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G P S

    I shamelessly admit to being completely fascinated by gadgets.  Of course you realize one man’s gadget is another man’s necessity!  But new technology in the area of survival, navigation and the general outdoors always gets my attention.  Global Positioning System technology has been around in one form or another since 1973, but has only been in the past 15 years it has been available to civilians.  

    GPS technology works something like this:  There are 31 satellites circling the globe right this minute, sending signals to planet Earth.  GPS receivers interpret the signals of at least four satellites and, using triangulation, calculate location, speed, altitude and direction for us.  Depending on how well we can manage our GPS receivers we can find our way to grandma’s house, the nearest Taco Bell, or any address we program into it.

    A couple of summers ago we took our grandkids to San Francisco.  Not knowing my way around the city, I took along my GPS.  It helped us drive right to our hotel, the attractions  we wanted to visit and even happily guided us to the most direct route out of town and back to Oregon.  There was never a mis-step.  

    As with any technology, however, there is alway a weakness.  I have found if I program it with my home address, the unit I have will guide me right past my driveway and I’ll wind up about a mile away.  On another occasion if I had followed its explicit directions, I’d have turned left, directly into a river.  A recent news article in the Portland area, reported a motorist was following his GPS and found himself stuck on an impassable logging road.  (He was driving a front-wheel drive, sub-compact car.  Hmm.)  

    The article went on to say, “ Search and rescue crews were able to reach him after a few hours.”  They also mentioned it was an important reminder why drivers should always bring a good map and have plenty of supplies in their vehicles - especially if heading into the backcountry.  This bit of wisdom was followed up with a suggestion to always tell someone your destination and route of travel.  Pilots do the same by filing a flight plan.  

    There are several online accounts of GPS errors.  One woman’s unit instructed her to drive 900 miles to her destination, when it should have read 90 miles.  It took her over two days to realize she had a problem!  Another (a man this time) was travelling from New York to Pennsylvania.  His unit directed him to drive north when it should have taken him on a southerly route.  He actually crossed over into Canada and ran into trouble with the authorities because he wasn’t supposed to be in the U.S. anyway!  In some cases, common sense isn’t all that common!  

    Now that I have you confused, let me try to clarify.  Programming errors by the manufacturer, user errors, atmospheric conditions, forest canopy, tall buildings and all manner of techno-gremlins can affect the accuracy of your GPS.  Common sense has to prevail.  If you’re out in the woods relying on the GPS to get you back to your rig, verify the readings with a compass every now and then.  

    Even with those issues, I continue to rely on my GPS.  Along with a good dose of wisdom.  I’ve spoken with many who own a unit, but admit they don’t know how to use it.  First read the book, then practice with it until you are comfortable with its operation.  Your confidence level will grow and before long you will know when to follow and when to ignore that left turn into the river!

    As always, send your questions, comments and GPS stories to me at disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.

Maintaining Your Gear

    Most preppers have not only a good stock of food and supplies, but some of us have actually got a fair amount of equipment (essential equipment of course) to be used only in case of emergency.  The trouble with that plan is some equipment deteriorates with time and disuse.  Seems our damp climate and in some cases, salty air, are two factors known to wreak havoc on our treasures.  One example I discovered during a recent power outage was my Black & Decker Storm Station.  The Storm Station is a pretty handy item that (according to the instructions) is to be left plugged in to maintain its charge so it will be ready to use when the lights go out.  

    The Storm Station has a built-in, detachable flashlight, a room light, a  radio that includes a NOAA weather radio, AM-FM radio, and a TV audio band.  There is also an on-board inverter with a 25 watt 120 volt outlet, and a 12 volt outlet.  I’ve had mine for over six years and in times past it has performed as designed.  It’s the first thing I reach for when the lights go out.  When the power failed last month, I set it on the kitchen counter, hit the light button and...nothing.  The flashlight was likewise dead.  The radio worked, but I was later reminded it operates off a separate pack of AA batteries.  

    After the power was restored, I did what any computer-literate handyman would do.  I Googled the problem and learned it was likely the main battery was dead.  Then I dialed up the next great on-line resource, Youtube.  I watched some guy take his Storm Station apart, install a new battery and put it back together again.  It looked like a project I could handle. (Quite unlike a similar project when I disastrously tried to replace the broken screen on my grandson’s ipod touch.)  

    When the new battery arrived, I removed the 10 screws on the back and carefully separated the front half from the back.  Installing the new battery was a snap and I put it back together with no screws left over.  (Usually a good sign.)  

    Plugging it in, I let it charge overnight.  The next morning the green light indicated a fully charged condition.  Everything seemed to work as designed.  Problem solved.

    The lesson I learned from this was this particular rechargeable gizmo will work best if not left plugged in continuously.  The trick now is to remember to plug it in once a month or so to keep the battery topped off.

    I recommend periodically checking your gear to make sure it is still operational.  If it has batteries, replace them every so often inspecting for corrosion.  If there is corrosion, clean it off with abrasive cloth or an emery board. (Hint:  Don’t use your wife’s.  Some wives object, go buy your own.  The voice of experience.

If your equipment is gasoline powered, make sure it starts.  If the gas has been in it for a few months, draining the gas might be a good idea.  The alcohol in ethanol tends to attract water which will affect how well your engine runs, if at all.  If your well-being is at least partially dependant on how well your equipment works, then taking care of it is a good investment.

As always send your equipment repair stories to me at disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.  

Paperwork Paperwork

    A very big part of disaster preparedness has nothing to do with food, water, ammunition or first aid supplies.  A few years back Hurricane Katrina blew in off the Gulf of Mexico forcing the hasty evacuation of New Orleans.  Never before in history had it been necessary to evacuate an entire major city in the United States.  

    After the wind died down and the flood waters receded, the population returned to their city.  Some returned to their homes, some returned to where their homes had been.  In many cases all that remained was a foundation, a concrete slab or a set of front porch steps.  

    When we think of evacuation, we usually have a list that includes clothes, food, tent, sleeping bags and other items needed for survival.  (I didn’t mention the kids or pets, I just assumed they’d be a part of your plan.)  Because the ultimate goal of evacuation is to eventually return home and resume living, it is important that you are able to re-establish yourself in your former life.  Re-establishing is a whole lot easier if your  vital documents are intact.  Things like your passport, birth certificate, home insurance policy, the title to your family car, the deed to your home and even college transcripts.  

One account I read described the intention of one evacuee to seek employment in his city of refuge until it dawned on him he couldn’t prove his credentials.  He had failed to make copies of his vital papers therefore was unable to prove his qualifications for the job he sought.  

Even if the disaster is confined to your home in the form of a house fire, it is possible you could lose all your important papers.  Home fire safes are better than nothing, but the best way is to store copies somewhere off-site.  Banks offer safe deposit boxes just for that purpose.  Another, more high-tech method is to scan your documents and store them electronically.  You can store them on-line in “cloud” technology, put them on a flash drive or simply keep copies at a trusted friend’s house.  Although there is really no substitute for original copies, you can still recover policy numbers, passport numbers and other identifying information from the copies.  When you explain your plight to that guy at DMV, the process is expedited when you can show copies along with your explanation.  So plan right now to sit down some evening and organize your important papers.  Get them scanned or copied and placed in safe location.

Several months back I mentioned an item I own which was designed for use during power outages.  It’s called a Storm Station, manufactured by Black & Decker, it sells for $89.99 at certain online retailers.  It features a radio, including weather channel, a 12 volt power outlet, a 120 volt inverter (25 watts) , a room light and a built-in rechargeable flashlight.  The book says you set it on a shelf, plug it in and leave it that way until needed.  Its handy features make it one of the first items you reach for during an outage.  

Last week during our “grid-down” experience I grabbed it, set it on the counter and hit the “on” button.  Nothing.  The battery was dead.  Although the thing had been plugged into the trickle charger the entire time, the unit was dead.  The radio would play, but there was no light, no inverter and no flashlight.  Online research revealed that I’m not the only one.  The remedy seems to be to purchase another battery, take it apart and swap out the battery.  

I have since learned that other rechargeable power sources can experience the same problem.  The lesson here is to check them out now before your power goes out to make sure they actually work as advertised.  I plan to order a new battery for my Storm Station and will keep you updated on my battery swap-out plan.

As always send your comments and questions to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.  

Power Outage

    Several of us experienced an electrical power outage this past weekend.  I’m not privy to the technical details, but due to high winds most of us here in southern Coos County had at least a short-term lapse in electrical service  beginning Saturday afternoon.  My own power was out for roughly 5 hours while neighbors only a mile away lost their electricity for 24 hours.  

    The local grocery store closed its doors.  The gas station shut down as did most other local businesses.  The hardware store was one of the few open in the downtown area.  Powering up the cash registers with an SUV-mounted inverter and extension cord, they were doing a brisk business selling flashlights, batteries, lamp oil and all manner of propane lighting, candles and other camping gear.  

    The Deli was experiencing a definite up-tick in business.  Powered by natural gas, their kitchen was kept busy while customers shopped by alternative lighting.  What grocery items they do carry were flying off the shelves.

    At my house, electronic devices were exchanged for Legos and a chess game.  A pot of homemade chili cooked on the camp stove made for a special dinner by Coleman lantern. After a few hours of “camping-in”  there were sounds of disappointment when the power came back on.   

    Here are some thoughts:  Have a few small flashlights.  Give one to each member of the household to carry in their pocket so if they need to go to an unlighted room to look for that board game, they can find their way without carrying the Coleman lantern.

Candles.  Candles are great to place in the bathroom or other strategic locations around the house.  With candles or any open flame, always be aware of the fire danger.  It’s best to use candles that won’t tip over easily, like the ones that come in the fancy jars.  The long tapers make nice table decorations, but from a practical standpoint the fire danger from tipping is a definite downside.  One idea I’ve seen on the web is to stick a lamp wick in a can of Crisco.  The claim is it will burn for 45 days.  I haven’t tried it myself, but it makes sense.  If you have kerosene-style lamps or lanterns, be sure you are compatible with the fuel.  One acquaintance found that the fumes from burning kerosene caused her to have headaches.  Liquid paraffin or other lamp oil might be a more acceptable choice.  And lastly, I know I keep pounding the “stock-up-on-batteries” drum, but after the lights go out is no time to run to the store.  They may be in short supply after this weekend’s outage, but now is the best time to prepare.  Besides when you prepare ahead of time, you don’t have to shop in the dark!

    As always, send your questions, comments and “lights-out” stories to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.  

Lessons Learned   

Sometimes we can watch the news with a certain impunity when a winter storm is pounding the northeast.  Then when the ice-laden power lines go down across someone’s new car it makes more great TV footage.  And the stories come in about power outages, people sitting in their cold living rooms with only their flashlights for lighting and stories of heroism on the part of linemen, police, fire and EMS personnel.  

That’s all well and good when we’re three thousand miles away on the balmy South Coast of Oregon.  But this past week a storm system dumped a load of snow in the Portland area causing traffic tie-ups, accidents, power outages and all manner of chaos on our north-state friends.  The Oregon State Police reports responding to over 600 weather-related traffic accidents since the storm began.  Sadly one person was killed on I-84 when the car in which the victim was riding lost control and struck a tree.  Stories of people spending the night in a Beaverton hotel because they couldn’t make it home to Gresham or others spending hours in their car along Interstate 5 bring the drama a bit closer to home.  Although when it’s YOU in your car in the ditch or YOU doing the motel-thing without your toothbrush, it’s more than drama, it’s a reality show and you’re the star!  Not exactly what you had in mind when you dreamed of stardom, now is it?     

It was a regular reader of this column that related the story of spending the night in the motel.  He had just begun carrying a kit in his car and was actually well-prepared for his night away from home.  (The motel supplied a toothbrush.) The point was, he had extra clothing, some snack food and his medication with him.  Needless to say, he is now a full-fledged believer.

The prepper’s mantra is Get A Kit, Make A Plan, Be Informed.  In the case of winter travelers, all three elements are useful.  That kit in your trunk gives you peace of mind and a bag full of useful items when needed.  Being informed of the weather forecast should aid in making travel plans.  Sometimes the smart thing to do is abort the mission once you learn what’s in store weatherwise. Pilots routinely alter their flight plans due to adverse weather.  In my view a smart traveler does the same thing.    

The next winter storm may decide to take a more southerly route.  Now is the time to Get A Kit, Make A Plan, Be Informed.