Preparing For A Minor Event Or The Worst?:
What do you need to prepare for?: Well you should take steps for you and your family to be able to cope with anything from a blackout which could last a few hours, to full scale breakdown of society which means that you may have to fend for yourself for weeks or months, or maybe even longer. Survival isn't just about managing to cope real disasters like an earthquake etc, it can be making sure of your families survival of the smallest catastrophes that we may have in our lives. A power blackout, a few days of bad weather, sudden loss of transport, a strike by essential services employees, these every day events that happen maybe once in 5 or ten years or so will affect you in various degrees depending how prepared for them you are. It is quite simple if you are prepared then your chances to survive are certain with no effect to you or your finances, and now you are listening because these events will affect your finances if you aren't prepared.
How? Well even the slightest event such as a power blackout could destroy your freezer contents and you may think that you are insured. Yes you are, but there will most likely be an "excess" on the insurance policy, which could exceed the freezer contents value so which ever way it goes you will suffer a financial loss. For the same amount of the insurance excess you could purchase an emergency generator which would save your freezer contents and provide power for all other electrical items, so making sure that you and your finances have complete ability to survive...... Just one simple little example!
Why do I need to prepare?: In the event of a blackout you may have no light and no way of cooking food or even any food so only a fool doesn't keep the most basics such as a box of candles or a few tins of meals like baked beans, Irish stew corned beef etc. But not so long ago my parents would keep plenty of food and things like candles and a paraffin heater because they were used to winter storm electricity blackouts and snow and ice making travel to the shops impossible for a few days. It wasn't called survival or preparedness then, or in fact i don't think there was even such topics, but the fact was that then preparing for emergencies was an accepted part of every day life. This was not so long ago either, it was still common place in the 1970's. The unexpected last 2 harsh winters have proven that storing of supplies is essential and reports say that harsh winters could be here to stay for a few years, so now preparing to survive should be high on your list. This isn't unusual as people who live in remote places in Ireland and other countries live this way.
So basically you need food, fuel, equipment, medicine/first aid, tools and a means of protection.
Self Sufficient Living & Survival:
There is more to prepping or self sufficiency than growing a bit of veg, because you have to design the whole system of how you live around this idealism and that means making your life as efficient as possible and with as little reliance on the outside world as possible. This does not mean you become some hippy type hermit or gun mad Rambo type nutcase, but that you do not rely on daily visits to the shops for food, fuel and services.
Living this way can be done in various degrees depending on your circumstances but it will ensure that you survive. Remember it is almost impossible to be completely self sufficient but if one of you is working you can become almost totally independent, save a fortune on shop bought produce and be well prepared, being well equipped for any unforeseen disaster.
You think all this too obvious? Well some people (quite a lot actually) are so pathetic their life revolves around a visit to the supermarket every day or even before each and every meal. This means they have virtually no supplies at all in their homes. In the event of the slightest emergency like an electricity power cut these are the people who would flounder within hours and couldn't last more than a few days without serious assistance. In the event of a major disaster then these people are history and it is probable that there could be a chance of every one of us experiencing a major disaster in our lives. So you still think all this is too obvious? If you do ask yourself how much and what have i got stored for such an event even a short power cut.
Basic Essentials:
List of items that you must stock in quantity as a minimum just in case of emergencies;-
Matches, Candles, Batteries, Torch, Radio, Walkie-Talkie, Drinking Water, Food, Blankets, Clean Clothes, Washing Up Liquid, First Aid, Hand washing detergent, Toiletries, All weather boots, Waterproofs, Cast iron barbecue, Fire lighters, 5 gallon/25 litres of vehicle fuel, Usable currency, Sharp general purpose knives, Hand axes, Toilet paper.
Heating - Hot Water & Cooking:
Most people use gas, oil and mains electricity for these purposes. These are a luxury and a thing of the past. They do not comply with any type of self sufficiency. They are expensive will soon be of an erratic supply/delivery and at the mercy of market forces. If you rely on these fuels you are dead in the water.
There is a rush now to change over to stoves from open fires and using wood boilers for heating because of fossil fuel prices and fuel efficiency, this is how you should base your heating/cooking system. A stanley range or Aga is a fantastic piece of equipment and will burn most things from waste wood to coal. At the same time your home heating, hot water and cooking are all taken care of with fuel that is easily stored, does not easily degrade and has a long storage life.
So if you have made the wise decision and altered your homes heating and cooking requirements over to wood/mixed solid fuel equipment, then in the event of an emergency you will be warm, have plenty of hot water and have no problem cooking food.
A decent sized sturdy type of cast iron barbecue is a great emergency tool for cooking and heating water. You do not need charcoal as this is a charcoal producers marketing myth. You can burn any type of dry wood pieces on your barbecue if you are heating water, but if you are cooking food then use only clean hard woods that have been collected locally. A barbecue will keep the heat confined and even cook off it's glowing embers. (Do not use reclaimed wood in a barbecue for cooking food).
Storing Fuel:
Petrol:
Modern petrol will only keep for at most a few months in sealed containers, after that it is totally useless for anything. It will not work in your engine and it may not even burn properly. So if you are storing petrol in sealed containers, make sure they are small one gallon containers which have tight air lock seals and store them in the dark in a cool even temperature place, BUT make sure you are constantly using them in rotation so that the oldest get used before the maximum storage time is up. Make sure all containers are full to the brim, this will help stop any gas separation. It would be great if you could store these containers upside down which would permanently stop any gas loss from the fuel, but in the event of a mishap this could result in total fuel loss. Remember there are regulations regarding the amount of fuel stored in domestic dwellings.
Diesel:
Modern diesel will also not store more than a few months in air tight containers. In Europe because of regulations modern day diesel is totally different to diesel from 20 years ago. But the old type diesel which is still available will store for years. This is called "Gas oil" and is available in coastal towns for use in boats. Gas oil has a very strong smell so check if the pump is really dispensing Gas oil. Again Gas oil needs to be stored in small air tight containers filled to the brim, then stored in the dark in an even temperature environment in a dark place. If light gets to the Gas oil this could encourage bacterial growth and render the fuel useless. Gas oil in your heating storage tank will not last due to air contamination. Remember there are regulations regarding the amount of fuel stored in domestic dwellings.
Wood:
Get and store as much as you can. This fuel will keep for years if kept dry. Small twigs can be put in to bundles and tied so do not waste anything. Untreated pallets and waste wood will keep you going for a long time if kept dry. You can never have enough wood for fuel and if you have the dry space just fill it with any and all kinds because if it is kept dry it will only improve.
Coal & Anthracite:
Whenever you have spare cash, purchase an odd bag or two of this fuel. It can be stored and allowed to get wet the odd time but will last forever. Any old shed or corner of a building just keep piling it up.
Your fuel store can also be used as currency to barter with but will also be a main target for thieves so make sure it is protected.
Storing Food:
When storing food it has to be done in away that it isn't open to attack by pests/vermin. It cannot get destroyed by the elements (frost or heat) and not be subject to theft as food is one item which in an emergency situation is going to be of high value. So bearing in mind these situations you must store your food accordingly and in secure conditions. The ways of preservation of food is all through this website but the storing of it is as follows.
Where do you store your foods? Well an ideal place would be a cellar because it is dark, dry, cool and an even temperature, where the temperature doesn't fluctuate and stays constant. This is perfect for food as any bacteria present cant really do a lot and stops dormant, so then your food will last longer. You can build a cellar outside your house which is just a concrete shed covered in soil, which will keep the temperature cool and constant. Never store food in attics or sheds which are in full sunlight because the temperature will fluctuate throughout the day as the sun rises and falls.
Freezer With Frozen Food:
Keep you freezer full to the top and date the produce so using it in rotation. Your freezer will work more efficiently when full and you will know you have a good few days/weeks supply in there for your families food needs to survive. But what about electricity if there is no power for any reason? Well a full freezer will keep a lower temperature for longer and if you have some other power generation such as a wind/water turbine or photovoltaic cell panels these will charge a battery which when through an inverter can power the freezer a few times per day to keep the food frozen. Alternatively and probably what suits most people, a small generator can run just an hour per day at intervals to power essentials one of which would be the freezer with the minimum of fuel. The use of frozen 1 gallon/5 litre water bottles in the freezer will also help keep the temperature low and when these have thawed out the water can be consumed.
Tinned Food:
When doing your weekly shopping buy at least 4 tins of tinned high value food that you like and that can be put away and stored for survival purposes. These can be things such as baked beans, tinned salmon, Irish stew, corned beef, ham/pork etc. These are high protein/fibre, nutritious foods which can be eaten raw or warmed with the minimum of heat and keep you going for a long time. Pull ring tins are ok, but tins which require a can opener appear stronger so will resist damage more easily. All tins must be stored in a dry cool dark place and used in rotation which is why you must only buy foods that you eat/like. Try to have enough tins stored to provide at least one meal per day for a month for each person in the house minimum and do not forget your pets, remember to get a good equivalent food supply for them in tinned and other food.
Packet Foods:
These will be rice and pasta etc. High in carbohydrates and requiring just simple boiling, when mixed with a little protein these foods become a full meal. These foods will already be in sealed packets but can be stored better if you have the use of a quality vacuum sealing machine. This will seal the produce in air free packets which will stop any major degrading of the food. After repackaging the food in vac bags then store them in predator proof sealed containers and store them again in a dark cool dry place and again use in rotation of dates purchased.
Dried Food:
Again if you produce your own food and preserve it by drying, then you should have it stored in vac bags and possibly frozen or stored in other sealed containers.
Chickens:
Natures almost complete food. These birds can exist by finding seeds, vegetation and insects/worms without you feeding them. They may not be very productive this way, but may still supply you with 3 - 4 or even more eggs a week per hen. An egg is over 100 calories of protein and vitamins which can be consumed raw or cooked simply. If push comes to shove you can eat your hens which will provide you with a small quantity of quality protein cooked simply by boiling for maximum usage. So the storage is in the actual bird itself and supplying you fresh food on a regular basis and if you have a cockerel, you can even breed your own continuous fresh food supplement.
Your food store can also be used as currency to barter with but will also be a main target for thieves so make sure it is protected.
Water:
Potable Stored Water:
Perhaps the most essential item on your list. In the event of a power cut all of the pumps on a mains system will go down and before long the system will be depleted.
In your house your cold water tank in the loft/attic will only hold probably around 30 - 40 gallon. This will soon empty after a family morning "wash n' ready" with showers and toilet use.
Potable water tanks are available which can hold around 150 gallon or more, but 300 gallon is a good size. These tanks are made from plastic which is designed for drinking water, whereas other plastic type tanks must never be used for this purpose.
So design your water system and usage whether you be on mains water or a pumped well supply around having a large water reservoir that can be incorporated into your daily usage, so the stored water always remains in constant use and fresh. Then in the event of some disaster minor or major you should have 300 gallon plus of clean fresh water stored in your potable water tank which would last 10 days at normal usage , but if rationed you could get around 30 days plus for a family in a prolonged emergency situation.
Filtered Water:
Your filtered water should only usually be for drinking and preparing food, as washing water can be just rain water and toilet water can be old washing water. Filtered water is usually available at the kitchen sink and it is a good idea to keep topped up at least 10 x 1 gallon/5 litre drinking water containers which you can number and use in rotation. These will not take up much space but must be kept out of direct sunlight. You will find that 10 gallon gets used quite quickly within a few days for a small family. Bearing this in mind, in the event of any emergency you should take advantage before hand and increase your bottled filtered water storage by filling more bottles from your homes filtered water system, because if the electricity supply fails then most mains supplied water systems will fail and if you have your own well, then this will most likely require power so will not work either.
Rain Water Harvesting:
In an emergency situation rain water is too precious a resource to waste. After quick rough filtering, this water can immediately be used for general washing and toilet use . If it is or turns out to be your only water supply, then after filtering a treatment by boiling for around 5 minutes, then you could be sure that you have rendered the filtered water ok for drinking. Actually in any degree of self sufficiency you should be harnessing rain water for use around your home in every day use and not just in an emergency situation.
With all water supplies make sure you have gone to excess on insulation on the holding tanks and associated pipework.
Your water store is too precious to be used as currency to barter with so do not trade or give away under any circumstances.
Your water supply will also be a main target for thieves so make sure it is protected.
Fresh Food
High Energy - Means Protein - Means Less Food - Means Less Effort:
As well as your stored food it is best to take in any fresh food whenever you get the chance and if you feel that your homestead is safe and secure, you can wander to other places not too far away so that you could return very quickly in case of any emergency. A gun or a fishing rod is a fantastic piece of kit to get food but a total misuse of time in a survival situation. While engaged in hunting activities, other chores and protecting your home and stores are not engaged and the danger of you losing them are too great. So fresh fish and meat should be gathered more efficiently. Do not exhaust you fresh fish and wild meat supply, leave enough to breed prolifically so this source of food is always available.
Meat:- As already stated chickens and eggs are great protein meals, but there is plenty of other meat out there for the taking. Rabbits are a great high protein food but shooting them is not very efficient from your times point of view, so they are better caught with ferrets and nets. By placing a purse net over the rabbit warren entrances and securing them with a small stake in the ground. The use of a ferret to drive the rabbits out into the nets is a cost effect way in energy usage terms of catching quite a lot of rabbits for your food. But do not take them all as they will breed quite swiftly and replace taken ones , so providing a ready endless supply of high value meat and a good reason to keep a couple of ferrets.
Fishing:- Fishing with a rod and line in the river or lake is a non-productive use of time and energy, so what you need to do is find a place where you can suspend a very tight rope across the water not more than about 20ft long. Then securely tie onto the rope different lengths of baited fishing line and hooks about 1 foot apart with different types of bait securely attached. Make sure they are weighted and are well into the depths of the water. Then go off and do the rest of your chores and return every hour to check your catch. Do not forget or leave this fishing rig longer than necessary because you may find your fish eaten by other animals/fish/birds. If you have nets and know where the fish run, then these can be set and visited throughout the day to inspect for fish.
Do not discard your non-edible fish pieces, because if you purchase a pot/creel, or even know how to make one. You can use your fish waste to catch prawns, crabs and even lobsters if you live by the sea or crayfish if you live inland by a suitable fresh water supply. And these require nothing but baiting and dropping into the water in the right place.
Medical Supplies:
Every home should have a medical box/tin as standard. This should be full of things like plasters/band aid and bandages, antiseptic lotions and cleaners, headache and indigestion pills etc. But if you are unfortunate to have a long term medical condition, you should arrange through your doctor if it is possible to have an emergency supply at home in bad weather months. Obviously if you have a serious or long term illness you must sit down and think of ways to have access to your medicines in the event of some kind of emergency so this is all part of survival. You are no good to anyone and your supplies are no good to you if you fall ill so it is very simple .... Plan ahead.
Fire:
You would be surprised at how few households prepare against or for a fire. Nearly all people in the event of a fire would have only one option and that would be to call the fire brigade. Depending on where you live will depend on how long it takes for the fire brigade to arrive, and it is in this time that people or their property could perish.
An exterior tank, maybe your potable water tank of something of at least 300 gallons/1500 litres and a pump would give you a great way of fighting any fire outbreak and maybe be enough to save your home or any exterior valuables including animal enclosures and stores/supplies you may have. This reservoir tank already mentioned in the water section can serve many purposes in an emergency situation and a fire is just one of them.
Fire extinguishers may look unsightly but they would be incredibly handy to have in your rooms. Public buildings have to have them by law but domestic dwellings do not, this is very strange but defiantly a life saver for your home.
Escape ladders in your upstairs rooms. Have you got any? These would allow you to escape safely from upstairs rooms. Even a rolled up rope ladder would allow you to escape down a steep roof and to the ground level. Getting out on to a roof in the pitch black of night can be a very scary event with no ladder to cling to or maybe something simple like a purpose made rope that you could use to lower yourself to the floor would be a great idea.
Internal doors. Are they solid and could give you valuable minutes to escape? If not replace them with good quality doors for those precious minutes.
Torches in every room. In a fire the power can cut out in your house leaving you in darkness. Torches will help you find your way out of windows and to take any important items if you have time.
Have a plan and prepare for these events and discuss it with your family so everybody knows what to do.
Turn all appliances off and disconnect before going to bed. Do not leave electrical appliances on standby or on charge, you are just increasing the chance of a possible fire.
If you are building a new home, refurbishing or just maybe laying new floors and ceilings, then what about installing some fire preventative installations, maybe like sprinkler systems into your home? It is you and your families safety afterall and the costs are so small even for some manual system which you can activate yourself from a safe area in the event of a fire. It is just pipework and maybe no more plumbing than your standard house plumbing .... but it could save your home .... or even your life.
Defence:
This subject conjures up all kinds of imaginary situations usually with guns. Guns need ammunition, are very loud (which can be a benefit and a disadvantage) and will be a much sought after item by those looking for items of value, so with their benefits they also have just as many disadvantages. In an organised assault by attackers it would need several people with guns and ammunition to protect a home, so this takes us into a deeper subject so we will leave guns out of this topic.
Defence means protection and protecting things which ensure your ability to survive. Your food, water and fuel supplies will be a much sought after prize to anyone without these items no matter how well you know them. If these people have none of the items to live, their attitude will soon change to those who do have them and their survival instincts will push them to just take for themselves. So defending your supplies or valuables against theft by others is just as important as storing them in the first place.
Hide your stores:
If you have stored them correctly then they should be in the correct containers and will allow for the stores to be boarded up at the back of a shed/building cellar, purpose under floor hiding place, or some valuable stores could even be buried in purpose made storage vessels. Concrete and plastic drainage pipes are great underground storage vessels with concrete at the bottom and a sealable lid, as long as they are in a dry situation and the storage containers are waterproof and sealed, then your stores should be ok short to medium term. These are a variation of what used to be called "Root Cellars". These were very common in the days before fridges. Make sure you can remember where they are though. Most intruders/thieves will only have time to take what is on show and will not have time to go around digging up gardens and pulling down walls in buildings looking for valuables. Besides if you have just a few stores on show some intruders will go away happy thinking they have got your lot.
Doors & Windows:
The windows and doors of your home should have good locks, but you can improve on this by cutting timber the width of your front exterior doors and then cut exact lengths of timber again so your doors can be braced in at least 2 places across the width and then can be wedged off other walls. This would make your doors many times harder for any intruder to kick in or batter through with a sledgehammer or axe. When you are inside this would give you time to repel the intruders or time to escape the premises through other exits.
Warning Noises:
Squeaking doors and creaking floorboards are sometimes annoying, but never fix these irritants as they are great warning signs that someone is in your house. You may know these doors or floors make noises but any intruder will have no idea and if you are in bed one night and the noises wake you, this may give you valuable time to react no matter how short even if it is just seconds.
Gravel driveways. These are relatively cheap and of low maintenance but are excellent warning devices that someone is outside your premises. Tarmac may look better to some, but deep gravel is almost impossible to walk on without that unmistakable crunching sound which in the middle of the night will warn anybody for 50 meters that someone is around. Even small animals can not walk on the stuff without sound.
Warning Signs:
Light fishing line tied to gates and doors will give you advanced notification that someone is coming if this fishing line is connected to a bell or other warning device in or around your home. All it needs is a few cheap eye hooks screwed into buildings or trees back to your home and connected to the warning device........cheap as buttons.
Also a light thread is a great little unseen warning device if you position it loosely across know pathways or tracks where people or animals walk through or are made to walk through. Just tie at one side and wrap around a twig loosely on the other side just so the wind can't move it. Position the thread/cotton at the height to suit. .... Low for animals and about 2 ft/600mm for people. If you inspect regularly you will know if anyone or anything has been around.
Observe everything. In a non-emergency situation, notice anything and everything about your surroundings from each window. Do not just look at the view, study and take note of every single shape and object. Then one day when something new arrives or something goes, you will immediately notice these changes and this could protect you if you happen to notice the arrival of strangers on the look out for items to steal. Some thieves will survey a property before breaking in. Be on the look out for parked cars with people inside, they could be noting how many occupants there are in your home and what time you leave. Stop and talk to them, ask them for the time or directions. This may seem silly but it will unnerve them if they are up to no good. You will also remember their faces and other things about them. If you leave every day at the same time, return after 5 minutes or during the day to break any routine. Ask friends to call around and check your property when you aren't there and you return the favour.
Lights, if you see peoples houses at night time they are ablaze with light. This is a bad thing if not just for energy usage alone. For your own use, your exterior lights should only come on when you are of need of them outside your home, so these lights should work off a sensor and only come on only when needed and tripped on by somebody moving outside. This then works for you regarding intruders because the lights will only switch on when an intruder is nearing your home. If the outside of your home is usually always in darkness, then any neighbour will instantly notice your exterior lights switch on and see someone moving about just as you would also. Lights suddenly coming on to an intruder will make them nervous as they will have been lit up for all to see. If your exterior lights are always on then people will just ignore that view and never notice anybody around your home be it you or an intruder. Also lights constantly switched on will aid any intruder in their ability to approach your home largely unseen out of view keeping in the shadows and also aid them in what you may have lying around that can be taken. Otherwise the intruder will need a torch and this will bring instant unwanted attention to them. So only have your exterior lights working off a movement sensor for security and to save energy.
Interior lights in your home or other buildings operated by a timer switch are a great asset and deterrent. Nothing is worse than a lifeless building in darkness night after night. It tells anybody watching it "this building is empty and unoccupied", so a magnet for thieves. A couple of lights programmed to switch on and off at intervals will make anybody thinking of breaking in to the building to at least think twice and place an element of uncertainness into their minds.
Too Late They Are In!:
OK so your defences have been breached what now. You are inside your home and the intruders have now gained access. You have to evaluate the situation quickly. What do they want, is it just my supplies or do they mean me and my family harm? Only you can make this decision and it has to be made fast. Can you over power them with whatever you have to hand? One thing is for sure if you hurt them and you do not repel them, they are certainly going to take revenge on you. So if you decide to attack them because they intend you and yours harm, then make sure you can and have the means to beat or repel all intruders. You can use anything that you have to hand but keep out of their clutches while doing this. If they can grab your defensive tools or grab you they are going to disarm you and overpower you. Trick is always think ahead. Make the entrance of your property almost impossible and if your defences are breached, make plans for a quick getaway. Maybe from the roof through a velux or dormer window. Remember if you getaway you may live, if you loose a fight it could be the end for you and your family. If they are just after supplies, you can lock yourself upstairs while they take what they want which is only a small amount because your main stash is hidden or buried if you have planned correctly.
Females:
It is quite obvious that as just in normal life or an emergency situation that women/females are going to be a source of attraction to would be attackers/thieves. If an attacker is going to the trouble and risk to themselves to try to enter your home and steal your stores/valuables, then if they come across a female there is a very good chance that if they can they will take them as well so to speak. Most females would have had thoughts on what to do if an intruder gained entrance to their home. So always plan ahead, work out between you where would be a good place to hide in such an event. Could they slip out and hide outside the house at a designated place un-noticed, or maybe up in the roof space where they could keep quiet and pull the steps up after them so restricting access? Could you get out on to the roof and hide safely there? Plan for this and make preparations now.
Survival Tips:
Plastic Bottles:
Plastic cola/pop bottles and 5 litre water bottles are great storage containers for all kinds of items and can be made air tight by using silicon or plumbers ptfe tape on the screw threads of the tops. (make sure any silicon used is ok for food storage). You can use these for storing many things once cleaned and air tightness can be easily achieved because of their small opening.
5 litre/1 gallon plastic water bottles can be used in the same way for larger items. Again because of their small openings, ease of air tightness is easily achieved. Also in developing countries these water bottles which are largely discarded as waste are now being used to build houses by just filling with compacted sand which then becomes very strong. Because of this and their size/weight, these sand filled plastic water bottles are then perfect for simple strong building of walls for small houses. There is a few news reports and videos available to show how effective this new found application really is or isnt.
To be cont...........
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