Disaster Survival: Preparedness
This post has been dedicated to Ellie, my only follower who reads this blog on actual paper.
So far I have been talking about day to day preparedness only, but my other goal for this blog is to help prepare others for disaster situations. Last October wildfires that Sonoma county left many homeless and thousands more evacuated for days on end. For most people, the prospect of dealing with a disaster never crosses their mind until they are experiencing one. Surprisingly 65% of Americans are completely unprepared for any sort of disaster and yet most will experience one of some variety.
Disaster response can be divided into three different sections, prepare, escape, and recover. I would argue that of these preparation is the most important, because if you set yourself up well on the front end, when disaster does strike everything else can be dealt with much more easily. Because preparedness is so important, this post will be talking exclusively about preparing, escaping and recovery will come in later weeks.
The first step in preparing for disaster isn't buying 50 pounds of beans, or purchasing a crank radio, it won't cost you a dime and may only take 5 minutes. The first step is make an escape plan. In the event of a large scale disaster there is a good chance you will have to evacuate, and making decisions in crisis is very difficult. Take a few minutes and choose two or three locations you could "bug out" to and plot your route to get there. Think friends, relatives, or parks you could camp in. Keep in mind that roads will likely be at a standstill and you will only have access to as much gas as is in your car when you leave. Make sure that your potential BOLs (bug out locations) are spread out so that if one gets caught in the disaster you'll still have another option.
Next, it would be a good idea to have some supplies on hand, regardless of whether you need to escape your home or not. What you keep around is going to vary quite a bit depending on your needs and what kind of disaster your area is prone to but this basic list will be a million times better then scrambling to grab a few things as a hurricane approaches or running out of your house with nothing but the clothes on your back to escape an oncoming wildfire. Even if you can stay in your home, stores will quickly run out of daily necessities and it may take some time for supplies to arrive.
Ellie's List
•Water
Besides air water is one of the most important things human beings need to survive. You will find most places recommend at least 1 gallon of water per person per day for drinking and cooking but I actually recommend doubling that so that you have plenty of washing water and have a reserve in case something happens.
•Food
The first thing to think about when planning food is calories, I plan 3000 calories per day for myself but this will depend a lot on the individual. When you pick foods make sure to add a few shelf stable comfort foods. Mental health is just as important as physical and favorite foods can go a long way to maintaining that. A disaster is no time to start a diet.
•Cooking
Two of the first things to get shut down in a disaster are electricity and natural gas, so to do any cooking you will need a self contained cooking method like a camp stove or wood fire. If you're bugging in (staying at your house) you will probably have cookware and utensils but if you are planning on leaving you may need to bring that along.
•Light
When the power goes out or smoke fills the sky you'll be glad to have a couple lanterns and a headlamp. I also recommend having a non electric light source like a propane lantern or candles.
•Clothing
In addition to a couple changes of underwear and socks also think about protective gear. Gloves and saftey glasses in addition to cold/wet weather gear will make any work you have to do much more bearable.
•Medical
It'a always a good idea to keep a basic medical kit on hand for cuts scrapes and sprains but for a disaster you'll also want to make sure you have enough of your personal medications for a few days.
• Communication
Communications may come down during a disaster but as soon as they're up again you'll want to contact loved ones, so make sure you have chargers for your phones and a crank am/fm radio wouldn't go amiss.
•Entertainment
Keeping yourself occupied while you wait for the storm to pass, literally or metaphorically, is very important. Most personal entertainment has become completely electronic but make sure you have several non-powered ways to spend your time. Books are always a good choice.
•Sentimental Items
I'm sure there are things in your home that are irreplaceable and you would want to bring with you. Either store these in your bug out bag or leave space for them and know exactly where they are on display. For photos, digitize everything and keep your computer backed up to a removable external hard drive you can grab on your way out.
•Transportation
Now that you've collected all of your gear you're going to need a way to transport it if you need to bug out. Depending on what your kit ends up weighing a backpack may suffice or you mey need a car to move everything. Something to think about when creating your bug out bag is how much weight you can actually carry. Tapering down one of the categories listed above may be needed to keep everything portable.
Stay tuned for the second instalment. An article on escaping disaster will be up next week.
Print friendly list:
□ 2 Gallon water per person per day
□ 3000 Calories per person per day
□ Whatever pots you will be using and your mess kit
□ 1 Medium sized lantern and 1 headlamp
□ At least a couple of changes of underwear, socks, and shirts. A pair of gloves, safety glasses, and a respiratior
□ A minor first aid kid and personal medication
□ Charging cables and a crank radio
□ A couple books, board games, or whatever you can keep yourself entertained with.
□ Sentimental items
So far I have been talking about day to day preparedness only, but my other goal for this blog is to help prepare others for disaster situations. Last October wildfires that Sonoma county left many homeless and thousands more evacuated for days on end. For most people, the prospect of dealing with a disaster never crosses their mind until they are experiencing one. Surprisingly 65% of Americans are completely unprepared for any sort of disaster and yet most will experience one of some variety.
 |
| Day 2 of the Sonoma County Fires |
The first step in preparing for disaster isn't buying 50 pounds of beans, or purchasing a crank radio, it won't cost you a dime and may only take 5 minutes. The first step is make an escape plan. In the event of a large scale disaster there is a good chance you will have to evacuate, and making decisions in crisis is very difficult. Take a few minutes and choose two or three locations you could "bug out" to and plot your route to get there. Think friends, relatives, or parks you could camp in. Keep in mind that roads will likely be at a standstill and you will only have access to as much gas as is in your car when you leave. Make sure that your potential BOLs (bug out locations) are spread out so that if one gets caught in the disaster you'll still have another option.
 |
| Firefighters camping out next to the fairgrounds, across from the vets building |
Next, it would be a good idea to have some supplies on hand, regardless of whether you need to escape your home or not. What you keep around is going to vary quite a bit depending on your needs and what kind of disaster your area is prone to but this basic list will be a million times better then scrambling to grab a few things as a hurricane approaches or running out of your house with nothing but the clothes on your back to escape an oncoming wildfire. Even if you can stay in your home, stores will quickly run out of daily necessities and it may take some time for supplies to arrive.
 |
| The Santa Rosa Vets Hall converted into a shelter for fire victims |
Ellie's List
Besides air water is one of the most important things human beings need to survive. You will find most places recommend at least 1 gallon of water per person per day for drinking and cooking but I actually recommend doubling that so that you have plenty of washing water and have a reserve in case something happens.
•Food
The first thing to think about when planning food is calories, I plan 3000 calories per day for myself but this will depend a lot on the individual. When you pick foods make sure to add a few shelf stable comfort foods. Mental health is just as important as physical and favorite foods can go a long way to maintaining that. A disaster is no time to start a diet.
•Cooking
Two of the first things to get shut down in a disaster are electricity and natural gas, so to do any cooking you will need a self contained cooking method like a camp stove or wood fire. If you're bugging in (staying at your house) you will probably have cookware and utensils but if you are planning on leaving you may need to bring that along.
•Light
When the power goes out or smoke fills the sky you'll be glad to have a couple lanterns and a headlamp. I also recommend having a non electric light source like a propane lantern or candles.
•Clothing
In addition to a couple changes of underwear and socks also think about protective gear. Gloves and saftey glasses in addition to cold/wet weather gear will make any work you have to do much more bearable.
•Medical
It'a always a good idea to keep a basic medical kit on hand for cuts scrapes and sprains but for a disaster you'll also want to make sure you have enough of your personal medications for a few days.
• Communication
Communications may come down during a disaster but as soon as they're up again you'll want to contact loved ones, so make sure you have chargers for your phones and a crank am/fm radio wouldn't go amiss.
•Entertainment
Keeping yourself occupied while you wait for the storm to pass, literally or metaphorically, is very important. Most personal entertainment has become completely electronic but make sure you have several non-powered ways to spend your time. Books are always a good choice.
•Sentimental Items
I'm sure there are things in your home that are irreplaceable and you would want to bring with you. Either store these in your bug out bag or leave space for them and know exactly where they are on display. For photos, digitize everything and keep your computer backed up to a removable external hard drive you can grab on your way out.
•Transportation
Now that you've collected all of your gear you're going to need a way to transport it if you need to bug out. Depending on what your kit ends up weighing a backpack may suffice or you mey need a car to move everything. Something to think about when creating your bug out bag is how much weight you can actually carry. Tapering down one of the categories listed above may be needed to keep everything portable.
Stay tuned for the second instalment. An article on escaping disaster will be up next week.
 |
| A few of the amazing people who helped me run the field hospital we set up at the Santa Rosa Vets Building |
Print friendly list:
□ 2 Gallon water per person per day
□ 3000 Calories per person per day
□ Whatever pots you will be using and your mess kit
□ 1 Medium sized lantern and 1 headlamp
□ At least a couple of changes of underwear, socks, and shirts. A pair of gloves, safety glasses, and a respiratior
□ A minor first aid kid and personal medication
□ Charging cables and a crank radio
□ A couple books, board games, or whatever you can keep yourself entertained with.
□ Sentimental items
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