Have you ever had a major fire while Bar B Que'ing? Maybe read this to make sure you won't, I have.

    I'm big on suggesting the most important supply to have on hand in ample quantities is water. Second to that is a way to purify water, generally some sort of stove or Bar B Que. It's fairly common and logical advice, after all we can go three days without water before bad things happen like dehydration and tragically death.
    This blog is not about water, it is about the means to purify water, which renders down to some way to boil it. I am taking particular homage to boiling water with Bar B Ques. Specifically I will relate two instances of fire danger with two different types of out door grills. One is a charcoal Weber, my favorite style of Bar B Que. The second style is a pellet type grill, a great way to cook.
   

We'll just let it burn out on it's own. 

This incident happened to me about 4 years ago on my porch. We live in an area where high winds are not uncommon, on this particular day it was gusting between 15 and 20 miles per hour. I started the Weber with a can starter and newspaper. The fire started and I poured the hot coals in the bottom of the grill then placed more charcoal on top. After the fire got up to cooking temps I replaced the cover and went into the house, the wind was strong. When I went back outside with a tray of food, I was astonished at what I saw. There was a flame shooting out the air vent on the bottom of the pot, flashing right on the plastic wheel about 2 1/2 feet below it. The wheel was on fire, the deck was on fire and the enclosed handrail was on fire inside. We successfully (two grandson's and myself) extinguished the flames, the boys were set on "fire watch" to take turns watching for flareups. What happened? The wind was so strong it reversed the draft in the firebox, causing the wind to blow from the top vents through the grill out the air vents on the bottom. I never dreamed this could happen, yet it did. The lessons, I will not BBQ in a high wind again, I will control the draft better and stay near the grill while it's heating up.  I wish I read this prior to grilling in the wind.

Hey hon! How's the chicken doing?

     The second event occurred with a pellet style Bar B Que, this is one of the best ways to cook outdoors, however not without dangers. On this day there was no wind, we were on the deck cooking out again. The pellet stove was performing well for the first five minutes or so when the temperature started rising, rapidly. As the grill got hotter and hotter the steel shell began to glow red, the gauge maxed out at 500 degrees. As the paint was peeling off I realized it was burning much hotter than 500 degrees. The pressure in the fire box was lifting the lid up allowing flaming gas to belch out, smoke and flames dominated the evening.
We turned the thing off, the reasoning was to let the fuel in the fire box to burn away. It was the right course of action to let it burn its self out, it took 30 minutes for it to settle down. This time the porch did not start on fire, the grill looked to be destroyed. What happened? I spent a great deal of my working life working on solid fuel boilers, I understand them well. Solid fuel (pellets in this case) will bridge over in a fuel supply hopper causing a lack of fuel. Pellets do one more thing when they get moist, they puff up a little bit and become sticky causing bridging to be a natural result. The pellets will also clump together causing more fuel to be put into the firebox than should be. That is what I think happened, clumps of fuel were being fed into the firebox overcoming the flame until enough air was introduced then wow, huge flames.

What do you suppose caused the grill to explode?

temperature
    We were fortunate in both instances that no one was injured and the house did not burn down. There was salmon in the pellet stove of which my son sampled and did not thing was "too bad". We painted the pellet stove and cleaned it up, we use it all the time, although the same thing happened again last night. We moved the Weber to another spot off the patio and still use it as well.
    I would like this blog to raise awareness to the fact that as convenient as a outdoor grill is we sometimes (I do for sure) take the safety for granted. Maybe due to using them all the time I became lazy and assumed too many aspects of grilling. In other words, carelessness seems to have been the predominant cause of both incidences. So in the spirit of being self reliant and resourceful I will add another bullet point to my emergency preparedness plan; Take nothing for granted and assumptions are dangerous.
    Thanks for reading, I'd like to hear from you, have you ever almost burned your house down while Bar B Que'ing? I'm sure there are stories out there, I'd like to hear some.

Thanks jimandkate emergencykitsplus.com

You say it takes how many acres of Potatoes to feed a guy over the winter? Wow, how many for 4?

    People are very resourceful, most of us have had experience's when we see or hear of someone performing under stress that would be unnatural during normal circumstances. Such is being as self reliant as we are each able to be. Being and staying self reliant is not an instant occurrence, it is a lifestyle that is not very hard to harness. I'm not talking about having a bunker and all the supplies one would need to survive for years on end. I'm talking more of making it through the first few days or a week after an unexpected emergency event. If we make it a habit of rotating water supplies, canned food and basic food items a large portion of the preparing task is complete. However should all of our needs come from stored supplies? Depending on the time of year, scavenging may be a real alternative. We are fortunate where I live, there are a number of abandoned fruit trees, wild

Unfortunately seasonal, but oh so good. 

asparagus, wild zucchini and nut trees. Unfortunately most of the produce ripens almost at the same time. At the right time of year it is a bounty that I take advantage of when available. A large part of self reliance is to have a garden. A garden does not have to be large, in past days the average garden was 2 acres for sustenance. An eye opening fact is it takes 1/4 acre to grow enough potatoes for one person's consumption over the 5 months of winter. To raise enough for a family of 4 would take an acre. That should not discourage us however, plenty of vegetables can be raised on a patio or a small yard. Vegetables that have a long shelf life are best, most of those are root vegetables. Beets, turnips, squash and carrots are a few examples capable of surviving in a dark cool spot. Most of the plants that produce them can be grown on trellises out of containers.
   

Squash on trellises grows well and has a long
shelf life when stored properly.

Although it would be ideal if everyone lived next to a pristine mountain spring, it is not reality. In the event we should lose our water supply we can rely on stored water that is purchased in the local grocery. If the cases of water are rotated with use they should remain safe. Water for other uses can be rain fall collected in large plastic barrels, or specially made collection systems. This water could be used for drinking after purification.
    It is prudent to have a tool kit with basic tools in it, hammer, saw, screwdrivers and a flashlight. More important than having them is the ability to be able to use them, and know what they are. If your have a chain saw for example, know how to use it before you need it.
    A good mental attitude is very important as well. If other people can do it so can I, is the type of mentality to possess. Learn how to perform basic skills, sewing, painting, the difference between various fasteners such as nails, screws and glue. When the comment "gee, that's funny" is heard, curiosity should be awakened, something is up. Look into it, learn from it and finally use the skill. Before a disaster strikes is the time to learn, if we think we can do a thing we can, if we think we can't well you finish that line.
    We don't have to wait until a catastrophic event takes place to be self reliant, we can live it every day. Being proud of what you can accomplish with limited space or resources is half the challenge of being practical and confident. When we bring our selves to a level of being able to rely on our own skills and abilities in every day life, they will be second nature when we are stressed by an emergency. "Here, let me try doing that" is not just words, it's a learning experience.

Self confidence feels better than a hot shower!

    Thanks for reading, I welcome comments, suggestions or questions. Let me know a few skills you possess that are unique and help's your self confidence.

    jimandkate emergencykitsplus.com

Dog flea repellent, garlic, rosemary, apple cider vinegar really? What do you use, homemade or commercial?

    I really don't like putting flea and tick repellent on our wild eyed mixed breed Heinz 57 family dog. She doesn't like it one bit, true to form she makes it as difficult as possible to put it on her. The commercial stuff is expensive, and I'm not sure if it's not toxic. I've been looking for home made formula's for repellent. (EPA on fleas here.)

    Fleas and ticks will be prolific in your yard when the the soil temperature reaches 45 degrees Fahrenheit and it is maintained for at least 2-3 weeks. Keeping them out of your yard will help keep them off your dog. The first item we need to take care of is to make sure our lawns are mowed, the little critters love long grass. Nematodes are the answer, nematodes control ants, termites, grubs and Fleas, they feed on them. Nematodes are living creatures, they can be bought at garden centers, big box hardware stores and on line. When they arrive make sure to use them immediately. Add water according to the suppliers instructions, pour in a sprayer, or watering can and spray throughout your yard. (Click here for more on nematodes.)
    Rosemary, Catnip, lemongrass, basil, lemon balm, sage and mint are some plants that naturally repel insects. Plant any of these in planters and place them by your entry ways, they will naturally repel fleas and keep them out of your house. Some work excellent to repel mosquito's as well.

Where are my humans when I need them, don't they know I can't
reach that spot? Good Grief. 

    Diatomaceous  Earth, not the swimming pool type, it has chemicals in it for commercial uses. Buy food grade Diatomacious Earth only, abbreviated DE, it is available at many dog supply stores. Dust your yard where your dog spends most of it's time, where ever he/she rests is a good spot. DE is extremely dry and will dry out the flea and ticks eggs that lay in the grass and dirt. It doesn't take long before the pest will be eradicated, if it is applied regularly. Once a month, and after every rain fall after the ground dries out.
    Boiling 7-8 heads of garlic chopped up in a gallon of water, let it steep for 12 hours, strain it, pour it in a yard sprayer and lightly spray your yard. Moderation is the key, garlic also kills some beneficial bugs, don't soak the ground and you'll be OK. When I was young we fed our Labradors garlic for flea control, I remember it working. People that recommend it now use 1/4 garlic clove per 10 pounds. If your dog is 100 pounds you would then use only 2 garlic cloves, once monthly.
    Apple Cider Vinegar, 8 ounces of warm water, 12 ounces of apple cider vinegar, and 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt or Himalayan salt. Combine all of the ingredients, pour in a spray bottle and spray on your dog once a week. Make sure to avoid open sores or areas that are skinned or raw.
    Essential oils mixed with a neutral oil such as vegetable oil, olive oil or grape seed oil (to name a few.) A few drops placed on a collar or bandanna around your pet's neck will repel pests. Take the collar off before entry back into the house. Essential oils such as Lavender, Lemon, Cedar and Peppermint are some. Be cautious with them and again moderation is key. This would be my last choice, it just seems like a lot of preparation just to be used outdoors.
For every day flea and tick repellent use, 1 lemon, rosemary 3 sprigs, 2 garden sage sprigs 1 quart of water. Boil the water, slice the lemon then add the sage and rosemary with it into the water. Place a good cover on it and let the concoction steep at least over night. Make sure to strain it before putting the solution into a spray bottle. This will last 1-2 weeks when refrigerated.
    The Internet has many recipes and solutions to deal with fleas and ticks, do not use the same solutions on cats.

It's good to be good!

     Thanks for reading, tell me what you think, have you used home made flea repellent for your pets? I'd sure like to hear about it. Leave a comment, what have you found that works?

Thanks jimandkate  emergencykitsplus.com

Have you set up your survival kit for the kids yet? If not, we better get with it soon.

   While reading blogs on the internet that pertain to my website niche I noticed that there are a number that list suggestions on what to have in an emergency kit. There is a lot of information in most of these writings, they range from about 500 words to many pages long. If a blog is too long it begins to get a little tedious to read, the same holds true if they contain too much information. The ones I was reading listed what should be in a "bug out bag", or "BOB". In all fairness most are listing the supplies that one would need for an extended evacuation. Some suggest having a "safe" secondary home set up for an extended event, a very seriously high level of preparation. I understand that level of planning. Today however I am writing about another level of preparedness, that is making sure the kids are taken care of.

Maybe not everything they want. 

    I remember growing up during the 50's and 60's, we had nuclear bomb threats, Russia was going to drop a bomb on my home town in Minnesota. I was afraid, I was in grade school and the threat was very real. During a catastrophic event a lot of confusion is created, and true to form the last ones to understand it are the kids. (here to look at a kit)
If there are children involved in the planning of an evacuation, we must take their concerns seriously and provide for them. We need to make sure they have a survival pack of their own, it must have "comfort" items in it. A good place to start is the purchase of a dedicated survival pack just for them. When a pack is purchased and it arrives at your door it needs to be inspected. Take an inventory of what's in it, have the child with you make sure to pay attention to their input. In the pack will be basic stuff, flashlight, water and a little food. There is a lot of small items as well, there are also some that need to be added, these are basic supply kits.

Dress in layers, stay warm and dry.

They are generic kits set up to accommodate the majority of what is needed. Inspect the kit with your child, ask him or her what they would like to add. Remember they may be standing for hours in a safe place during a flood, after a tornado, watching their house burn down or a number of other events. They will eventually get so tired they will not be able to stay awake and they will get aggravated. Some of the items to consider may be: bathroom facilities, a porta potty and a tent, or a bucket toilet. A favorite toy or article that will serve to comfort them. A hat, jacket, socks, shoes and a sleeping bag. A rain parka may come in handy along with sunglasses. Bug repellent, sun screen, chap stick and other personal hygiene items may be included. (Click
    Dealing with a short term evacuation does not involve as much stuff as being in a permanent situation, but the first 72 hours is very critical. To try to make ourselves as comfortable as we are normally at home will be impossible. It is more prudent to expect that if 80% of our needs are met during an event, we are doing exceptionally well. Most people will be closer to 20%, they might have a bottle of water or two. That's fine, but for our little ones it isn't, especially if you have a baby or two, the challenges multiply. The responsibility will rest (you guessed it) in the arms of Mom, make it as easy as possible on your self, you will be stressed as well. Don't wait until something happens to make a plan and buy a bag, be set up early. You can build your own bag, the problem is it never leaves the planning stage or we use the items gradually not noticing they are depleted. The best course of action is to buy a prepared kit and add to it, I believe you will be better prepared.

Child's survival kit, well supplied for basics.

    Thanks for reading, leave a comment, what will a child need during an event? I'd like your input.

Thanks jimandkate emergencykitsplus.com
 

Spring has sprung! Every creature is active right now, some coming out of hibernation not bears, Rattle Snakes!

    The weather is great in the spring, the last days of winter are longer, there is still a bite in the air we can feel and smell the northern thaw. We know summer is on the way, all of the birds are roosting, the small furry animals have baby's everywhere and the wild turkeys are finally not to be seen for a while. If you live like we do in a western state (California), and in the boonies, spring is also snake season. Most of the native snakes in my area are non poisonous, a lot of gopher snakes, black water snakes and garter snakes. I have seen some rare snakes, one was a California Whip Snake a beautiful creature about six feet long and the diameter of an index finger, harmless snake.

California Whip Snake, or Striped Racer, harmless.

Another rare snake I've seen is a California Boa Constrictor, they live at the tree line in the mountains. The California Boa is a small pink snake, about 6 inches long and the diameter of a thumb, they too are harmless.
    In my younger years my kids and I hiked a lot in the mountains. Sometimes day hikes, but mostly overnight backpacking, watching for Rattle Snakes was part of the experience. This time of year the Rattle Snakes  are starting to emerge from their hibernation dens, they get warm on rocks and roads. They can be found in tall brush, wood piles, rock piles, cow pastures and anywhere they can go from shade to sun fairly easily. The risk of being bitten by a rattlesnake is not as high as people may believe, they truly are more afraid of us then we are of them. Most snake bites occur between the month's of April and October, when we are most active outdoors. (Snake safety article here)
    After a cool night rattlesnakes look to warm themselves by basking in the sun. Rocks, Roads, Logs and hiking trails are common spots to see Rattlesnakes sunning. They are most active at dawn, dusk and night. There are 7-8,000 people bitten by rattle snakes each year in the USA. Some bites are fatal, 95% of bites are from Western varieties of Diamond Back Rattle Snakes. The remaining 5% are caused by Water Moccasins, Copperheads and Cottonmouths, between 1960 and 1990 no more than 12 fatalities from snake bites were reported.
    If you are around tall brush, wood piles or any place that looks like a good spot to hide wear the proper clothing. Sturdy leather boots and loose fitting long pants (cotton jeans) should be the uniform of the day. Never wear flip flops, sandals or bare feet. Rattle Snakes don't always rattle if they are surprised, they instinctively strike if you are too close.

Good protection choice. 

    Avoid tall grass, heavy underbrush and weeds while backpacking, keep your eyes on the trail about 10 feet in front of you. I have walked up on Rattle Snakes basking on a trail, some look so much like a cow pie it's hard to tell the difference. Don't just look for them, look to see them, expect to see one don't let it be a surprise. Do not try to pick up a Rattlesnake, a lot of men and boys are bit on the hand by trying to do so, (few women get bit on the hand, no questions here, it just makes sense for some reason). Step on rocks and logs not over them, look on the far side before stepping down. Check out where you park your car, look for snakes where you are planning to park, people have been bit stepping out of their vehicle.
    Yes Rattle Snakes can swim, don't reach for sticks or branches while swimming. Be careful when stepping over doorsteps, they like to crawl along the edge of buildings.
Don't hike alone, go on the buddy system, it's smart for a lot of reasons.
    Don't handle freshly killed snakes, their venom is still poisonious and they can still inject it. Leash your dog and teach your children to respect them and leave them alone, like I said a lot of men and boys are bit on the hand from trying to pick up a Rattle Snake.
     When outdoors stay alert and look to see, too many times we look without seeing, it's like looking at the windshield instead of through it. Gopher Snakes are often mistaken for Rattle Snakes, we are best served giving every snake plenty of room. Being outdoors is safest when we exercise common sense and awareness, be careful and know what you are looking for. If it looks like a snake, it may just be a cow pie.

Not a Snake. But they can look like one. 

     Be careful, have fun and I hope this blog will raise the awareness of beautiful weather being great for all creatures big and small, respect them and they and you will be just fine.
    Thanks for reading, leave a comment, give me some pointers on what precautions to take and what to be aware of in Rattle Snake Country.

jimandkate emergencykitsplus.com

Doe's your community planning for disaster management include long term evacuations?

     At the fourth level of disaster response is the long term event causing evacuation or staying at home with no services. After the initial 72 hours that very easily can expand to one or two weeks, the realization is this event could be a permanent situation for a few months or longer.
    We have used our pantry foods first, they lasted for a week, we then used our 72 hour supply of food. We kept the water in a pouch intact, in anticipation of having to use it when walking someplace. At the beginning of the second week the years supply of dehydrated food was opened. Now at this time we can pretty much expect to be feeding our neighbors and perhaps family members that showed up from somewhere else. We have already established ground rules for the "tribe" we created consisting of the neighbors that have stayed. In order to conserve the food a decision was made to make big pots of soup, dehydrated foods make great soup.

Get a big rock with lots of moss on it. 

    It would be a very rare occurrence for an emergency situation to last longer than a month, however when faced with the possibility it is prudent to start to make long term plans. The original plan we put together has now been expended, the long term plan we made is obsolete due to the added members of the community. Great co-operation among the members will have to be maintained, it will be trying. People will have to be assigned jobs or chores, depending on the time of year a garden will have to be planted, livestock found (I'm thinking chickens), firewood and everything needed to sustain ourselves will have to be addressed.
   

The master plan said Water, dang it, Water!

Water will have to be continually purified, there will have to be people dedicated to production of water. Related to that is people making sure there is a continual supply of fuel to keep the water fires going. Water purification will have to be accomplished by boiling water in huge kettles, allowed to cool, then stored in food quality containers.
    What are the chances of an emergency event taking on a life of it's own and being of an exceptionally long length? I don't know, a better question perhaps is how is your community planning for disaster managment? Will it be every man for himself, or is there a written plan somewhere? Too often plans are not recovered until they are needed, it is much better to have one in advance. Community plans are a lot of times posted on line or like where we live at the local post office.
    Many Government and private entities reccomend having at least two weeks survival supplies on hand. The very minimum after that is a two week supply, two weeks is a common evacuation period.

Could you please get the remote for me?

    It would be very difficult to keep enough water fresh and on hand to sustain us longer than a few days, 1/2 gallon of water per day per person is the minimum needed. The actual amount is at least 1 gallon a day, twice that if you have a baby. Unless you live near a lake, river or spring, finding a good source of water will be tough at best. Never use flood water for anything.
   plan. If you are able to provide for 80% of your needs you are doing very very well.
I hope this blog will be food for thought, people no matter how far removed from this thinking should at least make a mental plan. A written plan, a 72 hour kit and a good predictable way to "make" water pure should be a minimum. If you are stranded in your home, you are most likely OK, if in a shelter we will most likely be fine as well. If your evacuation spot is more remote, such as a forest, the challenges will be compounded by either lack or planning or lessened by having a
    Thanks for reading, your comments are welcome always. Thanks
jimandkate emergencykitsplus.com

The fourth day of a 72 hour evacuation, things don't appear quite right here.

    On the fourth day of this hypothetical evacuation event we have realized that it is going to extend to another week. We fond out a major earthquake has occurred in the city, all infrastructure is down, the highways are jammed with broken down cars and trucks. People are walking the freeways to escape the lack of food, water and other supplies, the water ran out 3 days ago, the food right after that. It is a dire situation, one that few people were totally prepared for, luckily we were, but not to the level we thought we were.

    Today is the day to go through the refrigerator and dispose of all the food that has thawed and gotten warm. Any food items that are suspect must be disposed of as well. The freezer must be inspected as well, if the food is still frozen it is safe, if it is thawed it has been compromised and must be disposed of as well. We have eaten the food in the refrigerator and kitchen cabinets, the 72 hour kits food supply is still intact.
    It's also the day to take an inventory of all of the supplies we do have on hand, flashlights, battery's, hand tools and all the survival equipment we have amassed over the past years. Now is the time to set up for a long term event, no one will be here to help for at least one week. There will be a lot of speculation and guess work due to communications being down and the only news is by word of mouth and the crank radio. We do have cell phone service off and on, however we are the only people with a solar charger putting it in much demand. The neighbors that remain charge their phones with our charger,  they are using our equipment to boil river water, we are making huge pots of watery soup from any food we can find. It was all working well sharing as long as people had food in their pantry, we are now running low and even though we rationed for the first week we will be opening the long term supplies soon. FEMA on communicating during a disaster link here.

All the supplies I need. Wow. 

    Many of the neighbors will have left by boat or walking, some returned with news of the damage, some we will never see again. We have formed into a "tribe" of sorts, everyone is now contributing to survival. In a few days we will be out of propane for the stoves, we will have to use wood fires to boil water. We will assign wood cutters and water boilers, both will be constant chores. We will send people on searches for wild asparagus, fruit and other wild foods to supplement the emergency sets we have. We may end up with as many as 100 chickens and ducks that were abandoned, I think eggs and roasted poultry will be sustainable. We will start to plan for an event without end.
    More people will be leaving as the road is cleared, there may be no where to go if prior plans were not made. People will also be coming, getting away from the city, they came here once a few years ago and remembered it may be a safe place to be. They will come with nothing, your supplies will be stressed, they want water. I'm not sure if I would be able to refuse them, it depends on how many there are and what their needs are. The local government structure is beginning to fail it's beginning to look like there will be no relief for weeks. The freeze dried one year supply of food has been opened, we will begin rationing immediately.
     We will start to plan for a community garden after the third week with help and utilities still an unknown distance away. It will take 1 1/2 acre to plant enough potatoes to feed 6 people over the winter of 5 months, a 5 acre garden may be in line. Long term planning is started, seeds collected and all the stuff needed to farm will be gathered.

Lot's of potatoes, lots. 

     The 72 hour evacuation ended up being 3 weeks, we are now looking forward to an extended event. The next blog will deal with it.
     Thanks for reading, I'd like to hear your comments, discussions and advice. It's an  interesting exercise to go through "what would I do in this situation?" It's serious and it has the potential of being real. But a survival kit, have it ready and be prepared for a 6 month event.
jimandkate  emergencykitsplus.com

When you're in a 72 hour natural disaster relief event that turns into a week or more, how do I prepare for that?

    The electrical power is out, the wind is blowing, it's raining hard, the bridge is washed out and the levee may fail if the water gets any higher. Trees have blocked off the only way out for us by any means but walking. The house had a tree fall into it, the porch roof is collapsed but the main house is OK. The mud in the driveway is loose and a person can sink up their hips if they aren't careful. It's 3 in the morning (seems like all bad things happen in the middle of the night) I grabbed the "get away bag" and my wife had the 72 hour pack when we headed out the door.
     Now it's decision time, stay or go, is the first decision to be made. Standing on the levee with the neighbors, everyone was awakened when a transformer exploded on the power pole. Nothing is flooded, nothing has caught on fire, every one's house is still standing. The first responders are unable to reach the house, that means we are on our own. Go in the house and sleep the rest of the night, there is plenty to do in the daylight.
     Communications, if there are people you need to notify, this is the time to do it. Take your preparedness list out of one of your survival kits and follow the directions that are on it, that was

Communicate, it will make a difference.

prepared a few years ago. On that list is a telephone number of my brother in Minnesota, (we're in California), he is our family contact number. We use an out of area number because everyone in the affected area will be on their cell phones. The lines will be jammed up, call the number and stay in touch about every 4-5 hours. Determine next if you can stay in your home, or walk out. If the house is structurally sound, hasn't burned or collapsed and is in a safe and secure condition, return inside after turning off the gas and isolating the main breaker on your electrical box. We don't know if the infrastructure has been corrupted or not, a gas line or electrical connection may have broken, because we don't know secure all utilities.
      Water, take stock of your supply, if you don't have one gallon per person for 3 days, start to conserve now. The minimum amount of water we need to survive is 1/2 gallon a day. Secure the food in your freezer, if you have placed gallon containers of water to freeze, don't open the freezer door. If the door is open a lot of the cold will spill out, leave it shut until you have to get in there. Stop using the toilet, if there is no way to flush, you are heading for a problem if it is used. Flush with a bucket of water, but if you don't live near a source of water a "porta potty" can be set up with a 5 gallon bucket and a beach noodle for a pad. Now is the time to take your water containers out, start filling the empty ones with boiled water, even if you have a filter pump, boil the water. Do not use flood water, well water or water from a stagnant pond. Ready.gov link here for water preparedness.
     

Food, oh my gosh, we're going to feed 100 people I guess. 

Food, you're in your house, you have an evacuation kit, save the food and water in it if you can. This is also when we should start finding out the extent of the damage and how long we could be stranded. Call your contact number, he may have heard something even though he is in another state. Prepare for 3 days, but expect to be stranded for 6. There is plenty of food for 3 days, we need very little to survive for a few days if we are well fed prior to the event. Use your emergency radio, check in on it every hour or as you think is needed. Keep boiling water.
      Neighbors, family, friends very few will be prepared, and those that are will not be 100% ready, there are too many unknowns. If you are self reliant and have prepared for the unexpected event, it should be assumed that people around you will need the basics. I'm not sure if I am the type that can look my friends in the eye and tell them they can't have a drink of water. In my opinion part of being self reliant in the face of disasters also includes being "over prepared". I want enough on hand to help my neighbors, in times of crisis people band together and rely on each other. The time to organize a "tribe" is before the event, but mostly it won't happen, so plan to organize after the event. Most people want to be a positive contributor when face with a crisis, we can be counted on, the person with a coffee pot will be the hero.

The tree took out the road, power lines and access to anywhere.
This is only one of many that fell. 

      Three days have passed, it looks like it's going to be longer. If you conserved your 72 hour pack supplies and relied on what was in your pantry, you should be in fairly good shape. Your water will be running low, you are beginning to not trust the food in your fridge, if in dought toss it out. The Weber in the backyard is now your full fledged kitchen, and your fireplace is your central heat. The situation still is not dire, because of your planning in advance you know what is happening and what you may expect. Being stranded for a month longer is no longer a distant possibility, it has become a fact. You and your neighbors are stranded, in fact if it's longer than 3 days, your entire county, city area is impacted, that assumption must be made at this point. You are now in a long term survival situation, you are fortunate you are still in your own house. It can only be imagined what the people in the city are up against, if they tried to leave by car the highways are jammed with broken down vehicles, it's not a good scene.
      This is the first 3 days, it could be worse, we may not have prepared or had water on hand, many people won't. We're still not out of the trouble buy we are surviving due to pre-planning, we are now in a long term survival situation, the subject of the next blog. Three days and no end in site. Read about planning here.

       Thanks for reading, give this blog some thought, if you don't have a survival kit now is the time to either make one or buy one prepared commercially. I prefer buying one, then adding what I think it needs after I receive it. All of the pre-made kits are very well supplied, however we all have personal needs that must be attended to. We really would like to hear your comments, they are important, ask a question or make a statement. Thanks for paying attention and being self reliant it will pay off one day. jimandkate emergencykitsplus.com 

   

4 levels of preparedness for disaster level 1, Can you get to safety?

       In the event a catastrophic disaster leaves you and your family in an unsafe or precarious situation our reaction will require different levels of readiness. This blog will deal with the first basic level which is our initial reaction. When faced with a situation in which you have to get away fast, we won't need to carry a full 72 hour backpack. We need to have in readiness a bag suitable to sustain us long enough to get to safety. I will use my location as an example for all 4 blogs. We live on an island two miles down a dead end country road. The houses have a "road" side and a "water" side, on the water side is a levee.

Have your "Kit" ready well in advance of an event.

The levee can be driven on, however, it is wide enough for one vehicle only. In my case the "get away" survival pack should have enough supplies for 1 person to walk 3 miles down the levee to the main road. Each person should carry their own bag.
An example of contents would be: 1 quart of water, an energy bar, 12 hour light stick, whistle, waterproof matches (or a fire starter), rechargeable flashlight, emergency poncho (it may get or be rainy), a warm blanket, a multi-tool with a knife and a small first aid kit. Also, extra socks, underwear, shoes, a jacket and a hat.
It should all be in a bag of your choosing. One that is comfortable for you to carry. There are many types available, waterproof bags, backpacks and duffel's are among some styles. They should all be water proof and not filled to the point of having to keep the compartments open, every one needs to be zippered or buttoned closed.
It is prudent to expect tragedies in the middle of the night, in a rain storm, high winds or very miserable conditions. We must also assume that the majority of us will not be rescued, only disabled and elderly will be. We must also assume we must walk out. The road will be blocked by fallen trees and emergency vehicles dealing with them. We must also assume that next to my bed I have laid out the night before clothing that can be put on in a minute or less time. Layering would be the best dress mode to take. We can always remove clothes when we're warm, but if we don't have enough on to begin with there is little to be done if we get cold having nothing else to wear. (Click here for a good article on evacuating your family.)
Your neighbors will not be prepared for this. But you will be. You will have clothes, water and an emergency light. In the best of situations we will have enough to be able to help them out, but we will not be able to help everyone out. We may be in a position that, because we are prepared, we are in a position to help with whatever we have. That will be likely, especially when the evacuation spot is reached. We will most likely have to share clothing. In an earthquake for example, re-entry to your home is not possible. In a wild fire or flood, merely getting out with your life could prove challenging. Even if we are well prepared we may not have enough time to grab our survival kit or to even get dressed. Hence the importance of laying clothes out the night before.
My cell phone will most likely be useless for local calls. The Internet will be down. We will have no electricity or running water. Communications immediately after a catastrophic event is essential. Every night charge your phone. Social media will be jammed up and the phone lines will be jammed for local calls. Establish an out of state contact that all of the people interested in your well being have the number for. Stay in contact with them every few hours if possible, if not, once is better than nothing.

A relief center set up in a church, we'll be OK here. 

When we make it to the evacuation staging area we will most likely be transported to a relief center. These are normally churches, YMCA's, schools or the like, there will be water and relief stations available. In an emergency the best of people will come out, everyone wants to help, and most of us feel we are better off than others. That attitude is healthy. It puts us in the mental frame of mind of being able to help other people. That to me is the ultimate goal in being prepared for an evacuation. Be prepared enough for you and your loved ones, and be in a position that you are prepared enough to help other people. Human strength is in groups.
Does this make sense? Let us know, I'd like to hear from you, thanks for reading.
jimandkate emergencykitsplus.com

Four levels of natural disaster preparedness, Six levels of awareness.

Reasons for an emergency evacuation, why, what, where to and when?

    When an unexpected emergency event takes place there are six steps of awareness. 1) Detection, what happened? Where did it happen? How am I affected? 2) Now what? After the detection and a determination of the extent and impact a decision must be made, stay, go, or somewhere in between? 3) Alarm, tell people alert everyone that may be impacted by the results of the occurrence. 4) Reaction, Panic? Deliberate decision making? Follow a pre-determined plan? 5) Movement, get going, leave, stay, be evacuated? Move to a safe place, an assembly station, a pre-determined muster area? Be evacuated by responders? 6) Transportation, the real evacuation. How to leave? The first four are referred to by many as "Pre-movement Time."

Red Cross safe center. 

There are also four stages of preparedness, four increasing levels. 1) Escape. Get the heck out of the affected area fast, generally due to impending disaster, wild fire, house fire, flood, hurricane any occurrence when immediate evacuation of the area is required. This is when your escape pack is used. 2) Stay and wait for relief. This is the phase for which your 72 hour survival pack is used. 3) Longer than 72 hours, we start to use our long term survival food, break out the water purifying equipment. Start to plan for a long term survival period. 4) It appears this is a permanent situation, this is what some are preparing for, total collapse of society.
    I am writing the next four blogs to delve into the details of each phase. Not so much the equipment and gear that should be stored in preparation of an event, but more in the area of what to expect and perhaps be able to predict in a sense of what is going on. Three concerns will be covered as well. All things water. Where we may have to walk and how far and lastly, immediate clothing upon discovery of the event. This includes what weather we should prepare to be in, when rationing food is prudent, awareness of what relatives and neighbors may or may not do and what their reactions may be.
    Each of the ten phases, the first six as the event unfolds, the second set of four involves confusion that may arise during the event. The second four phases will involve one step at a time, being determined by the people affected. It may just involve one person or an entire neighborhood or town. Decisions  may be made easier if awareness is arisen prior to an event. Some of the steps we should take involve making a plan and staying with it. Another is making sure we have plenty of water, and a third preparation for sustenance. There is a lot involved in being and staying prepared for an emergency that is on the precipice of changing our entire lives. They are life changing occurrences for sure. My intent will be to incite people to take preparedness seriously, and act on it. Click here for an article of what to do after an event.

Organization is a big part of being prepared, and safe. 

    I will, after the four blogs are written, embark on another writing adventure to incorporate all four into one publication for free distribution from our website. It is a much needed document, as a guide to answer the question "What's happening next?"
Thanks for reading, comment please, say what your want, ask a question.


jimandkate emergencykitsplus.com

Everyone complains about gravity but no one does anything about it! Here's four things we can do.

Sometimes the predictions of the weather are a little bit off, like today we were suppose to have a major rain and wind storm. The rain came, but not the wind, it's OK the wind is what does most of the damage here. Or is it the wind? It's like the trees and hillsides come alive after a long bout of wet weather. The trees start toppling and the hill's start moving, dams have problems (I refuse to say fail). The tides are high, the low tides are real low and the mosquito's are all they can be. The mountains and fields are a glorious green and the flowers are coming up all over the place. During the summer we will look at the brown and dried flowers and say, "man, there sure were a bunch of weeds that sprouted." Today's flowers are tomorrow's weeds, morning glory's are pretty in the city, not so much in a pasture. There is a cover for a dock that has blown apart near us, fences have been blown down, roofs compromised and of course trees down. There are three huge eucalyptus trees that collapsed and blocked off the road for a while, the owner has been cutting them up for three weeks.

All things fall at the same rate of speed. 

Everything that falls, topples or collapses have one main thing in common, the culprit, Gravity, life would be easier if we could turn it off and on. there isn't a thing we can do about changing it or ignoring it or doing anything with or about it. The only thing we can do is work with it, and make it our friend. Sinking ships are helpless when they are in the grasp, as is anything falling from a distance. During earthquakes, tornado's, floods and fires, gravity does it's work best, working in confusion and multiplying the problems. NASA has a view of gravity click here for an interesting write up.
We would be much worse off without gravity, I'm not sure what would happen if we had zero or reduced. I'm pretty sure we would be better off with more versus less, but either way it is the way it is.
The reason I am thinking and writing about it today is during an emergency situation gravity when anticipated can work with us, ignored it will work against us. I worked in elevated areas during my working life, we had safety meetings on gravity. I had dropped a pry bar one day from 75 feet above, it went through the deck grate, cleanly. Propelled by gravity it struck the asphalt below, it was an 18 inch pry bar and all that was exposed was 6 inches above the black tar.
        I know three men that died from falling from high places, I have fallen off ladders and platforms. Gravity, we take it for granted and rarely place it at the center of blame, often it is. What can we do?
1) Every fall is preventable, that's right, every single one. Before fall restraints some people tied ropes around their waist, others did nothing. At one time deaths from falling were a cost of doing business, some were expected, not any more. Wear a safety harness, fall protection, it will save you.
2) "It can't fall further than the floor." That axiom was drilled into us at safety meetings, if it's valuable, set it on the floor, it will be safe there. Not only will it not break, it won't fall and injure someone. So put it on the floor or deck, in a safe out of the way spot.
3) Drill a hole in the handle of a tool, run a cord through it and wrap it around your wrist, I do that when I'm working around water and if I had done it when the pry bar fell, it wouldn't have.

It'll still be here in the spring. 

4) Perform a "walk around" before and after a storm taking gravity into account, look for objects that could fall or fail. Trees, limbs, sides of ditches and canals. We are responsible for our Levee so we keep on eye on them as well. Look at boats in the water, look where the tractor is parked will it sink in mud? Hills and slopes can slide.
Well the gravity of the situation is (I just had to get that in) although a lot of incidences exasperated can be lessened by looking and inspecting situations while keeping Newton's nemesis in mind. Airplanes use gravity when they are crashing, we can as well.
Thanks for reading, I'd like to hear from you, your comments and suggestions, they are valuable to us.

Thanks for reading jimandkate emergencykitsplus.com

What do you do for hot water when the power is out?

Yep this is the Strawberry Granola Crunch

Strawberry Granola Crunch, is the name of the product I typed into the search bar. I do that with various products from time to time just to try to gauge the popularity. This Strawberry Granola came up with 20,000 or so results, the top ten were major cereal producers. Walmart to name a few. There is de-hydrated fruit and vegetables, freeze dried meats, and cases of cereal bars, it seems every item available in the grocery store is available freeze dried in Mylar packages, sealed in nitrogen and a 25 year shelf life. We have bags, duffel's, backpacks and buckets. We have backpacks and bags available with all the stuff for people to build their own kits. There are lights, sleeping bags, blankets and candles, as well as a full years supply of packaged freeze dried foods. All of the products are really pretty good to eat, and handy to make. On many sites offering survival kits there are numerous other items, hand hatchets, knives, silver ware, plates and pots, not to leave out propane powered coffee pots and sanitary facilities in a tent. There are water purifying items from large pumping systems to the single filter straw, bleach and purifying tablets. Everything imaginable is available to assist us in making it through the first 72 hours of an unexpected emergency. There are a few items I make sure are available to us and set to go. One item is a coffee pot, I have to have coffee in the morning, I mean good coffee, I don't want freeze dried or instant or pre-ground. I want honestly just good coffee, out of a pot. I want some way to stay warm, even during the summer after the sun sets it gets cool, I make sure I have a jacket with me everywhere.
General Mills, Pillsbury, and
  One more item that I don't think of too very much but every time I do think of it I want to be sure to have it on hand. That is this Coleman On Demand Hot Water Heater. It holds 5 full gallons of water, approximately 50 pounds, water is around 9 pounds a gallon. It employs two propane cartridges, self lighting and is very well insulated. link, I'm sure you'll like what you see and what it has to offer.

Coleman On Demand Hot Water Heater

It's not really very expensive at around $50 and is actually pretty attractive. In the course of preparing freeze dried meals, boiling water will not be an issue. Sure we still need matches or some other way to start a fire, but with the "Coleman On Demand Hot Water Heater" at least water for meals will be hot and ready. We'll want to leave the water reservoir empty until the time comes when it is needed, wrapping in a plastic trash bag and sealing it will keep it clean and ready. There are so many uses for hot water, especially if you have children, in particular a baby. It would be so handy to have hot water ready during a power outage or an event that eliminates our utilities from being relied on. For being self reliant in the face of trying circumstances hot water is near the top of the list. We have the "Coleman Hot Water On Demand" available in our store ready to be used for hot drinks, meals and cleaning up toddlers or ourselves. Take a look at it here in our store by clicking this
Thanks for reading, I'd like to hear your comments.
jimandkatebelbeck
emergencykitsplus.com

Care for a big thick juicy salted beef steak sandwich? Or do you want to carve a button?

I was sitting on the back porch drinking coffee and looking over the river into the island beyond, every time I sit there something happens. It generally has something to do with people or creatures in the act of surviving. This time of year the birds and the small furry animals are suspiciously absent. In April most of the animals are on their nest or dens birthing and guarding their young ones. I was looking through the guardrail watching a bird dive for fish when something caught my eye. A cord was draped across the top rail and between it and the top of the rail a tiny spider made a web. The spider was no larger than 1/16" from the tip of one leg to it's opposite member. This small spider caught a mosquito in this invisible trap, I could not see the fabric of the web. Now I'm bringing this up because the flying insect was easily 5 times larger than the spider. It would be like me catching a hippopotamus and wrapping it up in string, good luck with that. I'm sure the spider had to deal with the parts of the bug that were not edible. This brings me to what my problem with the Hippo would be.

OK, wrap it up!

Preservation, how in the world would I preserve a large amount of fresh meat in a survival situation? One way is salted meat. It's an acient method of preserving meats, make a wooden barrel, pour a layer of course grained salt on the bottom and begin layering meat and salt. It will keep the meat edible for a very long time, up to a year. This was the manner in which the tall sailing ships preserved meat for the crew. I was under the impression that salted meat was much like "corned beef", or "pastrami". One of my reading interest is books dealing with the history of the sailing ships before steam, I marvel at how they all survived. The Captains of the ships had it the best, then the officers conditions deteriorated the further below decks a sailor lived. It's a known fact they all suffered from the threat of scurvy, a lack of vitamin "C". They also suffered from another ailment, how in the heck to eat salted meat. A large chunk of meat would be pulled out of the barrel, then let to soak in water for a couple of hours or days to soften it up. The meat came out of the barrel the density, color and feel of thick tree bark. The sailors used some of the meat to carve buttons for their clothes. It was much like 4" thick beef jerky, boiled in a stew was the best way to eat it, the flavor was secondary. The salted beef (more info on salted meat here) was complimented with ships biscuits, "hard tack" is what landlubbers called it. The spoiled parts of meat were carved off and tossed away, the sailors had a lot of illnesses.
Salted meat was stored for what we would call survival in this day and age, in the days of yore it was food, they didn't care much for it but it was all they had. In the event of a major catastrophic event we could very easily have a food shortage.

This doesn't look to bad. 

It is not likely we would have to resort to salting our meat, however it could very well happen. But instead of keeping a few hundred pounds of salt on hand in case I may need it to preserve food in an emergency, I would prefer a year's supply of freeze dried main courses, they are very good to eat and easy to store until needed, many with a 25 year shelf life. Mankind has existed for thousands of years without a constant predictable way to preserve food, it may come to that again. If we lose electricity we will lose all modern conveniences, not just our TV and telephones.
I'd like to hear your input, if a catastrophic event lasted for over year how would you cope? What's the probability of that happening? Let me know, thanks for reading the blog.
jimandkate
emergencykitsplus.com

If you could choose just one survival tool, what would it be?

Last night at dinner we were talking about the television program "Naked and Afraid". I have not watched it, our son in law explained that two people a man and a woman are set in the wildness with no clothes. They can each choose one survival tool to have with them. We bantered around what each person (there were 5 of us at the table) would want, matches, an axe, machete the entire list of stuff. I have a tendency to always go with water and all things water related. A filtering straw, a gallon of unscented bleach or purification tablets maybe. At least a cup to gather water in, or a pot of some sort to boil it in.
     I believe there is always some way to make a fire, I wouldn't be too concerned about that.

If I could find a cord I would construct a "friction"
type of starter. 

Likewise to be concerned about firewood is most likely wasted effort as well. What I believe makes the choice so difficult is the fact they have no clothes on, no belt, shoelaces or fabric from a shirt to use for various survival needs. It ends up the choices in tools that are made are it, that's all a person has. If I were to chose a knife, I would be able to cut things, vines, thin wood, construct a trap for game or fish. A tarp would be handy for construction of a survival shelter, but it's easy enough to build one with the logs, leaves and forest debris. A hand ax or a hammer have limited uses as well, I'm trying to stay alive here, so I want what will supply me with the one thing I can not live long with out. Water, I want it to be free from all the bacteria and bugs that make us sick, that means boiling. (Click here for a guide by the EPA) The three tools I feel I would need are 1) Something to boil water in, like a pot or steel cup 2) Fire, most likely I would use a friction type of starter I would be able to make with little effort. I would have to find a cord or vine for the bow. 3) Fuel, there should be a lot of it laying around.
     My decision is to choose a "Kelly Kettle", it's a coffee pot looking tool (see the photo) that has a double jacketed steel wall, and is open through the center. It was invented in the 1800's in the British Isle's for fisherman (one use) to heat water for their tea. It's a genius tool to use to boil water. The jacket is filled with water, then a fire is built in the base of the pot using the inner open area as a "flue", it acts much like a "Rocket Stove", but not as noisy. They use very little fuel, they don't appear to be more than about 50% efficient due to the aspiration of the expelled flue gases. But hey they work wonderfully and could easily supply water for several people for a long time. We don't have them on our web site to sell, regardless that would be my choice, a "Kelly Kettle".

     I would not like to be met with that choice, I would not volunteer to take part in a program like that, it's just not my style. There are many blogs, web sites and government programs making suggestions on what should be in an evacuation kit. I read one yesterday that was 30 pages long, I could not think of one more thing I would pack in that bag. There are others suggesting a quart of water and three matches, way out on the other end of the spectrum. I would always recommend going for the water, we can live 3 days with out it, less depending on the ambient tempurature, yes water.
     What would your choice be? One tool, not enough but a pretty good mind exercise.
Thanks for reading, comment and tell me what you think, Thanks!
jimandkate
emergencykitsplus.com

Wood Ash how it can help in being as Self Reliant as possible

Wood Ash how it can help in being as Self Reliant as possible

   I read a lot of blogs, I like them, yesterday I read a long blog on Wood Ash. There are many uses for wood ash, most help in our quest for self reliance and the spirit of making stuff out of nothing. Wood Ash, I worked for a few years in a Electric Generating Plant that used urban tree trimmings as boiler fuel, we ended up with a lot of ash. It is made up of Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium and Calcium along with traces of Iron, Manganese, sodium, boron, zinc, and other trace elements.

In large volumes Hazardous waste protection is recommended. 

The ash particles are classified as PM 10, particulate matter 10 microns, each particle is shaped like a spearhead with a barb. Like a fish hook once the barb embeds it will not back out, wear a dust respirator, PM 10 will get lodged in the pores inside your lungs. Googles, gloves, and a good respirator are the requirements for personal safety. Wood ash is considered a hazardous waste, that is the challenge in large quantities. The quantities generated in a fireplace a no problem, personal protection should be afforded however. In Southern California through the desert runs Highway 10, from Los Angelo's to Yuma Arizona, our boiler ash was used as road bed for much of it. Which brings us to it's first use:
    Mix ash with concrete, it hardens along with the cement and makes a great additive, the ash particles are encapsulated and will be safely contained. Left alone when it gets wet it will swell up and harden which makes it very useful in capping landfills. When Hazardous waste is placed in a hazardous waste dump site it must be contained so dust is not raised. The ash is spread over the top of the waste, wetted down and left to harden. When stored in a silo, it will swell when wet and can either split the containment or harden and be there forever. "The Chimney Institute of America" has some advice here.
    When placed in a sock, paint strainer bag, or cheese clothe and suspended in water for 24 hours, a "tea" will brew. A Potassium rich liquid fertilizer spray able, and very manageable.
     Fill a bucket halfway with wood ash and half as much hot water, when left to "steep" lye water will made. To use it skim it off the top of the ash, place it in a container. In another container suitable for heating, place Tallow, or any other animal fat. Let it melt, add 130 degree water, and 130 degree lye. Depending on how much you are making is how long it needs to be stirred, generally 1/2 hour or more. When it thickens to the point the stirring utensil stands up, pour it in a mold, add aromatic, you just made soap.
     Dust your flower and vegetable gardens with it enriching your soil, just don't get carried away a light dusting will do all that is needed. Put some in your compost pile, spread it out, it will fortify your compost.
     If you raise worms, do not use it on the worm bedding, it will kill your worms.
   

These are just a few uses for wood ash, there are more. One of our goals in being "self reliant" as possible is getting to zero garbage. Recycling garden waste, kitchen food trimmings, worm castings and wood ash back into growing food in the garden is a step towards that. Reusing ash may work in your emergency preparedness garden, they were at one time called "Victory Gardens", it's a small victory in the whole scheme of things, but a huge personnel victory.
Thanks for reading, tell me about your emergency preparedness garden, I'd like to hear from you.
jimandkate
emergencykitsplus.com