Thursday, September 19, 2013

Disaster Survival Planning

No one plans on experiencing a hurricane, a tornado, and earthquake, or any other disaster.  Train derailments, fires, floods can all occur with little to no warning.  Your first indication that you need to leave your home could be a fireman or policman knocking on your door in the middle of the night.  Suddenly, you need to collect your family, pets and belongings and leave your home in 10 minutes.  Could you do it?  What you take?  What would you leave behind that you would need later?  Where are all the members of your family?  Would they know where to look for you?  Do you have a meeting place?

Unfortuantely, depending on local, state and federaI governmental agencies to provide you  with assistance is not a sound plan.   Past disasters have often shown a delay of any where from hours to days and weeks in getting emergency assistance into disaster areas.  You need to have  a plan in place and the supplies  you and your family would need to survive for at least 2 weeks. Look at the results hurricane Katrina left in New Orleans and the Gulfcoast--people who survived the flooding and winds had no resources for survival and died later.

I grew up on the pandhandle of Florida where hurricanes were common. Often we had no electrical power for weeks at a time.  We learned to use what we had ( a cattle water trough makes a great bath tub!!).  Families, friends, and communities pulled together to assist each other and provide services to those in need. Everyone survived, recovered, and resumed their lives.

In an emergency, you don't have time to assemble critical supplies--esp. prescriptions, trauma and first aid supplies, clothing, food, and water.  So, having a disaster plan in place for yourself , your family, and your pets is key for your safety and well being.  Don't wait until you have an immentiant need--take the time now to set up your disaster survival plan and supplies.

Here is an article by Dr. Roberta Lee which outlines an excellent survival plan for pets and family.  Take this information and modify it to your needs.
 

DISASTER SURVIVAL PACKING LIST


by Roberta Lee, DD., PhD., ND. TheDogPlace Science Editor

Disaster Supplies For Your Dog.

  1. If your dog needs cover make sure you take a warm vest for him/her. Nothing fancy but something that will weather well. This is not a fashion show. You may want booties for your dog for who knows what they might have to walk through.
  2. Take several leashes. ALWAYS keep your dog on a leash no matter how well trained because they may be panicked by the unexpected..
  3. If you have a medium to large breed dog buy packs made for his size. Make sure they fit properly and train your dog to the pack now! Don’t wait until the need arises or you may have trouble on your hands when you least need it.
  4. If the weather is cold let your dog sleep with you. His body temperature will help you stay warmer and you won’t have to use as many blankets.
  5. Pack your pet’s medication in waterproof pouches in different packs. Talk to your vet. Be honest and tell them why you want to stock pile some of the meds. Make sure you ask how to cycle the meds so you don’t end up with out of date medication that might do more harm than good.
  6. Neosporin is good for humans, dogs, and cats too. You will have to wrap the area with gauze to keep them from licking it off. Honey is not only energy for you, it is for wound healing on you or your pets as bacteria won’t grow in honey.
  7. Make sure you have dry (kibble) food. Cans are too heavy. If they get hungry enough they will eat anything. Also if you have leftovers from your meal give it to the dog, DON’T throw it away. Remember these will be hard times and not the time to reinforce old rules or routines.
  8. Make sure you have sufficient water for your pet. The size will determine how much they will need, but this is as important to your pet as it is to you. We all can go longer without food than we can without water.
  9. As for other gear, remember that you will be in a survival mode. You can’t take everything. Pack just what you have to have to keep your pet safe.
Now for you.
Most people think they know more than they do, so it is wise to have a manual for “Emergency Treatment and Management.” There are tons of books available today, which should tell you they are felt to be needed. Get the message, get a book that covers the everyday type of injuries that occur during disasters.
What is the first and most important item to you and your pet’s survival? If you said, “WATER” you are right. So this section will be about water.
SURVIVAL DEPENDS ON POTABLE WATER:
Water will be like gold in a disaster. Remember we are talking about survival here, so the most important water is for drinking or first aid. Stock up on water purification tablets. If you live in an arid area of the world, you should begin to stockpile water. Use only glass bottles for storage. If sealed properly it should last about a year. If you have to “bug out” to another location, transfer the water to lightweight fabric or plastic water bags that you can carry. Your dog can also carry water in his packs.
Even if you are where it rains a lot, you still should have a year’s supply of water on hand for cooking and drinking (3 gallons for adults less for pets).
You will need two new garbage cans. Wash them thoroughly and put the lid on securely. When it rains, take the lids off and allow the rain water to fill one. You can use clean kitchen pots to help collect more to go in the “safe” garbage can. The second one should be put under the rain gutter to collect water that will be used to flush your toilets (if you stay where you live), water your garden (not flowers, food), and limited bathing which will be done by the cupful!
Using a little apple cider vinegar will be beneficial. It leaves the hair squeaky clean and you can pat a little under your arms as a deodorant. For bathing, water and apple cider vinegar should be two parts water and one part vinegar. This will help make your water go further even if you are lucky enough to not have to travel. Water that is used for bathing, washing your hair or washing dishes should be saved and recycled to flush your toilet or other waste water jobs.
If you are running out of water, remember your hot water heater has anywhere from 40 to 60 gallons of water. Make sure you disconnect the hot water heater first and allow it to cool. Then open the drain at the bottom. The first water gallon or so will have sediment in it so it can be saved for other uses, not for cooking or drinking but the rest should be potable (drinkable) water. You may have access to other water sources; lakes, rivers, streams and ponds, but you will have to use your purification tablets to ensure safety. If you have failed to buy tablets then you can boil the water for at least 5 minutes and then agitate it by shaking or beating it to re-oxygenate it.
WARNING: Children should be kept away from all water sources. A child can drown in even an inch of water. And they also spill things.
EMERGENCY RATIONS & SURVIVAL FOOD:
I will not bore you with the particulars of what drastically cutting down on the caloric intake does to the body. To go even two weeks without food can and does start many physiological changes in the body that signal you are in danger of death, and what’s more, just commencing to eat again does not necessarily fix the problems that developed from starvation.
Drastically cutting back on your consumption of calories can have side effects that are not the best, but less food is better than no food and remember we are in survival mode here. I am not going to make a grocery list for you but I will give you ideas that will allow you to go on the hunt with your computer. Let’s prepare for the worst. Whatever you buy for the worst case scenario can be used at any time.
K-rations or MRE (Meals Ready To Eat)
This is what our military eat when they are in the field. MREs require no fire or boiling water. They are light weight and easy to carry and packed with vitamins. There are also any number of vacuumed packed grocery store “meals” that will stay fresh for a long time and the most they will require is a little water, which your body needs too.
Nutrition bars are good to stock pile also. They are easy to carry and will give you needed energy in the event you can’t prepare a meal. You can also obtain vacuumed packed or powdered milk although you will need water to reconstitute
If you think you will not be able to travel then you can store canned goods. These are good for at least two years, but be alert for tops that bulge or dented cans both of which can indicate the seal is corrupted and you may have spoilage. As with vacuum packed foods, there are many canned soups and meals plus meat such as tuna, salmon, chicken, beef, and pork.
Nuts are a great source of protein. They come canned, shelled, and whole (in shell). Nuts give a big bang for the buck when it comes to energy.
Crackers are not high in nutrition but they are lightweight, filling, and could be added to any snack or meal.
Honey is wonderful. Not only is it nutritious but it is great for cuts, burns, and scrapes. Remember that bacteria will not grow in honey. It can be used for your pets the same as you would use it for yourself, as food or for wound healing.
Beef and chicken stock comes in boxes and can add flavor to whatever you cook.
There is a container on the market now called, “Lock & Lock.” It seals air tight. No bugs can get in or out. Be sure what you put in them is fresh and bug free. Dry food will keep almost indefinitely in these containers.
I would add scissors and tweezers of the medical verity. Also with any medication you must keep it safe, dry and out of the hands of other people, especially children. We thank www.alpharubicon.com for much of this disaster survival information. Often we hear about all of the advanced stuff that people keep in their medical kits but don’t stop to realize, we have to have the basics if the advanced stuff is going to help.
Here is a list of basic medical supplies, most of which can be bought at any discount or drug store. What cannot be purchased at a discount or drugstore can be ordered from medical supply companies.  (My suggestion:  buy a good size medical bag , have it packed and ready at all times.-Several online medical supply companies have EMT or paramedic bags you can buy.  One site I can suggest is  Moore Medical -->www.mooremedical.com.  They have a great assortment of bags and supplies you can buy.)
Trauma Supplies
Several packs of Quick Clot to stop bleeding fast!
One tube (approximately 100) unsterile 4x4 dressings
One tube (approximately 100) unsterile 2x2 dressings
20 packages of sterile 4x4’s and 20 of sterile 2x2’s
10 ABD type dressings (maxi-pads work nicely!)
10 sterile oval eye patches
20 rolls of gauze bandage and 6 triangular bandages
Several boxes of assorted Band-Aids
5 chemical ice packs and 5 chemical heat packs
4 four inch ACE wraps and 4 three inch ACE wraps
10 rolls of Transpore or other medical tape
4 ladder or SAM splints
10 bottles of irrigation fluid (saline or sterile water)
2 pairs of Trauma Shears
2-4 boxes of unsterile gloves
2 Penlights
5 Bottles of Isopropyl Alcohol
5 Bottles of Hydrogen Peroxide
Medications
2 bottles of Ibuprofen
2 bottles of Acetaminophen
2 bottles of Aspirin
2 bottles of Antacid
2 Bottles of Benadryl
2 Bottles of a decongestant (Sudafed)
4 Bottles of cough medicine
5 bags of cough drops
2 Bottles of Nyquil
4 Bottles of Calamine Lotion
Several Sting-Eze Swabs
4 Cans of SolarCaine Spray
5 tubes of Antibiotic ointment
5 tubes of hydrocortisone ointment
2 tubes of hemorhoidal cream
Assorted Children’s strength medications
4 Tubes of InstaGlucose
4 Bottles of Bactine or other astringent
2 Bottles of Syrup of Ipecac
2 Boxes of Ammonia Inhalants
3 large boxes of Alcohol Prep pads and/or 2 large bottles of betadine or
3 large boxes of betadine Prep Pads
One bottle of eye wash for each person in your family
(my suggestion: buy a clear plastic storage container and use disposable plastic storage cotaners as bins.  Helps keep the container neat and makes it much easier to find what you need.  Keep all family prescriptions in a general area; have a plastic storage container readily available to pack and assemble any medications--pick a size that will be easy to carry and pack.  Try and always have at least 2 weeks of essential medications on hand.)
Other Medical Supplies
Stethoscope
Blood Pressure Cuff
Oral and Rectal Thermometers with probe covers
CPR mask with one-way valve
Vaseline or KY lubricant
ODDS AND ENDS SOLAR POWERED
World Band Radio (this requires no electricity or batteries) www.Shop.Newsmax.com
Large industrial type flashlight. There are those that are water proof, and are hand cranked like the radio above. There are also flashlights that work on solar power and can charge your cell phones just in case they still work. www.ambientweather.com
Words to live by:
Remember, reading about a plan for survival does not a survival plan make! You must write out your survival plan and make sure the whole family not only reads it but puts it into practice. You know what they say about practice? Practice makes perfect. Your plan won’t be like your neighbors or mine. This is what your family is most likely to do or where you think you might be able to go. If you practice your plan then when the time comes you will be more appt to follow it. The first hours of any emergency will bring fear, stress and in some cases terror. Here is an outline for you to follow. It is not an outline for you.
  1. Make it cheap but make sure you think it through and get what you will need.
  2. Make it easy and quick. You don’t have to take classes unless you can afford them or you just want to.
  3. Take your life style into consideration. But don’t get fancy. Remember you may be on foot or bike and you will have your pets with you.
  4. Make your plan flexible. Remember Murphy’s Law. If it can go wrong it will.
  5. Take into consideration where the family is at all times. An emergency does not always come when you are all together. Where are your children, your wife/husband, and where will you meet.
  6. Delegate. Each member over the age of 12 should have a part to play in this plan. Something they can do. Collect the food, get the pets ready...
  7. Make sure your plan allows you to go back to step one in case you jump the gun. It happens.
  8. Write all of this down in a simple form and make sure every member of the family has a copy. Phone numbers, meeting places and their role in getting things ready.
I know this has been long, but then survival isn’t easy and can’t be planned for in one or two words. And remember You must survive for the safety of your children and your family. Take this seriously, because it is.
 
 
Hopefully, this will get you started thinking just what you, your pets and your family need in your disaster survival plan. Don't wait until you have an impending disaster to start your survival planning.  Take the time  now to develop a plan and discuss it with all members of  your family.  A house and belongings can be replaced--keep the important parts of your life safe--your family and pets.
 
 
Catie C. Arney
KioKee Mastiffs-->kiokeemastiffs@embarqmail.com
Hickory, NC