News media outlets have been hyping the fact that radiation from the Japan reactors could reach the U.S. Their claims are based in truth however they provide no measurable facts. No numbers, no baseline radiation, no data of any kind, in other words, they are making people halfway around the world scared to go outside.

While nuclear radiation is nothing to take lightly, there are some way to measure the levels and determine if there are actually any facts or not.

How To Monitor Real Time U.S. Radiation Levels Online

Real-time monitoring networks such as Black Cat System’s Online US Ionizing Radiation Map and Radiation Network’s Real Time Radiation Monitoring Map offer maps that can give you peace of mind in emergencies like we’ve seen in Japan’s nuclear reactor meltdown.

These maps are just to give you a basic idea of the environment in the U.S. if you really want to invest in radiation monitoring in case of a disaster, dirty bomb attack, or full scale nuclear war, then you need to buy some basic equipment that is available online.

DON’T Take Potassium Iodide Unless You Are Exposed to Radiation

Don’t take Potassium Iodide unless and until elevated radiation levels hit your area.

Because of the fear that the radiation from the Japanese nuclear meltdowns will hit the Western United states, Potassium Iodide has sold out in most health food and supplement stores in many California, Oregon, and Washington locations.

People know that it’s good to take potassium iodide to protect against radiation, to help protect against thyroid cancer (potassium iodide does not protect any other organs).

But taking Potassium Iodide when there is no radiation can actually damage the thyroid gland.

Whatever you do, don’t take more than the recommended dosage. The Centers for Disease Control and the FDA recommend:

130 milligrams for adults

65 milligrams for children

Take every 24 hours. Because KI contains so much stable iodine, the thyroid gland becomes “full” and cannot absorb any more iodine—either stable or radioactive—for the next 24 hours. So when you take Potassium Iodide you prevent your body from absorbing the radiated KI

Water Storage Myth #1

You should always treat your water first and then store it

Water Storage Fact: If you use regular tap water, it’s already treated. There’s no need to add any additional chemicals to it when it’s just going to be sitting in a container. If your water needs treatment, do so at the point of using it, not prior to storing it.

Water Storage Myth #2

Don’t store your water barrels on cement

Water Storage Fact: There’s a component missing to this myth. The key is not to store your water barrels on HEATED cement. To store your water in your basement on the cement floor is just fine. There’s no need to make your barrels less stable by putting them on 2 x 4s. Cement only leaches chemicals when it gets hot. If you’re going to store your water in your garage, where the sun heats up the connecting driveway cement, then yes, I’d consider raising your barrels up on floor boards.

Water Storage Myth #3

Stored water always tastes bad

Water Storage Fact: Stored water is merely lacking oxygen. You can get it back to tasting great simply by stirring it up or pouring it back and forth a couple of times between a couple of pitchers, or glasses. This will infuse oxygen back into your water.

Water Storage Myth #4

I’ve got a swimming pool for water storage, so I don’t need to store more

Water Storage Fact: One who has this opinion is taking a big risk. Presuming that no animal waste, nuclear waste, or other bacterial, microbial, or biological contamination will enter the pool water, you still have many things to worry about. Also, if there is a water shortage in your area, and your big pool is out there for all of the desperate folks to see, you’re simply begging for some dangerous self-defense scenarios. You might as well leave your car doors unlocked with your wallet on the front seat. In the event of a real emergency, I would ALWAYS recommend that families store water as well as presuming that their pool water supply will be available, thus preventing it from outdoor contaminates and ensuring that you have water to survive in the event of all possible scenarios.

Water Storage Myth #5

I can use iodine tablets and drink water from the river

Water Storage Fact: You and everybody else. Just how long do you think that river supply is going to be available to you and your family? How useful will that river supply be to you in the event of a flood? Iodine tables don’t do too well with cleaning out home and body parts. How much vital physical energy will it take you to fetch enough water for you and your family to survive long term? People who have this attitude sure are taking a huge gamble. Remember that conserving your own physical energy should be your first priority in an emergency.

So purposefully putting yourself in a situation in which you need to work hard for water is short-sighted. Also, you’re assuming that your iodine tablets will take care of whatever is in the outdoor water, regardless of what it’s been exposed to. (See previous myth/fact example) If you have water stored in quality containers in your home, you can save your physical energy for other more important tasks, and you will ensure that your water supply is protected and is YOURS. Not only that, but chemical treatment of water is not the safest. Heating your water, such as boiling it, is by far the safest method of treating your water.

You’re also assuming that you won’t be quarantined and that the streets will be safe to travel.

Water Storage Myth #6

You must boil water for 10 minutes in order for it to be safe.

Water Storage Fact: Actually, you do not need to boil your water. Boiling the water is actually a waste of precious fuel. Water boils at 212 degrees. However, getting your water to a heat of 160 degrees for 30 minutes will kill all pathogens, and 185 degrees at for only 3 minutes. This is true even at a high altitude. (Note that my preferred way of heating water is in a solar oven. No fuel waste!)

Water Storage Myth #7

You only need 2 weeks worth of water for your family.

Water Storage Fact: Two weeks is only enough to get you from one point to another. Long-term survival will require a year’s supply of water. The magnitude of a disaster which would create a long-term water shortage, would also require 3.5 years of repairs in order for you to have the kind of water access you are accustomed to now. So really, a one year supply of water is still a minimalistic “get-us-through-until-we-can-find-a-good-well-or-other-water-supply” kind of storage. And besides, if you’re not storing a year’s supply of water, no one else is. So now let’s compound your problem exponentially in your community and discover just how fast the “native get restless.”

Water Storage Myth #8

I don’t need to drink a gallon of water a day!

Water Storage Fact: The recommend amount of one gallon per person, per day is not just for drinking. It’s for bathing, (as hygiene is critical), sanitation (you gotta manually flush your stuff in an emergency, folks), medical (some instances require more drinking water than others), cooking, and cleaning. Next time you think one gallon of water a day sounds like a lot, measure how much water you put in the pot when you boil water, wash your dishes, or wash your clothes. It’s a LOT more than you think!

Also, your kidneys process the equivalent of 400-500 gallons of water per DAY! If you don’t feed your body new water, then the old water ends up looking like nasty oil in a car that hasn’t been changed in 10,000 miles. When times are tough, you don’t want to try and use that kidney of yours as a commercial slime filter, do you?

Water Storage Myth #9

Food is more important than water

Water Storage Fact: Nope. You can go several days without food. You cannot live without water for longer than ONE day without seriously beginning to tax your body. It only goes downhill from there. Without water, your muscles lose their elasticity, your organs shut down, and your senses are dulled. None of these are situations you want to occur during an emergency.

Water Storage Myth #10

I don’t need water, I’ve got a year’s supply of Gatorade

Water Storage Fact: Liquid intake is not the same as water intake. The moment you add ANYTHING to your water, your body no longer takes it in as water. It has to process it, filter it, and THEN use what water is left in the liquid before it benefits from it. If your body has to work hard to process the liquids it takes in, it’s using more vital energy. In a perfect world, your water drink for refreshment would consist of distilled water, as that’s what you body can use the most readily.

Water Storage Myth #11

I’ve got 2-liter bottles, old milk jugs, and juice bottles full of water that is enough.

Water Storage Fact: Ok. This is better than nothing. But if it’s water than you intend on saving your life, I would definitely consider more sturdy and durable containers. In my opinion, even the water that is sold in the stores is insufficiently packaged for long-term storage in most cases. The plastic is too vulnerable for rugged use and access. I also don’t advise storing drinking water in used containers. And whatever you do, stop storing water in the old milk jugs. Those are the WORST in terms of chemical leaking and plastic breakdown.

Water Storage Myth #12

I’ve got ten 55 gallon drums full of water. I’m set.

Water Storage Fact: It’s great that you’ve got that much water. However, consider also having some water that’s more portable as well. It will make your life physically easier in surviving a long-term emergency situation. And by all means, make sure you’ve got the hardware necessary to get your water out of those big drums such as a hand pump, wrench, etc.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop

What started out as anti-government protests in Egypt turned into a full scale revolution. The ruling class realized that the opposition leaders were using the internet, social media, and cell phones to co-ordinate their efforts. In an attempt to sever communications and cut the head off of the rebellion the government shut down everything.

First social networking sites like twitter and Facebook were taken offline. Followed by Google and then the entire internet. Not long after that even cell phone networks went down and eventually land lines were shut off too. There were still a hand full of people in the center of the Egyptian revolution who were able to communicate with others and spread information.

Even if you’re not caught in the middle of a peoples revolution there are still many times when there will be no internet or working cell phones. Here are some ways you can still communicate when modern methods go dark.

Walkie Talkie

The Motorola Talkabout MR350, with its range of up to 35 miles and bundle of great features, is a great communication tool for the serious outdoor enthusiast.

Lightweight and rugged, the extra large buttons to help you operate even with gloves on. The MR350 includes an emergency alert feature, to inform others should any dangers come your way.

The MR350 also features a built-in LED flashlight for peace of mind during evening adventures or unexpected emergencies and power outages. Weather alerts will provide your group with warnings of incoming storms or dangerous conditions.

This radio also features the VibraCall silent vibrating ringer, which is useful for locations where ringing can be intrusive or background noise would drown out your ring tone.

Radio Scanner

The Uniden BC72XLT handheld scanner offers a simple way to monitor “action” bands, including police and fire channels, NOAA weather transmissions, business and industrial radio broadcasts, utilities, marine and amateur (ham radio) bands, air bands, and more.

This scanner keeps interested parties in the information loop. Of course, scanning the 32,000 available frequencies can be time-consuming and frustrating, which is why Uniden added such functions as Close Call capture technology, which instantly tunes to signals from nearby transmitters to help you detect and identify local signals, and a memory that holds up to 100 programmed channels.

Should you want to regularly monitor a few specific channels, you can designate them as “priority” channels. The BC72XLT will then check those channels every two seconds while it scans each bank, so you never miss an important transmission.

The scanner comes with a flexible antenna with a BNC connector, ensuring adequate reception in strong signal areas (a separately sold external antenna will further improve reception), along with an AC adapter. As an alternative, you can power the scanner using two AA alkaline or rechargeable batteries (the latter can even be recharged while in the scanner).

CB Radio

Cobra is giving professional drivers one more way to communicate safely and easily with the first-ever CB radio with Bluetooth technology – the New Cobra 29 LTD BT. The Bluetooth feature allows drivers a better way to have phone conversations on the road because calls from a mobile phone are synched with the CB radio. A noise canceling microphone allows calls to be heard loud and clear, even over a noisy engine. Incoming audio is routed through the radio’s 5-Watt CB speaker making it easy for the driver to hear the caller. The unit also provides one-touch Bluetooth operation, giving drivers the ability to stay focused on the road by answering and terminating calls with the push of one button. An auto-redial feature also allows for one-touch redialing of the last number called.

The new unit offers 4 Watts AM RF power output, the maximum amount of power allowed by law; Talk Back controls allowing drivers to adjust the desired amount of modulation talk back; a Blue Channel indicator displaying channel selection in cool blue illumination; and Delta Tune which is used to clarify incoming signals. The 29 LTD BT is redefining the CB radio!

Emergency Radio

When there is no power how will you get updated news and information? In the case of the Etón MICROLINK you can turn the crank to power it up or harness the power of the sun. Listen to AM or FM radio for important updates, use the built-in flashlight to find your way around in the dark. You can also charge up your cell phone with the built-in USB port.

The Etón American Red Cross ARCFR160R Microlink Self-Powered AM/FM/NOAA Weather Radio with Flashlight, Solar Power and Cell Phone Charger (Red)American Red Cross MICROLINK FR160 by Etón does more than keep you connected. It is a multifunctional, ultra-compact companion ready for any preparedness kit.

It has a high-quality AM/FM tuner, providing you with news, entertainment and public service announcements. Not only that, but it also integrates a NOAA Weather Band receiver that brings you weather forecasts, alerts and other emergency messages–information vital during severe weather conditions.

Only 5.25 inches, the Red Cross MICROLINK FR160 literally fits in the palm of your hand. It also includes a powerful solar panel, which gives you the freedom to explore without the hassle of batteries or adapters. If that wasn’t enough, there is also an added full sized USB port to easily charge any small electrical device such as an mp3 player or cell phone. You’ll always know what’s going on, thanks to the AM, FM and NOAA Weather Band tuners.

High Power Megaphone

If all else fails you can always stand outside and yell, but whats better than yelling at the top of your lungs, is projecting your voicing up to a mile away with the high powered Pyle-Pro PMP50 Dynamic Megaphone.

Amplify your voice cord-free and with clarity with this lightweight device. This megaphone also includes a siren sound and handheld microphone.

Powerfull Piezo Driver And Large Bell Diameter For Projection Range Up To One Mile

Used By Used By U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force And Marines Teacher Coaches Cheerleeders Schools – 2 Modes

Talk And Siren – For indoor/outdoor use

Variable volume control – Eronomic Pistol Grip And Light Weight Chasis – Powered By 8 x C batteries, not included

I recently made the switch from cotton socks to wool socks, and I have been very impressed with the difference.

I’m an active person and spend alot of time outside, and I usually wear boots. Normally I would wear normal store brand cotton socks, but by the end of the day they would always be damp and squishy. I hate the feeling of having wet feet. Plus over time I found that even the most expensive brand of cotton socks eventually wore out and became paper thin. After just a few washes I could tell that all of the padding had worn out for the most part.

In the colder months I used to try the “double sock” method. Even that didn’t do the trick for me, because after a few steps out in the snow my feet would just be twice as damp and my shoes would be twice as soggy.

I always passed on the more expensive wool socks because I thought that a sock was a sock, and I thought there was no point in spending more as long as I had a good pair of shoes. I can see that I was completely wrong.

Even though the cost more, they last much longer. Also wearing expensive shoes with bad socks nullifies any comfort that you might be hoping to get from your shoe.

What are the advantages of wool socks

1. Wool does not absorb moisture.

Instead it ‘wicks’ away sweat and water away from your skin. Also since wool does not absorb the water they will dry faster than cotton and be more resistant to bacteria and bad smells.

If your feet sweat alot, then you may think about switching to wool socks.

2. Wool socks provide more padding.

Having a good layer of padding on your feet is not just important for the bottom of your feet where you are stepping, its also just as important around your ankle’s and base of your foot.

One of the most important factors to keeping your feet warm in the winter is blood circulation. So if you tie your boots very tight it can sometimes cut off circulation to your feet and cause them to be much colder than your core body temperature.

Cotton socks provide almost no thickness and provide little buffer between your skin and your boot. However wool socks are much thicker and give more space. So even if you tie you shoes tight there is more room for blood circulation.

3. Wool lasts longer and is more durable

At my most active times I found myself going through store brand cotton socks as if they were made from paper towels, It felt like I was melting them right off my feet. Even though I was spending less money for a pack of 12 cheap cotton socks I had to buy new ones every other month.

Finally after switching to wool socks, I can tell the that the extra money spent goes into making a quality product. The material feels better, is more comfortable, and feels much more durable. Spending a little more money up front may actually save me money over the long term because I won’t be constantly replacing them.

How to wash wool socks?

Warning: do not toss your wool socks in the dryer, they will shrink.

Wool can easily lose its shape and become less defined if washed without care, and worst of all, it can shrink.

• Make sure your woolen item really needs to be washed. Unlike cotton and man-made materials, wool does not need to be washed frequently – even wool socks can be worn many times between washing if allowed to air out between wearings.
• Soak woolen items in cold water for a few hours before washing. Do this until all the woolen fibers are saturated. This method will help to stop the woolen item from shrinking.
• Use the right product. There are products specially made for washing wool. Dissolve the cleaner in the water first, to prevent agitating the wet wool. Alternately, you can try using baby shampoo or light detergent. Do not just assume you can machine wash with “woolite” or other detergent with “wool” in its name. Whatever soap you use, use very little as soap increases felting.

• Wash in sink by soaking and squishing being careful not to rub the wool against itself or it will felt. Heat, agitation, and detergent are the enemies of wool, aim to soak and rinse the dirt out. Wool is extremely easy to clean with just water.
• Dry flat in desired size/shape. A folding clothes rack can help here. Remove excess water with a towel by laying the item on a towel and rolling it up, squeezing and pressing gently. Unroll then leave in fresh air to dry.

Tips for washing wool:
If a wool item shrinks, wet thoroughly with cool water and stretch to former size. It helps to add hair relaxant to water, and rinse. Lay flat to dry.

Warning:
Hot water or a hot dryer will shrink wool. Even warm is too hot.

Friction will felt wool. (Meaning it will shrink and turn from a soft, woven, textured quality to a smoother,
harder material: felt.) Heat and soap will increase the amount of felting.

In addition to ruining your wool garment, running wool items through the wash cycle of your machine can also damage the machine as wool fuzz can detach and felt up forming hard clumps inside the pump.

Here the scenario, hours ago your President announced that the currency will be devalued by half. Soon everything in the country will be double the price of what it was today.

What do you do? What do you buy? Where do you go?

This actually just happened in Venezuela. Peoples response was not what you might expect. Thousands of people ran to the Spanish version of Best Buy, “Mejor Compra” to buy up all the TV sets and other imported electronics they could get their hands on….

Shouting “Buy, Buy, The World Is Going To Die!” Venezuelans went on a frantic shopping spree on Saturday following a sharp currency devaluation that is expected to drive up prices.

Shoppers crammed into electronics stores, eager to snap up imported televisions and computers ahead of the anticipated price hikes.

“I’ve been lining up for two hours outside to buy a television and two speakers because by Monday everything is bound to be double the current price,” said Miguel Gonzalez

Watching TV while my country goes to hell is not exactly what I had in mind, but if you didn’t know any better, then you might be prone to make the same mistakes.

It’s true that all imported good are about to get a whole lot more expensive. So buying ANYTHING at all will be better than waiting for your savings to be cut in half by the devaluation. However before you buy that new TV set you had your eye on, there are probably quite a few more things

I mean wouldn’t you rather be buying guns, bullets, socks, underwear, generator, food, or water??

You could make a run to the local coin or jewelry store. It is the perfect time to invest in gold and buy up all the silver coins too…..

Nah, screw it lets get that new LCD Screen TV we wanted before the price goes up, make sure you throw in the Blu-ray player and HDMI cables.

My Katrina Story:

I live in a suburb of New Orleans called Metairie. Parts of it were flooded briefly though a small portion was flooded due to the 17th street canal failure for about 2 weeks. My home was not flooded and sustained relatively minor damage.

The Evacuation

I evacuated my family (including pets) to Atlanta on Sunday at noon after making sure other people I know including employees had left and did not need transport. I thought I was the last one out as everyone I knew told me they were long gone. I listened to the mayor order a mandatory evacuation of the city as I passed Slidell about 30 miles east of the city.

My wife was behind me in another vehicle the whole way pissed off that she had to leave. The whole world was going west to Houston. I decided had at the last minute to head east into the storm’s projected route to avoid the traffic since I calculated I had only 18 hours to escape. I did not want to risk being on the road for this storm.

As it turned out, we made a great decision because the traffic was mainly headed west. We momentarily slowed down to 50 mph on parts of the I-10 but for the most part I did not slow down to under 80 mph until we were past the contra flow area about 25 miles north of the coast line on I-59. We picked the right window and the right direction for our quick escape. We spent the night in Birmingham after a 6 hour drive, (we were tired and emotionally spent) and drove with a heavy heart to Atlanta the next morning. I got us settled into a hotel near a relative’s home. I then told my wife to go find 2 furnished corporate apartments for us; we knew we were going to be in Atlanta a while. She asked how long (she always assumes I have the answer to everything). I said maybe permanently from the looks of things which really pissed her off.

We waited until the last minute to evacuate due to the reluctance of both my wife and mother to leave. My house is built of reinforced concrete; it is about 8 feet off the ground with parking and storage underneath. It has hurricane shutters, a 30 kW diesel generator with 300 gallons of fuel and is on relatively high ground (about 5 feet above sea level). I have always stock piled shelf stable food, MRE, water, firearms, ammunition, medical supplies and basic disaster supplies and consider my self reasonably prepared. I also keep a small 16 ft Boston Whaler in the garage.

I shut down my business on Friday at noon after we completed our much tested hurricane back up plan. I sent everyone home early and told them to contact me Saturday and Sunday if they decided to evacuate. I told them we would regroup Monday or Tuesday. My usual hurricane rule was in force for my employees. That is “you will not be penalized in any way if you miss work for one or two days due to an evacuation” (little did I know that would be 3 weeks before we would gather as even a partial group again). I gave a 2 week pay advance to everyone before they left telling everyone to be safe but to communicate with me, I normally do not do this but since payday was next Friday and Katrina had me spooked I did it. This 2 weeks pay helped some lower paid employees evacuate to safety. I kept everyone on the payroll and forgave the 2 week pay advance for all. I did this to retain everybody and I was not disappointed by anybody. Most were moved and some to tears when we met again and regrouped. Work provided some normalcy and security during these dark days.

After The Storm

Katrina of course hit and you know the story; carnage, looting, flooding death, etc. Around Wednesday after Katrina, I was going crazy with worry. My employees had not all checked in. Our office had no communications; the whole 504 area code was down. Property was obviously in need of attention and I was concerned about the business. I decided to go back and deal with the issues. I left my family back in Atlanta and went back alone.

I got to my home despite the fact that the city and parish were “sealed off”. I know the city well and knew it could not be “sealed off”. I got through un-challenged; the flooding in most of Jefferson Parish had been pumped out by then. Upon arriving home I cranked up the generator and had power, HVAC, internet, landline telephone (I could dial out but no one could dial in). I neglected to empty the refrigerator when I left so I did have that mess to clean up. That is a particularly nasty job but a large thick garbage bag, gas mask and chemical gloves make the job easy.

Once home, I assessed the damage and secured what little damage was done. The wind caused little damage to the entire city. The flooding is what caused the bulk of the damage. I fixed what I could then went check out other people’s property. I sent digital photos via the internet to my wife in Atlanta who contacted and forwarded the pictures.

I found out some friends from Lafayette, LA were coming down to the city on rescue parties by boat the next day. They were turned away for some obscure reason and stopped by my house to check on me. They agreed to stay a few days to help out our friends. That began the role I played for several friends; being the forward staging area for friends and business associates trying to get back to their businesses.

The generator made life comfortable but it burned copious amounts fuel. My 300 gallons was supposed to last 10 to 12 days but 300 gallons was only a 7 day supply. I had to drive to Baton Rouge with empty drums to buy diesel. Gasoline was in very short supply but diesel was nonexistent for civilians for about a week. I had plenty of natural gas for the grill, seafood boiler, water heater and dryer but it was useless for the generator. I have since added a smaller 15 kW air-cooled gas powered generator to supplement the diesel powered set.

The diesel ran like a champ though for 3 weeks straight (500 hours). I stopped it twice a day to check the oil and coolant levels. I changed the oil and filter only once after 200 hours. I had neglected the oil & filter stockpile and had enough for only one filter change. I also had trouble finding the right oil and filter for about 4 weeks so I ran it with dirty oil.

I made many forays into the city with friends and family. Some were clandestine and others were overt and authorized. I passed looters actively looting stores and was shot at on at least one occasion. I will never forget one trip I made.

I hired 9 off duty police officers to go with me into a flooded area. This officer was an acquaintance and a true blue cop a real Joe Friday. However, before we left he said “Now if something happens and we shoot someone, we are just going to leave him there ok? Do you understand what I am saying?” It was clear to me that things like that happened and that is what was done. Why do you think there are so many missing people whose bodies were never found? Look at the ages and sex of the missing people, most were under 35, male and lived in areas subject to the unrest.

The 3 things I remember most about the time was the oppressive heat & sun during the day and pitch black nights and the chaos and uncertainty of the whole situation.

The following is my list of what worked and did not work:

Communications:

Text messaging worked well all through the worst of the incident. The messages were often delayed but they got through eventually. A Blackberry proved to be a valuable and useful means to communicate. A pager also worked but was only a one way system. The text message interface on a PC also worked great also assuming you have internet service.

A cell phone with different area code was invaluable. I bought a prepaid cell phone in Atlanta. The Cingular system was dysfunctional, but Verizon and Sprint did work. I used Cingular and Virgin Mobile which is a Sprint reseller. The cell phone with a different area code allowed you to dial out and to receive calls. Forward your key telephone numbers to this cell and you can remain in communication. The entire 504 area code was unusable for about 30 days. We forwarded our phones before we left but the entire network including forwarding went down. So all of our phones just rang or you received an out of service message which is not good for business.

CB & FMRS radios were useless in the city due to significant range limitations. Around the house a cordless phone with a paging/intercom function worked better than the FMRS radio, since it would ring when you were wanted. I would carry the cordless phone and use the intercom function.

Marine VHF was useful for local area communication though it is strictly illegal to use it for this purpose. A 12 volt VHF unit on a boat in the driveway is good for about a mile to hand held sets. Though hand held sets could get through to the base station at this distance only if you could see the other person. They could also be used in the car on the highway and were useful since the channels are not much in use inland and the squelch function is useful. Be sure to get the VHF units with the ability to use alkaline batteries.

Telephone land lines worked well and in non-flooded areas the telephones land lines never went down. Cable was not robust at and went down early and stayed down a very long time. DSL since it uses land lines did not go down at all. Satellite dishes were blown away and like cable were inoperative. The internet was invaluable.

I set up routine a check in time for all parties with someone outside of the city. I surfaced to communicate and check in at 9am, noon and 6pm to communicate with my wife while she was in Atlanta.

Keep your cell phone batteries charged so have a car adapter, 110 volt adapter, AA adapter, and spare batteries. Anytime you see a place to charge them, charge them up. Keeping these items charged will be a PITA.

A TV made a poor news machine at first. AM & FM radios worked well, the internet was more comprehensive, but had a several hour lag time. A spare satellite dish had Dish TV back up and working in no time. A spare dish also had satellite internet up and operating. I recommend satellite TV and internet as long as you have a spare dish.

Lighting – Darkness, Darkness And More Darkness!

Post disaster, street lights will not work and the place will be incredibly dark. When there was no moon the darkness was surreal.

Park your cars so that their head lights shine on likely areas of egress to your house or the place you are visiting. Use the remote fob switch to make the head lights and back up lights go one in the event that you hear someone outside. You can also use the car panic switch to set off the horn for a distraction.

Use a car battery booster with a 12v to 110v inverter to plug in a 110 volt area light to provide area lighting if your generator is not operational.

Use flood lights sparingly they attract too much attention in a dark city.

Spotlights with rechargeable batteries were less useful than those which took D cell batteries. The charges could not be relied upon when you needed them and recharging them once depleted was a PITA. A 12 volt corded spot light are cheaper and more reliable; of course they need a cord & a separate battery. Note that they can also be plugged into the battery booster.

Attempt to create appearance of many more people than you have. A group of 6 to 10 is more likely to thrive than a small group. A person alone is in great danger and should consider leaving.

Flashlights are not useful for area lighting, regardless of size & type. Lanterns are much more useful for area lighting. LED and fluorescent are great inside but Coleman double mantle lanterns dual fuel are great outdoors, but only out doors.

I buy only D cell, AA and/or AAA to simplify inventory needs.

Avoid candles and hurricane lamps, the light is poor for candles and both bring heat and more importantly fire risk into the house. All open flame of any kind should be kept only outside!

Keeping A Low Profile

Be able to establish bonafides with a picture ID with your company name and address work as well as a letter on corporate letterhead, notarized and corporate seal on it.

A white pickup truck with a corporate logo and people inside dressed in PPE will be the key to transportation. Make sure it has a sign on it, magnetic signs with business name work well.

Impersonating a responder is illegal but impersonating a business is not, use the term safety guy or personnel guy. These folks are always in and out and nobody either hates them or really needs them so you will not get drafted by the locals. DoNOT I repeat do not, say you are an insurance adjuster or in the insurance business (even if you are) you will be taking your life into your own hands, seriously. They are considered equal to child molesters.

Personal Morale and Stress

Morale is vital to all on scene.

Cleaning yourself up and putting on clean clothes is a good morale booster. Washing clothes is a pain but it is important to have clean clothes available even if you have to do by hand. As long as the water from the tap is clear and not murky, cloudy or odiferous, you can use it to clean clothes in an electric washing machine, assuming you have a generator.

If you are the leader act like one. Express concern about your people whether you give a rat’s ass or not about them. They must think you care about them and will help them, it helps if you are sincere, but even if you are not, pretend to be sincere; your life may depend on it!

Get lots of rest at night. The night is the worst part. It will be very, very dark, which to city dwellers can be scary and disorienting. Sleep is the best way to handle this problem. However if possible always have someone awake 24/7. Preferably set up shifts to ensure all get adequate rest but the group is covered by someone awake. I had a rule that no one went outside alone at night, for any reason. If you heard something unusual, wake up the person who just got off duty or the person about to go on duty and have them go with you. The person on watch also had the car remote control to set off the car lights or the car alarm.

The nights were stressful due to the darkness and unusual quiet. Without power there were no A/C compressors, no cars and no people sounds. The only sounds were frogs croaking (yes in the city frogs) and silence. My generator installation was no noisier than an A/C unit. But with the central A/C units and the generator we were the noisiest thing for many blocks. Add inside and outside lights and we stood out for some distance. Hence the concern about security at night.

Drinking water gets boring so have something like Gatorade mix or tea.

Keep a positive attitude and a smile on your face! Your mood is contagious.

Heat saps strength, stamina & morale. Stay out of the sun, cool and hydrated. Make sure everybody has enough water and is drinking it, not just holding on to it. Read about heat exhaustion and heat stroke, know the symptoms, and act fast if you think the person is being affected by the heat.

Do not underestimate the emotion of seeing a beloved or even familiar place ruined.

Several cops committed suicide as a result of the stress; do not underestimate the level of stress involved.

Fire is a hazard and a real possibility. Have a fire watch and remember you cannot call the fire department or an EMS. There were instances of several houses catching fire and setting a neighboring house on fire. A 24 hour a day fire watch could save your life. Have the garden hoses ready outside, in the event a neighbor’s house catches fire.

Smoke alarms in the halls outside bedrooms and Carbon monoxide alarms in every bedroom and other strategic points are a must! The carbon monoxide alarms are mandatory if a generator is used.

Fuel & Power:

Always have enough fuel in a vehicle that can carry your group to a safe point without refueling. Always have a plan to get you and your group out to safe place.

Spare fuel in 5 gallons can is dangerous; store it outside in a shady spot. Hide it because if you don’t it may get requisitioned.

Diesel was almost impossible to find initially but gas was easy to find after the 3rd week.

Consider a tri-fuel generator and hook the generator up to natural gas. Natural gas remained on in most un-flooded sections but failed in flooded areas, so do not rely solely on natural gas have the capability to run on liquid gasoline as well. However a natural gas generator would have solved my fuel problems.

Generators are noisy and will disturb you, people nearby, and attract unwanted attention. Find some way to keep the sound down. If you have a portable gas operated generator retrofit a car muffler (search the internet for article) to it and build a sound box of some kind. You want the noise signature to be as quite as possible.

Ideally have a large one permanently installed with quality sound deading material around it as I did.

See this link:
http://www.alpharubicon.com/altenergy/gensetquiet.htm

Alternatively:

• Dig a hole and put the generator in it and cover it with plywood. Allow for drainage.
• Build a sandbag berm around it cover the berm with plywood
• Enclose it in a building not connected to the house, route the exhaust outside!
• Keep its noise to a minimum.

Have an electrician come and put a manual disconnect switch so you can hook the generator to the house. You can do something as simple as putting in the disconnect switch and providing a 50 amp 220 volt plug so you can hook up a portable generator to the house circuits.

Avoid having a stand alone generator in the back yard with extension cords. Plan ahead and do it right! Also to keep the peace with your neighbor, plan on running 1 or 2 15 amp circuits to their house(s) if they do not have a generator. That is enough to run a fridge, lights & fans. Or a fridge and a small window A/C.

Self-Defense, Weapons, and Firearms:

Type and quantity are less important than training and proficiency. All those debates about which is best, is a meaningless discussion. The best one to have is one you have right now in your hand, learn to use it proficiently, including the ability to take it apart and repair it. Make sure you can hit a target at 35 meters one handed with either the left or right hand. Stop debating what is best settle on what works for you and spend the time training with it.

Do not openly brandish weapons the National Guard & cops will take them away despite any laws protecting you.

Have spares so that if cops take them away you have others. Do not resist attempts to by LEO to confiscate weapons. It will not end very well for you.

Be prepared to be forcibly removed for your premises and leave your pets or have your pets killed in front of you!

National Guard & LEO are not necessarily helpful, or to be trusted; and are not your friends. Only trust yourself. Keep a low profile, avoid confrontations, be respectful and friendly (not subservient) to the NG and police when contact with them is unavoidable. Obey their instructions (at least when they are around) if possible and not counter to your goal. Never confront them or actively or violently resist them, you will lose and become another unidentified body found in the rubble.

Cash, Documents and Commerce:

A Good way to make a friend is cold soft drinks – trade hot for cold if you can when you are giving them away as gifts. I went through a lot of Cokes.

Image important documents on a scanner and store them on a flash drive or on line by emailing them to yourself at for instance AOL or Google.

Drivers license, passport, social security card, birth certificate, marriage certificate, Insurance policies, vaccination/medical records for family & pets should be imaged.

Use an online bank and have multiple accounts. Keep multiple credit cards with a zero balance so that in an emergency you can at least buy gas, a hotel room and some food.

You need at least $1,000 cash on hand. More is always better but do not carry all split it up in different pockets and use credit cards wherever possible. Keep it in small bills like $5, $10 & $20 along with a credit card. Checks, travelers checks and money orders are useless don’t waste your time with them.

Take photos of your insured property and make sure that they are not more than 2 year old. Use a digital camera and store the photos in multiple places.

Any photo albums, documents, or similar such things can be digitalized so that if the original is destroyed you at least have a copy. Look around your house and see what falls into that category. It is amazing how much you lose when you are looking at just a house slab.

Back up your data in multiple places and set out a contingency plan for your business. We use nothing but laptops and have contracted with an off site server to store all of our data files. Everybody can use a virtual private network to set up wherever we may finally stop assuming they can get to high speed internet connections.

Phone forwarding malfunctioned so all our lines did was to ring when they did not get a system busy. Have a contingency plan to notify all customers of a number change or arrange with the telephone company to use a trunk forwarding service.

We set up a toll free number and manned it with a small staff to disseminate contact info. Emails worked fine as did text messages. Web sites also worked well as a means to disseminate telephone numbers.

Looting. Looters and Requisitioning:

Police WILL loot. It is called requisitioning. They will take your spare gasoline, supplies, ammunition, first aid kits, ice, water, guns and even your vehicle! They are worse than looters in that they have the force of law behind them. They looted cars, booze, TV as well as necessities such as food, water, and clean clothes.

Avoid looting parties! They tend to be undisciplined and have numerous, armed people. If you join them, watch your back and go only with a group you know and then stick together. Take only what you need and make restitution when you can do so. Even when you need it… looting is wrong. It belongs to someone else.

The LEO & National Guard will be hot, tired, scared, and grumpy! Avoid them at all costs. They will be well armed, better trained, and are more likely to shoot you than the looters. Always approach them slowly with your hands visible and in a non-threatening manner.

Politeness (though not submission like you are guilty of something) and a smile on your face and a comment like “Boy am I glad to see you guys, thanks for the help”. If you are unsure of the situation extend your hand in a handshake. Their actions will tell volumes as to their intent. Never curse them, do offer them a cold coke or water.

If you do not have a cold drink, say I would offer you guys one but I don’t have one.

The USCG were the best guys, they were most useful, professional, and least dangerous (as long as you were not hostile to them) the worst were the National Guard units and local PD. They were stressed out, lost their homes, and were separated from loved ones, etc. They were heavily armed and dangerous. No offense intended to any member of these units but that is my observation.

When you travel, travel in groups. No fewer than two, four in 2 vehicles are better. If you leave your vehicle(s) make sure someone or preferably 2 people stay with them.

Have a prearranged sign and counter sign for the group, include a trouble sign and counter sign. Do not shout anybody and everybody’s name when you think you see trouble. Use a signal when concerned or needing help. You do not have to be silly about it, but a shout of “Hey Mr. Murphy” is a whole more innocuous than “Hey George and Louis there are five guys coming towards me”.

In the latter you have conveyed to the party coming at you that there are 2 other people who will be coming shortly. On the other hand if you shout “ Hey Mr. Murphy” while looking at the group and waving in a friendly like manner at the people coming at you, they may assume that you are addressing them and waving at them and not calling your buddies to come outside and help. It may just give you the edge in that situation.

Look out for people’s pets, save the ones you can. Bring food and water for them since it is likely no one else will. Many pets were abandoned and died a long death as a result.

Be very careful avoid any injuries of any kind. If you are injured, cut, get a blister, etc, treat it aggressively. Even a simple scratch in a disaster zone can be life threatening.

Get vaccination for hepatitis, tetanus and anything else you can talk your MD into giving you.

Do not take supplies from the Red Cross, Salvation Army or others unless you or someone you know truly needs them. Supplies are limited and others in need may do without because you wanted something you did not really need. I saw a single mother with a baby and toddler go without water when an “alpha” male barged in line and took stuff meant for her. The “alpha” males simply put the water in their pockets and walked away. I “found” her some water when the “alpha” males suddenly “dropped” their water and ran for their lives.

Be compassionate, but do not be silly, sometimes sympathy targets (old people, disabled people, kids and women) are used by looters as bait.

Do not be in the disaster area if you can avoid it. Leave the area until the situation stabilizes. If you have to be there stay only as long as necessary. It is not a game and it is sure as hell not fun.

Food, Water & Ice:

Ice is a very valuable commodity when the temperature is 95 degrees and the humidity is 100%. Keep some handy to trade or barter for favors. Use empty water bottles to make it at home in the freezer. It is a good barter commodity.

Safe, potable water is critical. You cannot have too much of it on hand. I had 10 five gallon bottles of water on hand, in addition to 6 cases of 20 oz bottles of water. That was no where near adequate.

Water is either safe or not. If you have the slightest doubt about the water; then it is not safe to drink it!

Unsafe water from the tap can be used for flushing toilets and washing clothes. It can also be used for washing you, but do not drink it and keep it away from your eyes, nose and mouth when showering with it. However, unsafe water from the tap and a 5% to 10% solution of bleach can be used for cleaning dishes with soap as long as the final rinse is in boiled or clean water (be sure the water has cooled and add 2% to 3% bleach to the rinse water). You can rinse the plate to get the food residue off with the running un-boiled water before washing them, but wash them with boiled water, if possible dip them in a mild bleach solution in the rinse cycle and hand dry.

To make clear water safe, boil the water for 10 to 20 minutes at a rolling boil. You can also add chlorine before boiling it if you are really nervous. Be careful and let the water stand at least an hour to avoid burning yourself. Boil as much as you can at one time because it is a PITA to boil water. I used a seafood boiler and natural gas for this chore. Keep the pot covered when the water is boiling and cooling Store it in a CLEAN preferably sterilized container. Used but clean 2 liter soft drink bottles are perfect for storing boiled water (but wait till it cools to pour it!).

Potable Water should be used as much as possible. For example water used for cooking rice and spaghetti can be reused for cleaning the pots and dishes.

An outside propane or natural gas burner with a large boiling pot will make quick work of producing many gallons of safe drinking water without the heat and humidity in the house. This boiling pot can also be used to sanitize plates, silverware and pots.

You can attach a large activated charcoal filter to an outside water hose to filter water that you boil for drinking. Boiling may or may not remove toxic chemicals in the water. Use bottled water from a known source if at all possible for all drinking, food preparation washing and bathing.

Water in a pinch can be made safer by filtering it and adding a small amount of Clorox or iodine tablets to the water. Murky or smelly water should not be used for anything, if at all possible!

You may be tempted to use the dishwasher and put it on heated water and the sanitize setting, but do not take the risk. It is just not worth it! Plan on hand washing and sanitizing the dishes yourself.

Paper towels, plates and deposable knives and forks work very well and many times are better than real china and silverware. Have lots of paper towels, garbage bags and deposable stuff on hand.

Garbage disposal is a problem; there was not garbage pick up for 2 months. Plan on bringing it to the dump your self. Sanitation is important and garbage stinks after a week in the sun! When you bring it to the dump put it on the trailer; do not put it in the car or trunk you will never get the stink out!

Note you can freeze bottle of unsafe water for ice, just label it as unsafe and do not use or drink the water.

Food is important to morale. Cook it and present it well! Sit down together and eat together, this is great morale builder.

Simple Menus are Important since fresh items are limited:

Spaghetti & meatballs
Red beans rice & meat (sausage, hamburger, chicken)
Chicken and rice
Hamburgers and macaroni & cheese
Scrambled eggs, grits and toast
Steak and canned veggies
Jambalaya & meat of any kind

Use MRE only for lunch when out and about or as a last resort. Everybody should sit down and eat together at least once a day for better morale.

Vehicle:

4wd was not important but was useful mainly due to the higher ground clearance it afforded.

Bring rope to tie to branches to move them. Make sure the vehicle has auxiliary storage like a roof rack, a roof cargo carrier , a trailer hitch ”back porch” or have a trailer. Anything that you can use to carry additional bulky cargo, like roofing shingles, gas, clothes, food water, etc.

I used my boat as means to carry cargo such as garbage and fuel. It was all I had so I used it as a utility trailer. It had 2 -18 gallon gas tanks so filled up those tanks and put 3 -55 gallon drums in the boat. Use what you have.

Make sure your vehicle is in good shape, a broken fan belt, bad tire, leaking water pump or battery with a dead cell is useless and dangerous in a disaster zone.

Be sure to have a can of fix a flat, 12 volt air compressor, battery booster, tire plug kit, flash light with spare batteries and a plug in 12 volt spot light (they’re cheaper and more reliable than one needing a charge) as well as basic tools like a screwdriver, pliers and crescent wrench are invaluable.

A 12volt to 110 volt inverter (no more than 100 watts to avoid blowing fuses or worse a fusible link), small first aid kit and rope will also be invaluable. A 110 volt trouble light with a 25 foot cord to plug into the inverter will serve multiple purposes of light and power; just do not overload the inverter. Be sure to have a spare oil, brake fluid, ATF fluid and antifreeze, (it does not have to be in the car) you will not be able to find it.

The cargo area if not “hoseable” should be covered in plastic to prevent the spread of contaminants.

A cheaper car or pick up truck will attract a whole lot less negative attention than a blingmobile! Park the Mercedes and Lexus drive the pickup truck!

Tools:

Basic tools like a socket set, wrench, screwdrivers, etc. A cordless electric screwdriver and drill will also save you a lot of energy and sweat.

Other useful tools:
Crow bar large & small for breaking glass and prying open windows and doors. Pry bar for opening doors, Large bolt cutters, Claw hammer, Axe or Hatchet, Small sledge hammer and wedges (s.m.l).

PPE – very important! Hard hat, safety glasses, gloves leather & latex respirators or face mask, steel toed shoes WITH steel soles!

Gas chainsaw (nice but not required unless you live in a wooded area) I used the rope and car to pull large branches out of my way. A tree hand saw is just as useful and less costly in an urban area. In a wooded area buy 2 chainsaws, one is not enough.

Tarps several sizes are good you can always trade them if you do not need them.

An electric sawzall is particularly useful assuming you have a generator.

Chain and padlocks will always come in handy.

Get Several electric extension cords and buy the thick contractors grade. Also a power strip with a surge suppressor for each cord will be useful. Tape (electrical & duct), Spray paint (white, orange & black for signs, warnings & messages), Preprinted signs like Looters will be shot are not as useful as handmade signs since the preprinted ones may indicate no one is around. Also date any spray painted signs so people know it is up post disaster.

Boats in Urban Settings and Flood Water:

If you have the misfortune of dealing with a flood, there will be all kind of hazards that you will encounter such that even the oldest of salts will be in a challenging environment.
Operate the boat only at idle or slow speeds. Do not let the boat get on a plane, displacement speed only. They will be signs, wires trees shrubs, debris and many other things that will destroy or damage an out drive. Better to hit something at a slow speed.

Trim the engine up to reduce your draft. Travel in pairs and maintain radio watches be wary of manhole covers if you go in the water. The covers may be gone. There are ditches and various other obstacles that are not apparent. Do not walk in the water if at all possible. Always wear a PFD even an inflatable one is better than nothing.

Navigation will be difficult since road signs may be obscured and your GPS will likely have a nautical chart rather than I-10 on it. Have someone on the boat who knows the area.

Power lines may still be energized, so stay away from them, do not touch them.

For the record, rescued people are not always grateful to be rescued. They may be in shock, terrified, disoriented and/or potentially dangerous. Always have at least one other you can trust in the boat with you. You can concentrate on steering and he/she should concentrate on the people in the boat. Never assume people can swim, provide a PFD for all and make them wear it; if nothing else it will be reassuring for them. If you encounter hostile people, exit the area ASAP. Always know how to get out of an area quickly.

Do not fool around in flood waters! They are nasty, disgusting and dangerous. Do not handle any floating bodies unless you want a very, very unpleasant experience. Do not ford the water in your vehicle if you can avoid it. Check the depth on foot before you even consider fording water. Most vehicles can get their drive train damaged by as little as a foot of water. The vehicle will also kick up wakes into people’s homes. The people in the house may object violently to you flooding their already damaged house. If you do ford water do so at an idle speed and paying close attention to water depth. If in doubt back up to higher ground! Judging the water depth is deceptive since cars have different heights. Often times the center of the road is the highest side. Consider using the sidewalk, lawns or road median to keep at least part of your vehicle high enough not to flood.

Elderly, Infirm, Pets and Kids:

None belong in a disaster zone and should be evacuated ASAP. Pets will be destroyed at the slightest bit of inconvenience to the authorities. Chip your pet and evacuate them. Keep their shots current and board them with friends families or a boarding facility. There were numerous instances of pets summarily destroyed for a variety of reasons including simply spite.

Two deputies in St Bernard parish are facing charges for shooting pets for no apparent reason. The incidents were captured on videotape, despite this, they would never have been charged if left to the local officials. One can only imagine what else went on and was not uncovered. An elderly women recounted to me her story about how she refused to leave her home because her pet could not come with her.

The LEO simply shot her beloved pet in front of her said “now the problem is solved” and put the woman in a boat. I heard from others in different areas that they were forced to abandon their pets under threat of physical threat. Some of these pets survived others did not. In a truly bad situation you should assume this attitude will extend to children and non-able bodied people as well. In fact in war time this type of behavior has been documented in various parts of the world.

There was also the case of 32 nursing home patients that were abandoned and subsequently drown in St Bernard Parish. In another case an elderly woman and her middle aged quadriplegic son were told a special van would come get them. No transportation arrived and they both died.

If you are handicapped, elderly, have children or pets make your own plans to evacuate. Do not rely on any government plan to assist you. Rely only on yourself.

Evacuation Issues:

Leave Early or Late – A tough call it depends on your circumstances and how likely your risk is to be vs. that of staying put. Just do not wait too long. allow 12 hours to get to safety!

Which route to use? – be flexible and do not be afraid to use back routes, speed is less important than steady progress away from danger. Keep a close watch on your gas. Look for gas at ½ a tank, search diligently for gas at ¼ of a tank, look for a safe place stop at 1/8 of a tank. Do not run out of gas. If you have to use your reserve tank find shelter nearby and wait until it is safe. Gas gives you options, no gas leaves you vulnerable. If necessary abandon one vehicle and strip all fuel from it.

Discard stuff in the following order if necessary: magazines, clothes, ice chests, food, spare tire, tools, adults, pets, children & elderly. Never discard water or fuel. If someone has be left behind (at a safe place obviously) leave two people and give them cash & credit card, water, cell phone and set an alternate rally point.

If possible travel in two cars, evacuation is very dangerous. Your car could break down and leave you and your loved ones stranded with an impending disaster enroute. Two cars capable of carrying all is the safest way to travel. Do not rely on the LEOs to assist, they will be busy and the phrase SOL comes to mind.

What to bring? See the above list but include at least 5 gallons of gasoline, food (simple stuff like bread and peanut butter) and at least 1 gallon of water for every two people. Be sure to carry the gas on top of the vehicle on the roof rack not inside the car. It will make everyone nauseous otherwise. Have maps, a laptop with an internet card to stay in touch with the outside world and a GPS is very useful. FRMS & CB radios do work well here. but are obnoxious to have on all the time.

The driver’s job is to drive and do nothing else other than keep an eye outside the vehicle. The traffic will range from a creeping 10 to 20 mph to 60 mph bumper to bumper traffic. It is demanding and tiring to drive like this for 6 to 12 hours at a time. If possible appoint one of the passengers navigator. The navigator is responsible for keeping track of the location of both vehicles, nearby alternate routes and maintains communication with the other vehicle. Other passengers can be utilized to find accommodations, gas and other necessary information via cell phone (or internet) as well as tend to needs of the other passengers or driver. A 12 volt TV can provide invaluable news.

The traffic will be moving very slowing. 10 to 20 mph is not unusual, so be patient and do not plan on being able to get off the highway for anything for at least 5 to 8 hours.

A “piss bucket” is absolutely vital. For males a simple 32 oz cup WITH A LID, a 2 liter bottle and a funnel or a wide mouth 1 to 2 liter juice bottle will work nicely. Women may use the same thing but with a funnel. Be sure to have a towel handy! Do not dump it on the road unless you are traveling very slowly (which is normally the case) keep it sealed in Ziploc bag in between uses to avoid messes. Kids especially preteen girls may pose special problems due to modesty issues. Talk to those involved. It will be a problem and stopping may not be an option, assuming you can even pull over.

Destinations:

It depends on the situation but generally the farther away the better yet the closer the destination the easier it will be to get there. Where you go is up to your budget. I suggest some place with family and friends to help you assimilate in case the stay is a long one. For stays over 2 weeks, a furnished corporate apartment is generally a better deal and more comfortable and normal than a hotel room.

Evacuation by Air:

This is the safest and easiest way to evacuate but you cannot take much with you. This is generally best if you have a house elsewhere or you have small children, elderly or infirm people to remove. When you leave be sure to leave your car parked at an inside garage and at least one level above the ground floor. Do not count on this method unless you own your own plane since flights are generally booked well in advance.

Personal gear:

You should always carry the following:

A butt pack with flashlight, pistol (assuming you have a CCH permit), reloads, cigarette lighter, pepper spray, leatherman tool, latex gloves, small hand sanitizer and digital camera, spare batteries, spare data card. The camera should be kept in a baggy to protect it.

Why the camera? So you can show others what you saw and get their input into situations.

Water at least one bottle

Clean towel, spare shoes, spare clothes, and wading boots.

I typically wore a jumpsuit and running shoes. I changed my shoes to steel toed boots when I got out of the car and again when I got back in.

A hat and sunscreen were also very handy.

Sanitation:

Wash your hands wash your face with a clean towel before you go into the house if you have been out on “expedition”.

Hand sanitizer and plain old alcohol work great if potable water is not available.

Thick Plastic/chemical resistant gloves as well as latex gloves to protect yourself from chemicals like chlorine.

Leave your shoes out side and do not track any crud inside.

If you wear a jumpsuit with shorts underneath. Shuck the jumpsuit and put it in a garbage bag along with any towels used. Leave your boots outside. Everything dirty goes in the washing machine. Anything recovered from the flood water stays out side. Set up a hose and bucket with dish washing liquid to clean off anything nasty and leave it out side.

Check your pockets right now. Chances are, you might have some funny colored paper with dead peoples faces on it, and maybe some jingly pieces of semi-precious metal. Do you know what those will be worth after the collapse of society? Nothing. So in this new world, with a barter economy, you’re going to need some things worth trading; and no, your grandmother’s jewelry won’t do the trick. After the collapse, gold and silver become just shiny, soft metals, so pawn that now and buy something that could be useful. What will become the new currency? We have compiled a helpful list of some possibilities.

Survive the Apocalypse

AMMUNITION:

Humorist Mark Twain once said, “The human race only has only one really effective weapon and that is
laughter.” Well, a close second is a gun. A firearm is only useful when loaded. Ammunition will become incredibly rare, highly desired and expensive. Those who have weapons will need ammunition to stay in control; those with ammunition can control them. Just imagine you meet up with a commune of people, by trading a box of shotgun shells, you’ve not only gained respect and admiration, you’ve ensured survival of the group and now can probably join up (remember there’s something to be said for safety in numbers). Just be careful who you give bullets to… probably not wise to give them to someone who will turn around and use them on you.

GASOLINE:

Remember the Smokers, controlled by a one-eyed Dennis Hopper, in Waterworld? Well the only reason that the Smokers had control was because of their rich supply of oil inside a wrecked Exxon Valdez. Gasoline means combustion engines, machinery, heat and light from lanterns. Those who are left out there will covet anything that provide heat or make their motors run .

CIGARETTES:

Once Salem-Winston and Phillip Morris go down, there are going to be a lot of post-apocalyptians with a major case of the nic-fits. A pack of smokes may just save your life.

SPICES:

Not too far back in our history, spices were worth their weight and more in gold. Egyptians were buried with their spices. Roman soldiers used to be paid in salt. Trust me, once you’ve eaten nothing but moldy apples and bone marrow for a month, something along the lines of pepper, paprika, or even tarragon is going to blow your mind. My money is on this one becoming a dominant currency; so when the excrement hits the air conditioning, I’m raiding the Penzey’s with my bolt-cutters.

ANTIBIOTICS:

Infection and disease are going to be the big killers after society collapses. As bacteria grow increasingly resistant and proper hygiene becomes harder to maintain, a handful of penicillin or sulfamethoxazole is going to be a great advantage over the person munching Flinstone Vitamins.

SEEDS:

Being able to grow something might be a luxury in the new world order, but I’m sure there will be those who hide away, wanting to create some pastoral sense of peace. Give them your pumpkin seeds in exchange for rock-climbing equipment… and you win.

KNOWLEDGE and SKILLS:

The most valuable items you have to trade are your abilities. Being able to fix small motors, start fires, navigate using the stars, or even knowing how to create and use simple machines will give you an edge. So what if you were an English or history major? As esoteric as these fields may be, you still have something useful to contribute… hopefully. If your skils include setting up meetings in Outlook or cutting coupons, it’s time to get a new hobby.

This list is from the first things to disappear in Sarajevo at the start of the war.

First 100 Items to Disappear in a Panic

1. Generators

Good ones cost dearly, but gas storage is risky, noisy and will make you a target of thieves

2. Water Filters/Purifiers

Increased shipping delays make these disappear fast

3. Portable Toilets

Increased in price every two months

4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 – 12 months to become dried, for home uses.

$100 – $250 per cord. Wood takes 6-12 months to become dry for home use.

5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps

Your first choice should be clear oil. If scarce stockpile ANY.

6. Coleman Fuel

Impossible to stockpile too much.

7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots.

Protection is most important

8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.

Lots of people have stored can food, but rely on electric can openers from day to day.

9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar

Honey stores well and is good for you and sugar is important for cooking

10. Rice – Beans – Wheat

25lb Long Grain Rice bag 15$ – 25$

11. Vegetable Oil

For cooking, without it food will burn or must be boiled.

12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid

Will become scarce suddenly

13. Water Containers

Urgent Item to obtain. Any size. HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY – Food grade if for drinking.

14. Mini Heater head

(Propane) Without this item, propane won’t heat a room.

15. Grain Grinder

Non-electric

16. Propane Cylinders

Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.

17. Survival Guide Book.

Knowledge is power, lack of knowledge will get you killed

18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc.

Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.

19. Baby Supplies

Diapers, formula, ointments, aspirin, baby wipes

20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer

For laundry

21. Cookstoves

Propane, Coleman & Kerosene

22. Vitamins

Necessary to fight of disease and avoid malnutrition

23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder

Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item

24. Feminine Hygiene, Haircare, and Skin products.

Don’t get caught without these for extended periods…

25. Thermal underwear

Tops & Bottoms – Don’t get stuck in the cold

26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges

Also, honing oil

27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty

Great Cooking and Barter Item

28. Gasoline Containers

Plastic & Metal

29. Garbage Bags

Impossible To Have Too Many

30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels

Toilet paper is a luxury far greater than gold or silver

31. Milk – Powdered & Condensed

Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months

32. Garden Seeds

Non-Hybrid A MUST

33. Clothes pins/line/hangers

A must for drying clothes

34. Coleman’s Pump Repair Kit

http://www.rei.com/product/406006

35. Canned Tuna Fish

In oil

36. Fire Extinguishers

Or large box of Baking Soda in every room

37. First aid kits

May not be possible to call an ambulance.

38. Batteries

All sizes, buy furthest-out for expiration dates

39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies

Anything to make your food more interesting

40. Dogs and dog food

Dogs of all size can be good companionship and will be the greatest home alarm system for you family

41. Flour, yeast & salt

Needed for baking

42. Matches

“Strike Anywhere” are preferred. Boxed, wooden matches will go first

43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators

Paper and calculator may be necessary for barter transactions.

44. Insulated ice chests

Good to keep items from freezing in Wintertime.

45. Workboots, belts, Levis & durable shirts

Wool is more heavy duty and lasts longer than cotton. Also take care of your feet they will keep you going.

46. Flashlights, Lightsticks & Torches

No. 76 Dietz Lanterns

47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks

Keeping notes, journals, writing friends and family, and recording events that should be remembered.

48. Garbage cans Plastic

Great for storage, water, and transporting. Best if with wheels

49. Men’s Hygiene Items

Shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, floss, nail clippers, etc

50. Cast iron cookware

Sturdy and efficient

51. Fishing supplies/tools

Fishing can be a source for food.

52. Mosquito coils, repellent sprays, and creams

Mosquito’s spread disease and pests come hand in hand with living outdoors.

53. Duct Tape

There is nothing you can’t fix with duct tape

54. Tarps, stakes, twine, nails, rope, and spikes

Needed for creating shelter.

55. Candles

Source of light and heat when there is no power.

56. Laundry Detergent

Liquid

57. Backpacks, Duffel Bags

For carrying and transporting supplies.

58. Garden tools & supplies

Source of food.

59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies

You will have to fix torn clothing, there may not be a convenience store to replace it

60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc.

Man cannot survive on bread (and meat) alone. It’s still important to get fruits and vegetables everyday.

61. Bleach

Non-scented: 4 to 6% Sodium Hypochlorite

62. Canning supplies

Jars, lids and wax paper for food preservation.

63. Knives & Sharpening tools

Files, stones, and steel

64. Bicycles and supplies

Tires, tubes, pumps and chains. When gas is not available a bike can get you around.

65. Sleeping Bags

Also blankets, pillows, and mats

66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm

Battery powered

67. Board Games, Cards, Dice

Something to pass the time

68. D-con Rat poison, Mouse Prufe II, Roach Killer

Don’t forget that pests and rodents will be hungry too

69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets

Catching pests, can double as animal trapping device.

70. Paper plates, cups, and utensils

Stock up, these items will be important when there is no water to wash your dishes.

71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap

Saves water

72. Rain gear and rubberized boots

It’s important to stay dry. Gore-tex is a good new material.

73. Shaving supplies

Razors & creams, talc, and after shave

74. Hand pumps & siphons

For water and fuels

75. Soy sauce, vinegar, bullions, gravy, soup base

Increase the flavor of your foods.

76. Reading glasses

Contacts will run out.

77. Chocolate Cocoa, Tang/, Punch, and Lemonade

Water enhancers will boost flavor and add calories to your diet.

78. “Survival-in-a-Can”

Quick and easy portable survival kits

79. Wool clothing, scarves, ear-muffs, and mittens

Stay warm

80. Boy Scout Handbook

Again knowledge is power

81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit

MANCO – Keep your house warm when there is no power

82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, trail mix, and jerky

Basic dried food and snacks

83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts

Higher fat and calorie content.

84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc

Can never have too much clean underwear

85. Lumber

All types will be useful

86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)

87. Cots & Inflatable mattress’s

Place for guests to sleep

88. Gloves

For work, warming, or gardening

89. Lantern Hangers

For lighting

90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts

Basic repair items

91. Teas

Luxury item and water enhancer.

92. Coffee

Luxury item and good source of energy.

93. Cigarettes

Luxury item and people with addictions will pay dearly for these.

94. Wine/Liquors

For bribes, medicine, cleaning, and recreation

95. Paraffin wax

Food storage

96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.

Basic construction items

97. Chewing gum and candies

Trade, barter, and also luxury item

98. Atomizers

For cooling and bathing

99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs

To keep warm

100. Goats and Chickens

Small livestock provide a renewable food source

Important Notes

1. Stockpiling helps, but you never no how long trouble will last, so locate
near renewable food sources.

2. Living near a well with a manual pump is like being in Eden.

3. After awhile, even gold can lose its luster. But there is no luxury in war
quite like toilet paper. Its surplus value is greater than gold’s.

4. If you had to go without one utility, lose electricity – it’s the easiest to
do without.

5. Canned foods are awesome, especially if their contents are tasty without
heating. One of the best things to stockpile is canned gravy – it makes a lot of
the dry unappetizing things you find to eat in war somewhat edible. Only needs
enough heat to “warm”, not to cook. It’s cheap too, especially if you buy it in
bulk.

6. Bring some books – escapist ones like romance or mysteries become more
valuable as the situation continues. Sure, it’s great to have a lot of survival
guides, but you’ll figure most of that out on your own anyway – trust me, you’ll
have a lot of time on your hands.

7. The feeling that you’re human can fade pretty fast. I can’t tell you how many
people I knew who would have traded a much needed meal for just a little bit of
toothpaste, rouge, soap or cologne. Not much point in fighting if you have to
lose your humanity. These things are morale-builders like nothing else.

8. Slow burning candles and matches, matches, matches.

This list was originally written by James Wesley Rawles, former army intelligence officer, author, and survival expert.

Click Here For more information about the author.

Sumatra Island was stuck by a second earthquake in two days, Kelly Cobiella reports. The search for Tsunami victims continues in the Samoan Island after a Tsunami struck the area, Michael Moore reports. If one massive earthquake and Tsunami wasn’t bad enough these people got hit by a second round.

Take this as a reminder to not get lazy in your preparations. Food, water, and extra medical supplies will go a long way when the unexpected happens.

How to Prepare for the Coming Depression Part 2:

In the Part 1 I outlined the importance of having a reserve of food set aside for you and your family. Regardless of it being an inflationary or deflationary depression, you would not want to be vulnerable to skyrocketing prices or a food shortage. This was the main reason why you want to invest in your food supply today, because the longer you wait the more the prices will rise.

After you have 3-6 months food supply stored up its time to take care of your finances.

1. Eliminate Debt

If you can not get completely out of debt, then you should focus on the one with the highest interest rates first. The basic idea is to reduce the total amount of any future expenses and money going out. To be prepared for a possible job layoff, or cutback in hours you should pay off as much as you can today. Tomorrow it might hurt you twice as much to make the same payments. You want to be able to get by with the minimum amount of money.

2. Build Your Emergency Fund

Save up a CASH reserve of 3-6 months (if not more) of expenses. You should be able to survive on this reserve if the event you were laid off from your job. Even if you are able to work through depression will you be prepared if the president declares a “bank holiday”? Look back to 2008 when IndyMac was taken over by federal regulators. People were lined up for days to get limited access their money. This event was isolated, in the future (as it has happened in the past) it could happen to hundreds of banks at the same time.

In your emergency fund only keep small bills, $1, $5, $10, and $20 dollar bills. The majority of people have difficulty breaking larger $50 and $100 dollar bills even today. You want to make sure that the money you have can easily be spent.

3. Invest in Gold, Silver, and Tangibles

If you have a considerable amount of money saved up already in retirement funds or stocks. It may be time to look at re-distrusting your investments. Many people lost 50% of the net worth in the last stock market crash. Could your portfolio survive through another? Throughout history gold, silver, and precious metals have always held their value. The prices of gold is on the rise and not coming down anytime in the near future.

Aside from gold and silver, you want to invest in real tangible objects. A Good set of tools and equipment, books, medicine, firearms, ammunition, and other supplies will all be worth their weight in gold. In a serious long term depression paper assets with be worthless to you. If you can’t touch it and hold it in your hands then you don’t want it.

4. Cut Expenses At All Costs

Many of us live way beyond our means. It shouldn’t take an economic crisis for you to take a look at the thing you may not actually need. Cancel the cable, and netflix memberships. Downgrade your phone plan from the blackberry plus line to a cheaper normal line. Stop running the a/c 24 hours a day. Cut out junk food and fast food. They have little nutritional value and they are more expensive fresh fruits and vegetables. There are several small things that can add up over the course of a month. Staying at home on the weekends could save hundreds of dollars over time. Instead of going out to eat, you could take turns having people cook.

No matter how you choose to do it, its important that you find some way of reducing your expenses and increasing your savings. Be creative. If you stick to your plan you will be in much better shape than the rest of the people out there, who may have been caught by surprise.

The threat of a second economic crash or runaway inflation are both very real in today’s economy. In the event that America were to enter into a full on Depression would you be prepared? Billions spent on Wall-Street bailouts, trillions spent on government spending and endless wars. With tax revenue at an all time low and unemployment rising ever higher. You should only ask yourself one question. How much longer can we continue to print and spend money that we do not have?

Have you prepared yourself for a run on the banks or a bank holiday? Are you prepared for a complete dollar collapse? If you live in a densely populated area, have you prepared your family for massive social unrest? Never wait for tomorrow, to do what could be done today. For one day tomorrow may not come. The money you spent on the extra pair of jeans or the round of drinks for you and your friends could have been tucked away instead or spent obtaining essential supplies and food in case of an emergency.

You don’t have to be a market expert to see the warning signs. There is a feeling that something is going on around us in the air. Whether I’m at to the market or the office it seems as if everyone is talking about the same things. As if something is coming just over the horizon, but nobody knows what it is or when it will be here. Only a fool would ignore signs of clear and present danger. So what can you do to prepare yourself?

There are many things a person needs to survive.

However the most important is food.

Every household should have a 6 month to 1 year supply of food on hand in case of emergency. This preparation is also the most obvious and the best way to invest your money. Having a supply of storable food for you and your family will give you peace of mind no matter what events take place. Nearly every city in the United States faces some kind of danger on a seasonal basis. Every living person has at some time come face to face with flood, drought, fire, tornado, hurricane , or blizzard and when there is an emergency its always possible to make it to the grocery store to stock up before it hits. If you do manage to get there, will you be able beat the masses of other un-prepared people?

Due to our nations leaders love of the printing press, our country now faces the spectre of runaway inflation similar to what has been seen in other places such as Zimbabwe and the Weimar republic. In this situation the cost of food and commodities will climb higher and higher until almost completely out of reach for the average person. Having a 1 year supply of food in this environment beforehand would be the best investment you could make.

The best thing about investing in food, if these events never come to pass, then you have not lost anything. You can simply eat the food. The cost of food one year from today will 100% guaranteed be more expensive. So you will have saved money. Money saved is money earned.

Tips for Stocking Up:

• 1. You want food that is going to do well in storage.
  Dry foods, Rice, Beans, Canned Foods, Nutrition Bars, Powders, Freeze Dried.
• 2. Rather than only having one thing to get by on, its better to have a variety.
  Remember you could be eating this for up to an entire year.
• 3. Buy things that you would normally eat.
  One way or another you will eventually be eating it.
• 4. Rotate your food stores into your everyday food
  This way you ensure that what you have will be fresh and not expired

Contine to Part 2: Finances

Cody Lundin survival expert and author of “When disaster strikes, survival tactics for when all hell breaks loose shares how to shop for a disaster scenario.

Many items that are essential to survival are available right in your local grocery store, and most of them are not very expensive. It just takes a little bit of creativity to get you through.

The Stuff You Need To Survive When Disaster Strikes Shopping List:

SHOPPING FOR SUPPLIES:

Chlorine

Bleach can make water safe to drink. Sodium hypercholrite is also known as “regular household bleach”

Add 2-4 drops per quart of water to sanitize.

Bleach can also be used to disinfect surfaces and bathrooms when there is no more running water.

Trash bags

Getting rid of waste will be very important after a disaster. Disease and illness will begin to be a problem if you do not properly dispose of things.

Picnic supplies

Paper plates, napkins, platstic silverwear, are a worth their weight in gold. Since you may not have running water, washing dishes will become impossible.

All your reusable flatware is useless. Bacteria, mold, and fungus will start to growon surfaces where food once was, if you can’t wash them, then you won’t be eating off them again.

When water is in short supply you don’t want to have to waste any on washing dishes.

SHOPPING FOR FOOD:

Rice and Beans

Packed with carbohydrates and protein rice and beans are a great source of energy. They are also cheap and last a very long time on the shelf

Tuna

Tuna is packed with protein, but remember to buy the tuna in a can rather than in a bag that may spoil faster

Cooking oil

Absolutely essential for cooking your food but can also be used to make candles and lighting

Mouse traps
Mouse traps are a great way of trapping small game for food. When you run out of other options you will be thankful you have these on hand.