Survival and the Cremation of Sam McGee:

Survival and the Cremation of Sam McGee:
    I've done a bit of reading about the gold rush in Alaska, wondering at how all of the miners

The very definition of a survival situation. Men and Women hiking to
become millionaires one way or another. 

survived. It goes without saying each and every one of them put together some sort of a survival kit. They unlike us in modern times did not have the luxury of light weight materials or freezed dried foods. Freezing to death, hunger, thirst and disease were their traveling companions. I have read about people packing in the machinery to propel a ferry boat up the Yukon river, carrying the equipment over steep mountain passes. There was as much money to be made owning a ferry as being a miner. At one time there were more millionaires per square mile than any where else in the world. Sometimes money can do nothing to keep a person alive. This is the lesson to be learned when one reads "The Cremation of Sam McGee" written by Canadian Bank of Commerce employee Robert Service. He wrote two books of poetry about his experiences in the frozen north, the people, the places the environment. Tales of survival and many tales of not surviving.
     As it starts out "Sam McGee was from Tennessee" a warm place indeed. There was two men, partners traveling together hung by the common rope of gold. Sam hated the North, he was always cold, their kit was always wanting. One night while laying under the robes they slept in, packed in the snow, Sam made his partner (the writer does not have a name except to be called "Cap") promise as his last request, to cremate his last remains. Now here are two men gripped in deep winter, very much in a life or death situation and Sam has a premonition he is to die. Now Cap woke the next morning to a dying Sam McGee, by night fall he was dead. The corpse was lashed to the sleigh and a crematorium was sought. He drove with Sam for days on end, it states how Cap cursed the load, but he did make a promise and his word was his bond. Finally on "the marge of lake Labarge" a boat with a boiler in it the "Alice May" was found. Cap filled the fire box with deck planks and coal then Sam was introduced to the infernal. When Cap looked in the open door, he saw in the center of the fire Sam McGee asking him to "please close the door, as it's cold in here" smiling at Cap as he sat in the flames. I didn't do the poem justice, but this is the general gist of it.

Sam McGee is finally warm. 

     There is another story here, besides the cremation, it's the story of a person being worth his word. Cap said he would honor Sam's last request and he most certainly did. (A person is only as good as his word).Cap suffered as well, the conditions Sam died of, Cap had to still contend with to honor the last request. He didn't complain of hunger or thirst or even the cold and snow, Cap's only complaint was having made the promise to honor the last request. I'm not sure if I could do that in such a harsh environment, but I've found when demands are made on people they rise to the occasion. I have faith, I think most of us would honor that request, I do wonder how Cap survived it alone from then on. (For another blog on Sam McGee click here).
     If you are interested in reading "Best Tales of the Yukon" by Robert Service, I'm pretty sure it's still in print and available at book stores. It's a thought provoking story, the entire book is, I'd like to hear your thoughts. I'd like you to speculate on the survival skills all of the Gold Rush Miners had developed. Thanks for Reading!

jimandkate
emergencykitsplus.com

Tribes and Survival

I read a lot of blogs and articles on what to do and how to act and where to go during and after a catastrophic event. I have been thinking about evacuation's and the actions to take after ward. A lot of the sites I have read blogs and articles in seem to be in the vein of going somewhere after the event occurs. In the event of a financial meltdown, terrorist attack, (The British have it together click here)   chemical spill or a multi-tude of other But some events are not so well defined, what if there is a terrorist attack? Depending upon the affected area, what would a person do if a powerful bomb was detonated? I am of the mind to stay put, I think I'm much better protected at home, even with no utilities. (that's where the survival kit comes in handy).

A little intense I would say. 

In the event of a wild fire, flood or general destruction of your home an evacuation would be in order. We most likely will be evacuated, depending on where you live, I live at the end of a two mile country road, dead end. There is one way in and out, I've been stranded in the house, and stranded out of the house. Both events were house fires blocking the road. Being stranded inside was much better than being stranded outside. Those incidents were self defined, that is it was a no brainer, stay in or go home.
     There is a deeper side to preparing for the unknown disasters that may or may not strike. It is very important to make sure that your personal responsibilities are met with being prepared. Make sure you have enough supplies to sustain your family first, set your selves up to be as self reliant as possible. Not everyone of your neighbors will be, not even close, they are the ones that think you are crazy for preparing. There are things that can be predicted to happen, one is the neighbors will need a drink of water. Regardless that you've been telling them for years they will need 1/2 gallon of water a day to survive, they will have a half pint plastic bottle of water and ask for more while wearing shorts and zories. The path to survival will most likely be in groups, or "tribes", and those tribes will be our neighbors, they don't know it yet, and won't until they need it. I'm not sure if organizing a "tribe" would be successful in preparation. I have visions of a neighborhood watch situation, except in a neighborhood watch there is a defined intent, keep criminals out. In a totally unpredictable situation with no goal except to "be prepared" it may be an exercise in futility. However it is worth doing, at least attempting to do it. One way I think may be effective is a communal farm, everyone grow one

It won't take much room, or time. 

item in a garden with big yields such as Zucchini, Green Beans, Squash and Cucumbers. I live in a rural area, most people have a garden, I think a communal farm is do-able. If bottled water is used, (all of us use it because of our wells), keep an extra 5 or 10 gallon container in reserve. Most people have camping equipment, assign people to lanterns, stoves and yes a coffee pot. I do believe it will work, everyone will not be passionate about it, I don't believe I'm that influential. I do however believe it will raise awareness, It can be a low key effort, merely talking to people, the people I talk to all the time. Is this a good idea? Let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading
jimandkate
emergencykitsplus.com
 

Dealing with food after a disaster

     In the event of a natural disaster in which the electricity has been interrupted a survey of the condition of your food should be performed. There are foods that will last a long time, rice, beans, dehydrated fruit, honey, oatmeal, and cereals are among the them. There are some foods that will keep for a long while below 40 degrees, in ice or a refrigerator. The closer to +40 degrees the longer the food will last, however if these items have an unusual appearance, smell or becomes moldy they should be thrown in the garbage. These foods include but are not limited to: Butter, margarine, hard cheese, processed cheese, raw fruits and vegetables, fruit juices that are in a container, dried fruit (if it gets damp it molds fairly quickly), pies made of fruit, open salad dressings that are oil based, open peanut butter, mustard, ketchup, olives. Bread molds in warm humid conditions rapidly, as well as rolls, cakes and muffins.

These may have to be tossed out as well!

     If the following foods are above 40 degrees F for longer than 2 hours, it is safest to throw them out, in fact it should be a matter of course and not debated. Raw or cooked seafood, meats and poultry (Salmonella moves in quickly), Milk, cream, yogurt and soft cheese. Pies made of dairy products such as custard, chiffon or cheese. Fresh eggs and egg substitutes are unsafe when left unrefrigerated. Processed lunch meats, prepared pizza's, hot dogs, or casseroles, stews and soups. Cookie dough will not be safe as well as mayonnaise, tartar sauce or creamy dressings and cream filled pastries. It sure sounds like not much would be safe to consume it left out. Click here for food safety tips.
     If water has been kept in the freezer as part of your emergency food preparedness the temperature of the food will be kept below 40 degrees F for an extended period. A thermometer must be used to monitor the temperature of the box. However it must be noted that the more the door is opened the more cold air that will be lost. It is advisable to keep the door secured until the food is needed. The bottles of water will melt and the water can then be used for drinking or any other use. This relates to water in the freezer that has been frozen as a means of self reliance. I won't address flood, cistern or well water which should off handed be considered tainted. Drink only water that has been stored specifically for consumption in an emergency.

Cool Clear Water. 

     There is a possibility your food supply will be depleted after the first day, three days food should be stored for emergency situations. Rice, beans, oatmeal dried fruit, and prepared dehydrated food packs will suffice. Some way to purify water, boil water, and cook should be provided for. Cooking can be accomplished on an open fire, Bar-B-Que or a small camp stove. In summary dehydrated food in air tight containers are your safest bet, keep it clean, keep it dry and keep it in a secure place, it'll be OK for a long time.
Thanks for reading! We welcome your comments always.
jimandkate
emergencykitsplus.com

I've been thinking about food again:

            

    Primarily I've been thinking about food supply and the demand for it. I'm not sure in this day and age if we think of it rationally. The reason I say that is maybe best defined with a little history combined with a little bit of modern day space age stuff. In the past, invading armies would have to scavenge for food and any other supplies they needed. They would seize entire herds to feed a huge invasion force. The armies in the days of Ghengis Khan brought nothing with them. Alexander the Great, Napolean, even up to our own Civil war, armies ravaged the farming communities. The Russian winter and lack of supply lines doomed Napolian's army.

Cold, wet and hungry

They froze and starved by the thousands. (click to read a short paper on logistics) Edmund Musk (Tesla CEO) has plans on the board to occupy Mars with 200,000 people. That will demand food, shelter and protection from whatever the elements are. The ultimate survival situation, outer space. As Napolean found out it would take thousands of wagons carrying tons of supplies hundreds of miles in the Russian winter. Mr. Musk will be sending thousands of tons, 10's of thousands (millions) of miles in a steady stream to Mars. Outside of the cost, the logistics to me are staggering. To save weight, I suspect most, if not all, of the supplies will be dehydrated. Seeds will be sent as well. But initally, for the first year or so, food will have to be sent. Water, according to NASA, is available on the surface of the far away planet. 

    Meanwhile, back on Earth, in the event of a catastrophic event we will either need to provide for ourselves or depend on assistance. Which side of the road do you want to be on? It is a FEMA reccomendation a person have enough supplies on hand to sustain us for 3 days. Where I live in the California Delta we could be stranded for several days in the event of a flood or earthquake. There are many ways to provide for ourselves. A 100 pound sack of rice and beans is one way. Another is bulk dehydrated food from the local big box market, or in my opinion, the best and easiest way is to buy a pre-packaged kit.

52 serving meals

There are many kits available, roadside kits, hurricane kits, earthquake the list goes on. At emergencykitsplus.com we offer a wide variety. We invite you to take a look around at the kits. Food buckets and survival accessories on our web site. We have this really cool coffee pot that uses only propane, a porta-potty setup with a tent and all sanitary supplies. We also offer tools, kits and food supply buckets with a 25 year shelf life. This is my advertising blog. I will have another in abut 10 posts or so. My hope is to raise awareness to the possibility of running out of not only utilities but sustanance as well. Thanks for reading. Please take a look at the website and comment on what you think. 

Thanks jimandkate

emergencykitsplus.com

Road side breakdown

Road side breakdown

    That is an uncomfortable thought for anyone, I have broken down on every major (and a lot of minor) roads and Highway's in California. In the 70's I had just bought a new car and my wife and I decided to take our two toddlers to Disneyland. We lived in Fresno at the time, a solid 4 hour drive through

This is the way Women react to a breakdown, nice.

some tough terrain. Interstate 5 penetrates the City of Los Angelos.  We were on it when the new car broke down. The one thing in life that I am is mechanical, a blessing and a curse. The problem was the air filter was clogged, "blinded" is the word. I removed it on the side of the road, then continued on to our destination. I never suspected a new car would break down on it's maiden voyage. It's always "rush hour" there, it's unsettling in the least to be on the side of any major highway broken down. Click here for breakdown tips from England.

    We deal in emergency preparedness. It's been a base of my life for a long time. There was a time I kept a complete tool set in my trunk. I have changed "U joints" on the shoulder of the road, adjusted brakes and put out fires. Mostly I drove old trucks and SUV's so breakdowns were part of the territory I suppose. We offer roadside emergency kit's. There is a lot of stuff in it;  jumper cables, water, and a muliti-tool to name just a few of the items. It's almost all "man" stuff, and it has me thinking. I have a theory, it is the "men call it noodles, women call it pasta" syndrome. I dont know the difference. Is pizza pasta? See what I mean. 

This is how men react. 

    I wonder what a customized road side emergency kit designed around the needs of women would include. The kits we offer will get a person out of a jam and happily on the way. For a man to change a tire or jump start a car is a mechanical thing that is just part of the whole scheme of life. It is for women as well, except, we (men) most likely won't wash our hands after changing a tire. We probably don't have children with us and we are most likely in clothes that we don't really care about. If we get oil, gas or grease on us, we mostly shrug it off and put up with the smell and feel. Have you ever seen a guy in public with dried grass stuck in his hair, greasy hands, dirty clothes and destroyed shoes? He probably had a breakdown on his way to the place he was seen at. Not all men are like that but a lot of us are. Women are opposite. They are tuned into their appearance more than we are. Thank the good Lord.

   

With that in mind, I would like to design a roadside emergency kit for women, designed by women. Being a man, I have an idea what to include to an extent. But being a man, I have no idea what to include. Water, something to eat and a flashlight are universal but what else? I would like help with suggestions. I will at some point have a contest on our web site with the entry requirement to be 2 or 3 suggestions of what to include. In the interim we would like to hear from women with suggestions and absolutes on what has to be in one. We have a hunch we need to add quite a lot to it. We are genuinely interested in being successful with this. A flare gun? Flashing beacon? Nunchuck's? I just don't know. So any suggestions will be taken very seriously. I want to know. 

Thanks for reading. Please participate. Your input matters to us. Thank you. 

jimandkate

emergencykitsplus.com

Big Sur – Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge

Big Sur –  Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge (March 16, 2017)

    There is a number of bridges that sustained damage during the past series of storms in California. One of the bridges in need of repairs is the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge in Big Sur, a beautiful road trip. I have driven that stretch of road about 5 times in the past 25 years, high cliffs with the ocean far below. There are dirt roads leading off Highway 1 from each side of the road, I have always wondered what was at the end of them. I assumed there were homes because some can be sighted from the road, others I'm sure are way back in the mountains. It is a very primitive area, some people that have never been to California assume the entire state is crowded, like L.A. There are a lot places in the state that are vast wilderness, this is one of them. 

    The bridge suffered a crack in the center running perpendicular to the center line, it cracked

The crack penetrates the bridge from one side to the other and
all the way through the road bed.

completely through the concrete. Deconstruction of the bridge began last Monday, the 6 ton wrecking ball was not up to the task. A hydralic jack hammer on the end of a crane is doing the trick, a lot of rubble and re-bar laying on the bottom of the canyon floor. 

     The bridge is closed to any type of traffic, it may be a year or longer before a new bridge is built. This is a big demolition job, the entire bridge will be rubble 50 feet or more below the road. The people removing it will have to be highly trained and methodical to complete the task safely. 

      I'm actually writing about it due to another thought that I have pertaining to discovery of the crack. When the road is pitch dark in the middle of the night, traffic going about it's normal traveling routine's coming and going, how can something like this be expected? My brother in law lived in Seward Alaska for a long time. One night traveling from Seward to Anchorage the truck he

A huge amount of debris, far below. 

was driving suddenly was airborne, he never left the highway. The road had dropped 4 feet during an earthquake, he had no idea it had. No one was injured, the car was OK, I've thought about that incident off and on after it happened. I related that to the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge, I wonder who discovered the cracking bridge. I also wonder how in the world a person could prepare for a catastrophic event of that type? The first few cars that went over the bridge without noticing apparently made it. A broken bridge would be the furthest thing from my mind during a hard down pouring rain storm, how much visibility was there? Is this one of those occurence's that would be labled an unfortunate accident if someone was injured or worse? It doesn't appear "fault and blame" come into focus here, the bridge looks to be at least 50 years old. Even if blame could be placed what use is it now? The main thing is repair and get going again. I think of the many bridges I have used that had pot holes, big chunks missing from the road way, cracks and broken railings, I wonder now what would it take for me not to use a bridge. It's an interesting question: What in your mind would make a bridge that you have used for many years impassable? I'd like to have your input, I don't know what my criteria is. (Click here for an article on driving during storms.)

Thanks for reading jimandkate

emergencykitsplus.com

All the little lights:

   Have you ever walked into a room in the pitch dark and seen all the little bright lights from all the stuff that's plugged in? I really don't like talking about the old days much, it's in the past and we're moving forward, technology is dragging some of us with it but don't remember even one red light when growing up years ago. Some of the electronic gadgets that are plugged in I don't know the name of even. Other's, like clocks, make me wonder why do we have so many? In fact some of the equipment I have no idea how to use some aspects of.

Most seem to be red, the cable box is green. 

   I got a weather station for Christmas, it's a really cool thing, temperature, rain, time (yes another clock) and it can predict the weather. Everything is working fine, I don't know how to access the prediction part of it. I haven't loaded the app on my phone to enable me to check my weather from remote places. My thought is I get enough information from it on the surface of the supplied monitor, weather that's what I want, what is it like outside now. I have neighbors with weather stations I access with my phone, I really don't need to access mine from somewhere else. Don't get me wrong, I like the instrument a lot, but I have all the weather information I need now.
    If you're like me, I get a ton of notifications every day on my phone, television, my computer and even over the land line. Most of them are important, storm warnings, evacuation, social problem alerts and more. I like technology and I appreciate the alerts. We socialize numerous ways throughout the day, in fact it's hard to imagine the world without the ability to text. Instant communication is now taken for granted, right, wrong or indifferent this is where we are.
   

In a disaster we will lose all of it, for a sustained period of time, or for a very short time. How would we communicate with our family members and other people after losing everything except maybe a cell phone? Included in your emergency preparedness plans should be an informational card each member of the family should have on them at all times. On that card one entry should be how to contact each other upon separation. We must assume the local lines (think cell phone) will be jammed up, everyone will be on their phone, in a panic. On the contact card have the telephone number of a friend or relative who lives out of the area. Inform that person they are the family contact, volunteer to do the same for them, ask them in advance to perform this task of taking the calls. Make sure they know you will call them, not them calling you, the situation will be confusing enough. Upon evacuation, grab your disaster kits and go, call your contact and keep in touch, calling every few hours if people are still missing. The most important is to make sure your loved ones are safe.
Make a contact card, keep it in your wallet and in an emergency use it.

Leave a comment, suggestion or critique. Thanks for reading
jimandkate
emergencykitsplus.com

Keep a kit in your trunk

    I've been reading articles in the newspaper and on line lately that more and more describe people being stranded in their cars. It should not come as a surprise with the way vehicles are built we would feel totally secure inside of them. They are constructed in a way which enables them to be almost completely silent inside, nice smooth ride, no road noise - man I'm falling asleep just thinking about it. As comfortable and nice as they are, breakdowns are still possible. (More on car safety here)
   

This may be worse than being stranded alone. 

It is important to keep basic supplies in your trunk, you can put a kit together or buy one on line that is pre-packed. The kit should supply your needs for a period of at least 3 days, for however many people are with you. Breakdowns could be anything from a flat tire to complete destruction of the vehicle.
    People traveling in the mountains should be especially cautious by packing a bag customized to the trip, allowing for the number of people. In the kit some means of keeping warm, blankets, a small heater (a propane lantern works well), lots of water, high calorie food and jumper cables. (There is a complete list here). Make sure to have socks, undergarments, at least one jacket, a pair of gloves and a warm hat. A wind up radio capable of charging a cell phone, a method of signalling (laser lights work, all safety precautions need to be taken), a means to start a fire, some rope and a tarp. Depending of the location and the degree of danger, most of the time it is best to stay with your vehicle.
    A trip in the desert regions are equal to winter travel, except it is hot. I've lived in the North during blizzards and being snowed in, I've also lived in the desert during the summer. We left when the temperature reached 126 degrees F, it's just as hot as the North was cold. It can be just as disabling as snow. The same items should be in a desert kit as the snow vehicle kit, you may need a jacket, the desert can be blazing hot during the day and cold enough to form ice overnight.
The desert has hazards that are not shared with the cold, snakes, bugs and rapid dehydration are part of the list. If stranded in the desert, get to shade or construct it with a tarp and rope in your kit, drink lot's of water we can live longer with no food than no water. Don't walk out, when I worked in the desert the company would let us work 1/2 hour then cool off for an hour in the shop. 15 minutes in the heat (greater than 110 F) can be disabiling, so don't attempt to walk out. Exposing your skin to the sun can speed up the dehydration process, wear your hat, sunglasses, cover your skin as much as possible and drink lots of water. You may not sweat, don't worry, keep drinking water we need a minimum of 1/2 gallon a day, in the desert I drank at least a gallon sweating very little.
    It's easy to make bad decisions during stressfull situations, being prepared with a survival kit will help releive worry. Stay calm, think, drink lots of water in either situation, signal for help, stay in the shade or in snow in the car and don't attempt to walk out you probably won't make it.

What do you think? Leave a comment and share it with me.

Thanks for reading jimandkate
emergencykitsplus.com

Early spring nice days bad sun.

   These first hints of spring are tempting us to get down to swim shorts and go out to catch some rays. Before we do that we should review our ideas and thoughts pertaining to the sun. It can lift our spirits after months of doom and gloom of winter, like the first snow when we drag out all of the snow toys, we do the same in spring. Most likely that first nice day is a false spring, just enough to excite us. The East Coast of the US experienced a false spring, people were at the beach. Then two weeks later they had a significant snow fall. (Blizzard) I wonder if anyone had to wear long johns over sunburn.

The sunshine warms the bones.

   Why are the sun's rays so dangerous? The ozone layer is made up of 3 oxygen atoms, it is the layer that blocks a lot of the sun's ultrviolat rays, too much UV before the age of 18 can cause health problems. This fact makes the using of sun screen an absolute necessity at all ages but critical as a child. The sun can damage your DNA, causing cells to grow out of control, it may lead to skin cancer. Sun Safety is critical.
    What it means to be Sun Safe is taking steps to keep ourselves from being overexposed to the Ultraviolet rays, the CDC has guidlines to prevent skin cancer Here.
Some actions we can take to minimize our exposure are: Stay indoors when the sun is at it's highest, that's between the times of 10:00am and 4:00 pm, if you do go out cover up all exposed skin and wear sunglasses. The UV's are absorbed by your eyes and melanoma or skin cancer can be caused by it. Wear a hat and long sleeve shirt, stay in the shade and drink lots of water. Tanning beds have the same affect as the summer sun.  We get vitamin D from the sun, we get all we need in confines of safe exposure which is about 20 minutes with no sunscreen.
    There are many brands and types of sunscreen available, those with an SPF over 30 are not effective. Make sure to re-apply after swimming or sweating, again drink at least 1/2 gallon of water a day.
    A person would think the states with the most sun have the highest rate of skin cancer, Washington, Oregon and Vermont rank the highest in the US. They are also the cloudiest. Minnesota and Arkansas do not keep statistics.
   

Anyone that has had even a mild sunburn will agree it is painful. Before I lost my hair I went without a hat for a day. My scalp got sunburned through my hair (it was thinning) and my head felt like it was on fire. I don't remember going out without a hat after that.
    To keep from getting burned or worse, use sun screen, watch your exposure times, drink lots of water, cover up as much as possible and re-apply sunscreen through out the day. A little precaution may keep a painful encounter with sunburn an unknown clamity for you, or your children.
Leave a comment, let us know what you think!
jimandkate
emergencykitsplus.com

It sure look's like spring, hint: it ain't.

We are being bathed in Sunshine for the next few days. A high pressure area that formed off the coast of San Francisco is somehow causing this. It makes the old bones ache for some of us. But all the same, the sunshine feels good as it warms them up. A slight contradiction, but that's ok, it's harmless. Another contradiction is the good/bad wind coming in. nNormally starting in or around April 1st, it will blow until around Thanksgiving. The prevailing wind is West to East. The storm wind from the South is another blog. Read an interesting very short wind preparation article from the National Weather Service here.

     I like kites. I like the fact the wind keeps the skeeter's away. I like to watch the sailboats and people on paddle boards using it for propulsion. Nothing can compare to a nice balmy breezy day next to the water. We live in an area that the wind is up about 6 months of the year. We also have a golf course on the island, another contradiction.  

Well the grass won't have to be watered today.

     The wind can also doom outdoor activities, surfing, boating, painting, golfing most things are made more difficult in an intense wind. Our dock was blown apart by a wind that reportedly reached 80 mph. One foot thick pylons (25 years old) were sheared at the mud line underwater. Umbrellas, lawn furniture, canopies and covers, you must secure them or forget about them. I worked with a guy who at one time worked on a wind turbine farm, in the olden days. These first generation wind turbines had no way to brake their speed. When the wind got out of control, so followed the turbine. They stopped a runaway turbine (I am repeating a story he told me) with an arrow shot from a bow. The arrow had a light line tied to it. The line tied to a rope and the rope tied to a cable (wire rope). The cable was then attached to the bumper of a 3/4 ton pickup truck. The arrow was shot into the blades above about 75 feet. The string wrapped on a blade. The first to go

They do come apart, this is not the one of which I wrote.

was the truck's bumper. Everybody ran away. The line, rope and cable immediately came unspooled. The caught blade was torn apart, rendering the machine way way out of balance. The remainder of the blades flew apart. There were pieces of the turbine, blades and generator everywhere. No one got hurt. They never tried to stop another runaway like that. 

      Most people will never have to stop a run away turbine. Now there are several ways to stop them, but we are affected by high winds in negative ways. I saw a video this morning of a little girl. She was entering her house and opened the door. The child could only hold on to the knob for dear life as it whipped her into the side of the house after the door was caught by the wind. I do believe that is a common occurance, I've been hit by a wind blown door. We just have to be aware of the wind. Sometimes we're going to get tricked by it. 

      One thing we can do about the wind is buy a kite and go fly it away from trees. 

What do you think? Tell us your wind story.

Thanks for reading jimandkate

emergencykitsplus.com

What's with the huge gate?

     I really like the movie "Kong", the one with Jack Black as the ringleader. It takes place partly on the island where the local inhabitants have based their entire lives on staying away from the genetically modified monkey. If there ever was a need to prepare for disaster, this is it. What could be done to protect the entire village?

A lot of people have questioned the size of the gate. 

     Build an altar to worship the beast and a huge fire to hopefully scare him away. Don't give him any access points past the 100 foot tall wall that was built. Don't let the kids out after dark, or after light either. Don't grow any crops outside the gate.
     There really isn't much that can be done to predict an action by an unpredictable being. There are similarities between protecting oneself against a monster and a natural disaster. I think King Kong is a little more predictible. All he had was his muscles and natural abilities. A natural catatrophic event has a lot of factors involved, weather, water, the ground shaking, flood or high winds, it's all unpredictible. With King Kong it seems possible to be able to hide from him when he's acting up. With a flood or wild fire for example, hiding would be fatal. In a panic some people do hide, others run madly away and still others freeze in place. Human reactions are highly unpredictible much like the actions a giant ape might take.
      Unpredictiblility is the major issue when faced with an emergency. Every one of them is different. In a wildfire we have fickle winds, tornado we have no idea where they will start run and end. Earthquake's are a "what was that?" moment, and the power of water is totally out of control or prediction. I lived for 3 years in the California desert near Mecca, California south of Palm Springs. There is a geological formation underground on the North shore of the Sea of Cortez called the "anvil". If an earthquake in the correct spot occurs the anvil will slip, allowing sea water to flow into California underground. The water would (some say it will happen again) rise 150 feet in some places flooding from Baja to Palm Springs.

The burning man ship Contessa on fire.

When I learned of that, I thought, the only defense would be to put a boat on the roof of the house, just in case. A person might gather a few nicknames when the neighbors see that but what else can a person do to prepare? A person doesn't want to set themselves up for failure. Other than a boat on the roof, what else is there? There are legends of sailing ships laying in the desert sands. You can read about some of them here. 
      The locals on the island King Kong lived on built a huge wall around their village. It looked to be 100 feet tall. King Kong looked to be nearly that tall as well. The people did all they could to block the beast out. Or did they? I wonder why they built a gate to the complex that allowed the giant ape to walk in upright. Most of the people I saw were average size for a person. Did they sabotage themselves with the huge gate? Why go through all that work just to build a gate? What do you think? Let me know in the comments.
Thank for reading
jimandkate
emergencykitsplus.com

What kind of bag do I need to put my survival kit in?

There are many kind of bags available for sale, they are available almost every where a person goes. A carrying device really needs to be fitted for the person who is responsible for it.
     Children: Depending on the size and age of the child the bag should be easy to carry and relatively light. A backpack seems to be the best option, In the event of an emergency a backpack set up near an exit may be the easiest for a small person. The child can place a few items in the kit, whether it be food, clothes or a jacket. Toss a hat in it as well.

I need a bigger bag mom. 

     Families: Depending on how many members are in your family will depend on much you will have to carry. The adults in the family will be carrying the bulk, as well as directing the response needed by them. An adult in good health will be able to have a backpack and pull a rolling bag. That will leave one hand free, a lot of equipment can be put in two bags.
     Teen's: The best thing to do is let the teens choose their own bags, they have to be comfortable with it as well as functional. Teen's will want to add some items in the bags.
     Older Adults: If you have a family member who is older(my mother in law is 93), ask him or her if they could carry a bag out. Just a bottle of water will be a contribution. It seems a rolling bag of managable size will be best. Place a jacket, socks, a hat and shoes in the bag.
     People with disabilities: It depends on the disability of course, If a person can walk with the use of two canes He or she may be able to use a backpack, but perhaps not be able to carry or pull another bag.
   

OK, put the handle for the wheeled bag in my hand.

The main point is not to over load any one person, we should each be responsible for most of our own gear. There are exceptions of course, the most important task is to safely get everyone out. In the event of an evacuation I am sure there have been plenty of well planned escapes, and some where emergency kits did not make it out. That doesn't mean the evacuation wasn't a success, it just means some things were overlooked, it's going to happen. A discussion and planning in advance is primary, Loading the kits re-enforces the planning, rehearsal plants it in your mind. It works and it doesn't take much time to do in advance you'll be happy you took the time.

Thanks for reading jimandkate

emergencykitsplus.com

Warning Horns, Bells and Whistles

I read a newspaper article this morning comparing the Oroville Dam spillway situation and the Coyote Creek flood in San Jose.
     Oroville, was evacuated, it appeared to be organized enough to get people to a safe spot, then they returned home. Oroville had no 911 reverse alert calls, no evacuation horns instead people were notified door to door. It was a planned response, it seems and sounds a little primative but in times of emergency people step up to the plate. Neighbors called neighbors, they walked next door to help others, they did what needed to be done. Oroville has one hour if the dam fails until the water level in town reaches 100 feet deep, they had to leave. In my opinion whoever made the decision to evacuate the town, (I'm sure it was more than one person) used common sense and a rock solid decision.

What! What do you mean we have to leave!

      Coyote Creek, the people in the flood area got no advance notification. The system has been in place for years, but no one was trained to use it, so no one was notified. The first residents heard to evacuate was when the water was rising in front of their homes. The system installed is a reverse 911 system, a common system, it just wasn't in operation. I give the Mayor an atta boy for coming out afterward accepting all responsibility stating the "buck stops here."

Man, that was loud!

      On the small island my wife and I live on has an alarm system, right out of the 1960's, it's an air raid siren, we have I think 4. It's tested on the first Wednesday of each month at 11:00 am. Sometimes I still raise my head and have to think if it's "real" or a "test". Hmm let's see, what day is this, who says I don't need a cell phone. We live and breathe levees, water, wind and our time rises and falls with the tide, it's a lifestyle. If we have a levee breach people on the island have designated evacuation areas. Most are at a nearby marina, from there we walk out, 2 miles for us.
      The urgency in setting up a working system depends I believe on how immenent the threat is. In Oroville, the tallest dam in the US, the threat is ominous. For Oroville residents it is part of their life. To us on the island the threat is always here, high water, tide or not, we live it every day, our levees are looked at every day during the Fall, Winter and Spring. In the Coyote Creek flood the dam is there, the water is there and the creek flows through that section of town. However there was no percieved threat even though the place flooded approximatly 20 years ago, most people forgot. I believe urgency is the deciding difference, and both Oroville and Bethel Island are in comparison small, Bethel Island very small. There are a lot of different facets to notifying people I'm sure, however I think a feeling of urgency to set up a system could be the deciding factor of it's success or failure. I'm sure San Jose will fix the system they have and most likely end up with a state of the art design, due to because that's what they do.
       Well what do you think? Am I way off base, kinda correct or something else? Let us know I'd like to hear your comments.
Thanks jimandkate
emergencykitsplus.com

Lost and Found

It's said that Daniel Boone was asked if he ever got lost while he was wandering around the wildness. His answer was "Naw, but I got bewildered once." You bet, I have been as well, but actually it's been more than once. In my younger years I would often backpack with my son and daughter's. The area we hiked in is in the Sierra's between Yosemite and the Sequoia Nevada's just east of Fresno California. It's a really pretty place.

Well, alright, let's head that-a-ways for a while then. 

   I was with a friend in the early 1980's, my kids were not with us, we were hiking near the John Muir trail. The mountain we were using as a base is the furthest east a road goes, the eastern slope at Crowley Lake was visible. There is a lot of miles of nothing but miles and miles up there. One day about mid morning I left the camp to take a short "go see" walk, I had looked down the hill and it was calling me. I was wearing a small pack with some water and other things in it, I disembarked. I was carefully (I thought) keeping up with where I was, my confidence was high. Making a map in my head, this clearing I came in here, remember that rock, that cliff, those trees yep, I was on top of it. I was gone for about 1/2 hour and decided it was time to go back to camp, so I turned in my tracks and began looking for familiar landmarks. The mountains are deceptive, so many trees look alike, rocks, cliffs, trails they all lose thier meaning. It took me a while, I was in denile, but I was bewildered. More than that, I was profoundly lost. I had no idea where I was or where camp was or how to get back. We have a tendency to walk down hill, it's easy to travel a long way with little effort, that's exactly what I did. I knew I had been walking down hill for a long time, instead of turning and going back up, I continued down. I was extremely lucky, I came to a creek. We were all taught in Boy Scouts when you get lost stay dry number one and number two if you come to a creek or river it will lead you to a road or town. (Backpacking link) I followed the creek, it was the right thing to do. By this time it was dusk, I figured the guy I was with was at least wondering where I was, at worst gave me up for gone and went home. By the time I made it to the single lane mountain road, I recognized where I was, I took a left. I had a long uphill hike ahead of me and would not reach camp for at least an hour or more. I had walked about 1,000 feet when I saw a yellow 4 wheel drive pickup heading my way, it was my hiking partner. I was so happy to see him, I was found. During that time of year the cowboys are bringing their cattle down the mountain to the valley, my partner asked them to help find me. We had to go find them to call them off, we did, they were happy I was found and life went back to normal.
   I started out going on a 10 minute walk, it ended up being about a 10 hour ordeal. The only survival gear I had was a canteen, (in the late 70's early 80's no one bought water in bottles.) matches, some peanuts and my knife, not much planning, heck I was only going to be gone for a few minutes.

But, is there an internet connection here?

   The Boy Scouts taught me another thing: "Be Prepared", I learned a lesson. It was a dumb mistake, but a good lesson. I'd like to hear your comments, it's hard to admit it when you are lost, have you ever been faced with that situation?

Thanks for reading jimandkate
emergencykitsplus.com

Hats and wearing them

I'm a hat wearer. I wear mostly broad brimmed hats, "Cowboy" hats some people call them. Not all broad brimmed hats are "Cowboy" hats. I wear mine because I am prone to skin cancer. In a survival situation it is logical to me that a hat is needed. It's hard to tell how harmful that long exposure to the sun will be.
    When I first came to California in 1970, the intensity of the sun was immediately a dominating factor as far as I was concerned. That was prior to the bare head look. Still, a lot of people went hatless. I am now bald but back then it was a work in progress. I sunburned my head to a tomato color. The pain escapes words.

Owww!

That is when I decided to wear a hat, forever after, when I'm in the sun.
    I wore "baseball" caps for a long time, switching between broad brimmed and caps, until I got skin cancer on my ears and nose. (Check out the precautions here). That incident told me to wear only brimmed hats. Now, for the most part, I do. I prefer during the winter a wool hat with a 2 1/2" brim. It has fold down ear muffs and a forehead muff as well. It does OK in the rain, or the heat. However, in the rain I prefer to wear a leather fedora style hat with a 2 1/2" brim. During the winter the sun is not as intense. I have several hats I wear during the summer.  I prefer 3 or 4 inch brims and a lighter constructed hat in the heat. I have what I call an Arizona Sombrero. It is not the typical rolled end Sombrero. This one has a floppy 12" brim, Huge. I wear it when the sun is extremely hot (August, September) and I want to protect my neck and shoulders as well. It's great for gardening. I look a little strange but, Oh well. My prefered summer hats are made of straw or a similar material. My "go to hat" is constructed of Palm leaf fiber, in true "Cowboy" hat style. The brim is 4" and offers very good protection of my ears, nose and neck. Due to the wind where I live, I make sure to have a chin strap. A chin strap can be wide and bold or like all of mine a rawhide boot lace. Anything to keep it from blowing away. It is automatic for me to flop my hat on as I'm leaving the house.  I don't leave home without it. I look at wearing hats as a survival requirement. In the winter I want the warmth to stay in. During the summer I want it out. I don't want to sunburn my bald head ever again. Skin cancer hurts when it's frozen off, and the shade is great. Sunglasses work better under a hat.

I don't look as dazzeling as the Duchess does, but
I bet she is striking standing in the garden.

    Everyone is different (thankfully), hat wearing is one of the differences. If you're like me and wear them all the time, or a person that never wears one, we are well advised to put one in our Emergency Responce kits. We  need one in a disaster situation.
    Are you a hat wearer? Love them or hate them I'd like to hear about it.

Thanks for reading jimandkate
emergencykitsplus.com

Sandbags

Rain has been falling throughout the state for the past few days, everywhere that is except where we live. The storms have gone around us, I'm not sure if that is called being lucky or not but that's the way things are. Skunkpuppy and I sat outside for a while this morning as is normal for us. She is continually looking over her shoulder making sure I haven't retreated to the house. I managed to video two Canadian Honkers on my neighbor's dock, they were in the wind and light drizzle. The dog was not interested in them which is odd for her, normally on her morning patrol every bird, squirrel, rabbit, and turkey is rushed away by her. I am of the opinion one of the geese took issue with being chased and had a head to head with her. None the less she's not messing with them any longer, as far as I'm concerned it's good.

Southern California received a considerable amount of rainfall as evidenced by the news reports and in the local paper. The Los Angelos river is full to the point of overcoming the walkways on each bank, normally it has very little water flowing through it.

Northern California has received rain as well, flooding has been reported in many areas around San Francisco. Further north in Butte County substantial rainfall has been reported also, as we recall the Campfire started in Butte County.

Tornado warnings were issued last night, one in Chowchilla in the Central Valley, and another North of Sacramento, these are rare events. Last week one touched down within 100 yards of my daughters home in Clovis. They have several acres which serve as the company lot for their tree trimming business. High winds and heavy seas as we would refer to nasty weather while out at sea.

Rain is forecast to continue for the next few days, we may still feel the impact as of now we are facing 2 mph winds and overcast skies. There is some snow on the Diablo Range, it's fairly commonplace usually it does not remain long. Flooding is not a threat here but sandbags are still being made available to us, so far they are needed throughout the state but not here.

Sandbags are heavy, some are really heavy, but not heavy enough for massive flows of water. One cubic yard of water weighs 1700 lbs (2000 k) six inches of flowing water is able to knock an adult over. To prevent the water rising to a space invading level that must be kept dry, most local governments will supply the bags and the sand, we supply the labor fill the bags. A mixture of 1:10 cement to sand is the recommended mix, however in a pinch, any soil will serve. Shovel the mixture into a burlap bag (it won't work with plastic bags) set the bags in place then wet with water, after drying it will form a semi-permanent barrier. Preparation can begin a few weeks prior to an anticipated event, caution is advised to keep the materials and full bags dry.

 Click here for emergency sandbagging construction.
   
When erecting a sandbag dike the sewed end of the 1/2 filled burlap bag must face into the flow otherwise the sand will be washed out. Lay the first course on a level surface, be sure while setting them to flatten the tops and sides. The first course of bags must be at a minimum 3 deep, the second 2 deep and the top course 1 bag deep. The height of the dike determines the depth of the first course of bags. A pyramid structure is very stable and will resist the pressure of the water when constructed properly. The completed sandbag dike should not be expected to direct flow higher than 2 feet, at that height, it will act as a dam if constructed properly. Set the bag, fold the open top under the body, aim the sewed end towards the flow, stack in a pyramid and your sandbag dike will work. However left in place the burlap will deteriorate over time, in most cases just a few weeks.

Proper construction aids strength. 

Don't use bales of straw or hay as a dike, they will merely wash away and water will permeate them. A temporary dike is meant to direct water, not totally dam it up, although it will work as a dam for a while. If a longer lasting dike is needed due to recurring flooding a more durable berm should be constructed. The permanent structure can be an elaborate cement wall or a hand dug ditch. The intent is to keep the water from invading the space you want to protect. Keeping in mind the basic intent and which way the water flows will able us to construct a good solid temporary or permanent flood control dike.

Well, this is a start, only 1,000 left to go. 

It is advisable once again as I normally do when talking about flood water, not to use it for anything, it is polluted and may be toxic. During a flood, the water flows through farm fields, roads, golf courses and all areas lower than where the water originates. Often sewer lines, sumps, and septic tanks back up and everything there rise to the top. If you come in contact with flood water, wash affected areas with hot soap and water. Wear rubber boots and rubber gloves, lift properly and dress warmly.

Thanks for reading and sharing, pay attention to the weather and if possible prepare early and practice building a dike. Thanks again.

Jacques Lebec  Natural Self-Reliance