Survival and Disaster Supplies and Materials

Preparedness is readiness for action some might even say awareness or attentiveness. In some people's minds, it is not a matter of if but simply a matter of when disaster will strike. People fail to prepare for various reasons among them economics, simple procrastination and the belief nothing will happen. Being prepared is essential to survival for you and your family. Keep in mind the ones that do not prepare for a disaster will be searching out the ones that did prepare when disaster does strike.  Failing to be ready means, you will be a burden to some extent to others and the government. You can expect that your neighbors, friends and even strangers will seek you out for help once they realize you had prepared.

Once a major disaster strikes society will change yet will stay the same. Society will have the ones that thought ahead and assessed the risks and prepared for the risks, they will be the ones that are willing to work hard and do what it takes to survive and then there will be the ones who will look for leaders to show them the next step. What some may not realize is that the government will go into self-preservation mode during a major catastrophe. The government will commandeer supplies and talent such as doctors, engineers and others to keep the government alive. You as a citizen may very well be on your own for weeks or even months before disaster relief begins to trickle down. Everyone in your local government is just like you; they will be looking to keep their families alive.

An Emergency Kit for Surviving Any Disaster

The "doomsday preppers" in some cases, are preparing for a specific scenario such as a major volcanic eruption, massive tidal waves, earthquakes, armed take over and so forth. Some may stockpile specific supplies and materials based on a scenario they have in mind. However, most supplies are not crisis specific; in other words, there are certain things you will need regardless of the emergency.

The following list while not comprehensive will give the essentials needed to survive. Keep in mind you cannot possibly pack everything you may ever need into a pack. You must prioritize starting with shelter, water, fire/energy and food. Your kit must contain tools and materials that allow you to collect and purify water, build a shelter, make fire and find food by fishing, hunting and snaring game. Many people call their emergency bags 72-hour bags, bug-out-bags and go bags. The items are not for any particular scenario or disaster, but are the essentials to maintain life during any situation.

• ·       Backpack
•           Two (2)Rain Ponchos Large Enough To Cover You And A Shouldered Pack (Emergency Shelter)
• ·       Ready To Eat Foods For 72-Hours
• ·       Water For Three Days: For Hydration Only A Person Needs Between 2-2.5 Quarts/Liters Daily: Typically Another Two Quarts/Liters Is Needed For Personal Hygiene
• ·       Waterless Body Wipes (This Will Conserve Your Water Supply) And Other Personal Hygiene Items
• ·       Multi-Tool/Knife Ensure It Has Pliers And Wire Cutters
• ·       Fixed Bladed Knife
• ·       Lensatic Compass With A Topographical Map Of Your Area And State
• ·       12-15 Pound Monofilament Fishing Line (Monofilament Is less Brittle Meaning It Will Stretch Unlike Other Fishing Line Making It A Multi-Purpose Item)
• ·       Assorted Hooks And Fish Tackle
• ·       Rope/Cordage/Heavy Twine
• ·       20-24 Gauge Wire Which Has Multiple Uses For Bindings Gear Repair Animal Snares
• ·       Magnesium Stick And/or Ferrocerium Rod For Fire Starting (Matches Are Unreliable And Should Never Be Your Only Means To Start A Fire)
• ·       Cotton Balls And Petroleum Jelly As A Fire Starting Aid
• ·       Two Percent Liquid Iodine/Iodine Tablets/Chlorine Dioxide Tablets For Water Purification
• ·       Stainless Steel Canteen With Steel Nesting Cup
• ·       Thin Profile Flashlight
• ·       Camp Axe/Folding Saw/Machete
• ·       Extra Socks
• ·       Signal Mirror
• ·       Collapsible/Folding Walking Stick
• ·       Coffee Filters/Activated Charcoal For Water Filtration
• ·       Entrenching Tool For Burying Garbage And Digging Latrines
• ·       Sleeping Bag: A Nylon Sleeping Bag Can Be Rolled Tight And Secured To The Bottom Of Your Pack

Optional Items If Space Allows Small Nylon Tent But Keep In Mind A Tent Can Obstruct Your Field of View And Essentially Trap You If Your Camp Is Overrun. Consider a Tent If You Plan to Make a Base Camp Otherwise, For Overnights While On The Move Use Your Poncho Or take Advantage Of Your Environment. Stainless Steel Bowl/Camp Coffee Pot For Food Preparation and Water Purification

It is assumed that if the weather is cold you will have on cold weather gear so to save space there is probably no need to pack an extra coat. Pack a cold weather coat if the weather is temperate however, because you need to be prepared for changes in weather.

You have now put together a kit that will provide you with shelter, fire, and the means to collect surface water and make it safe to drink. You should always plan on running out of food and water. You can go for days without adequate nutrition but you must have water daily.

Have a quality web belt and harness, that you can attach items to distribute the weight. Avoid carrying your water in one container because one gallon of water in its container will weigh approximately 8.5lbs/ 3.8kgs. A three-day supply of water will add considerable weight to your pack.

Your disaster survival kit will help you survive natural disasters while in your home, help you survive if you find yourself lost in the wilderness or stranded in your vehicle because of weather conditions or a breakdown. 

Emergency Water Purification Methods

There are situations that can cause a shortage of clean drinking water with the emphasis being on clean drinking water. Your city water supply can become contaminated from a line break, malfunctioning water treatment plant or extended power outages.

Typically, the source of your tap water originates from lakes, and or man-made reservoirs created by damming a river. The water from the source, before it is supplied to you, is piped into a water treatment plant for purification. This type of water source is referred to as a surface source. Surface water is any body of water visible on the surface such as lakes, ponds, rivers, streams and even depressions in the ground filled from rainfall.

The water once at the treatment plant goes through a series of filtration mediums to filter out sediments, pesticides, fuels, solvents, insects and other debris. Chemicals are added to help the finer particles to coagulate for easier filtration. Once filtered, the water is, in most cases, treated with sodium hypochlorite, or more commonly known as chlorine. There can be other methods of disinfecting water once at the treatment plant depending on the facility.

Typically, filtration will not remove or destroy bacteria, pathogens or parasites such as Coliform, Giardia lamblia, E. coli, Cryptosporidium, Cholera (vibrio chorlerea) and Typhoid Fever (salmonella typhi), from the water. Surface water can become contaminated by animals, humans and ground runoff. Well water on the other hand has been a clean source of water for centuries. If dug and capped properly well water is typically contaminate free. Water that supplies wells usually originates from underground springs or aquifers. The water is filtered and scrubbed by many feet of soil before it reaches the well. The water must seep into the well from the bottom and not run in over the top. Proper well capping is important to ensure ground runoff cannot enter and contaminate the water. In some municipalities, you must conduct routine water testing to ensure the safety of the well water.

As most of you know, disease was rampant at one time in many European cities; because the cycle of disease was never broken because of human and animal waste re-infecting the city's water source, which was usually the nearest river, and in some cases, public wells. Garbage and human waste was simply deposited in gutters in front of many homes and rainwater would wash the waste away, which eventually reached the water source. This is called runoff contamination of surface water. People simply did not comprehend the correlation between contaminated water and diseases. On the other hand, the Romans did, and they went to great lengths to make sure their water source was as clean as possible. The water supply was brought in from miles away, effectively creating a barrier between the water source, and large groups of people and their associated waste. The water was supplied by aqueducts high above the ground. The Romans even had sewage systems that removed waste ensuring it could not contaminate the water source.

How to Purify Your Water in an Emergency

Boiling is always the preferred method to destroy water borne bacteria, pathogens and parasites in drinking water. Your tap water as previously stated can become contaminated and must be purified before it is safe to drink. Recognized emergency purification methods aside from boiling include treating the water chemically with common household chlorine bleach or two percent liquid iodine.

Boiling Water

If you received a boil, order due to a line break or a treatment facility malfunction or you have reason to believe your water is contaminated, you should filter the water, even if the water source is your faucets. A water line break can cause sediment to be in your tap water, which must be filtered out. You can filter using coffee filters, activated charcoal, cotton cloths, sand and even gravel. You can make your own charcoal by burning hardwoods. Allow the charred wood to cool and then crush up and seal tightly until ready to use. For a quick filtering device take a clean can, that is food safe such as a vegetable can and place one hole in the bottom. Fill with charcoal or other filtration mediums and allow water to filter through and out the hole in the bottom. Always purify after filtration. Charcoal will remove odor, pesticides, fuels, solvents, sediment, insects and debris from the water. Charcoal will not remove or destroy any bacteria, pathogens or parasites from the water. Coffee filters, cloth, sand and gravel will only remove sediment, insects and other debris, and will not remove or destroy bacteria, pathogens or parasites from the water.

If you are at sea level, water must rapid boil for at least one minute or longer if you are not in danger of running out of water. Boiling reduces water volume and this can become critical if you have a limited water source. At sea level water boils at 212ᵒF or 100ᵒC.  At higher elevations there is less air pressure, so water boils at a lower temperature, for example at 5,000 feet or 1,524 meters above sea level (Denver Co. is approximately one mile or roughly 5,200 feet above sea level) water boils at 203ᵒF or 95ᵒC. Therefore, water must boil longer to achieve the same results so if you live in Denver Co. you must rapid boil your water for a minimum of three minutes. If you happen to live at the South Pole, which is approximately 10,000 feet above sea level water boils at 193ᵒF or 89.4ᵒC. The figures are approximations.

Purify Water Using Common Household Chlorine Bleach

Always filter your water into a clean container before purification. The bleach must be unscented and have an active chlorine content of five percent. Most common chlorine bleaches available for home use have a chlorine content of between 5.25 and 6.0 percent. The chlorine content is reduced by exposure to temperatures over 95ᵒF. Bleach has a shelf life of four to six months. Given the shelf life and deterioration of the chlorine over time, you can expect an active chlorine content of around five percent.

The ratio is two (2) drops per one-quart of water. Convert if treating by the gallon, for example, one gallon requires eight (8) drops. Seal and shake the container well and allow 30 minutes before consuming. You should detect a slight chlorine smell after 30 minutes, if you do not detect a slight smell add two (2) additional drops per quart shake well and wait 60 minutes. Never exceed four drops per quart or 16 drops per gallon. Eight Drops equals 0.08 teaspoons.

Purify Water Using Two Percent Iodine

Once again, filter your water using the described methods. As a reminder never mix bleach and iodine together in particular, when purifying drinking water and never use the same dropper for both chemicals. You must have separate droppers. The ratio for two percent liquid iodine is five (5) drops per one-quart of water or 20 drops per gallon. Shake the container well and allow 30 minutes before drinking.

Water sources that contain poison or certain toxins cannot be made safe to drink by boiling, filtration or chemical treatment. All water sources such as rivers, ponds, streams, gutter runoff from rains, and cisterns must be filtered and purified using the describe methods before the water is safe to drink.

Survival Skills Needed To Survive Natural Disasters

You can wake one morning and find your world has changed overnight due to a natural disaster, or you can find yourself lost or stranded in the wilderness from a day hike that went horribly wrong. Once you find yourself in a survival situation you will need knowledge and supplies. Everyone should have a survival kit with supplies and materials that allow them to collect and purify water, build or maintain a shelter and gather food by hunting or fishing.

For natural disaster preparedness you will want to stockpile food and water, along with materials and tools needed for making emergency repairs to your home. The follwing list of items can be used to survive a natural disaster as well as, survive if you become lost or stranded in the wilderness. Items marked with an * are specifically for surviving a natural disaster right in your own community and home.

Typically a wilderness survival kit is in addition to any supplies you would normally carry on a day hike or camping trip. Food and water is purposely left out of a  wilderness survival kit. The survival kit is designed for long term survival such as a week or  more lost in the woods after your normal supply of food and water has been depleted.  The list can be adapted to suit individual needs such as medications, medical devices and so forth. The wilderness survival kit can be packed and carried with any normal or traditional supplies you would pack.

Natural Disasters and Wilderness Survival Essentials

·       *Heavy Fixed Bladed Knife Recommend Sheffield Knives For Strength And Durability For More Information About Sheffield Knives visit http://sheffield-gb.com/

·       *Multi-Purpose Knife

·       * One Gallon Of Common Household Bleach For Water Purification

·       *Medicine Dropper To Measure Bleach

·       Two Percent Liquid Iodine

·       *Coffee Filters For Water Filtration

·       *7 To 10 Day Supply Of Meals Ready To Eat (MREs) Or Suitable Canned And Packaged Foods That Do Not Require Preparation

·       *7 To 10 Day Supply Of Drinking Water One Gallon For Each Person

·       *Rain Poncho One For Each Person

·       *One-Quart/Liter Canteens One For Each Person

·       Small Stainless Steel Bowl For Boiling Water

·       10 To 15 Pound Fishing Line

·       Fishhooks

·       550 Paracord 50 Foot Minimum Can Use Nylon Rope

·       *Ax For Evacuation From Structures

·       *Waterproof Tarps

·       *Candles

·       *Battery Operated Lights

·       *Battery Operated Radio

·       *Matches

·       Magnesium Stick With Striker

·       Compass

·       Folding Saw

·       *Entrenching Tool Or Shovel

·       *First Aid Kit One For Each Individual

·       *Sturdy Shoes

·       *Work Gloves

·       *Portable Charcoal Grill

·       *Signal Flag Or Bright Colored Material To Signal Rescue Personnel

·       *Solar Heat Blankets

Survival Tip Of The Day

At some point, money may very well be worthless. If cyber terrorist shut down our infrastructure and Wall Street collapses, what can you buy with coin? Nothing, supply chains will be disrupted and food will be scarce. You will need items to barter. Medical supplies, rations and even alcohol will be valuable items. The exchange system will be the only way to acquire things. Keep this in mind when prepping for the inevitable. Stock up on items that can be used. In addition, not to belabor a point, but your friends and neighbors that failed to prepare will want your items, as well. When it comes down to it, survival is at the individual level. Keep yourself strong for your family, and be cautious of so-called friends because, they will be desperate. 

Survival Tip Of The Day

If it hits the fan while you are reading this do you have your bag ready? Your go bag, your bug out bag, what ever you may call it. Have you inspected it lately? Make sure any items that have an expiration date are current. Inspect your equipment weekly, and know what what every item is used for. Ensure you have practiced with and know the limits of your equipment.

Solar Flares: Is This Just the Tip Of The Iceberg Maybe Mother Nature Is Giving Us Fair Warning

Just like Peyton Manning's career, life can take a dramatic turn quickly. Are you prepared to live without running water, electricity or grocery stores? Can you grow your own food? Look at the natural disasters that have already hit our world recently. Look at all the potential manmade disasters poised to happen, nukes, cyber attacks and so forth.

Money will be of little value, what will be valuable is your intelligence and preparedness. Others will want your supplies and your leadership. There are several schools of thought on the "Doomsday" that many believe will happen this year. My belief is it may not necessarily happen on a specific date. However, with the threat of nuclear war from the Middle East, cyber attacks from everywhere, it is a pretty safe bet that our world as we know it will change dramatically, sooner rather than later. 

You Do Not Have to Believe You Just Need to be Ready

There is a lot of information out there about doomsday and the apocalypse, which many believe is just around the corner. I do not necessarily prescribe to a "Doomsday" per say. However, I do know that disaster can take on many forms. I spent over 20 years in the military and have some idea of the destruction that can be leveled against people, predominantly by other people.

Just because you do not believe, or refuse to admit something can happen, will not prevent it from happening. For the most part none of us can prevent a terrorist attack, a complete meltdown of our electrical grid, poisoned water supplies or a dirty bomb.

Think about how you will manage in the days and weeks after any kind of attack.