Be Prepared

[Defender968]

Originally Posted by peshguy

This might be slightly off topic but did anyone see After Armageddon on the History channel? I thought I was oddly paranoid but programs like this make me wonder how many other people are worried about preparedness.

I did, these shows are coming on more and more, and you know the SHTF scenario has come up a lot in my AO in the past 12 months and often without me bringing it up, I just got off the phone with a buddy who hadn't really thought about it before I talked to him about it, and he told me several folks he knows brought it up to him as well, and these were not survivalist types, in fact he said he was initially surprised they were thinking about it....so just because we're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get us... I’d rather be prepared and never need my preparations, than to be caught with my pants down.

Just my.02

[ZooKeeper]

Originally Posted by The Reaper

Anyone who hasn't read "One Second After" needs to get a copy ASAP.

I have just a few more pages to go in this book & it has been an eye opener. Many unknowns I had not thought of...continue to think, observe, plan.

Originally Posted by 98G

There is prepared in a kit bag and prepared at home. This post is being prepared at home for warmth. Living in the mountains, power does go out. It has been out here for up to 2 weeks in a bad snow storm. Most fireplaces look pretty but do little to heat.

MMO is to suggest that your home have a simple solution like a radiant heat stove/oven. I looked for a German one but could only get Finnish in this area -- Tulikivi. Stoking it for 2-4 hours keeps the house warm for 24. Many people have Franklin stoves which are great while burning, but not practical to keep stoked all night. Tulikivis weigh over 5000 lbs and heat up soap stone channels to keep the heat radiating for maximum time.

Of course, I should point out, have some wood cut -- even if you are surrounded by woods. It needs to dry. Devil is in the details.

If trying to stay warm out of doors, and you have a number of people, warmest night I ever spent was -4 F outside in a para-tepee with 7 fellow winter survival candidates. So if you have an old parachute, or something that makes a good tent (maybe a tent) and friends, it works.

Merry Christmas.

The problem with most fireplaces is that they are on the outside wall. To be truly effect both while there is a fire and later as a passive heat source they need to be inside the house completely on an interior wall. Heat the bricks and when you bank the fire at night the bricks/rocks continue to give out heat. Add a 'heatalator' and you can have more hot air coming from the fireplace front and sides.

It is possible to use a Franklin type stove to heat and still keep passive heat afterward by using bricks. Think outside the box, consider how to get around the problem and it will come to you.

[zpo]

Originally Posted by armymom1228

To be truly effect both while there is a fire and later as a passive heat source they need to be inside the house completely on an interior wall.

An important addition to this is- With a fresh air inlet.

Originally Posted by zpo

An important addition to this is- With a fresh air inlet.

yep

I will post this here and "survial scenario".

Was watching a news channel that shall remained unamed and there was this lady who was talking about an interesting product is used to help malnourished children. A peanut based paste, that is easily squeezed out.

Here is the wiki on [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumpy'nut]Plumpy'nut[/ur]

the website for the company that makes it, Nurtiset

I could see using this for other purposes, like survival rations. It contains pretty much all you need.

An alternate produce is, Unimix

Unimix, however, has to be cooked. In a survival scenario, plumpy'nut would work better. No fire to draw attention and all that.

[The Reaper]

Anyone making any changes to their plan based on what is going on in Haiti?

Like easily accessible heavy hand tools for breaking/moving rubble?

TR

[lksteve]

Originally Posted by The Reaper

Like easily accessible heavy hand tools for breaking/moving rubble?

I'm not sure how practical that would be. To cover all the bases, there'd have to be something in nearly every room. I'm single and could possibly get away with it, but most women aren't going to appreciate the home decor resembling the hardware department at Sears.

I'm thinking if I ever wind up living in an earthquake zone again, I might live in a yurt or some other tent-like structure...and in a resort area like Haiti, it might be the ticket, using such a structure as a cabin/ bungalow...

[JJ_BPK]

Originally Posted by The Reaper

Anyone making any changes to their plan based on what is going on in Haiti?

Like easily accessible heavy hand tools for breaking/moving rubble?

TR

I think about this on a regular basis. We don't have earth quakes nor do we have volcanoes, but we get hurricanes.

Our house was built to the 150 MPH standard of 1995-97 vintage. It covers the roof, walls, & columns. They have improved the standard, with the addition of wind loading the underside of the house. There is some thought that the floor can be sucked out from under a house on stills.

I can't substantiate that, but on both H Georges & Wilma, our soffits were sucked out(30-40%) and needed replacement. For cooling, our soffit overlaps the house by 4 ft. The last storm I did a complete replace with hardy-board. We had the vinyl shiite..

When we move,, and if we build, I will use the 150 wind load limits no matter where we live. The up-front expense off-sets any after the fact preparations.

If we don't build, I will plan based on what we buy. BUT I will buy with disasters in mind, to include terrain structure placement.

If,, If I get my required 5 acres,, I will have a mini-barn with a man-cave and gear...

My $00.0002

Originally Posted by lksteve

I'm not sure how practical that would be. To cover all the bases, there'd have to be something in nearly every room. I'm single and could possibly get away with it, but most women aren't going to appreciate the home decor resembling the hardware department at Sears.

I'm thinking if I ever wind up living in an earthquake zone again, I might live in a yurt or some other tent-like structure...and in a resort area like Haiti, it might be the ticket, using such a structure as a cabin/ bungalow...

The japanese have this earthquake thing down pretty good. Look at thier structures and building practices.

[PSM]

Originally Posted by lksteve

I'm not sure how practical that would be. To cover all the bases, there'd have to be something in nearly every room.

We have a 3' crow bar next to every bed here in earthquake country. In every large quake I've been in there's a bit of a warning just before it hits full force and it takes a few seconds before real shaking and damage starts, so, If you can keep you balance, you can move to or near a bedroom.

Pat

[The Reaper]

I was thinking more along the lines of keeping the gear in a couple of sturdy places (in case one is inaccessible in the aftermath) to start digging out family members. Axe, maul, sledge, pry bar, pinch bar, come-along, Hi-Lift jack, straps, chains, pulleys, rope, chainsaw, quickie saw, you get the idea. Maybe a stethoscope, if you are in quake country.

In the vehicle would be a good alternate place for some of the tools.

Along with an aid bag or two, and everyone knows where they are/how to use them. Our kids are not rescue pros, but I would rather for them to immediately start trying to dig me out after a big one than to wait a week or more. Also, even if you get them out, they will probably need splinting or wound treatment.

We recently built our home and the subs were always commenting about my over-engineering and over-building. I just asked them if they wanted to work on it, or not. Seems like all of them did. It is pretty solid, with lots of anchors, straps, and tie-downs. I agree, a retrofit is much more expensive than good planning and prep work.

TR

[Sigaba]

...if you are in quake country.

FWIW, after the 1994 Northridge earthquake, a major point of emphasis in the ensuing 'be prepared' discussions was to have handy the tool for shutting off the gas line going into a residence. (Out here, a specific tool--designed to keep dolts like me from getting confused--was recommended.)

A secondary point of emphasis was to have a flashlight very close at hand (i.e. in one's bed) so that if an earthquake struck during the evening one might avoid stepping on something sharp and jagged while seeking safety during the temblor itself.

[incarcerated]

Originally Posted by PSM

In every large quake I've been in there's a bit of a warning just before it hits full force and it takes a few seconds before real shaking and damage starts, so, If you can keep you balance, you can move to or near a bedroom.

Pat

What's neat if you're outdoors is that the birds will go quiet just before one comes through. Friends who have happened to be looking out an upstairs window report that you can see the thing coming, like a ripple.
We're way overdue.

[ZonieDiver]

FWIW, after the 1994 Northridge earthquake, a major point of emphasis in the ensuing 'be prepared' discussions was to have handy the tool for shutting off the gas line going into a residence.

I lived in St. Louis, MO for a time (hell on earth ), and attended an earthquake awareness seminar for my children's school. It was suggested that the specific tool be "wired" to the pipe beside the shut-off valve so you didn't have to look for it, or go get it - IT WAS THERE!

When and if the New Madrid Fault line spring to life again, the St. Louee Mizzou-eee area could be in for a world of hurt. Office buildings in that area are not built to CA earthquake standards, and the death/injury projections vary widely by the time of day that the quake occurs. IF during working hours - astronomical. At night, when people are in homes, not nearly as bad.