2012 Emergency and Disaster Survival Tips and List - Develop a Plan and Be Prepared!

More people than ever are taking action to plan and prepare for a possible future emergency or the natural disasters that may arise in their town, our country or even the world. They may call themselves Preppers or Survivalists and many have their bunkers and Bug Out Bags (BOB) ready or they may just be people who know that having an emergency plan and supplies "just in case," is a really smart and really good thing to do! Whatever the motivation, those people are a step ahead of most of the rest, because in every town of every state, there is a chance that an unexpected emergency or natural disaster could happen at any moment!

Everyone should be ready for an emergency to occur such as a lengthy power outage, a long unexpected rain storm that may flood your property or an accidental fire that may force you to find other accommodations, and hopefully you have the insurances needed to help you in these situations, but what about natural disasters or local and state emergency situations that may cause you and your family to possibly be "on your own" for awhile?

Have you prepared for the possibility that there will be no one to assist you for an unknown amount of time? Are you Prepping for the most likely natural disasters to occur in YOUR area? (Or have you been getting prepared for an unlikely event to occur and NOT preparing at all for the most likely emergencies and disasters that may actually hit your state or town!)

Do you know what the most likely natural disasters are for your area? Some of the most common natural disasters are Hurricanes, Winter Storms, Floods, Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Wildfires and Pandemics. Most of us do have a pretty good idea what emergency or disaster we are most vulnerable to in our local area, yet we do minimal to nothing to prepare ourselves and our families.

If for some reason you do not know, there is a Ready. gov website that has an abundance of information specifically for each State, as well as tabs for contact and local information, that can be very helpful.

So what is the "minimum" you should have ready, just in case an emergency occurs that takes away your power source, food, water and possibly even your housing, your car and your clean air? What should be on your Preppers List to have for storage/bunker supplies and to put in your Bug Out Bag?

Here are some items that you should have ready and available for you and your family in case of an emergency.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS/BUNKER/BOB SUPPLIES

Water-a gallon of water, per person, per day-for drinking and sanitation, and water purification tablets (IT IS BEST TO HAVE AT LEAST 2 WEEKS SUPPLY OF CLEAN WATER!)

Food - a three day supply of non-perishable food, like:wheat, rice, beans, pasta, peanut butter... (This is the extreme minimum! You should really have AT LEAST A TWO WEEK SUPPLY FOR EACH PERSON!)

Clothing-a few changes of clothing for different weather possibilities, jackets, rain gear, sturdy/comfortable shoes

Radio-battery powered radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert (NOAA is National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration-USA),store extra batteries, (HAVE A HAND CRANK RADIO TOO!)

Flashlight-best if it is very bright, LED and waterproof; stock many extra batteries ( BEST TO ALSO HAVE A HAND CRANK FLASHLIGHT AND RADIO COMBO!)

First Aid Kit-include bandages, antiseptic, needle and thread, small scissors, splints, cotton balls

Protection Items-whistle, personal alarm, pepper spray, taser, stun gun and firearm-if your trained and legally able to carry one

Individual Needs-medications, sunscreen, insect repellent, infant formula and anything specifically needed for each person

Personal Sanitation - garbage bags, towelettes, portable toilet, personal hygiene items

Air Filter-dust mask, cotton t-shirt, to help filter air

Shelter-tents, sleeping bags, blankets and plastic sheeting and duct tape to "shelter-in-place" a room or area

Tools - wrench and pliers (to turn off utilities) and knives, hatchet, saw, work gloves, waterproof matches, magnesium firestarter, compass, flare

Misc-duffel bag/backpack (BOB), cash, important documents, can opener, utinsels, paper, pen, pencil

Chlorine Bleach- you can use bleach as a disinfectant (diluted nine parts water to one part bleach), or in an emergency you can also use it to treat water. Use 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.

ADDED ITEMS FOR THE "SERIOUS" PREPPERS LIST:

*WATER PURIFIER - FILTER SYSTEM AND TREATMENT TABLETS

*6 MOS FULLY STOCKED SHELTER

*AIRBORNE CHEMICAL FILTRATION SYSTEM

*ALTERNATE BUG OUT LOCATION

*GENERATOR

*BUNKER

*BIO CHEMICAL PROTECTIVE SUITE AND MASK

You may now be realizing that your family is vulnerable because you have not yet taken steps to prepare for an unexpected emergency or disaster, and you are ready to take action now! I commend you! There may be those of you who feel ready and secure because you have a Home and Personal Defense Plan in place, but please think about this... your Protection Weapons aren't going to feed, clothe or shelter you! If you take Home Defense and Personal Defense seriously, don't leave a large gaping hole in the security plan for yourself and your family! Take action now to become prepared for a local emergency or for natural disasters. Complete that circle of security, for your peace of mind!

Survival Versus Flashlights

This topic will likely generate a bit of controversy among my readers but here it goes anyway. When inquiring about available survival gear we find the most useless item has stimulated the most conversations. Could this reason be simply because everyone already has at least a year's supply of food, an adequate shelter and plenty of water?

To start out with we ask ourselves why we need a year's supply of food stored up? The answer is really quite simple. In order to survive until the next harvest you will need to stay fed and build up your energy reserve so that you are able to grow all your own food for the following year. You should research the amount of basic foods you will need to sustain you for one year and stock up on those. Be sure to include a supply of vitamins in these storage packs as well to supplement your diet.

Shelter - We are talking not just a place to get in from the foul elements but a quality shelter which provides you adequate warmth in the depths of winter and a place to stay cool in the heat of summer. This shelter will need to store your food and equipment necessary for your survival, supplies for cleaning, sanitation supplies, medical and first ad equipment and a place to properly prepare your food and meals. These all fall under the heading of shelter.

Water - we usually require more than one gallon of water per day per individual but in dire emergency we must try to make do with a single gallon. It won't be easy and you should try for more but we work with what we have available. Think about what plans you can take to ensure that you have sufficient supplies of water for cleaning purposes, food preparations, as irrigation to growing additional food, water for your animals and hopefully some left over for you to drink? It is not a very pleasant thought to think about how long you are going to be able to live without having enough water available. Some thoughts for you to consider is will you be able to grow another year supply of food if you fail to have a good supply of water? If you do not have this basic need readily available you can forget about all your other preps because you will simply be dead before harvest time

So you are likely wondering where this flashlight will fit into this scenario let me briefly explain. Try an experiment for the next three or four days 3 or 4 days. When you need to get up in the middle of the night do so without the convenience of a light so you can get used to stumbling around in the dark. Soon you may find that your night vision is beginning to improve and you will instantly recall where the couch and tables are so you don't trip over them in the dark. An important point to keep in mind is that under survival conditions a light at night in your home is going to be a major security issue. The roving gangs of villains in the neighborhood are instantly going to see your lit up home and know that you have supplies inside. A blackout condition at night may not be such a bad idea after all. A flashlight will not be adv advantageous to you in any form not even to chase a predator from your chicken coup or away from your goats in the dark of the night. This will likely require a much larger and more powerful spotlight to accomplish that task compared to your little shake to glow light. Therefore when placed in the proper perspective we find that a flashlight is essentially useless for most emergency crisis situations.

Firefighting Gear: Safety, Reliability and Durability a Must

Firefighting gear plays a key role in how effective a fire station can be at eliminating a fire hazard. Fire fighters need proper safety equipment to respond to all kinds of emergencies. When responding to a fire, seconds count. Firefighters rely on high quality, functional equipment for just about every task they perform on the scene.

Firefighting gear includes belts, first aid bags, strings and straps. Special nets are required to store fire hoses for transport. When battling fires associated with tall structures, a high-rise hose strap is used to stabilize a fire hose. Ropes and bundling straps are stored in special bags that are easy to carry. Firefighters often use special belts that hold vital firefighting equipment such as axes, hydrant wrenches and small extinguishers. In some cases, large items such as equipment or fire debris are bundled for easy transport and removal. In this case, firefighters will use special bundling straps that can hold items together.

When you mention firefighters or "firemen," most people conjure up images of fire trucks and a hose attached to the hydrant in their neighborhood. However, fire departments rely heavily on other firefighter gear when battling a large blaze. The scene surrounding a fire or other emergency can be very harsh. Equipment must be durable and able to withstand extreme temperatures while being subjected to constant use and abuse. Furthermore, firefighting gear must be in proper working condition. According to the CDC, an average of 100 firefighters die in the line of duty each year. Many of those deaths are associated with faulty, worn or malfunctioning fire safety equipment.

Fire departments across the country are noticing this trend and calling upon themselves to replace and upgrade much of their current fire safety gear. In Wedana MI, the city council has almost doubled the allocated funds set aside for local departments to purchase new equipment. The Jefferson City Council in Jefferson City, MO has proposed a quarter cent sales tax increase aimed at purchasing new safety equipment for local firehouses. Many rural areas rely on volunteer firefighters. Having up to date equipment can prove to be more of a challenge in these cases. Sometimes smaller or unfunded organizations hold fundraisers or rely on private donations to make sure their equipment is in tiptop condition.

Firefighters understand that the quality of all their firefighting equipment can determine the outcome when dealing with any emergency. When one piece of equipment fails, it can cause the whole process to fail. The risks associated with using outdated or defective equipment are just too high.

Walking Sticks,The Ultimate Survival Multi-Tool

The uses of a good walking stick are MANY. I always head out into the woods with mine without fail. If you don't already have one guess what? Get out in the woods and find one! I especially like the "vine wrapped" ones, and with just a little bit of looking around they are easy to find. A lot of folks put a nice finish on them as well, making them a real item to be proud of.

Whether it is a stick you have upgraded, or just a good straight stick you found while in the woods, their uses are unlimited. Walking around the hills and mountains around here they are priceless. If you were to sprang your ankle, that walking stick can get you back home before night falls. If you need to measure the depth of your creek crossing, your stick is a tape measure. If you get stuck in mud or quick sand, your stick can save your life as you can use it for leverage to wiggle yourself out.

If you come across an animal such as an aggressive dog, coyote, etc. you can use your walking stick as protection. If you are forced to stay the night in the woods and can't get back to camp before daylight you can take your knife, attach it to the end of your walking stick, and there you have a serious weapon for any late night stalkers such as bigger animals that might be lurking around your campfire.

If you are walking or hiking through heavy growth and vegetation, you can use your stick to lift limbs and thorns up out of your way. This will let you pass under the brushy areas without getting injured or scratched up on your hike. Anytime you scratch yourself up while in the wilderness, you leave yourself open to getting infections, which is the last thing you want when you are camping, hiking, or trying to survive in a situation where you are stranded and awaiting rescue.

My wife and I carry a walking stick in each vehicle also! We are not "old folks" yet, but find them very useful to have behind the seats of our cars and trucks. Should you injure yourself away from home, your walking stick is there for you inside that car! My wife had an incident where she pulled something in her back while on her job. That walking stick got her home and in the house!

Often it is the simple things that help us survive. It is not always that hundred dollar knife, the expensive hiking pack, or other store bought gear. Sometimes it is the simple everyday thing you take for granted or hardly ever think of! Any time I am camping, hiking, or just exploring around in the woods I carry my trusty walking stick!

Should Flood Zones Have Mandatory Raised Highways In and Out?

If you've ever driven through Louisiana you will notice that they have raised highways, raised roads, and in many places raised bike lanes too. The railroad tracks are also raised. When you drive along the freeway you are constantly looking down. It's obvious why this is, it's because it is a perpetual flood zone. Indeed, almost all of Louisiana is. Therefore, when the water level rises and starts flooding, people have a way to get out, and go to higher ground, even if that higher ground is just a long thin strip. Okay so let's talk about the strategy for a moment shall we?

Lately, the global warming alarmists have been telling us that all the ice will melt in the North, and it will rise in the sea level. This means that just about anyone who lives at the beach and is below two or three meters in elevation could supposedly get flooded. Now then, I'm not a global alarmist, but if that really were the case and the government was really concerned, and if runaway climate change was really occurring, then it makes sense to prepare.

Therefore, should there be raised highways, and roads through those areas which are under two or three meters near the ocean? That would make sense right? I mean are already talking about moving infrastructure such as sewer treatment plants, power plants, and other important structures away from the ocean, inland. Not only would this help in case of ocean level rise, it can also help if there was a big Tsunami, or a breaking of one of the plates in the Indian Ocean causing such, or God forbid along the Pacific Ocean's Ring of fire. We all saw what happened in Japan after their huge earthquake nearby.

No, I don't mean to scare people to death, all I'm saying is it makes sense to have a little bit of disaster preparedness just in case. People don't have to die just because they lose their property to a flood. Thus, it makes sense that all major two-lane roads, bike paths and bike lanes are raised in those flood zone areas. Likewise the two-lane highways should have very large shoulders, and Center dividers. This would allow people to have a place to park once they got to safety, even if they could motivate themselves out of the area.

In many places where hurricanes occur along our coastline in the United States we have hurricane evacuation routes. These are the routes which are safe in the case of severe flooding with raised highways. That only makes sense. If we are truly worried about a Tsunami or rising ocean levels, then maybe we need to consider this also, and that would be all along the Pacific Coast as well. Please consider all this and think on it.