Survival: Prepare Before Disaster Strikes - Barbara Fix

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rural areas, an outhouse will solve the problem of waste issues, no matter how long a crisis lasts. For those of you who live in the suburbs, I don’t see how CCR’S will preclude an outhouse when the alternative leads to disease and health risks. If you have any doubts, an outhouse that resembles a shed will work—the “don’t ask, don’t tell” dictum can have you breathing easy through a difficult time. I doubt you will be breaking any rules by using it once things have gone south.

      It might take children time to get used to these new accommodations, so even if you have the Cadillac of outhouses, think about keeping a camp toilet or a port-a-potty on hand for in-home use. If an outhouse is in your future after the fact, make sure you have a heavy-duty shovel and enough plywood, 2X4’s, roofing material, nails and screws to build one. The end of this chapter lists a link for an excellent site that has do-it-yourself instructions on building an outhouse.

      Where To?

      You should store both topographical and street maps in your vehicle that covers your immediate location and on to your destination point, no matter how many maps this may entail. Keep a compass in your car to navigate to your destination. Even in a worst case scenario, and you must walk part of the way to your destination, you will have the means to get there (and the reason for keeping topographical maps).

      Never depend on GPS or any other digital navigational device that depends upon electricity to relay or download your coordinates. Why? Your device may be battery-run, and you may have thought ahead and put extra batteries aside, but should your GPS provider depend on electricity (and they do), with grid failure comes eventual GPS failure. GPS devices have another issue that involves terrain that is referred to as line of site. Line of site simply means data is grabbed from your GPS device and downloaded to you via a straight line from an orbiting satellite or a relay site to you, the user. Line of site does not move around corners or “dip” down between mountain ranges when you happen to be in a deep valley surrounded by a mountain range. They are also a bit temperamental about traveling through a solid mass such as a tall building. A bit of trivia: this is why your cell phone coverage is sometimes disrupted when traveling in valley or mountainous regions. Never trade a compass for GPS.

      When It’s Time to Leave

      The emergency kits stored in your car may not be needed solely at the start of a crisis, and if this is the case, you will want to transfer your items from your car to your home or getaway location, behind closed doors for safekeeping. The first reaction to a crisis may freeze people into inactivity, but if the emergency is prolonged, and people begin to run out of food and water, looting will follow. It may be that your location is safe at first, but as time goes on, and looting increases, it may become necessary to get away from your present location and flee to a safer place. In most cases, this is likely to be to a wooded area.

      Take a few practice runs to the area of your choice and camp overnight. If camping isn’t allowed at your “safe place”, then use an alternate for practice. Test your skills with building a campfire, putting up a tent, and cooking meals over an open fire or a camp stove. If you’ve never been camping, now is the time to learn! But remember: bring comfortable, layered clothing and hiking boots or high-topped tennis shoes. A reference guide like the Boy Scout Manual will see you through. It has solid information on camping, building a campfire and camp-style cooking.

      Practice using your water purifier, and eating the MRE’s or canned goods you’ve put aside for a crisis. That way, you will be better prepared both emotionally and logistically for a smooth transition when disaster strikes.

       Keep mental notes on your progress. If you discover you forgot a bowl to mix the pancake batter in, throw it in with your emergency supplies once you return home. That same bowl can be used to scoop water from a creek or a lake to pour through a water purifier. If the bowl happens to be metal, it can be used to cook with if need be. If you forget matches or a hatchet or newspaper and find yourself unable to start a campfire to keep warm by, this is the reason why you’ve taken this weekend getaway. Developing camping skills takes practice. There is nothing more eye opening than spending a night shivering in the cold to be reminded of the need to prepare.

      Survival Note: Keep all foods and garbage stored away from your campsite area, as food smells will attract animals—some more dangerous than others.

      Alternative Modes of Transportation

      Brainstorm alternative modes of transportation for a time when you may have to relocate. A mountain bike, dirt bike, ATV 4-wheeler, or a motorcycle will help get you safely to your chosen destination when roads are not navigable. If your mode of transportation is motorized, set aside gasoline containing fuel additives to extend its life in a portable gas container with a pour spout. It must be stored in a safe place, away from the home and open flame sources like that of a heater or hot water heater.

      Traveling During or Directly After a Crisis

      If you must travel during or directly after a crisis, be especially careful of downed power lines. In the case of an earthquake or flood, be cautious when crossing a bridge, as the foundation may have been weakened with the movement of the earth. Watch for roads that may be crumbling or otherwise weakened.

      There’s Safety in Numbers

      If you live alone, consider banning together with others. During a crisis, isolation will leave you more vulnerable to looters and opportunists. Physiologically, it is better to be with others you can talk to and lean on as you help one another through the stressful times that lay ahead. Why not open up the subject with neighbors, friends, or family members?

      Surviving a Nuclear Attack

      There are ways to protect yourself in the event of nuclear attack. Ingesting iodine or iodine tablets can help control the damage of radioactive exposure, specifically thyroid cancer that can result at a later date after exposure. Pregnant and nursing women and those with small children should seek medical advice before ingesting iodine. An allergy to iodine is rare, but if you are prone to allergies, and especially if you have had a reaction to shell fish (they contain iodine), it is best to get tested before ingesting iodine. Signs of allergic reaction are nausea, flushing, fever, or labored breathing. Seek medical help if this occurs.

      Suggested doses are 16mg for infants; 32 mg for children, and 50 to 70 mg for adults. Dosages must be taken for 14 consecutive days.

      K-1 was given to children during the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown with positive results. Potassium iodide works by “saturating” the thyroid with stable iodide so it’s less likely to absorb radioactive iodine that is released during a nuclear event. Under current dosing guidelines, a fully saturated thyroid would be protected for up to one month, which is typically long enough for radioactive iodine (which has a half life of 8 days) to dissipate from the environment. The exception to this is an event like the Fukushima nuclear meltdown that continues to carry radiation via trade winds on a global scale.

      Either potassium iodide (K-103), or potassium iodide (K-1) will work, but you will need slightly more K-103 than K-1.

      Wearing a simple cloth facemask found at drug and hardware stores will help reduce exposure to radioactive fallout. You cannot see, smell, or taste fallout, so do not be deceived into thinking your surroundings are safe and follow the information you are given over emergency broadcasts. It is imperative to stay indoors during a nuclear attack.

      If you are traveling and get notification from the Emergency Radio Broadcast System or a local news station of a nuclear attack, drive immediately to the nearest shelter if possible. Most shelters are designed for fallout protection. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the location of fallout shelters in your area.

      If you are traveling and are unable to reach a fallout shelter, seek a culvert or a location where you are protected from the out of doors and sheltered by earth, as it will help absorb some of the radiation. The effect of fallout is cumulative, therefore, long exposure to radiation, or continued on and off exposure can build up in the body which can lead to health risks.

      If you are at the office or at home when a nuclear attack occurs, you

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