Information on the soil/ground – you can get this from a soils report, asking neighbors, and/or firsthand knowledge gained with a shovel on site. Also distance to groundwater and any quality information, especially from anyone with wells in the area. Same goes for septic systems re: sewage disposal. Proximity to any hazardous materials/waste sites and/or spills is also good to check out. EPA’s websites have major HazWaste sites identified online, I believe, and you can also find out where major users/storers of hazmat are in the area there as well. Finally, check the local government websites to gauge how their ordinances are re your planned activities.
I did a bit of research professionally on these a few years ago. There are a couple of important thing things to keep in mind when looking for an emergency fire evac mask/hood. 1) they are definitely single use items, 2) hoods are generally better than masks since they do not require fitting, they can handle facial hair, and they will protect your eyes and face from smoke. 3) they are only as good as the canister attached. These MUST be rated for particulates and most importantly, CO2 Finally, they do go bad. I’m generally partial to safety gear that has been tested to a recognized standard, and given the importance of respiratory protection in a fire situation, I will only spend my money one that can provide verifiable test info. Professionally, I ended up settling on the iEvac hood by Elmridge Protection. Never tested it in a fire personally, however.
Yes, rubbing alcohol is fine for wounds, except that it HURTS if you get it in an open wound. Hydrogen peroxide kills the bacteria (any bacteria in a wound is bad, BTW.) but also ‘cooks’ some of the skin cells, which slows down wound closure and increases scarring potential. However, if I thought I had a wound contaminated with bacteria, I would definitely use hydrogen peroxide initially to disinfect…an infected wound in a survival situation is definitely worse than a slower-healing and/or scarring one.
One of the biggest things to remember for wounds is to get them cleaned out properly prior to bandaging. I always carry a tweezers and a syringe in my FAK for wound cleaning and flushing with clean water. If I had no standard dressings, I would use a clean piece of cloth that I had soaked in antiseptic (alcohol, bleach, etc.) solution to disinfect. It’s not absolutely necessary to have these completely dry, either, as any residual antiseptic will help keep bacteria out. As far a securing the dressing, I’m partial to duct tape, since I hate having bandages come off inadvertently, and duct tape is generally waterproof. In a survival situation with limited access to antibiotics, keeping the wound clean and protected from liquid-borne pathogens (such as via splashes) is crucial.
I recently went back to changing the oil and doing other vehicle maintenance myself so that I can teach my kids how to do it. Same thing with the family bicycles. Those activities fit in to my larger philosophy of buying quality things and then repairing when something breaks or fails.
Powdered sulfur in an old sock for the chiggers. Beat the sock around your ankles and anywhere else you find them biting.