Active New Top (30 days) Compact Card Generators? Jonnie PekelnyContributor - March 28, 2021 I’ve been trying to get my head around generators. (Disclaimer: I am almost entirely ignorant abut electricity and am not very handy). The immediate need that’s driving my need for a generator is that I need an off-the-grid backup for running my CPAP machine. For those of you who don’t know about CPAP, it treats sleep apnea. No CPAP no good sleep. That’s bad in an emergency. My CPAP machine is rather power hungry and I’ll have to buy a sizeable capacity lithium battery to run it for one night. But then I will need to recharge it. As I understand the best way to recharge it is with a generator. But here’s where I get stuck. A generator seems tricky and dangerous. * It can’t run inside. It has to be 20 feet away from the house but my outside property is very small and also on a hill and also exposed so that the generator could be easily seen and and maybe stolen outside. Even if not stolen I don’t know where I would place it to be 20 feet away from the house and how I would keep it secure on a slope. * It requires gas or propane, which also has to be stored outside, also somewhat visible and possibly easily stolen and also explosive. Do I want to keep an explosive gas right near my house? How do I store it safely? I already have this problem with the little propane canisters I keep for my camping stove. I’ve opted to store those in my basement, which I’m not supposed to do technically, because I don’t know where else to put them safely. * And if I’m camping (which is my secondary reason to want an off-grid solution for my CPAP) do I bring a bunch of gas or propane with me on my camping trip to feed the generator? I also don’t know how long a generator takes to recharge a battery to capacity. I would really appreciate guidance from someone who is competent about generators. Read More 16 33 ticks, why do they exist? pint of beer - March 28, 2021 i was going to attach a picture of a tick, but was creeped out by just the image of it and couldn’t keep looking at them. this is one of my fears of camping, bugging out, and just being out in the woods. nasty lil blood suckers, why do they even exist? bird’s probably aren’t getting much nutrition off of them. i think they are just around to be a creepy pest and to keep me out of the woods. to the point now, what can people do to prevent ticks? both the day hiker and the person bugging out in a tent in the middle of no where for months? what are the dangers of getting bit by one besides the fact that they are creepy as h***? if, heaven forbid, someone were to get bit by one of these abominations, how do you remove it? i’ve heard you have to do it just right or the head breaks off and stays connected to you. gosh! can you tell i don’t like ticks? Read More 7 9 Advice Learn how to persevere during a crisis before the crisis happens UbiqueContributor - March 27, 2021 “TOO WEAK!” The dojo walls echoed the screams of our instructor. We were in formation, row upon row of exhausted, sweat soaked students. He stalked up and down the rows, and around the perimeter of the class, his eagle eye catching every imperfect punch or kick. The worst offense was not to train hard enough. If one person was lax, everyone was punished. The penalties were double knee jumps or pushups or both. “DOUBLE KNEE JUMPS NOW! ONE, TWO, ONE, TWO!” The count was rapid and relentless. We soared in the stifling heat, strained to send our bodies upward, and drew our knees up into our chests. As soon as our feet hit the floor, the rapid pace of his count drove us back up again. Over and over we repeated the movement in the sweltering heat of the dojo. It was situated in an old building without air conditioning and we trained upstairs. The heat of the hot summer day rose to where we trained and combined with the thermal energy that radiated from our bodies. Thirty seconds of double knee jumps at his pace was brutal. Sixty seconds was an indication that our instructor was really annoyed with the lazy offender in class. No one complained because the double knee jumps were better than the bamboo rod that used to be administered for not training hard enough. Regular training consisted of warm-up, calisthenics and flexibility. We rotated through an assortment of skills: kicks, punches, patterns, sparring, and heavy bag training. In almost every class, his corrections would rise above the thunder of feet hitting the dojo floor or the kiyups yelled in unison. “HAAAHHH!” The kiyups rose from deep in our bellies and up, and tightened our solar plexus as the sound blasted out of our mouths. One of our instructor’s preferred verbal admonishments was to stop the class and tell us “What will you do in a fight for your lives? Are you going to tell your opponent that you are tired and need to take a break? Do you think your opponent will stop? NO! TOO WEAK! NOW TRAIN HARDER!” His point was simple: learn to push beyond what you think you can do because it can save your life or someone else’s life someday. I pushed myself through many limits during my training. Even my experience with “runners’ wall” during my running days was nothing like what I learned in that class. I experienced what it meant to literally drop during a heavy bag workout. While I was being dragged off the floor and checked for cardiac by a fellow student who happened to be a physician, my thoughts were to get back in there and keep going. I chose knuckle push ups over the other type of push up allowed for women because they strengthened my wrists. My preferred sparring partners were men. Sparring with taller men taught me to become fast and proficient with my kicks. I learned to overcome their longer limbs by getting in close past that radius. I favored sparring partners who listened to me when I told them to forget you’re sparring with a female. I wanted to desensitize myself to the image of a larger and more powerful male coming at me and overcome that difference in combat. Beneath my gi (uniform) was a road map of bruises from torn muscles and sparring. Not every student pushed that hard. I chose to push hard and train hard at the dojo and at home. Tenacity or perseverance is something we can develop by challenging ourselves to continue in the face of adversity. It is an asset for a prepper. It is a trait that we can rely upon in times of crisis, and if resources are stretched thin, it becomes a very important asset. Tenacity can make the difference between survival and death. Think about why some people give up just before they succeed. Just before they overcome a problem, some people stop trying, stop fighting and they just give up. You don’t have to be a martial artist to learn tenacity. Push yourself every day to do better, to carry on when you are tired, to complete the task when you’re overwhelmed and frustrated. Just keep going. Don’t give up. Don’t wait until there is a crisis to develop this trait. You can practice and learn tenacity each and every day. Don’t be the one who gives up just before the finish line, or before the battle is won, or before the crisis is over. Persevere and survive. Read More 9 10 The prepping items that we regret buying and why UbiqueContributor - March 26, 2021 Remember the nifty prepping gadget or shiny “gotta have it” object begging to be added to our prep items. Like crows, we swooped in and snatched it up and carried it off, only to discover it was garbage. It wasn’t well made and broke after we used it 3 times. It didn’t do all the wonderful things it was supposed to do. It was a pain in the neck to use and more aggrevation that it was worth. That regrettable prep item purchase was recycled, thrown out, buried in the backyard or gifted to an unsuspecting relative. So come on now, ‘fess up. We’ve all done it. What was the worst prep related item that you ever purchased and why? Read More 11 39 Advice Intuition, Nature and Prepping UbiqueContributor - March 26, 2021 This morning, I thought of how many times I have used intuition and nature as part of how I prep. Intuition can be considered the ability to understand or know something immediately, without conscious reasoning. I was raised in a family of intuitive people, which made it difficult to get away with anything as a child. Their abilities went beyond parental instinct. I was taught to pay attention to my intuition and use my instincts for the ability to do something about what my intuition noticed. I thought everyone’s family was like my family and never considered it unusual, until as an adult outside my family unit, I acted upon my instincts. That was when other people noticed and I found out we didn’t quite follow the norm. For example, I would get a sudden mental flash that a friend was in trouble and call them. The conversation went something like this: Me: “Are you okay?” Friend: “No, I’m not…wait a minute, how did you know?” The friend was particularly surprised because I had called her at 3 a.m.. I had awoken out of a dead sleep to respond. I was surprised also. That was the point when I realized that not everyone paid attention to their intuition or used their instincts. This is not to say that I always got it right. It took some years for me to understand how to focus some of that intuition on protecting myself. I was also taught to pay attention to nature and be mindful of the physical world around me by using all my senses. It was the smell of snow, of the shift in the air when Spring had really arrived. It was about observing how animals behaved in different seasons. Were the squirrels out longer gathering food? How heavy was the moss on the trees that year? Were the horses suddenly running because a storm was coming or was it something else? Nature has a way of telling us things if we pay attention.There have been many times when I make decisions to do something prep related that can appear spontaneous, but are actually driven by intuition and nature combined. For example, regardless of the weather forecast, I can decide to go immediately to do a grocery shop rather than wait for the planned for time and day. This has happened in fall and spring stock up times. There have been many storms I have avoided by simply following that intuition and paying attention to what I sensed in nature and not the weather forecast. When I lived in the city and could frequent thrift stores more easily, I did the same thing, a sudden decision to go because I had that flash of intuition that told me go now. Sure enough, I would find an item I had been searching for and needed for my preps. Now in a rural area, it works the same way for online shopping. I can be in the middle of baking bread, stop cold and check online for an item I have been searching for and there it is, on sale. I use intuition alone for dealing with safety and security issues. Again, I can awaken out of a sleep to check security cameras and there are people on the street or in the back lane. I don’t think I’m the only one who does this. I have a theory that we all have the ability to be intuitive, but many people are not taught to pay attention to their intuition and nature as I was taught. So, this morning my curiosity leads me to ask whether anyone else uses their intuition as part of how they prep, and if so, how? I also wonder if anyone else understands what I mean about reading the signs in nature and if so, how does that affect how you prep? Read More 13 12 Advice NWS weather forecast model upgraded Bob - March 25, 2021 https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2021/03/25/607109.htm Our complaints were heard and acted on ! The National Weather Service was using a model that did not work – especially when compared to the European model. Above link tells of the change. Traditionally, the US model for hurricanes measures only wind speed. This misses the bigger danger: flooding. Our loss of life is not coming from the wind but from the water. Read More 13 3 How we can teach children and youth prepping skills UbiqueContributor - March 25, 2021 “They should teach this in the schools.” I have read that comment referring to prepping skills repeatedly, or some variation of it, in various threads and have said the same thing myself. Emergency preparedness doesn’t appear to be taught in school. Note: Please say so if you know that it is, because I would like to know how that community got it into the curriculum. If it isn’t taught in school, then that leaves the parents and the home environment as the place where preparedness is taught. In an ideal world, prepping would be taught at school and at home. If we think of prepping as a lifestyle, then it follows that children and youth at home would grow up with that mind set and philosophy. It is possible that as they emerge into adulthood, they might reject that lifestyle. They might also return to a prepping lifestyle eventually. Regardless of whether they reject it or not, at least as adults they would have roots in prepping and develop some basic skills and knowledge. There are exceptions where some parents are not suitable in the role of teacher. A parent who doesn’t recognize their limitation and unsuitability as a teacher can destroy their child’s love of learning. Every child or youth learns in different ways. Some children are “hands on” learners, others lean more toward self-teaching, while others like to observe and learn. To be an effective teacher, a parent must understand this and adapt their teaching style to suit the child. A frustrated child will soon grow to hate learning if it becomes associated with unpleasantness and stress rather than the joy of learning and discovery. I am not a fan of “everybody’s a winner” methodology used in some schools. Children need to understand that they will make mistakes and that is another feature of learning. It also prepares them for how things will work once they are employed or self-employed. If the parents are not suitable to teach and they know it, then what? Fortunately, there is a broad base of substitute teachers who can work with the family’s philosophy of prepping and help out. Other family members, prepping friends, groups such as Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, survival skill courses, for example. There are family farms who open their farms to people who want to take a vacation and participate in a working family farm. Most of us keep our prepping low key, but it is still possible to have a neighbour, family or friends outside the prepping community to teach your child how to fish, hunt, sew, bake bread, garden, animal husbandry, first aid, and financial skills, without disclosing that these skills are about prepping. You could call them life skills or wanting your child involved in the environment and understanding where their food comes from. Frankly, after the walloping big lesson Covid-19 has taught the world, I don’t think too many people would even question a parent wanting their child to learn those skills. This morning I am wondering who here is teaching their prepping skills to their children or grandchildren and if so, what has your experience been as a teacher of these skills and lifestyle? Was the experience always successful or did you learn things along the way? Have some of your children rejected the prepping lifestyle? If so, do you know why? Outside of volunteering, what are some ways we can lead by example and encourage prepping? Are we noticing the opportunity to teach when it happens? Can you think of other ways we can teach prepping skills? Read More 10 8 AdviceSkills Peaches in the spring RedneckContributor - March 24, 2021 Sometimes prepping is beautiful. A big part of my prepping are my perennials. I grow all sorts, mostly apples but also pears, Asian persimmons, pecans, blueberries, blackberries, muscadine grapes, jujubi, asparagus… and peaches which are blooming now. IMO, few things are as beautiful and taste so great when ripened on the tree. Was spraying the orchard & roses today and just had to take some pictures. Read More 12 36 Mitigation: How to reduce the cause, impact and severity of disasters around your home UbiqueContributor - March 23, 2021 I read through some FEMA information this morning about the four phases of the emergency management cycle. The four phases are: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. I considered some of the projects that have been done around my home and property over the years that have mitigated disasters or the effects of one. The trees on my property were in terrible shape when we moved in. Most of them were planted close to the house and planted too close to each other. Some of the trees were dying and partly rotted and others had huge branches over the top of the roof of the house. We get can get high winds and tornadoes and I was very concerned about the potential for how my home and a neighbour’s home could be damaged by such an event. Trees have a life cycle and it is important to know that when selecting them for your property, especially a town or city lot. Watch also for roots systems that can infiltrate sewer lines. Tree branches over a roof or close to a roof are not good for a variety of reasons. Branches that actually touch the roof can destroy your shingles. The branches can become too close when they are heavy with ice, snow or moisture and then sag lower and touch the roof. Squirrels and other critters are fun to watch from a distance, but give them a tree branch close enough to your home and they will scurry up that branch and find a way into your attic. Squirrels are amazing high wire acrobats and can jump 15 feet (some sources say more or less), so that needs to be considered when pruning back branches or planting. Aside from damage to the home, squirrels can carry diseases. Some of the more common diseases they carry are tularaemia, typhus, plague and ringworm which can be transmitted through a bite or other forms of direct contact with infected squirrels. I called in a tree service and had all the trees removed. High wind, tornado and potential for rodent damage mitigated. Next, there was the issue of poorly graded property. We can get heavy rains, more so now in recent years with “once in a 100, (insert years – it keeps changing) events.” During a heavy rain, I discovered water pouring into one of the basement windows. I had both basement windows replaced with properly installed window wells around them. I then installed window well covers. I noticed after the heavy rain exactly where the water was pooling on the property. The next project to tackle was the issue of our poorly graded residential lot. Residential lot grading is shaping and grading the land to direct surface runoff away from your home in a way that doesn’t affect neighbouring properties. . Aside from standing water and flooding, improperly graded residential lots can cause foundation settlement or damage and basement dampness. Dampness is not good for prep storage. Here is a link for an overview of lot grading. Each community will have their own rules. Where I live, no permit was necessary. However, some communities require a permit. Residential drainage After 5 truck loads of soil, and becoming very acquainted with my landscape rake, the lot was correctly sloped and graded. Swales and drainage channels were the final component to ensure that rain water and moisture from melting snow drained away from the house. The water now flows to the street and back lane via grade and drainage channels on each side of the lot. I also had larger drainage pipe from the gutters installed to allow for better and more rapid flow of water during storms and heavy rains. No more overflowing gutters. Risk of flooding and water infiltration around the home and property now mitigated. After the water table rose due to heavy rains, I had my plumber install a sump pit and pump to move water away from below the foundation and ease hydrostatic pressure. There are other methods, but this was recommended as a good first line of defence and it has worked very well over the years. At the same time, I also had a sewer back flow valve installed on my sewer line. Our town has the storm drains tied into the sanitary sewer system. This is not the correct way to do it and not all communities may be built that way. It is wise to check especially in older rural towns with municipal sewer and water. If however, your sewer lines back up for any reason, this valve is well worth having in place. One woman I knew with heavy rains in another town, had over four feet of sewage in her basement. Her massive, fully stocked chest freezer was floating. During heavy rains, some homes in town had flooded basements. Many people were trying to hide the fact that their homes were being flooded. Instead of correctly pumping the water out of their basement and away from their property, they were pumping into their basement storm drains. The problem is that when so many of them did that, they overloaded the sewer lines causing sewage to flow back into basements. My basement stayed clean and dry. Installing that sewer back flow valve on my home has paid for itself many times over. We have had many heavy rain years and I don’t have to worry about sewage backing up into my basement. Preps safe and sound and potential for disaster mitigated. Those are a few of the steps I have taken over the years to practice hazard mitigation. What kind of steps or projects have you done to mitigate disaster causes, impact or severity around your homes? Are there still projects you want to do to reduce the effects of a disaster? Read More 12 35 AdviceSkills How to prep and recognize all or nothing thinking UbiqueContributor - March 23, 2021 In my ten year journey to learn to manage PTSD symptoms, I encountered some terrific therapists. Mary Ellen was a warm, caring person capable of the most deadpan delivery of practical and common sense advice. I was stuck in a forty year old memory. A person had attempted to murder me three different ways in one night. We were trying to work through the fear and nightmares I still had of that incident. One session, Mary Ellen asked me “How old were you when it happened?” I answered “Around nineteen or twenty-years old.” “How old was he?” “He was thirty-eight years old?”I answered. “Okay, so today, that makes him, what, seventy-eight years old, right?” “Well, yeah,” I answered. “Do you think you could take him today?” Mary Ellen asked. The light bulb went off, or should I say “on” in my head. “Hell, yeah!” I shouted. “You bet I could take him now.” Mary Ellen showed me that I was stuck in the past, while the years had rolled by. The man who terrorized my sleep and had caused me so much fear of ever encountering him again, had aged, as had I. My thoughts and thinking had kept me trapped in time. Some effects of the trauma still remains, but the image of him as he attacked me that night is gone. I tell you this because it is an example of how our thinking can change everything. This is very important in prepping and when were are coping with a crisis. It is also important in the aftermath of a crisis. How we think and what we think can keep us “stuck.” Mary Ellen used to call me out on “all or nothing” thinking. It is also referred to as thinking in “black and white” terms. “You’re doing it again,” she would tell me. She taught me to catch and correct thinking that considers only two options, one or the other, and doesn’t see the shades of grey in situations. It is a very limiting way to think. All or nothing thinking involves thinking in absolute terms: never, ever, always. It can also happen when we place “either or” limits on our thinking. For example, my bug out shelter will be either here or there. If we limit ourselves to those two choices, then we might miss a better option. When we are stressed it becomes easy to panic and begin to limit our options through all or nothing thinking. We may think I can or I can’t do something instead of I can try to do it or I can succeed if I do it this way. All or nothing thinking doesn’t allow for that and focuses on the negative. If we think in terms of options, rather than “either or,” we can overcome all or nothing thinking. We can substitute “and” for “either or”. I can do this and I can try this as well. Our preparedness and reactions can be shaped by decisions made upon a wider spectrum of choices. There will be many times in our prepping lives where the ability to see and evaluate a wider scope of options will be important, if not, crucial to our plans. In a crisis, our ability to recognize the limitations of all or nothing thinking may help us survive by alerting us to change this type of self-limiting thinking, expand our options and make a better choice. Read More 13 14 Advice Are you new to preparedness? Ask whatever you want here! Robert LarsonContributor - March 23, 2021 In some of the other forums that i’ve been apart of over the years, I’ve been more of a lurker than a contributor because I was so new to the hobby and didn’t want to feel like the annoying new kid who has a million basic questions. But I want to offer my expertise here (anyone else can chime in too!) and make this a safe place where everyone and anyone (even seasoned veterans) can ask any question about preparedness no matter how basic, small, or noobish it may be. Your question might not be that big of a question to make a whole new forum thread about, but you can ask it here. I find a lot of joy and satisfaction helping others and sharing what I know, so please ask away 🙂 -Be Prepared- Read More 15 38 In some of the other forums that i’ve been apart of over the years, I’ve been more of a lurker than a contributor because I was so new to the hobby and didn’t want to feel like the annoying new kid who has a million basic questions. Steps to take to solve a problem UbiqueContributor - March 23, 2021 Coping with a disaster in real time requires response. If we have prepped wisely, then our responses will be appropriate. However, there may be times during a disaster when we are called upon to solve problems that may arise. Even with good preps in place, a disaster may demand much physical and intense labour. We may be forced to push ourselves physically and there is no time to eat, drink or rest. It is possible to become sleep deprived, hungry, dehydrated, injured, ill, or incredibly stressed. Imagine that scenario and then imagine problems cropping up and the need to solve them. There are different methods for teaching problem solving steps. I prefer these steps and wanted to share them with you: Step 1: Identify and define the problem. It isn’t possible to solve a problem if you don’t clearly understand the problem. You need to be able to correctly identify the problem first. Step 2: Brainstorm possible solutions. A brainstorm is simply jotting down any possible solutions that appear reasonable and come to mind. If you do this as a group or family, everyone calls out their suggestions, without stopping to critique or comment upon them. Just keep the momentum going and list the ideas. Step 3: Consider and evaluate the list of possible solutions. Now is the time for discussion if in a group or family or reflection if you are along and doing this. Step 4: Select a possible solution to try. Try the solution. Step 5: Evaluate the solution. Did it solve the problem? Step 6: If the problem is not solved, repeat Step 4. Go back through the list of possible solutions and select another one to try. Step 7: If you try all the possible solutions and the problem is not solved, then a) Go back and review how you identified the problem. Perhaps the problem is not accurately or fully defined. If you discover this has happened, adjust the definition of the problem and repeat the steps. Or b) Accept that the problem may not be solvable at this time. There may be problems that occur during a crisis that are not solvable at that particular point in time. Consider that the problem may be solvable at a different time and then try again later. Read More 9 11 What is your Get Home Plan? UbiqueContributor - March 22, 2021 The issue of bugging out is a much discussed topic. We focus on what gear to put in our BOBs and then load into our BOV. Has anyone made a Get Home Plan, or even considered it? What if you or your family are separated? Do you each know how to work a Get Home Plan? Do your children know? I’m not planning BO, but am prepping for that option just in case. What I haven’t done is make a Get Home Plan and that is now on my get ‘er done list. Read More 11 20 Advice Prepare for a disaster and know the risks UbiqueContributor - March 21, 2021 I posted yesterday about a case of a nasty emergent syndrome that is in New Brunswick. We prep and cover various gear and necessary for life items like water, food, clothing, and shelter. Has anyone considered the risk factors for the scenarios/disasters for which you prep? If so, have you considered changes to any of those risks and changed how you prep or plan to prep going forward? After what I read yesterday, for how long it took to make this progressive and deadly neurological syndrome public, after an internal memo was leaked and for the additional information that I posted on that thread today, that my prepping is never going to be the same. I am prepping now for risk as well as scenario. I am also prepping for what is not being released to the public and will continue my habit of medical research reading. It is how I got ahead on shoring up preps before Covid-19 was front and center in the media. New and emergent diseases, viruses and syndromes. Contaminated food, water and air. The risk has always been there and just got worse because we aren’t always the first to know. I am prepping accordingly. Read More 9 14 AdviceScenarios Today in history – March 18 – The New London School explosion and why natural gas has added odors OldHouseGirl - March 20, 2021 Today is the anniversary of one of the worse disasters in US history that happened in Texas in 1937. Sadly, most people have never heard of it. It’s the reason you can now smell when there’s a gas leak. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_London_School_explosion Read More 8 3 Scenarios Under-counter water filters JRoll - March 19, 2021 Hi All, I’ve been researching under-counter water filters after seeing an ad for Hydroviv. I found several articles on other prepping sites that recommend Epic Smart Shield over the Hydroviv. I’m curious if any folks here have experience with either of these filters and could provide some insight? I’m also open to other filter brands if you have recommendations. Background: I live in the Southeast and am on city water. Thanks! Read More 6 6 AdviceGear Staying entertained during a power outage Jay ValenciaContributor - March 19, 2021 If the power were to go out for a week, I think my family’d be able to survive. Definitely need to think up a good way to cook off grid, but besides that, I think we should be fine. I was watching my kids this week and how they entertained themselves, and hey even my wife and I are guilty of this, we all tend to go to electronics for our entertainment. Phones, tv, video games, radio, podcasts, etc… What are some ways to keep the family entertained during a week long power outage? We have quite the collection of board games, which will help some nights. Read More 10 22 Our well was down for a week. General observations. Thomas GomezStaff - March 18, 2021 I live in a rural part of New Mexico, and our well was recently down for a week. Unbeknownst to us, our pressure tank and buried lines were leaking due to the system’s age and were made worse by the recent spate of cold weather much of the country experienced. We currently share a well with our neighbor, and we both have young children and a pregnant spouse. Save for the well shaft and submersible pump, the whole system was torn out and re-done. General observations Last summer, I installed gutters and five 50-gallon rain barrels. This was a good prep! We used this water to flush toilets. Between my neighbor and I, we used about 70 gallons of water to flush toilets. Though we have 55 gallons of clean, potable water in reserve, we elected to purchase water from the store for drinking, cooking, cleaning, coffee and tea. We went into the City every other day to shower. Over the week, we went through several rolls of paper towels. Paper towels were great for wiping down surfaces and drying off hands and cooking implements. Since we didn’t have hot water, dishes stacked up like crazy. Teflon/non-stick pans were a godsend. To clean them after use, we just added some water, heated it on the stove, then wiped it down with a paper towel. I only cooked with our non-stick pans during the week. To get our well back up cost $7,000. My spouse and I regularly contribute to an emergency/rainy day fund, and we have been planning for a well failure for over a decade. We did not feel a burden, because we were financially prepared. Here is an excellent article about financial prepping. Lack of running water generally destroyed my work efficiency. It is hard to concentrate when coordinating with well crews, plumbers, inspectors, neighbors and setting aside time to drive into the city for showers, food, and provisions. If you have a busy life, expect a major setback on all of your projects. Improvements I want to store 100 gallons of potable, clean, readily accessible water. We are going to add an additional 55-gallon drum of stored water to our preps. I am looking into an on-demand system for hot water and bathing. These systems are used by campers. I will probably write an article about these systems in the future. Since we couldn’t easily do dishes, I am going to add some bio-degradable paper plates and bowls to our preps. Our rain barrels quickly fill up. This year I plan on burying a thousand-gallon tank under my deck and building an overflow system to drain into the storage tank. That would give us a 1,250 gallons of stored water. Since we have a septic tank on our property, I am going to design an outhouse that can be quickly built over one of the septic tank access points. This would save a lot of water since we wouldn’t need to flush toilets. Just build an outhouse with a solar light and a hand washing station, and poo and pee right into the septic tank. Certain well components need a heat source to prevent freezing during the winter. I need to find a solar powered heat source to prevent critical well components from freezing in the event of a grid failure. Buying a Big Berkey counter top water filter ASAP. Overall it was a good experience and gave me some data points in the event of a grid failure or catastrophe. Feel free to share your thoughts below. Read More 14 16 The future of prepping UbiqueContributor - March 18, 2021 This morning I sifted through World War II lessons about preparedness and thought about how often I look to the lessons of the past for guidance as I plan and prep. Then my mind drifted back to yesterday when I walked into the living room and happened to catch part of an episode of Battlebots. I stopped and was transfixed by the robots whirring around the arena battling each other with an assortment of weaponry. I thought, hmm, we have restrictive gun laws here. I wonder if a couple of those could be good for exterior security and defence? I could just turn them loose in the yard like a couple of deranged Roomba’s on steroids. Those flame throwers would put more than one intruder on the run if the SHTF. I must have thought out loud, because my husband said: “you’ve been prepping for too long.” So, apparently my prepping mind isn’t all Grandmother stories and history. Why would it be when I love science fiction and would seriously learn Klingon as a second language? I like thinking about the future. And why not, when much of prepping concerns the future and preparing for future crises and disasters? I wondered what preparedness will look like in five, ten, or even a couple of years from now. New products are being developed as technology evolves which could change how we prepare. There are environmental changes that will affect how we prepare. For example, we might have to prioritize water conservation and storage if our area becomes drought prone. It follows that with more arid conditions, the threat of fires could increase. How we garden and the types of crops we grow would also change. Our future needs will change as we age. Those changes will also affect how we prepare whether we are starting a family, or living in our middle or twilight years. What will our prepping look like in the future? The basics will still be there, but how do you think it could change? If environmental disasters worsen, do you see a more expanded concept of preparedness for yourself? Will you store more items and of greater variety? Or will it be better to be more mobile in order to evade disasters? Will more people prepare or will disaster overload cause people to become fatalistic and weary of prepping? Take a walk into the future with me this morning and imagine what the future of prepping might look like for you and for the world. Read More 7 23 Scenarios Hydra Lights Lauren - March 18, 2021 Good morning! I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts/experience using hydra lights? Wondering if they work well and if there is one out there that is better than another. Thank you!! Read More 6 1 AdviceGear Keeping mentally fit while preparing and during a crisis UbiqueContributor - March 17, 2021 We prepare. We plan. We spend countless hours thinking about our preparations, and hours more researching and reading about how we can do it better. We worry. Did I miss something? We compare ourselves with other people. I don’t have the gear that the other people have. Or, I can’t afford what everyone else is buying. We get overwhelmed. There is so much to know and learn. Am I doing it right? Have I made a mistake that will cause a problem later? We witness tragedies elsewhere and our stress levels rise. Some days it feels like we’ll never be able to go from “prepare” to “prepared”. I would like to share a few coping strategies I have used while preparing and also during times of crisis. There are many ways to cope, so any other suggestions are much appreciated. When overwhelmed, remember that you are putting forth your best efforts. Take some time to remember how far you have come. Remember that sound financial management is part of being prepared. Driving yourself into debt “to keep with the (prepping) Joneses” would accrue items or supplies on one hand, but leave you vulnerable, still stressed and unsoundly prepared on the other hand. Mistakes will happen. We are human and not perfect beings. That is why we can take time to review our preps and plans and discuss them with our family members or others who prepare in order to check for possible errors. Take a good, long walk. Walking is a way to do two things: calm down and find solutions. I get my best ideas on a walk or after I have taken a walk and I am relaxed. If walking is not an option for you, then visualize yourself doing a walk through a nice area that appeals to you. It has been proven that athletes who mentally practised through visualization registered the same results on their muscles as those who did so in real time. Our ability to breathe correctly is very important. When stressed, we shift to shallow breathing. The following is a method to breathe more fully. As with any breathing technique, stop if you feel light-headed or faint. You can learn to breathe from the belly up through to the lungs. If you place your hand on your stomach above the navel, your hand should rise as you inhale. It is the way singers are trained to breathe. Then exhale slowly through slightly pursed lips, as if you were going to gently blow a feather away from you. Keep your hand on your belly and let your belly slowly deflate. Repeat, as able, three times. It takes a bit of practice, but is a good way to reduce stress. If a crisis happens, remember that you have prepared. Take some time to assess the crisis. Steady, normal breathing. Don’t hyperventilate. Your brain is your biggest weapon and tool. Think it through before responding. Respond don’t react. Don’t give up. Your instinct is to survive. Use that instinct. Focus on success and survival. You are stronger than you know. Don’t let panic and fear drive the humanity out of you, especially in a protracted crisis. We want to survive, but it isn’t necessary to be cruel. When the crisis is over, you will have to live with your choices. Remember to check on family and friends who may be struggling and watch for signs of stress in them. Help them so that they can remain a stable part of the family or community team. Remember that events, like people, have their season in our lives. The tough times will end, the crisis will pass. When you stand there, after it’s over, stand tall and be proud of yourself. You survived. Read More 18 45 Advice Cross training prepping skills to better prepare the family or group UbiqueContributor - March 16, 2021 I worked in truck transport at one point in my life, staffing, training and managing the office of two trucking companies, in addition to my other duties of load audits. Before I assumed that position, the staff wasn’t cross trained. Only one person could do one job. If someone was away ill, then that position ground to a halt. This wasn’t a good thing for the fast paced environment of truck transport. I had worked my way through various positions, creating a couple of my own positions along the way and finally was asked to step into this management roll, so I understood the demands of various jobs and the skills required. I also knew that with good cross training and training manuals that it would be possible to have that office running smoothly, no matter who was away. The staff loved the idea of cross training. It gave them a chance to learn new skills and relieve some of the job fatigue that can come with doing the same tasks every day. It also was good for morale, because the staff grew closer as a team, because they could empathize with the challenges of each other’s duties. The team work took on a life of it’s own when people, who had time, would call out “anyone need a hand?” Often in families or groups of people that prep together, people assume roles. I do this and you do that. I take care of this and you manage that. Sometimes that happens because people don’t always like to do certain things and are more than happy to have someone else take responsibility for it. But, what happens if, during a crisis or disaster, one of the family or group becomes injured, ill or even dies? What if they are unable to cope with their responsibilities due to stress? That is why training manuals with clear concise instructions are important. The manuals should be printed on paper and organized with drive back up if it is wanted. A binder, however, is not electricity dependent. Every family member should be hands on cross trained to perform critical functions, even children can be trained on a common sense and age appropriate basis. You would be surprised what children can do if properly taught. I drove a tractor at 6 years old. The training binder acts as a back up guide if someone needs to step into a role and forgets or balks because they are unsure of something. You will know that your instructions are clear by how well the person can follow them on their own. Break the task down into steps and order them. Keep the instructions consistent in language and terms used and in presentation or arrangement of how information is presented on paper. Technical communication is not easy to do well. It was one of the toughest writing courses I ever took because it is far more than about the writing. However, you can look up info on how to do it well and get your family cross trained. If everyone is cross trained, as in physical cross training, you and your family become more fit and strong as preppers. Read More 6 13 AdviceSkills War with China – thoughts and how to prepare LNMOt - March 15, 2021 One of the scenarios I am starting to seriously consider for preparedness is a potential war with China. A few questions: Is a potential war with China on your list of what you are preparing for? If no, why not? If yes, why? (looking for additional information to round out my viewpoints) Regardless of whether you agree or disagree this is a scenario worth preparing for, what are some thoughts and suggestions on specifically how to prepare for this scenario? So much of what we rely on in the United States is made in China, or has components that are made in China. There is the cyber-attack potential by China during a conflict. It’s blowing my mind a bit trying to work my way through this scenario and anticipate what shortages of goods there might be and impacts to all things online due to cyberattacks (online banking, the grid, etc). Thanks in advance for your thoughts and perspectives! Read More 9 11 Prepper home safety – how to prevent and avoid accidents in the home during a crisis. UbiqueContributor - March 14, 2021 In a pandemic, many of us prefer not to attend a hospital or medical setting. If going to a hospital or clinic is necessary, fine, but we try to avoid creating situations where we have to go. There are many other types of crisis that would evoke the same response from us. We want to stay safe in our homes and avoid mishaps and accidents. No one wants to compound an already challenging situation with an infection or broken leg or severe burns or medication overdose or interaction. I thought of my grandmother who had caught the side of her leg on a metal washtub. The jagged piece of metal had been there for a while, but no one fixed or did something so that she wouldn’t tear her leg on it and that is exactly what happed. Her leg infected, to the point of being almost gangrenous (as my Dad told it). When he came to the house after meeting Mom, he saw grandmothers’ leg and grabbed his kit. He poured the powdered sulpha that the soldiers carried straight into the hole in her leg. He stopped the infection and when she died later, she still had the leg. Today, I thought about various mishaps that can occur in our homes and property if in a house and decided to become proactive about addressing any areas of concern, but first I had to make a list of potentially hazardous situations. This list does not include every potential hazard or risk. All other ideas, suggestions or discussion welcome. My second office job was in insurance, in the claims department. Most claims for the household were fires and fire and/or smoke damage that originated in the kitchen and were fires started by leaving unattended pots, usually with grease, on the unattended burner. Pot handles sticking out instead of turned so as not to catch someone’s clothing, can cause serious burns if the pot comes down on them or anyone near by. Fire extinguishers and large boxes of baking soda as backup for kitchen fires. Good quality pot holders can prevent burns and the possible complication of infection. Dull knives are dangerous. Sharp knives slice properly and don’t slip the way a dull knife will. Cuts are a vector point for infection or a serious wound where it is hard to staunch the bleeding. Cook food well done. A gut infection is not a good thing to have at anytime. Battery operated carbon monoxide alarm on all levels. Test them monthly and have backup batteries for them on hand. Smoke detectors on all levels and back up batteries for them. Fix any trip hazards such as loose carpets, rugs or other flooring. Solid hand rails on all stairs, preferably a hand rail on each side of stairs. Hand grips in shower and bath areas. A person I know slipped and fell in a glass walled shower and was seriously injured with injuries that would be a challenge in the best conditions. Bath mats for the floor of the shower but watch the mats that can actually float on the tub floor rather then grip it. Be careful the first few times trying a new bath mat. Watch electrical or extension cords laying around or anything that can be a trip hazard. That is not just the domain of the infirm or aged. A broken hip can happen to anyone. Wear eye protection in the home if doing anything that can compromise your vision. Keep your home in good repair and maintenance, including heating systems and plumbing, and electrical. By doing that in the best of times, you will be in a better position to survive the event without something breaking down where parts may not be easily available or an item be easily repairable. If in a damp climate, a good dehumidifier can keep your home at the right humidity and help prevent mould growth. For areas prone to heavy rainfall, grading the yard to slope it away from house is important. The water can flow away from the house in down spouts (or into rain barrels if collecting water for drainage. Also for heavy rainfall, a sump pump to pull water away from the home and a sewer back flow valve keeps overloaded systems from backing sewage up into your basement. Rodent traps in case of rodents driven to other areas by a disaster that could go after your preps and carry disease. Fleas on rats was how the Bubonic Plague happened and mouse droppings can carry the Hanta Virus. Watch for droppings or signs of packages being chewed. If you see one rat, beware because that is how they migrate. If the rat colony gets too large, the older rats send a younger one off to find another place. If that rat returns, then the other rats splitting off from the colony follow the first one back and instantly there is major infestation. If the first rate is prevented from going back, the rats will try another location. Medications, cleaning products and anything poisonous needs to be in locked cabinets or child-proof or in tamper proof cabinets for children or infirm persons in your care or who those who might SIP/BO and remain with you for all or part of the crisis. The same applies to guns and ammo or any other weapons safety. It can get overwhelming SIP/BO and mistakes can happen. People are tired and stressed and can make mistakes. If anyone SIP/BO with you, ensure they know to practice good gun safety also. Read More 11 21 Advice Stages of criminal behaviour during a disaster UbiqueContributor - March 14, 2021 I believe that during a disaster, criminal behaviour will become evident in three stages, as law and order is impaired by the disaster and the effects of the disaster unfold over time. In the first stage, opportunistic criminals with a demonstrated criminal past, or those who have committed crimes but have not been caught, will be the first to react to a disaster occupied law enforcement and society. These persons will encompass a range of everything from thieves to violent or sadistic criminals, including persons who require regular psychiatric medication to control their violent or lethal tendencies. The first stage criminals have no respect for law or boundaries and have proven so by their respective behaviours well before the disaster occurred. The second stage criminals are the persons who do not have an existing criminal record or have not engaged in criminal behaviour prior to the crisis. They are the persons with criminal minds and tendencies toward criminal behaviour who have not acted upon their thinking for fear of imprisonment or other punitive measures. In a disaster, they become the “new criminals” who will act upon the crimes of their fantasies or thoughts for the first time. These persons can devolve quickly and are very unpredictable, especially the range of violence for which they can become capable. The third stage criminals are law abiding citizens who under the duress of survival can become thieves and potentially violent. They are also very dangerous because they are driven by fear. They can kill unintentionally because of a twitchy trigger finger mixed with adrenaline. A desperate parent who wants food for their family is no less dangerous than the criminals of the first and second stage. The third stage criminals, like the first stage criminals, don’t care about the consequences of breaking the law. The only difference between them is motivation. Third stage criminals are people desperate to survive. How would you prepare mentally and physically for handling these stages of criminal behaviour? Read More 4 14 < Prev 1 2 3 … 47 48 49 … 60 61 62 Next > Recently Active News for the week of 2025-07-14 - 1 day agoNews for the week of 2025-07-07 - 1 week agoFun ways to teach kids outdoor/survival skills - 2 weeks agoNews for the week of 2025-06-30 - 2 weeks agoNews for the week of 2025-06-23 - 3 weeks ago RULES This forum is heavily moderated to keep things valuable to as many people as possible. Full community policies are here. The basics: 1. Be nice to each other. 2. Stay focused on prepping. 3. Avoid politics, religion, and other arguments. 4. No unfounded conspiracies, fake news, etc. 5. Debate ideas, not people. FILTER Show all Advice Gear Meta News Scenarios Skills

Generators?

Jonnie PekelnyContributor - March 28, 2021

I’ve been trying to get my head around generators. (Disclaimer: I am almost entirely ignorant abut electricity and am not very handy).

The immediate need that’s driving my need for a generator is that I need an off-the-grid backup for running my CPAP machine. For those of you who don’t know about CPAP, it treats sleep apnea. No CPAP no good sleep. That’s bad in an emergency. My CPAP machine is rather power hungry and I’ll have to buy a sizeable capacity lithium battery to run it for one night. But then I will need to recharge it. As I understand the best way to recharge it is with a generator. But here’s where I get stuck.

A generator seems tricky and dangerous.

* It can’t run inside. It has to be 20 feet away from the house but my outside property is very small and also on a hill and also exposed so that the generator could be easily seen and and maybe stolen outside. Even if not stolen I don’t know where I would place it to be 20 feet away from the house and how I would keep it secure on a slope.

* It requires gas or propane, which also has to be stored outside, also somewhat visible and possibly easily stolen and also explosive. Do I want to keep an explosive gas right near my house? How do I store it safely? I already have this problem with the little propane canisters I keep for my camping stove. I’ve opted to store those in my basement, which I’m not supposed to do technically, because I don’t know where else to put them safely.

* And if I’m camping (which is my secondary reason to want an off-grid solution for my CPAP) do I bring a bunch of gas or propane with me on my camping trip to feed the generator?

I also don’t know how long a generator takes to recharge a battery to capacity.

I would really appreciate guidance from someone who is competent about generators.

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ticks, why do they exist?

pint of beer - March 28, 2021

i was going to attach a picture of a tick, but was creeped out by just the image of it and couldn’t keep looking at them.

this is one of my fears of camping, bugging out, and just being out in the woods. nasty lil blood suckers, why do they even exist? bird’s probably aren’t getting much nutrition off of them. i think they are just around to be a creepy pest and to keep me out of the woods.

to the point now, what can people do to prevent ticks? both the day hiker and the person bugging out in a tent in the middle of no where for months? 

what are the dangers of getting bit by one besides the fact that they are creepy as h***?

if, heaven forbid, someone were to get bit by one of these abominations, how do you remove it? i’ve heard you have to do it just right or the head breaks off and stays connected to you. gosh!

can you tell i don’t like ticks?

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Advice

Learn how to persevere during a crisis before the crisis happens

UbiqueContributor - March 27, 2021

“TOO WEAK!” The dojo walls echoed the screams of our instructor.

We were in formation, row upon row of exhausted, sweat soaked students. He stalked up and down the rows, and around the perimeter of the class, his eagle eye catching every imperfect punch or kick.

The worst offense was not to train hard enough. If one person was lax, everyone was punished. The penalties were double knee jumps or pushups or both.

“DOUBLE KNEE JUMPS NOW! ONE, TWO, ONE, TWO!” 

The count was rapid and relentless.

We soared in the stifling heat, strained to send our bodies upward, and drew our knees up into our chests. As soon as our feet hit the floor, the rapid pace of his count drove us back up again. 

Over and over we repeated the movement in the sweltering heat of the dojo. It was situated in an old building without air conditioning and we trained upstairs. The heat of the hot summer day rose to where we trained and combined with the thermal energy that radiated from our bodies.

Thirty seconds of double knee jumps at his pace was brutal. Sixty seconds was an indication that our instructor was really annoyed with the lazy offender in class.

No one complained because the double knee jumps were better than the bamboo rod that used to be administered for not training hard enough.

Regular training consisted of warm-up, calisthenics and flexibility. We rotated through an assortment of skills: kicks, punches, patterns, sparring, and heavy bag training.

In almost every class, his corrections would rise above the thunder of feet hitting the dojo floor or the kiyups yelled in unison. “HAAAHHH!” The kiyups rose from deep in our bellies and up, and tightened our solar plexus as the sound blasted out of our mouths.

One of our instructor’s preferred verbal admonishments was to stop the class and tell us “What will you do in a fight for your lives? Are you going to tell your opponent that you are tired and need to take a break? Do you think your opponent will stop? NO! TOO WEAK! NOW TRAIN HARDER!”

His point was simple: learn to push beyond what you think you can do because it can save your life or someone else’s life someday.

I pushed myself through many limits during my training. Even my experience with “runners’ wall” during my running days was nothing like what I learned in that class.
 
I experienced what it meant to literally drop during a heavy bag workout. While I was being dragged off the floor and checked for cardiac by a fellow student who happened to be a physician, my thoughts were to get back in there and keep going.

I chose knuckle push ups over the other type of push up allowed for women because they strengthened my wrists. 

My preferred sparring partners were men. Sparring with taller men taught me to become fast and proficient with my kicks. I learned to overcome their longer limbs by getting in close past that radius.

I favored sparring partners who listened to me when I told them to forget you’re sparring with a female. I wanted to desensitize myself to the image of a larger and more powerful male coming at me and overcome that difference in combat.

Beneath my gi (uniform) was a road map of bruises from torn muscles and sparring. Not every student pushed that hard. I chose to push hard and train hard at the dojo and at home.

Tenacity or perseverance is something we can develop by challenging ourselves to continue in the face of adversity. It is an asset for a prepper.

It is a trait that we can rely upon in times of crisis, and if resources are stretched thin, it becomes a very important asset.

Tenacity can make the difference between survival and death.

Think about why some people give up just before they succeed. Just before they overcome a problem, some people stop trying, stop fighting and they just give up.

You don’t have to be a martial artist to learn tenacity. Push yourself every day to do better, to carry on when you are tired, to complete the task when you’re overwhelmed and frustrated. Just keep going. Don’t give up.

Don’t wait until there is a crisis to develop this trait. You can practice and learn tenacity each and every day. 

Don’t be the one who gives up just before the finish line, or before the battle is won, or before the crisis is over. Persevere and survive.

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The prepping items that we regret buying and why

UbiqueContributor - March 26, 2021

Remember the nifty prepping gadget or shiny “gotta have it” object begging to be added to our prep items. Like crows, we swooped in and snatched it up and carried it off, only to discover it was garbage.

It wasn’t well made and broke after we used it 3 times. It didn’t do all the wonderful things it was supposed to do. It was a pain in the neck to use and more aggrevation that it was worth.

That regrettable prep item purchase was recycled, thrown out, buried in the backyard or gifted to an unsuspecting relative.

So come on now, ‘fess up. We’ve all done it. What was the worst prep related item that you ever purchased and why?

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Advice

Intuition, Nature and Prepping

UbiqueContributor - March 26, 2021

This morning, I thought of how many times I have used intuition and nature as part of how I prep.

Intuition can be considered the ability to understand or know something immediately, without conscious reasoning.

I was raised in a family of intuitive people, which made it difficult to get away with anything as a child. Their abilities went beyond parental instinct.

I was taught to pay attention to my intuition and use my instincts for the ability to do something about what my intuition noticed.

I thought everyone’s family was like my family and never considered it unusual, until as an adult outside my family unit, I acted upon my instincts. That was when other people noticed and I found out we didn’t quite follow the norm.

For example, I would get a sudden mental flash that a friend was in trouble and call them. The conversation went something like this:

Me: “Are you okay?”

Friend: “No, I’m not…wait a minute, how did you know?”

The friend was particularly surprised because I had called her at 3 a.m.. I had awoken out of a dead sleep to respond. I was surprised also.

That was the point when I realized that not everyone paid attention to their intuition or used their instincts. This is not to say that I always got it right. It took some years for me to understand how to focus some of that intuition on protecting myself.

I was also taught to pay attention to nature and be mindful of the physical world around me by using all my senses.

It was the smell of snow, of the shift in the air when Spring had really arrived. It was about observing how animals behaved in different seasons. Were the squirrels out longer gathering food? How heavy was the moss on the trees that year? Were the horses suddenly running because a storm was coming or was it something else?

Nature has a way of telling us things if we pay attention.
There have been many times when I make decisions to do something prep related that can appear spontaneous, but are actually driven by intuition and nature combined.

For example, regardless of the weather forecast, I can decide to go immediately to do a grocery shop rather than wait for the planned for time and day.

This has happened in fall and spring stock up times. There have been many storms I have avoided by simply following that intuition and paying attention to what I sensed in nature and not the weather forecast.

When I lived in the city and could frequent thrift stores more easily, I did the same thing, a sudden decision to go because I had that flash of intuition that told me go now. Sure enough, I would find an item I had been searching for and needed for my preps.

Now in a rural area, it works the same way for online shopping. I can be in the middle of baking bread, stop cold and check online for an item I have been searching for and there it is, on sale.

I use intuition alone for dealing with safety and security issues. Again, I can awaken out of a sleep to check security cameras and there are people on the street or in the back lane.

I don’t think I’m the only one who does this. I have a theory that we all have the ability to be intuitive, but many people are not taught to pay attention to their intuition and nature as I was taught.

So, this morning my curiosity leads me to ask whether anyone else uses their intuition as part of how they prep, and if so, how?

I also wonder if anyone else understands what I mean about reading the signs in nature and if so, how does that affect how you prep?

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Advice

NWS weather forecast model upgraded

Bob - March 25, 2021

https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2021/03/25/607109.htm

Our complaints were heard and acted on ! The National Weather Service was using a model that did not work – especially when compared to the European model. Above link tells of the change.

Traditionally, the US model for hurricanes measures only wind speed.  This misses the bigger danger: flooding.  Our loss of life is not coming from the wind but from the water.

  

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How we can teach children and youth prepping skills

UbiqueContributor - March 25, 2021

“They should teach this in the schools.” 

I have read that comment referring to prepping skills repeatedly, or some variation of it, in various threads and have said the same thing myself.

Emergency preparedness doesn’t appear to be taught in school. 

Note: Please say so if you know that it is, because I would like to know how that community got it into the curriculum.

If it isn’t taught in school, then that leaves the parents and the home environment as the place where preparedness is taught.

In an ideal world, prepping would be taught at school and at home.

If we think of prepping as a lifestyle, then it follows that children and youth at home would grow up with that mind set and philosophy.

It is possible that as they emerge into adulthood, they might reject that lifestyle. They might also return to a prepping lifestyle eventually.

Regardless of whether they reject it or not, at least as adults they would have roots in prepping and develop some basic skills and knowledge.

There are exceptions where some parents are not suitable in the role of teacher. A parent who doesn’t recognize their limitation and unsuitability as a teacher can destroy their child’s love of learning.

Every child or youth learns in different ways. Some children are “hands on” learners, others lean more toward self-teaching, while others like to observe and learn.

To be an effective teacher, a parent must understand this and adapt their teaching style to suit the child. A frustrated child will soon grow to hate learning if it becomes associated with unpleasantness and stress rather than the joy of learning and discovery.

I am not a fan of “everybody’s a winner” methodology used in some schools. 

Children need to understand that they will make mistakes and that is another feature of learning. It also prepares them for how things will work once they are employed or self-employed. 

If the parents are not suitable to teach and they know it, then what?

Fortunately, there is a broad base of substitute teachers who can work with the family’s philosophy of prepping and help out.

Other family members, prepping friends, groups such as Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, survival skill courses, for example. There are family farms who open their farms to people who want to take a vacation and participate in a working family farm.

Most of us keep our prepping low key, but it is still possible to have a neighbour, family or friends outside the prepping community to teach your child how to fish, hunt, sew, bake bread, garden, animal husbandry, first aid, and financial skills, without disclosing that these skills are about prepping.

You could call them life skills or wanting your child involved in the environment and understanding where their food comes from. Frankly, after the walloping big lesson Covid-19 has taught the world, I don’t think too many people would even question a parent wanting their child to learn those skills.

This morning I am wondering who here is teaching their prepping skills to their children or grandchildren and if so, what has your experience been as a teacher of these skills and lifestyle? Was the experience always successful or did you learn things along the way?

Have some of your children rejected the prepping lifestyle? If so, do you know why?

Outside of volunteering, what are some ways we can lead by example and encourage prepping? Are we noticing the opportunity to teach when it happens?

Can you think of other ways we can teach prepping skills?

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AdviceSkills

Peaches in the spring

RedneckContributor - March 24, 2021

Sometimes prepping is beautiful.  A big part of my prepping are my perennials.  I grow all sorts, mostly apples but also pears, Asian persimmons, pecans, blueberries, blackberries, muscadine grapes, jujubi, asparagus… and peaches which are blooming now.  IMO, few things are as beautiful and taste so great when ripened on the tree.  Was spraying the orchard & roses today and just had to take some pictures.

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Mitigation: How to reduce the cause, impact and severity of disasters around your home

UbiqueContributor - March 23, 2021

I read through some FEMA information this morning about the four phases of the emergency management cycle.

The four phases are: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.

I considered some of the projects that have been done around my home and property over the years that have mitigated disasters or the effects of one.

The trees on my property were in terrible shape when we moved in. Most of them were planted close to the house and planted too close to each other. Some of the trees were dying and partly rotted and others had huge branches over the top of the roof of the house.

We get can get high winds and tornadoes and I was very concerned about the potential for how my home and a neighbour’s home could be damaged by such an event.

Trees have a life cycle and it is important to know that when selecting them for your property, especially a town or city lot. Watch also for roots systems that can infiltrate sewer lines.

Tree branches over a roof or close to a roof are not good for a variety of reasons. Branches that actually touch the roof can destroy your shingles. The branches can become too close when they are heavy with ice, snow or moisture and then sag lower and touch the roof.

Squirrels and other critters are fun to watch from a distance, but give them a tree branch close enough to your home and they will scurry up that branch and find a way into your attic. Squirrels are amazing high wire acrobats and can jump 15 feet (some sources say more or less), so that needs to be considered when pruning back branches or planting.

Aside from damage to the home, squirrels can carry diseases. Some of the more common diseases they carry are tularaemia, typhus, plague and ringworm which can be transmitted through a bite or other forms of direct contact with infected squirrels. 

I called in a tree service and had all the trees removed.

High wind, tornado and potential for rodent damage mitigated.

Next, there was the issue of poorly graded property. We can get heavy rains, more so now in recent years with “once in a 100, (insert years – it keeps changing) events.”

During a heavy rain, I discovered water pouring into one of the basement windows.

I had both basement windows replaced with properly installed window wells around them. I then installed window well covers. 

I noticed after the heavy rain exactly where the water was pooling on the property. The next project to tackle was the issue of our poorly graded residential lot.

Residential lot grading is shaping and grading the land to direct surface runoff away from your home in a way that doesn’t affect neighbouring properties. .

Aside from standing water and flooding, improperly graded residential lots can cause foundation settlement or damage and basement dampness. Dampness is not good for prep storage.

Here is a link for an overview of lot grading. Each community will have their own rules. Where I live, no permit was necessary. However, some communities require a permit.

Residential drainage

After 5 truck loads of soil, and becoming very acquainted with my landscape rake, the lot was correctly sloped and graded. Swales and drainage channels were the final component to ensure that rain water and moisture from melting snow drained away from the house. The water now flows to the street and back lane via grade and drainage channels on each side of the lot.

I also had larger drainage pipe from the gutters installed to allow for better and more rapid flow of water during storms and heavy rains. No more overflowing gutters. Risk of flooding and water infiltration around the home and property now mitigated.

After the water table rose due to heavy rains, I had my plumber install a sump pit and pump to move water away from below the foundation and ease hydrostatic pressure. There are other methods, but this was recommended as a good first line of defence and it has worked very well over the years.

At the same time, I also had a sewer back flow valve installed on my sewer line. Our town has the storm drains tied into the sanitary sewer system. This is not the correct way to do it and not all communities may be built that way. It is wise to check especially in older rural towns with municipal sewer and water.

If however, your sewer lines back up for any reason, this valve is well worth having in place. One woman I knew with heavy rains in another town, had over four feet of sewage in her basement. Her massive, fully stocked chest freezer was floating.

During heavy rains, some homes in town had flooded basements. Many people were trying to hide the fact that their homes were being flooded. Instead of correctly pumping the water out of their basement and away from their property, they were pumping into their basement storm drains.

The problem is that when so many of them did that, they overloaded the sewer lines causing sewage to flow back into basements. My basement stayed clean and dry. Installing that sewer back flow valve on my home has paid for itself many times over.

We have had many heavy rain years and I don’t have to worry about sewage backing up into my basement. Preps safe and sound and potential for disaster mitigated.

Those are a few of the steps I have taken over the years to practice hazard mitigation. What kind of steps or projects have you done to mitigate disaster causes, impact or severity around your homes? Are there still projects you want to do to reduce the effects of a disaster?

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AdviceSkills

How to prep and recognize all or nothing thinking

UbiqueContributor - March 23, 2021

In my ten year journey to learn to manage PTSD symptoms, I encountered some terrific therapists.

Mary Ellen was a warm, caring person capable of the most deadpan delivery of practical and common sense advice.

I was stuck in a forty year old memory. A person had attempted to murder me three different ways in one night. We were trying to work through the fear and nightmares I still had of that incident.

One session, Mary Ellen asked me “How old were you when it happened?” 

I answered “Around nineteen or twenty-years old.”

“How old was he?”

“He was thirty-eight years old?”I answered.

“Okay, so today, that makes him, what, seventy-eight years old, right?”

“Well, yeah,” I answered.

“Do you think you could take him today?” Mary Ellen asked.

The light bulb went off, or should I say “on” in my head.

“Hell, yeah!” I shouted. “You bet I could take him now.”

Mary Ellen showed me that I was stuck in the past, while the years had rolled by. The man who terrorized my sleep and had caused me so much fear of ever encountering him again, had aged, as had I.

My thoughts and thinking had kept me trapped in time.

Some effects of the trauma still remains, but the image of him as he attacked me that night is gone.

I tell you this because it is an example of how our thinking can change everything.

This is very important in prepping and when were are coping with a crisis. It is also important in the aftermath of a crisis.

How we think and what we think can keep us “stuck.”

Mary Ellen used to call me out on “all or nothing” thinking. It is also referred to as thinking in “black and white” terms. “You’re doing it again,” she would tell me.

She taught me to catch and correct thinking that considers only two options, one or the other, and doesn’t see the shades of grey in situations. It is a very limiting way to think.

All or nothing thinking involves thinking in absolute terms: never, ever, always.

It can also happen when we place “either or” limits on our thinking. For example, my bug out shelter will be either here or there.

If we limit ourselves to those two choices, then we might miss a better option.

When we are stressed it becomes easy to panic and begin to limit our options through all or nothing thinking.

We may think I can or I can’t do something instead of  I can try to do it or I can succeed if I do it this way. All or nothing thinking doesn’t allow for that and focuses on the negative.

If we think in terms of options, rather than “either or,” we can overcome all or nothing thinking. We can substitute “and” for “either or”. I can do this and I can try this as well. 

Our preparedness and reactions can be shaped by decisions made upon a wider spectrum of choices.

There will be many times in our prepping lives where the ability to see and evaluate a wider scope of options will be important, if not, crucial to our plans.

In a crisis, our ability to recognize the limitations of all or nothing thinking may help us survive by alerting us to change this type of self-limiting thinking, expand our options and make a better choice.

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Advice

Are you new to preparedness? Ask whatever you want here!

Robert LarsonContributor - March 23, 2021

In some of the other forums that i’ve been apart of over the years, I’ve been more of a lurker than a contributor because I was so new to the hobby and didn’t want to feel like the annoying new kid who has a million basic questions. 

But I want to offer my expertise here (anyone else can chime in too!) and make this a safe place where everyone and anyone (even seasoned veterans) can ask any question about preparedness no matter how basic, small, or noobish it may be.

Your question might not be that big of a question to make a whole new forum thread about, but you can ask it here.

I find a lot of joy and satisfaction helping others and sharing what I know, so please ask away 🙂

-Be Prepared-

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In some of the other forums that i’ve been apart of over the years, I’ve been more of a lurker than a contributor because I was so new to the hobby and didn’t want to feel like the annoying new kid who has a million basic questions. 

Steps to take to solve a problem

UbiqueContributor - March 23, 2021

Coping with a disaster in real time requires response. If we have prepped wisely, then our responses will be appropriate.

However, there may be times during a disaster when we are called upon to solve problems that may arise.

Even with good preps in place, a disaster may demand much physical and intense labour. We may be forced to push ourselves physically and there is no time to eat, drink or rest. It is possible to become sleep deprived, hungry, dehydrated, injured, ill, or incredibly stressed.

Imagine that scenario and then imagine problems cropping up and the need to solve them.

There are different methods for teaching problem solving steps. I prefer these steps and wanted to share them with you:

Step 1: Identify and define the problem.

It isn’t possible to solve a problem if you don’t clearly understand the problem. You need to be able to correctly identify the problem first.

Step 2: Brainstorm possible solutions.

A brainstorm is simply jotting down any possible solutions that appear reasonable and come to mind.

If you do this as a group or family, everyone calls out their suggestions, without stopping to critique or comment upon them. Just keep the momentum going and list the ideas.

Step 3: Consider and evaluate the list of possible solutions.

Now is the time for discussion if in a group or family or reflection if you are along and doing this.

Step 4: Select a possible solution to try. 

Try the solution.

Step 5: Evaluate the solution.

Did it solve the problem?

Step 6: If the problem is not solved, repeat Step 4.

Go back through the list of possible solutions and select another one to try.

Step 7: If you try all the possible solutions and the problem is not solved, then

a) Go back and review how you identified the problem. Perhaps the problem is not accurately or fully defined.

If you discover this has happened, adjust the definition of the problem and repeat the steps.

Or

b) Accept that the problem may not be solvable at this time.

There may be problems that occur during a crisis that are not solvable at that particular point in time. Consider that the problem may be solvable at a different time and then try again later.

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What is your Get Home Plan?

UbiqueContributor - March 22, 2021

The issue of bugging out is a much discussed topic. We focus on what gear to put in our BOBs and then load into our BOV. 

Has anyone made a Get Home Plan, or even considered it?

What if you or your family are separated? Do you each know how to work a Get Home Plan? Do your children know?

I’m not planning BO, but am prepping for that option just in case. What I haven’t done is make a Get Home Plan and that is now on my get ‘er done list.

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Advice

Prepare for a disaster and know the risks

UbiqueContributor - March 21, 2021

I posted yesterday about a case of a nasty emergent syndrome that is in New Brunswick.

We prep and cover various gear and necessary for life items like water, food, clothing, and shelter.

Has anyone considered the risk factors for the scenarios/disasters for which you prep?

If so, have you considered changes to any of those risks and changed how you prep or plan to prep going forward?

After what I read yesterday, for how long it took to make this progressive and deadly neurological syndrome public, after an internal memo was leaked and for the additional information that I posted on that thread today, that my prepping is never going to be the same.

I am prepping now for risk as well as scenario. I am also prepping for what is not being released to the public and will continue my habit of medical research reading. It is how I got ahead on shoring up preps before Covid-19 was front and center in the media.

New and emergent diseases, viruses and syndromes. Contaminated food, water and air.

The risk has always been there and just got worse because we aren’t always the first to know. I am prepping accordingly. 

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AdviceScenarios

Today in history – March 18 – The New London School explosion and why natural gas has added odors

OldHouseGirl - March 20, 2021

Today is the anniversary of one of the worse disasters in US history that happened in Texas in 1937. Sadly, most people have never heard of it. It’s the reason you can now smell when there’s a gas leak. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_London_School_explosion

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Scenarios

Under-counter water filters

JRoll - March 19, 2021

Hi All,

I’ve been researching under-counter water filters after seeing an ad for Hydroviv. I found several articles on other prepping sites that recommend Epic Smart Shield over the Hydroviv. I’m curious if any folks here have experience with either of these filters and could provide some insight? I’m also open to other filter brands if you have recommendations. 

Background: I live in the Southeast and am on city water. 

Thanks!

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AdviceGear

Staying entertained during a power outage

Jay ValenciaContributor - March 19, 2021

If the power were to go out for a week, I think my family’d be able to survive. Definitely need to think up a good way to cook off grid, but besides that, I think we should be fine.

I was watching my kids this week and how they entertained themselves, and hey even my wife and I are guilty of this, we all tend to go to electronics for our entertainment. Phones, tv, video games, radio, podcasts, etc… 

What are some ways to keep the family entertained during a week long power outage?

We have quite the collection of board games, which will help some nights.

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Our well was down for a week. General observations.

Thomas GomezStaff - March 18, 2021

I live in a rural part of New Mexico, and our well was recently down for a week. Unbeknownst to us, our pressure tank and buried lines were leaking due to the system’s age and were made worse by the recent spate of cold weather much of the country experienced. We currently share a well with our neighbor, and we both have young children and a pregnant spouse. Save for the well shaft and submersible pump, the whole system was torn out and re-done.

General observations 

Last summer, I installed gutters and five 50-gallon rain barrels. This was a good prep! We used this water to flush toilets. Between my neighbor and I, we used about 70 gallons of water to flush toilets.  Though we have 55 gallons of clean, potable water in reserve, we elected to purchase water from the store for drinking, cooking, cleaning, coffee and tea.  We went into the City every other day to shower.  Over the week, we went through several rolls of paper towels. Paper towels were great for wiping down surfaces and drying off hands and cooking implements.  Since we didn’t have hot water, dishes stacked up like crazy.  Teflon/non-stick pans were a godsend. To clean them after use, we just added some water, heated it on the stove, then wiped it down with a paper towel. I only cooked with our non-stick pans during the week.  To get our well back up cost $7,000. My spouse and I regularly contribute to an emergency/rainy day fund, and we have been planning for a well failure for over a decade. We did not feel a burden, because we were financially prepared. Here is an excellent article about financial prepping.   Lack of running water generally destroyed my work efficiency. It is hard to concentrate when coordinating with well crews, plumbers, inspectors, neighbors and setting aside time to drive into the city for showers, food, and provisions. If you have a busy life, expect a major setback on all of your projects.  

Improvements

I want to store 100 gallons of potable, clean, readily accessible water. We are going to add an additional 55-gallon drum of stored water to our preps.  I am looking into an on-demand system for hot water and bathing. These systems are used by campers. I will probably write an article about these systems in the future.    Since we couldn’t easily do dishes, I am going to add some bio-degradable paper plates and bowls to our preps.  Our rain barrels quickly fill up. This year I plan on burying a thousand-gallon tank under my deck and building an overflow system to drain into the storage tank. That would give us a 1,250 gallons of stored water. Since we have a septic tank on our property, I am going to design an outhouse that can be quickly built over one of the septic tank access points. This would save a lot of water since we wouldn’t need to flush toilets. Just build an outhouse with a solar light and a hand washing station, and poo and pee right into the septic tank.  Certain well components need a heat source to prevent freezing during the winter. I need to find a solar powered heat source to prevent critical well components from freezing in the event of a grid failure.  Buying a Big Berkey counter top water filter ASAP. 

Overall it was a good experience and gave me some data points in the event of a grid failure or catastrophe.  Feel free to share your thoughts below. 

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The future of prepping

UbiqueContributor - March 18, 2021

This morning I sifted through World War II lessons about preparedness and thought about how often I look to the lessons of the past for guidance as I plan and prep.

Then my mind drifted back to yesterday when I walked into the living room and happened to catch part of an episode of Battlebots. I stopped and was transfixed by the robots whirring around the arena battling each other with an assortment of weaponry.

I thought, hmm, we have restrictive gun laws here. I wonder if a couple of those could be good for exterior security and defence? I could just turn them loose in the yard like a couple of deranged Roomba’s on steroids. Those flame throwers would put more than one intruder on the run if the SHTF.

I must have thought out loud, because my husband said: “you’ve been prepping for too long.”

So, apparently my prepping mind isn’t all Grandmother stories and history. Why would it be when I love science fiction and would seriously learn Klingon as a second language?

I like thinking about the future. And why not, when much of prepping concerns the future and preparing for future crises and disasters?

I wondered what preparedness will look like in five, ten, or even a couple of years from now.

New products are being developed as technology evolves which could change how we prepare.

There are environmental changes that will affect how we prepare. For example, we might have to prioritize water conservation and storage if our area becomes drought prone. It follows that with more arid conditions, the threat of fires could increase. How we garden and the types of crops we grow would also change.

Our future needs will change as we age. Those changes will also affect how we prepare whether we are starting a family, or living in our middle or twilight years.

What will our prepping look like in the future? The basics will still be there, but how do you think it could change?

If environmental disasters worsen, do you see a more expanded concept of  preparedness for yourself? Will you store more items and of greater variety? Or will it be better to be more mobile in order to evade disasters?

Will more people prepare or will disaster overload cause people to become fatalistic and weary of prepping?

Take a walk into the future with me this morning and imagine what the future of prepping might look like for you and for the world.

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Scenarios

Hydra Lights

Lauren - March 18, 2021

Good morning! I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts/experience using hydra lights? Wondering if they work well and if there is one out there that is better than another. Thank you!!

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AdviceGear

Keeping mentally fit while preparing and during a crisis

UbiqueContributor - March 17, 2021

We prepare. We plan. We spend countless hours thinking about our preparations, and hours more researching and reading about how we can do it better.

We worry. Did I miss something? We compare ourselves with other people. I don’t have the gear that the other people have. Or, I can’t afford what everyone else is buying.

We get overwhelmed. There is so much to know and learn. Am I doing it right? Have I made a mistake that will cause a problem later?

We witness tragedies elsewhere and our stress levels rise. Some days it feels like we’ll never be able to go from “prepare” to “prepared”.

I would like to share a few coping strategies I have used while preparing and also during times of crisis. There are many ways to cope, so any other suggestions are much appreciated.

When overwhelmed, remember that you are putting forth your best efforts. Take some time to remember how far you have come.

Remember that sound financial management is part of being prepared. Driving yourself into debt “to keep with the (prepping) Joneses” would accrue items or supplies on one hand, but leave you vulnerable, still stressed and unsoundly prepared on the other hand. 

Mistakes will happen. We are human and not perfect beings. That is why we can take time to review our preps and plans and discuss them with our family members or others who prepare in order to check for possible errors.

Take a good, long walk. Walking is a way to do two things: calm down and find solutions. I get my best ideas on a walk or after I have taken a walk and I am relaxed.

If walking is not an option for you, then visualize yourself doing a walk through a nice area that appeals to you. It has been proven that athletes who mentally practised through visualization registered the same results on their muscles as those who did so in real time.

Our ability to breathe correctly is very important. When stressed, we shift to shallow breathing. 

The following is a method to breathe more fully. As with any breathing technique, stop if you feel light-headed or faint. 

You can learn to breathe from the belly up through to the lungs. If you place your hand on your stomach above the navel, your hand should rise as you inhale. It is the way singers are trained to breathe.

Then exhale slowly through slightly pursed lips, as if you were going to gently blow a feather away from you. Keep your hand on your belly and let your belly slowly deflate. Repeat, as able, three times. It takes a bit of practice, but is a good way to reduce stress.

If a crisis happens, remember that you have prepared. Take some time to assess the crisis.

Steady, normal breathing. Don’t hyperventilate.

Your brain is your biggest weapon and tool. Think it through before responding. Respond don’t react.

Don’t give up. Your instinct is to survive. Use that instinct. Focus on success and survival. You are stronger than you know.

Don’t let panic and fear drive the humanity out of you, especially in a protracted crisis. We want to survive, but it isn’t necessary to be cruel. When the crisis is over, you will have to live with your choices.

Remember to check on family and friends who may be struggling and watch for signs of stress in them. Help them so that they can remain a stable part of the family  or community team.

Remember that events, like people, have their season in our lives. The tough times will end, the crisis will pass. When you stand there, after it’s over, stand tall and be proud of yourself.

You survived.

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Advice

Cross training prepping skills to better prepare the family or group

UbiqueContributor - March 16, 2021

I worked in truck transport at one point in my life, staffing, training and managing the office of two trucking companies, in addition to my other duties of load audits.

Before I assumed that position, the staff wasn’t cross trained. Only one person could do one job. 

If someone was away ill, then that position ground to a halt. This wasn’t a good thing for the fast paced environment of truck transport.

I had worked my way through various positions, creating a couple of my own positions along the way and finally was asked to step into this management roll, so I understood the demands of various jobs and the skills required.

I also knew that with good cross training and training manuals that it would be possible to have that office running smoothly, no matter who was away.

The staff loved the idea of cross training. It gave them a chance to learn new skills and relieve some of the job fatigue that can come with doing the same tasks every day.

It also was good for morale, because the staff grew closer as a team, because they could empathize with the challenges of each other’s duties.

The team work took on a life of it’s own when people, who had time, would call out “anyone need a hand?”

Often in families or groups of people that prep together, people assume roles. I do this and you do that. I take care of this and you manage that.

Sometimes that happens because people don’t always like to do certain things and are more than happy to have someone else take responsibility for it.

But, what happens if, during a crisis or disaster, one of the family or group becomes injured, ill or even dies? What if they are unable to cope with their responsibilities due to stress? 

That is why training manuals with clear concise instructions are important. The manuals should be printed on paper and organized with drive back up if it is wanted. A binder, however, is not electricity dependent.

Every family member should be hands on cross trained to perform critical functions, even children can be trained on a common sense and age appropriate basis. You would be surprised what children can do if properly taught. I drove a tractor at 6 years old. 

The training binder acts as a back up guide if someone needs to step into a role and forgets or balks because they are unsure of something.

You will know that your instructions are clear by how well the person can follow them on their own. Break the task down into steps and order them. Keep the instructions consistent in language and terms used and in presentation or arrangement of how information is presented on paper.

Technical communication is not easy to do well. It was one of the toughest writing courses I ever took because it is far more than about the writing. However, you can look up info on how to do it well and get your family cross trained.

If everyone is cross trained, as in physical cross training, you and your family become more fit and strong as preppers.

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AdviceSkills

War with China – thoughts and how to prepare

LNMOt - March 15, 2021

One of the scenarios I am starting to seriously consider for preparedness is a potential war with China.  A few questions:

Is a potential war with China on your list of what you are preparing for?  If no, why not?  If yes, why? (looking for additional information to round out my viewpoints) Regardless of whether you agree or disagree this is a scenario worth preparing for, what are some thoughts and suggestions on specifically how to prepare for this scenario?

So much of what we rely on in the United States is made in China, or has components that are made in China.  There is the cyber-attack potential by China during a conflict.  It’s blowing my mind a bit trying to work my way through this scenario and anticipate what shortages of goods there might be and impacts to all things online due to cyberattacks (online banking, the grid, etc).  

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and perspectives!

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Prepper home safety – how to prevent and avoid accidents in the home during a crisis.

UbiqueContributor - March 14, 2021

In a pandemic, many of us prefer not to attend a hospital or medical setting. If going to a hospital or clinic is necessary, fine, but we try to avoid creating situations where we have to go.

There are many other types of crisis that would evoke the same response from us. 

We want to stay safe in our homes and avoid mishaps and accidents. No one wants to compound an already challenging situation with an infection or broken leg or severe burns or medication overdose or interaction.

I thought of my grandmother who had caught the side of her leg on a metal washtub. The jagged piece of metal had been there for a while, but no one fixed or did something so that she wouldn’t tear her leg on it and that is exactly what happed.

Her leg infected, to the point of being almost gangrenous (as my Dad told it). When he came to the house after meeting Mom, he saw grandmothers’ leg and grabbed his kit. He poured the powdered sulpha that the soldiers carried straight into the hole in her leg. He stopped the infection and when she died later, she still had the leg. 

Today, I thought about various mishaps that can occur in our homes and property if in a house and decided to become proactive about addressing any areas of concern, but first I had to make a list of potentially hazardous situations. 

This list does not include every potential hazard or risk. All other ideas, suggestions or discussion welcome.

My second office job was in insurance, in the claims department. Most claims for the household were fires and fire and/or smoke damage that originated in the kitchen and were fires started by leaving unattended pots, usually with grease, on the unattended burner.

Pot handles sticking out instead of turned so as not to catch someone’s clothing, can cause serious burns if the pot comes down on them or anyone near by.

Fire extinguishers and large boxes of baking soda as backup for kitchen fires.

Good quality pot holders can prevent burns and the possible complication of infection.

Dull knives are dangerous. Sharp knives slice properly and don’t slip the way a dull knife will. Cuts are a vector point for infection or a serious wound where it is hard to staunch the bleeding.

Cook food well done. A gut infection is not a good thing to have at anytime.

Battery operated carbon monoxide alarm on all levels. Test them monthly and have backup batteries for them on hand.

Smoke detectors on all levels and back up batteries for them.

Fix any trip hazards such as loose carpets, rugs or other flooring.

Solid hand rails on all stairs, preferably a hand rail on each side of stairs.

Hand grips in shower and bath areas. A person I know slipped and fell in a glass walled shower and was seriously injured with injuries that would be a challenge in the best conditions.

Bath mats for the floor of the shower but watch the mats that can actually float on the tub floor rather then grip it. Be careful the first few times trying a new bath mat.

Watch electrical or extension cords laying around or anything that can be a trip hazard. That is not just the domain of the infirm or aged. A broken hip can happen to anyone.

Wear eye protection in the home if doing anything that can compromise your vision.

Keep your home in good repair and maintenance, including heating systems and plumbing, and electrical. By doing that in the best of times, you will be in a better position to survive the event without something breaking down where parts may not be easily available or an item be easily repairable.

If in a damp climate, a good dehumidifier can keep your home at the right humidity and help prevent mould growth.

For areas prone to heavy rainfall, grading the yard to slope it away from house is important. The water can flow away from the house in down spouts (or into rain barrels if collecting water for drainage.

Also for heavy rainfall, a sump pump to pull water away from the home and a sewer back flow valve keeps overloaded systems from backing sewage up into your basement. 

Rodent traps in case of rodents driven to other areas by a disaster that could go after your preps and carry disease. Fleas on rats was how the Bubonic Plague happened and mouse droppings can carry the Hanta Virus. Watch for droppings or signs of packages being chewed.

If you see one rat, beware because that is how they migrate. If the rat colony gets too large, the older rats send a younger one off to find another place. If that rat returns, then the other rats splitting off from the colony follow the first one back and instantly there is major infestation.

If the first rate is prevented from going back, the rats will try another location.

Medications, cleaning products and anything poisonous needs to be in locked cabinets or child-proof or in tamper proof cabinets for children or infirm persons in your care or who those who might SIP/BO and remain with you for all or part of the crisis.

The same applies to guns and ammo or any other weapons safety. It can get overwhelming SIP/BO and mistakes can happen. People are tired and stressed and can make mistakes. If anyone SIP/BO with you, ensure they know to practice good gun safety also.

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Advice

Stages of criminal behaviour during a disaster

UbiqueContributor - March 14, 2021

I believe that during a disaster, criminal behaviour will become evident in three stages, as law and order is impaired by the disaster and the effects of the disaster unfold over time.

In the first stage, opportunistic criminals with a demonstrated criminal past, or those who have committed crimes but have not been caught, will be the first to react to a disaster occupied law enforcement and society.

These persons will encompass a range of everything from thieves to violent or sadistic criminals, including persons who require regular psychiatric medication to control their violent or lethal tendencies.

The first stage criminals have no respect for law or boundaries and have proven so by their respective behaviours well before the disaster occurred.

The second stage criminals are the persons who do not have an existing criminal record or have not engaged in criminal behaviour prior to the crisis.

They are the persons with criminal minds and tendencies toward criminal behaviour who have not acted upon their thinking for fear of imprisonment or other punitive measures.

In a disaster, they become the “new criminals” who will act upon the crimes of their fantasies or thoughts for the first time. These persons can devolve quickly and are very unpredictable, especially the range of violence for which they can become capable.

The third stage criminals are law abiding citizens who under the duress of survival can become thieves and potentially violent. They are also very dangerous because they are driven by fear. 

They can kill unintentionally because of a twitchy trigger finger mixed with adrenaline. A desperate parent who wants food for their family is no less dangerous than the criminals of the first and second stage.

The third stage criminals, like the first stage criminals, don’t care about the consequences of breaking the law. The only difference between them is motivation. Third stage criminals are people desperate to survive.

How would you prepare mentally and physically for handling these stages of criminal behaviour?

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