Share your knowledge & learn from experts
Because prepping and community go hand in hand
When the best laid planters go wrong – a lesson in prepping and patience.
UbiqueContributor - April 8, 2021 I am not an artist. I draw stick people.
That lack of artistic skill doesn’t stop me from sketching my ideas or vision of the finished project.
I have sketches of interior projects and exterior plans. It is uncanny how they have come to fruition. Some of these plans were of long term visions of how I wanted my home and yard to look one day.
Like everyone else, I work with a budget. It has come to represent both the blessing and the curse of limitations raining down on my creative parade.
It is a curse because it delays the joy of seeing the project finished. It is also a blessing for the same reason. There is also joy in the slow unfolding of a vision brought to reality.
And reality is what I bumped into in the last few days with an exterior project that began last year.
Last year the white vinyl raised bed planters I had ordered were delayed. It was understandable given the situation with Covid-19.
Back then, you couldn’t find a bag of flour, yeast, cleaners or toilet paper. For people who hadn’t prepared, it was like striking gold if they were in the right store at the right time and found any of those items. Limit 2.
The planter situation required a rapid adjustment. Enter my husband. He means well, but when he gets involved everything becomes complicated. He didn’t have a project at the time, and was bored, so he decided to help me.
I like to work independently. This is the point where he and I become two children squabbling over the tools. To keep the peace, he got to build the interim wood planters and enclosure to the raised beds while I laid baseboards and did sheet rock in the house.
The finished garden area was okay, but not what I wanted or even close to the sketch I had made. Like the original planters on order that didn’t arrive in time, you can’t always get what you want.
The square foot gardening technique I tried was not something I would do again. I found it too crowded even though I sowed the seed exactly as specified. The enclosure around the perimeter of the raised bed he built was a source of frustration and pain. The panels attached to the raised beds became hair-triggered doors that swung back on their zip tied hinges with just enough velocity to be a nuisance.
The frame that they were attached to was just low enough to smack my head into when I worked in the garden. Every. Single. Time. The wire I wanted for those panels was nowhere to be found, so I settled for chicken wire. When those door panels smacked me, I had to watch that I wasn’t also attached to a stray end of chicken wire. Luckily, my tetanus shot is up to date.
Even my vegetables weren’t what I expected. There was a late cold snap, so I re-seeded and hoped for the best.
The Swiss chard, kale, peas and tomatoes turned out well. But the radishes and beets were a disappointment. They were “all hat, and no horse,” with stunted root development and massive greens on top. The Vidalia onions that I was looking forward to were sad little globes not much larger than what I planted at harvest. From what I could troubleshoot, I had too much nitrogen in the planting mix I made, but I am still not certain.
That was last year. This year I was prepared. Or so I thought.
Over the winter, I bought my husband a router and other tools to keep him busy on his projects and out of mine when Spring arrived.
I drafted new sketches of the planters that I wanted to position at various points around the perimeter of my property for privacy, security and extra food production.
Originally, I wanted white vinyl planters and trellis for appearance and ease of maintenance. The cost to do everything was prohibitive if I wanted to get all of it done this year. So I decided to use lumber and build them.
Everything was organized. Then I called for lumber prices and it all went off the rails. Maintenance free cedar was out of the question, coming in at more than $100.00 CAD for just one of the boards I needed, which left the option of treated wood and painting it white with food safe paint.
I checked into our treated lumber and it is not considered safe for vegetable production. The food safe paint reviews were depressing. I am not repainting every year. My design philosophy for everything in and around the home is to build in long term durability and ease of maintenance plus value added.
So, I approached the problem the same way I do other issues in prepping. I figure out what is most important or necessary to acquire first. Then cost is examined and how to slot the item(s) into my budget is determined. If I want the item faster, then the cost of that item must be reduced or triage of other items changed.
That was when I realized this experience was a good example of how you can’t always get what you want all at once. It takes time to prepare. It takes time to create something worthwhile. Sometimes, a compromise must be made in order to get what you want and how and when you acquire it.
The white vinyl raised beds delivered late last year that became a fixture in my den are as of yesterday arranged in two neat 4’x16′ rows.
I tore the chicken wire enclosure off the other two wood raised beds from last year and have positioned them behind the white vinyl planters. These four planters will become my main vegetable area.
At the very back will be my assortment of beneficial flowers and wildflowers, sown without the limitation of a planter bed.
I ordered 7 white vinyl planters 15″ deep x 3′ wide x 4′ high (with trellis) for the one side of my front yard. They will provide the barrier and privacy I need to establish and come summer filled with flowers and edibles that don’t look like vegetables as part of another prepping experiment.
It only covers the one side, but in time the rest of it will come together, this year or the next.
Preparation prevents panic. I had to remember that motto when my best laid plans went wrong. I don’t prepare and panic. I prepare to avoid panic.
When something goes wrong with our best laid plans (or planters), that’s the time to stop and find another way to achieve our prepping goals.
In this forum, I have read some excellent examples of how people began to prep using items on hand and then, as they were able to, began to change out those items for other items.
There are other people here who also experiment and use prepping as a type of ongoing classroom. I really enjoy the learning aspect of prepping.
Other people have bartered for what they wanted to get.
We all research, plan and prepare according to our best laid plans. Our plans may not come to fruition the way we expected. There may be problems along the way, but those experiences help us to learn how to adjust our plans and find another way. In doing that, it is possible to end up with a much better result and a level of preparedness that we hadn’t expected.
Read More“It can’t happen to me” – A tale of two FEMA studies, statistics and Normalcy Bias
UbiqueContributor - April 6, 2021 My notes from the early hours this morning:
2012 FEMA study – Almost 1/2 of all Americans don’t believe that a disaster will hurt their community.
2015 FEMA study – Less than 1/2 of American households had an Emergency Preparedness plan or discussed one with their family.
I remember thinking “denial ain’t just a river in Egypt, honey.”
But denial is also not normalcy bias. Normalcy bias aka Ostrich Effect is a cognitive bias that occurs when people facing imminent disaster are warned and either disbelieve the warning or minimize the threat.
We need to know about and factor in denial and normalcy bias into our preparedness, for ourselves and family members.
The time it takes to process denial and normalcy bias can put people in grave danger. I believe part of the solution is to be aware of the potential for a problem and formulate how you will deal with it before it happens. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normalcy_bias#:~:text=Normalcy%20bias%2C%20or%20normality%20bias,and%20its%20potential%20adverse%20effects.
Begin Quote
The normalcy bias may be caused in part by the way the brain processes new data. Research suggests that even when the brain is calm, it takes 8–10 seconds to process new information. Stress slows the process, and when the brain cannot find an acceptable response to a situation, it fixates on a single and sometimes default solution that may or may not be correct. An evolutionary reason for this response could be that paralysis gives an animal a better chance of surviving an attack and predators are less likely to see prey that is not moving.”[10]
Effects
About 70% of people reportedly display normalcy bias in disasters.[3] Normalcy bias has been described as “one of the most dangerous biases we have”. The lack of preparation for disasters often leads to inadequate shelter, supplies, and evacuation plans. Even when all these things are in place, individuals with a normalcy bias often refuse to leave their homes.[17][better source needed]”
Normalcy bias can cause people to drastically underestimate the effects of the disaster. Therefore, people think that they will be safe even though information from the radio, television, or neighbors gives them reasons to believe there is a risk. The normalcy bias creates a cognitive dissonance that people then must work to eliminate. Some manage to eliminate it by refusing to believe new warnings coming in and refusing to evacuate (maintaining the normalcy bias), while others eliminate the dissonance by escaping the danger. The possibility that some people may refuse to evacuate causes significant problems in disaster planning.[18]
End Quote
https://community.fema.gov/story/2020-NHS-Data-Digest-Summary-Results What the data indicates:
Begin quote:
The percentage of the adult population that have no intent to prepare (stage 1) has decreased substantially since 2013 (21% in 2013 to 9% in 2020).The percentage of the adult population that is not prepared but understands the importance of preparing and intends to do so within the next year (stages 2 and 3) has increased by 12 percentage points since 2013 (28% in 2013 to 40% in 2020) supporting the notion that there is an increased social awareness of the importance of preparing.”
“The percentage of the population that perceives themselves as prepared (stages 4 and 5) increased only slightly from 2013 (49% in 2013 to 51% in 2020), implying that the rate at which the adult population becomes prepared or maintains preparedness has stalled over the years, despite any year to year (e.g., 2020 versus 2019) fluctuations. This suggests a critical need to encourage, guide, and assist individuals and communities progress from intent-to-prepare to engagement in preparedness action and activities.”
And from same data:
“Overall, the estimated number of preparedness actions taken has increased from 2019.
68% of NHS respondents have taken 3 or more of the 6 basic preparedness actions; an increase of 6% from 2019.
For the second year in a row, the percentage of people reporting four of the six basic actions increased.
The number of people who indicated that they talked to others about getting prepared increased from 45% to 48%.
The number of people who indicated they participated in an emergency drill increased from 49% to 56%.”
NHS data shows that, when individuals indicate that they’ve taken one preparedness action, we can expect that they will take additional preparedness actions.
NHS data shows that preparedness actions can vary by stage of preparedness, hazard areas, and even demographics. As such, customizing preparedness messaging based on these factors will likely result in more effective messaging.
End Quote https://www.aicpa.org/press/pressreleases/2020/few-americans-are-prepared-for-natural-disaster.html#:~:text=The%20good%20news%20is%20nearly,in%20a%20safe%20place%20(31
Begin Quote
The good news is nearly three-quarters of Americans (73 percent) have taken at least one step to prepare for a natural disaster, most commonly assembling a disaster supplies kit (34 percent), creating an evacuation plan (32 percent), or backing up and storing personal medical and financial records in a safe place (31 percent). The bad news is only 15 percent have created a disaster plan to protect their finances. And concerningly, a little more than a quarter of Americans (27 percent) have not taken any steps at all to prepare for a natural disaster.
Steps Americans Have Taken to Prepare for Natural Disaster
34% Assembled a disaster supplies kit (first-aid kit, food, water, tools, etc.)
32% Created an evacuation plan
31% Backed up & stored personal, medical & financial records in a safe, accessible place
27% Evaluated insurance needs to assure adequate coverage
26% Taken an inventory of assets & possessions for insurance purposes
24% Contributed to an emergency saving account
19% Created or updated an estate plan and/or will
19% Purchased additional insurance (e.g., flood insurance, hurricane insurance, etc.)
15% Created a disaster plan to protect finances
2% Other
27% I have not taken any steps to prepare for a natural disaster
End Quote
After I finished wading through the articles, I wondered how can we help others understand the need for emergency preparedness without jeopardizing our own preparedness? Is there a way to do improve these numbers?
Read MoreDoes your prepping include a worst case scenario and if so, how?
UbiqueContributor - April 6, 2021 This isn’t about worst case scenario bias in which people overreact to small deviations from normalcy and treat those incidents as signs of impending catastrophe.
This is about worst case scenario. No bias. It is about how our concept of worst case scenario can change because of life events and life cycles.
Yesterday, while working on the “Prepping around the world – how other cultures use their natural resources” thread, I realized the Dutch are doing everything possible to stay ahead of their worst case scenario which is being overtaken by rising sea levels.
One definition of scenario is a suggested sequence or development of events. Add “worst case” and the phrase means the worst possible sequence or development of events.
My preparedness is spread over the usual areas of disaster, but the idea of worst case scenario is one I hadn’t considered before.
I wondered, “Am I preparing for my worst case scenario and if so, what is it? What would be the worst case scenario for me?”
After sleeping on it, I still feel like I have never considered that issue, not consciously at least. My worst case scenario. What does that mean to me?
We lost our family farm to a fire. At the time I thought that was the worst thing that could ever happen. Then that concept shifted when other crises happened as my life unfolded.
My current geographic area could experience flash flooding, fires, power outages, blizzards, killing cold or any number of natural or man-made disasters. Yet none of them, including the pandemic happening now doesn’t feel like my worst case scenario. A problem, yes. My worst case, no.
Is it because I have prepared well, or is it because I have already been to the brink of my worst case scenario and the pandemic isn’t it for me? Or, could it be a bit of both?
Some people prepare to avoid discomfort or starvation. The aspects of preparedness that are foremost and sharpest in my mind are protecting myself against violence and crime.
It is borne of my history and experience. When your life hangs in the balance between the hope of rescue and another day of torture, between escaping while drugged and injured or dying where you were left, to be finished off later, or between the choice of submission to a blade over death, you choose survival every time if you want to live.
At a baseline level, my focus is always on avoiding two-legged danger and staying alive. It is impossible to ignore and governs every aspect of how I live and prepare.
When I planned the changes to my garden, I factored site lines for the security cameras and construction methods to ensure that no one can hide behind the planters. I have ensured that the design is free of any elements or objects that could be used against me or employed as a tool to break in to my home.
When I bring in prep items, I have a transfer method that keeps them private from any prying eyes. Labels are removed from any shipments and shredded. There is nothing that would distinguish me as a prepper either in my garbage or recycling.
Inside my home, anything that can be used to restrain or injure me is hidden away out of sight and easy access. You won’t find a knife block in my home. My knives are convenient for me to access, but out of sight. There are items throughout my home that can be deployed as improvised weapons if needed.
Every time I am in a vehicle my doors are locked. I scan each time I enter and exit my vehicle. I scan parking lots and vehicles around me. No one exits my vehicle in a parking lot until I give the go ahead to leave the vehicle.
The list goes on. I live and prep with every instinct and scrap of experience I have garnered.
I don’t like the consequences of being vulnerable so there is no off switch for me. I wasn’t born to prep. I was made to prep.
The safety and security aspect of preparedness is where I become like the Dutch mentioned above.
I am doing everything possible to stay ahead of time, the enemy that steals physical strength, and chance, the variable that can trigger a dangerous event.
Time and chance happen to us all. I know my strength now, in this moment, and I can’t picture a future self where I am decrepit and vulnerable. Now my preparedness factors ageing and it’s associated imagined issues, as much as I loathe doing it.
There are degrees of extremity within a particular worst case scenario and I have already experienced a broad range of severity that is possible for mine.
I have not however, experienced the worst case scenario, which for me is, not to survive because I didn’t crawl until I could get up, didn’t keep going until I found a way out. The worst case scenario for me, regardless of the disaster, is to just give up and not survive.
The idea of the worst case scenario is different for each of us. Have you ever considered what your worst case scenario is? If so, how has it affected the way you prep?
Has your worst case scenario changed as your life has unfolded? If so, has it also changed the way you prep?
Read MoreBerkey-like water filter that works with water softener?
Grey Lady - April 5, 2021 I just read the great water filter review, but I had one question that wasn’t addressed there. One thing that has kept me from pulling the trigger on a Berkey purchase is reading that you can’t put water that’s been through a water softener in it. Can anyone suggest something similar that will work for us hard water folks?
Read MoreHow to build community before and after a crisis
UbiqueContributor - April 3, 2021 I woke up this morning thinking about my great-grandmother. She was a feisty woman, slight of physical stature and an Amazon warrior in attitude. She was a crack shot, could butcher a hog and negotiate with a Sioux war party, among many other attributes on her pioneers’ prairie resume.
It could be why my great-grandfather kept leaving their homestead to travel far across the prairies to another province breed his prize Clydesdale stallion and train horses. He didn’t have to worry about leaving her alone. Anyone who ran afoul of her would quickly beat a hasty retreat.
She was busy with six children, the homestead, and acting as the area’s only midwife. If you were a labouring woman in trouble, you knew you were in good hands when she launched herself through your doorway.
She was 92 when her last call for help came on a cold, winter night. She travelled by horse team and then delivered a baby boy. She died at 104, still vital and feisty to the end.
Part of the legacy she left were the children she helped enter this world. She had a role in the community, as did my great-grandfather.
People came together and created communities. The idea of surviving or thriving in isolation was unthinkable. One person can’t do everything. Even if one could, who would want to? It would be incredibly difficult and exhausting.
Sometimes, our need for community can come in the form of making pre-arrangements for our horses with other horse owners in case of disaster.
Community can be created online, and assistance provided during a disaster, provided that form of communication is still viable.
Community is borne out of necessity, defined by proximity and made viable by the respective skills and abilities of its members, as it has been through the ages.
How do we build community now as part of our prepping?
What if electronic communication was inaccessible. How would we build community under those conditions?
If we were displaced out of our existing community, how do we go about building community in a new environment under disaster conditions?
Is community about compatibility or mutual need?
Read MoreThe thrifty prepper – how to stretch the prepping budget
UbiqueContributor - April 3, 2021 The thrifty prepper – how to stretch the prepping budget
I think most preppers are frugal folks deep down in their prepping hearts.
We are prepared and practical in our approach to life. We pour over our prepping lists and consider what items are best suited for our needs. If those items happen to be on sale, discounted or there is a coupon we can use to further reduce the price, we just achieved prepper nirvana.
I learned to be frugal from my parents. They were generous of spirit, but they loved building their savings. My Mom was a somewhat shy person, but get that woman shopping and I used to wonder where my mother went.
She knew her prices and could execute a grocery shopping trip with all the zeal of a five-star General storming an enemy stronghold. Those groceries were hers and they were landing in her shopping cart at the price she wanted to pay. No can of tuna was left behind!
My Dad and Mom together were a tour de force. They would descend upon an appliance store and compare every detail to ensure the best possible features. Then, the final moments as they circled a washing machine and shifted from an appraising to a critical eye. Aha! There was a dent!
I swear those two invented scratch and dent sales. But you know, it wasn’t such a bad way to shop. They were careful and informed shoppers.
They taught me to pay attention to what is referred to as “sale seasons.”
We know about Black Friday sales or Boxing Day sales, but throughout the year, there are items that traditionally go on sale each month and at certain times of the month. If you follow this sale calendar, you can save some money.
For example, there are the “white sales” of January each year when bed linens, pillows and towels go on sale.
You don’t have to be a Dad to take advantage of the Father’s Day sales that happen every June. You can get great deals on all kinds of tools at hardware stores and big-box home stores.
There are different sale season calendars that can be sourced online. I’ve included the links for a couple that might help you familiarize yourself with them.
http://www.chiff.com/home_life/shop/sales.htm
and
https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/articles/shopping-holidays-the-best-days-to-shop-this-year
Aside from sale seasons, there are ways to negotiate on the best deals for that BOV you’ve been wanting.
I worked for two car dealerships and got an understanding of how people walked away with the best deals.
October, November and December are the best time of year to buy a car.
Car dealerships must meet sales quotas, which typically break down into yearly, quarterly and monthly sales goals. These three goals dovetail together late in the year.
Of those months, I personally would choose December and walk in on the last business day before the sales cut off for commissioned sales reps.
They will be eager to make a deal and then push for a successful negotiation with their Sales Manager. They want that sale included in their pay cheque.
The Sales Manager will push back on the negotiations because that’s what he does, but a savvy shopper says to the sale rep “Let me talk to your Sales Manager so we can get you that nice big commission check.”
You can do it politely, in a firm and business-like tone, but ask to speak with the Sales Manager drirectly. The sales rep has no power to approve the deal. It saves time and you won’t get caught up in a negotiation that could cost you more than you want to spend or waste your time if there is not a deal to be made there and you could have made a deal elsewhere.
Once you are in the Sales Manager’s office “Look, the car lots are slow because people are paying off their Christmas spending. I have cash in my account so it’s a cash deal. Easy money for you, if I get the deal that works for me. So far, our numbers are too far apart. Just give me your best and final offer. I’m buying a vehicle today, and for the right deal, it will be off your lot.”
You have turned the table on the Sale Manager because now he has to present a number to you, his best and final, in order to make the deal work.
January is usually a good month for used cars. Did you know that most millionaires, multi-millionaires and even billionaires drive three year old cars?
That BOV of your dreams is a depreciable asset and it will depreciate at least $1000.00 the moment you drive it off the lot.
A three year old vehicle still has warranty. Any recall issues are usually addressed. There are also one year old Sale Reps Demo vehicles that can be had for a good deal also. Same principles apply re time of month shopping, always on day before for pay day cut off day.
Read the bill of sale carefully before paying and don’t pay for baloney charges like “airport tax.” When was the last time anyone saw a plane full of cars offloaded? “A doc fee” is another one. It is short for a document fee which is short for you are expected to contribute to their Finance & Insurance Manager’s commission cheque. Have these charges removed from the bill. They can pay their own people.
There are other ways of being a thrifty prepper.
If you and a couple of friends are in the market for new deep freezers, coordinate your purchase, then approach the appliance department together, in the right sale month, at the right time of the month and say “There are three of us and we each want to buy that deep freezer, what’s the best price you can offer us?”
How about grocery shopping? Are you using coupons? How about case lots or bulk food purchasing? Have you tried sourcing directly from the producer or farmer? There is always gardening or a you pick fruit farm.
Have you ever bought a mis-matched mattress and box-spring set? It’s only the outer fabric that differs and that is covered up so no one sees the difference.
There are good deals to be had from government surplus sites. Another is the deals from boom cities that are winding down. Kelowna, BC, for example, had a huge amount of generators, tools and various building gear for sale online and in the local pawn shops. The people hired were desperate to sell and there were some very good deals available.
They are so many more ways to be a thrifty prepper. How about you? Do you practice thrifty prepping? What are some ways that you get thrifty?
Read MoreDo you raise rabbits for meat? Let’s hear your rabbit-raising tips!
Josh CentersContributor - April 2, 2021 Some farming friends of ours recently built new rabbit hutches and gave us their old ones. They need… work, but I think I can make them serviceable. I’ve been reading and watching everything I can about rabbits, but I was curious if anyone in our community raises rabbits for meat and could offer some lesser-known pointers?
A few things everyone should know about rabbits:
They’re a great source of meat. They breed like… well, rabbits, they’re easy to slaughter and easy to process. However, you can starve to death eating only rabbit meat, called rabbit starvation. It needs to be combined with a starch like potatoes. They don’t make much noise and they don’t take up much space. Never put a buck (male rabbit) in a doe’s cage. She will attack and might bite off his bunny maker. Always put the doe in the buck’s cage. Read More
Armchair quarterback time: War zone in a condo
UbiqueContributor - April 1, 2021 https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/surveillance-video-shows-brawls-vandalism-inside-beleaguered-saskatoon-condo-building-1.5360878This post is about a different type of crisis and disaster. From a prepping perspective, this is the deterioration that becomes the crisis.
I wish I could tell you that the videos and related stories were part of a movie set and plot, but they are not.
First the news link which is 4 days old.
https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/surveillance-video-shows-brawls-vandalism-inside-beleaguered-saskatoon-condo-building-1.5360878
To better understand the back story, watch both videos and also read the first related story on that news page titled “Living in a war zone….”
If you look at the footage of the exterior of the condo building, I can see how someone would have purchased a condo there 12 years ago, as was the case for Geoff Wilkie who was interviewed in the related article “Living in a war zone…”
The panned shot of the neighborhood in one of the videos shows a fairly clean area and there appears to be a church on the corner. It looks like a glimpse of a neighborhood in a typical small prairie city, who like Dog River in the fictional tv program Corner Gas, doesn’t appear to have a whole lot going on.
There is always the risk of the neighborhood deteriorating into unsafe living conditions. Regardless of whether we live in a condo or a detached home, or whether we own or rent, we all face the same risk of change to our neighborhoods and communities.
I have rented apartments and houses, and I have owned homes, so this is not to slam renters. I relate what I have witnessed first hand in urban and rural areas and after living in several provinces.
Absentee landlords are a big problem because they have no interest in the community, other than through renting their house(s) and the profits they make.
There are landlords with multiple rental properties who barely maintain them and who rent properties which are outright fire traps due to old and faulty wiring.
The problem is further compounded by the “guarantee of rent” provided through govt.-sponsored income assistance. The landlord no longer has to worry that his tenant(s) will lose a job or be laid off. The rent is paid in full every month like clockwork by the income assistance program and not the tenant.
There are those tenant(s) who are responsible people or parents and who require this assistance through no fault of their own. For many of them, it is a temporary situation. They are a boon to the community.
Unfortunately, there are others in these programs who have no desire to better themselves or at the least attempt to parent their children more responsibly instead of being preoccupied with their drugs of choice.
Their children roam the streets and start packing up with older youth who are gang or “wannabe” gang members. The crime goes up and before you know it, you have a war zone situation like the people in that condo.
I have owned a home in a neighborhood where there was a nice mix of people – young, old, single working and couples with and without children.
One day, I got off the bus and began my usual walk home. I glanced over and saw several young men that either should have been in school or working, who instead were hanging out in the front a house. This house was located several blocks away from where I lived.
After I saw them, I noted the deterioration on that first block. I hadn’t really noticed before, until I saw the loitering and attitude of the young men gathered at that one home.
I paid attention on subsequent walks to and from the bus stop and noted the lack of work traffic from that block in the morning. I also noted the party atmosphere that had set into certain homes in the first block in the evenings.
I keep my house in ready to sell condition. The for sale sign went up and it sold before it could appear on the MLS listings. I was lucky to have noticed the change and got out before others began the stampede out of the neighborhood.
For the people in the above condo story, what could they have done differently? To me, it looks like they waited way too long.
Fighting a condo board to change things when you already have let the raging bull into the barn is pointless. That condo building was supposed to be a owner occupied building only, no rentals. Rentals in a condo building and owners with multiple units don’t always bode well. As soon as the rentals started, Mr Wilkie should have baled.
How would you know the difference between “a bit of trouble” happening in your neighborhood and “wait a minute, this is turning into SHTF and it’s time to get out of Dodge and find a new home?”
Do you think you would be able to get out fast enough if all your other neighbors have come to the same realization?
Are there any ways to avoid or reduce the risk of buying or renting in a problem neighborhood?
What if, for some reason, you were unable to get out and find a new place to live? How would you survive in such a situation as portrayed in the video above?
I pay attention. Keep my home ready to sell. Review the MLS and private sales so I have a finger on the pulse of the real estate market at all times.
Read MoreHow I am using this year’s garden as a way to add security to my home
UbiqueContributor - March 29, 2021 I’ll begin by asking for feedback or suggestions to improve this idea before I explain it.
My lot is 50′ x 120′ and house is 28’x32′ with a 10’x12′ shed in the back yard to one side of the lot.
There are 2 x 4′ x 12′ and 2 x 4′ x 8′ existing raised beds in the back yard. I have a garden fence around the raised beds to protect from deer.
My original plan was to wrap a 6′ fence around the entire back yard, however, that has to wait until the garage is built.
There have been recent changes in our community that warrant doing something sooner in addition to a long-standing problem with someone in close proximity to my home.
There will still be openings into the yard, but I am creating a chute to control the ease and routes that are available to “just walk in.”
I am getting creative about how to add layers of security around my home using cedar planters with trellis privacy backing. It will look something like this:
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/gardening/21016882/how-to-build-a-privacy-planter
For the front yard, I am building 4 rectangle planters, each 2′ wide and 3′-4′ high with a trellis in back.
They will be situated in a row and bolted together for stability. They will be installed just inside the property line as a fence would (I don’t do shared fences that are installed on the property line – once was enough).
I plan to taper the first and last planter in the row so that each outside end is tapered down to 16″ from 24″. This is to keep the planter from looking too boxy and keeping it from getting to close to the deck that is pending.
There will be similar privacy planters going into the back yard, and on the other side of the front yard.
They will act as a type of “fence” or barrier. Right now everything is wide open and that has to change. This is the fastest way I can do that.
There is another planter of this type that is going to be positioned on a diagonal to block out the peeping tom I’ve had to deal with.
When I’m done this should provide more peace when I’m out working in the yard.
The additional planters will also provide the opportunity to try planting edible food in plain view, mixed with flowers or herbs. Silverbeet is one example or there is also Rainbow Swiss Chard or types of kale.
Okay, that’s the idea. Any thoughts or suggestions to make this better or add to it for security? I do have security cameras, but there are people around who know how to get past that by disguising themselves.
Read MoreHow to read expiration dates
Bigwig - March 28, 2021 Since the pandemic started, I began to pay more attention to expiration dates. However, some items don’t have an expiration date but have recommended lifespans, like disinfecting wipes and motor oil. Also, some items like soap and shampoo may not have an expiration date, but I’d like to use the older product first. I’ve started looking at the date codes of the product. Most of the date codes are some form of Julian Date, which includes the year and a 3-digit number representing the day of the year. For example, for 20030, the first two digits ’20’ represent the year 2020 and the last three digits ‘030’ represent the 30th day of the year, which would be January 30. To simplify things, I’ve been using the Julian Date converter at http://longpelaexpertise.com/toolsJulian.php and putting a sticker with the date on the items.
Has anyone else been rotating items with no expiration date?
Read Moreticks, 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 MoreThe 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 MoreIntuition, 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 MoreHow 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 MoreMitigation: 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 MoreHow 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 MoreWhat 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 MorePrepare 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 MoreUnder-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 MoreHydra 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 MoreKeeping 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 MoreCross 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 MorePrepper 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 MoreDoes vacuum sealing food protect against bugs and extend the expiration date?
Kim - March 10, 2021 Can I vacuum seal foods such as flour, cornmeal, rice, and expect the shelf life WITHOUT bugs getting in to the food, to last longer then the expiration date?
Read MoreMy water maker
Oldprepper - March 9, 2021 In the event of a SHTF event I keep this for my water supply……… and distillation needs.
All it is …..is a 3/4″ pipe running to a 12v submersible pump that goes in a bucket and back to bucket and sealed at ends…. Inside that pipe is a 1/4 inch going from a pressure cooker to drinkable water.
Produces far more water than a couple of people would ever drink each day…………………It has many uses….. distillation for alcohol……… and distilled water for battery top ups too.
This uses LPG for the burner but could just as easily use wood or charcoal, or even wood-gas….. But trying to stay away from filters. Because with this volume of water they would need replacing often.
Read More
