Preparedness Part 2 – Non-Evacuation Considerations

Preparedness Part 2 – Non-Evacuation Considerations

Don Hodge for 4^thTriage
In collaboration with Will Stewart

10/14/2010 10:52 a10/p10

Advantages if you do not have to evacuate

First, you will have better shelter. You may not have electricity or water. Your community services (police, fire, medical) may be overwhelmed or unable to function due to local conditions. In your house, you will have protection from wind and rain/snow. Hypothermia begins when your body core drops to 92 or 93 degrees. Hypothermia causes severe confusion and loss of judgment. It will kill you.


If you have a fireplace or a pot-bellied stove, you can burn wood, paper logs, and coal (in fireplaces – some coal burns too hot unless the stove is built for coal). Paper logs can be made from tightly rolled newspaper, bound with wire, and soaked (in the bathtub) in water and liquid dish detergent (which causes the ‘log’ to swell and burn longer), then dry, and store in a safe, waterproof place.


DO NOT burn pressure treated wood. The chemicals are EXTREMELY toxic and the Dust will cause severe damage to the respiratory system.

Note: Pellet type stoves require electricity to work.
Most modern fireplaces do not have enough room to use for cooking, a good wood coal stove is a much better choice.


You will have the capacity to store months of water, food, and countless other items for your health, safety, and comfort.


Lastly, your stress will be greatly reduced by not having to travel in uncertain, jam-packed conditions – avoiding the risks of accident and ambush.


About Non-Evacuations:

Recommended level of supplies to keep in your home should be at least 2 to 4 months. Store extra – you may have family and/or friends visiting with you when the disaster happens. Almost certainly some of your neighbors won’t stock any. In a disaster, your survival may depend on neighbors helping neighbors. Preferably store one year’s supplies of food. Many people got no significant aid after Katrina for 2 weeks or more AFTER the weather cleared. Services in some of the effected areas have still not returned to normal. Housing remains a problem in some areas. Some businesses did not reopen for a month or more - so some people went without paychecks for extended periods.

You can build up a large food pantry by bulk-sized item purchases, home canning, and small bit-by-bit additions. For bulk-sized items you can buy the large sized cans/packages in local grocery stores, co-ops, discount stores (Sam’s, CosCo, etc.), food wholesale clubs, and preparedness websites such as Emergency Essentials ( beprepared.com ). Cost per serving is much cheaper. Canning can achieve large levels of stored food without having a large garden. You will find multitudes of roadside stands, farmers markets, and neighbors with excess produce during the summer and fall. When buying your normal groceries you can add an extra can/package or two every time you shop. Label each can/package with the date purchased. The dates allow you to rotate your supplies and prevent loss of nutrition and/or waste. If you are going to have a several months supply or more, you are going to have to install shelves. Shelves can be deigned to slant down at a slight angle allowing input at the top side and taking out for use on the bottom side. Be sure to put a board on the bottom side to act as a lip and keep the items on the shelf. This makes rotation automatic and saves you time.

You will need to have a separately packed evacuation kit. Keep it in easy to carry containers. Keep your evacuation kit items where any member of the family can quickly load them into a vehicle and leave within 15 minutes if necessary. If you have to evacuate, you probably won’t have time to pick through your household supplies to assemble that kit. You will forget important items.


Keep the items that you would likely need most during an emergency in easy to get at places – even during the height of a storm or flood. If the storm or flooding gets bad enough, you may have to “evacuate” to your attic or roof. Keep your supplies organized, labeled (container contents and date last inspected and/or contents last replaced). Keep safe from vermin, insects, and up off the floor. Store in cool areas 70 degrees F and below. The hotter the storage area the more food, batteries, and other items deteriorate and/or spoil. Rotate your perishables. Replace non-commercially bottled water every four to six months. Again, label and place date on each can, water bottle, and item that can deteriorate.

Everyone should have a backup evacuation travel plan and have a definite destination to go to in mind. Preferably ending up with family and/or friends. If you’ve planned ahead and stored some food, water, clothes, and other things at that location, so much the better. If that destination is a public shelter, hotel, or motel, check on whether they accept pets. Not all will. Public shelters can not refuse to allow service animals inside with their owner. If you abandon your pet, you may not see your pet again. Chip your pets as that increases your chance of seeing your pets again. Bring food, bowls, leashes, vet records, carry cages, etc.

Reserve a weekend and do a dry run sometime. Make it a learning experience for all members of the family. If safe, turn off your utilities except for the phone at the feeds into your house (contact your various utilities so you know how to safely turn off and then back on). Camp out for a couple of days with your disaster kit and what is in the house. (No special stocking up of items before the dry run. The object is to find out what you need to add to your kit.) Try purifying water a couple of ways, cooking meals, and living. Have each family member keep a journal to record their thoughts and experiences during each day of the dry run. After you are done on the evening of the last day: read each journal to the whole family, discuss what you did, ways things could be done differently and improved. Since you will have done it before you need to do it for real, it will be much less stressful. You may find yourself calming and helping others in the community.

Before the disaster strikes – or as soon after/during as possible:

• Be sure everyone knows how to use your fire extinguisher(s) and where they are kept. You should have, at a minimum, an ABC type fire extinguisher.
  

• Fill as many containers (bathtubs, etc.) as possible with water before the disaster strikes and possibly contaminates the water supply.
  
• Capture and store rain water – a continuing process.
  
• If advised by authorities, turn off:
  
  • Household gas - Use a shut-off wrench to turn off household gas (bronze, non-sparking)
    
  • Water main to prevent contaminated water getting into your pipes. Your pipes contain a reserve of water you may have to tap later.
    
  • Electrical breakers in the fuse box
    
• If you have time, board up windows before the storm (or flood, etc.) and move outside furniture, etc. inside

Notes about your vehicles:

• Keep at least ½ a thankful of fuel in a vehicle at all times. If it looks like there might be a natural disaster or a quarantine, get the tank filled.
• Make sure the spare tire is in good shape. Have some fix-a-flat cans.
  
• Be sure a working jack and equipment to change a tire are in the vehicles.
  
• Have jumper cables, some emergency flares, flashlights, first aid kit, rain gear, and tools in the vehicle.
  
• Mylar type “bubble pack” Insulation is a useful item. it keeps you dry and warm in case you have to change a tire in snow.
  
• In cold weather keep in vehicles extra warm clothes, mittens, and sleeping bag(s).
  

Special items for non-evacuations:

• Bicycles, quads/ATVs, or mopeds are excellent modes of transportation
  
• Bicycle rack(s) on vehicle in case you have to evacuate
  
• Trailers (bicycle, quads/ATVs) or small wagons which can be pulled in harness
  
• If you have large dog(s), saddlebag(s) to carry some of your gear
  
• If you live in flood prone areas, consider a canoe, paddles, and life jackets.
  
• Propane grill or charcoal grill (cooking with these indoors may be very dangerous; cook in a well ventilated area or on a porch (if raining)
  
• Chest type freezer – retains cold air much better than an upright freezer.
  
• Any off-the-grid power systems, battery storage, heating/cooling systems, stoves, and appliances.
  

• Generator and fuel
  
  • Additives are needed to keep gasoline for 6 months or more
    
  • Electrical wire, heavy duty electrical extension cords, electrical tape
    
  • Power tools
    
  • Compressor and air tools
    
• Shovels, pick, post hole digger, pry bar, crowbar, hand saws, pliers, wrenches, socket set, screwdrivers, hammers, hand tools, nails, screws, nuts, bolts