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.

Dave’s 10 Principles of Disaster Preparedness

Part 2

    Last week I started a series on my 10 Principles of Disaster Preparedness.  It is my sincere belief that your efforts to prepare should follow a plan.  Being prepared is more than a full pantry of Spam, rice and beans.  Preparedness begins with a mindset that says, “No matter what happens, we’re going to get through any disaster thrown at us!”  Accumulating extra stores and planning ahead is all part of the overall picture, but there should be some guiding principles behind how you prepare and for what reasons.  In case you missed the first three principles, see last week’s column or check it out on my blog.  

4.  There is value in redundancy.  An old joke among government employees is that somewhere deep in the bureaucracy swamp known as Washington, there is an agency known as the Department of Redundancy Department.  This principle sounds a bit like #3, “Always Have A Plan B,” but if you only have one way of purifying water, then two ways is even better.  If you have one case of toilet paper, two is better.  The more you have stored, the more you have available for barter or charity.  Equally as important are the qualities of versatility and flexibility. Disasters don’t follow a rigid design, so it’s best if you design your plan with a certain adaptability factor as well.

5. Don’t make preparations out of fear.  Several months ago we held a class at our church on Disaster Preparedness.  There were about 25 people in attendance.  We discussed some of the reasons for prepping including the possibility of a mega-earthquake.  After the class one of the attendees went home, gathered her children and pitched a tent out in the middle of a field in fear of an earthquake destroying her house. That wasn’t exactly what we had in mind.  I carry a spare tire in my car, not out of fear of a flat tire, but just in case.  I have Band-aids in my wallet, just in case.  The story is told of an 80 year old woman confronted by police.  It was found she had two handguns in her purse, one in her glovebox and a shotgun under the seat.  The officer asked, “Ma’am, just what is it you are  afraid of?”Her reply, “Nothing!”  When you lay in extra stores, do so with the posture of “just in case.”  Not because you’re afraid of what might happen.

6.  Beware of “Style Over Substance!”  Politicians are fond of making laws, usually with great pomp and volume, that are long on publicity and short on actual effectiveness.  We all know of products that don’t live up to their billing.  Not everything labelled “Survival” will be of benefit when actually put to the test.  I am convinced that much so-called “survival” gear was designed by the P.T. Barnum School of Marketing.  You’ll recall their motto, I’m sure:  “There’s a sucker born every minute!”  When making a purchase for your preparations, do your research and think it through. First ask yourself if you know how to use it.  Then try to determine the probability of necessity if there is a disaster.  Make smart, well informed purchases before you invest.  It’s not only your money at stake, your life may depend on this thing.

Next week we’ll continue with more of my Ten Principles.  As always send your questions,  comments and suggestions to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.

Dave’s 10 Foundational Principles of Disaster Preparedness

This week’s column begins a series of my Ten Foundational Principles of Disaster Preparedness.  Call them core values, immutable truths or life rules, I feel one must develop their own personal “prepper philosophy” so there will be some direction and structure in your planning.  Although mine are a work in progress, here they are and you are welcome to copy them as your own:

1.  Prepare BEFORE the disaster happens.  I am always mildly amused and somewhat bewildered by the ones who run to the store either at the last minute or after the fact.  That’s a bit like having a fender bender then calling your insurance man to buy some coverage.  In my observations of situations like Katrina and Sandy, I see people who had plenty of advance warning still getting caught empty-handed.  The chaos, frustration and desperation that characterizes the unprepared can all be avoided by simply planning ahead.  Your family is worth it.  A biblical proverb says, “A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions.  The simpleton goes on blindly and suffers the consequences.”  (Proverbs 22:3, New Living Translation)  Plan ahead.

2.  Avoid ready-made kits. There are literally thousands of ready-made kits available for purchase.  Almost every disaster preparedness blog (except mine) has a kit for sale.  I think some of them are pretty well thought out and actually very cool.  However there is a certain satisfaction in building your own, choosing quality components and actually designing the kit for your specific needs in your specific neighborhood.  The person that lives miles out in the hills will have different needs than the person who lives in the city.  Some families have babies and their kit will require diapers and anti-rash ointment.  Others will have “seasoned citizens” in the household and their needs are unique to their circumstance.  Check out the ready-mades to get ideas on what you might need, but make your own list, then fill it to your satisfaction.

3.  Have a plan “B” and a plan “C.”  Every experienced battle commander knows his plan is perfect until the shooting starts. Most plans begin to unravel as they’re put to the test.   This is a huge flaw I see in the National Geographic Channel’s “Doomsday Preppers.”  Every featured group I have seen prepares for a specific disaster scenario.  Just imagine how disappointed they’d be if they prepared for a nuclear attack and got hit with a coronal mass ejection (solar storm) instead.   Now I am convinced if you live in hurricane country, then plan for a hurricane, but have two or more different evacuation routes.  Prepare two or more retreat locations, just in case.  If you live along the Oregon Coast, plan for an earthquake-tsunami episode, but always have a plan B.  Your first escape route may be blocked with debris or a bridge may be impassable.  Make alternate plans.

Next week we’ll continue with my Ten Basic Principles.

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

The Un-Storm

Starting about a week ago, the news and weather folks began warning us a storm was coming.  Rain, heavy rain, coupled with 100+ miles per hour winds will be striking the Southern Oregon Coast. Predictions of widespread regional destruction with comparisons to the 1962 Columbus Day storm the old timers remember so well.  Travelers were advised to stay home unless absolutely necessary.  Even yours truly topped off the gasoline cans, stocked up on junk food and even discovered I couldn’t locate one of my extension cords.  I leisurely made my way to the hardware store and nonchalantly purchased a new extension cord.  

Through casual conversation with the hardware store manager I learned they were sold out of flashlights, batteries, camping stoves, lanterns and candles. When I went to the grocery store, the story was the same.  Some items had been pretty well thinned out and there were no AA or AAA batteries left on the battery display rack.  According to the grocery clerk, folks had been stocking up all day on snack food, cookies, crackers and in my case, squirt cheese.  

So what ultimately happened?  Not much really.  The storm, with a few minor exceptions “kind of tore itself apart,” according to one meteorologist.   Citing a faulty computer model, the weather girl indicated that the storm simply dissipated due to a competing low pressure system.

All this may be difficult to explain to the residents of Manzanita, Oregon.  This small coastal town suffered massive damage by a waterspout turned tornado which wreaked havoc on buildings and trees.  Multiple other waterspouts were observed offshore with no reports of any further damage.

Locally here on the South Coast there were a few scattered power outages and some windfall limbs and branches.  No reports of major damage.  The heavy rains made for a few interesting football games on Friday evening.  The game I attended was delayed 45 minutes in the middle of the second quarter due to concerns about lightning.  At least one contest was cancelled mid-game for the same reason.  

So what are some steps to take when a major storm is pending?  In my case, I topped off the gas tank on my generator and ATV.  (That’s when I discovered the missing extension cord.)  I had filled all my propane tanks weeks ago, then made the trip to the gas station to top off my gas cans.

My wife made sure the laundry was all caught up.  This is a task she usually reserves for the weekend, but since Saturday was supposed to be D-Day in storm language, she made sure everything was done ahead of time.  A few snacks and comfort foods are always the order of the day when waiting out the weather.  I rounded up a hand full of small flashlights and put new batteries in each.  That way if a family member needs to make a trip to the bedroom or bathroom, they don’t have to take a lantern or candle with them.  

And the downside?  I suppose there is the danger of the “little boy who cried wolf” syndrome.  Will people take the next weather warning seriously?  I think we’re all smart enough to know that every so often the weather changes its mind.  And the upside?  We checked our preps and in some cases made a few dry runs.  One person I know started his generator and let it run for a few minutes just to make sure it was going start when he needed it.  Others double-checked their supplies and filled in where needed.  Just like the fire drills of our high school days, we will know exactly what to do when the need arises.  No harm done.

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

Hurricane Matthew

As of this writing, Hurricane Matthew is headed back out into the Atlantic to vent its energy at sea as it moves up the eastern seaboard.  News accounts have the death toll at 17 on U.S. soil and somewhere between 300-900 in Haiti.  Damage reports are still being tallied as the post-hurricane flood waters are still rising.  

Millions were evacuated from their homes and businesses were closed as the winds and rain bore down on the region.  Some of the video showed people stocking up on supplies, groceries and one shopper had a cart full of gasoline cans, obviously for stocking up.  Other pictures showed bare shelves in stores indicating that last minute preppers were making a run on necessities.  We see similar pictures every time a hurricane or major storm threatens the populace.  

I’m a bit puzzled by a couple of things.  First, for several days ahead of a major storm making landfall, the news media is all over it.  Meteorologists are experts at gauging estimated wind speeds, the intensity (Category 4 or whatever) and if and where the monster is expected to make landfall.  With all of this prediction, and fairly accurate prediction I might add, why do people wait?  Wouldn’t a reasonable person hear the news and call home?  “Honey, the newsman just said we’re going to get hit by a hurricane in two days.  Round up the kids and I’ll be home in a half hour, we’ll get our kit and head for your mother’s in Ohio.”  Seems like most folks would rather than wait until the last minute and be forced to compete for gasoline and groceries then fight gridlock as everyone else is leaving town with you.  During Hurricane Katrina, the officials actually reversed the traffic flow so that all lanes led out of town.  Still there were so many things wrong on so many levels during the Katrina that over 2000 lives were lost, mostly due to procrastination.  

Secondly, why are the store shelves bare?  If everyone would stock up, even just a little bit, it would save on that last minute “hopefully they still have some peanut butter” shopping rush that we see on all the news channels.  It’s really not expensive to put some extra groceries aside.  Shop the sales or try the warehouse stores for the best deals.  Get in on the “buy one, get one” offers and learn to use coupons.  

Prior planning can save your life.  At the very least it can get you ahead of the crowd when everyone else is scrambling for their supplies and trying to get out of town.  

Winter weather is coming.  There will be blizzards throughout the land, and for those of us in the Pacific Northwest we will see wind storms come in off the ocean with accompanying heavy rain.  This is the season for which we prepare.  Gasoline for the generator.  Extra groceries when the road to town is flooded.  And for those in blizzard country, an extra blanket or two in the car, some water and even a couple of cans of Spam for that time when you slide off the road and have to spend the night in your car.  Remember it is just as expensive to run your car on the upper half of the gas tank as it is on the bottom half.

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

Flood Evacuation

I woke recently to a flood evacuation announcement for Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  I don’t live anywhere near Iowa so I wasn’t alarmed, but I could empathize with those folks who are packing their stuff and heading for safety.  Eight years ago Cedar Rapids suffered billions in damage from a flood that caught everyone off guard.  This time I read stories of folks dismantling their basement furnace and loading it into a trailer.  Also a group of volunteers removed the seats in a theater and moved them to higher ground to avoid damage.  

With all the flooding in the news these past few weeks it’s time for folks to think about what to do in the event they are required to evacuate.  

In my corner of Oregon, we often get flooding with our winter rains, but since the planning folks don’t allow building in the flood zone, it usually doesn’t require evacuation.  Ranchers however,  graze their livestock on the fertile bottom land and they routinely have a plan to get their critters to safety.  

However, if you live in a flood-prone region, it is only wise to have a plan in place for evacuation.  The mantra of all preppers is this:  Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Prepared.  A kit is important.  Extra supplies and all manner of pantry items are invaluable.  But as important as it is to have a well-stocked kit, it is even more important to have a plan in place.  Plans avoid confusion, stress on the family and set the expectation for what everyone will be doing when the time comes.  The first order of business is to determine your flood risk.  The best resource is your local Department of Emergency Management, usually affiliated with your local Sheriff’s Department or other local governmental authority.  You could also ask long-time residents, “Does it ever flood here?”  Listen to advice of the old-timers.  It’s also a great way to build relationships with your neighbors.  

Make an actual plan for each member of the family for every possible scenario.  Having the entire family together, at home, when disaster strikes is almost too much to ask for.  Make a list of all the “What if?” questions.  Where will you meet, how will you get there?  What method of communication does everyone have?  Do you have an out-of-state contact and does each family member have that information?  What if cell phone, internet and landline systems are down?  All these questions should be addressed if your plan is going to cover all possible events.  For more information, go to www.ready.gov.  There are templates to print off for each family member and for a variety of situations.  

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

Hunting Season 2016

Crisp autumn mornings.  Guns and ammo on sale in the sporting goods stores.  This can only mean one thing; hunting season is upon us.  That time of year when every guy  becomes an outdoorsman, tunes up their 4 X 4, buys new orange camo and stocks up on new, (and very necessary) expensive gear.  All for the opportunity to get up early, tromp through damp underbrush (uphill and down) and hopefully get a clear shot at a trophy buck.  Then comes the not-fun part.  Cleaning the animal, packing it out (always from the bottom of a canyon at least two miles from the road), then skinning, cutting up, wrapping and getting the meat in the freezer.  Now comes the best part of all; telling the story.  “There I was, 475 yards away, he was running away from me at an angle…uphill, through dense underbrush...”  You get the idea.  

Now don’t get me wrong, I love the outdoors as much as the next guy.  I quit hunting deer and elk a few years back when I realized that, “when the animal drops, the fun stops!”  These days I confine my hunting to varmints, sage rats (Central Oregon ground squirrels that tear up the alfalfa fields) and other non-game animals.  That keeps my shooting skills sharp and gets me in the great out of doors with my son and grandsons.  

Here comes the good part:  Just because someone can afford a hunting rifle, a four-wheel drive pickup and all the gear doesn’t mean he (or she) has any business in the wild aiming a high-powered rifle at a deer.  It is possible to get all the equipment, the license, the tag, and never have an ounce of training.  

Venturing into the wild bears little resemblance to a quick trip to the mall for a latte’.  Yet some hunters exercise the same level of planning and thought as they would if they were simply making a quick run for groceries.  We read their stories every year in the newspapers.  Sometimes they simply spend a chilly night under a tree and suffer no more than hunger pangs.  Other times the outcome is much more serious.  And then there is the guy who is missing for three weeks then shows up with an amazing story to tell.  It's usually that guy who put some thought into his outing and took along a few basics, just in case.  

If you’re venturing out this year, consider the following:  Don’t go alone.  Let someone know where you’re going and when you plan to return.  Take a few items you can use for your survival, fire starter, flashlight, a few packages of Mountain House (or similar product), a tarp, a blanket and if it’s not too much trouble, throw in your chainsaw.  Don’t forget your first-aid kit, but then you should already have one in your vehicle.   Even a few items can make the difference between death and living to tell your grandkids the story.  

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