First, many thanks to you who follow this blog. I am honored and humbled. I strive to share simple but useful information to help us all prepare for those pesky unplanned events that can alter life as we know it. Having been through a few minor ones myself, I certainly want to be prepared for the next one, at least to the extent feasible for me and mine. Please know that I read your blogs in return to learn from you, to better understand what may be useful to you, to avoid duplication (unless your current message is one that I believe needs widest sharing), and to possibly build upon what you offer.
Back to the title. Sometimes I just plain goof. Thursday was one of those days. I spent Monday reviewing my winter preparedness supplies and discovered that some of the canned goods needed to go. Other items had been 'borrowed' by DH and he forgot to mention it to me. OK, true confessions: maybe I borrowed some, too (meaning to rotate them of course) and forgot to replace them. Bad dog!!
I wrote a comprehensive list of items to replenish. This was not a high cost, maybe someday wish-list, but one that featured about a dozen items like items like 4 cans of soup, 2 bottles of ketchup, etc.. I even wrote it on my bright pink index card and put it in my purse so I could find it easily on my next trip to town, which was Thursday. This is my 'system' and it normally works just fine.
I got to the first store and looked for the card. I found my stash of blank index cards (always carry a few) but didn't find the list. Please understand I carry a very small purse, so this should not have happened. It was MY SYSTEM, after all. I thought I had thoroughly searched the little stinker but the card was not to be found. I bought what I could remember at the stores I visited. The pressure was on. Of course, I found the card when I got home -- it WAS in my purse. It was caught under a small flap of leather so I did not see it despite the bright color. I batted about 50% -- not an impressive memory there.
What if there were a known impending emergency (especially a 'new category' that was not one already planned for) with no potential for a do-over? 50% success could have been catastrophic. So far I have several corrective measures in place, including using other less eye-catching card colors for 'regular' stuff and reserving the bright pink only for the urgent item list. Also, I now put the pink card in one of the flat compartments under my checkbook, rather than just in the purse with the other stuff. There must be a better system.
How do you manage your 'need it now' shopping list?
Showing posts with label preparedness planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label preparedness planning. Show all posts
Friday, November 16, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Learn a Lesson
The northeast has taken a one-two punch, and generic government response has been as expected. Agencies are mobilized and doing what they can. Problems include the magnitude of the damage and the relative inaccessibility of those affected by the storms.
From my humble perspective, the role of government is not to save ME. It is to assist in the restoration of shared infrastructure and to reduce dangers/increase safety to an acceptable societal norm. Huh? To me, it means if you had sewer and electric service and the crime rate was X, then government's role is to reduce the obstacles for private business to restore the electric and sewer and assist local governance in their roles related to utilities and law enforcement so locals can restore the crime rate more toward X to support individual restoration efforts. Those individual efforts include rebuilding the homes and businesses that were damaged or destroyed.
Government's job is not to be clairvoyant. Government is not structured to hunt for each and every Jane and John Doe and bring daily deliveries of what Jane and John want, much less what they need. That's why I write about personal preparedness.
Sometimes government gets it wrong. Occasionally evacuation is recommended but not needed. As we've learned recently, it may be better to accept the inconvenience of timely evacuation than to die from drowning, electrocution or falling debris. Staying with Granny, or even camping in another state may be a better alternative than hanging on to a flooded house in the freezing weather. Yes, it's your stuff, but it is meaningless without your family. I'd rather have my husband alive and safe than have him die trying to save a wedding picture.
If you are not affected by the current events, you may want to soul search and decide ahead of time what you want to do. ADD A PAGE to your preparedness plan with a matrix so you don't need to decide under stress. It could be divided by season and event and should include your identified potential emergencies.
Using a matrix, you can follow your column and row for a recommendation that you made to yourself during more sane moments. If winter and major storm, what's in the box where they intersect? Does it say GO TO GRANNY'S? SANDBAG DOORS AND MOVE FURNITURE UPSTAIRS? BRING MORE WOOD INSIDE?
Another consideration is from lessons learned from Sandy. If you follow the 72-hour guideline, is that enough? Somewhere between filling your car trunk and filling your entire home with supplies is your personal answer. Something is better than nothing. Storing your supplies in a location that is accessible but less likely to be damaged or lost by events on your emergency list (see my page on Prep 101).
If you haven't started, this site and several others cover how to start. Even if you can only scrape an extra $1 together each week, it's enough to start. Having a few candles, cans of food and source of heat is better than having nothing when nothing is truly the alternative.
Search for 'Sandy lessons learned' or posts from those affected. Some with no preparedness supplies were begging for government help or dumpster diving within 2 to 3 days. Some who were prepared lost their preps, others flourished. Learn and revamp your plans as these lessons may apply to your situation.
What will you do differently based on lessons learned this month?
From my humble perspective, the role of government is not to save ME. It is to assist in the restoration of shared infrastructure and to reduce dangers/increase safety to an acceptable societal norm. Huh? To me, it means if you had sewer and electric service and the crime rate was X, then government's role is to reduce the obstacles for private business to restore the electric and sewer and assist local governance in their roles related to utilities and law enforcement so locals can restore the crime rate more toward X to support individual restoration efforts. Those individual efforts include rebuilding the homes and businesses that were damaged or destroyed.
Government's job is not to be clairvoyant. Government is not structured to hunt for each and every Jane and John Doe and bring daily deliveries of what Jane and John want, much less what they need. That's why I write about personal preparedness.
Sometimes government gets it wrong. Occasionally evacuation is recommended but not needed. As we've learned recently, it may be better to accept the inconvenience of timely evacuation than to die from drowning, electrocution or falling debris. Staying with Granny, or even camping in another state may be a better alternative than hanging on to a flooded house in the freezing weather. Yes, it's your stuff, but it is meaningless without your family. I'd rather have my husband alive and safe than have him die trying to save a wedding picture.
If you are not affected by the current events, you may want to soul search and decide ahead of time what you want to do. ADD A PAGE to your preparedness plan with a matrix so you don't need to decide under stress. It could be divided by season and event and should include your identified potential emergencies.
Using a matrix, you can follow your column and row for a recommendation that you made to yourself during more sane moments. If winter and major storm, what's in the box where they intersect? Does it say GO TO GRANNY'S? SANDBAG DOORS AND MOVE FURNITURE UPSTAIRS? BRING MORE WOOD INSIDE?
Another consideration is from lessons learned from Sandy. If you follow the 72-hour guideline, is that enough? Somewhere between filling your car trunk and filling your entire home with supplies is your personal answer. Something is better than nothing. Storing your supplies in a location that is accessible but less likely to be damaged or lost by events on your emergency list (see my page on Prep 101).
If you haven't started, this site and several others cover how to start. Even if you can only scrape an extra $1 together each week, it's enough to start. Having a few candles, cans of food and source of heat is better than having nothing when nothing is truly the alternative.
Search for 'Sandy lessons learned' or posts from those affected. Some with no preparedness supplies were begging for government help or dumpster diving within 2 to 3 days. Some who were prepared lost their preps, others flourished. Learn and revamp your plans as these lessons may apply to your situation.
What will you do differently based on lessons learned this month?
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
GO bag insight: keep them light!
I read an article recently by a man who hiked the Appalachian trail. He made a really great point about pack weight. There is a relationship between how much your pack weighs and how much ground you can cover in a day. The heavier your pack, the more energy goes into carrying the pack rather than moving forward. I thought I was the only one who kept my actual GO bag under 20 lbs, but I guess not. Mine is light because I wrecked my back running for many years in the Army, not because I'm a genius. The author of the linked post, however, could be the genius.
When you make your emergency plans, leaving on foot is usually a last resort, but it should be in your plans. Your first and/or second level of preparation should be suitable for easy adaptation to leaving on foot. I include both levels because some people have a first level of preparation, called 'Every Day Carry' (EDC) that usually fits in their pocket or purse. It may include simple items like a small lighter, a pocket knife, a Mylar blanket and something to disinfect and hold water --possibly even a Ziploc bag and one disinfectant tablet. The EDC should be sufficient to get you to your next level of preparedness, which would either be home, your desk at work, your GO bag (other acronyms for this bag include GOOD bag or BOB) or whatever you regularly carry in your car. Remember that your car kit may become your GO bag if traffic or other conditions render your car useless. Always have a day pack with your car gear, even one that is not the greatest, in case you need to pack up your car kit and leave on foot. My next level up includes a plastic box with more food and a small duffel bag with more clothing and a sleeping bag. If it comes time to abandon the car, I can grab another layer of clothes and maybe a few more food pouches for the next meal only and head out with the light pack.
So how do you do this -- keep to 20 lbs or less AND have some redundancy in the most important items? First a little aside on redundancy. Redundancy means have at least 2 ways to cover the most important basics. An example is how to provide fire. I keep a small Bic lighter, a waterproof match case with strike anywhere matches, a small plastic magnifying glass (which has a lot of other uses) and a fire steel. Somewhere in there is a method for virtually any conditions I may encounter. I consider fire to be a preparedness imperative, so I go a little overboard. I also have 4 ways to purify water -- here in the desert southwest, if you are lucky enough to find standing water, it's probably disgusting stuff, so more ways are better. The main way to keep the pack light is to miniaturize and remember that this pack is for getting out of the immediate danger. You don't need a whole box of tissue, but a pocket pack may be useful. You don't need an entire wardrobe, but clean socks and undies may be a welcomed relief. You should have enough to keep you going for 72 to 96 hours. Not your whole family or neighborhood, and not forever. It is a supplement to what you are wearing. If you are at work in a suit or high heels, you should also have a change of clothes and shoes in your desk or car before venturing out with your GO bag.
There are lots of inexpensive but reliable products that are small. The Princeton Tec lights at Sierra Trading Post are small and inexpensive (especially when on sale), but powerful enough and are available in white and red light. I also keep a small, cheap solar flashlight that has a caribiner clip, so it can be charging while I walk when I hook it to my pack strap or back. You don't need the premium sleeping bag. One of the emergency bags could last you and are small and cheap. Instead of a huge tent, try one of these or get the heaviest (in mils) plastic drop cloth from Home Depot and some parachute cord. You can make your own wind and rain shelter for about 8 ounces.
Personal hygiene? Use Wisp toothettes or a pre-filled tooth brush. Include a small hotel soap and a few pre-moistened wipes. I have a small microfiber towel, which can do double duty as part of the 'keep warm' stuff when dry. Small Tupperwares (about 1.25 inches in diameter) of your meds, salt, sugar are smart to have. A change of socks and undies are good. Cash and ID are very important. A pocket knife and a spork, a metal canteen cup (Army surplus) and some food are also a good idea. Think BASICS, small and short duration.
For children, don't make it too austere. They may not be able to take their favorite quilt and stuffed animal, but include a small comfort item. If there is a light weight stuffed toy, especially one that can double as a pillow, throw it in for the little one. For an older child, a pack of cards for a game of Go-Fish or rummy may lighten the mood as you prepare to bed down. If you have an infant, you must research how to balance their sanitary requirements with weight -- cloth diapers and liners may be the answer, but technology has changed a lot since I last researched that one! You can wash a diaper and hang it on the back of your pack to dry while you walk if need be. Not so much with disposables.
I'm about to change from my 'summer' pack list to my 'winter' list. My pack will go from 16 lbs to about 19 to allow for extra warmth items and a few more calories.
What about your GO bag? Is it obese? Can you carry it for 10 hours? If so, how much ground can you cover? If you aren't an Army Ranger or super athlete, check your emergency GO bags for everyone in the family and see if any of them need to go on a diet!
When you make your emergency plans, leaving on foot is usually a last resort, but it should be in your plans. Your first and/or second level of preparation should be suitable for easy adaptation to leaving on foot. I include both levels because some people have a first level of preparation, called 'Every Day Carry' (EDC) that usually fits in their pocket or purse. It may include simple items like a small lighter, a pocket knife, a Mylar blanket and something to disinfect and hold water --possibly even a Ziploc bag and one disinfectant tablet. The EDC should be sufficient to get you to your next level of preparedness, which would either be home, your desk at work, your GO bag (other acronyms for this bag include GOOD bag or BOB) or whatever you regularly carry in your car. Remember that your car kit may become your GO bag if traffic or other conditions render your car useless. Always have a day pack with your car gear, even one that is not the greatest, in case you need to pack up your car kit and leave on foot. My next level up includes a plastic box with more food and a small duffel bag with more clothing and a sleeping bag. If it comes time to abandon the car, I can grab another layer of clothes and maybe a few more food pouches for the next meal only and head out with the light pack.
So how do you do this -- keep to 20 lbs or less AND have some redundancy in the most important items? First a little aside on redundancy. Redundancy means have at least 2 ways to cover the most important basics. An example is how to provide fire. I keep a small Bic lighter, a waterproof match case with strike anywhere matches, a small plastic magnifying glass (which has a lot of other uses) and a fire steel. Somewhere in there is a method for virtually any conditions I may encounter. I consider fire to be a preparedness imperative, so I go a little overboard. I also have 4 ways to purify water -- here in the desert southwest, if you are lucky enough to find standing water, it's probably disgusting stuff, so more ways are better. The main way to keep the pack light is to miniaturize and remember that this pack is for getting out of the immediate danger. You don't need a whole box of tissue, but a pocket pack may be useful. You don't need an entire wardrobe, but clean socks and undies may be a welcomed relief. You should have enough to keep you going for 72 to 96 hours. Not your whole family or neighborhood, and not forever. It is a supplement to what you are wearing. If you are at work in a suit or high heels, you should also have a change of clothes and shoes in your desk or car before venturing out with your GO bag.
There are lots of inexpensive but reliable products that are small. The Princeton Tec lights at Sierra Trading Post are small and inexpensive (especially when on sale), but powerful enough and are available in white and red light. I also keep a small, cheap solar flashlight that has a caribiner clip, so it can be charging while I walk when I hook it to my pack strap or back. You don't need the premium sleeping bag. One of the emergency bags could last you and are small and cheap. Instead of a huge tent, try one of these or get the heaviest (in mils) plastic drop cloth from Home Depot and some parachute cord. You can make your own wind and rain shelter for about 8 ounces.
Personal hygiene? Use Wisp toothettes or a pre-filled tooth brush. Include a small hotel soap and a few pre-moistened wipes. I have a small microfiber towel, which can do double duty as part of the 'keep warm' stuff when dry. Small Tupperwares (about 1.25 inches in diameter) of your meds, salt, sugar are smart to have. A change of socks and undies are good. Cash and ID are very important. A pocket knife and a spork, a metal canteen cup (Army surplus) and some food are also a good idea. Think BASICS, small and short duration.
For children, don't make it too austere. They may not be able to take their favorite quilt and stuffed animal, but include a small comfort item. If there is a light weight stuffed toy, especially one that can double as a pillow, throw it in for the little one. For an older child, a pack of cards for a game of Go-Fish or rummy may lighten the mood as you prepare to bed down. If you have an infant, you must research how to balance their sanitary requirements with weight -- cloth diapers and liners may be the answer, but technology has changed a lot since I last researched that one! You can wash a diaper and hang it on the back of your pack to dry while you walk if need be. Not so much with disposables.
I'm about to change from my 'summer' pack list to my 'winter' list. My pack will go from 16 lbs to about 19 to allow for extra warmth items and a few more calories.
What about your GO bag? Is it obese? Can you carry it for 10 hours? If so, how much ground can you cover? If you aren't an Army Ranger or super athlete, check your emergency GO bags for everyone in the family and see if any of them need to go on a diet!
Friday, October 12, 2012
Calorie and Nutrition Density
Decision-making for your food storage should include multiple considerations that span the emergency possibilities for your situation. If your scenarios are primarily shelter-in-place emergencies then you have different concerns than if most require leaving your home to put distance between your family and the adverse conditions. If you have determined that you need more than 72 hours of food, then transportation or in-home storage space may also be a consideration. How do you balance variety, convenience, nutrition, weight, volume and cost? Here are a few thoughts on the selection process.
When cost and convenience are important but weight or volume are not a problem, i.e. you don't anticipate needing to move to another location, then conventional canned food may be your best option. Take the humble Chef Boyardee products. A 39 ounce can of spaghetti and meatballs ( under $3.00) provides 4 generous or 5 not-so-generous servings between 200 and 300 calories each with lots of fat, protein, reasonable fiber and non-sugar carbs along with some B vitamins and odd minerals like iron, phosphorus and manganese. It packs a punch for one 4 X 6 inch can and 60 (5 servings) to 75 (4 servings) cents per serving. You can eat it cold or hot and won't need to purify water to make it palatable. It may not be gourmet, but it'll stick to your ribs. That is what I mean by nutrition dense.
Another product, this time in the calorie dense arena is a freeze-dried, cooked and crumbled sausage packaged in a #10 can. Weighing 29 ounces, it provides 16 servings at a whopping 320 calories each, all in fat and protein. The down side is you need hot, clean water to make it according to the directions. We have tried it straight from the can and it is palatable, but might be better as a 'gorp' with raisins and nuts if used when you need to move locations in an emergency. I cheated and bought this on sale, so it cost me $1.62 per serving, but the price trade was for much less weight and 4 times as many calories.
More practically, you can shop at Target or Walmart and compare the NUTRITION labels and the price. If a 1 lb box of saltines is the same price as a 1 lb box of enriched dry pasta, you need to think through which makes more sense given your criteria. If you need ready-to-eat food, the saltines and a jar of peanut butter may make more sense that the pasta and some sauce. Both will provide carbs and protein, but you may anticipate a situation where cooking may not be realistic for several days. In that case, the peanut butter provide the fats and protein density and the crackers give some carbs to get you to the point you can fire up the pasta.
Some foods may fit both the shelter-in-place requirements and an evacuation scenario. (Preferably you will pre-evacuate and head out long before the masses hit the road!!) To make these decisions, you will need some clue about where you are going. If it's 200 miles to Granny's and she's out of the evac zone, your food storage needs are different than if you plan to drive until you find a place to camp out and decide what to do next. Once you make these decisions and as you buy your preparedness food supply, you need to package your evacuation supplies for a fast 'get away.' The advantage of having these foods set aside, boxed and ready to load could translate to fewer hours stalled in traffic because you beat the crowd leaving town.
I use a labeling system to help me make quick decisions. I use boxes (some people use plastic tubs) labeled with the meal and relative preparation requirements. So I can choose 'fast breakfast', 'fast snacks' or 'slow dinner' when I pack up. Each box has EVERYTHING except the water and pan needed to prepare the meal. Each carton has at least 2 cans with a flat P51 can opener taped to the top or under the plastic lid. Each carton has some beverage powder with vitamin C (usually Crystal Lite orange), matches and a small can of butter. Even within the 'slow' boxes, I try to have at least one component that is palatable right from the can, just in case! (example: 'slow dinner' may have a can of dehydrated -- not freeze dried-- apple slices for the dessert. These can be enjoyed right from the can and will provide some good carbs and fiber.)
Anyone who has read my blog a few times understands that I'm a little ... odd. One of the little games I play when I've nothing better to do takes advantage of the Food Storage Analyzer (button on the right side, use the TRY IT option if you are concerned about your privacy). I see how many days of nutrition I can make out of one case of 6 #10 cans of freeze dried or dehydrated food. The analyzer will tell you what percentage of the essential nutrients you have accounted for-- my goal is 85% or better on all. This 'game' is to teach myself about nutrition and calorie density. My max to date is 21 days at 1800 calories per day for one person from a six can case of freeze dried and dehydrated food and beverages. Meals would be really bizarre, but you could stay healthy. See if you can beat my max. I'll even give you a hint: a can of orange drink mix provides carbs and takes care of a lot of the vitamins and mineral requirements!
More practically, you can shop at Target or Walmart and compare the NUTRITION labels and the price. If a 1 lb box of saltines is the same price as a 1 lb box of enriched dry pasta, you need to think through which makes more sense given your criteria. If you need ready-to-eat food, the saltines and a jar of peanut butter may make more sense that the pasta and some sauce. Both will provide carbs and protein, but you may anticipate a situation where cooking may not be realistic for several days. In that case, the peanut butter provide the fats and protein density and the crackers give some carbs to get you to the point you can fire up the pasta.
Some foods may fit both the shelter-in-place requirements and an evacuation scenario. (Preferably you will pre-evacuate and head out long before the masses hit the road!!) To make these decisions, you will need some clue about where you are going. If it's 200 miles to Granny's and she's out of the evac zone, your food storage needs are different than if you plan to drive until you find a place to camp out and decide what to do next. Once you make these decisions and as you buy your preparedness food supply, you need to package your evacuation supplies for a fast 'get away.' The advantage of having these foods set aside, boxed and ready to load could translate to fewer hours stalled in traffic because you beat the crowd leaving town.
I use a labeling system to help me make quick decisions. I use boxes (some people use plastic tubs) labeled with the meal and relative preparation requirements. So I can choose 'fast breakfast', 'fast snacks' or 'slow dinner' when I pack up. Each box has EVERYTHING except the water and pan needed to prepare the meal. Each carton has at least 2 cans with a flat P51 can opener taped to the top or under the plastic lid. Each carton has some beverage powder with vitamin C (usually Crystal Lite orange), matches and a small can of butter. Even within the 'slow' boxes, I try to have at least one component that is palatable right from the can, just in case! (example: 'slow dinner' may have a can of dehydrated -- not freeze dried-- apple slices for the dessert. These can be enjoyed right from the can and will provide some good carbs and fiber.)
Anyone who has read my blog a few times understands that I'm a little ... odd. One of the little games I play when I've nothing better to do takes advantage of the Food Storage Analyzer (button on the right side, use the TRY IT option if you are concerned about your privacy). I see how many days of nutrition I can make out of one case of 6 #10 cans of freeze dried or dehydrated food. The analyzer will tell you what percentage of the essential nutrients you have accounted for-- my goal is 85% or better on all. This 'game' is to teach myself about nutrition and calorie density. My max to date is 21 days at 1800 calories per day for one person from a six can case of freeze dried and dehydrated food and beverages. Meals would be really bizarre, but you could stay healthy. See if you can beat my max. I'll even give you a hint: a can of orange drink mix provides carbs and takes care of a lot of the vitamins and mineral requirements!
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Just a little more on your Emergency First Aid Kit...
I updated yesterday's post with a link to a great article on antibiotics. Thanks mucho, K!
Also, some useful supplies are available at much lower cost at your neighborhood ranch supply or feed store. I buy betadine solution and items for irrigating wounds in the horse supply area there.
Speaking of irrigating wounds: I forgot to mention that small separate baggies (or mini-tupperwares) of salt, baking soda and white sugar should be in your kit along with some small measuring spoons. I also keep a small canister of Morton's Salt Substitute (food grade potassium chloride or KCl) from the grocery store in my bag. USING A GOOD REFERENCE, you can do a lot with this stuff and clean water -- making a saline external irrigation or soaking solution; making a rehydration solution; adding a small amount (less than a dash) of KCl to some water to help relieve leg or foot cramps and many more. Other more serious conditions may be helped with these simple ingredients, but you must have a good emergency medical reference and some training or you can do real harm.
Also, some useful supplies are available at much lower cost at your neighborhood ranch supply or feed store. I buy betadine solution and items for irrigating wounds in the horse supply area there.
Speaking of irrigating wounds: I forgot to mention that small separate baggies (or mini-tupperwares) of salt, baking soda and white sugar should be in your kit along with some small measuring spoons. I also keep a small canister of Morton's Salt Substitute (food grade potassium chloride or KCl) from the grocery store in my bag. USING A GOOD REFERENCE, you can do a lot with this stuff and clean water -- making a saline external irrigation or soaking solution; making a rehydration solution; adding a small amount (less than a dash) of KCl to some water to help relieve leg or foot cramps and many more. Other more serious conditions may be helped with these simple ingredients, but you must have a good emergency medical reference and some training or you can do real harm.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Building Your Emergency First Aid Kit
NOTE to Readers: The Google Blogger now adds double underline to words or phrases in my posts to send you to their advertizers. I haven't found a way to stop it yet. Please know these are not advertizers I recommend, in fact the '37 things' link is one of the most annoying ads I've ever seen.
Now for my intended posting:
It's one thing to have some bactine and band-aids in a pouch for everyday boo-boos, but a first aid kit for your emergency preparedness supplies is a different animal. By its very nature, it may be first and ONLY medical aid for 72 or more hours. Band-aids and bactine probably won't do the trick.
As a reminder, this is your Emergency FAK. See previous post about your Personal Med Bag (PMB) which is equally important. Don't put stuff in your EFAK for others to use that you can't spare from your PMB, only those general use and critical care items should go in here. For example: if you regularly take a pain medication and have enough in your PMB to last you through a reasonably foreseeable emergency, you may wish to contribute a few 'excess' to the EFAK. In doing this, you relinquish claim to them, and they go to whoever needs them first.
Thinking through your specific needs requires going back to basics. What were those potential emergency situations again? Earthquake? Flood? Tornado? Wildfire? Based on which ones apply to your location and situation, and who the kit is meant to support, you can start to frame what goes in it. Remember family, friends and your level of willingness to be a good Samaritan to strangers in the process.
Some bloody traumatic injuries are to be expected in many disaster or emergency situations. That also means open wounds. So start with self-protection including gloves, some masks and eye protection if you don't wear glasses. Add some of that alcohol gel hand sanitizer for good measure. Now, what about the victim?
If your budget is tight, you can improvise some items, but they should still be in the kit. I'm not taking things in order (i.e. this is not medical advice) so add a first aid class, or better yet some sort of emergency or trauma training, to your list. There may be some free ones through your fire or police department. In any injury situation where an open wound is involved, you'll need something to stop bleeding. Clean bandaging and a way to secure it to the site are important. If your budget allows, you can get a quick-clot impregnated bandage for $10 to $15 from several mail order sources. These should be for those really scary bleeding wounds. Whether secured with a larger pressure bandage from a package, made from a strip of sheeting or from high quality medical tape, you'll need something to hold the bandage in place and maintain some pressure. Consideration for cleaning the wound and preventing infection is also important.
If and only if you are willing to move a patient for professional care OR you need to save a life by potentially causing someone to lose a limb, include a tourniquet. Read about these well in advance, as they are very serious medical intervention with a lot of potentially negative impacts.
Clearing and maintaining an airway is also a major issue. Some military surplus kits or backwoods hiking suppliers can help you there with specially-made disposable airways. Otherwise, gloves and some alcohol pads may be better than nothing.
A wilderness or special forces medical text is a good idea. Some can be downloaded from the web. Pay attention to how to suture a wound. Worst case, a curved fabric needle and some sterilized upholstery thread may suffice. Keep your antiseptic and matches in the kit -- matches in a water resistant or waterproof container. You may not be able to create a true sterile field, but do what you can if professional help is not an option.
Do your research on burn treatments and have something for those as well, anticipating that there may be some large burns, not just a finger tip.
Have the usually triple antibiotic ointment, tweezers and adhesive bandages in multiple sizes for the more common splinters and scrapes -- or for picking foreign debris out of scrapes and injuries. I also keep campho-phenique liquid. It is messy and smelly, but it kills some nasty stuff and relieves pain unlike most other OTC antiseptics.
A few hours after the injury has been treated to the best of your ability, pain is likely to start. Some victims may not be able to swallow meds. Both oral meds and pain patches should be stocked if you can afford them. Tylenol may be better than aspirin if there is potential for internal bleeding. Baby aspirin should be on hand for possible heart attacks. There may be little else to offer other than keeping the patient quiet and comfortable.
Antiseptics and antibiotics are important. Speak with your MD and ask for generic antibiotics for each member of your family for both a broad spectrum like azithromycin and a course of generic flagyl for problems like giardia. If your MD has a favorite for dysentery, ask for that as well. Another good source of common antibiotics is addressed very well here, if you want to have a more robust capability to really weather a storm and its aftermath. Throw in some over the counter probiotics for later in the treatment to stop diarrhea that can result from too many intestinal organisms being killed.
I keep several other items in my EFAK. These include 2 or 3 Mylar emergency blankets, 2 bandannas, a pair of 'trauma' scissors (can be cheap kitchen scissors -- just heavy duty enough to cut through fabric like someones pants), fire starter, Gatorade powder, water purification tablets, glucose tablets, a forehead thermometer strip, 3 yards of fine black netting from the Walmart fabric center, a collapsible cup, 2 ace bandages, individually packaged Wet Ones, OTC meds and a good pocket knife. Much of this I scavenged from around the house or from my own past injuries (ace bandages!). I bought 8 Gatorade packets for $2 at Big Lots, put 4 in the kit and fed the other 4 to my husband as a reward for doing yard work. He like it! These gathered things can be used to treat shock or deyhdration, sprained or broken arms or ankles, low blood sugar, and to make someone more comfortable (netting can be a bug-exclusion tent). OTC meds include treatment for allergies, diarrhea, nausea and flu symptoms.
I'm saving up for a pulse-oxygen meter, the finger tip kind. Not sure why, but it just seems like one should be in the kit, and maybe a blood pressure cuff. These may be beyond the scope of such a kit. Gives me something to think about before I make the investment. What do you think? What do you think I'm missing?
My EFAK is in an old carry-on bag -- a red one. The color makes it easy to pick out in the pile of emergency supplies so I can get to it more quickly. It also reminds me to pack it where I can get to it easily ... in case of emergency! It has 3 external zippered pockets. I put a Ziplock bag with STOP THE BLEEDING supplies in one of the pockets, another Ziploc with BREATHING supplies in another pocket, and some of the comfort and SHOCK supplies in the third pocket. This allows fast access for the most critical needs.
Think about what is likely in your potential emergency situations, research and build or refine your EFAK. Then remember to review at least every September as part of your annual preparedness update.
AND WELCOME TO FRUGAL PREP, MISTY!!
Now for my intended posting:
It's one thing to have some bactine and band-aids in a pouch for everyday boo-boos, but a first aid kit for your emergency preparedness supplies is a different animal. By its very nature, it may be first and ONLY medical aid for 72 or more hours. Band-aids and bactine probably won't do the trick.
As a reminder, this is your Emergency FAK. See previous post about your Personal Med Bag (PMB) which is equally important. Don't put stuff in your EFAK for others to use that you can't spare from your PMB, only those general use and critical care items should go in here. For example: if you regularly take a pain medication and have enough in your PMB to last you through a reasonably foreseeable emergency, you may wish to contribute a few 'excess' to the EFAK. In doing this, you relinquish claim to them, and they go to whoever needs them first.
Thinking through your specific needs requires going back to basics. What were those potential emergency situations again? Earthquake? Flood? Tornado? Wildfire? Based on which ones apply to your location and situation, and who the kit is meant to support, you can start to frame what goes in it. Remember family, friends and your level of willingness to be a good Samaritan to strangers in the process.
Some bloody traumatic injuries are to be expected in many disaster or emergency situations. That also means open wounds. So start with self-protection including gloves, some masks and eye protection if you don't wear glasses. Add some of that alcohol gel hand sanitizer for good measure. Now, what about the victim?
If your budget is tight, you can improvise some items, but they should still be in the kit. I'm not taking things in order (i.e. this is not medical advice) so add a first aid class, or better yet some sort of emergency or trauma training, to your list. There may be some free ones through your fire or police department. In any injury situation where an open wound is involved, you'll need something to stop bleeding. Clean bandaging and a way to secure it to the site are important. If your budget allows, you can get a quick-clot impregnated bandage for $10 to $15 from several mail order sources. These should be for those really scary bleeding wounds. Whether secured with a larger pressure bandage from a package, made from a strip of sheeting or from high quality medical tape, you'll need something to hold the bandage in place and maintain some pressure. Consideration for cleaning the wound and preventing infection is also important.
If and only if you are willing to move a patient for professional care OR you need to save a life by potentially causing someone to lose a limb, include a tourniquet. Read about these well in advance, as they are very serious medical intervention with a lot of potentially negative impacts.
Clearing and maintaining an airway is also a major issue. Some military surplus kits or backwoods hiking suppliers can help you there with specially-made disposable airways. Otherwise, gloves and some alcohol pads may be better than nothing.
A wilderness or special forces medical text is a good idea. Some can be downloaded from the web. Pay attention to how to suture a wound. Worst case, a curved fabric needle and some sterilized upholstery thread may suffice. Keep your antiseptic and matches in the kit -- matches in a water resistant or waterproof container. You may not be able to create a true sterile field, but do what you can if professional help is not an option.
Do your research on burn treatments and have something for those as well, anticipating that there may be some large burns, not just a finger tip.
Have the usually triple antibiotic ointment, tweezers and adhesive bandages in multiple sizes for the more common splinters and scrapes -- or for picking foreign debris out of scrapes and injuries. I also keep campho-phenique liquid. It is messy and smelly, but it kills some nasty stuff and relieves pain unlike most other OTC antiseptics.
A few hours after the injury has been treated to the best of your ability, pain is likely to start. Some victims may not be able to swallow meds. Both oral meds and pain patches should be stocked if you can afford them. Tylenol may be better than aspirin if there is potential for internal bleeding. Baby aspirin should be on hand for possible heart attacks. There may be little else to offer other than keeping the patient quiet and comfortable.
Antiseptics and antibiotics are important. Speak with your MD and ask for generic antibiotics for each member of your family for both a broad spectrum like azithromycin and a course of generic flagyl for problems like giardia. If your MD has a favorite for dysentery, ask for that as well. Another good source of common antibiotics is addressed very well here, if you want to have a more robust capability to really weather a storm and its aftermath. Throw in some over the counter probiotics for later in the treatment to stop diarrhea that can result from too many intestinal organisms being killed.
I keep several other items in my EFAK. These include 2 or 3 Mylar emergency blankets, 2 bandannas, a pair of 'trauma' scissors (can be cheap kitchen scissors -- just heavy duty enough to cut through fabric like someones pants), fire starter, Gatorade powder, water purification tablets, glucose tablets, a forehead thermometer strip, 3 yards of fine black netting from the Walmart fabric center, a collapsible cup, 2 ace bandages, individually packaged Wet Ones, OTC meds and a good pocket knife. Much of this I scavenged from around the house or from my own past injuries (ace bandages!). I bought 8 Gatorade packets for $2 at Big Lots, put 4 in the kit and fed the other 4 to my husband as a reward for doing yard work. He like it! These gathered things can be used to treat shock or deyhdration, sprained or broken arms or ankles, low blood sugar, and to make someone more comfortable (netting can be a bug-exclusion tent). OTC meds include treatment for allergies, diarrhea, nausea and flu symptoms.
I'm saving up for a pulse-oxygen meter, the finger tip kind. Not sure why, but it just seems like one should be in the kit, and maybe a blood pressure cuff. These may be beyond the scope of such a kit. Gives me something to think about before I make the investment. What do you think? What do you think I'm missing?
My EFAK is in an old carry-on bag -- a red one. The color makes it easy to pick out in the pile of emergency supplies so I can get to it more quickly. It also reminds me to pack it where I can get to it easily ... in case of emergency! It has 3 external zippered pockets. I put a Ziplock bag with STOP THE BLEEDING supplies in one of the pockets, another Ziploc with BREATHING supplies in another pocket, and some of the comfort and SHOCK supplies in the third pocket. This allows fast access for the most critical needs.
Think about what is likely in your potential emergency situations, research and build or refine your EFAK. Then remember to review at least every September as part of your annual preparedness update.
AND WELCOME TO FRUGAL PREP, MISTY!!
Friday, September 7, 2012
What's in YOUR car?
How long is your daily commute? Do you live more than 5 minute's from 'town?' If so, do you stock a 'get me home' or a 'shelter in place' kit in your vehicle? If not, perhaps you should think about it.
I lived and worked in San Francisco during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Many people in my office lived across the bay or south of the city. The quake occurred just before 'quitting time.' Rapid transit was shut down immediately pending inspection of the tunnel under the bay. The train schedule for parts south was canceled for the same reason. Highways were closed pending inspections of the bridges and overpasses. We all know about the Oakland Bay bridge, a major commuter transportation link. The airport was shut down for safety inspections. Even the ferries did not run for a while during their dock inspections.
I was fortunate to have parked in an outdoor lot that day, rather than an underground lot -- most of the latter were immediately closed pending safety inspections. Before I left the office for home, about 1.5 miles away, I offered several people rides to my place and a couch or floor for the night. No takers -- probably folks were in denial that they were stranded for an extended period. I later heard the tale of that evening.
At first, the rent-a-guards kicked everyone out of the building. About 50 people had nowhere else to go. Luckily, the building manager returned to work and reversed that policy, especially for those who could not use their normal means to get home. Then the city cut power so that the infrastructure could be inspected -- no 1906 fires this time!
The company had no earthquake supplies in the building. Can you even grasp that? There were some emergency lights that came on. Luckily there was a cafeteria, which was forcibly entered. Food and drink were found for the stranded. I'm sure it was a long night in a mostly dark building with the clothes on their backs. It was several days before travel capabilities were back -- not to 'normal' but to 'available' with a longer delay or longer route to bridges north or south of town.
Most of the 'stranded' were able to get home within 24 hours. Some carried no cash. Others had no comfy walking shoes. Most had nothing helpful in their desk drawers. Few had anything in their cars to support their needs, despite the frequent reminders of the potential -- and the numerous small quakes we had on a routine basis. What if it had been worse?
What about you? What hazards are possible at your work location? What if you needed to shelter in place for 24 hours? Do you have a desk pack that will last you 24 hours? What about in your car? A change of clothes, comfy shoes, compact blanket? How about a flashlight, bottle of water, shelf-stable meals? Don't forget first aid and hygiene supplies -- a toothbrush or wisp, unscented wipes, a little TP? You don't need to buy a fancy pre-made kit. Those tend to be heavy on the band aids and light on the everyday useful things you have around the house. How about that ugly fleece blanket from Aunt Suzie? What better sign of appreciation than to have it where you may need it to save your lives? Chef Boyardee ravioli is incredibly nutritious, inexpensive and can be eaten cold from the can in an emergency. Get the idea?
Do you travel by air frequently in your work or for pleasure? If so, what's your emergency pack for the trip? What additional items are in your suitcase in a fanny pack in case of problems?
National Preparedness Month is not just about being prepared at home. It is about being prepared wherever you are. Your car is a good place to start.
If you have trouble thinking about what should be in your kit, lots of websites have lists. Among others are the Red Cross and the Church of Latter Day Saints. Because of their preparedness mandate, the LDS Church website has a lot of well-organized emergency preparedness guidance and it's free to all.
I lived and worked in San Francisco during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Many people in my office lived across the bay or south of the city. The quake occurred just before 'quitting time.' Rapid transit was shut down immediately pending inspection of the tunnel under the bay. The train schedule for parts south was canceled for the same reason. Highways were closed pending inspections of the bridges and overpasses. We all know about the Oakland Bay bridge, a major commuter transportation link. The airport was shut down for safety inspections. Even the ferries did not run for a while during their dock inspections.
I was fortunate to have parked in an outdoor lot that day, rather than an underground lot -- most of the latter were immediately closed pending safety inspections. Before I left the office for home, about 1.5 miles away, I offered several people rides to my place and a couch or floor for the night. No takers -- probably folks were in denial that they were stranded for an extended period. I later heard the tale of that evening.
At first, the rent-a-guards kicked everyone out of the building. About 50 people had nowhere else to go. Luckily, the building manager returned to work and reversed that policy, especially for those who could not use their normal means to get home. Then the city cut power so that the infrastructure could be inspected -- no 1906 fires this time!
The company had no earthquake supplies in the building. Can you even grasp that? There were some emergency lights that came on. Luckily there was a cafeteria, which was forcibly entered. Food and drink were found for the stranded. I'm sure it was a long night in a mostly dark building with the clothes on their backs. It was several days before travel capabilities were back -- not to 'normal' but to 'available' with a longer delay or longer route to bridges north or south of town.
Most of the 'stranded' were able to get home within 24 hours. Some carried no cash. Others had no comfy walking shoes. Most had nothing helpful in their desk drawers. Few had anything in their cars to support their needs, despite the frequent reminders of the potential -- and the numerous small quakes we had on a routine basis. What if it had been worse?
Do you travel by air frequently in your work or for pleasure? If so, what's your emergency pack for the trip? What additional items are in your suitcase in a fanny pack in case of problems?
National Preparedness Month is not just about being prepared at home. It is about being prepared wherever you are. Your car is a good place to start.
If you have trouble thinking about what should be in your kit, lots of websites have lists. Among others are the Red Cross and the Church of Latter Day Saints. Because of their preparedness mandate, the LDS Church website has a lot of well-organized emergency preparedness guidance and it's free to all.
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