After a disaster, the risk of a house fire is high. Damaged electrical and gas systems and broken appliances can start a fire; rioters may set fire to your home or nearby homes; and so forth.
It's a good idea to have fire extinguishers available. They can be obtained inexpensively: This unit sells for $12.95 from Camping/Survival; another product, Cold Fire, works equally well. Buy multiple units and have, at a minimum, one on each floor of your home.
A cheaper, suitable alternative is sand. Sand can be stored in buckets (sherbet-type buckets with lids and handles work well for this purpose). In fact, before chemical fire extinguishers were invented, many public buildings kept buckets of sand available for fire suppression. Write "Fire Sand" on the lids of these buckets to distinguish it from "Water Sand".
Additionally, gray water can be used to put out fires, though water should not be used for certain types of fires (such as grease fires).
Even in daily life, it's highly recommended to have fire extinguishers available in the home.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Hobo Stove
It's crucial to have a means of cooking and boiling water in the event of an emergency. If your kitchen stove is not functional, you can perform these tasks with a hobo stove.
A hobo stove is easy and extremely cheap to make, and virtually any fuel can be burned inside it (a candle, small dry twigs, alcohol, and so forth). Here is an excellent set of instructions for constructing one, from Prepare For Later. All that is needed is an rigid metal can.
Once your hobo stove is completed, you can store matches and some fuel inside (in ziplock bags). Since they are so cheap to make, you should make more than one of these "kits" to perform multiple cooking or heating tasks simultaneously.
You can even heat a small space with one of these stoves. Obviously, any flame used indoors should not be left unattended, and should be used well away from other flammable objects.
A hobo stove is easy and extremely cheap to make, and virtually any fuel can be burned inside it (a candle, small dry twigs, alcohol, and so forth). Here is an excellent set of instructions for constructing one, from Prepare For Later. All that is needed is an rigid metal can.
Once your hobo stove is completed, you can store matches and some fuel inside (in ziplock bags). Since they are so cheap to make, you should make more than one of these "kits" to perform multiple cooking or heating tasks simultaneously.
You can even heat a small space with one of these stoves. Obviously, any flame used indoors should not be left unattended, and should be used well away from other flammable objects.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Creature Comforts
We all have vices. Some of us "can't live" without coffee, others without tobacco, and so on. It's tempting to think that in a crisis situation, we can "learn to live without". While this is true, it's counterproductive if it's avoidable. In fact, it's safe to say that you will want your "creature comforts" even more than usual under stress.
When buying and storing supplies, don't neglect these items. If you are a smoker, buy an extra pack of cigarettes each week; if you like a drink, periodically add a bottle of your preferred liquor to your supply purchases. Coffee and creamer will have to be instant, since instant will "keep" longer. Gum, candy, or whatever other things you or your family members enjoy regularly should be included, if they can be stored for extended periods.
Also, don't ignore the "basic" comfort items- toothbrushes and toothpaste, toilet paper, deodorant, and even cosmetics for the ladies- anything which makes you feel "normal" falls into this category, and can help you to cope with the situation.
Waterproof and rotate perishable supplies the same way you rotate food stores.
I recommend storing some of these items, even if you don't use them yourself. "Creature comfort" items will be the most sought-after items in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. Keeping stores of these items for barter can help you acquire items you need but don't have.
One other thing: Acquire toys and other items for children, especially items which need no electricity, such as books, decks of cards, board games, etc. Even during crisis situations, there will be birthdays and holidays. Being able to give children gifts on these occasions- whether they are your own children or not- can turn a devastating experience into a morale booster.
When buying and storing supplies, don't neglect these items. If you are a smoker, buy an extra pack of cigarettes each week; if you like a drink, periodically add a bottle of your preferred liquor to your supply purchases. Coffee and creamer will have to be instant, since instant will "keep" longer. Gum, candy, or whatever other things you or your family members enjoy regularly should be included, if they can be stored for extended periods.
Also, don't ignore the "basic" comfort items- toothbrushes and toothpaste, toilet paper, deodorant, and even cosmetics for the ladies- anything which makes you feel "normal" falls into this category, and can help you to cope with the situation.
Waterproof and rotate perishable supplies the same way you rotate food stores.
I recommend storing some of these items, even if you don't use them yourself. "Creature comfort" items will be the most sought-after items in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. Keeping stores of these items for barter can help you acquire items you need but don't have.
One other thing: Acquire toys and other items for children, especially items which need no electricity, such as books, decks of cards, board games, etc. Even during crisis situations, there will be birthdays and holidays. Being able to give children gifts on these occasions- whether they are your own children or not- can turn a devastating experience into a morale booster.
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