There are at least seven global or widespread disasters that seem
likely to occur at sometime in the future. A large asteroid hitting the
earth is one of those seven. It is generally accepted by scientists
that asteroids have struck the earth in the past causing widespread
damage. It is believed that asteroids will continue to collide with the
earth every now and then. Maybe every sixty million years a big one
comes along that is large enough to have a global effect on survival of
earth's living things. The chances of such an event happening in a
particular person's lifetime are tiny. But that tiny chance is there.
It
is unpleasant to consider such terrible things. But the best attitude,
it seems to me, is to ignore, to a very large extent, the unpleasant
feelings that the topic causes. That allows a person to consider what
might be done to increase the chances of surviving a disaster. No way
can a person be fully prepared. And since we cannot know just what is
going to take place, it may be an exercise in futility. But you never
know, simple basic preparations could bring you through some calamity.
And
why not take the attitude that your efforts and interest in such
preparation is something to feel good about. Those efforts can be fun
and interesting. The topic certainly grabs my attention better than a
Hollywood movie. By doing what I can to become prepared, I am doing
something that could dramatically make my life much more pleasant should
I be involved in a catastrophe. Disaster preparedness is an interesting
and enjoyable hobby that could pay off big-time. Knowing that all the
benefits of modern life are not necessarily a given, is a reason for
enjoying them more.
The seven possible widespread or global disasters:
1).
Very large volcanic eruptions. Hugh volumes of gas and dust could
spread around the globe. There is some evidence that these have occurred
before. Doesn't that mean that it could happen again?
2). An
epidemic. There was the flu epidemic of 1918 that killed 30 million
people worldwide. There was the plague that killed about one fourth of
Europe's population in the Dark Ages. Viruses and germs are known to
mutate and change. They may become resistant to vaccines and
medications, become more deadly, and become more contagious. Viruses and
other pathogens cold mutate into virulent forms that could spread
rapidly around the world by people using air travel.
3). Crop failures due to plant diseases, climate change, or ozone depletion.
4).
Climate changes including global warming and the effects that might
come with it such as extreme heat, drought, and severe storms.
5). Nuclear war.
6).
Terrorist act which could bring about widespread effects. If, for
instance, a nuclear device was detonated in Washington, D.C. and another
wiped out Wall Street, the effects could be unpredictable and could
include economic depression, anarchy, shortages of consumer goods, and
war.
7). Something unexpected. A disaster could be caused by a
completely unknown event. It is unreasonable to think we are smart
enough to be aware of all threats that could bring catastrophe.
There
are many other plausible scenarios for widespread catastrophes. These
include such things as a large solar flare that shoots out radiation and
charged particles toward the earth; an object such as a black hole
passing close to the earth; and a technology accident such as a
genetically modified organism being released into the environment.
In
recent years vast quantities of methane gas have been discovered on the
sea floor where the water is very deep and in places where the water is
very cold. It is believed that global warming or earthquakes could
cause the methane to be released perhaps suddenly and in massive
quantities. Methane is explosive and could displace oxygen causing
suffocation.
Below are some things you can do to be better prepared for emergencies.
Store
food and water: About a gallon of water a day per person is a
reasonable goal. How many days worth is anybody's guess - you have to
use your own judgment about what is practical for you. Know where to get
water if your standby supply runs out. Water of unknown purity should
be boiled at least 3 minutes to kill any pathogens. If boiling is not
possible add 16 drops or 1/4 teaspoon of household bleach per gallon and
let stand at least 30 minutes. Smell the water. If it does not have a
slight bleach odor, repeat the process. Use bleach that contains nothing
else other than water and 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite. Bleach is
most effective for killing bacteria but is not effective against
parasitic organisms.
Choose long storage food such as canned
goods, dry food such as nuts, seeds, beans, and grain products in
plastic or glass containers. Most dried beans will need to be soaked and
cooked before eating. Examples of dried beans that can be eaten after
soaking and without cooking include split peas, mung beans, lentils and
black-eyed peas. Wheat and corn can also be soaked and eaten without
cooking. Peanut butter and vegetable oil are good choices because they
are calorie rich, long keeping and require no preparation. Canned meat
provides protein and requires no cooking. A multi vitamin will help with
adequate vitamin requirements.
Keeping warm: The colder the
climate where you live, the more important this is if the electrical
power fails or you are forced to leave your home. Have enough heavy
clothing and blankets in your home to keep you warm. Have ready to go to
put in your car such as in a garbage bag: at least two changes of
clothing that will keep you warm, a sleeping bag or a couple of
blankets, gloves, knit hat, and sturdy shoes.
First aid kit: The most important items may be soap for washing a wound, an antiseptic ointment, and bandaging.
Tools
and supplies for short-term emergencies: Flashlight and batteries,
candles, matches, can opener, soap, battery-powered radio and batteries,
face mask for filtering the air you breath,
Tools and supplies
for long term emergencies: all of the items above for short-term
emergencies plus the food items listed above plus: long lasting led
flashlight, wind-up flashlight, wind-up radio, unscented 5.25 percent
sodium hypochlorite bleach for purifying water, sturdy knife and
sharpener, salt, grain grinder, food storage containers, shovel,
blankets, rifle and ammunition.
Tools and supplies for your car:
gallon of drinking water, blanket, extra clothes (sweatshirt, long
underwear, boots, socks, gloves, hat), compass, rain gear,
battery-powered radio and batteries, long storage and light-weight food,
maps, siphon (20 feet plastic tubing, 1/2 inch diameter), gas can,
wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, portable light. Long-term and extras:
bleach for purifying water, shorts or swimsuit, tube tent (or 10 by 10
tarp, cord), ground moisture barrier, closed cell foam sleeping pad,
sleeping bag, insect repellant, sunglasses, sunscreen, soap, knife,
backpack, duct tape, cord (i.e., seine twine, parachute cord, masons'
twine).
Have a short-term plan: Discuss with your family how
everyone will get home if their usual transportation is not available.
If the phone systems are operating, one person could remain at home to
take and relay messages. Have a place in mind in case you need to
relocate to a different geographic area. Plan how to get there and what
you will take along. If you believe you are not enough prepared, decide
how to become so.
Stay informed: Have at least a battery operated
am/fm radio with extra batteries. A wind-up radio not requiring
batteries could be used if the power is off for an extended period.
Emergency alert radios might receive broadcasts in a long-term power
failure where the backup generators for am/fm radio stations have run
out of fuel.
If situations develop so that longer-term solutions
are needed, you will need other strategies. You may have to hunt for and
gather food from the wild. Very long-term collapse of the present
supply chain would require that you become self-sufficient in mending
and making your own clothing. You might have to construct a shelter
using basic tools and basic materials. The scope of this article does
not allow for discussions of what you would need to know to survive
extended collapse of society into how it was a couple of hundred years
ago.
I finally got us one of these - Baofeng UV5RA Ham Two Way Radio 136-174/400-480 MHz Dual-Band Transceiver (Black)
Camping Cookbook: 26 Camping Recipes That Make Cooking Outdoors So Easy... Anyone Can Do It (Rory's Meat Kitchen)
It is also available as a Nook book at BarnesandNoble.com
Stage 1. There is no way to predict when disaster may strike. The
best way to survive disaster is to first prepare for a short-term
emergency, such as 72 hours. That is why your purchase of quality
survival kits for each member of your family and pets is highly
recommended. Once you have done that, you can at least feel better
knowing that you have taken the first step to preparing for a small
disaster. Unfortunately, many disasters are not small. Take Hurricane
Katrina of 2005, for example. Hurricane Katrina spread destruction
across 7 states, with New Orleans, Louisiana being the hardest hit. If
you don't live in an area which typically suffers attacks from
hurricanes, how safe are you from other natural disasters? The extreme
temperatures of 1980 killed 1260 people in the United States. The 1980
disastrous heat wave and drought caused crops to fail and the resulting
food shortages brought increased food prices to consumers. Since storms
typically cause over half of natural disaster fatalities, why not focus
your initial survival planning there? Storms often knock out electrical
power from wind, flooding or snow, so plan for storm disasters first;
especially if you feel overwhelmed with all of the "what ifs" disaster
scenarios.
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Prepper's Pantry Box Set: 110 Safety Hacks and Meals for Practical Survival Preparedness (Prepper's Pantry, Prepper's Pantry Box Set, Prepper's Survival)
book when this post was written.
Prepper's Survival Box Set: 136 Emergency Preparedness Steps and Survival Tips to Increase Your Disaster Preparedness (Preppers Survival, emergency preparedness, survival skills)
Preppers Survival Box Set(FREE Bonus Included)
! It was a steal for $10.00. My mom was mad that I found it before here. It has a Co2 cartridge in it so I know it works. Not sure how much power left. Need to get some flavors and be up and running. I like that this is not electric! We can even have soda if the grid goes down and we can take this with us when we camp. YUMMY!!
How to Make Delicious Meat Jerky
You can think of your grill as your outdoor kitchen. You can cook
a main course, a side dish, a snack and even dessert on it! So don't
limit your menu to heavy meat and sauces the next time you host a
barbecue - get your creative juices flowing and satisfy any sweet tooth
out there by preparing mouth-watering grilled desserts.
