Welcome

This blog has grown out of my weekly newspaper column. Enjoy.
A prudent person forsees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. Proverbs 22:3 (NLT)

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Do You Know Where Your Flashlight Is?


    As I write this, the first notable storm of the season is blowing in off the Pacific.  A moderate amount of rain coupled with predicted wind gusts of 70 mph makes for that howling, drumming sound we have all learned to recognize as our regional storms.  Reports of electrical power outages in the area have already been reported, along with some flooding caused by increased runoff.  
    Considering this, it’s time already to make sure you know where your flashlight is.  Do you have extra batteries?  Batteries are like duct tape, you can never have too many.  Is your cordless drill charged up so you can screw plywood across that broken window (for your neighbor, of course)?  And naturally you have a box of screws for just that purpose.
    My wife and I are privileged to have our two grandsons live with us.  For those of us who have children in the house, there are some simple things you can do to set their minds at ease in case the electricity goes out, or worse.  Storms are naturally scary for kids because of all the racket outside.  Then when a tree goes down across a power line amidst all that noise, suddenly the house goes dark, the TV dies and the playstation quits at the worst possible time.  The sudden darkness can be upsetting to kids and if you’re prepared with emergency lighting and other readiness items, you can go a long ways toward making this a “camping in” experience rather than one that causes needless drama.  
    You could even gather the kids around the table some evening and talk to them about disaster preparedness and how important it is to know where things are.  Then turn off the lights  and tell them “we’re having a drill.”  See who can find a flashlight first.  You could possibly assign other tasks such as selecting someone to stay with the baby, or have them pair up as in the Boy Scout days of using the buddy-system.  Only one rule, no turning on any lights.
We tried this at my house recently.  My adult daughter and two grandsons participated.  The 14 year old grandson found a flashlight within 60 seconds.  One thing I hadn’t counted on was handheld mobile devices provide a sufficient amount to find your way in the dark.  Also the outside yard light provided some light with which to find our way about.
When your electricity fails, be sure to reassure the kids there really is nothing to worry about.  Talk to them about what may have caused the outage, and that there are crews out in the storm right this minute working to restore service.  In most cases the lights come back on in a few hours and life returns to normal.
Children learn to take their cues from the adults in their lives.  If the grownups are panicked, then children will likewise be undone.  But when your attitude is, “I’ve got this,” then the kids are comforted in the understanding their parents really do have the situation under control.  When you have made some simple preparations and are ready to handle the unexpected, it will serve well to bring stability and avoid all the drama associated with fears.  Be sure to ask the kids if they’re afraid, and what are they afraid of?  Reassure them you are there with them and nothing bad is going to happen.  Tell them you have plenty of food and supplies and remind them they are warm and dry and because you are a wise and caring parent you have already prepared for just such an emergency.  No worries!
As always send your questions, comments and suggestions to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.     

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Building Skills For Disaster Prep

    Some folks have the misconception that being prepared is all about having your pantry full.  No doubt about it, that’s important, but other things are equally vital.  Any prepper website can give you a checklist of equipment you’re going to “need” in a disaster.  And while equipment can be useful, if you don’t have the skills to use your gear, it is of no value.  No off-the-shelf kit will contain everything you need to survive, in fact most of the tools you need for survival are between your ears.
    In this week’s column we’re going to look at some skills that you may need in the event of a major earthquake, a big wind storm or a prolonged period of below-freezing weather.  First, a working knowledge of carpentry skills is basic.  When a major earthquake strikes, structural damage to your home will be a given.  Whether the roof caves in or just a few windows are broken, plan on being on your own for repairs.  Basic tools, some plywood and maybe a few 2 x 4s are going to come in handy when you need to make quick repairs.  Following that, some PVC fittings, glue and an extra piece or two of pipe will make for a quick plumbing fix.  Pipes usually burst at the most awkward times and never when the hardware store is open nor the plumber available.    
    Our most frequent disaster here on the South Coast is the winter wind storm.  Trees are blown down, sometimes across power lines, sometimes across our driveway and sometimes even across our houses. If you own a chainsaw, then keep it sharp, fueled and ready to go at a moment’s notice.  If you’re not familiar with its use, go practice with it.  You’d be surprised at how many people own equipment but have never gotten familiar with it.
    First aid skills are always in need during a disaster.  What you know may save a life, maybe even your own or that of a family member.  Now’s a great time to upgrade your knowledge.  Check out the training available on www.redcross.org.  Take a look at your first aid kit, make sure it’s well-stocked.  
    If you lack skills, then it is important you connect with your neighbors and combine your energies.  I’m willing to bet there’s someone in your neighborhood that has the skills you may lack.  Mapping your neighborhood will not only help you get acquainted, but will combine the skills and knowledge of your neighbors in the event of a disaster. If you want more information on Mapping Your Neighborhood, contact me by email and I will forward information to you helpful in getting organized.
    Finally, a product review.  I recently “bit” on an advertisement called “Family Survival System.”  A very slick video presentation offered a book promising to be the ultimate in disaster preparedness information and survival information.  The video presentation claims the author is a military man (Army) and he purports to be an expert on the topic.  I clicked on the “purchase” button and invested $37.00, hoping to expand my library for research and information.  What I received is an electronic book downloaded to my computer.  Printing it off, I have a 41 page booklet of basic prepper/survival topics.  I find the booklet to be poorly written, shallow and lacking in the “meat” for which I was hoping.  Furthermore, there were two free publications offered, but when I downloaded the book, those links disappeared and I have been unable to locate them again.  So save your money and simply research this blog instead. Besides, its free.   As always, send your comments and questions to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.
   

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Changing Seasons

    Summer is grinding to a close and fall is on the way whether we like it or not. With the change of seasons, a lot of folks turn their energies toward the gathering, accumulating, preparing and storage of food. Items foremost in every prepper’s mind.  Some of the old-timers have always been preppers after a fashion, after all they’ve been canning, preserving and laying in food for lean times long before the concept “occurred” to the current generation.  
    When I was a child, my mother read the entire series of “Little House” books to my brother and me as well as to the students in her one-room country school in Nebraska.  I have, in turn, read the series to my children and most of my grandchildren.  The skills and techniques detailed in those books have served the needs of countless generations who have managed without electricity or refrigeration.  I find it mildly amusing that the art of food preservation has come into vogue as almost an alternative lifestyle. I shouldn’t be so surprised given our conveniences and what’s available on the grocery shelves.
    As I write this, I’m tending two pressure cookers which are processing the fresh tuna we picked up at the docks today.  I need to warn you, once you’ve tasted home-canned tuna, you’ll never be satisfied with store-bought fare again.  The down-side is your house smells “fishy” for a few days, although we have learned to do the pressure cooking aspect out on the deck utilizing a crab cooker, thus minimizing the in-house odor factor. There is a nice feeling of satisfaction seeing the pantry shelves full of food, including the canned tuna, peaches and other food set aside.
    On another note, we recently received an email from Pacific Power informing of a service they now provide.  They have developed an app that sends power outage updates to your smartphone.  You can directly report an outage at your home, and also receive information on the cause and expected duration of your outage.  Other features of this site give you a list of items to put together for a 72 hour kit, building a plan for your family and even how to override your electric garage door opener.  Even if you’re not a Pacific Power customer I don’t think they’d mind if you checked out their website at www.pacificpower.net.
        As always send your questions and comments to me at disasterprep.dave@gmail.com

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Hunting Trip


    Fall hunting season 2013 has begun in Southern Oregon.  Every year the news media carries stories of lost hunters, overdue hunters and sometimes a dramatic rescue thrown in for good measure.  I recently read the story of a 46 year old Canadian deer hunter who had taken a wrong turn, then got stuck in an unfamiliar area of backwoods Manitoba.  He had no cell phone service, no food and survived by melting snow water.  Twenty-one days later he walked out to a main road where he was picked up and given a ride back to town.  
    Obviously he did several things right because he lived to tell the story.  But even a novice can see a few mistakes he made.  First of all, he was out in unfamiliar territory (or he probably wouldn’t have taken a wrong turn) all by himself.  A hunting partner would probably have been a good choice in this instance.  Secondly, the article didn’t mention one way or another, but since he got stuck, let’s assume he was driving a two-wheel drive rig.  It is always a bad idea to go four-wheeling in a two-wheel drive.  
I recall some years back an elk hunter was reported overdue from a hunting trip in the Elliott State Forest..  As information became available, we learned we were going to be searching for a woman with two small children, driving a (get this) blue Oldsmobile.  Seriously?  After searching the mountain roads all night, we finally located her slid off the road in that Oldsmobile.  No one was injured as they had the good sense to stay in the vehicle.  To this day I still wonder where she thought she was going to stow that animal for the trip home.  
Our Canadian hunter had no food along as he obviously wasn’t planning to spend the night.  I recommend packing at least some minimal gear as though you just might be overnighting out in the woods.  I posed that suggestion to a young man just recently and he deftly produced his cell phone, commenting that if he had a problem, help was just a phone call away.  Hundreds of square miles of our prime hunting grounds have no service.  A can of Spam, a jar of peanut butter and maybe an MRE or two would be good to have along.  Just in case.  Fire-starting implements, a hatchet, a GPS receiver and maybe even a small tarp could ease an otherwise uncomfortable night in the out-of-doors.  
Take a tip from pilots who file a flight plan.  Always let someone know where you’re going, who you’re going with and when you plan to return.  Then be responsible and courteous enough to stick with your plan.  
Following a few common-sense rules will go a long way toward making your hunting trip safe, successful and freezer-filling.  As always, send your hunting-mishap stories or comments to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.