Gone Before You Get There

77 Items That Instantly Vanish From Store Shelves In A Panic And Why Preparing For A Crisis Cannot Wait
We dont know when a disaster will hit. Unexpected, life-threatening disasters occur all over the world. Sometimes we are forewarned by the experts and news media, while other times a disaster catches us completely by surprise. Unfortunately, when disaster strikes, most people are not ready or prepared, and the consequences usually result in tragic losses. Whether its wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, or floods, disasters can disrupt our lives drastically. For those who are lucky, it may only be short-term, but for others, such as those who endured Hurricane Katrina, their lives could be changed forever. Though we cant overpower a hurricane or prevent an earthquake, there is one thing that we can do that the majority of people simply refuse to do. And that is start preparing NOW for a future crisis. Start preparing now before a government warning is even issued and you are forced out of your home. Start preparing now before everything disappears off the shelves.

Is it time to prepare for the coming storm?

Believe me, if you are lucky enough to actually be warned of a possible upcoming disaster (most of the times were not), what do you think everyones doing? Rushing to the store and trying to buy the same building supplies, generators, food and other items that you are. Because we are spoiled, weve come to think that stores have endless amounts of supplies. But thats just not true especially when a disaster strikes and panic arises amongst the community. So the key, and this is vitally important, in fact, it may even save your life, is to prepare BEFORE all the disaster talk. If youre trying to prepare last minute, its too late. And Im not just talking about stocking up on food and water, although that certainly is a big issue. But its also means stocking up on necessary items you need to survive a crisis such as extra blankets, batteries, hygiene products, matches, toilet paper, bug spray and so forth. The most common disaster is actually fire but what gets national attention are hurricanes, tornadoes and floods. Because of the number of disasters that occur in the world and even here in the U.S., we have become almost desensitized to it. Most people take their safety for granted and the thought of enduring a disaster is 1

far from their minds. (Plus, people have the false notion that the government will come to their rescue at the snap of their fingers.) So what happens? When disaster does strike, people struggle to survive and sadly, theres always some that dont make it. Why? For most, they didnt take the necessary steps to prepare ahead of time and unfortunately it ended in tragedy. What the residents of Mississippi found out after Hurricane Katrina is that it could be 1-2 weeks before help arrives. Take a moment and look around your home right now. If your power was shut down and the roads were closed, could you survive a week with what you have right now at home? Sure, you may have a full freezer but do you have a generator to run it? What about enough drinking water for your entire family? Do you have candles or flashlights for night time? Or what if you were forced out of your home? What if you had to leave right now? Do you have access to a kit with insurance papers, prescriptions, birth certificates, passports and other important papers? Do you have cash? Is your fuel tank full and if so, how far can you make it? Do you know where to go? Do you have a plan? If you answered no to all those questions, youre not alone. Sadly, most people wouldnt be able to answer yes to any of those questions. Most people have never thought about it and in all truthfulness, wouldnt think about it until its too late until disaster has already struck.

Sadly, most people have no plan.

In July 2008, a major flood took out a large portion of Iowa and a small part of Illinois. Hundreds of thousands of people lost power and it was a week before some even got it turned back on. Water filled homes and forced people to flee. There was no drinking water because of contamination. The sewers were flooded out. When the people needed it the most, there were no FEMA trucks and others lined up to help. Now, the government knows people arent prepared. They know people are not stocking up on food and other supplies. Experts claim that there is not enough food to go around for everyone to stock up and of course, thats true if everyone rushed out today to stock up. However, if done a little at a time and in the right way, people can slowly and steadily build up their food pantries at home without much impact on the overall food supply. And 2

actually, on just $10 per week you can stock up over the course of an entire year and have enough to get by if a disaster occurred. Michael Leavitt, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, stated Any state, any community or for that matter any citizen that fails to prepare, assuming the federal government can take care of themwill be tragically wrong. While this was stated regarding a health outbreak it is equally true for any widespread massive tragedy. The saying, movement is better than meditation, is relevant in regards to beginning your preparations for a crisis. You dont have to rush out and buy everything at once, but you can begin by stocking up on foods that do not need to be refrigerated. Store them in air tight containers to prevent bugs, mice and other pests from getting into them. Start saving jars those with screw lids in plastic and glass. Larger jars can store pastas, rice and oatmeal. Smaller jars are good for other dry goods such as salt, seasonings and other provisions that might be luxuries but not as necessary to have. In your early stages of crisis planning, look honestly at all situations possible from train derailments (with toxic chemicals possible) to a house fire to flooding to a tornado. (Of course, your particular area may be especially prone to certain disasters in which you should plan accordingly.) Remember, with the modern grid, an interruption in one part of the country is no longer isolated to just that area but can affect the entire country. The bottom line is that families (including their children) who are prepared, have a plan, have practiced it and KNOW what to do, have a much higher survival rate. Teaching your children about what youre doing and why is important. Get them involved. Teach them that its not safe to enter a flooded basement or else they could be electrocuted. Teach them even the things you may take for granted such as what a fireman in full dress looks like it can prevent tragic deaths (scared of the firemen who look like monsters in the smoke, children oftentimes will hide). So as we discussed, you not only need to implement a plan but just as important, you need to practice it as a family. If the children know that in the event that a fire occurs, to get out and go to the oak treeno questions asked and dont look backthen their chances are MUCH higher of surviving than the child who is panicked and desperately waiting to be rescued inside a burning house. Children can do the right thing if properly instructed. You can be a good neighbor and encourage others to stock up and be prepared but do your own stocking up quietly and discreetly. The fewer who know what you have, the fewer you have to worry about raiding your home in a crisis. You may think this is crazy, maybe even silly or foolish, but believe me, desperation forces people to do things they wouldnt ordinarily do. In times of crisis, hunger and thirst will drive people to commit violence, theft and even murder.

TYPE OF DISASTER
The bare necessities needed to survive are food, water and shelter. Prescription medicines, first aid kits and other provisions follow closely behind. But along with stocking up on supplies, you need to specifically prepare and plan for the different potential disasters that may strike your area. For example, if you live in tornado alley, underground provisions would be fitting. You would want to make sure you had extra blankets and pillows, drinking water, flashlights, extra batteries, prepackaged or canned foods, in that specific location (or at least at your fingertips to take to your safest location). Even in the case of a fast moving wildfire, though it may burn homes and barns, things underground will be better protected and will therefore stand a better chance of surviving.

Each disaster plan requires you to thoroughly think everything through. You need to think of every possible thing that can go wrong and address how you would handle it. For example, if you do have an underground shelter, is it safe from flooding? If you had to evacuate your home, what would that entail? In the event of a fire or hurricane, how far will a tank of fuel get you? If you are forced to evacuate, have a hotel in mind and make reservations on your way out. (Also, remember to consider your pets. If you have horses or other livestock, have contact with a stable or fairgrounds in the area of your hotel reservation so they can be offloaded if possible, and be both, safe and relatively comfortable.) If you live in a low lying water area, you obviously wouldnt want to put your supplies in a basement that can fill up with water. However, if youre in tornado country, keeping it above ground could mean losing it all. Lets look at the following types of disasters that may occur. Earthquakes Unlike other disasters, earthquakes give no warning. They can powerfully shake apart homes, skyscrapers and bridges. Most people dont realize that most of the United States is earthquake territory. The New Madrid fault in the Midwest makes Californias fault line look small but because there havent been any major quakes in recent decades, it isnt given much thought. 4

Disaster can strike anytime, anywhere.

On the other hand, California earthquakes occur much more frequently and so far have been much, much more powerful, thus giving that state a high disaster potential. However, it is foolish for those in the Midwest to not keep the potential for an earthquake in mind. A previous earthquake on this fault made the Mississippi river run north for a while and that is not something to take lightly. Its said that St. Louis could be destroyed if there ever was a major earthquake in the Midwest. Remember too, while California builds for earthquakes most in the Midwest do not and therefore bridges, including those over the major rivers, would be expected to be unsafe. Fire First things first, make sure you have working smoke alarms. One helpful tip is that when its time to fall back or spring ahead, change the batteries. Test the smoke alarms regularly, have a safe escape plan and watch heating sources carefully. Have working, properly charged ABC type fire extinguishers on every floor. Replace cords that are worn, dont run extension cords under rugs (youll be surprised how it heats up). For wildfires, dont assume emergency officials know call it in. If it approaches the home or an evacuation order is issued, get your family and animals out. Shut off gas. (And even prior to enduring a fire, read and follow guidelines both from FEMA and elsewhere of maximum protection such as reducing vegetation near the house and buildings, surviving a fire and other important information.) Flood Floods normally follow excess rain or snow melt, but there are also flash floods in which a wall of water can take anything in its path. Before building, make sure to check area flood zones if youre in one, raised and reinforced homes are highly recommended. If you are caught where there are rising floodwaters, secure your home, turn off electricity, and disconnect appliances. Please remember it is important to not touch electrical appliances if in standing water. 5

Blizzard/winter storms This can be a true test of endurance. Extra preparations are required due to the severe cold that often comes with blizzards. Stories from the past tell of how farmers would lose their way in the blizzards and become disoriented while trying to feed their animals. Sometimes they would run a rope from the door of the barn to the door of the home just so they could make it back safely. People dont do that anymore but the point is that blizzards and winter storms can create hazardous conditions. Nonetheless, due to the difficulty in travel you MUST have shelter, heat and food. Man-Made Disasters Aside from natural disasters, the chances of man-made, environmental disaster such as bioterrorism, dirty bombs, chemical and radiological weapons are real threats today. Theres the possibility of anthrax, smallpox and radiation. Regrettably, September 11, 2001, showed us that the unthinkable is possible. There are many places online to get more information in regards to disasters and dealing with crisis. You may also use the resources at the end of this guide for additional help.

CONSIDERATIONS
During a crisis, you wont have the time, resources or be in the right frame of mind to consider everything that you need to. Again, this just reiterates the importance of making well-thought out plans and storing supplies before disaster hits and youre surrounded by chaos. Therefore, you need to take the following into consideration NOW before its too late. The first thing to take into consideration is obviously your family. The safety and supplies of your family should be #1. This means having specific provisions for your children and elderly family members. Again, look at the day to day things. What is NEEDED for them to sustain life? If its medicines, oxygen tanks or other medical things then you better have it! Each family has different life-sustaining needs, so adapt accordingly. Dont overlook your pets and livestock. While not equating those with human life, when we take them in, we take full responsibility for their care. Obviously, domestic pets and animals depend on us and oftentimes will stay in a dangerous situation waiting for us to help them. Make plans dont leave them to face floods or fires or other disasters alone. Be sure to have identification and current medical records for everyone. Keep copies in a folder and store with your emergency supply kit. (This is especially important if you have elderly living with you!) For pets this includes collars with securely attached identification. Short-haired animals can be marked or tattooed in an area where there is no hair. For large animals such as goats, horses, or 6

cattle, you may want to get livestock chalk or branding paint and put your cell number or other identifying number on their side. (Even though you think your bay mare is distinctive, to many, a brown horse is a brown horse. But a brown horse with 7825156 painted on their side stands out!) Its easy to forget, but if your pet requires any life-saving medicines then you need to do the best you can to have it readily available. Make your survival supply lists clear. Divide it into 3 sections - NEEDS (those things for survival), COMFORT and LUXURY. Stock and prepare in that order. Although we are used to enjoying a plethora of luxury foods in our diets, they may not be feasible in a time of crisis. You may have to eat brown rice without anything else but at least it will keep you alive. Comfort is adding some seasonings to it and a little meat perhaps. Luxury is having cheese or something where its almost as good as home. There are many things we do day to day that are in the LUXURY category. A long hot shower is a luxurycigarettes, sodas and other habits are usually luxury. Few have died without it, although perhaps sudden withdrawal from it might make one wonder!

ORDINARY MEASURES MAKE THESE HABITS!

Because food is essential to your survival, it is an issue on a variety of different levels. You need to figure out how to store, cook, and preserve it. Dont plan on using your freezer for your main food source. Most likely, if you are in a severe crisis, you wont have power to keep your freezer cold and eventually that food will go to waste. As an alternative, think of foods that can be stored long-term. These are your best bet. Those with a 6-12 month shelf life include miso soup and raw milk cheese. With only a couple tablespoons of miso paste, you can enjoy protein-rich miso soup. Raw milk cheese is beneficial in survival mode because the longer it sits the better it becomes! (If you are fortunate to have a generator and are able to keep your freezer going, be sure to have chicken available. Chicken can be used in a variety of ways and will provide a plethora of vital nutrients.) Foods that can sit on the shelf for a couple years are popcorn, dried peas and brown rice. Popcorn can be easily made, serves as a great snack and is a great source of fiber. Dried peas can be used in soups or with rice. And brown rice can be used with any meal; use canned vegetables or dried jerky to mix with it. Food items with indefinite shelf life are canned sardines, canned beans and nuts. Canned beans (red, black, chili, garbanzo) are relatively low in fat, yet are a good protein source. Easy to prepare, beans can be put in a variety of easy recipes for your family to enjoy. 7

Canned sardines, without the scare of mercury, are high in protein and Omega3s, which have been proven to increase cardiovascular health. Nuts are also a valuable protein source and can serve as a simple snack for the entire family. Get buckets from bakeries or food supply outlets with lids that snap tight. These keep your food dry. You can store several bushels of wheat safely from bugs and pests in these. Also, store up on corn meal, flour, sugar, oatmeal and other dry goods. Keep a two week list of what you normally use in food. Remember everything from little things like salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion flakes to mixed drinks like Tang that are easy to mix with water, tea and coffee. (Consider also food for pets.) Once you know what you typically use, you can start planning on stocking up. Make sure you store your food supplies in a safe, dry and cool place. If your garage gets hot and humid in the summer, its clearly not a good place to store food. If youre limited in space, store your food supplies in several locations in the house. Be creative. Dont rely on plastic bags for storage dried potatoes and such will mold as they cant guarantee always being air tight. Consider a food saver appliance to seal foods ahead of time. Make up cake mixes and label with how many eggs/oil some ingenuity on the grill and the canned frosting can be a treat beyond compare after a week of desperation. In addition to planning your food, remember utensils, plates, can openers, and a way to cook things. Get used to cooking on a grill or real woodfire. Remember to have a supply of clean wood (not the processed stuff that can put chemicals in your food) in your stock up list. If you get a solar cooker - USE IT! Practice with it regularly and learn what it can and cant do. It wont do much good to have these things if you dont know how to use them. (Think about it - when the time comes, the last thing you want to do is to try to learn how to work something going when you and your family are desperately depending upon it!) Along with your supplies, have a cookbook for basic cooking. Search stores for wilderness cooking, grilling and other cookbooks. Again, try them out in advance if you can! Rotate your food supply to insure its fresh. If theres tuna fish thats been in the supply for 10 months, use the old and replace with new. 8

WATER In a flood situation, even if there is water available, it may be heavily contaminated and therefore considered non-drinkable. Your body needs water so it cant be stressed enough to have a supply of drinkable water for the entire family and pets. Rainwater capture works especially if filtered through sand and charcoal. A home built in 1890 in central Illinois has a 2,000 gallon cistern. Theres a clear outline outside the home of where this is, with soil, sand and charcoal naturally filtering rainwater from the roof diverted onto the ground. A hand pump brings the filtered water into the home with one pipe run through the heat stove for running hot water. A typical family of four can easily use almost 30 gallons of water. Also consider hidden uses of water such as bathing, dishes, and cooking. If you have buckets of oatmeal, pasta and rice you will definitely need water to cook it! A stored and ideally, renewable water source that is safe is critical. Until you are faced without the water you need, its easy to not give it a whole lot of thought. But as previously mentioned - this can be a serious mistake in a disaster.

EMERGENCY SURVIVAL
Stocking up is absolutely necessary. As soon as word is out about a potential threat of disaster, store shelves are emptied within hours. In Alabama, whenever there is a threat of snow or sleet, people stock up on bread and milk. The local news team reports live from a local grocery store showing the empty shelves and long lines at the checkout. If people are doing this at the threat of a chance of sleet or a possible inch of snow, imagine what they would do in a major crisis! Without knowing how long trouble might last, having a long-term plan is highly recommended. In preparation for a crisis, remember the little things toilet paper for example is something that takes on a whole new appreciation! (For a complete list of survival items you need to have on hand, check the Appendix at the end of this report.) Canned foods are great, especially if little to no heating is needed. Canned gravy is a luxury and can make edible, less-than perfect meals. Dried shredded 9

potatoes, a can of gravy and dried jerky can make quite a meal, especially when youre hungry! Allow some luxury items such as books, magazines or crossword puzzles. Even having soap and shampoo to clean up a little will help keep the morale up. Know the difference between evacuating and shelter-in-place and be ready for either. Sheltering-in-place may be for a tornado warning or could be issued for a chemical spill. Close and lock all doors and windows, turn off fans, heating and air conditioning. Close off fireplace damper, turn off electricity if you know how and can do so safely. Go to a safe place with a battery powered radio for instructions.

SURVIVAL HABITS TO FORM

As we have mentioned, now is the best time to develop good survival habits. The following are 8 good habits to have in place for when that unexpected crisis or disaster strikes. 1. Keep fuel tanks filled. Dont rely on gas stations being open or having enough gas. With almost any disaster - theres always lines at the gas pump and even shortages. After Hurricane Katrina, there wasnt a way to get gas pumped without electricity so even those who survived the storms were trapped without a way out. When your fuel tank gets to half - fill it up. This insures you always have at least a half tank and often a full tank on an ordinary day. Plan for the unexpected. (No one predicted the events of 9/11 but it surely had an impact!) Often times even 80-100 miles can be enough to get to safety. 2. Keep cash on hand. Its easy to use credit cards but when there is no power, they are useless. Cash is needed not only for the unexpected evacuations but also for things like toll roads and other miscellaneous things you might need. It can pay for a couple nights in an inexpensive hotel, allowing you to get a shower and needed rest in safety. 3. Have an evacuation kit ready to go. Have a box or briefcase with copies of important papers. Medical papers, insurance papers, papers on your vehicles, birth certificates. For those with registered animals perhaps registration certificates may be included. Have your emergency supplies packed and stored well at all times. With todays technology you can scan photos to a cd and easily have a copy of them. Have as few things as possible, with maximum space use. Carefully planned two weeks of food can be done in a couple plastic storage boxes. Store it so you can grab as much as possible and get it in the trunk of your car or in the truck or van. 4. Practice! Have plans to safely respond to different disasters. Practice allows you to do things automatically without thinking. Give everyone in 10

the household who is able, something to do or carry. Four people making three trips each is a dozen loads of food and emergency gear! 5. Own and use a weather radio or emergency radio. Use them, be familiar with terminology and learn the systems. Know a watch from a warning. A tornado does not care what plans you have made for the night or next week. There is no emotion only raw destruction. 6. Know after-storm disaster measures. If your community doesnt have one get one started. Have out of the area contacts in which you can call one person and they can in return relay to other members of the family and friends that youre ok. This keeps phone traffic open for officials. Also, it would be a great idea to learn CPR and first aid. 7. Learn emergency signals. For example, if evacuations are called for before you leave, tie a white ribbon or cloth in front. This lets officials know the home is cleared and there is no one there (or should be no one there!). Knowing triage can also help emergency workers go where they are needed the most. In the U.S., a white flag can serve the dual purpose of showing that no one is at the location as well as can indicate that people are ok. Green needs help but is not life threatening. Red needs immediate care to survive, with yellow normally the same but stable at the moment. Black indicates deceased persons. Knowing this helps emergency workers but can help you also. 8. Have an alternative heat source woodstove, fireplace and plenty of wood near enough the house to use. If winter storms are in the forecast, pay attention and have at least a weeks worth of wood.

LONGER TERM SURVIVAL

Gardening One long-term preparation you can make is to start a garden if you havent already. Assess what you can grow. Anyone with a plot of land can grow fruits and vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers. Plant fruit trees that flower, provide shade and provide food. Apples, peach, pear and cherry trees can be grown in many areas. Pecans, walnuts and hickory are just a few of the nut trees that can provide a bountiful harvest of protein for baked goods and desserts as well as just eating after pulling from the shell. Nasturtiums can be prolific growing flowers and are edible mix in with salads, some fresh tomatoes and other fixings from the garden. Herb beds are easy to maintain and can be a source of thyme, rosemary, onion, garlic and a host of other herbs. You can grow several kinds of mints and create tea mixes with bee balm, lemon grass and mint as well as many other herbs. 11

Of course, vegetables are also a staple. From tomatoes, beans, peas, squash and peppers, melons and sweet corn, you can enjoy a buffet of fresh eating. Grow what you can in your area and take into consideration what your family likes. Reuse grass clippings, leaves, kitchen waste and other biodegradable items in a compost bin, creating a rich compost to use in the garden. If you have room, you may want to grow your own grains. A patch of field corn can produce quite a ration of corn meal. Wheat can be stored in grain form and ground into flour as needed. Oats are another grain that can be grown, harvested and consumed on a small amount of land. Once you plant and harvest your garden, make sure you know how to properly store these foods by drying or canning. One of the best resources for food storing strategies can be found at www.foodshortageusa.com. MEAT When people think of meat, they usually think beef. For those who have room to raise calves this is certainly a viable option. Dairy cattle can provide a supply of milk and one or two beef cows can provide plenty of meat for your family. Even if you dont have room for a group of calves grazing in the pasture, you can still raise meat. A 2X6 area can actually produce more than you can imagine. A good trio of meat breed rabbits those usually 8-10 pounds at maturity with fast growing fryers can, with excellent management, produce a good deal of meat. Each doe averages 6 bunnies every 6-8 weeks - thats roughly 60 pounds of meat every other month that can be raised behind the garage or in the corner of the garden shed. Poultry is another small area project. Depending on your space available, there are a variety of chickens you can use. A few hens can keep a family in fresh eggs. You do not need a crowing rooster for egg production a rooster is needed for hatching (fertile) eggs but not for home egg production. A small shed or even dog house with an enclosed run can serve a half dozen birds. Another alternative for eggs and meat are ducks. The advantage of ducks is that theyre less likely to fly, they dont roost, the males dont crow and if they get caught in a rain storm they dont care! One disadvantage is that ducks dont fly or roost so they MUST be protected from predators from owls, stray dogs and raccoons. Geese are larger, a bit noisier, yet grow easily for meat. Pigeons were once used as squab as well as full sized birds. 12

For those with a little more room, sheep have efficiently turned grass into meat for hundreds of years. Wool breeds need to be sheared annually, which then can be turned into yarn and made into many types of clothing as well as blended with other fibers and used. If you dont want to deal with the wool consider the hair breeds or a hair/wool breed cross. Some ideas are Katahdins, Barbados blackbelly, California Reds or a cross of the Barbados blackbelly on a wool breed. The latter can produce a 130140 pound ewe that is hardy and raises lambs with little fuss and does not need shearing. Goats can be an efficient producer of meat as well as milk. A good dairy doe can easily produce a gallon of milk per day, allowing for fresh milk as well as cheese, yogurt and a range of other dairy products. They need some room but not a great deal. A heavy producing doe does need plenty of water and good quality feed. If you are keeping goats or sheep - they will be happier if not left alone! As herd animals, they are more at ease if not singled out. If you have a small farm, draft power might worth considering. Without fuel, it limits how much land can be worked, but a team of horses or oxen can do many things. Aside from heavy tilling you probably wont need a heavy team. Foraging In the event of a long-term crisis, maybe even a food shortage, you should start learning how to forage and glean for food. Sometimes farmers will allow people to pick corn that was missed in the field or for u-pick or CSAs get that last bit of produce so it doesnt go to seed. This is one option but there are others. Learn to identify edible plants, nut trees and mushrooms safely. While you can learn from a book, you might want to consider going with someone who knows and learning from that them. Things like cattails can be food sources. Of course, if youre in a location where you can hunt and fish then all the better for you and your family. Dont overlook weeds and wild herbs, but know for sure what you are looking at. Stinging nettles will give an unforgettable experience to touch them but nettle tea and cooked greens are favorites of many foragers. Some swear by their fly repellant properties a bundle of nettle near the tent area cant hurt to try if its out of reach of children and not easily bumped into. Jewelweed is an effective antidote for poison ivy. A co-worker once got into poison ivy when clearing a backyard and had tried everything on the market but still was itchy. He was disbelieving in jewelweed but desperate to stop the itching and said within the hour the itching stopped! As supplies get tougher - squirrels, snapping turtles, raccoons and other animals will be eyed more as dinner than critters to watch. Some areas also have wild 13

turkey as well as other small and large game. Remember that for survival- use what you kill. For this reason many recommend small game that can be consumed quickly. Deer, elk and other large game can feed a family longer but be sure to get some treated and drying for jerky preserve it and use it as most cant consume all the meat before it goes bad. (Again, knowing safe food preservation practices is imperative!) If youre going to be out walking around than you better be able to accurately identify snakes. Determining whether the snake that bit you was a small rattlesnake or a harmless corn snake can be the difference in life or death. Not all snakes are toxic, but when a disaster occurs, animals are uprooted also and you may come across coral snakes, cottonmouths and other poisonous snakes in areas you dont expect. Recent hurricanes and flooding in Florida brought alligators to neighborhoods. Always remember no matter how many wildlife shows youve watched, no matter how easy it may have looked - these are wild animals. During a crisis, youre not the only one on edge. Having their homes uprooted and searching for food, wild animals only instinct is to try and survive no matter what. Humans usually dont hit that desperation until things are against the wall. However, for wild predators its that way all the time theyre equipped for it. There are predators coming back into areas they havent been for some time cougars in the Midwest, bears and other animals. Check out wildlife survival books and guides. Learn how to identify safe, edible plants. Know how to bandage a snake bite. Learn how to use plants for natural medicinal purposes. Learn as much as you can so if or when the time does come, when youre forced to go foraging or are forced into the wilderness, you can survive. Solar Power Solar has also come a long way. Solar charged flashlights, solar panels for radio, lanterns and other items can allow small DC power which can be a huge blessing. Look into cabin kits for solar if you are in an area that gets enough sunlight to charge a system. There are two types a complete off the grid system and a grid tie as well as a hybrid of each. The grid tie system has solar panels that when charging can produce more energy than you use this flows back into the lines and your meter will actually run backwards. However, if youre using this alone when the power system goes down youll still lose power. 14

On the other hand, an off the grid system stands alone you have a battery bank that charges and when there isnt enough sunshine that battery system is your power. Having sufficient batteries for your electric load is important because even the best solar panel systems usually cant power all the appliances were used to running in the home. A hybrid of this system has a battery bank that charges first then excess is pumped to the grid. If the power goes down you still have power on your battery bank. Of course, solar requires enough sun to charge the panels and as the sun moves, it can alter the amount coming into the panel. Sit a panel on a swivel for observation. You can see one position might be 6v charging and moving might be 12v charging. If you have trees around or are on a slope that doesnt get the maximum amount of sun, then you may not be able to generate enough solar power. A good solar backup unit can be found at www.mysolarbackup.com. Some areas might find wind power a more viable option than solar. With some systems it will charge with a breeze of 3-5 miles per hour and a breeze can happen rain or shine. With this it can charge when solar wont efficiently do so. With either system, you will need an inverter to convert the DC power into AC needed for most things in the home. A backup generator is handy and one user tells of having a generator to recharge his batteries on days there isnt enough sunlight. While that is going, he also runs the microwave and other things that there isnt enough power for on the normal system, making maximum use of the time that the generator is running. This can help keep refrigerators cold by running for a half hour every four hours. Remember to have plenty of fuel and fuel stabilizer if you rely on a generator. Start it regularly so that if it needs work you can do it at your leisure rather than when there is already a crisis! HEATING Though camp stoves are an option, they really are a last resort. These, along with kerosene heaters, can easily malfunction and result in carbon monoxide deaths. Understand the risks and take extraordinary precaution. If youre going to depend on a kerosene heater, make sure you have plenty of fuel stored up. For many suburban and rural dwellers, woodstoves are a good option. Having it installed safely and regular maintenance is critical. With good insulation and a good system, you can get by with just a few sticks of wood at a time and a large piece to last the night. If you have south facing windows or (in some areas) west facing, you can make use of passive solar by using heat grabbers. This is also an area that you can use as a solar food dryer for garden produce. These work in mild climates and benefit in northern ones, but keeping a heat source is critical in the northern regions. When the snow is piled high, the 15

temperature is at -20 degrees and the wind has been howling for 10 hours straight, extreme cold sets in. If youve ever endured a blistering cold day, you know the feeling. Now imagine having no heat in your house to warm you up. At some point, if the situations gets bad enough, people will do anything (and will burn anything) to stay warm. Although few take any lessons from Hollywood, a movie about climate change featured characters stuck in a New York library, burning furniture and books while being confined to one room in order to stay warm enough for survival. Alaskan wildlife expert, Michael Mitten, notes the biggest danger in Alaska is not grizzly bears or moose but hypothermia. Do not underestimate the power of cold! Getting cold can also change your whole frame of mind. Being cold and hungry leads people to do things they ordinarily wouldnt do. Desperate people do desperate things. The good part about living in the sticks is that theres no one to bother you. The bad thing is, in a disaster when help is needed, it may not be available at least in time. You must learn to think for yourself and be able to improvise. In the Midwest Blizzard of 79 a family who lived, literally back in the woods, had an impassable hill to get down and out. Getting snowed in was an adventure. The highways would be cleared, then the blacktop roads and eventually the side and gravel roads. These folks lived a half mile off the gravel road, with a curvy driveway that ended with a very steep drop, then back up the other side of the driveway. They were snowed in but had stocked up on wood ahead of time to ensure heat in such a time. But what was at first just a fun adventure turned very serious when one of the boys broke his leg. One of the girls fashioned a splint, learned in Scouts, and they set about getting him out to the hospital over 8 miles away. He healed up but it could have been much worse if they hadnt been prepared ahead of time. Dress in layers, have plenty of firewood or fuel stored up. Use kiln dried mill ends, scrap pallets or other unused and unwanted wood. No matter what, have a supply stored up for the worst case situation. You may even want to consider purchasing a snowmobile. Though not a cheap purchase, having a means of transportation to get to a job, a doctor or store when you need to may be well-worth it. (Remember if you are able to have a snowmobile, have it regularly serviced and have extra fuel on hand.)

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THE MENTAL ASPECT OF DISASTER

Many people watch disasters on news reports and think about how they would feel usually in passing and are just glad they are safely out of the situation. Until one is actually in the situation, it is impossible to gauge how you would feel. Stress and disaster situations bring about mental attitudes that change people. In fact, that even national mental health centers have information regarding those emergency and disaster response workers who see horrific things. It is impossible to see things in the moment and not be affected. Remember that in situations where you are isolated, where help cannot get to you, it is a situation where YOU are the responder. Its easy to deny needing rest and recovery time. During times of crisis and distress, it can be difficult communicating, remembering instructions or having a good attention span. Maintaining your balance becomes impaired and unnecessary risk-taking increases. Disorientation, confusion, lack of concentration and objectivity, decreased problem solving capacity and increased clumsiness are all signs that you need to take a deep breath and slow down. If you do not slow down, carefully evaluate the situation and make a plan, than panic and extreme desperation will set in. And if you continue with a desperate mindset, youll make rash, illogical decisions that can bring upon horrible things to you and your family. But being properly prepared can help eliminate a lot of the chaos and anxiety that a disaster may bring. Even if youre either forced out of your home or isolated in your home without being able tolerate, having enough food and water can do wonders to both your physical and mental health. In addition to your bodys basic needs, things like games, having books or magazines to read, maintaining family meal times, having a routine of sorts even in the face of disaster becomes very important.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
If youre headed to a rural area (or live in one) be sure to have bug sprays, pest control as well as boredom breakers books, games, magazines and other things to pass the time. For those with children, make sure you have a small toy, crayons, paper or whatever can be used to occupy their time. In long-term situations, you may want to figure out ways in which you can continue their schooling. Home schooling may be a possibility worth considering if schools are closed.

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Personal Protection All the work and money you put into your disaster survival supplies are worth nothing if people steal them. Neighbors and friends are hard to turn away, but unless you have specifically planned for them, it cuts into your food supply. If you planned on feeding your family of five but now have ten to care for, your supplies will last less than half of the time you had originally planned. Its okay to recommend community plans in case of a disaster but do your own quietly. But what happens when times become hopeless and bleak and people are struggling to live? What happens when there is no food available and people are starving to death? They will do anything they can to get their hands on food and supplies. They will steal from your garden and invade your home. You think Im joking? What will you do if that happens? Are you prepared to defend you and your family? If so, how are you going to prepare for possible attacks or home invasions? Maybe you want to consider having pepper spray on hand, a bat and firearms. Remember, these devices are for self-defense and that is it. If you have guns, are you willing to learn gun safety measures? Where will you store them to ensure your families safety? Will you teach your sons and daughters how to properly handle a gun? These are all things you need to think about. The One "Survival Supplement" You Shouldn't be With Out One supplement I would recommend having in your survival arsenal is a substance called shilajit. Shilajit comes from the rocky cliffs in the Himalayas. Somewhat of a mystery, its believed to form as a result of "mineral drip" from the cracks of the rocks during the hot summer months. This mineral drip runs through plant matter that has been trapped in the crevices of the cliff areas, and along with geothermal pressure, a dark red somewhat gummy substance is formed. The reason you want this substance in your survival cabinet is because the active constituent of shilajit is a chemical called fulvic acid. This is why shilajit is one of the most sought after healing compounds in Ayurvedic medicine. For centuries this substance has been used as a broad spectrum support compound for strength (nicknamed amongst the ancients as "destroyer of weakness"), kidneys, energy, sex drive, memory, allergies, diabetes, and especially for stress and anxiety. In fact, University studies provide strong evidence that this is the case. Why is this important? Because in a time of true crisis, the effects of stress will break down immune systems, making you and your family highly vulnerable to a variety of diseases (disease spreads like wildfire during panics) and health problems. If my house were on fire, I would grab my stash of shilajit on the way out. It's that important. 18

Probably the best quality and perhaps the lowest priced shilajit can be found at the web site: www.blacklistedherb.com. The company will ship the product out to you and only require you to pay shipping the up front and invoice you for the balance due 30 days later. Frankly, I don't know of another supply company that operates on the "golden rule" premise of doing business. Make sure you have some of this substance. Oh, one more thing about shilajit. Many researchers also believe that this substance also makes nutrients from other foods more bio available. If this is true, it means all of your stored foods will supply your body with more precious vitamins, minerals and vital trace elements when you need them the most. Here's a list of some other problems that traditional "indigenous" medicine has a history of shilajit usage: genitourinary diseases, diabetes, chronic bronchitis, asthma, gall stones, jaundice, painful and bleeding piles, epilepsy, enlarged liver and spleen, fermentative dyspepsia, digestive disorders, worms, renal and bladder calculi, nervous debility, sexual neurasthenia, hysteria, anemia and in bone fracture. This is obviously for informational purposes only. If youre sick and professional health care services are still available... always see a doctor!

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APPENDIX 1
FOOD SUPPLIES 1. Rice, beans, wheat 2. Sugar, honey, syrups 3. Vegetable oil (for cooking) 4. Powdered milk 5. Condensed milk (shake every couple of months) 6. Tuna fish, canned fish/meats 7. Pasta 8. Cheese 9. Garlic 10. Vinegar 11. Canned or dried vegetables 12. Flour 13. Salt 14. Yeast 15. Oatmeal 16. Popcorn 17. Peanut butter 18. Nuts 19. Canned or dried fruits 20. Crackers soda, snack and graham crackers 21. Canned soups 22. Dried herbs 23. Tea, coffee, cocoa, Tang, punch mix 24. Soy sauce 25. Gravy, bouillon 26. Pretzels, trail mix snacks 27. Cereal 28. Candies, gum 29. Potatoes 30. Spices, seasonings 31. Jerky, meat sticks that dont need refrigeration 32. Ration of instant foods, prepackaged for longer term storage FOOD PREPARATION & HOUSEHOLD 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Hand can openers Cook stove Vitamins, supplements Whisks, egg beater Baking supplies Hand sanitizer Bleach (unscented) Aluminum foil (regular and heavy duty) Garbage bags 20

10. Toilet paper, paper towels, tissues 11. Matches (strike anywhere preferred) boxed wooden ones, kept dry! 12. Cast iron cookware, properly seasoned 13. Water containers, food grade for drinking water. (store in hard clear plastic) 14. Survival guide book 15. Laundry detergent 16. Paper plates/cups/disposable flatware 17. Pocket knives 18. Long reach lighters (pilot lighters, etc.) 19. Mixing bowls 20. Cooking utensils spatulas, turners, etc. SUPPLIES 1. Generators 2. Water Filters/Purifiers 3. Portable Toilets 4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 - 12 months to season 5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!) 6. Coleman Fuel, propane cylinders 7. Charcoal, lighter fluid 8. Propane cylinder handle holder 9. Washboards, mop bucket with wringer 10. Bow saw 11. Ax, wedges 12. Clothes line and pins 13. Fire extinguishers (charged) 14. Batteries (all sizes) 15. First aid kits 16. Gasoline containers (plastic and metal) 17. Guns, ammunition, knives, slingshot, bats 18. Colemans pump repair kit 19. Insulated ice chests 20. Flashlights, lanterns 21. Garbage cans 22. Mosquito coils/repellants 23. Bug sprays 24. Duct tape 25. Candles 26. Tarps, stakes, twine, rope 27. Nails, spikes 28. D-con, Mouse Prufe II, 29. Mousetraps, ant and cockroach killer 30. Big dogs (plenty of dog food) 31. Backpacks, Duffle Bags 32. Sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats 33. Cots & Inflatable mattresses 34. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs 35. Tents, waterproof tarp 21

36. Safety pins 37. Disposable camera and/or digital camera (documentation) 38. Small bag of dryer lint (fire starter!) 39. Plastic storage tubs (storage and rainwater collectors) PERSONAL 1. Baby supplies: diapers, formula, ointments 2. Feminine hygiene 3. Shampoo, soaps 4. Skin products. 5. Thermal underwear tops and bottoms 6. Work boots 7. Baby wipes 8. Mens hygiene 9. Toothbrushes/toothpaste, mouthwash, floss 10. Nail clippers 11. Shaving supplies (razors, creams, aftershave) 12. Reading glasses 13. Socks, underwear, T-shirts 14. Work shirts 15. Rain gear, boots LONGER TERM 1. Garden seeds 2. Fishing supplies plenty of various sized hooks, weights, line, and lures 3. Bicycles including tires, tubes, pumps, chains 4. Knife sharpening tools files, stone, steel 5. Canning supplies 6. Woolen clothing/scarf/mittens 7. Gloves work, garden and warm gloves 8. Goats/chickens/poultry/rabbits 9. Lumber 10. Nails, nuts, bolts, screws, glue 11. Wagons, carts 12. Roll-on window insulation 13. Board games, cards, dice 14. Scissors, sewing supplies. 15. Writing paper, pencils, solar calculator 16 Journals, diary, scrapbook 17. Garden tools, supplies 18. Carbon monoxide alarm (battery powered) 19. Lantern hanger 20. Boy Scout manual 21. Cigarettes 22. Wine/liquors 23. Paraffin wax 24. Hand pumps (water and fuel separate marked pumps) 22

RESOURCES
Websites: Red Cross Disaster plan - http://columbus.redcross.org/guide.html Emergencies guide http://www.hooksett.org/departments/emergency_guide.php FEMA - http://www.fema.gov/ Red Cross - http://www.redcross.org/ Salvation Army - http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/www_sa.nsf Farmers Almanac http://www.almanac.com Survival site - http://www.survivetheoutdoors.com/ http://www.hhs.gov/disasters/index.shtml Videos/DVDs: Food Storage Strategies http://www.foodshortageusa.com Magazines: Countryside & Small Stock Journal - http://www.countrysidemag.com/ Backwoods Home - http://www.backwoodshome.com/ Back Home - http://www.backhomemagazine.com/ Small Farmers Journal - http://www.smallfarmersjournal.com/ Books: Good reference guides and overview of topics Ultimate Guide to Wilderness Living: Surviving with Nothing But Your Bare Hands and What You Find in the Woods John and Geri McPherson Micro Eco-Farming: Prospering from Backyard to Small Acreage in Partnership With the Earth Barbara Best Adams Storeys Basic Country Skills: A Practical Guide to Self-Reliance John & Martha Storey Country Wisdom & Know-How the editors of Storey Publishings Country Wisdom boards (this is a small print book have a magnifier! but great information and a lot of it) The Have More Plan Ed & Carolyn Robinson (This is dated in prices and is an overview without a lot of in depth details, but if youre considering what to do with the land you have this is a good overall idea book.) Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables Mike and Nancy Bubel (this is a good all around resource on cold storage of foods) 23

Putting Food By Janet Greene, Ruth Hertzberg, Beatrice Vaughan Mary Bells Complete Dehydrator Book Mary Bell Emergency Food Storage & Survival Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Keep your Family Safe in a Crisis Peggy Layton Getting By: Lessons From a Rural Past Jan Hoadley (e-book, lessons from the Depression that can be used with todays technology.) Supplements: Shilajit http://www.blacklistedherb.com Email Lists (Free): These are located at www.yahoogroups.com and are free sources of information and things. Any of these can be subscribed to on your email by using the listname (listname)-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or you can go to the site and sign up. Buy/sell rural lists: Farm_trader specific farm, rural, country related items to buy/sell/tradelivestock to equipment to services. HomesteadingMarketPlace some discussion, some things for sale. Livestock: Rarelivestock discussion list of rare livestock suited to home production of food. Food: FoodPreservationDryingCanningAndMore this is a great list for all kinds of food preservation with experienced people who are *doing* it. Preserving-food this is heavy on food drying but any type of food preservation is welcomegreat information and almost anything edible is discussed! Generators: Check out www.mysolarbackup.com for a good solar powered backup system.

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