Thursday, October 14, 2010

Preparedness Part 5 – Water Management Considerations


Preparedness Part 5 – Water Management Considerations
Don Hodge for 4thTriage
In collaboration with Will Stewart  


10/14/2010 11:29 a10/p10

Although it may seem strange, your water management starts with sanitation.


Improper sanitation will contaminate your water supply. That can kill you - and your community. Conversely, members of your community can spread disease and wipe out your family through improper sanitation. Here are a couple basics to keep in mind during the disaster and the recovery period.


  • Toilets will flush themselves when you are urinating, but require some water for bowel movements.
    • Country rules – if it’s yellow let it mellow; if it’s brown flush it down.
    • A couple of bricks in the toilet tank will reduce water usage when flushing.
    • Fill tank with “gray” water (used already for washing), from waterbeds (contaminated by chemicals), or possible contaminated water.
    • If you can, don’t use drinkable water to fill tank.
    • You can also use a 3-5 gallon bucket to pour directly into the bowl to flush. This requires some practice to avoid obvious overflow.

  • If you can’t use house sewage/septic system, don’t risk contaminating the water supply with human waste. Deposit waste well away from water supplies. Remember, rain happens – and stuff flows downhill!
  • 5 gal. plastic buckets can be used to make a field potty.
    • Form a seat by taping together a number of cardboard pieces and cutting a hole in the center.
    • Place a garbage bag inside a paper bag. Place both inside bucket.
    • After use, sprinkle bleach in bucket.
    • When bag is partly full – don’t overfill so bag bursts – remove and place in leak proof container.
    • Put container in a place where it won’t be knocked over. Place as far away from living and eating areas as practical.
    • Protect from rain and flooding so you don’t allow waste to contaminate rivers, streams, and/or community water supply.
  • If you must dig a latrine pit, avoid low spots, dig 12”-18” deep, and locate away from sleeping/living areas. If possible, protect from rain and/or flooding.

Guidelines for managing Water –


  • VERY IMPORTANT, drink only water that you know is not contaminated.
  • In addition to having a bad odor and taste, contaminated water can contain microorganisms (giardia, etc.) that cause diseases such as dysentery, cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis.
  • Treat all water of uncertain quality before using it for drinking, food washing or preparation, washing dishes, brushing teeth, or making ice.
  • Safe sources
    • Captured rainwater. Preferably collected in an establish storage system. If not, be sure your collection containers are chemical free.
    • Melted ice-cubes.
    • Water drained from an undamaged water heater.
    • Water drained from household pipes.
    • Any tubs or containers you filled before/as the disaster hit.
    • Commercially bottled water and water stored in your disaster kit.
    • Liquids from canned goods - such as fruits or vegetables.
  • Un-safe - possibly contaminated sources
    • Rivers, streams, ponds, lakes
    • Home radiators, hot water boilers (home heating system)
    • Water beds (fungicides added to the water or chemicals in the vinyl may make water unsafe to drink)
    • Water from the toilet bowl or flush tank
    • Swimming pools and spas (chemicals used to kill germs are too concentrated for safe drinking but can be used for personal hygiene, cleaning, and related uses)
  • Hot temperatures may double the 1 gal./day normal minimum needs per person.
  • Allow people to drink according to their needs.
  • Never ration water unless ordered to do so by authorities.
  • Do not drink carbonated beverages instead of drinking water. They de-hydrate you causing you to need more water.
  • If you hear reports of broken water/sewage lines or if local officials advise you of a problem, turn off the main water valve to your house. You will need to protect the water sources already in your home from contamination.
  • To use the water in your pipes, let air into the plumbing by turning on the faucet in your home at the highest level. A small amount of water will trickle out. Then obtain water from the lowest faucet in the home.
  • To use the water in your hot-water tank, be sure the electricity or gas is off, and open the drain at the bottom of the tank. Start the water flowing by turning off the water intake valve at the tank and turning on the hot water faucet. Refill the tank before turning the gas or electricity back on.
Water treatment methods.
There are many ways to treat water. None is perfect. Often the best solution is a combination of methods. Before treating, let any suspended particles settle to the bottom or strain them through coffee filters or layers of clean cloth.
NOTE: there are many, relatively cheap, water purification devices (like those from Katadyn, MSR, PUR, and First Needs) in backpacking stores or online ( REI.com , cabelas.com , etc. ). These devices are lite-weight and more precious than gold.
Make sure you have the necessary materials in your disaster kit for your chosen water treatment method.
Boiling method of water treatment
  • In a large pot or kettle, bring water to a rolling boil for 1 full minute, keeping in mind that some water will evaporate. Let the water cool before drinking.
  • Boiled water will taste better if you put oxygen back into it by pouring the water back and forth between two clean containers. This also will improve the taste of stored water.
Chlorination method of water treatment
  • Use only regular household liquid bleach that contains 5.25 to 6.0 percent sodium hypochlorite. Do not use scented bleaches, color safe bleaches, or bleaches with added cleaners. Use bleach from a newly opened or unopened bottle since the potency of bleach diminishes with time.
  • Use a medicine dropper set aside for this and only this.
  • Add 16 drops (1/8 teaspoon) of the bleach per gallon of water (or 8 drops to a two-litter bottle), stir, and let stand for 30 minutes. The water should have a slight bleach odor. If it doesn’t, then repeat the dosage and let stand another 15 minutes. If it still does not smell of chlorine, discard it and find another source of water
  • Other chemicals, such as iodine or water treatment products sold in camping or surplus stores that do not contain 5.25 to 6.0 percent sodium hypochlorite as the only active ingredient are not recommended.
Distillation method of water treatment
  • While the two methods described above will kill most microbes in water, distillation will remove microbes that resist these methods, heavy metals, salts, and most other chemicals.
  • Distillation involves boiling water and then collecting only the vapor that condenses.
    • To distill, fill a pot halfway with water – strained to remove dirt, twigs, leaves, etc.
    • Tie a cup to the handle on the pot's lid so that the cup will hang right-side-up when the lid is upside-down (make sure the cup is not dangling into the water)
    • Boil the water for 20 minutes. The water that drips from the covering into the collection container is distilled.
    • This method uses a lot of fuel. Try to use what you have most of – usually wood.
  • A second, much slower method of distilling is the solar still.
    • You place a container in the ground. This could be a sheet of plastic.
    • Place water in your container.
    • You will need a collection system around the outside of the water.
    • You place a plastic (and transparent) tent-like covering over the water.
    • Secure the ends of your ‘tent’ over your collection container(s) so that distilled droplets will run down the plastic into those containers.
    • Collect distilled water when polluted water has evaporated. Refill as needed.

Preparedness Part 3 – Basic Kit Considerations


Preparedness Part 3 – Basic Kit Considerations

Don Hodge for 4thTriage
In collaboration with Will Stewart  




10/14/2010 11:27 a10/p10


Many items you will need are already in your home. Additional supplies can be built up bit-by-bit. When you buy two items, buy a third for your kit. Label all consumable items with the date purchased. Consumables are meant to be consumed before they perish. So rotate your stored items (and, of course, use the oldest items first). Replace non-commercially bottled water every 4 to 6 months. You want to store things that you will eat. Do not disregard this. I did not believe that people would starve rather than eat unfamiliar foods either. At least I didn’t until a week long church canoe trip and I met oatmeal breakfasts. The French riots and their revolution were caused because the weather had persistently destroyed the grains that they were use to eating. Potatoes were available but the French people would not eat them. Make sure what you are storing is what you will eat. The best way to insure that you will eat it is to get your meals from what you are storing in the pantry. Also that means you’ll never waste the money you’ve spent on this part of your disaster preparedness.


You will actually have two kits. One is an evacuation kit. Build your evacuation kit first. The other will be for staying put, a non-evacuation kit. The basic difference is that for staying home there is a much greater amount of food, water, large pieces of equipment, and countless small items you can’t take with you if you have to leave. This makes your life much more comfortable during a disaster. An excellent source for most items’ shelf life and quantities used by adults, children, and infants is “Making The Best Of Basics” by James Talmage Stevens. Full of info about storage dos and don’ts, the long-term food basics – wheat, honey, salt, and powdered milk – and recipes for them. A must have book.


Basic Kit Guidelines:
  • Water
    • Store at least 1 gallon/day for each person.
    • The amount of water needed per person in very hot temperatures can easily double.
    • Choose two-liter plastic (glass breaks) soft drink bottles (2 bottles are almost a gal.) and not containers that have had fruit juice or milk in them. Fruit sugars and milk protein cannot be completely removed from these containers. When water is stored in them, it provides an environment for bacterial growth.
    • Clean containers and caps with dishwashing soap and water. Rinse completely so there is no residual soap. Create a sanitizing solution by adding 1 teaspoon of non-scented, liquid household chlorine bleach (with 5.25 to 6.0% sodium hypochlorite) to a quart of water. Swish solution in the bottle so that it touches all surfaces. Rinse out thoroughly with clean water.
    • Fill container to top. Use regular tap water. If the water is from a water utility (that uses chlorine), you don’t need to add anything else.
    • If the water comes from a private well or other water source that is not treated with chlorine, add eight drops of non-scented, liquid household chlorine bleach (with 5.25 to 6.0% sodium hypochlorite) to the 2-liter bottle.
    • Close the container using the original cap. Don’t touch the inside of the cap as that would contaminate the water.
    • Place a date on the outside of the container so that you know when you filled it. Store in a cool, dark place. Replace the water every four to six months if not using commercially bottled water.
    • Field Expedient Water storage can be made by doubling large trash bags and using doubled pillow cases to carry them. Remember water is 8 pounds to the gallon.
    • See Part 5 - Water Management Considerations.
  • Food
    • Be sure to include several manual can opener(s), cooking pot(s), and large spoons or dippers. Preferably stainless steel or cast iron.
    • Evacuation kit guiding principles for food:
      • Select foods that require no refrigeration, can be prepared with a minimum of water and without cooking.
      • Avoid foods that will dehydrate and/or make you thirsty.
      • Select items that are lightweight and compact.
      • MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) and backpacking food pouches are long lasting, light weight, offer wide variety, are quite tasty, and are cheap enough for an evacuation kit.
      • Chose canned foods with high liquid content.
    • Include selections of each category (especially in the evacuation kit) –
      • Pre-cooked canned meats and stews
      • Canned vegetables, and fruits – with a lot of liquid in cans
      • Canned juices, milk, soup (if powdered, store extra water)
      • Staples - sugar, salt, pepper, chili and curry powders, packets of mustard & ketchup, tabasco sauce, other hot sauces
      • High energy foods - peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars, trail mix, bouillon cubes, honey (honey can also sterilize cuts) – do not feed honey to children under one (1) year
      • Instant coffee, tea bags, coco
      • Vitamins
      • Foods for infants, elderly persons or persons with special dietary needs 
      • Comfort/stress foods - cookies, hard candy, sweetened cereals, lollipops, chocolate
    • When outdoors, do not store food where you sleep (bears and other animals are attracted to it). Pick a spot away from camp to throw a rope over a tree limb and haul the food up 10’ – 15’ off the ground
    • See Part 6 - Food Management Considerations.
  • Medical and First Aid supplies
    • Approach stocking first aid kits from these points of view:
      • In a disaster and afterwards, traveling to medical facilities and treatment may be difficult AND/OR imposible.
      • With disasters stress levels are elevated. You may be traveling. You can count on more accidents and injuries. Without treatment those injuries may fester and get worse rapidly.
      • During the evacuation (3 days plus a couple days when you first reach your destination), what happens if you run out of medical supplies?
      • If staying home and you could not get to medical treatment for one month (or more), would you have enough supplies to treat all of your family members a number of times?
    • Take basic first aid and CPR classes. You may have to be your family’s doctor.
    • An excellent text for evaluation and treatment is: “Where There Is No Doctor, a village healthcare handbook” by David Werner
    • Veterinarians, in disasters, are required to treat people before treating animals.
    • Assemble a first aid kit for your home and one for each vehicle.
    • A first aid kit should include the following (NOTE: bump up quantities for a home kit and to meet your family’s situation) –
      • Steri-Strips (for closing wounds without using stitches), sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes, 2-inch sterile gauze pads (12), 4-inch sterile gauze pads (12), ½” hypoallergenic adhesive tape (2 rolls), elastic bandages for wrapping sprains (2-3), Triangular bandages (3), 2-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls) and 3-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
      • Some of the best dressings for trauma are maxi pads. Tampons are good for plugging gunshot and deep puncture wounds.
      • Scissors, tweezers, assorted sizes of safety pins, needles, thermometer, tongue depressor blades (6)
      • Antibiotics, Insulin, and other non-restricted drugs can be purchased online at websites like New England Serum Company ( www.newenglandserumcompany.com ).
      • Some general oral antibiotics are a good addition to your kit. Once you start taking them, you usually must take them for over a week – and well after you start feeling better. If you quit too soon, whatever it was will come roaring back. Dicuss what antibiotics and HOW TO USE THEM with your family doctor.
      • Antiseptic (like Neosporin®) gels and sprays, toothache gel such as Orajel®, quickskin, petroleum jelly or other lubricant, cleansing agent/soap, moistened towelettes, betadine or providone iodine pads, sunscreen, sunburn cream/spray and/or aloe
      • QuadraBloc™ discs (http://www.quadrabloc.com/) for pain control and relief. Developed by Vanderbilt University doctors and marketed by Amway (for several hundreds of million dollars in sales) from 1998 through April 30, 2008 when the exclusive licenses ended. This is the most effective magnetic treatment I know of and usually relieves pain within 5 to 10 minutes. Do NOT places discs near pacemakers, internal pumps, or other internal electronics.
      • NON-PRESCRIPTION DRUGS - aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever, ethyl chloride spry, chemically activated cold or hot packs, antacid (for stomach upset), Syrup of Ipecac (use to induce vomiting) and activated charcoal (use either if advised to do so by the Poison Control Center), laxative, anti-diarrhea medication
      • Moleskin or blister patches for your feet, hands or whatever.
      • Snake bite kit (found in backpacking and sporting goods stores)
      • Latex gloves (12-24 pairs)
      • A basic first aid manual can be obtained from the Red Cross.
    • Any PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – best kept as a separate kit which is always with you and easy to grab if evacuating
  • Clothing, bedding, and sanitation supplies
    • Your house, if safe (from flooding, winds, wildfire, etc.), will provide you better shelter than anything you could build outdoors. It will shield you from sun and rain in the summer; storms, wind, snow and cold in the winter. You can close off parts of the house and heat only a few rooms by hanging blankets in the doorways.
    • Wind, rain, and snow can kill you – quickly. Hypothermia can start when your core body temperature drops to 92 – 93 degrees F. It distorts your judgment and confuses you.
      • Alcohol does not warm the body in freezing temperatures.
      • Hypothermia and frostbite require warm liquids and soups.
      • Apply warm packs (wrapped in cloth) under each armpit and in groin region.
      • You lose 40% of your heat through your head.
      • Keeping your chest and torso warm allows your body to function and staves off hypothermia.
    • Wool and synthetic insulation retains heat even when soaking wet. Cotton and down/feather insulation when wet does not and drains heat from your body.
    • Include at least one extra complete change of clothing and footwear per person in your evacuation kit including -
      • Coat or jacket
      • Long pants
      • Long sleeve shirt
      • Hiking boots, sturdy shoes or work boots
      • 2 pairs of cotton or wool socks and 1 pair nylon or silk socks (to put over regular socks) (helps prevent blisters)
      • 2 pairs of underwear shorts and tee-shirts
      • Hat, wool cap, gloves, bandana, scarf
      • Rain gear (or a large garbage/leaf bag worn as a poncho)
      • Thermal underwear, cold weather clothing in season
    • Extra jackets, coats, shirts, and pants can be found in second hand stores, Good Will, Salvation Army, and thrift stores very cheaply.
    • Spacebags.com greatly reduces storage space by using a vacuum cleaner (with hose) to remove the air in the bag and shrink its size.
    • Waterproof boots and comfortable sturdy footgear. Extra socks.
    • Sleeping bags, waterproof bivy sack for outside of bag, blankets (wool if you can get them), space blankets, plastic sheeting for ground/drop cloth (to keep ground moisture away or rain runoff from entering tent), tarp(s), tube tents, and 2-6 person dome tents
    • Sunglasses and extra eye glasses (keep old pairs for backup) – even if you are currently using contacts
    • Sanitation
      • Extremely important. Medical treatment and drugs may be in short supply. Poor sanitation could wipe out a community.
      • Toilet paper
      • Kleenex® or handkerchiefs
      • Soap, liquid detergent, laundry soap
      • Feminine supplies
      • Personal hygiene items, towels, washcloths
      • Plastic garbage/leaf bags with ties, large paper bags
      • 5 gal. plastic buckets make a field potty with garbage bags inside.
        • Tape a number of cardboard pieces together and cut a hole in the center for a seat.
        • Place garbage bag inside of a paper bag and then place both inside the bucket.
        • After use, sprinkle with bleach.
        • When bag is partly full – don’t overfill so bag bursts – remove and place in leak proof container.
        • Protect filled bags from rain and flooding so you don’t allow waste to contaminate the water supply.
      • If you must dig a latrine pit, avoid low spots, dig 12”-18” deep, and locate well away from sleeping/living areas. AND DOWN STREAM FROM WATER FLOW and Water Table
      • Disinfectant
      • Household chlorine bleach
      • Rubber gloves
  • Tools
    • Bronze, non-sparking shutoff wrench for household gas
    • Flashlight and extra batteries (the new battery-less, shaker types which generate their own electricity are best), lightsticks, 100-hour candles, coleman lanterns and fuel, small lightbulbs (from inside a vehicle - glove compartment, dome lights, tail lights) can be run off a car battery or off a bicycle generator (lift back wheel off ground, prop between two chairs, peddle – the trickle charge of 2 or 3 bicycle generators can even re-charge the car battery – be sure to disconnect battery when not in use or recharging to avoid draining the battery)
    • Solar battery re-charger, rechargeable batteries
    • Portable, battery-operated radio and extra batteries, survival radios powered by battery-solar-hand-crank combos
    • Sturdy walking stick (at least 3’ to 4’, able to support your weight)
    • Knifes (sheaf and folding), multitool (such as Leatherman®, Gerber®, etc.), ax or hatchet, small shovel, hand saw, pliers, hammer, nails
    • Duct tape, rope (at least 50’), twine or small rope for lashing things together, wire (coat hangers can be unwound by pliers)
    • Carabiners (used in mountain climbing and canoeing to secure items and ropes), backpacking straps (used to secure extra gear to packs and duffle bags
    • Mess kits, cups, plates, utensils. manual can openers, metal pot(s) (preferably stainless steel, not aluminum), there is a tool sold by Emergency Essentials that makes taking off the lids of 5 gal. buckets much easier.
    • Matches in a waterproof container, waterproof matches, cigarette lighters, magnesium fire starters, a small amount of kindling or cotton balls soaked with wax
    • DO NOT START FIRES WITH GASOLINE
    • For evacuation backpacker’s multi-fuel stoves (like Peak® ), small habachi or small grill with charcoal/sterno, Coleman stoves
    • Larger grills (propane or charcoal) are handy in household situations but not normally practical in evacuations.
    • Fire extinguishers: small canister, ABC type. Also a box of baking soda. When it burns, it produces CO2 which will put out an ABC fire. Get several boxs.
    • Aluminum foil, garbage bags, plastic sheeting (rolls of 10 mm and 2 mm), storage containers/bottles/baggies
    • Compass, map of the area (for locating shelters and evacuation routes), paper, pencil
    • Whistle(s), signal flares, signal mirror, road flares
    • Needles and thread, medicine dropper
    • Emergency Preparedness manual
  • Special needs
    • Medications
    • Denture needs
    • Contact lenses and supplies, extra eye glasses in hard cases
    • Hearing aid batteries
    • Important documents –
      • Keep records together ready to evacuate in a waterproof container – or in your wallet
      • Laminate where appropriate
      • Photo IDs, passports, social security cards, and immunization records
      • Will, insurance policies, contracts, deeds, stocks and bonds
      • A list of bank account numbers, credit card account numbers (and companies which supplied them)
      • A written/printed list of important telephone numbers
      • An inventory of valuable household goods
      • Family records (birth, marriage, death certificates)
      • Photocopies of credit and identification cards
    • Some cash, traveler's checks, and coins (especially rolls of quarters, dimes, and nickels)
    • Entertainment items, games, cards, books
  • Security
    • If you choose to carry weapons or firearms, you must keep tight control on your emotions. Human life is very precious. Fear and anger are not excuses. Don’t make a bad situation worse. You will be held accountable for your actions later.
    • That said, it doesn’t make sense to do all that work to save your life and your family’s from a disaster, then let them be murdered.

Preparedness Part 2 – Non-Evacuation Considerations


Preparedness Part 2 – Non-Evacuation Considerations

Don Hodge for 4thTriage
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

Preparedness Part 1 - Evacuation Considerations


Preparedness Part 1 - Evacuation Considerations
Don Hodge for 4thTriage
In collaboration with Will Stewart

10/14/2010 10:51 a10/p10

To Go or To Stay?

The most important thing to consider about whether or not to evacuate is safety; the second thing is safety; and the third thing is safety. If in doubt, evacuate.


Questions to help you decide to go or stay include:
  • What is FEMA and the local Emergency Management telling you to do during this crisis?
  • Are there any shelters locally that will keep you safe in this disaster? This includes keeping you safe from flooding, storm surge (which can be over 20’), hurricane winds, tornados, or whatever threats come with this disaster.
  • How much damage is your area and the roads likely to have?
  • How long would it be before power, water, food, supplies, and help would be available to your area?
  • How long before communication would be restored?
  • How long would it be before you could safely return to and live in your home?
  • Finally, can you evacuate – leave, travel, and arrive someplace safely?


Evacuation may be necessary with certain disasters such as a wildfire, a hurricane, an industrial accident, or after a nuclear event. That it may be necessary does not make it a great option. Problems and dangers associated with an individual or a family evacuating are:


  1. How much can you carry or pack into your vehicle?
  2. Have you ever planned out and traveled your evacuation route (and your backup evacuation routes) – especially with the roads packed?
  3. Are you familiar with the territory you will be passing through enough so that you can be prepared for any difficulties, hazards, or local danger spots?
  4. Will a bridge be out, roads impassible, your vehicle run out of fuel, or an accident occur that makes travel by your vehicle impossible? In those cases, will it be possible to get to safety by walking, bicycle, or other means?
  5. Do you know where you will stay until you can safely return home? If with family or friends, have you stockpiled some things with them?
  6. Will you have shelter from the weather during your evacuation traveling – which might take several days - until you reach your destination?
  7. Security issues abound in evacuations. Frightened and hungry people do desperate things. The police and authorities will be busy. Even in the best of times the police react in minutes after they are notified, criminals act in seconds. Be alert.
  8. Medical treatment during the trip is going to be nearly impossible to find.

Problems can be addressed and planned for. The key question is will you be safe if you stay where you are? Time for cold, hard logic. If the answer is “no”, evacuate.



About Evacuations:
When evacuating, probably all you can take with you is 3 days of supplies. If you have room in your vehicle, take more.


Keep the items that you would most likely need during an evacuation in easy-to-carry containers. Possible containers include a large, covered trash container (with wheels); camping backpack(s); duffle bags; and 5 gal. plastic buckets with tight fitting lids.


When evacuating, the weight of your kit is an important factor. You may have to abandon your vehicle – running out of fuel, an accident which renders your vehicle unable to move, clogged or blocked roadways, damaged bridges, etc. You may have to carry your kit. Do a test run and see if you can carry your evacuation kit for a mile. If you have to carry it, you may find items that you don’t really need. Divide and pack your evacuation kit in two sections – a second stage kit for if you must leave your vehicle and another section with as many extra items as you can pack into your vehicle. Multi-function items help you to reduce the weight and space needed for your kit – for example a hatchet can double as a hammer, a multi-tool could contain pliers and screwdrivers, waterproof matches and cigarette lighters instead of bulkier heavier fire starting kits, etc. You can save a lot of space by using a vacuum cleaner to suck out the air in special storage bags ( SpaceBag.com ). Your imagination is your limit.


If you do have to evacuate – and everyone should have an evacuation plan – have a definite location 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 your destination is a public shelter, hotel, or motel, check on whether they accept pets. Not all will. Official public shelters can not refuse to allow service animals in with their owners. 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, records, carry cages, etc.


Do a trial run sometime when the roads will be crowded. Make it a learning vacation for all members of the family. Camp out for a couple of days with your vehicle and evacuation kit. Try purifying water a couple of ways, building a fire, cooking meals, setting up tents or shelter. You’ll be surprised at the changes you will make to your evacuation kit – additions and subtractions. 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. That always benefits everyone.


Before you leave:
  • Turn off:
    • Household gas - Use a shut-off wrench to turn off household gas (bronze, non-sparking)
    • Water heater
    • Water main
    • Electrical breakers in the fuse box
  • If you have time, board up windows before you go and move outside furniture, etc. inside


Notes about the vehicle to be used for your evacuation:
  • Keep at least ½ a thankful of fuel in that vehicle at all times. If it looks like there might be a need to evacuate, 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 vehicle.
  • Have jumper cables, some emergency flares, flashlights, first aid kit, rain gear, and tools in the vehicle.
  • In cold weather have extra warm clothes, mittens, and sleeping bag(s).
Special items for evacuations:
  • Second stage transportation such as bicycles or mopeds, if possible
  • Bicycle rack(s) on evacuation vehicle
  • Trailers (bicycle) or small wagons which can be pulled in harness
  • If you have large dog(s), saddlebag(s) to carry some of your gear


Pets in Disasters (see http://www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/animals.shtm )

  • Shelters can not refuse to allow service animals (guide dogs/seeing-eye dogs) in with their owner.
  • If you evacuate, do NOT leave your pets. Take them with you if at all possible. Otherwise you may not see them again.
  • Chip” your pets. ID chips can be created and inserted into your pets by most veterinarians. Vets and shelters have chip readers.
  • Identify your destination shelter. For public health reasons, many emergency shelters cannot accept pets. Find out which motels and hotels in the area you plan to evacuate to will allow pets.
  • Take pet food, bottled water, medications, veterinary records, cat litter/pan, can opener, food dishes, first aid kit and other supplies with you in case they're not available later. Consider making a "pet survival" kit which could be easily loaded into your vehicle if needed.
  • Make sure identification tags are up to date and securely fastened to your pet's collar. If possible, attach the address and/or phone number of your evacuation destination. If your pet gets lost, his tag is his ticket home.
  • Make sure you have a current photo of your pet for identification purposes.
  • Make sure you have a secure pet carrier, leash or harness for your pet.

Preparedness - Introduction


Preparedness - Introduction
Don Hodge for 4thTriage
In collaboration with Will Stewart

10/14/2010 10:41 a10/p10


Your greatest stress reliever in a disaster is an organized pre-packed Disaster Kit that you can throw in a vehicle and be on the road in 15 minutes - if you MUST evacuate. You need to understand IF you need to evacuate or if you should STAY at home. Each option comes with its own challenges and advantages. In an evacuation stress is really high on top of everything else and you can only take about 3 days of food, water, and supplies with you. If you can safely stay at home stress levels are greatly reduced because of the familiar surroundings and the many little things that calm and comfort you - items that you can’t take with you when you evacuate. At home you can build up a stockpile of food, water and the thousand other things that make life comfortable bit by bit that could last you months.


So what is a disaster? A hurricane like Katrina? But I live in Nebraska where we don’t have hurricanes.


To you, anything that happens to threaten your home, family, or livelihood is a “disaster” - even if it doesn’t meet anyone else’s definition. These can be natural events, quarantines, crumbling infrastructure like bridges and dams, terrorist activities, getting laid-off, or being injured so you can’t work for a few months.


We’ve been learning lately that “Change Happens”. And it can happen right where you are. NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) has never been true.


There are natural disasters that have been common to your area or region for the last 50 years, but the climate is changing! Ice cores, tree rings, and geology show that it has gone sometimes from one extreme to another in as little as a decade or two. You can’t assume what has happened in the past will be set in concrete for the future. Southern California was a hurricane coast in 1810. New York City got hammered in 1893 and 1938 by hurricanes. Indications are that Boston and the whole East Coast have been hit repeatedly over the last 400 years by massive hurricanes.


Also you shouldn’t ignore man-made structures as potential disasters in your area. The majority of our bridges are decades old – many way over 50 years - and need to be checked. Think Minneapolis-St. Paul. What about dams in your area? Do you live downstream from a dam? When were they built – 50 years ago, 70 years ago, 100 years ago, more? If your upstream dam broke, how long would you have to get to high ground? If you live in an earthquake area, buildings may be a terrible danger to be around. Buildings may collapse if built of masonry without concrete containing rebar to strengthen it OR if built upon landfill areas.

Look, you don’t want to approach things with fear and panic. That never solved anything. What you DO need to do is to be aware of what is going on around you. You need to analyze and assess your environment and situation. Problems can be solved - assuming you don’t wait too long to think about them.


Prior preparation will minimize the damage you suffer. You will make better decisions if you are not under stress in the middle of a crisis. A great stress reliever is having months of meals on hand; something that can be built up a little at a time. Great ideas of what can be done to combat a crisis often fail because you don’t have some simple item around that you could have picked up last week – if you had thought of it. If you wait until that last minute and haven’t done any preparation ahead of time, your options are very limited. Now is the time to research any questions or collect a few items. These basic principles will help you do that.


  1. Find out what types of disasters could happen to your neighborhood. Don’t forget man-made ones. You won’t think of all possibilities, but all disasters have a common core set of problems that need to be addressed.
  2. Plan for the worst and you should have everything else covered. Indeed many of the things done to prepare for that “mother-of-all-disasters” will remove daily stress, save you money, and help you to live greener.
  3. Find out several ways to solve each core set of problems. One of the biggest dangers to you in a disaster is not knowing what to do. Time may be critical!
  4. Decide what conditions will require you to do what actions.
  5. Transform those decisions into a written plan and review it with all family members. You can also develop a plan with your neighbors.
  6. Be alert and informed of what is happening around you. We are fortunate that our weather forecasting and tracking is so good. It keeps us up to date for that last minute warning.
  7. When those conditions for what you planned occur, act immediately.
  8. If you try to change your basic plan in the middle of a crisis, you will usually replace good decisions with bad ones. You will forget something and “Murphy’s Law” is ever present – always at the worst time.

Of “Why” and “When”


Of “Why” and “When”
Don Hodge for 4thTriage
In collaboration with Will Stewart

10/14/2010 10:38 a10/p10

The Universe is a Dangerous Place. Ignore that at your own peril.”
Lazarus Long – Robert A. Heinlein’s rugged supreme survivor


Why are we putting up this blog? The “Why” is partly because Lazarus Long’s advice is still as valid today as it has been since the beginning of time. Here in the USA we’ve been comfortable for a long time. No real in-your-face widespread and long-term suffering on US soil for 70 years. A casual look at history suggests to us that we as a culture are overdue for Bad Times.


Part of the “Why” is because there is a lot of misinformation floating around. Some of that seems to be deliberate. That’s really not surprising given that for the last one hundred years our public education has been dumbing down America. If you doubt this google it, for books on the subject. The academics are convinced that has happened and is still happening. There is a reason for the growth of home schooling. History has been censored and re-written. Children are encouraged to accept anything written or spoken as absolute truth. No need, neighbor, to question the qualifications or the motivations of that information source. Uncontrolled emotion is encouraged for decision making instead of logical analysis. Honesty from public officials, politicians, and even scientists is often in question. So if you are told there is a problem, it can be very difficult to confirm and/or define to what extent. We’ll try to shed some light in separating real potential problems from fear mongering.   Complicating things is that the fear mongers who misuse the name of Science and falsify data are not always wrong.

That brings us to the “When”. Some things really are a case of When will it happen” and not If it will happen”. “If”s are conditional occurrences. If a partic-ular behavior continues, such and such will happen. Examples are: if you keep spending more than you take in, economic collapse will occur – both on a personal and a governmental level; if the infrastructure of bridges, dams, and roads is not inspected and replaced in a timely manner, bad things will happen; and if you drive poorly, auto accidents will happen.


When” could be many things coming in all sizes from minor personal to global catastrophe. Some of a smaller regional nature are: earthquakes, floods, fires, and weather related storms. Others of a more continental/global nature include: solar flares, asteroids/comets (yes, they do hit Earth rather frequently and fortunately the moon catches many of them), pandemics, and cultural clashes in this ever-shrinking world. Also we live in an age where we are projected to see more change the next 20 years than the past 100. Change also brings anxiety and unanticipated problems/ solutions. For a more detailed partial list of “When”s see our list – which will be updated as possibilities occur to us. The list is entitled (you guessed it) “When”s.


When” does appear to be approaching.  We use the all-encompassing term “Event” for whatever disaster might occur. Many people are uneasy today. A lot of that comes from uncertainty. We like to think we are in control. However James 4:13-15 (KJV) reminds us:
13 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."
14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
15 Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."
So what? Are to race around like a chicken with its head cut off? Are we to worry ourselves (and others around us) sick? We don’t see how that would solve anything. There is a fine line between acting decisively and impulsively. Our suggestion is to do what you can and leave the rest to God. That means Problem Solving.


We believe that all problems have solutions. We note that disasters have a common core set of problems that need to be solved. The longer you wait to address a problem the fewer options you will have. Of course, some of those options may be ones you really don’t like. If you want better options, preparation is required.


So how do we approach the “When”s and “If”s of life - and prepare for them? That brings us back to our “Why” and the driving principles found in the motto of the USAFPR (US Air Force ParaRescue) “Ut Alii Vivant” - (So) that others may live and Hosea 4:6 (KJV) “my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge”. This blog and the related website (coming later this year) will try to provide you with useful info.
The steps involved in “Preparation” are: 1) recognizing that there is a Problem; 2) defining the Problem; 3) Urgency in addressing the Problem; 4) finding Personal and Neighborhood Solutions; 5) acquiring what is needed to implement the Solutions; and 6) Reasons for Hope.
We have been trained to recognize potential failure points and dangers. We believe we may have spotted some stuff on the road ahead. Look, we could be wrong, but we have put a lot of research and thought into this. We believe we have a moral duty to warn people (as clearly as possible) about the specifics of the problems and possible solutions. What people decide to do with that information is beyond our control. Unfortunately, you can really only help people who are willing to help themselves. In short, their action or inaction becomes a sort of Darwinian Intelligence Test – a purging of the gene pool.


You can categorize thing by their Urgency and Importance. Urgency takes priority over Importance. Napoleon said “Ask me for anything but Time”. Once the opportunity – whether for preparation or just doing a task – is past that impacts the rest of your life. Sometimes you can recover. Sometimes you can’t. Some of the problems and vulnerabilities – both man-made and natural – are cases of “When” and not “If”. Some of these “When”s have small penalties attached like not eating better because you didn’t raise it or get it from a local farm. Others have severe, even fatal penalties like only having a few days food on hand when your area is put under quarantine for several months because of a pandemic.


We believe in the Boy Scout motto: “Be Prepared”. Yes, you can roll the dice on the belief that NIMBY is a valid concept. However, history tells us that stuff happens and Mr. Murphy ensures that it is always at the worst time, the worst place. If you are wrong and have no preparations, how does that impact your family? We strongly urge working towards removing the vulnerabilities in your life. Don’t do it in a state of panic, but with a calm, purposeful sense of Urgency. There are real “When”s approaching.


We emphasize the need to be Solutions oriented. We will present both lo-tech and hi-tech approaches. (We love gadgets, but the right gadget may not be available so … ) We also intend to revisit “old” methods in light of modern materials and techniques. We believe that “one size does not fit all”. The approach that works for you may not fit your neighbor’s situation – or yours, if you’re not at home. Hence, know several ways to accomplish your goals. We are generalists (or “nexialists”) in that we try to search many disciplines and industries to craft solutions. On a personal level many of these solutions will provide you with a better quality of life. Many (done bit by bit) will give you a safety net against the larger problems and vulnerabilities of life.


You really do need your neighbors – particularly if an Event happens. Yes, it also greatly helps to have a self-sufficient community around you, but there are other important reasons. See “The Pros and Cons of Single-Family Self-Sufficiency”.
We have been studying these problems – both as potential occurrences and as real life examples – since the mid-1970s. We have analyzed what solutions have yielded better results and what haven’t. We’ll share this with you.


If you are not killed immediately in a disaster or an Event, you stand a fair chance of living for a while. We humans are a stubborn lot and refuse to see the quality of life for family, friends, and neighbors decrease whatever the disruption or Event – without a struggle. Is that possible in “whatever”? Maybe not, but there are survivors in every disaster (even Hiroshima). The real question is at what level will your quality of life be afterwards. Your prior preparations will determine much of that, but your limit is not you supplies or equipment, but your level of training and knowledge.


You can control what knowledge you have. You can control – to some degree - where you live thus avoiding many potential dangers and providing many advantages. So in a very real sense each of us can provide our family and ourselves with a safety net come “whatever”.


Lastly, but most certainly not least, we strongly believe your situation will be better with a Faith-based approach much like our pioneer fathers and mothers had when they conquered a continent. Hope without Faith has the strength of a soaked tissue. If you believe, you can accomplish far more than you thought possible. Of course, there are many value systems and religions. Not all are of equal value. (Sorry that is not intolerance that is reality. How many answers does 2 + 2 have?) Moral systems do not exist separately from religion in any vibrant and meaningful way. Religions resolve into two mutually exclusive thrusts. One, I saved myself. Two, some other power (i.e.God) saved me – who was helpless at the time. Choose wisely.


Does it matter as long as you Believe? Let us ask that question to a computer. If you sincerely “Believe” you’ve typed in your program code correctly and have no logic errors, will that program run flawlessly and output the right results? Perhaps, but not just - and only - because of your sincerity. Your “Belief” must be in line with reality to avoid failure.


Your code of behavior and morals are based on the worldview you choose. It will come into play instinctively in everything you do. Some worldviews lead to a selfish “me first” attitude which greatly decreases your chances of survival – and a happy life. The Judeo-Christian worldview has respect for human life, love (even for, ugh, your enemies), second chances, and an injunction to be looking out for your neighbors’ welfare. This worldview greatly enhances your chances at life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.


For those of you who like us are natural skeptics, do what the Apostle Paul suggested in Acts 17:11 – check it out. But be careful, many skeptics have set out to prove Christianity and the Bible “wrong” only to become converts. An excellent collection of facts and answers is “Evidence That Demands A Verdict” by Josh McDowell. For more discussion and references on this see our article on “Faith – Blind or Reasoned”.