Survival Guide - Emergency Preparedness and Survival Gear

Disaster can strike at any moment.  Sometimes with natural disasters, such as tornadoes and hurricanes, we can get advanced warnings.  But in other national emergencies, such as terrorist attacks, riots, and other civil unrests, there is very little warning if any at all. 

Unlike my comical Zombie Survival Guide, this survival guide is for real world emergencies. It can help with your emergency preparedness by giving you tips and suggestions on what to expect and how to prepare.  It will also give you suggestions on typical survival gear that one will need for extended periods of uncertainty.

Disclaimer

If you have come in search of confirmation of Conspiracy Theory propaganda that the US Government under the head of President Obama is preparing to suspend our Constitution and usurp the role of Dictator and facilitate the New World Order then you’re in the wrong place, I haven’t written that movie yet.  However, if you are looking for practical advice on how to survive any disaster or national emergency, such as some whack job setting off a Dirty Bomb in the middle of your city or poisoning your city’s water supply or something more natural like Hurricane Katrina or the tornadoes that sweep through tornado alley every year, then keep reading.  

Your first priority is to your family and if you can’t keep it together then you’ll be of no help to them. Stay calm and assess the situation. You can stay calm if you have a plan, a contingency plan, and a plan for you contingency. Really, you never know where you or your family will be when and if disaster strikes. You may possibly be in the middle of Disney World’s Epcot Center when Hurricane Whatsitsname decides to take a B-line right for Orlando, or you might visiting the Mall of America when some nut-job decides that would be the perfect place to meet his 72 virgins. And then again, you might be sound asleep in your bed when the tornado early warning systems start to roar. The point is, you need to prepare for any and all scenarios and make a plan.

If you make a plan then you and your family will be prepared. You may still be surprised that it’s actually happening, but at least the resources will be in place to get you through the event.

EDIT: I almost forgot, discuss the plan with all the members of your family so they know exactly what to do incase the "stuff" hits the fan.  Plan for the worst and hope for the best.

It’s unlikely that if a catastrophic event were to occur that you and your family would make it to some remote and secure retreat.  It’s more likely that you can make it safely home so when making preparations your own home will be your retreat, especially for the short term.  Unless, of course, you’re in danger of being in the path of a serious hurricane then it would be wise to evacuate when the authorities tell you to evacuate. 

If you own a home in a hurricane prone area then it would be a good idea to build or install some storm shutters during the off season.  If you’re a renter in those areas and your landlord won’t provide that security for you then you either do it yourself or plan to evacuate.

Don’t count on finding rooms at hotels and motels.  It’s most likely those places will be full or charge outrageous nightly fees.  If you haven’t already, it’s time to hone your camping skills.  Purchase a cabin tent if you don’t already have one and keep it either in a large storage container with your other camping and survival gear or in the trunk of your vehicle.  It will be a much better experience than having to submit to any designated FEMA locations or mass shelters.

Staying in your own home where things are familiar and less costly to transport would be the ideal situation so it should be the number one place of shelter in your plan. 

When stocking up on food supplies try to shoot for at least a week’s worth of provisions to start with. For food, you want to stock up on can goods and non perishable items. Look for items that will give you and your family enough nutrition and calories to keep you healthy. Canned stews, raviolis, ramen noodles, cheeses, and rice are good items to stock up on. Keep your foods on plastic storage containers and add to your supplies when you can. More is always better but be realistic and cycle through your foods so they don’t go bad waiting on a disaster. Just replace what you use. The thing is, you don’t want to wait until the disaster hits then rush to the store to purchase your foods like the hundreds and thousands that will be doing that. And in most cases you will have to use cash since it will be likely that electrical services will be down and nobody will be taking checks or credit cards.

For water, remember that each person needs about 2 liters a day which includes the water that you may be consuming through some of your foods and other drinks. For a family of 4, a good supply of drinking water would be about 20 gallons. A healthy person can last about a month without food and can only last about a week without water.

Remember to fill your tubs and sinks with water as soon as you can after the disaster hits. This may give you ample supply for keeping yourself and things clean. I wouldn’t use it as drinking water unless you filter it and boil it first, boiling the water will kill just about anything that may be harmful inside it. Also, if you’re camped out in the woods or some remote location then it would be a good idea to have some type of portable water filtration. They come in all shapes and sizes but I recommend they devices I list to the right.

Don’t forget your vitamins. Keep a supply of chewable multi-vitamins in your survival kit. Chewable vitamins will be absorbed by the body much easier than solid forms and you’re going to need them to replenish the nutrients the body needs to keep healthy.

EDIT: Don't forget the family pets. They cannot care for themselves which is why they have you.

When any disaster strikes you must be concerned with first aid.  It’s unlikely that there will be adequate medical services after a catastrophic event so it will be up to you to respond to any needed first aid.  If you haven’t done so, it would probably be a good idea to take a basic first aid course that also teaches CPR.  You will gain basic knowledge in triage and treating minor to sever injuries and illness. 

When purchasing a first aid kit, keep in mind how many people you will possibly need to treat and equip your kit with as much first aid gear as you can.  More is always better.  Iodine, Peroxide, Calamine lotions, and anti-bacterial ointments should be part of your kit as well as a good supply of bandages and ace wraps.  It would be impossible to equip for every imaginable illness or injury, it will just give you a headache.  Oh, don’t forget the aspirin. 

Power generators and converters: Plan on being out of power for the duration of the event. No more cell phones, computers, or any other electrical convenience that we rely on. The only power you will have is the power you create. You can use the power from your vehicle with a simple AC to DC converter but it will cost you some precious fuel. You can also invest in a propane generator that can power a few conveniences or your entire home.

Flashlights and candles: Keeping with the knowledge that there will be no electricity, you will need a light source. Have an ample supply of flashlights, candles and chemical lights.

Handheld GPS for navigation: If you’re traveling when disaster strikes, you’ll most likely be in unfamiliar territory so having a way to navigate would be ideal. Handheld GPS units are an invaluable tool to have when in an unfamiliar place. At the very least, have an assortment of area maps and a compass.

Other recommended items

•  Survival books (first aid, plant life and gardening, look for the Army Survival Manual)
  

•  Canteens, cooking and eating utensils

•  Clothing (socks, gloves, rain suits, ponchos, anything appropriate for your environment)

•  Assortment of knives (cutting, cooking, utility, multi-functional)

•  Camp Axe and Shovel

•  Fire Starting devices (waterproof matches, lighters, tinder i.e. dryer lint)

•  Rope and cords

•  CASH (small denominations $10’s, $5’s, $1’s and coins, nobody will take credit cards or checks)

•  Firearms and ammunition (Think of safety, all the loons come out in times of severe crisis and they will want what you have)

•  Fishing kit (The more the better)

•  Extra batteries (use rechargeable and find a solar recharger)

•  Duct Tape (There are probably a million uses for duct tape so it’s always good to have a good supply)

"Food for five years, a thousand gallons of gas, air filtration, water filtration, Geiger counter. Bomb shelter! Underground... God damn monsters."

Burt Gummer Tremmors

I went through survival training in the US Army and I can tell you I could probably survive with just a fraction of what is on this list. But why, when I have the time to prepare all of this and more?

If I never need it, then that woud be fantastic. However, as the saying goes, It's alwyas better to have and not use than to want and not have.

Is it probable that something disasterous might be looming in our near future? YES!

Is it likely? I'll keep you updated.