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, January 17, 2015

Going or Staying


    Whether you call it a Go-Bag, a Bug Out Bag or a Get Home Bag, the intent is the same; to survive when things get all shaken up.  Each of us packs a bag of things we think we will need when either forced to evacuate our home, or if there is a disaster while we are somewhere other than home.  
    I happen to live in rural, coastal Oregon.  Small towns, no traffic problems, no congestion and best of all, peace and quiet.  The bag I carry is specifically for getting home.  There is really very little need for folks in our area to have a bug-out plan.  The only reasons we might need to evacuate our homes would be wildland fires, flooding, or impending tsunami.  
    Now if I lived in a metropolitan area, my plan would be different.  The entire climate is different.  When there are more people, the dangers are increased.  Traffic gridlock contributing to frustration, road rage and downright panic. We only have to watch the looting and rioting when there’s a disaster to know people will misbehave when they know they can do so with impunity. Remember, scared people behave badly!  My entire plan would be to get out of the city to a pre-arranged location.  AND my plan would include a tipping point when certain factors dictated the prudent and swift egress of me and my family, before it was too late!
    If society collapses for whatever reason, riot, natural disaster, or governmental breakdown, it is usually to one’s benefit to get out of town!  This would not be the time to try to decide what to take, where to go and how to get there.  
    So lets make a list.  If I have to leave home in a hurry what do I take?  Start writing down all the things you would need if you only had minutes to get out. Rather similar to planning a camping trip.  If you have a destination in mind, good.  If not, then arrange for a place you can stay for the duration. There is a term for a person escaping from a bad situation with no plan or pre-determined destination.  The term is refugee!
Good ideas for your list can be found at www.ready.gov and www.redcross.org.  Both websites are excellent resources.  Then go online and Google “bug out bag”.  This will bring up dozens of websites who want to sell you a ready made kit.  Whatever you do, resist the temptation to buy a ready-made bag.  The guy who put it together knows nothing of your needs and besides, it is important you know what’s in it.  Remember many life-saving decisions are oftentimes made way before you ever leave home!
    If you’re like me and your concern is more about getting home, then your list will vary a bit.  It’s still a little like a camping trip, you just don’t know where you’re going to be.  I spend 10 hours a day working a half-hour from home.  In the event an earthquake closes the roads, I may have to get creative about perpetuating my well-being while making my way home.  
    Whether you’re an urban dweller or country boy (or girl) it’s important to plan for your survival.  Today is a great day to get started!
    As always send your questions and comments to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.  


Monday, January 12, 2015

goTenna


Most folks these days carry a cell phone.  No one disputes that cell phones have completely changed our culture.  We stay in touch with our spouse, kids, grandkids, employees and the rest of the world for that matter.  Cell phones do, however, have one main drawback; not all locations have coverage.  Especially in my corner of the world we have remote mountains, canyons and valleys that simply don’t get coverage.  These outback locales are also where we hunt, fish, camp, hike and go four-wheeling!  
    Enter a new product: goTenna.  This Blue-tooth connected device enables your cell phone to send text messages to another “goTenna” equipped cell phone when there is no traditional cell service.  So lets say you are out hiking with your group and suddenly you realize you are no longer with your group.  “No problem,” you say, “I’ll just call them and we can re-connect.”  Oops, no service.  That’s when you pull the goTenna out of your backpack, sit on a log and calmly text your companions for assistance.  The device is about the same size and shape as the toothbrush holder I carry in my shaving kit.  Not only will it send text messages, but it will show a topographical map location on your phone (and that of your companion) pinpointing your location.  
    You might argue that similar technology is already available with a Garmin Rhino GPS radio.  This is true but FRS radios are limited in range, and unlimited in cost. The goTenna claims a range of 50 miles.  That is if you’re standing on a mountaintop and your friend is also on a mountaintop and if you’re holding your mouth just right.  Realistically, a one-to-six mile range is more like it considering actual terrain and conditions.   A Garmin Rhino with all the bells and whistles will set you back up to $450.00 per unit.  Two units are needed.  The goTenna is currently accepting pre-orders for $149.00 per pair.  I say “pre-orders” because they are not actually available for purchase, but orders taken now will be filled early in 2015 following final bureaucratic approval by the FCC.  At that point the cost will jump to $149.00 per unit.  If you’re interested, a four-unit family package is now offered for $289.00
    One additional feature is that your message is encrypted from end-to-end.  When the central server (cell phone tower) is bypassed there is no opportunity for eavesdropping.  Also you can opt for a “message destruction” feature that is also secure.  All of this means something to the folks who are concerned about the security of their text messages, even if you are in an area that has cell service.  Not only will this work when you’re out in the hills, but in the concrete jungle as well when you want to keep your messages private.
    The idea was hatched two years ago by a person who lived through hurricane/superstorm Sandy.  The prolonged power outages also meant prolonged communication blackouts as well.  The goTenna was developed to keep the communications flowing even when the power grid had failed.  
    So if you spend time in the out-of-doors and like to stay in touch with your family or companions, you might want to consider the goTenna to add to your backpack or get home bag.  I’ll update this once my pair of goTennas have shipped and I have a chance to actually use them.
    As always send your questions or comments to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.