Being Prepared for an Emergency

If you are a country person or buy in bulk to save money over the "go to the grocery store every few days", you are part of the way to being prepared. Wanda has written an excellent article on what to gather and have on hand at all times This writing is just a little beyond that point and looking at why you really do need that roll of tape.

We have well water but it depends on electricity to get it out of the ground. I keep at least 50 gallons of water on hand at all times. When you have 600 feet of water line to maintain, something is always breaking especially after a freeze. Having glue and fittings is necessary but when something breaks, there is usually a missing part that makes you wait for a trip to town

Wanda's Emergency Preparedness Article. Just click that line to see her article. Okay now, you have read Wanda's instructions and you have everything on hand and know how to get to things in the dark. Our television humorists make fun of the notion that all you need is a roll of duct tape and some sheets of plastic. But indeed, that may be what keeps you breathing in the event of chemical warfare. Light and water won't do you a lot of good if your air is contaminated. It will sustain you until the air has cleared and it is safe to go out again. You really will need that radio for the all clear to be given.

It is sad to say but in the event of a big time crisis, the enemy will be invisible. Hopefully, the warning will give us time to make more preparations but many things we can have in place ahead of time. The plastic sheeting taped into place over the windows is one of those things to do ahead of time. I personally don't think that the average duct tape is the best sealing tape to use. The clear wide tape adheres much better for a longer time than other grey tapes. I have seen a tape advertised by http://www.mobilehomerepair.com that is really wide and super sealing.

We have sadly cracked window glass and framework that allows lots of air to enter. I regularly tape the window edges but I sure enjoy looking out to watch the birds and wildlife. You could not possibly create a safe area for your entire home so look at making a room or two the best they can. My expert tells me that these airborne poisons are heavier than the surrounding air and will tend to settle to a lower level. It's the same with the way hot air rises. The coolest air is at floor level. It will be the same with the toxins you seek to avoid.

Pick out your best, most protected room or rooms. Seal the windows with not just one but as many layers as you can afford to purchase. The idea is to fashion an accordion type filter; like the one in the shop vacuum. Have a plan in mind for what it would take to make an upper level where you can sit and lay down up off the floor. An attic would be nice but might not be feasible to many folks. They are usually more drafty than other parts of the home. Take the time to look at what you have available. We are well away from big city but we depend on their workers to keep our power going.

When you set up a large aquarium, you start with a slotted bottom frame that will allow debris to fall below. It is the same theory for making a safer room. Sturdy tables and shelving will allow your imagination to work for your space and items on hand. You will have your non electric radio and other goodies but you will have tanks of air on hand if possible. Not the oxygen for special needs folks but the kind of breathing air used by scuba divers.

What is upwind from you this time of year, in the spring, in the summer? It is good to be more aware of your own situation. Many big cities still have air raid shelters where there are facilities to provide filtered air and provisions. You just need a plan to be aware of where to go. You need a family plan of where to meet. If utility systems go down, each person will be on their own, where ever they are at the moment of alert. Even children will not panic if they have listened to your instructions and have a list on hand for reference.

At some point, you might have to accept that your animals will be lost because the protected space will be at premium cost. My cockatiels are very sensitive to even toxins from vehicle emissions, something that does not bother us humans. Paper masks are better than nothing but not by much. I like Wanda's well stocked pantry and not having to buy any food for a long, long time. We don't know yet what the possible long term effects will be until we know what poison is blowing in the wind.

The main point to consider is not to panic; not in getting ready or when you need to put your plan into action. When Randy gets more than a dozen gallons of distilled water at Wal-Mart at one time, little ladies gasp and their eyes grow wide in horror like "he knows something I don't know." The next person in line will buy out all that is on the shelf. Our well water is heavy with calcium which is said by doctors to cause bone spurs and build up on your bones in places where you don't want it to be. We get distilled for about 50 cents a gallon and I use it only for drinking, ice and cooking. Our well water takes care of everything else and it is what I use to fill the 50 or so jugs of stored water. The plastic tends to deteriorate with time and they need to be rotated and replaced regularly. I have my own techniques to hiding and disguising them but they are only ideas for putting the light weight storables on top of them and not stacking them too high. Hidden water leaks are not a good thing.

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/ This is the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response website. They have all the fact sheets and lists of what you need to be doing and have ready. If you want scary, read that title, Mass Trauma. Read everything you can to those you care about and make your plan. Know what you will do and start being more ready than you were. Just having things in mind and knowing which way to turn, or where to start may be what saves your life.