Preparedness – Page 7 – The Laughing Wolf

Some Thoughts On Maui And Emergency Management

The disaster on Maui has been years in the making, and has nothing to do with climate change. It has everything to do with incompetence in our elites and power seeking in politics. Emergency Management is not immune to this unfortunately, and I think is headed for a very bad place.

From the start, let me say that I’ve never had to manage a major disaster. For that, I do sincerely give thanks. My first real career job was at a military R&D center, where the office I worked in was part of emergency operations. Got to know the Emergency Management team, and learned a lot working with them. They helped me get our office ready for emergencies with “crash kits” distributed to team members and things we might need electronically stored in multiple places for access at need.

The driver for this was a mishap at the center one night that almost knocked me out of bed ten miles away. A phone call to security resulted in my making a very fast trip in to base, a search for the one crash kit available at the time, and later realizing at the ops center that it needed upgrading and updating. Hadn’t been a priority for my boss at the time, and afterwards I was told to make it happen and do it right as the big bosses were now watching. Amidst all the attaboys for what I did, got a quiet “oh shit” from said Boss who felt that while what I had done had indeed gotten us a lot of attaboys, good exposure, and made the office look good, that it had made him look bad… Ah well, that’s life. Meantime, I became our point person on the incident and recovery efforts.

So, I got earmarked as “that guy” you sent to classes, workshops, and meetings on disaster preparedness and emergency management. That continued in several jobs, and when I served a (sadly abbreviated) hitch in the Indiana Guard Reserve (State Guard, not National) I had fun with a lot of the disaster preparedness/response and emergency management component. Like many, I earned my basic Military Emergency Management Systems (MEMS) badge, part of which included doing all the coursework for becoming an On Scene Commander. Doing the shadowing, practicums, and other to get the advanced MEMS and actually serve as an On Scene Commander was cut short by my aborted embed to Afghanistan and then moving out of state.

To say I have mixed emotions about the FEMA emergency management system is a bit of an understatement. It is very top-down, buttoned up, by-the-numbers where initiative is not really appreciated. When I semi-self deployed all those years ago (Sir, I can’t tell you to come in but…), all but my boss applauded. Today, it would have me sent home and quite possibly up for discipline if not charges. Nothing gets done without the approval and/or order of the On-Scene Commander. Anyone attempting to render aid or do pretty much anything to help those in the declared area that are not fully under the control of Emergency Management will be run off or arrested. I thought at the time there was a lot of “we are the experts and in charge” to the system, and I’ve heard it’s gotten worse.

Thing is, I can understand some of the stated reason for such control. Some of it even makes sense in an active situation, at least to some extent. You don’t want something done to make things worse, or to have people go into areas where they or others could get hurt or killed. That said, it only works if the people in charge are competent, in communication, and on the ball. There are some good people in DP and Emergency Management. They do amazing things. Then, there are others who are not.

I can’t write what I would like to write about the apparent situation with Maui (and Hawai’i) DP/EM. I need to start by saying that years back, Hawai’i DP/EM was on the ball. They had plans and preparations, backups to the backups to the backups, and they practiced and drilled to check and double check. Don’t know if anyone that I might have known is still there, but it sure appears that none of the old school was present in the Maui office. You had a director with no DP/EM experience, and who was proud he didn’t sound the sirens that could have saved lives. You have someone over water who feels it should be revered and worshiped, not used. The failure to activate the sirens and the failure to release the water in a timely manner directly resulted in more than 100 deaths, possibly hundreds. Frankly, they should both already be decorating lamposts as this is far beyond tar, feathers, and a rail.

Nor did it happen by accident. Hate to say it, but at this level, leadership and operations are a political matter. These people didn’t earn the positions; rather, they had to be appointed or otherwise selected through a political process. How else would one get a “leader” who had no background or experience in DP/EM?

Want to know why the official response to the fire is getting so many complaints? EM is the bottleneck, and X, Y, and Z must be done though A, B, and C are needed and available. Bring the Feds into the mix, and it’s like adding concrete to the trickle. Add politics and incompetence to that mix, and, it’s a good thing the Citizens are responding. They see or are told M needs N at O right now, and they get N and take it O without the drama or approvals. Centralized control may be the best option as the disaster is occurring. May. A distributed network is far more responsive and effective in the aftermath.

BTW, anyone willing to take a bet on the lead-up to this? I’m very much reminded of California not all that long ago. Power company forced to spend money on things important to the politicians, not on maintenance and fire prevention. Add in “environmental” regulations that not only did not do what they were supposed to do, but built up the materials that fuel the fires… I will make a cash bet right now that the same thing happened in Maui.

Years ago, it was pointed out by some smart people that if you let natural fires happen and burn, you got a lot less damage and healthier forests. It was tried, it worked, and certain people and groups pitched a fit. So, back to the old way. What happened? Far worse fires with lots more damage. When it comes to areas around people, clear the hazards, keep it maintained, and don’t be stupid. But, all too often, you can’t clear that brush or other hazard, that’s the habitat of the dodderingmealticket. What happens? Disaster.

I’m told that in Maui, which has fires every year, the locals had warned the government that something needed to be done. That the wet spring led to an overabundance of grass and such, and that it needed to be cleared. Nothing was done. Not then, not when it got dry. Not even when they knew the winds were coming. Willing to bet that if anyone had tried to do anything, the government would have prevented it. Now the government is talking about buying up all that prime land. Any bets on how fast it ends up in the hands of the politicians developer pals and donors? Yeah, I am a bit cynical…

I hope all those responsible for this preventable disaster are held accountable. Don’t expect it, but still hope. It’s up to the people to publicize and mock. No, it won’t do a thing to stop them after the fact. It’s not about them. It’s about those looking at this. It’s about making clear to them, particularly the younger, that this behavior is not acceptable and carries a high price. Pour encourager les autres.

In days of old, I would list some groups that did good work helping people after disasters here. Increasingly, I’m hearing, the feds are working hard to keep groups out (at least on the mainland) unless they agree to all the rules and regulations and to be controlled by the government. Not all are playing ball, and I’m not going to list them here. I don’t want to put a target on their back. I will say, research and pick your choices well. There’s a lot of scams, and a lot of roadblocks. Find the ones that aren’t scams and go around the roadblocks. Look for those in the distributed networks who are getting the right things done at the right time in the right place. Those are who you want and need to support.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving once we have medical issues cleared up, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Between Annoyed And Giving Thanks

A week or so ago, I rejoined the local Y as it is close and they give seniors and those on limited incomes special pricing. Options being limited, having to make use despite how woke the Y has become as an institution.

Given that there were storms forecast for later this afternoon and some other factors, I went early as I was supposed to kick things up a bit today. After the aerobic/cardio workout, I was doing my E-gym work and was supposed to add in some regular machines afterwards. Right now, no upper body at all, concentrating on the aerobic/cardio and waist-and-below work. I’ve got goals in regards waist, lower-body, and cardio-response. For now, taking it very carefully and building.

The E-gym equipment is designed to make it almost impossible for people to screw up, and to get the most out of each workout. Not completely sold on the latter, but the former is a good thing for someone already in PT. You have to get a special wrist band, then you are fitted to each machine by a trainer, do an initial strength/mobility test, then the machine will guide you through a workout. Everything is stored in the wrist band, hit it near the sensor and you are good to go. Right now, hitting back extension, crunches, leg press, leg curls, and leg extensions. Not sure I will ever get back up to 400lb leg presses, but am curious how close I can safely get.

Today, if all had gone as planned, I was going to be adding regular weight machines for additional lower body strength (and some flexibility). Add in some of my daily PT routine, and it would have been a great workout.

Great plan. Right up until lightning hit very close by. As in I wasn’t sure the building (which is rather extensive) might not have been hit. We were informed that unless power came back on pretty much immediately, everyone would need to evacuate. While I had only worn my gym shorts, I was wearing my shirt jacket with all the pockets. One of which had a Streamlight stylus pro in the pen slot. Given that large portions of the upper floor area were pitch dark, I played lamppost and helped get people safely to and down the stairs. Think I’m going to put the Streamlight pro tac light I usually keep in a pants pocket in the shirt jacket from now on when only wearing gym pants. We really could have used those extra lumens.

So, annoyed that I didn’t get to add in the new stuff, and because I was rocking the last E-gym machine. Power went out right as I was about to finish. Giving Thanks that the lightning was no closer than it was. When it hit, part of my mind went ‘I know that tune…’

Remember, Preparedness Pays! And if you don’t have something besides your phone for emergency light, you are not fully prepared.

Preparedness Pays: Biltong Edition

Air drying meat done right is delicious, safe, and not all that hard. Done wrong, however, it can be sickening or even deadly. Just like home canning. There is risk in everything, the key is to finding what works and making use of best practices.

This post got started last week (I think) when I found out that Aldi is now carrying an American-made commercial version of biltong. For an American commercial product, it is surprisingly good. I shared the news elsewhere, and some nice discussions took place.

Biltong packages — Original and Smoked Biltong via Aldi

Biltong is often described as South African beef jerky. I get the comparison, but despite some similarities it is so much better than beef jerky and healthier (IMO) too. The closer link is to the air-dried cured/smoked meats of Central and Eastern Europe, which is no surprise since the Dutch knew of them and Dutch foods comprise a lot of the historical food of South Africa.

If you’ve ever had any of the Central/Eastern meats and sausages, you know what a treat they can be. Times like this I really miss the Ukrainian deli that used to be up in Lafayette. Not only good sausages, but also more than one variety of smoked/dried beef you could slice with ease. Tasty, shelf-stable, and never in any danger of hitting the sell-by date.

American beef jerky is made from sliced (far too often chopped, shaped, processed and formed) meat that is then cured in a mix that includes a lot of sugar and often other chemicals and preservatives. It is then dried over heat to some extent. While it can be quite tasty, it is often full of carbs, chemicals, and a bit chewy. If you make your own you can avoid a lot of issues, and frankly I’ve used Alton Brown’s furnace filter jerky recipe to good success. The hardest part of the recipe is finding paper filters these days.

Biltong is made from whole chunks of meat, usually carved off a silverside or other roast. Better the meat, the better the biltong. Think steaks for the chunks, as the roasts are often sliced about an inch thick. It is cured with vinegar (usually malt/brown or cider), spices added, then air-dried. The air drying is very much like dry aging beef: it is going to intensify the flavor of the meat, so it’s another reason to use good meat (no need to stick to just beef, as game, lamb, etc. work well).

Now, you can get quite fancy with things and there are those who are really into things, such as The Greedy Ferret. Then there’s this guy and this guy. They each have decent methods and you will get good product. That said, even though I want to try more of the Travel Gigolo’s recipes, I am going with the late Ben Kruger.

While known as an actor, he apparently had a real passion for historical food and did a number of videos looking at traditional cooking, most of it from the Dutch. Thankfully, that included his take on biltong.

How to make biltong Ben Kruger’s way

Particularly if I’m having to do an emergency batch to save meat because of a power outage, I want to use this recipe. Vinegar is a great cure, antimicrobial, and relatively inexpensive. Good cleaner. Good for pickling veggies and more. You really should have a fair bit on hand for emergencies. Honey, while not inexpensive, is another great antimicrobial cure. As an aside, honey buried in tombs in the BC have been found that are still quite good and edible. Just don’t feed any honey to small children.

As he points out, you can air dry it anywhere — the Biltonginator 3000 just speeds things up. Love that his grandfather hung it under the bed to air dry. That’s thinking outside the box. The 1/3 recipe is great and keeps things simple. As others have noted, you can (and should) play with proportions. Just don’t cut out your key antimicrobials.

Right now, I’m going to look into making my version of the Biltonginator (4000 model?) as it is very simple. Storage box, wooden dowels, and a muffin fan. If memory serves, you can even set up the fan to run off flashlight batteries and it will do so for a long time given the low draw. Very useful in an emergency.

Then, to make a good batch. Maybe add smoked paprika to a couple of the chunks, chipotle to a couple, and maybe used smoked salt in part of it. Oooh, maybe add some berbere or peri-peri to a couple. Thing is, have fun but be sure to make at least some “original” recipe as it is a very distinct (and tasty) flavor.

I love good jerky. If I have a choice, though, I will go for almost any variety of biltong or European dried beef hands down. The difference in flavor, tenderness, and healthiness makes that almost a no-brainer for me. My advice is try them out, see what you like, and go for it. Meantime, particularly in an emergency, biltong is your friend and a great way to save meat. Especially as it does have fat, and you are going to need that tasty, tasty, nutritious fat more than you may realize.

Enjoy.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving to the SW, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Preparedness Pays: Some Additional Thoughts On Weapons

In the last week or so, a number of interesting things have happened. We had the shooting in Texas (covered here, here, and here), we’ve had gun baby down in Beech Grove, and a rash of car break-ins (more than 50 in one neighborhood alone) around town. A far higher number of those than I care for involved stealing firearms that had been cached.

Now, I’ve talked a little bit about firearms, and even given advice on buying your first firearm, in my nuclear operations/war/preparedness posts. I’ve talked a bit about planning ahead in my Texas shooting posts. Today, I want to get into the concepts of preparedness for those who own and use weapons.

Quick aside: While I did leave lever-action firearms out of my first gun post, it was because sadly there are not very many available right now. I still miss my Marlin 336C in .35 Remington, a lot. Lever action has its advantages and disadvantages, and I do like them. Just want to get that out there.

While it may set off a certain type of Fudd, I’m very much for responsible gun ownership. For me, it means proper maintenance, proper storage, and reasonably proper carry. Most of all, it means planning ahead towards use and the aftermath to same. While most of my readers (particularly the regular readers) leave excellent comments, a couple of you worry me though you are no where near as bad as some who respond to Larry Correia (and Jack Wylder). Unless your home won’t burn and your dog is bulletproof, you really do need to care about the law and the ATF.

So let’s start with my top recommendations from buying your first firearm, and go from there. Honestly it doesn’t matter if it is your first or your one hundredth, you need to do a few things.

First, find someone who teaches a gun law class for your state (or other location if not in the USA). TAKE THE CLASS! LE is notoriously unsympathetic to your lack of knowledge. In point of fact, a major point of settled law is that ignorance of the law is no excuse. If you are going to break the law, do so with full knowledge of what you are doing, why you are doing it, and be prepared to take responsibility at need. That, by the way, does not mean lay down and take it in all cases. It can mean being prepared to challenge an unjust law or interpretation at need. Life does tend to go a lot better though when you know what you are getting into in advance. Also keep in mind that knowledge of the law and adherence to same in other cases/areas may (or may not) be a mitigating factor if you do have an issue. If you live in Indiana, check this class out. With all the changes to the law over the last few years, if I had the money I would be there.

Second, get training. Again, I can hear the bristling already and the cries of ‘I know what I’m doing.’ You have to be a complete and total idiot to not get training. Me, I’ve been lucky. My Dad was a marksmanship instructor for the USMC, and even shot competitions for them. I have a number of friends who have done fun and interesting things in life, and have been kind enough to share some of their training. I’ve also had formal training with the M-16 and issue pistol among others. The day I got to spend at Raidon Tactics still makes me smile. I’ve shot an amazing variety of weapons and am qualified on a number of them. Want to know something? What I don’t know about shooting and drills is orders of magnitude more than what I do know. You can never have enough training, and that little trick you pick up from someone at the range one day might prove to be a lifesaver. It is always a good investment. And, yes, after being hit by lightning some remedial training and more wouldn’t hurt. It wouldn’t be a bad idea if I hadn’t been hit either. Training always pays for itself.

Third, store your weapons safely. This is not just firearms, but edged and other weapons as well. I still get a chuckle thinking about the tale I heard of a little girl, about three I think, who not only got into a gated kitchen, but then MacGyvered a way up onto the counter and into where the knives were kept. Then back down and out where she went and proudly showed daddy her new possession. It wasn’t the reported ‘how the bleep did you get that’ reaction that makes me laugh, it is the reported ‘if she can do this now, I am so in trouble when she gets older’ reaction that makes me laugh.

The fact is, kids (of all ages) will find weapons and quite often play with them. For ones like our now infamous gun baby, it is understandable if terrifying. I was taught from an early age that firearms and edged items were not toys, but tools. Tools that if I handled without permission, supervision, and/or improperly my backside would be warmed. I even have a vague memory of my Dad pointing out that my cap gun he got me had parts in the barrel to keep it from shooting for real. Mostly true. For the older ones, while it is still often terrifying you do have more options for teaching. It may not be legal, but use of a tactical baton can be justified (IMO); and, under other circumstances smoking them for an hour or three can be quite satisfying. Besides, flutter kicks and the like build character as well as muscles.

If I owned any firearms, they would be stored as safely as circumstances allow. Does this mean a gun safe or such? It is a consideration, and I’ve actually looked at a small biometric drop-door safe as having something fire and water proof to hold important documents and the like is a good thing. If you do get a safe, do bolt it in place if possible. You can’t stop someone from stealing it, but you can make them work for it.

Vehicles are another issue. The problem is, if a thief is looking for weapons, the first two places they are going to check are the glovebox and under the driver’s seat. At least here in Indy, there appear to be a number of such thieves targeting cars near government buildings and elsewhere that ban firearms. Law abiding citizen disarms, goes in, and comes out to a burgled car. So, get creative and make them work for it if you have to do that. I knew of someone who got one of those small drop-door gun safes and had it bolted to the floor of the car under the driver’s seat.

I don’t know if it is true, but I’ve heard that the average car burglar is looking to be in and out in under a minute. Apparently the odds of being spotted/caught/etc. go up sharply after a minute. So, again, be creative and make them work for whatever they get.

Do plan ahead to reload at need. Factor that into your planning at home and elsewhere. That said, my personal take is that under most circumstances if you have to fire more than ten rounds you are either an idiot who does spray-and-pray, or you have just qualified as having an official Bad Day. There is a lot of data out there, and some if it is both amusing and telling. On the whole, most self-defense shootings appear to fall in the ten or less category. There is the old study of LE shootings that found an average of more than 20 shots fired at distances under 12 feet, with only one to three shots hitting target. Just me, but if there are lots of shots being fired and I had to reload, that reload is likely going to be fired mostly over my shoulder as I didi my fluffy fuzzy rump out of there. Please note that this does not apply to zombie or other apocalypses or societal breakdowns. Strictly talking self-defense.

Finally, if you are going to carry or otherwise be prepared to defend yourself and others, take time to think about the aftermath of so doing. There are going to be legal ramifications, social/media ramifications, psychological ramifications, and spiritual ramifications. Prepare as best you can for each. Have a lawyer or lawyers that you can call at need. Stay off social media and don’t talk to corporate media. There are books out there that talk about killing and the psychological aftermath be it combat or self-defense. Reminds me I need to finish one such so I can decide to recommend it or not. Finally, get what spiritual guidance you can in advance. Yes, there are a lot of preachers/priests/sky-pilots who will bleat about no kill under any circumstance, and I heartily recommend you avoid them. Change churches if need be. For all of them, however, there are a number of good preachers/priests/other who can and will help you prepare spiritually as best you can. They may even be able to recommend some books or other to get so you have them at need.

Earlier, I mentioned proper carry. Since this has already gone long, let me just say that, for the most part, tucking it into your waistband is not proper carry. Be a pro, use a holster so the weapon is there in place when you need it. I do even recommend pocket holsters, as they can and do help keep the weapon where you need it. If it comes out with it in an emergency, you can shoot through it at need. For those that use them, same applies to concealed carry handbags. There’s a maker here in Indiana that will replace the handbag for free if you have to shoot through it in a legitimate shoot.

Also, maintenance is a must. Yes, there are some guns that not only get dirty quick, they seem to like it. That said, be prepared to clean and even do minor repairs at need. I can be a bit odd sometimes about lubricants, as I don’t care for such to be sand and/or dirt/dust magnets when I’ve owned firearms. I’ve found a couple of things that worked for me, you need to find what works for you where you live or travel.

Final note on pocket carry. Back in the Old West, such as around Tombstone, the city people mostly did pocket carry. The Earps didn’t slap on gun belts before heading to the corral. Gun belts and holsters were used by the cowboys, that is the rural/country folk of the era. Cowboys also usually had only five rounds in the gun, as given the guns of the era it was not a great idea to have a live round under the hammer when bouncing around on horseback. In fact, it was a great way to shoot your own leg, and if you got the horse instead it tended to be a bit irritated with you, graze or no.

Thoughts On Flooding

Flooding is one of the hardest things for which to prepare. Unless it is something like your basement flooding because of drainage issues, there is little practical about it.

In my case, where I rent does have flooding of the basement because of issues with sewer drains and lines that are headed towards being a century old. Clay pipe has a useful life, and it is long past. Short-term solution is sump pumps to divert the rain water elsewhere. Really need to add a battery backup to that, but that is up the landlord. FYI, at great expense, the landlord replaced the pipes and such out to the property line. It’s from there to the sewer that the problems lie, and that means lawyers and a huge amount of expense.

In watching what is hitting California, and the hurricane(s) in Florida last year, a few quick thoughts to share this morning. The quickest and easiest way to avoid flooding is to not move onto a flood plain. That may not always be possible because of circumstances, but it really is the only way to avoid the issue.

If you can’t avoid it, look at how often the area floods. If it is every year, no. Don’t care how good the deal, it’s not worth it. If it is subject to 10, 20, or 100 year floods, the roll of the dice is up to you. It may be possible to find a place where through creative landscaping, you can reduce your risk. Or, you may can find a place where you can use sandbags over a limited arc to prevent flooding.

If you have to encircle your entire home, it’s not good. It is, in fact, a massive amount of work that may not work as well as you need it to. The higher you need the wall to go, the wider it needs to be at the base to be water resistant and to support the weight of the wall. And you are going to need pumps to handle what does come through. You will also need to have a way to shut off your sewer as water can and will come in and flood you via that system. For all that cities are supposed to have backflow prevention, they often don’t or it fails under the load.

If it is recommended (or required) that you evacuate, do it. Grab your bugout bags, if there is time grab some important things, but get out. It’s like evacuating for a wildfire: your life is worth more than even extremely sentimental possessions. If you don’t, or the flooding happens too fast, if you have an upstairs, move as much up as possible. If not, make sure you have access to the attic and a way to cut a hole in the roof so you can get out. I will suggest that if floods are frequent and of a surrounding nature, you might want to invest in a life raft as it’s a better option than drowning.

Which brings up another point. For the love of all that is Holy, DO NOT WALK OR DRIVE INTO FLOOD WATERS!

When walking, you don’t know what’s below, and drains are a great way to get you or your children sucked down to drown. You can get hurt other ways as well. If you watch them in action, you will note that rescue crews are very careful when they have to walk in flood waters, and even in shallow water they are inclined to use boats. You should be paying attention to that.

When driving, you are going to be (often briefly) surprised at the power of the water to take your vehicle where it wants to rather than to where you wanted to go. The bridge that used to be there may no longer be there. There are other hazards as well, and even if you are in the biggest most badass military truck there is, the water will win if you fight it. Notice how rescue convoys operate in flood waters and learn from it. We lose more people than we should each year to this bit of idiocy.

The smart thing to do is, unless absolutely a matter of life and death, don’t get out in or on floodwaters.

Just a few quick thoughts to share on the one thing for which there is very limited practical preparedness.

Winter Storm Quick Wash

While other storms have come to parts of the country since, the major winter storm has passed. Thankfully, it was not nearly as bad here as predicted. I hate to say this, but we may need to thank our mayor Boss Hogsbreath for that, since he said in advance it would be historic. As with almost everything he says or predicts, not so much.

Others were not so lucky, and sadly the death toll is still climbing. The worst area was also the one area that should have been the best prepared: western NY state. Rather than focus on the failure and/or incompetence of the governments state and local, let’s look at this more with a focus on the individual.

While the failure to pre-position equipment and supplies was one of the largest and most glaring failures of government, it raises a question: Did you have emergency stocks at work and in your vehicle(s)? It may not have been a huge amount, but I always had some things tucked away in the desk or cubicle when I worked office jobs. Same held true for non-office jobs as my locker usually held a few things.

When it comes to vehicles, there’s been a meme going around Twitter that points out that if your vehicle has weapons and magazines everywhere, but no food, water, etc., that basically you’re an idiot. I agree. Your vehicle should always have a bail-out bag, and when a winter storm is coming you should also have a bag with food, water, blankets, and anything else you can think of to help you stay warm and safe.

Which brings up another point. It’s not like this storm hit with no warning. Blizzard. Massive lows. Here’s a thought: stay home! I’ve worked a few jobs that were designated critical, where I had to go in as the job had to get done no matter what. Most jobs aren’t critical for all management would like people to think otherwise. I (and others) got a former manager mad a few years ago because during a winter storm we flat out told him the job was not worth our lives, and no we would not be in until conditions improved. He huffed and puffed, and we didn’t care. It literally wasn’t worth our lives, and they would have been in severe risk.

A blizzard or major winter storm is not the time to be out driving, and it is also most especially not the time to be out walking around. I don’t care how bad the craving for a candy bar may be, walking any distance in heavy falling snow with deep snow already on the ground and well-below-zero wind chills is a bit foolish. Life or death, layer up and do what you have to for the situation. If it is not literally a matter of life or death, just stay home.

While I know that some businesses count being out as a strike against you if there is no government no-travel order in place, again, is that job worth your life? Are they going to pay for your injuries or provide for your family if you are killed coming in to work (or at work for that matter)? If no, take the strike and you really should be looking around anyway IMO. Just look at how many died in NY because the no-travel order came criminally late.

All over the country there were a LOT of house fires. Most of them the result of improper (and sometimes impromptu) heaters. I will admit I need to up my heater game, but the time to do that is not during the storm. Make your choices in advance, ensure safety and proper ventilation, and be sure you have smoke/CO detectors and fire extinguishers. Also, if you use any form of electric heat, make sure the circuit can take the load.

That will do for a quick wash, and I hope that all of you survived the storm in comfort and safety! Here, the power flickered but did not go out and the local power company was on top of all the outages in the area. While literally tens of thousand did lose power around here, it was — for the most part — of short duration.

May all our emergencies be of short duration, and remember that preparedness always pays!

Cold Weather Preparedness & Survival

You can write books on the topic, but for now, a few quick thoughts on preparing for the cold and surviving the experience. This morning, we hit somewhere close to -10 they say, with -8 and -9 seen around the lair. With winds staying above 10 mph and gusting up above 25 mph, it makes it a bit brisk. Thankfully, we are not among those who have lost power though it did flicker a bit around 0300 this morning.

You can survive being out and about in incredible cold, even worse that what just hit a good bit of the United States. If you are prepared and have the right gear, it doesn’t suck too bad. In fact, I’ve had fun out doing things even with -45 wind chills and significant snow. I’m still amused that wolves love that type of weather, and will just curl up and let the snow build up on them — it’s insulation for one thing. Got a nasty look one time for daring disturb a wolf who was asleep and had more than a foot of snow on top of them.

Let’s start with some basics. First up, a trick I wish I had known decades ago. Moisturize your skin. Seriously. Not going to add a huge amount of protection, but it helps and it helps with healing after you have been out. Trust me, if you are out in below-zero conditions, your skin is going to take a hit almost no matter what.

Second, don’t sweat. If you are out and so active that you are starting to sweat, slow down. I had read about it before, but experiencing it is something else. You sweat, it builds up in your clothing (hopefully wicked away a bit), turns to ice, and you have to sweat more to deal with it… It’s a vicious cycle that can take it out of you. Avoid it at all costs.

Third, layer. The best way to go is multiple thin to moderate layers. Give yourself the ability to add additional layers at need, and to remove layers at need. The thermal underwear of my youth has been replaced by some really good stuff that works much, much better. Make sure your outer layers are as wind-proof as possible. Also, insulated boots, mittens, face coverings, and similar are fantastic. Doesn’t matter if you are wearing tanker goggles or ski goggles, protect your eyes. When the temps are low, you want zero exposed skin.

Four, hydrate. Believe it or not, more people dehydrate under cold weather conditions than hot. Personally, I drink water as well as hot teas, ginger drink, etc. You want the water as caffeine will dehydrate you, which is one reason I go for the ginger drinks and teas. Trader Joe’s has a very good ginger drink that is wonderful served hot on a cold day. Any will work, just be sure you stay hydrated.

Now, let’s look at being out and about. When I first moved up to Indiana, I asked around and got pointed to Rural King where I found not only wonderful (and relatively inexpensive) insulated farm boots, but fleece and flannel lined jeans that I love. Along with one or more layers of modern long-johns, coat(s), and gloves, you are good to go.

Two things in regards hands and feet. For your hands, look at exam gloves under everything. They do help. For both hands and feet, look at hand and toe warmers. For working outside in below-zero for 8-12 hours, you want them. In fact, I have been know to put one hand warmer on top of my hand and one below, as it helped heat the blood slightly as it went out into my fingers. Every little bit helps.

Also, layer. For my feet, I go thin sock, regular sock, and then boot sock even with insulated boots and the use of toe warmers. For gloves, it is exam, thin, moderate, then seasonal. I’ve even had to top that with snow mittens on occasion. I’m also able to take off layers at need to answer calls, type in info, scan items, etc.

If you are law enforcement, military, or other and have an undercover vest, boy howdy are those the thing for extreme cold weather. They are warm, block the wind, and protect the core from thermal as well as ballistic threats. Highly recommended even in a non-ballistic environment.

You can pay as much as you want for gear, but if you want things that work even as you do real work, go to places like Rural King, Tractor Supply, or similar as farmers have to be out 24/7 365. You will find great gear at great prices at such stores.

Another good reason to avoid bulkiness if a male is that you do need to be able to get it out to urinate. If you are having to drop layers to do so, you need to look at how you are layering.

When it comes to head gear, I do have one advantage over most people: I have a genuine Russian fur hat. During the sadly brief time it was safe for me to visit, I grabbed a good one though I missed out on excellent because I mis-translated the price/exchange rate. No ermine, sigh. That said, have a great hat that I can’t wear unless it is near zero or below. Don’t skimp on the head gear and protect the ears. Ears can freeze (not just get frostbite) faster than your fingers and toes.

Layer your head gear too. Skull cap, something nicer, and then pull up the hood of your coat/parka/whatever. Throw in goggles and a face mask, and you are good. Also, if things are really bad, I have a pair of bib/overalls that are designed for snow and cold weather. I also have a couple of good coats as well as a leather trench coat that is great for windy conditions.

Now, let’s look at indoor survival if the power goes out. We’ve been lucky so far with just some flickering but no outage (knock on wood). I’m going to tell a tale on a friend, to spark some ideas.

A few decades back, one of those 20-50-year winter storms hit the southern Appalachian mountains, and tested the preparedness of a friend and her then husband. Since one is not supposed to say much if you can’t say something nice, I will try not to mention him at all. My friend, we will call her Strawberry, was more than a touch experienced with survival. Really do need to sing her song one day soon, but for now know that among other things she had been a big game hunter and guide, as well as a deep sea fisherman.

Well, this storm hit and it was a doozy. Power went out early, which wasn’t surprising given how remote she was. The home she had was not the best insulated and weather-tight, to be polite. Pro Tip: the more weather tight and energy efficient your home is, the better.

Thankfully, if I remember correctly, the stove was pre-safety-nazi/officious bureaucrat so they could light and run it at need. They also had a fireplace. Fire 24/7 for heat and some cooking, stove at need for cooking. Given how long power was out, the freezer was an issue until it was realized they could just open the door and it was so cold that everything re-froze. They could only open the refrigerator door for a set time, then had to close it so nothing did freeze.

Pro-tip: If you don’t open the door, a freezer can stay frozen for up to 48 hours with power off. A refrigerator will be good for 4-8 hours (maybe more). If you aren’t in an open-the-door situation, put the items in each into a cooler and put the coolers outside, porch or similar being preferable. Problem solved. I do recommend, strongly, NSF-grade thermometers for each. I also do the container/coin thing in my freezer as a backup. Watch your temps and act accordingly. Had some friends in Huntsville do this a few years back, and putting everything in a cooler on the balcony was just the ticket. In fact, he started keeping his beer out there all winter.

i shouldn’t laugh, but the most comical part of the incident was the death of Rocky the Flying Squirrel. Strawberry had a flying squirrel get in somehow, and it homed in on the toilet to get a drink. Porcelain is slick even without ice, and poor Rocky fell in. Sadly, he froze to death trying to climb back out of the toilet. Poor Strawberry had to get his frozen corpse out of the toilet, and he was sent out into the woods for a funeral.

For most people, the key is to pick a room and fort up. If you have a fireplace, that’s the room. If you have a kerosene or other heater, set it up (along with a CO detector) in your fort. Everyone into that room to maximize bodily warmth. If you have an alternate means of cooking (camp stove, etc.) set it up in there. Good time to use candles and such instead of battery lights as the candles will give off heat.

Forget beds, use sleeping bags and look at people sleeping together. Mommy and Daddy can share a bag, though caution is advised so that the family doesn’t increase in size in about nine months. Kids can share too within reason. Long johns are a good idea, and always put on dry socks before going to bed in situations like this. Add in all the blankets you have, and you can stay fairly snug and warm even in weather like this.

If the water goes out with the power, this is also a good time to teach the kids about yellow is mellow and how to be sure anything else goes down. Good way to test your preparedness levels all around. UPDATE: If the power is out and you do have water, DRIP YOUR FAUCETS! Keep that water moving so that the pipes don’t freeze. I’m dripping my shower right now because the pipes have to go down the outside wall, and that wall is cold!

For me right now, we have power though I have broken out the chef’s stove. Not sharing my mulled wine, so heating it in my room. The candles are ready, and I’m good to go. Hopefully, this has given you a few ideas on how to deal with the cold and the unexpected.

If there is something you would like me to expand upon, let me know. Meantime, be safe, be good, and may your day be filled with warmth internal if not external.

Weather Incoming

As I noted earlier this week, we have a severe winter storm approaching. It is accompanied by several sides of hype (bomb, cyclone, historic) but if it doesn’t fizzle it is going to be an interesting few days. As in we are supposed to go today from near 40 to -8 in just a few hours.

The reason I think there is any chance of a fizzle is because of our dear mayor, Boss Hogsbreath (aka Photo-op Joe), who apparently has called it historic. Given his accuracy and track record with such pronouncements, there should now be a line in Vegas for betting that it turns into a bad rainstorm.

Meantime, I’m as prepared as I can be. I admit, if more money suddenly appeared in my account, or someone called the Total Wine and More up on the north side of Indianapolis and arranged a gift certificate, I would go out so long as I could be home by about noon. Really don’t see it getting bad before about 1500, but driving and traffic are both already atrocious and getting worse. Besides, want to see if I can talk the landlord into letting me salt the entire driveway after the rain stops so as to prevent icing.

Fantasy aside, my plans for the day include cooking my Christmas entree in case we do have power issues, and maybe doing some almond flour shortbread. Entree is a play off some rabbit I had in France years back, which was amazing. It was flattened and wrapped around a minced mushroom concoction that was absolutely delicious. No rabbit, so going to flatten some chicken and do the same thing with some truffled mushroom mix I found. Put it in a pan, crust with pesto, and put in a bit of a very nice pinot grigio, and bake. The pinot grigio is one I found for about $5 at Aldi. Same one as Thanksgiving, and remember: if you would not drink a wine, you don’t want to cook with it. Going to serve it over mash, know I should have a green of some type, but just couldn’t come up with anything I really wanted. Going to have a proper English Christmas pudding for desert. Not sure it qualifies as a figgy pudding, but it should be tasty. No, not on the diet, but don’t care.

Which reminds me, there was no posting yesterday as I went and did my shopping early. I really expect it to be horrible today, and it was not fun yesterday. Had to hit more stores than planned even on my reduced list given some of the things that were not in stock. Oddly, hardest thing to get was some star anise, which I only found at my (least favorite) Indian grocery. I went early, thank goodness, as it was picking up quite a bit after noon. By the time I hit my FI/broke point, I was probably twitching like Inspector Clouseau’s boss in the movies. Don’t like crowds at the best of times (esp. after Iraq), and rude crowds are not a delight. Things were getting rude there towards the end.

Did I get everything I wanted or needed? No, but I got enough to get by for several days at need. I have coffee, and thanks to a very kind person I have some Sambuca to go in that coffee on Christmas morning (or tomorrow morning if the power goes out overnight). The last bottle of red wine in the cellar is earmarked for mulling at some point this weekend. BTW, you want a fruity red to mull, not a dry red. Easy to do: 1T whole clove, 2 star anise, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2-4 oz brandy, orange peel, and about 1T of raw honey (to taste). DO NOT BOIL! Heat gently until steaming and don’t let it get past that point.

If I haven’t said it before, do take advantage of various store frequent customer programs. The one for The Fresh Market has been really good at lowering my bill with both discounts and various certificates. Next time I buy coffee, going to get it for almost half off. Yes, they can get a lot of info from you, but you can set limits. Also, rules can say what they want, but there is no law requiring information to be accurate or precise. I usually decline to answer a number of (so-called optional) questions and if not allowed to decline, well, if some store thinks I am really a 101-year-old lesbian who makes $500,000 a year, well, that’s their problem.

Depending on how energetic I feel, I may go ahead and put up some aluminum foil in strategic locations. My room has a decorative fireplace (really hope no one ever tried to use it because even before it was closed off it would have killed everyone in the house) that I’m lining so the multiple pillar candles in the holder in it can really get some light out. Otherwise, not much to do to prepare.

Have told the housemate that if he does go into work tonight (good odds they may close anyway), that I will loan him one of my assault rucks provided he puts blankets, extra clothing, food, and water in it as his drive is interesting. Not sure going into work would be bad, but thinking getting home tomorrow morning could be more than a little interesting. Have warned him about sweating in severe cold.

Speaking of which, would there be any interest in a post on cold-weather emergencies and survival? Just some high points, because provided you are dressed properly, you can work in some dangerously low temperatures. Been there, done that, -45 wind chills and all. Really do need to share the story of some friends who had to open the freezer up so things in it would stay frozen, and close the refrigerator periodically to keep the contents from freezing.

Sorry for the ramble, but I didn’t plot things out this morning. Just decided to wing it. If you are in the path of this storm, be prepared. If not, be glad. Be safe and take care of yourselves and those you love as we approach Christmas. May the stress and worst of the season avoid you, and you avoid it.

Preparedness Pays: Draft Chapter 5A

NOTE: This is a (very) rough draft

Harm Comes In Many Forms

Originally, I had thought to title this chapter Physical Harm so I could do a pun off Fiscal Harm in a later chapter. However, that really doesn’t work as in addition to physical harm, there can also be mental and spiritual harm to individuals in the course of a disaster. Sound preparedness demands that you be prepared for all types of harm.

Before you start going off on all the things that can happen, remember that it doesn’t have to be complicated unless you make it that way. Yes, the potential numbers of disasters, or injuries, is almost infinite. So, don’t focus on infinity, but on the three types of injury: everyday, trauma, mental/spiritual. There, three things, not infinity. Now, let’s start breaking this down a bit so you can plan effectively for you and your situation.

Everyday life has its moments and its wounds, or at least boo-boos. There are the scraped knees, twisted ankles, sprained fingers, the tears — heck with kids, that can be me on a good day. Growing up, I had family, friends, and acquaintances who could have formed their own clan, with a motto of “Hey Ya’ll, Watch This!” Your humble author, of course, never did anything like that. [Editor’s Note: Bullshit].

One way to look at it is that everyday injuries are the things you can deal with on your own that don’t require a trip to the doctor or emergency room. They are the things you know how to handle because you parents or others took care of them for you when you were growing up. They are the things for which you can take some basic first aid courses and feel confident in handling.

A basic, or expanded basic, first aid kit gives you all you need to handle such injuries. Bandages, ointment, wound cleaning, eye-flush, basic tools, a few other supplies, and you are good to go. Add in some things to keep around the house like rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, cold- and hot-compresses, and some other items, and you truly can handle the everyday injuries that come with life.

Trauma, on the other hand, requires a bit more training and preparation. Traumatic injuries can be defined for planning purposes as any injury that requires treatment by a doctor, emergency room, or hospital. The first aid kits for trauma are going to be a bit different, as they should include things like tourniquets, clotting bandages, pressure bandages, and other items for dealing with severe injuries. An Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) is an example of a trauma-level first aid item.

Why prepare for trauma? Like everyday injuries, trauma can strike at any time. When I was driving long distances extensively a few years ago, I carried a trauma kit with me because accidents happen, and on rural interstates and roads the first responders might be minutes or more away. Bleeding out won’t wait for the EMTs and others to arrive. Right now, an intersection near where I live sees a lot of wrecks, so both my neighbor and I keep a kit at the ready despite medics being close by. When trauma strikes, seconds often count.

You don’t need an earthquake, tornado, or nuclear war to get trauma. It’s going to hit all around you every day. Accidents, crime, and more generate trauma and if it doesn’t hit you, you may be the one who can make the difference between life and death by taking action before the first responders can even think about getting to the scene. That’s some additional food for thought to factor into your planning.

Finally, there is mental and spiritual damage for which you need to be prepared. Yes, a tornado, earthquake, or nuclear war are going to have an impact on you. So will being first on the scene of an accident and doing what you can for those involved. Or trying to comfort someone when they are injured or are watching the medics work on a loved one. Even dealing with some extensive everyday injuries to a child can hit you (and the child). It’s only smart to plan for it now, while you can do so.

Now is where things can get a little complex. You have the basics, now we need to factor in the length of the disaster. Remember, for planning purposes a minor disaster will last minutes up to a week. A moderate disaster will last a week up to a month. A major disaster is a month or longer. The longer a disaster lasts, the more you have to be prepared to do on your own.

In a minor disaster, your ability to contact or reach medical assistance may not be impacted at all, or be something that results in a delay of minutes. If it moves towards being a week or more, there are increasingly good odds that your contact with, or ability to reach, medical assistance can be delayed or lost. If you are in a moderate to major disaster, you should consider that you may have little to no outside medical help for an unknown period of time.

So, what does this mean for your planning? Here are a few thoughts.

First, get all the training you can and if you know people already trained, start thinking about adding them to your plans despite the first rule. The more training you and those around you have, the better. There are any number of options for courses, from paid to free, so see what is available near you that you can work into your schedule. Things like basic first aid, use of an AED, CPR, and even advanced first aid are all a good place to start. Do you need to become a certified EMT? Maybe. Maybe not. As always, you have to figure out what works for you and your situation, and develop your plan accordingly.

Second, learn about the “Good Samaritan” laws in your state, and if you are going to travel out-of-state, in those states too. Sadly, in this day and age, CYA is needed. You also need to think about how much you would be willing or able to do in the face of a moderate- to major-disaster. The sad fact is, however, that in a moderate- to major-disaster, with the loss of access to medical assistance, there are going to be times that nothing can be done. Accept and prepare for that as well.

Third, plan your kits according to your needs. For example, in my opinion, many so-called basic kits I’ve bought in the past have had a number of items that were not really useful. I set them aside, and added in things that I have found to actually be useful. For example, adding moleskin and similar was a good idea for hikes and such. Getting rid of cheap tools and replacing them with better is a great idea. While there are many options, I’ve found some great deals on paramedic scissors, surgical scissors, and other tools at flea markets and even gun shows. Are they your super-high-end name brand tools? No, but they can be sterilized and they work. From hemostats to various exam tools, think about what you might need if not able to access medical assistance for some time and plan to address those needs.

Along those lines, look at possible trauma needs. There are a number of excellent pre-done trauma kits, from ones that easily can fit on a belt or in a car door pocket, to larger kits intended for medics. If you can afford it, allow me to suggest that having small kits in each vehicle, purse, or bag is a very good idea. When we talk about bugout bags later, sticking a good basic kit and a larger trauma kit in each is also a very good idea. Having that large bag in the house is also a good thing.

Fourth, start thinking about your mental and spiritual needs as well. For the longer term, what are the things that may bring you peace or comfort? Some may call it pampering, but you will need some things to bring you comfort and aid, so get them in place now. In the shorter term, you will find that in many cases if you are in an accident or you help those who are in such, the first responders may offer you access to a chaplain or other counselor. Don’t be stupid, take them up on it. It may be that you should consider a course on dealing with trauma and stress, as it may be you having to comfort others as well as yourself.

Going back to something I said earlier, yes, the first rule of Preparedness Club is that there is no preparedness club. The less people know of your preparations, the better and safer for you and yours. That said, this is one of the times where you need to start thinking about expanding your circle of friends.

The fact is, there is strength in numbers. Having others you can count on will lessen the impact of any disaster. The thing is, you need to have absolute trust in those people and that they understand the first rule. If they do and happen to have combat lifesaver training, well, that’s a good thing. If you know someone who is a surgical tech, nurse, EMT, or other, and they fit the bill, sound them out and work them into your plans. Even if they are not interested, but are willing to help you develop your plans and kits, that’s a win.

The longer the disaster, the greater the need for others you can count upon. Trained medical assistance is one of the most pressing of those needs. Just a thought to keep in mind as you plan.

Now, as a thought to consider in your plans: what other resources can you or should you get? One such is written material on first aid or more. When I say written, I like to keep paper copies around but if you can find something where you can get both print and an electronic copy, all the better. Put the e-copy on your phone, computer, flash drive that’s in your bugout bag, and anywhere else you can. The more ways to access it, the better. Meantime, you have that print copy you can access even when the power is out.

Back more years ago that I want to think about, I had a book Being Your Own Wilderness Doctor. Back in those days, when dinosaurs still walked the Earth, there were no cell phones, satellite phones, or other options for instant communications. If you were doing extensive hiking and camping, you could find yourself days away from civilization. That particular book guided you through the steps to put yourself or a companion back together enough for you to survive to get help. There are still resources like that, and I do strongly suggest you look for them and add them to your planning.

Now, a thought to consider as you are looking at what resources you need for this area of planning. The longer the emergency, the greater the need for resources. It is never a bad idea to keep OTC nausea, anti-diarrhea, and pain killers on hand. If you believe that a moderate- to major-disaster looms, from war to something everyone but the politicians see coming, stock up on all the OTC medications you can. As much of as many different types as possible. Again, just a thought but one you need to factor into your plans at the start.

Congratulations! You now have the basic blocks to start planning for how to handle harm to you and others in the event of an emergency. If you stick with those blocks, it makes planning a much more simple process and you are less likely to miss something important.

The book as it goes:

Preparedness Pays: Draft Introduction

Preparedness Pays: Draft Chapter 1A

Preparedness Pays: Draft Chapter 2A

Preparedness Pays: Draft Chapter 3A

Preparedness Pays: Draft Chapter 4A

NOTE: This is a (very) rough draft

Planning For Power

The final resource you need to be thinking about as you work up your preparedness plan is power. This modern world requires it, as we live by our cell phones, computers, internet, cable, and other amenities of modern life. Without power, we can lose a significant portion of our daily tools, from that cell phone to the stove.

Even if you have gas appliances, there are good odds they won’t work with the power out. As noted earlier, it’s a “safety” feature to prevent gas leaks and fires. The fact that it also deprives you of the use of an otherwise fully functional appliance in an emergency has most likely never crossed the bureaucratic minds behind the “safety” feature.

So, let’s take a few minutes to think about what can be done to ensure we have at least some power in any emergency. As always, start small then work up from there.

For individual phones and such, you can get solar chargers and hand-crank chargers. The emergency radio I own has a crank for recharging both its batteries and anything plugged into the USB ports. I know some people who swear by a particular solar charger that they use when camping, on river trips, and other outdoor activities. These are useful for all emergencies and give you some long-term options.

Also, don’t forget the next step up: Exercycles that generate power. Yes, the old standby is out there in the form of a stationary bike and generator. For moderate- and major-disasters, they are well worth considering.

We’ve already talked batteries, but let’s consider something larger. Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) are an option and you can find some good deals on them. They are great for your computers and other electronics and pairing them with a good surge protector can save you a lot of time, money, and headaches.

A good surge protector is one that comes with a warranty that covers up to $XXXX of value of the item or items plugged into it. When I lived down South we frequently got surges from lightning. One time, it was enough to overwhelm the surge protector and take out the television. Contacted the company, got the certification of the lightning damage they needed, sent them the ears and tail of the surge protector, and they bought me a new television.

When I say Preparedness Pays, I’m talking things like this. Without the surge protector, things could have been much worse, since a fire is not out of the realm of possibility with a surge that large. Instead of damage, loss, and a major expense, it was a minor expense (postage, little fuel, new surge protector) and a small amount of inconvenience. There’s a reason everything electrical I own is plugged into a surge protector.

UPSs and battery backups come in all sizes. It’s also not just your electronics that may need protecting. If you have a sump pump in your basement, it’s a good idea to have a battery backup for it so that a power failure doesn’t turn into a flooded basement. Same if you have a well, that pump needs a backup too.

While the big box home supply stores may have them, don’t forget as you are planning and thinking to check out places like Tractor Supply Company, Rural King, or your local equivalents. Not only may you get a better price, but you may find that the staff there have dealt with this issue before and can be a good knowledge resource.

Now, about those appliances that brick when the power is off. You might want to check with the appliance manufacturer or seller about what level of power is needed to keep them running in an emergency. It can be more than you think, though in the case of a particular stove I never did get a good reason on why it drew so much power initially.

Should you put refrigerators and freezers on backups? That is up to you. It is an option, and some will argue a very good option.

Now, let’s talk wind and solar. They are options, though I consider them partial options. That said, you may find various programs that will defray or cover the cost of adding those options to your home, and potentially increase it’s value.

That said, both are partial options because they are intermittent. Day/night. Winds are calm. You get the picture. They are not going to provide steady-state power over the course of a day, a month, or a year.

Now, something that you may or may not get told when talking to companies about adding their solar/wind/other to your home is that there are two basic options for dealing with the steady-state issue. The first is simple, set things up so that when you are generating power and not using it, that it goes into the system (and you should get paid for it). When you need power, you pull it from the grid like normal. The second is to install a fairly good size battery bank to store power for the times you aren’t generating/generating enough. You may still have to pull from the grid on occasion, but you can reduce that amount.

The last time I looked into such, it was a very expensive proposition. That was before I factored in having to build a shed to house the storage batteries as I was not willing to put them inside my home at that time. There are risks to that option you would need to explore thoroughly and include your insurance agent in those explorations and discussions. The tech is supposedly getting better, but you would be surprised to find that from local codes to insurance policies, things are still built around tech that is 20-50 years old.

There are also generators as an option. A small one can keep the essentials like a refrigerator and a couple of lights, running. A moderate sized wheeled generator can run most of your house. A large generator will run your house.

When looking at this option, there are a few things to keep in mind. The first is, what is essential for you and your situation? For example, in the rural house the essentials were: gas stove, refrigerator, freezer, gas furnace, a few lights, sump pump, and power for the computer. That covered the essentials we’ve been talking about in the previous chapters.

Based on this, I figured my electrical load, looked at being able to do a few nice things (washing machine and dryer for example) via rotation (take power from one area and put it to another), and then decided to get a mid-sized generator that was on wheels. Then I installed the power run and lockouts into the main breaker box, and was good to go.

Yes, unless you are one, you will also need to plan to hire an electrician to set up the power feed into your home. Most utilities require a power feed with lockouts so that during a power failure you are not accidentally putting power into the grid. Because if you do that, you can injure or kill the nice people working to restore the power. Don’t do that.

Now, before you start to plan, here a few things you will also want to consider. First, any generator is going to need a secure spot outside the house for operation. Note the word secure. Doesn’t matter how big or how small, you need to be sure that generator doesn’t walk off. In emergencies, they have a distressing tendency to grow feet and wander off. Securing it needs to be part of your plan.

Second, you need to think about noise. In a minor emergency, you might not have to worry about it too much. But, it is worth the extra money to invest in a quiet generator, and yes, some are much quieter than others. The other part of the reason is not about disturbing you or the neighbors, it’s that in moderate to major emergencies that sound is going to be a beacon that can draw unwanted attention to you. Potentially, very ill-intentioned attention as you have power that they want, and if you have that, what else might you have? There are good reasons for the first rule of Preparedness Club: there is no preparedness club.

Third, in line with that, whatever options you choose you will also want to plan on being discrete about lights, heat, and such. If your house is a blazing beacon of light in an otherwise dark area, well, the ill-intentioned will come. As will most of your relatives. So, as part of your plan, you may want to think about upgrading to blackout curtains and other steps to reduce what can be seen or heard. Again, look at it as a way to improve where you live.

Finally, as you plan, keep in mind that you don’t have to provide constant power. Let’s face it, it is nice and we are used to it. That said, to keep things going like the refrigerator and freezer, you may only need to provide power part of the time. Run them twice a day and not constantly. Saving fuel and other power resources is a good thing, especially if you aren’t sure how long the disaster will last.

Congratulations. You now have a basic framework to use in planning for individual resource preparedness. Next, let’s look at harm that can happen to an individual and start thinking about how to plan for that.

The book as it goes:

Preparedness Pays: Draft Introduction

Preparedness Pays: Draft Chapter 1A

Preparedness Pays: Draft Chapter 2A

Preparedness Pays: Draft Chapter 3A