Currently in our world, there are several emergency situations that could develop into disasters in the blink of an eye.  Pandemic, war and financial collapse are the headliners, along with the usual suspects of earthquakes, hurricanes and tornadoes.  It’s easy in the lazy days of Summer to forget our preparations and say we’ll get to it later.  Use this time wisely.  I’m just as guilty as the next person.  In the rush of end of school and getting the kids settled into their Summer routines, I’ve let my supplies dwindle too.  I keep telling myself I’ll get to it this weekend, but I inevitably find something else to occupy my time. 

I thought you could use some help too, especially if you’re new to prepping, or if you’d just like to be prepared for the coming Winter Flu Season.  Jobs are always easier with a bit of a challenge, so let’s start a new $20 a week stock up challenge.  I know times are bad for some people, and this can certainly be altered to $5 per week, or even less.  Commit to doing what you can, even if you can manage one extra item a week, you’ll be better prepared than the majority. 

Flu Pandemic Stock Up List

Acetaminophen

Adult Diapers

Anti-bacterial Wipes

Baby Wipes

Chamomile Tea

Chlorine Bleach

Cool Mist Humidifier (it’s better if you have more than one)

Extra Humidifier Filters

Expectorant Cough Syrup (this is the “Tussin” type)

Face Masks (whichever kind you decide to stock up on)

Hand Sanitizer

Heating Pad

Hydrogen Peroxide (disinfectant)

Ibuprofen

Isopropyl Alcohol (disinfectant and can be used to cool down patient)

Kleenex

Latex Gloves

Lip Balm

Listerine

Lubricating Eye Drops

Mucinex

Oscillococcinum

Disposable Shower Cap (can be worn multiple times)

Trash Bags

Vitamin C (stock up on chewable and powder also, sick people sometimes can’t swallow pills)

Don’t forget:

Food

Water

Household items you use regularly like laundry and dish soap

If you’re a regular, you know I only stock up food items my family will use.  Feel free to alter any of these items to fit your needs.  Hopefully this will help you be prepared for whatever awaits us this Fall.

Most of us who consider ourselves preppers like to think we’re at least somewhat ready for any disaster scenario.  So I had a rude awakening when my husband fell and broke his arm last week.  Thankfully we have adequate health insurance and we were able to rush to the ER and get him taken care of.  Now that the initial anxiety has passed, it’s made me contemplate what I would do if this accident had happened during a disaster or pandemic.  What if I couldn’t just rush him to the hospital and be assured he’d be taken care of in a relatively short amount of time?  What if we didn’t have orthopedic specialists available to reset the bone and make sure he’s healing correctly?  And, unfortunately I don’t have a real plan for this.  While I’m sure I have the confidence that I could make due with my own skills - a broken bone suddenly looks like a worst case scenario to me.

Most of us have had basic first-aid instruction, and if you haven’t that should be on your list to accomplish as soon as you’re able.  Some of you may be one step ahead of me and have the skills to reset a bone, or suture a cut.  I think for the vast majority of those urban women that feel the need to be prepared, aren’t ready to take a field medical course.  So - what’s a good alternative?

Be careful.  Be very, very careful.  During a survival situation, safety should become your number two priority, just under food and water.  Take precaution to do things slower and more meticulously than you usually would.  Don’t climb on the roof if you don’t absolutely need to.  Don’t fool around with a knife.  Keep toxic chemicals in sealed containers away from children.  Think about this constantly.  You have probably been in an accident situation where a split second determines if you receive an injury or not.  Usually we say “I can’t believe I did that”.  There may not be a second chance during an emergency scenario. 

Get to know your neighbors - one of mine is a physician’s assistant.  She can sew a cut and set a bone and has offered if we need it.  If you have a friend or relative that’s a healthcare provider, talk to them about your emergency plans and if they would want to join you.  Also, educate yourself in case you’re the only option.  It’s not enough to have a splint available if you don’t know how to use it.  If you’re very squemish about first-aid, decide if it would be better for you to join a group that includes a doctor or nurse, or even someone with a stronger stomach.

I’ve thought through this for my own family and am prepared to keep everyone as safe and free from injuries as I can.  If we’re on guard and aware, we can remain accident free.  I’ve also considered pain management.  I have a small supply of prescription pain-killers, but if we had a major injury I’d have to consider alternatives.  Suddenly an adequate supply of booze seems like a good idea.  I hadn’t really considered this since no one in my family is a drinker, but I can see the advantages to having a supply - and the good thing is you don’t really need to rotate as it gets better with age. 

With all the things to think about when preparing for a disaster, don’t forget safety awareness is an important aspect that you can’t afford to ignore.

I was reading a book about early settlers in Oregon (I’m always reading something like this) and I again noticed that they whitewashed their cellars and barns.  So, I was wondering why they did this all the time - was it just to make things look better, or perhaps it was used to control bugs, etc.  Thank goodness for the internet, otherwise I would know nothing…..

White wash, which is basically lime and water is a pretty effective antimicrobial.  They didn’t know much about microbes back then, but they did know that lime when mixed with water made an effective paint - most probably white washed because it “looked” cleaner.  In today’s world we have more convenient methods, but what happens when you realize you can’t run to the hardware store for paint and your disinfectants have run out?  White wash isn’t really recommended for in house use, but if you have a shed, cellar or barn where you’re keeping food stocks, or you want to do everything you can to keep your farm animals healthy, you might use white wash.

There are several ways to make white wash, the easiest being mixing pure slaked lime in water and use a regular paint brush to apply.  The mixture will go on pretty light, but then harden up after it cures.  With this method you’d have to have access to or a store of slaked lime.  You could slake your own limestone if you live near a natural limestone supply, which many in the US do.  Slaking limestone is as simple as mixing with boiling water and keep covered until the limestone breaks down into a paste.  You can then strain it and add additional water to make white wash.

In the days before commercial production of lime, most people used lye made from wood ashes.  This is a much more tedious method as you need to save enough ashes to make a bucket of lye, which can take a year.  However, this may be the only source of lye you have, so it’s worth considering. 

To make lye, boil the ashes from hardwood fires in soft water (this would be rain water) for about half an hour.  Allow the ashes to settle to the bottom of the pan and then skim off the liquid lye.  Save the liquid for soap making and use the sediment or potash to make lime by mixing the ash with water and an equal mixture of salt and water.  This combination will cause a chemical reaction that produces a result similar to natural lime. 

You can also use the leaching method to make lye.  Take any large wooden or steel container, cut holes in the bottom and put in a layer of pebbles.  Add two or three inches of straw or dried grass on top and then fill the barrel with ashes (leave some room at the top).  Tap everything down and leave a small depression on top of the ash.  Set the barrel about three feet off the ground allowing room underneath for a wooden or steel bucket.  Fill the depression in the top with water - as the water seeps through the ash, lye will begin to trickle into the bucket.  This is slow work, but be patient and only add more water once the depression is empty.  If the second or third runs seem weak, you may need to run them through the ash again.  This method requires more equipment, but can be left unattended.

Whitewashing is one of those skills that our grandparents didn’t pass on - so it’s important to be aware of the basics, knowing it’s a handy skill to have.

I was doing a little research this week about storing vinegar - which by the way stores indefinately - and found out how easy it is to make your own.  This is a handy skill to have, especially in a grid-down, long-term emergency situation.

Vinegar has been used for thousands of years as a food, cleaning product and medicinal treatment.  It can clean the grease off your car wheels and is safe enough to use with children and pets.  You can even use it as a teeth and mouth cleaner - just brush or rinse weekly.  Vinegar will kill mold and gives a boost to bleach’s power.  It’s also a green way to kill weeds and pests in your garden.

Vinegar made at home will not look like the clear vinegar you’re used to buying - unless you have the means to distill it.  Vinegar can be made from almost anything that contains sugar or starch and takes place through a fermentation process.  Here are the basics you’ll need to make your own:

• A container with a wide mouth, it should be glass, enamel or stainless steel, you could use wood, but glass works great.
• Cheescloth to cover the container.
• Fresh fruit juice, cider or you can use fruit scraps.
• Starter culture (you can use some of your unpasturized vinegar, or buy some Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar.
• A dark, warm place.

Pour about 1 quart of starter into the container.

Pour 1 quart of juice into the container.

Put the mix in a warm dark place.  Check it regularly until it’s as strong as you like.  For your first time you might want to buy a testing kit - vinegar should be at least 4% acidity, but it could be slightly higher.

Strain the vinegar through a coffee filter and bottle in an airtight container.  Let this sit for at least 6 months for best results, but it can be used immediately although the taste will be quite strong.  You can also pasturize your vinegar, which will allow you to store it indefinately. 

How to pasturize vinegar:

Heat the vinegar and pour into sterilized bottles or jars.  place in a hot water bath and heat until at least 140 degrees (do not exceed 160 degrees F).  Cool containers and store in a cool dark place.

Some of vinegar’s many uses:

Dab on insect bites to stop the itching

Soothe sunburn

Use as an antiseptic on cuts and scrapes

Use as an aftershave lotion

Eliminates bad breath and whitens teeth

Kills weeds and grass

Gets rid of rust on sigots and tools

Kills slugs

Removes lime buildup

Removes some carpet stains - test first!

Kills germs on door knobs and any nonpourous surface (except marble)

Whitens clothes and can remove some stains

Kills fleas on pets

I was reading an interesting thread over at Flu Wiki yesterday about how to prepare in 24 hours.  There were varying thoughts on if this is even possible and I thought I’d post a little about that today.

I don’t think those who will try to prepare in 24 hours can really call themselves preppers.  I think it’s possible to stock up on some basic necessities within one day - but there are so many unknowns that I wouldn’t want to leave the safety of my family to “what ifs”.  My own experience over the last few weeks with the swine flu outbreak have proven to me that if I don’t have the things I need well before the panic strikes, I’m out of luck.  I still can’t find any Purell or face masks and the stores are still getting shipments - the suppliers themselves are running short.  Thankfully give it another couple weeks and the shelves will be stocked again, but I’m learning from this exercise.  While we’re all grateful that this current wave isn’t too serious yet, we know it’s coming.  Eventually.  If it’s a pandemic, we’ll probably have a little notice that it’s coming.  However, most disasters strike without warning, so it’s prudent to prepare beforehand.

If you had 24 hours to prepare, what should you buy?  Here’s a list of what I would consider the bare necessities:

Water - The average person needs between 2.2 and 3 liters per day to remain healthy, more if you’re very active, ill or nursing.  That’s just for drinking, you’ll need extra for cooking and hygiene.  1 gallon is approximately 4 liters, so on the safe side you should have at the very least 1 gallon per day per person.  If you’re stocking up for three months, that’s 90 gallons of water per person.  That’s a lot of water, so you’ll have to make due with less.  Think about other sources of water once your stock supply runs out.

Food - We can survive on a lot less than our current average daily calorie intake.  However, food is a comfort and in times of need, food stress can overwhelm you.  Think first about easy to prepare foods that won’t require water or heating.  Canned foods are a must and then supplement with packaged foods with a long shelf life. 

First Aid - Masks, gloves, OTC medicines and basic supplies like bandages and antibiotic ointments are a must.

Hygiene - Dirt is not your friend.  Keeping clean is just as important as having water to drink.  Soaps, alcohol rubs and hydrogen peroxide will cut down on germs that can cause sickness.  Don’t forget chlorine bleach for disinfecting - this is a great last minute item as it doesn’t have a long shelf life, but will outlast a three month quarantine.

It’s impossible to predict what our next emergency will be.  Think ahead and stock up now, leaving the last 24 hours for gathering fresh produce and other last minute items.  Don’t wait, we probably won’t have enough warning - be prepared and you won’t have to panic.

I often think of an article I read last year stating that if ”just in time” deliveries to Southern California suddenly stopped it would only take four days to totally wipe out the stores.  I’m here to tell you it’s much, much shorter than that. 

The news of the Swine Flu outbreak became headline news on Sunday, April 26th - by Tuesday morning all the face masks and waterless hand disinfectants were wiped out.  Completely gone.  Right now we’re lucky because shipments haven’t stopped and the stores are restocking as quickly as possible, but if it gets much worse, we can expect necessities to be gone within 24 hours.

No one is hoping this is a false alarm more than those of us who are already prepared.  We understand the potential for this to be a life-altering event and certainly hope that after all is said and done we can say we overreacted.  However, I can’t stress enough that you should have a supply of necessities at home, just in case.  There’s no need to run out and purchase a year’s supply of food and water, but having enough to last a few months might be the best investment you ever make.  Also think about what you would need to take care of a sick person in your home.  Medicines, protective gear and comfort items will disappear rapidly from stores, so get yours now. 

I’ve heard people scoff and say this is hype driven by main stream media, and they might be right.  In the large scheme of things a few hundred people dying of the influenza isn’t much of an impact.  But, let’s not forget that people HAVE died.  What a sad, sad thing to happen anytime for any reason.  I am sickened by the hate on the message boards, some people going so far as to say these people deserve this.  It just reminds me that there is something that scares me more than disease, and that’s mankind.  Our ability to hate so violently and dismiss human life so easily. 

I don’t know about you, but I value every day of this life because I truly believe it’s the only one we get.  I want my children to be healthy and grow up peacefully.  I want them to love their fellow man, no matter how much they disagree with their actions and attitudes.  I want them to know that while we do have an overpopulation problem on this planet, wishing death for anyone isn’t something we do. 

My number one suggestion for you at this point is simple - have a plan.  Decide what’s the best course of action for you and your family and don’t hesitate when the decision is upon you.  Keep aware and weigh everything you read with your own common sense.

I am prepared for whatever comes from this swine flu outbreak.  I hope you are too and I hope all of our preparations are unnecessary.

Since knowledge is everything when it comes to protecting yourself and your family, be sure to check out the Influenza category to the right of this page.

Swine flu is type A influenza and mainly infects pigs - people don’t normally contract swine flu, but as we know from history it has made the leap several times.  This strain is thought to be spread the same way seasonal influenza is spread - through particle droplets in the air and on surfaces.  The best preventative for swine flu is keeping yourself away from those infected.

Educating yourself is the second best preventative measure.  Keep your hands clean, avoid rubbing your nose and eyes and if you start to feel feverish and achy, quarantine yourself after you seek adequate medical care.  People with swine flu are potentially contagious for up to and maybe over 7 days following the first signs of fever.  Children especially may be contagious longer, so you might want to plan on at least two weeks of quarantine to be sure. 

Here are the warning signs of when to seek emergency medical care:

Children

• Fast or troubled breathing
• Bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough liquids
• Not waking up or interacting
• Being so irritable they do not want to be held
• Flu symptoms that improve but then suddenly return with a fever
• Fever with a rash

Adults

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in your chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting

If you or your children have any of these symptoms, see your doctor immediately.  Thankfully no deaths have occurred in the US, and we hope it stays that way.  However, it’s always best to be over-prepared.  If you don’t have enough supplies now is the time to stock up.  Make sure to get extra filters for your humidifiers and pedialyte for the kids.  Already there is a shortage of OTC medications and face masks - get yours ready before they’re unavailable.

I have to say I’m a little concerned about this.  Mainly for my family as we are a short two hours from the Mexico/US border.  While it’s put me on alert, I know I can and will do everything to protect my family, and hopefully it’ll all be unnecessary.  Be prepared and keep aware of new developments and if things get worse, take quick action to keep yourselves away from those infected.

Check out this earlier post about setting up a quarantine room.

How often does one of your kids get a fever and you realize you only have one dose of fever reducer in the cabinet?  It’s important when preparing for any disaster scenario to be sure you’ve thought about the first aid items your family might need, and keep a supply available.  Here’s a handy list of items I keep on hand.

Alcohol Wipes

Aloe Vera

Antacids

Aspirin

Benadryl

Calamine Lotion

Claritin

Cough Drops

Epsom Salt

Hydrocortisone Cream

Hydrogen Peroxide

Immodium

Iodine

Motrin

Neosporin

Numbing Throat Spray

Rubbing Alcohol

Sudafed

Tylenol

Vicks Vapor Rub

Ace Bandages

Band aids and Bandages in Various Sizes

Surgical Tape

Ice Packs

Heat Packs

Keep in mind this is what I store - these are the most common items my family uses for basic first aid.  I have a rotation schedule for items that have an expiration date, especially the medications, but I know that in a pinch old stuff isn’t necessarily useless.  I keep two sets - one near my bathroom on a closet shelf where it’s easily accessible, and one stored away in a plastic bin for safety in an earthquake, or other disaster where it could be crushed.  I also keep some of these items in my car’s first aid kit and a small version in our survival bags.

Make a list and stock up when you have a few extra dollars.  If you buy one item every week, the impact is small.  Keep your supplies in a cool dark place and rotate regularly.  Keep items out of reach of children, especially if they’re stored in your car.  Be safe and prepared.

The threat of a nuclear attack has been around since I was small.  I remember discussing the cold war in grade school and while we didn’t practice hiding under our desks like the kids did in previous decades, it was nonetheless a known threat.  While we will most likely not have any warning of a nuclear attack, there are things you can do to prepare and certainly in this situation knowledge can save your life.

If you’re within half a mile of the initial blast, depending on the surrounding architecture your percentages of survival are extremely low.  If you somehow see the flash, or have some warning, take shelter immediately.  The basement or middle floors of a building are best.  Concrete, wood, earth, brick and books all can protect you from the blast.  The farther away from the initial detonation you are, the higher your chances of survival.

Most of us will be mostly worried about radioactive fallout.  The fallout can be carried hundreds of miles and cannot be seen or smelled by humans.  You can purchase radiation monitoring devices, but most of us will rely on local radio broadcasts for drift information.  Have a family plan in place that you will follow in the event of a nuclear blast.  If you’re in a close proximity, you will need to evacuate immediately, but remember your car doesn’t provide much defense against radioactive particles.  If you plan on sheltering at home, make sure your food and water supplies are available and your radio has fresh batteries at all times.  You should keep a supply of thick plastic sheets and duct tape to seal up a safe room - which should be an interior room without windows if possible.  Remember if it’s the bathroom to seal up all the vents and heating ducts. 

If you become contaminated act quickly and find shelter, cut off your clothes so as to avoid pulling the contamination over your mouth, nose and eyes.  Shower or wash gently and avoid rubbing your face, instead blotting with a wet, soapy cloth.  If you wear contacts you’ll need to remove them and throw them away, glasses can be dipped in a bleach solution and rinsed.  Thoroughly rinse your eyes.  Throw your contaminated clothing in a trash bag and place outside of your shelter area.  Regular soap and water is enough to decontaminate yourself and any clothing you have stored in your closets and drawers will most likely be safe. 

Food and water that you have stored in plastic or metal containers should be safe.  Watch for dirt and dust on surfaces and decontaminate with a bleach solution if you feel it’s necessary.  Water from wells will generally be safe to drink and reverse-osmosis water filtration systems will remove the radioactive particles.  Any fresh garden produce or animal products from live animals that may consume fallout should not be eaten.  Stick with the food you have stored until authorities have determined it’s safe.

The danger of radioactive fallout will pass rather quickly, within a few days.  Have a plan ahead of time to determine how long you will shelter and listen closely to any news reports and instructions.  If you think you’re suffering from radiation sickness, seek medical help as soon as possible.  Nausea and weakness are the initial effects, followed by problems with your central nervous system, immune and gastro-intestinal systems.  There is no specific therapy for radiation sickness, other than general care of the victim.  In an emergency situation medical facilities will most likely be understaffed and overcrowded with those seeking help.

More likely than a direct nuclear bomb attack is the possibility of an EMP or electromagnetic pulse.  A nuclear weapon detonated in or above the earth’s atmosphere will create an EMP.  While it’s unlikely to have direct human casualties, it will in essence damage all electronic devices, including our grid systems.  Most electrical equipment within 1000 miles of the detonation would be affected and have some major catastrophic results affecting everything from our water supplies to vehicles.  Make sure you take precautions with your emergency electrical equipment, including battery-powered radios by keeping them grounded.  If you have a pacemaker you may have difficulties and should consult your doctor about how to lower your risk.

Be prepared, have a plan and keep aware of the world around you and you can keep yourself and your family safe in the event of a nuclear disaster.

I haven’t posted for a while because I’ve been busy researching how to make soap to share with all of you.  However, I’ve come to a realization after my research.  I don’t have time to make soap.  That’s it.  It’s not that hard, but you definitely need accurate instructions, which you can find here: http://www.latheringsforum.com/bb/index.php?sid=52cb2605871a1a0aab9d059c78edccea

Lots of people love making handmade soaps - and I’m sure it’s really therapeutic for them.  It’s just not for me.  I guess it would be good to print out some basic instructions and add them to my survival manuals - and it would interest me to learn about the lye-making process, which is somewhat easy to do, but I’ve decided at this point to stock up on store bought soap and leave it at that.  If my life reaches a point where making soap is a definite necessity then something major will have happened, drastically changing the way we live forever.  Until that time I’ll be stocking up on lots of soap.

Most commercially manufactured soaps have an indefinite shelf life, just store in a dry, cool place like you would anything else.  There is a possibility of natural soaps turning rancid, but I’ll just take my chances.  On the other hand, I was reading an article yesterday about the carcinogens in most commercial bath products, so I’ve decided to make an effort and look for natural, organic soaps.  Castile soap is the most popular all-purpose natural soap and there are some national brands that contain only natural ingredients with scent additives.  You can also use castile soaps as shampoo and even laundry soap. 

There was a time not too long ago when our mothers and grandmothers made their own soap - it was what everyone did.  While I believe it’s worthwhile to have some general knowledge, I’ll wait to make my own until I absolutely have to.  Although, now I’m thinking this would be a good business to have during a long term crisis.  People will always need soap……..