PREPPING TOGETHER

 

My wife, Mama Donna, doesn't really think of herself as a Prepper, but she possesses a lot of the basic ideas and skills. She can crochet outfits and sweaters, cook up a storm and can scratch bake like you wouldn't believe. She doesn't get into firearms, but she'll let fly with the 12 gauge shotgun or anything else we have if someone breaks in.  But, tell her to put on camo or sleep in a tent, and she'll laugh at you. The idea of her with a combat knife in her hand is like a politician admitting they are wrong. But tell her she needs to help defend her home or get us all to safety, and she'll be there to do all she can in her own way.

I introduced her to prepping slowly, starting off by showing her how little things work together to build up our supplies and how we could do it a few dollars at a time. With yard sales, “two can” buying and sales on everything from aspirin to flashlights, we have put together what we have. She saw our water supplies be stocked up from 2 Lt Soda bottles washed out and refilled.

But what really won her over was when my prepping saved our vacation a few years back. We had gone to the beach, and on the first day she cut her foot. I had my big first aid kit in my "Big Bob" that was in our Jeep and was able to bandage her foot well enough that she had no problem with it.

Since then she has seen us ready for any type of power outages from snow and ice storms, flooding in the valley below us, and even Hurricane Sandy.  She even came up with a shoulder bag that could carry 4 or more .5 Lt bottles of water that she could sling over her shoulder in a bug out or bounce back. She can't wait to go "yard Saleing "  each year to see what we can find. I  She enjoys the rain barrels for watering her flowers, and the fresh veggies our gardens. She especially loves being able to put together one of her fine recipes from the stocks we have on the shelves.

You may have a significant other who is not yet a Prepper and would like to have them join you in prepping.  I offer these suggestions. Show them that you "prep to live and not live to prep" and that not every dollar you have goes into the expensive prepping items. Create or get them a "BOB" for their car, and show them what's involved. Show them in little ways and by example how prepping is a combination of a lot of little inexpensive items, and display how it fits in with regular living. A good example of that is  show them how keeping ice cubes in zip lock bags in the freezer makes them handier for drinks and protects the frozen foods in case of a power outage.  Get them a little mini flashlight for a key chain. Let them use it once to find something and they'll wonder how they got along without it.

If, however, they still aren't "into it", don't poison the well! If they can stay mellow with what you do and you don't use up a lot of money, it's better than nothing. As long as they are not negative, they may come around as a lot of people are doing now as they see what is happening around them.

WHY “SELF-RELIANCE”?

 

            We put it this way. We don’t want to live “off the grid” we want to live when the grid goes off. That’s how we think the average Ann and Andy feel. They don’t want to fight zombies, climb mountains, live off the grid intentionally, wear camo outfits, wave around firearms or get into political movements.

            But when they try to check the net for basic information on keeping on, keeping on after a big storm or other disruption of the normal grid, they are met with a pile of BS labeled “survivalism” or “prepping” The worst of the articles on line call for some political stand or militia type action, while others are nothing more than a hustle to sell people high priced items they don’t really need.

            Because of this I decided to “rebrand” our views, ideas, tips and advice on preparing for emergencies as “Self-Reliance”. We will still hold to the basic principle we have in the six years we have been posting on line. Our goal is to help guide the “Average Ann and Andy” to have a fighting chance in case some natural or man-made emergency event disrupts their normal living for some period of time. We look for the options that cost the least in time, effort, space and money. We are for everyone, not just for the young and fit with money to spend.

            Our ideas are simple. Whatever the cause, something has left you and your family on their own for some period of time, be it a day, a week or more. We will generally stay away from the “end-of-the world” type events and stick to floods, hurricanes, pandemics and so on.

            A quick guideline here for those who get confused between survialism and prepping.

Prepping prepares you to keep things as “normal” as possible until the normal comes back.

Survivalism prepares you to keep things normal until a new normal can be established since the old one isn’t coming back.

            Self-reliance is just that. Imagine any situation where whatever is out there can’t get to you (electricity, water, fire, and police, medical, or any kind of home food delivery) and you can’t get out to it. (Stores, ATM’s) .  For the next day, week or whatever, you have to exist on what you have there at home. You have to rely on yourself.

 THE BASICS:  PART I

            If you are the Average Ann or Andy, you go to some kind of job, make some level of money (probably never enough LOL!) from which you pay for the means to live. (That is your water, food, shelter, etc.)

These “means” come to you by various providers (utility companies, grocery stores, etc.) who in turn are the end points on a long chain of those who grow, gather, or otherwise create what you need. This is assisted by a banking system to keep things running, medical systems to take care of health, and protection for it all from police and fire departments.

            In short, this is your “grid”. While some wish to willingly live “off the grid”, and I say more power to them, most folks, including us here, don’t. I like my a/c, heat, running water, etc. But while I don’t want to live “off the grid” I DO want to live when the grid goes off.

            That is what I see as the main goal of self-reliance, to be able to maintain some kind of average, normal life if all or some of the normal grid is gone for some period of time.

            While what knocks you off the grid is important, I feel TOO much emphasis has been placed on the more “doomsday” events and such things as “zombies”, or political beliefs and not enough on the more common and likely probabilities. After all , a tornado, hurricane or flood doesn’t care if you are a redneck, wear a white collar or in a blue state.

            Let’s start with a look around your world using what we call the “seven sisters of survival”.   These are water, food, shelter, medical, power, money and security.

To start off, you need water. How do you get it normally? In most cases, the average person gets their water from some water company through the faucet. This can be affected by water main breaks, or some kind of contamination. The entire area of Flint, Mich. had a contaminated water supply. This has also happened in a number of places caused by chemical spills or runoff into reservoirs. So what do you do if they announce you can’t drink the water for an unknown time?

Now let’s talk food. This is more complex because you not only need the food itself, but the means to keep it fresh and to cook it. That also means you have to be able to get to a store that has food and use money or cards to purchase what you need. Ever see a store stripped because of an oncoming storm?  How much food do you have right now? How much is non-perishable? How do you cook it?  Are you “married to the microwave” or even worse,  a “deliver to my door, Danny”?

Shelter can vary with each person, from an apartment in a complex in a major city to a house on land in the country. If your shelter is damaged, can you make it livable for the moment by use of tarps, ropes and other means?   Do you have temporary shelter you can set up, or another place to go? All it takes is a chemical spill, gas leak or major fire to cause you to leave your home. Are you ready to dash or dig in to stay?

Medical covers a host of areas, including basic sanitation. What do you do if you can’t use the toilet; wash your dishes, or clothes? What medications you need? What if you are injured by the event? Do you have a first aid kit? Do you know how to use it? Don’t count on EMT’s as there may be no way to reach them or them to get to you and they may be dealing with more serious cases. Can you handle your medical needs right now?

Power generally covers electricity but may in some cases include gas of some form. This is your light and refrigeration and probably your heating and a/c along with how you cook food. It is one of the most important and at the same time the most vulnerable. No, you don’t need some terrorist act to take the electrical grid down; simply a bad storm of some kind can do it. In some cases a car hitting a pole can knock out power for hours. Can you stay warm in winter, or protect your food in the freezer in summer if the power goes out?  Will you able to cook or even eat without it? Do you even have one working flashlight you can find?

Money makes the system work. It is a means of exchange. Today, however, most stores need card systems up and running to be able to sell you anything if you have no cash on hand, even if they have their registers operating off some emergency generator. Also small stores and shops may operate more on a cash basis. Many of us have little cash on hand however. What about you? What’s in your home, piggy bank, or pocket?

Security refers somewhat to the police, but also to your personal situation. Where do you live and work? Is it a good or bad area? How far are you from bad areas? How are your passive   (locks, doors, windows) security measures? What are you moral feelings about defending your home and family when the police can’t be called or may be too overwhelmed to help you? What could you do, or use to protect yourself? (This includes blocking doors with furniture, or having pepper spray)

So now, what will you do and how are you affected if you lose your power for an hour, your water for a day, your entire grid for a week?

While there are NO “one size fits all” answers, there are basic guidelines we will go over as we explore as many of the aspects we can. We will look at these subjects from the standpoint of the Average Ann and Andy, plain folks who don’t have a lot of money, land or time, people who go to work each day and may have to face events away from home.

It can seem overwhelming and it isn’t simple, but it’s nothing the average person can’t deal with. If you want to put an ace up your sleeve in case of an emergency, if you want to try to have a fighting chance if things go wrong, we will try to help you all we can with what we have learned and what others have shared with us.

OUR WEEKLY ARTICLES FOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH, 2020

 

In an emergency situation the location affected may have an area that was directly hit by the floodwaters, tornado, earthquake, chemical spill or terrorist act that is generally referred to as Ground Zero. Between that area and where the grid is still up and running normally is usually an area no so hard hit, but without power, water or other aspects of the grid. We call this the RAGE.

RAGE stands for the Relative Area of Grid Effects. If you are in this area the general rule of thumb is that you are on your own for the first 72 hours. That is why we start new preppers off with learning how to cover these first three days or so.

BASIC:  (FOR NEW PREPPERS)

THE FIRST 72 HOURS:  WATER

            What does enough water for 72 hours look like?

For 2 adults, at the maximum standard of 1 gallon per day , per person, for all purposes, it’s 12 - 2 Lt soda bottles thoroughly cleaned out and refilled with tap water (through a filter if you have one).  Cost to you will be zero.    Storage space needed: The bottom of a typical closet.

Or you could get two cases of 24 .5 liter bottles to drink and use 6 2 liter bottles filled for other purposes such as cooking, cleaning, etc. Cost: $10 or less.   Or just get 4 cases for $20 or under.  Storage space needed:  The cases can slide under a bed. The advantage is that they are easier for drinking and storage, but are a pain to cook with or for cleaning, which is why some go with the mix of both.

Third is the 3 gallon size water cooler jugs. You don’t need the cooler to use these. In some places you buy the empty jugs and fill them from your tap. Generally they are economical enough to buy pre-filled. They are also light enough to lift at about 24 lbs. to put on a kitchen or bathroom counter top. You will need a hand operated pump to use them easier but that can be gotten from Lowe’s or any number of sources on EBay for $10 or so. You can get 4 (12gal.) for all your 72 hr. needs, but a mix of small bottles, jugs and 2 Lt.’s may fit your storage space and budget better.  Storage space needed: If you are going for all 4 jugs, the bottom of an average closet will do.

A final note if you are concerned about water for toilet flushing.  Keep a pail and extra 2 liter bottles of water.  Bail out half the water in the toilet’s tank before the first flush into the pail. Flush once a day if possible.  If doable under you conditions, collect rainwater from a drainpipe to use for flushing. This will be covered in more depth in another article covering sanitation/ toilets.

 

 

BLEACH IS BLEACH

            As a former biochemical lab tech, one of the things I learned was when it comes to adding bleach to water for purification purposes, bleach is bleach. As long as the bleach has no additives such as scents, perfumes, or anything else (Oxyclean, etc.) the basic component is the same, 5% Sodium Hypochlorite.  This means the dollar store brand is as good to use for that purpose as the higher name brands.  The amounts to use are given as:

1 quart      2 drops

½ gal        4 drops

1 gal         8 drops

5 gal         ½ teaspoon, or 20 drops

  (if the water is cloudy, use double the amount of bleach shown here.)

Remember, once the container is opened, the chlorine level drops, so get the smaller 1 qt. bottles to store for this purpose if possible.

 

ADVANCED (FOR THOSE ALREADY INTO PREPPING)

KNOWLEDGE       PART I: BLOWING IN THE WIND

            There is a part of prepping that many times is free, available and very important. It’s called knowledge. It’s gathering and learning information that can give you an edge in an event.

            One of these pieces of intelligence is to know the wind patterns where you live, shelter, and generally anywhere you will have to travel to get home or to your safe haven.

            The simplest way to get this information is to look it up on the net. But, don’t trust that data 100%. Watch your local weather daily and write down the wind direction. This will also get you in the habit of learning about yearly storm patterns and to know what is downwind from you. Where possible, put out an American flag and get in a habit of seeing which way the wind blows it.

            Wind direct can be crucial in cases of dirty bombs, nuke plant accidents, wildfires, chemical spills and possibly wind carried diseases.  It can spell the difference in knowing whether to bug out or shelter in place, and to know to go long before the sheep realize the problem.

In the words of Bob Dylan, “You don’t have to be a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.”

KNOWLEDGE   PART II:         TIME AND TEMPERATURE

            The next free piece of information that can be helpful for you is learning your seasonal temperatures for your home, or your safe haven’s area. This includes not only the temperatures themselves, but also wind chill, seasonal rain or snow patterns, or for some areas, potential for hurricanes, tornados and blizzards.

            There are the usual sources for this on the net, or even at the library, but nothing beats your own observations and notes. If you garden at all, you have a fair idea when the frost ends and when the high heat weeks are. I know I’ve had to change my growing season because over the past few years July is now the high heat month.

            Here are some key elements to note.

When does it get cold enough to put water or ice packs outside to chill or freeze overnight to use for refrigeration?

When are storms more probable?  (You should note both the time of year and time of day.)

When can I break ground for planting? (Last frost dates)

When do the seasons begin to change over?  (For example, my area has a “rainy” season that separates winter from spring in late March/early April and fall from winter in late October/early November.)

Is there a clearly defined rainy season? (Rain water harvesting)

How long can I go without using up my fuel for heat? 

What alternate means can I have to stay warm or cool? (Thermal blankets, sweaters, light colored clothes, shorts, etc.)

            In this way you’ll learn to fit into the rhythm of the seasons. The non-prepper never thinks of the weather unless it is severe enough to hamper their “routine”. They feel their heat, A/C, refrigeration and the rest of the “grid” will always be there. After all, if it gets cold, they will just plug in their electric blanket.   LOL

 

 

 

AFTERMATH (ABOUT SERIOUS LONG TERM LEVEL III EVENTS)

THE THREE ELEMENTS OF RADIATION EXPOSURE

TIME:  How long you are exposed. An exposure of 10 seconds or a minute, unless it is an extreme radiation level, may not be life threatening or cause you sickness.  BUT such exposure should only be attempted in an emergency.

DISTANCE:  How far you are from the radiation. If the radiation is outside and you are in an inner room or hallway your exposure is much less than if you are standing by an outside window.

SHIELDING:  This is any barrier between your body and the radiation. This also varies with the type of radiation. A normal glass window is not very affective, but a wall is. Alpha and Beta radiation require less barriers to block than Gamma, which calls for 1-2 feet of earth, 6 or more inches of concrete, or lead.  The general rule is the more you can put between you and the radiation source the better.

An inner room, storage area, closet or hallway with no windows as far as possible from the outside that you can get to within a minute or less provides an option.

 

THE MAGIC RULE OF 7

Radiation generally decreases over the first 49 hrs. or basically 2 days.  (7 x 7 hrs.)  This decrease continues over the next 2 weeks (7 x 7 x 7).  BUT in the case of a “dirty” bomb, the radioactive items used may be elements that will remain deadly much longer. Whenever possible remain sheltered until an official “All Clear”.

RADIATION AND FALLOUT

Simply put, fallout delivers the radiation to you. Imagine snowflakes falling outside, but in this case they are ash from what has been destroyed. That ash is now a tiny “X-ray” machine sending out its Alpha, Beta and Gamma rays. Keep in mind, fallout can be delayed and fall out of the upper atmosphere from distant places days later and be very fine dust that can be inhaled. (The delay in arriving will cause the radiation to decay in strength somewhat.)

 

TOUCAN BILL’S BIRD’S EYE VIEW: LIGHT STICKS

            The electricity is out, night has come and you have a young child that needs to go to bed, but is afraid of the dark. What do you do?

Simple, you just break out a light stick.

Light sticks are great in that they are safe, colorful, make great nightlights, come in all sorts of shapes, even in bracelets and stars for children and they can be gotten at dollar stores. On top of that they can be stored without any maintenance, as far as I know, last indefinitely in their package, and are easy to use. You simply snap and shake and they glow.

As with anything else, the child must be old enough to know NOT to chew or bite on one, and they should be the size and shape to prevent being swallowed.

Emergencies are stressful enough on adults, and even more on children. A simple light stick can brighten the darkness in many ways 

PREPPER BEE WISE’S BUZZ WORD FOR THE WEEK

B-NICE   This is a phrase that helps first responders when reporting a suspected terrorist attack

B- Any biological type attack (anthrax, etc.)

N- Any type of nuclear device or detonation

I-  Any incendiary device or affect.

C- Any chemical (nerve gas, chlorine, etc.) attack

E- Any explosive device or detonation