Category: Preparedness

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

A discussion with Beege on Twitter sparked the idea for this post. As always, I am not sponsored nor do I get anything from any company mentioned here. If you are a company and interested in such, do drop me a line. Anywho, since we talked batteries in the last chapter of the book, some food for thought.

When buying batteries, do a bit of research first. The ads you see aren’t always a good reflection of reality. For example, years ago Duracell had a great reputation and there were a number of first responders and emergency medical people who would only use Duracell batteries. Then, I noticed the quality slipping, and there were reliability and longevity issues. In short, I and a number of others quit using Duracell as we were getting better performance at a much better price out of others.

I’ve tried a number of batteries over the years, and right now I’m using Ray-O-Vac as I’m getting good performance for a very good price thanks to some sales at a certain home improvement store. Beege swears by Energizer, and I’ve had good luck with them myself. I’ve had mixed results out of a house-brand for a major sporting good chain, but if the rubber has to hit the road, I want the best.

I’m actually thinking of doing a comparison test between Energizer and Ray-O-Vac similar to the one that sparked the conversation on Twitter. New batteries, fair test, and see what happens. What say you?

Oh, I will add that when it comes to my Streamlight products, I am using the regular and rechargeable Streamlight batteries. Those are items where I’m not willing to risk anything else.

Remember, there is no one magic list nor is there one magic product for each need. Do your research, test, and find what works best for you.

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.

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.

NOTE: This is a (very) rough draft

Expanding Your Resources

Alright, now that you have started thinking about food and water, let’s expand things a bit. The next resources to think about are light, the ability to cook or heat your food, and heating.

I really do think that if you could do a study, the lights (power) going out is probably the most common “disaster” we face on a regular basis. It is probably the most frustrating thing, because just as the water goes out right when you’ve soaped up, the lights always go out as you are doing something important. For a number of reasons, I want to focus right now just on light and we will tackle the larger issue of power later.

There are a number of options available to you. Just to name a few: flashlights, battery-powered mountable LED lights, camping lanterns (electric and gas fuel), candles, oil lamps, and chemical lights/glow sticks. There not being that one magical list of items that works for everyone in every situation, you need to decide what mix of items works for you.

For example, candles and oil lamps can be part of your decor. The latter are not just the old-fashioned kind, but newer ones that are very modern looking. With practical preparedness the idea is to have the items do more than one thing. It’s like Alton Brown’s rule on kitchen items: most kitchen items need to be useful for several things. Your choices for preparedness should do the same. While there are a few things that only have one use, most of what you get for preparedness should pull double or triple duty. Even if that duty is to be decorative.

Another bit of food for thought is that whatever you get, get spares and if batteries are used get spare batteries too. If you have a flashlight on a shelf at the top of the stairs, put spare batteries with it. Because if you go down into the dark basement without a light because the batteries are dead, you frankly deserve to have the monster get you, or find out the sewage is backed up the hard way. It’s about as bright as standing artistically in front of the archery targets in one of those teen camp slasher porn movies. So, unless you want the monster to get you, don’t do that.

A further bite of food for thought: it’s not a bad idea to have emergency lighting that can be used in a hazardous environment. There are any number of things that can cause gas pipes to rupture, fuel to spill, or otherwise create an environment where not only is the smoking lamp out, you don’t want cheap electronics or other items generating sparks. While you can spend as much as you want to on hazard-rated lights, you might be surprised at how many of the newer (and inexpensive) flashlights are actually sealed. Look around at what’s available, think about it, then choose wisely.

Back when I had a house in a more rural location, every room had a small plastic storage bin that contained scissors, utility knife, tape, tacks, brads, hammer, tarp, flashlight, chem light, spare batteries, and a small first aid kit. The idea being I had light and a means of covering holes/busted windows, and taking care of boo-boos at hand no matter what. If gas was an issue, I could use the chem light instead of the flashlight at need. Also, for long-term light, the chem light was the better choice.

Which gets to an important point in thinking about what mix works best for you: duration. Give yourself as many options as you can. Church pillars are designed to burn for hours, so used judiciously they can last for weeks at need. There are candle lanterns that use long-lasting candles (as well as bug repellent candles). My favorite brand of lights has an option of a USB rechargeable battery that I can even recharge using the hand crank on the emergency radio. Bit more on that when we talk power, but look at all the options open to you to make your light mix last.

Also, as you work up your plan, be thinking about where to put what type of light. Where practical, you may want to put a mirror up nearby to help bounce the light (or reflect sunlight further inside). In an emergency, when the lights go out, I’ve been known to put aluminum foil up on the wall behind candles and omni-directional lights to put as much light as possible out into the room.

Now, let’s look at using the light that comes out of your plan to do something extremely important: cook and heat your food and drink. Vehicles hit power poles and take down lines. Construction crews dig into gas lines. Things happen. I don’t know about you, but I’m not giving up my coffee or food because someone else did something stupid.

Again, there are a number of options. The portable butane chef stoves you see at a lot of brunches, or events where cooking is being done on the spot, used to be relatively inexpensive though I hear that’s changing. Keep in mind butane does not work in cold weather. There are a number of propane or liquid-fuel small camping stoves available. Better yet, there are even multi-burner propane stoves and ovens that can handle large scale cooking. Grills make an excellent option as well. Got a fireplace? Guess what, it’s can be fun to cook over a fire.

Find a mix that works for you while giving you both flexibility and durability. By durability I don’t just mean the product lasting, but the ability to get fuel for it even in an emergency. For example, a good charcoal grill can also handle wood, which is likely to be available no matter what (even if you have to go cut it). Having more than one type of fuel is also a good thing for your ability to handle moderate to major disasters.

To help with your planning, allow me to share a real-life experience that may help. Where I’m currently living, we experienced a power failure which took out the lights and stove. My bedroom and bathroom are in the basement. I needed to get to work. So, I broke out the camping lanterns and used one to light my room, one to light the common area of the basement, and one to light the bathroom (yes, I already have hooks in place to hang them at need).

I put up two in the kitchen, pulled out a propane camping stove and set it up on top of the regular stove. I cooked breakfast, cleaned up, got my shower (water was still going) using the remaining hot water in the water heater (note: a number of gas appliances will not run if the electricity is off, “safety” feature). As I did all this, I turned off lights when not needed and otherwise minimized my resource usage.

Net result, I had my regular breakfast and coffee, and had no issues making it to work on time. For all that I might be a bit of a coffee head, one of the reasons I use a French Press to make my coffee is that I’m not dependent on electricity to make it. For all that I like the taste better anyway, it doesn’t matter if the water is heated on a stove or over a fire as I huddle in the ruins of civilization, you just need hot water. And coffee, of course. If I did engage in preparedness, you can be sure I would have some tucked away. Cough. Remember the first rule of preparedness club…

The last truly crucial element for survival, and the start of surviving in style, is heating. Cooling, while I do love my air conditioning, is not essential. Even in most temperate zones, having heating comes in handy in an emergency, especially if you are wet or cleaning up after flooding. In large swaths of the world, heating is essential so that you don’t freeze to death in the winter.

Again, there are options for you to explore. Do you have a fireplace? The option to add a wood stove? Portable indoor-use kerosene and propane heaters are available at most home supply stores. They may also be useful for keeping water warm or hot, or even doing some light cooking over them. The key is going to be the ability to store fuel for them so that you can use them as needed in a moderate or major disaster.

Just be sure that what you are looking at are rated for indoor use. There are a number of heaters that are not, and require extra ventilation if they can be used inside at all. You don’t want to freeze, but you also don’t want to either burn up or die of carbon monoxide poisoning. If battery-powered smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are not already a part of your life, make them part of you preparedness planning. They are essential now, and critical in the aftermath of a disaster.

I would also highly recommend good cold weather clothing be a part of your preparedness planning. Fuel shortages, regulations, and other delights can impact anywhere, and even if you are prepared you need to consider wearing extra clothing to cut down on use of your preparedness resources. Get extra blankets and throws now as well, as there may be a run on them in the not too distant future.

Guess what? You now have the basics in place to develop a plan that will provide you water, food, light, the ability to cook, and the ability to heat in the face of disaster. In other words, you have the basics of survival at your fingertips. Now, in the next chapter, let’s look at adding some other resources to your planning mix to take that up to surviving in style.

The book as it goes:

Preparedness Pays: Draft Introduction

Preparedness Pays: Draft Chapter 1A

Preparedness Pays: Draft Chapter 2A

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.

I had originally planned to do Chapter 1 a bit differently, but am opting for now to try smaller chapters, possibly focused on a single concept, to make it easier for those new to preparedness. We will see how it goes, meantime, onwards!

NOTE: This is a (very) rough draft

Building With Our Blocks

Now that we have our basic building and planning blocks, let’s take a look at how to use them to create the preparedness plan that works for you. To do so, why don’t we take a look at what most of it boils down to: ensuring people have the resources they need.

As noted previously, resources include (but are not limited to) things like  food, water, power, fuel, and other resources necessary for life, much less modern life. So, let’s start with the most critical items for life: food and water.

Most people in first world countries (and even many second) take clean, safe, and abundant water for granted. We cut the tap on, and sweet, sweet, water flows out into our glasses, sinks, or tubs. While there are exceptions everywhere, overall we have gotten rather spoiled about water. Even the most minor of disaster or emergency becomes a real issue when it effects our water.

Most of the time, that impact is an annoyance. The water goes off while you are in the shower and you need to rinse. You can’t do the laundry or dishes because the water went off. It’s not the end of the world, but it impacts your day. Thing is, the longer it is off the greater the impact. Given that you can live for days to weeks on little to no food, and only a very few days without water, water really needs to be your top priority for preparedness. So, let’s look at it in terms of our planning blocks on the three lengths of disaster.

For minor disasters, those lasting minutes to a week, stored water comes in very handy. Caught bathing and need to rinse off? A bottle of water or maybe part of a gallon jug of water takes care of that. I keep both bottles of water and gallon jugs of distilled water around personally, as I use the latter for making coffee (the water around where I currently live being a fluid phase of limestone) and the former for general use. During any emergency, don’t throw out the empties: they have important uses we will get into later. For planning, while you have to have two liters of water a day from drinking and food to survive, you are going to find life a lot better if you have three to four liters per person per day.

For moderate to major disasters, storage really isn’t practical. Though, one should plan for ways to increase your storage if there is warning. Collapsable containers, tub bladders, even your cookware can and should be used to store water if there is warning of a coming moderate to major disaster. If you have freezer or other containers, fill them up too. If it will safely hold water, fill it up!

So, what can you do to prepare for water during a moderate to major disaster? You are going to need one or more water purification systems. No, I’m not talking systems for cities or such, but the small, mostly portable systems used by campers and backpackers. Those systems are designed to take water from lakes, streams, or other sources and turn it into pure, clean, safe water for drinking. Some of them can even handle various types of grey water. Wait, what? Grey water?

You are going to deal with three types of water in life, much less during a disaster. Clean water is what you are used to drinking. Grey water is water that has been used for things like showering, cleaning, technically even cooking water like pasta water is grey water. Dark/black/other-term-here water contains sewage or other organic or chemical contaminants. There are ways for you to deal with filtering and purifying grey and black water, but we will get into that more later.

For now, you’ve got enough information to begin planning for your water needs. Given that things never go to plan, I recommend being a pessimist and planning on storing enough drinking water to get through a minor disaster if at all possible.

That may not be possible. Each of us has a different situation in terms of space, storage space, and other delights. I’ve heard of some apartments or rentals that have it in the lease that you are not to store water or other fluids in the structure. In your planning, get creative. There are a lot of odd spaces and places you might not think about, but will work great for storage.

For any and all disasters, look at water storage options. There are a variety of collapsible containers out there for camping and emergencies. Some hold just a gallon or three, and others can hold a hundred or more gallons. The tub bladders are a great idea since that part of the house/apartment is build to hold that weight, and you will be amazed at how much water you can store in one.

For longer term preparedness, research water purification systems and find what works for you. If you have the budget, or can budget for it over time, I highly recommend a portable system for each person, and a larger camping system for the home. It gives you maximum flexibility and capability at need. Also, get replacement elements for each system, at least a year’s worth if possible. Plan for the worst, hope for the best.

Also, when researching those systems, keep in mind they are not all the same. Some basically just filter, so you don’t get mud and any large parasites or other delights. Others will filter out even smaller things. Yet others will purify the water as well as filtering it. You can even look at getting water purification tablets and using those on the water before putting it through a filter. Not a bad idea to plan on having some of those around anyway, just in case. Also, for a major disaster, you also want to research sand filters and how to make them, for possible inclusion in your planning.

Now that you’ve got the basics so that you can plan for water, let’s take a look at food. As with water, there are some basic minimums to consider. While you can technically survive on as little as 800 calories a day, you really need around 1200 calories a day, and about 1400 a day if you are going to be active.

Those calories need to be balanced, in that you need about 72 trace elements, 20 essential amino acids, and some essential fats to live. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, as well as a good bit of the human body. Our body can actually produce 11 of the essential amino acids we need to survive and thrive, but we need to get the remaining nine through our diet.

Now, there are foods that contain complete proteins, that is they have all 9 of the essential amino acids needed by the body. When you eat fish, poultry, dairy, eggs, and meat you are getting complete proteins. In grains, quinoa is a complete protein.

You can also “mix and match” to get complete protein. For example, legumes with rice can do the job, but if you mix legumes, a veggie, and a grain, you can as well.

You also want to research essential fats. Yes, you need a certain amount of fat each day to survive, and there are some fats you really need. It is much tastier and easier to include such in your supplements and food than to catch and eat six to eight medium to large moths each day.

Just as there is no one magic list for preparedness, there is no one perfect recipe for nutrition. You have to find what works for you and yours, and any known dietary problems or needs. Now, when I say dietary problem I mean a diagnosed medical condition, not that you hate X, Y, or Z or avoid them because of virtue signaling. While I find low-carb works well for me right now, in an emergency I’m an omnivore and will eat whatever I have to ensure proper nutrition.

For moderate to major disasters, you also need to consider supplements to ensure proper nutrition and health. There are a lot of supplements sold that claim many things, but those things may or may not be verified. My favorite is still the calcium supplement that did indeed have several hundred times the amount of calcium of any other supplement. Only thing was that it was a form of calcium that could not be absorbed by the body…

For long-term nutrition and survival, you really need to be focused on those things that provide you trace elements and other compounds you might not get from tight rations. Things I will recommend: a good multi-vitamin, Vitamin C, and Vitamin D.

A good multi-vitamin gives you most of those trace elements in the recommended daily amount. Go generic and you can get a multi-year supply for a reasonable amount. No, it’s not perfect but it gets you most of the way there. Yes, right now you are urinating most of it away. In a survival situation you likely won’t be. You will be glad to have it.

Why Vitamin C? Scurvy for one thing. In a true disaster, Vitamin C can end up in short supply in your food (or lack thereof), which can and will result in scurvy and other delights. Just ask the British Navy, who finally figured out that a lime a day kept the doctor away. Again, inexpensive and can prevent a number of health issues.

Why Vitamin D? You may or may not be getting much sun for a while in a nuclear war or similar disaster. Low D-levels have been found to be linked with a host of medical issues, and no one wants to see rickets and other delights return. Again, D3 is inexpensive and can prevent a number of other health issues.

What else do you need? You really need to sit down with your doctor to work that out. If you trust your doctor, get with them and ask what you should look at getting and taking.

For a minor disaster, it’s not that hard to stock up enough food to make it through the week. It’s the moderate to major length disasters that you need to consider all the above discussion. One more small bit of food for thought in your planning: be sure to include a lot of soups and stews. They are a great way to get some of that water you need to survive, a great from a nutrition perspective, and can allow you to make the fullest use of ingredients. Especially if the power has gone out, and will be out for more than a few days, and you have things in the refrigerator and freezer. Yes, you do need to think about things like that in your planning.

Now that you have the basic blocks to begin planning for the most essential part of preparedness, we can turn to the next two most essential things: light and cooking.

The book as it goes:

Preparedness Pays: Draft Introduction

Preparedness Pays: Draft Chapter 1A

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.

The Basic Blocks Of Practical Preparedness

Since I know you probably skipped over the introduction and all that other stuff up front, a quick review. Preparedness is not something that should be daunting, intimidating, overwhelming, or anything other than fairly straightforward, maybe even enjoyable. Brave words, but accurate.

Yes, there are an almost infinite number of possible disasters large and small out there. It’s what the brainiacs refer to as an “Infinity minus one” situation though I still say the number of possible disasters is “Infinity minus two” since the Sweet Meteor Of Death (SMOD) proved to be just another lying politician. The thing is, the number of potential disasters is not where you need to focus. Instead, look at what can be affected by a disaster and the types of damage done.

When you come right down to it, there are only three things that can be affected by any disaster: people, places, things. Now, let’s take a look at each. People can only be impacted three ways: loss of resources, body damage, and fiscal damage. Places can be impacted two ways: damage and destruction. Things can be impacted three ways: damage, destruction, and scarcity. These eight things are the basic building blocks for preparedness. Working with them, you can design a plan for practical preparedness that you can work into you life and lifestyle. Eight is much easier to plan for, no?

Now that we have building blocks, you need some planning blocks to go with them. While there are several such blocks, we are going to start with the most basic. They revolve around time, since all your planning will ultimately do so as well. Time is what differentiates a minor disaster from a moderate disaster and those from a major disaster. For purposes of planning, 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.

For example, a power failure or the city where you live shutting down water to your neighborhood for work is a thing of minutes to a day or two (usually). A winter storm is going to impact things for a few days to a week as a general rule. The thing is, minor disasters are of relatively short duration, and the shorter that duration the easier to have practical preparedness turn a disaster into, at most, an inconvenience.

Moderate disasters take things up a step. They can be major weather events that cause damage, industrial accidents, or other delights where most normal day-to-day activities are impacted for up to a month. While things may not be back to normal by then, they are to the point where most of your normal life can resume.

Major disasters are going to have an impact lasting months and even years. Major disasters usually involve rebuilding not just structures, but lives and institutions. It can be a massive tornado, hurricane, or nuclear war. It could be a massive crop failure, or even the failure of a major system (economic, logistics, etc.)

More than you will believe right now, here at the start, the type of the disaster rarely matters. It is the length of the impact that does.

So, let’s start playing with our blocks. First up, relax, there are no pop quizzes in this book. When it comes to preparedness, life is the pop-quiz and I want you to pass with flying colors. Let’s start by looking at our three people building blocks.

What is loss of resources? It is the loss of food, water, power, fuel, and other resources necessary for life, much less modern life. For this block, it is the resources that need to be replenished on a regular basis. It is the groceries we buy to make into meals. It is the water we get from the tap and other libations that we drink, adult or otherwise. It is the electric bill we pay so that we flip a switch and the lights come on, the stove runs, and other wonderful things happen. It is the gas that comes into the house for heating and cooking. It is the gasoline for our car, the lawn mower, or even the chain saw. If you have a fireplace, it is the wood that goes in it to be burned.

What is body damage? It is physical harm to the body. It is the impact on mind and spirit that come from a disaster. Both have negative effects on the body, and prevent a person from responding fully to a disaster. It’s hard to chop wood with a broken arm. Cuts and scrapes need to be mended. It is the tendency in the human animal to blame themselves for things outside their control, as well as to blame ourselves for not being perfect in our preparations, much less life. It is being overwhelmed by the scope of a disaster, and losing our sense of proportion as we face a problem.

What is fiscal damage? It is the loss of monetary resources or other valuables as the result of disaster. It can be the cost of repairs, or it can be the loss of value because of inflation, recession, or even depression. It can be the result of fraud or other unfriendly action. While it will not be a major part of this book, it is something for which planning and preparation is needed.

Now, lets look at our two building blocks for places. For our purposes, places are going to be primarily structures, though natural locations and structures also technically fall into this category.

What is damage in the context of this block? It is anything that impacts the structural integrity and/or the weather tightness of the structure or location such as a cave. It is broken windows, cracked foundation, a hole in a roof, a hole in or damage two the side of a structure. It is fire, it is flood, it is a collapsed ceiling. Anything that makes a structure become of limited use and habitability is damage. More importantly, it is damage that can be repaired.

What is destruction in the context of this block? It is not just the total loss of the structure, but it can also be damage that is too extensive or that can’t be easily repaired. Anything that makes a structure unsafe to use or totally destroys that structure is destruction for the terms of this building block.

Now, let’s look at things. Things are all the devices and objects we use in everyday life. They are our cell phones, our tools, and our vehicles. They are also the bridges and roads we use. There is not much we can do to prepare those things for an emergency, but we do need to plan on what to do if they are damaged or gone.

What is damage in the context of this block? It can be physical damage, such as a cracked screen on a phone, a bent fender, or a broken handle. It can be water damage from rain or flooding. It could even be damage caused by an electromagnetic pulse. It is anything that prevents or reduces the usability of an item.

What is destruction in the context of this block? It is the complete loss of use of the item.

What is scarcity in the context of this block? It means the item, in full working condition, is in limited supply. It means there isn’t much or many of the item out there. It means what you have needs to last as long as possible.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s look at applying our planning blocks to our building blocks.

The book as it goes:

Preparedness Pays: Draft Introduction