis, you don’t have to run to the store to immediately replace something and you won’t run out. If you use a few packs or cans of something, but have several more in the pantry, you can wait until it goes on sale before buying again. That keeps you from being at the mercy of whatever the retail price happens to be at the time you need something. Storing what you eat means just that. If your family does not like rice, a 50 pound bag will do you no good when you need it. Similarly, a case of military MRE meals will have a very negative effect on a picky eating child or spouse. If your family likes tuna, pasta, and peanut butter, stock up when you have a coupon or it goes on sale. My pantry has the above, plus pasta sauce, granola bars, oat meal, soup, cereal, crackers, rice, and other items that we eat daily. We wait for sales and use coupons to keep it stocked up.
Water is actually more necessary than food for life. FEMA says one gallon a day per person for drinking and hygiene. That is not nearly enough. I suggest 3-5 gallons per person at a minimum. Water is heavy and bulky, and the containers can have their own issues. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I could be better prepared when it comes to water. We have a couple of cases of bottled water and several 2.5 gallon jugs at any given time. But, we are on a shallow well and have a generator that will run the well pump. Future endeavors will include a rainwater harvesting system and an improvised old fashioned bucket on a rope contraption for the well. For your needs, look at reusing 2 liter soft drink bottles (clean them extremely well), five gallon Aqua-Tainers, or even 55 gallon food-grade barrels if you have the room. Don’t reuse milk jugs because they are fragile and won’t last. I’d also suggest some sort of water filter. You can go as basic as a Britta pitcher or as advanced as a Big Berkey filter system.
If you don’t have a pantry or an extra closet, you will have to be creative with how your plan to keep your new food stores. Look around for unused space. Under the bed is a great place. We have an antique church pew that hides seven or eight cases of water. Consider cutting out a section of sheet rock then nailing in 1x4 shelves to serve as shelves for canned goods. You can hang a simple curtain to cover it. The storage space is only limited by your imagination. Imagine how much better your life will be if you lose your job or disaster strikes your region and you have a month’s food supply already on hand. What about if you just have unexpected dinner guests and haven’t been to the grocery store? You’ll also save money by buying when you want to, not when you need to.
Eliminate debt!
Debt is the biggest disaster that nearly everyone faces each day. Debt prevents success. It tears apart families, and is at the root of our nation’s poor economy. To quote Jack Spirko, “Debt is cancer.”
Debt can be beaten. All it takes is to refuse to be trapped by it any more. We have been really helped by the principles that Dave Ramsey teaches. His seven baby steps are proven methods of beating debt and building wealth. I won’t go into them here, but please look them up. Disasters are a lot easier to take if you have no debt to worry about.
One key in the battle is to make a detailed budget and stick to it. Telling your money where to go each month is so much better than wondering where it went. It is amazing how much money just “disappears” when there is no budget. It’s also great to be able to pay cash for purchases that you plan for. Remember the folks mentioned earlier that bought a generator at a yard sale for $100? The asking price was $300, but it was the end of the day and they had cash on hand for just such an opportunity and the sellers gladly took the money. If these folks had a lot of debt and didn’t budget, they might have been able to get a 25 cent Slinky at the yard sale, but the generator opportunity would have passed them by. I know that when the next power outage happens, they’ll be really grateful.
Using these five simple steps: Grow something, Change your oil, Get a generator, Store some food, and Eliminate debt, you and your family can be well on your way toward self-sufficiency, being prepared for disaster or everyday life, and true Freedom. The longest journey starts with the first step. This will get you going.
5/27/10
Trying to reason with hurricane season May 25, 2010
The Atlantic hurricane season is from June 1 to November 30. To my readers in other parts of the country, it’s no big deal. Here in the Southeast, it can be a very big deal. Look at Andrew in Florida, Katrina in Louisiana, or Isabelle, quite literally, at my house.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has just released its 2010 hurricane forecast. They are calling for a more active than average season with up to 23 named storms (winds over 39 mph), up to 14 hurricanes (winds over 74 mph) and 3-7 major hurricanes (winds over 111 mph).
As a part of his agency’s push for more self-reliance by Americans, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said, "… it's important that families and businesses in coastal communities take steps now to be ready. These include developing a communications plan, putting together a kit, and staying informed of the latest forecasts and local emergency plans.” Putting having a plan, putting together the suggested 72-hour kit, and staying informed is good for the masses, but not good enough for you if you are taking the time to read this.
Ready.gov actually has a pretty good template for making a communications plan. Essentially, you write down the contact information for everyone in your immediate family, as well as family or friends outside of the area that can be used as message takers. Include home, work and cell phone numbers, email addresses, mailing and physical addresses, and relationships. Ensure that each member of your immediate family carries this information in several versions. Load it into your cell phones. Save it to your Outlook directory. Print it on card stock and laminate it to keep in your wallet. For your small child, maybe you glue that laminated card to the inside of her backpack or cooler bag. Ensure that all but the very youngest children have several dollars worth of quarters and/or a prepaid calling card to use at payphones if the cellular network is down. Ensure that each family member knows how to contact each other and what information to give to the out-of-town contact if you can’t be reached. Consider semiannual practice drills. Please be sure your out-of-town contact knows what to expect and is willing to take on that responsibility. Determine in advance, what the out-of-town contact will tell your family members… Stay at your office or school? Get to Uncle Fred’s house any way you can? It really depends on your circumstances. Just think about it and plan out several scenarios. This communications plan is not just for hurricane season, but should be in place every day for any emergency that could arise.
Now is a perfect time to look at your supplies and stock up. If you happen to live in Virginia, we are in the midst of the annual Hurricane and Emergency Preparedness Equipment Sales Tax Holiday. Many merchants have sales on qualifying items. Improve your larder, save some money, and stick it to the man, all at the same time! In addition to your usual 72-hour kit (also known as a Get Home Bag –GHB or Bug Out Bag – BOB) some items you might want to add to your family’s kit include batteries, flashlights (at least one for every vehicle and room of the home – consider a small one on each key ring as well) and lanterns, 2-way radios (great for communicating with neighbors), NOAA Weather Alert radios, tarps of various sizes and construction (in case a tree goes through the roof or a window breaks), fuel cans (be sure to get stabilizer for any stored fuel), water storage containers, bottled water, manual can openers (having several is always good), a good first aid kit (I strongly encourage all family members to get basic first aid training at a minimum, and have an emergency medical reference book on hand), and finally, a generator. With a generator, get a licensed electrician to set it up so it is safe for your home and for electrical workers. If you already have sufficient supplies, take the start of hurricane season as a reminder to change out your flashlight and radio batteries, rotate your fuel stores, and do an oil change on your generator. You are already starting it up and running it under load for 30 minutes every month, right?
Finally, staying informed. Do you know what your community’s weather emergency plan is? How about an evacuation plan? If you are on the water, are you in a surge zone? For what class of hurricane? Do you have your weather radio set to sound all alerts in your county or do you just turn it on when it looks nasty outside? The local newspaper, TV news and radio stations can be important sources of weather information. Check the websites for the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center. Get email or text alerts from NWS for your area. Another part of information is sharing it. Talk to your neighbors about weather preparedness. See if you can help them with anything. They may very well be able to help you too. Talk to folks at your church and in your child’s school. We frequently see communities that have a history of working together come out of crises far better than those that don’t take responsibility for themselves and whose only plan is to wait for the feds.
Hurricanes truly demonstrate nature’s fury. They can be unpredictable and deadly with high winds, heavy rain, storm surge, and tornadoes. The recovery period can be even worse than the storm, itself. If you live in an area of hurricane activity, take this time before the season to check your plans and supplies, and fix your deficiencies. If you are not in hurricane country, take the time to check your preparations for whatever disasters or emergencies you might be planning for. When FEMA is telling us to take responsibility for ourselves, that is advice to be taken.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has just released its 2010 hurricane forecast. They are calling for a more active than average season with up to 23 named storms (winds over 39 mph), up to 14 hurricanes (winds over 74 mph) and 3-7 major hurricanes (winds over 111 mph).
As a part of his agency’s push for more self-reliance by Americans, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said, "… it's important that families and businesses in coastal communities take steps now to be ready. These include developing a communications plan, putting together a kit, and staying informed of the latest forecasts and local emergency plans.” Putting having a plan, putting together the suggested 72-hour kit, and staying informed is good for the masses, but not good enough for you if you are taking the time to read this.
Ready.gov actually has a pretty good template for making a communications plan. Essentially, you write down the contact information for everyone in your immediate family, as well as family or friends outside of the area that can be used as message takers. Include home, work and cell phone numbers, email addresses, mailing and physical addresses, and relationships. Ensure that each member of your immediate family carries this information in several versions. Load it into your cell phones. Save it to your Outlook directory. Print it on card stock and laminate it to keep in your wallet. For your small child, maybe you glue that laminated card to the inside of her backpack or cooler bag. Ensure that all but the very youngest children have several dollars worth of quarters and/or a prepaid calling card to use at payphones if the cellular network is down. Ensure that each family member knows how to contact each other and what information to give to the out-of-town contact if you can’t be reached. Consider semiannual practice drills. Please be sure your out-of-town contact knows what to expect and is willing to take on that responsibility. Determine in advance, what the out-of-town contact will tell your family members… Stay at your office or school? Get to Uncle Fred’s house any way you can? It really depends on your circumstances. Just think about it and plan out several scenarios. This communications plan is not just for hurricane season, but should be in place every day for any emergency that could arise.
Now is a perfect time to look at your supplies and stock up. If you happen to live in Virginia, we are in the midst of the annual Hurricane and Emergency Preparedness Equipment Sales Tax Holiday. Many merchants have sales on qualifying items. Improve your larder, save some money, and stick it to the man, all at the same time! In addition to your usual 72-hour kit (also known as a Get Home Bag –GHB or Bug Out Bag – BOB) some items you might want to add to your family’s kit include batteries, flashlights (at least one for every vehicle and room of the home – consider a small one on each key ring as well) and lanterns, 2-way radios (great for communicating with neighbors), NOAA Weather Alert radios, tarps of various sizes and construction (in case a tree goes through the roof or a window breaks), fuel cans (be sure to get stabilizer for any stored fuel), water storage containers, bottled water, manual can openers (having several is always good), a good first aid kit (I strongly encourage all family members to get basic first aid training at a minimum, and have an emergency medical reference book on hand), and finally, a generator. With a generator, get a licensed electrician to set it up so it is safe for your home and for electrical workers. If you already have sufficient supplies, take the start of hurricane season as a reminder to change out your flashlight and radio batteries, rotate your fuel stores, and do an oil change on your generator. You are already starting it up and running it under load for 30 minutes every month, right?
Finally, staying informed. Do you know what your community’s weather emergency plan is? How about an evacuation plan? If you are on the water, are you in a surge zone? For what class of hurricane? Do you have your weather radio set to sound all alerts in your county or do you just turn it on when it looks nasty outside? The local newspaper, TV news and radio stations can be important sources of weather information. Check the websites for the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center. Get email or text alerts from NWS for your area. Another part of information is sharing it. Talk to your neighbors about weather preparedness. See if you can help them with anything. They may very well be able to help you too. Talk to folks at your church and in your child’s school. We frequently see communities that have a history of working together come out of crises far better than those that don’t take responsibility for themselves and whose only plan is to wait for the feds.
Hurricanes truly demonstrate nature’s fury. They can be unpredictable and deadly with high winds, heavy rain, storm surge, and tornadoes. The recovery period can be even worse than the storm, itself. If you live in an area of hurricane activity, take this time before the season to check your plans and supplies, and fix your deficiencies. If you are not in hurricane country, take the time to check your preparations for whatever disasters or emergencies you might be planning for. When FEMA is telling us to take responsibility for ourselves, that is advice to be taken.
5/18/10
What does preparedness mean to me? May 18, 2010
Survivalist. Prepper. Homesteader. Paranoid. A little of column “A,” a little of column “B.” Uncle Sam now encourages people to have 72 – hour kits and emergency plans. What does all that mean to me?
I grew up toward the end of the Cold War. My grandparents grew up in the Great Depression. I saw Red Dawn and The Day After. I read American Survival Guide magazine and the adventures of John Thomas Rourke in The Survivalist series of novels. In high school this led me to keep my .22 rifle and 12 gauge shotgun under my bed with a couple of cans of tuna and a 2 liter soda bottle filled with water. I carried a Swiss Army Knife every day and planned what I would do if DC got nuked or if Ivan decided to invade my suburban homeland.
I enlisted in the Marine Corps and watched from across the street as a Lebanese man held hostages at the recruiting office where I had signed my contract. A couple years later, I went to war against Saddam Hussein to help liberate Kuwait from a terrorist. A few years after that, I was a police officer, and I saw as a home-grown terrorist blew up a federal building. I also saw where sometimes, our government exceeded its authority and targeted those who were seen as “different.”
Next, came a little situation that was referred to as the Y2K bug. I was living in a rented farmhouse, and for two years, every spare dime, plus too much debt, went to being ready for a complete breakdown of society. Because billions of dollars were spent to fix the bug, it turned out to be a non-event. After years of nothing happening, I went to sleep. Being prepared was not on my radar. I sold or gave away a lot of my supplies. Even the 9-11 attacks did not rouse me from my slumber. That did not last long.
In 2003, I was getting ready to be married when Hurricane Isabelle hit. A year later, Tropical Storm Gaston again devastated our area. Also, I now had my wife depending on me. I was now awake. I have spent the last six years rebuilding my knowledge and preparations. I have sought out books, videos, training and other resources. I have become professionally involved in preparedness and emergency response. I see preparedness not only from the family point of view, but also as a representative of local government. One who realizes the limitations of government and plans to not rely on it. I have a circle of friends who also practice preparedness. We all now understand that it is more than guns, more than a box of MREs, more than tactical gear.
Preparedness to me means limiting my dependence on outside sources and increasing the ability of my family to prevail, no matter what life might throw our way. It could be natural disasters, pandemic disease, nuclear accidents, acts of war… It could also be something much more local and personal. A family death. Loss of a job. Debilitating illness. The key is that all of my efforts at preparedness will help us prevail after such incidents. Those efforts will also keep us living a good life even if nothing goes wrong. But how often does nothing in life go wrong? Preparedness is not a reaction. It is action. It is not a one shot deal. It is a lifestyle.
Please join me for this journey. Learn from me, and share what you know so that I can learn from you. Come back for weekly columns covering all aspects of the preparedness lifestyle and community. Thank you.
I grew up toward the end of the Cold War. My grandparents grew up in the Great Depression. I saw Red Dawn and The Day After. I read American Survival Guide magazine and the adventures of John Thomas Rourke in The Survivalist series of novels. In high school this led me to keep my .22 rifle and 12 gauge shotgun under my bed with a couple of cans of tuna and a 2 liter soda bottle filled with water. I carried a Swiss Army Knife every day and planned what I would do if DC got nuked or if Ivan decided to invade my suburban homeland.
I enlisted in the Marine Corps and watched from across the street as a Lebanese man held hostages at the recruiting office where I had signed my contract. A couple years later, I went to war against Saddam Hussein to help liberate Kuwait from a terrorist. A few years after that, I was a police officer, and I saw as a home-grown terrorist blew up a federal building. I also saw where sometimes, our government exceeded its authority and targeted those who were seen as “different.”
Next, came a little situation that was referred to as the Y2K bug. I was living in a rented farmhouse, and for two years, every spare dime, plus too much debt, went to being ready for a complete breakdown of society. Because billions of dollars were spent to fix the bug, it turned out to be a non-event. After years of nothing happening, I went to sleep. Being prepared was not on my radar. I sold or gave away a lot of my supplies. Even the 9-11 attacks did not rouse me from my slumber. That did not last long.
In 2003, I was getting ready to be married when Hurricane Isabelle hit. A year later, Tropical Storm Gaston again devastated our area. Also, I now had my wife depending on me. I was now awake. I have spent the last six years rebuilding my knowledge and preparations. I have sought out books, videos, training and other resources. I have become professionally involved in preparedness and emergency response. I see preparedness not only from the family point of view, but also as a representative of local government. One who realizes the limitations of government and plans to not rely on it. I have a circle of friends who also practice preparedness. We all now understand that it is more than guns, more than a box of MREs, more than tactical gear.
Preparedness to me means limiting my dependence on outside sources and increasing the ability of my family to prevail, no matter what life might throw our way. It could be natural disasters, pandemic disease, nuclear accidents, acts of war… It could also be something much more local and personal. A family death. Loss of a job. Debilitating illness. The key is that all of my efforts at preparedness will help us prevail after such incidents. Those efforts will also keep us living a good life even if nothing goes wrong. But how often does nothing in life go wrong? Preparedness is not a reaction. It is action. It is not a one shot deal. It is a lifestyle.
Please join me for this journey. Learn from me, and share what you know so that I can learn from you. Come back for weekly columns covering all aspects of the preparedness lifestyle and community. Thank you.
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