Fire Season

    Already this weekend,I have heard the fire siren go off at least three times summoning our volunteer department to respond to someone’s personal disaster.  Personally I chalk it up to wood burning stoves, excessive creosote buildup and possibly a lack of proper maintenance.  According to the American Red Cross, home fires are the biggest disaster threat in the United States.  The Red Cross responds to a fire in someone’s home about every eight minutes.  Home fires are more prevalent than floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes.  Simply by following a few simple safety rules you can drastically reduce the danger of fire in your home.  

    Before I start with safety rules, I want to mention a couple of pieces of equipment.  First are your smoke detectors.  The Red Cross recommends having a working smoke detector on every level of your home and in every bedroom.  Test them each month by pushing the little button and while you’re at it, get the kids in on the act to teach them what the alarm sounds like and what means if they hear it go off.  Then pick one special day each year to replace the batteries.  Or at least listen for the little chirp that signals an almost dead battery and swap out the battery right away.

    Secondly, how many of you actually have a fire extinguisher in your home?  Before you run out and buy a supply of fire extinguishers for home use, stop by the local fire department for suggestions on the right type (usually a Class A,B,C) and instructions for proper use.  And for those of you non-NRA types who are opposed to using guns for home defense, if the occasion arises and you need to defend yourself and your family, just hose the perp down with your fire extinguisher.  Besides being 100% legal to have in your home, you can purchase one without a permit, (or a background check) and it will incapacitate an attacker by making him unable to breathe, see or even hear anything.  

Electric heaters; get the kind that turn off automatically when they tip over.  Also never leave them running when you leave the house or go to sleep.  Talk to your kids regularly about the dangers of fire and the misuse of matches and lighters.  Keep them out of reach of small children.  And here’s one for the “duh” category; Never smoke in bed!  For a more complete list, go to www.redcross.org.  There is a printable checklist on their website.

Don’t forget to have a fire escape plan.  Not only should your plan include alternate routes to get out of the house but a common gathering point needs to be established as well.  And finally if your power goes out and the temperature in your home is dropping, DO NOT use a charcoal grill for warmth.  Every year I read of some bonehead who brought the charcoal grill in the house and tragedy ensued.  Carbon monoxide kills!  

If you burn wood for heat, have your chimney inspected and cleaned, if necessary.  Don’t cut corners when so much is at stake.

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

Winter Travel

    “Over the river and through the wood, to Grandmother’s house we go.  The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh through the white and drifted snow.” And so goes the old song about holiday travel to visit the relatives.  Now I’ll admit I have never actually travelled by sleigh to visit relatives, but plenty of us hit the road during winter months to spend the holidays with loved ones.   Winter travel requires some extra planning to make your trip a safe one.

First, factor in a little extra time for your journey.  Safe driving in nasty weather requires slowing down.  In fact, snowy and icy roads require a whole different skill set.  If your route takes you over any mountain passes, the possibility of snow and icy roads may affect your trip.  Making sure your car is ready for the trip is just smart planning.  Are your tires up for the trip?  Do you have a set of tire chains that actually fit your car?  Do you know how to install your chains?  Studded tires are always an option, although here on the South Coast of Oregon few motorists make that investment as we rarely have a need for them.  And you can file this one in the “Duh” category, is your gas tank full? More than one motorist has been stranded along the interstate for several hours because of nasty weather.  Running out of gas is unacceptable, as is being without a couple of blankets in the trunk or some snacks for the kids.

So when you get ready to head out, go to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) website and check their webcams at www.tripcheck.com.  Every known hazardous spot (and some that aren’t so hazardous) has a webcam set up monitoring the road conditions.  Accompanying the video display is a list of up-to-the-minute weather conditions listing the temperature, wind information and precipitation. The wise traveler will adjust his travel plans according to what he learns about the weather conditions enroute.  Every pilot has had to either cancel a trip or change his flight plans because of weather.  There is an old saying, “there are old pilots and bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots!”  The same may be true for the winter traveler.  Making changes in your road trip shows wisdom and maturity of thought for the safe consideration of your loved ones.   

Before you head out, grab your “go” bag, top off your gas tank and your coffee thermos.  A few food items can’t hurt, along with your tire chains, tow strap, jumper cables (for someone else, you understand) and maybe one of those folding shovels.  Be sure to get an early start, because those slick roads demand slower speeds, and a willingness to abort the mission if it gets a little too risky out there.  This trip isn’t worth anyone getting injured just because your bone-headed macho-man attitude wasn’t about to be pushed around by some little ol’ snow storm.  Be a real hero to your family and make the hard decision if you need to.  Ultimately being prepared will bring a whole element of safety to your journey.

“Over the river and through the wood, now Grandmother’s cap I spy.  Hurrah for the fun.  Is the pudding done?  Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!”

As always, send your comments, questions and winter driving stories to www.disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.

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.     

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.

   

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. 

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.  

Tune-Up Time

Every now and then it’s a great idea to “tune-up” your supplies.  A few weeks back I wrote about building a “Get Home Bag.”  Many preppers have a “Bug Out Bag” they keep stocked and ready to grab in the event they have to evacuate.  Mine is a “Get Home Bag” in case something happens when I’m away from home and need a few things with which to survive so I can get home.  In my case I usually have one or more of my grandkids along wherever I am and sooner or later one of them needs a Band-Aid, or a Tylenol (or similar pill) or I find myself using my flashlight or someone needs a knife.  You get the picture.  

Now would be a good time to bring your bag to the kitchen table, (tell your wife I said it was ok and that you’ll clean it all up right away) empty it out and go through your stuff.  Be on the lookout for jerky that’s way past it’s “best by” date, or stale crackers and any other food that is no longer edible for whatever reason.  Make a note to replenish and add to the food items you carry with you.  Check out those little packages of tuna and crackers the next time you’re at the store.  Some contain mayonnaise and even relish to mix and put on the crackers.  They’re a great snack and come in handy when the grandkids need a snack even when there’s no emergency.  Hey when a kid is hungry and you’re out somewhere, that IS an emergency!  I personally carry a couple cans of Spam in my bag.  Most of the American population goes into “Yuck!” mode when Spam is mentioned, but when sliced and fried, I convinced my kids it was “camping bacon”.   Some folks I met from New Zealand had purchased two cases of this delicacy and were shipping it home (at considerable expense) because they couldn’t get Spam at home. Don’t turn up your nose too quickly, it is protein and stores handily for a reasonable period of time.  

Then pick up a few extra Band-Aids and re-supply your First Aid kit. You DO have a First Aid kit don’t you?  Research shows that 44% of households in the U.S. don’t own a First Aid kit.   Make sure those little bags of gauze pads and other items are still sealed and not torn open or have otherwise lost their sterile integrity.  If your insect repellent is of the aerosol variety, check to insure it hasn’t all leaked out for some reason.  Consider buying the little pads that are just wiped on the skin.  They don’t take up as much room and aren’t as messy in the event something has accidentally pushed the button on the spray can.

Check your flashlight to make sure the batteries are good.  Consider carrying extras in your bag.  Seems like my flashlight gets used more often than any other item in my bag.  So I keep it handy and replace the batteries often.

Now check out your supplies inventory in the house.  Same thing goes, if you’ve “borrowed” from your toilet paper supply, restock. Make sure your supplies are bug-free, rodent-free, moisture-free and otherwise intact.  Your emergency lighting, cooking implements, and other equipment should be tested, cleaned and stored away in that special location until needed.  Sometimes peace of mind is as simple as a quick tune-up.

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