Neighborhood Mapping

“What’s the single most important thing we can do to prepare for a disaster?”  The question nearly always comes up when I’m speaking to a group or someone catches me at the market.  My answer is simple:  Get to know your neighbors.  The reality is that during a major catastrophic event, You are often the first responder.  Y.O.Y.O. (You’re on your own.)   The police, fire and ambulance personnel are probably not going to respond to your emergency.  They are already stretched beyond their resources.  This is why neighborhoods all across the country are instituting a program called ‘Mapping Your Neighborhood’.  The only cost is a couple of hours of your time and the willingness to step up to a position of leadership on your street.  Mapping Your Neighborhood is a simple grassroots plan that relies on people organizing their own neighborhoods and building a network of contacts based on who lives on your block or in your immediate vicinity.  Generally made up of fewer than 20 homes, a list is compiled of who lives where.  Do they have natural gas or a propane tank?  Is there an elderly person in the home, one who may need assistance in the event of a disaster.  Are they on oxygen?  How about insulin?  Does anyone have a toddler or infant in the home?  On the other hand, is anyone in your neighborhood equipped with a backhoe, generator, chainsaw or other item that could come in handy during a crisis.  How about skills?  Is anyone trained in medical care, maybe a nurse or someone who can give care to an elderly person or a young child?  Does anyone have carpentry, electrical or plumbing skills?  Anyone skilled in counseling, maybe a minister or professional counselor?  

All these questions will be answered at your first neighborhood meeting.  What is needed is for someone to grasp the vision of seeing their neighborhood come together and get organized on a very local level. Most groups also agree on a plan to check on your neighbors immediately after a disaster.  Remember Y.O.Y.O.  Only one meeting per year is really necessary and only then to update files.  Some groups simply compile a list of their neighbors and make a basic plan while others do fundraisers to buy needed equipment like fire extinguishers, generators or community-owned chainsaws.  How far you want to take it is strictly up to your local neighborhood.

To begin, contact your local office of Emergency Management or search online for “Mapping Your Neighborhood.”  You will find information you can print off to get you started.  If you want to contribute to your neighborhood, this may be just the opportunity for you.  There is no federal funding, but most cities have someone who is designated to assist with disaster preparedness. As always you may contact me at disasterprep.dave@gmail.com  Other information can be found on my blog at www.disasterprepdave.blogspot.com.  Dave Robinson is a retired Postmaster and the author of “Disaster Prep For The Rest Of Us,” available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and other online booksellers.  

To Conspire or Not:  My Theory

I’ve never been one of those who buys into any of the hundreds of conspiracy theories floating around cyberspace.  And plenty of those theories have to do with folks who prepare for disasters.  As with most theories, they may or may not be founded in fact, but given enough credibility and traction, some people order their lives around conspiracy theories. Apparently they love the drama.  Then the theory is passed on and like the old grade school game of gossip, the story can grow and evolve into something totally different than the original.  One particular concept of which I’ve recently been made aware deals with Presidential Executive Orders.  

During the past few years, much news has been made of Executive Orders.  Whether or not you agree with the decisions of the various presidents, the fact is Executive Orders are in effect until rescinded by either the issuing POTUS or one of his successors.  And they carry the same weight as legislatively-enacted law.

One E.O. most concerning to preppers is one put forth by President Jimmy Carter.  President Carter is responsible for establishing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (F.E.M.A.) in early 1979.  Subsequently Executive Order #12148 issued a few months later combines a handful of other federal agencies and grants sweeping powers to the newly formed F.E.M.A. Several existing Executive Orders were also consolidated at the same time.  This E.O. is interpreted by many to give F.E.M.A. authority, in the event of declared emergency, to not only confiscate all stored supplies but also to press the general citizenry into service to assist with managing the disaster.  This interpretation can scare the life out of folks who have independently and wisely worked hard to prepare for an emergency.  

Personally I don’t really have an opinion and I am certainly no expert on Presidential Executive Orders, but here’s what I do know:  Keep on quietly accumulating extra groceries and equipment you think you’ll need in the event of a disaster.  If necessary, make ready for an evacuation and likewise, keep all your plans on the down low.  Keep your gas tank on the upper half and set aside some cash in your sock drawer.  Tune up your camping gear, make sure that camping stove will light and pick up a few extra propane canisters.  Flashlight batteries, candles, and matches are also on that list as well as non-perishable food items.  In other words, just keep doing what you’re doing while staying under the radar.

As always send your questions, comments and conspiracy theories to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.  Previous columns are on my blog at www.disasterprepdave.blogspot.com.  Dave Robinson is a retired Postmaster and the author of “Disaster Prep For The Rest Of Us,” available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and other online booksellers.

Basic Meds

Baseball season on the Southern Oregon Coast involves doing a do-si-do with the weatherman and still we cancel about as many games as we actually play.  A game called on account of rain is a routine occurrence and not the exception.  On a recent sunny Saturday, my 10 year old grandson actually played in three games.  One of those was a make-up game for one cancelled earlier due to rain.  That evening we noticed he was moderately toasted by the sun as he is fair-skinned and prolonged exposure to the sun gives him that painful red glow with which we are all so familiar.

I’m the guy who always had Band-Aids in his wallet when my kids were young.  I still keep a good supply of Band-Aids close at hand.  Among the meds I always carry is a remedy for diarrhea. After Band-Aids and headache remedies, some kind of response to the green-apple quick-step is among the most requested items in my family.  And now because of the glow my grandson earned on that rare, sunny day, we carry sun screen in all our vehicles just to protect against nature’s over-exposure.  In fact, the next day he began to exhibit symptoms of heat exhaustion.  Might I add that we were a half hour from home, washing some worms at our favorite fishing spot.

According to one medical website, heat exhaustion occurs when the body’s ability to cool itself is overwhelmed, usually by exertion on a hot day.  Some of the symptoms include profuse sweating, nausea, vomiting, weakness, light-headedness and muscle cramps.  Treatment is as follows:  Stop the activity immediately and move to a cooler environment.  Then begin rehydration.  My grandson complained of a headache and a tummy ache.  I dug through my kit and found a single headache pill (Alleve) and began pouring a sports drink down him  Most of which came back up on a couple of subsequent occasions.  He eventually cooled down and his appetite returned, as his temperature subsided.  At this writing, all is well.

Not all disasters involve earthquake, tornado or terrorist.  Some are just simply a test of what you have on hand or your knowledge of simple first aid.   With summer approaching you may want to brush up on your first aid, especially heat-related issues.  Make sure everyone is hydrated.  Sunscreen in every vehicle.  Simple meds, diarrhea, headache, and sunburn spray.  A case of bottled water and some sports drinks in your trunk may save the day.  No longer is it enough just to be the guy with the Band Aids in his wallet.  

As always send your questions and comments to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.  For previous columns check out my blog at www.disasterprepdave.blogspot.com.  Dave Robinson is a retired postmaster and the author of “Disaster Prep For The Rest Of Us,” available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and other online booksellers.  

Oroville Evacuation

As I’m writing this, Oroville, California is under a mandatory evacuation order.  A couple of days ago, the news reported a large breach in the spillway due to erosion, and the decision was made to lower the water level in the reservoir.  Oroville is midway between Redding, California and Sacramento, a few miles east of Interstate 5.   Emergency release orders went into effect late Sunday afternoon accompanied by the evacuation order.  In excess of 100,000 cubic feet per second is being released to bring down the water level and minimize impact in the event of further structural failure. Over a hundred thousand people are in the process of evacuation.  Freeways are jammed and gas station/convenience stores are doing a booming business.  One evacuee who spoke with a TV reporter said his fifth-wheel trailer was full but there was no diesel available for his pickup, that he would have to take his chances as he headed for Sacramento.  Others interviewed reported they were going to stay with relatives and others had made hotel reservations before they left home.  

This is a textbook example of the necessity of being prepared.  If your family has a plan in place, a bag prepared and a destination, then an orderly evacuation can take place in very little time and you’re way ahead of the crowds.  (And way less stress on the marriage, I might add.)

The public is being assured that downstream water levels are being kept well below flood stage.

On another note, I want to make a comment on an item I’m sure everyone carries in their camping gear, survival kit or go-bag.  It’s the space blanket.  They’re available everywhere and fairly inexpensive as well.  They take up little space in your bag, but give the impression of being life-saving if needed.  I received a “Tact Bivy” for Christmas this year.  This is in essence, a sleeping bag made from the same material as a space blanket.  Keep in mind there are various grades of space blanket, but most are a metalized mylar-foil product that claim to keep astronauts comfy in outer space.  The Tact Bivy comes packaged in a nice draw-string nylon bag to keep it folded, rolled and ready for use.  Since a few other members of my family also received them for Christmas presents, we decided to give them a try.  I pulled mine out of the draw-string bag and unrolled it on the floor.  I reached my hands inside to expand it out, the same as you would with a paper sack to open it for use.  In doing so, I managed to split a seam about 6 inches along the side.  I did manage to slither inside, fully clothed on the carpet of my living room with no further damage to the Tact Bivy.  

Space blanket technology isn’t designed to insulate, rather it is designed to reflect body heat.  So if you’re going to depend on your space blanket to keep you alive out in the elements, you may be wise to use it instead as a fire reflector or windbreak rather than trying to snuggle down out of the cold night air.  Inside the Tact Bivy I did feel an elevation in temperature, but then I was fully clothed in my living room.  Reports of shredded space blankets on rocks, sticks or other sharp objects are common on the internet.  So if you still insist on making a space blanket  a part of your kit, be sure to spend a little extra and get the heavy duty version, but also make sure a wool blanket is tucked away somewhere as well.

As always send your space blanket stories, comments or questions to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.  Previous columns can be found on my blog at www.disasterprepdave.blogspot.com.  Dave Robinson is the author of “Disaster Prep For The Rest Of Us,” available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and other online booksellers.

Winter Weather

Here on the Oregon Coast we are accustomed to fairly balmy weather.  We rarely see snow at our altitude and it is discussion-worthy if we drop below freezing.  ,These past couple of weeks have given all of us  reasons to re-think our winter driving habits and how we approach snowy mornings.  Our local counties don’t bother with buying snow removal gear, so when it does snow, schools close, people don’t go to work and those who do show up are either lauded for their bravery or chastened for their foolishness.  

One family friend spent 16 hours stranded with her eight-year old daughter in the Portland area.  Icy roads, snow and total gridlock shut down the entire city and surrounding area.  Fortunately her gas tank was on full when the adventure began and she was wise enough to ration her gasoline by starting her car to warm up only when absolutely necessary.  Another person I heard of lives on the east side of Portland and works a few miles west of the city.  He made it to work by mid-afternoon on Monday and stayed in a motel through Thursday night because of the dangerous travelling conditions.  

I grew up in Nebraska and can’t remember staying home through the worst blizzards.  School may have been released early to send the students home on the bus, but society simply did not come to a standstill because of a little snow, ice and wind.  Simply put, the local governments were equipped with snow removal equipment and the locals knew to adjust their driving habits when the roads turned slick.

The best advice for motorists is simply “stay home!”  You can’t have an accident, contribute to the gridlock or get stranded at the side of the road if you call off the trip.  Some of the toughest decisions I have had to make involve cancelling a trip, especially if someone else is counting on you to be at a particular function 200 miles from home.  Pilots have been known to suffer from a disease known as “get home-itis” when they are gone from home and bad weather sets in.  The wrong decision can be more than inconvenient.  Crashing an airplane has been known to have serious consequences.  Better to remain overnight in an airport lounge than become the object of a search party.  

I have become fond of a quote that keeps popping up on social media:  Good judgement comes from experience, and experience often comes from bad judgement.  I have also learned it is best to learn to profit from other peoples’ mistakes.  

Bottom line is this;  if you find yourself travelling in winter conditions, take along some extras.  A blanket or two, something to eat, maybe a thermos of coffee and for goodness sake, a full tank of gas.  Of course tire chains, maybe a tow strap, a charged-up cell phone and your paid-up auto club membership.  Then before you go, do what pilots do, let somebody know where you are going, the route you will be taking and an estimated time of arrival.  That way we’ll know where to send the search party.

As always, send your questions and comments to disasterprep.dave.@gmail.com.  Previous columns can be found on my blog at www.disasterprepdave.blogspot.com.  Dave Robinson is the author of “Disaster Prep For The Rest Of Us,” available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and other online booksellers.

Winter Weather

Here on the Oregon Coast we are accustomed to fairly balmy weather.  We rarely see snow at our altitude and it is discussion-worthy if we drop below freezing.  ,These past couple of weeks have given all of us  reasons to re-think our winter driving habits and how we approach snowy mornings.  Our local counties don’t bother with buying snow removal gear, so when it does snow, schools close, people don’t go to work and those who do show up are either lauded for their bravery or chastened for their foolishness.  

One family friend spent 16 hours stranded with her eight-year old daughter in the Portland area.  Icy roads, snow and total gridlock shut down the entire city and surrounding area.  Fortunately her gas tank was on full when the adventure began and she was wise enough to ration her gasoline by starting her car to warm up only when absolutely necessary.  Another person I heard of lives on the east side of Portland and works a few miles west of the city.  He made it to work by mid-afternoon on Monday and stayed in a motel through Thursday night because of the dangerous travelling conditions.  

I grew up in Nebraska and can’t remember staying home through the worst blizzards.  School may have been released early to send the students home on the bus, but society simply did not come to a standstill because of a little snow, ice and wind.  Simply put, the local governments were equipped with snow removal equipment and the locals knew to adjust their driving habits when the roads turned slick.

The best advice for motorists is simply “stay home!”  You can’t have an accident, contribute to the gridlock or get stranded at the side of the road if you call off the trip.  Some of the toughest decisions I have had to make involve cancelling a trip, especially if someone else is counting on you to be at a particular function 200 miles from home.  Pilots have been known to suffer from a disease known as “get home-itis” when they are gone from home and bad weather sets in.  The wrong decision can be more than inconvenient.  Crashing an airplane has been known to have serious consequences.  Better to remain overnight in an airport lounge than become the object of a search party.  

I have become fond of a quote that keeps popping up on social media:  Good judgement comes from experience, and experience often comes from bad judgement.  I have also learned it is best to learn to profit from other peoples’ mistakes.  

Bottom line is this;  if you find yourself travelling in winter conditions, take along some extras.  A blanket or two, something to eat, maybe a thermos of coffee and for goodness sake, a full tank of gas.  Of course tire chains, maybe a tow strap, a charged-up cell phone and your paid-up auto club membership.  Then before you go, do what pilots do, let somebody know where you are going, the route you will be taking and an estimated time of arrival.  That way we’ll know where to send the search party.

As always, send your questions and comments to disasterprep.dave.@gmail.com.  Previous columns can be found on my blog at www.disasterprepdave.blogspot.com.  Dave Robinson is the author of “Disaster Prep For The Rest Of Us,” available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and other online booksellers.

10 Principles of Disaster Preparedness

Part 3

    This is third in a series on my Principles of Disaster Preparedness. Your preparations and plans should be guided by certain principles that provide boundaries and direct your plans. Growing your pantry and gaining supplies is all good, but without definable, workable parameters, your efforts may be for naught.  If you missed the last two weeks, check out my blog for the installments you missed.

Principle #7.  Develop useful skills. Learn to cook without relying on prepared, pre-packaged, “high in everything that’s bad for you” fare.  Practice getting by without a daily trip to the grocery store.  Learn to repair things without calling a professional or buying new.  I remember my dad building the most ingenious gate latches or other gizmo out of what he had on hand.  The lessons learned in the Great Depression years stayed with him all his life.  The “make do” philosophy served our family well.

Principle #8.  Get first aid training.  Similar to #7 above, but so vital, it deserves its own category.  Take a class in first aid.  Build skills that will be invaluable if there are injuries in your neighborhood.  Put together a first aid kit that includes such things as a suture kit, (available online), blood pressure cuff, and inflatable splints.  There are video classes at www.redcross.com to teach skills in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR).  Learn about triage and why hard decisions have to be made in times of disaster.  When the time comes, you will be an asset rather than a liability.  YouTube videos are a great source of information.  For example if you need to learn to use that suture kit, there are YouTube videos covering the topic.  Also check out the Patriot Nurse, a straight-talking prepper who pulls no punches when it comes to medical readiness.

Principle #9.  Build relationships with your neighbors.  Mapping Your Neighborhood is a program which gets you acquainted with your REAL first responders.  When disasters strike, the Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Responders are all going to have their hands full with someone else’s emergency. Having an inventory of your neighborhood skills is vitally important when it comes to response on a down home level.   It is imperative you know who in your neighborhood may need your help and who has the skills to contribute to the business of survival.  Are any of your neighbors elderly and may need assistance?  How about propane tanks or natural gas shut 9z9xoffs?  All these questions are covered when neighbors get together and inventory their assets.

Principle #10.  Spiritual  preparedness.  I may have saved the most important for last.  Your core values and belief system will always be your first line of defense, and will be the first point of challenge in an emergency.  How you are guided by your beliefs and values will dictate how well you respond and whether or not you will be successful.  Time after time survivors interviewed after a disaster proclaim their strength to survive came from their faith.  Will you be a source of strength and stability for others or will you be yet another basket case demanding attention?

As always send your comments and questions to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com. available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and other online booksellers.