Getting Stuff Ready For Emergencies

https://cleantechnica.com/2019/10/25/a-guide-to-disaster-preparedness-part-one/


Good morning all,

Had to spend a few minutes deciding this is better section to post than at more specialized sections.

It's a somewhat through article that got my attention as something worth posting since it mentioned preppers more than once. It's those darn 1,000 year weather events that screw up my daily planner entries.

Author Barry A F informs us that 97% of all Wikipedia articles link to philosophy. "A very small percentage link to pragmatism." I would never have guessed.

Some misc comments on article;

Philosophically speaking, a wheeled suitcase is heavier than a flight bag or pack of same size. All evacuations do not occur on Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, California or Trafalgar Square, London.

It can be vital not to panic during non-emergencies also.

What if help does not arrive ?

Rations, as the author uses the term, are still necessary if at home. The situation is dynamic and evacuation could be required ASAP or even faster.

The water section allows me to introduce a neglected subject - even neglected by some younger, just starting out preppers. Regardless of one's family size or other tribal arrangement, gallon water jugs may NOT "be fine" if injured. These jugs are relatively heavy and awkward. Factor in thought of injury occurring during a disaster. An acid test: Can that SOG assisted blade multi-tool be opened with a hand injury or flare-up of arthritis ?

It can also work non-well to coordinate with neighbors if/when they're more than 1 km away and have horses. It isn't easy approaching unsettled horses.

Ref the highlighted - important documents - ; I recommend to also add info eg sales receipt, photograph, of any important/valuable items you stage for an evacuation. Eg I have a serial numbered megaphone in truck. A small photocopied annotated sales receipt is with my "important documents". Consider this point also for your binoculars, related stuff......

Not mentioned but critical for senior-level preppers: Quality paper and pen needed to record any major event such as a death. I know there are some completely into IT high-tech. I've been in situations where I'd never take off my kevlar/nomex gloves to type on a Panasonic Toughpad.


......

Prep, prep, prep
and
factor in safety.

 

Whenever I've journeyed beyond civilization, I always made a field log. I wrote the log in waterproof little notebook. The structure of the log is as follow ;

Date (YYYY-MM-DD)
Time (hh:mm l) (hh:mm z)
Location (dd° mm' ss.s"N / S dd° mm' ss.s"E / W)
What
Who
Why
hoW
Comment, Opinion, Remark

 

Good afternoon Varuna,

A most important item: a field log.

Good format.

 

I also have copy of that format in my phone using Google Keep (synchronized). Apparently most people (whose not accustomed of doing any field work) tend to be nervous whenever I start taking note on my little notebook and it seem they think there is something bad had happen . I made point afterward to taking note using my phone and copy it afterward, and beside I've always need to check my position, compass, and barometric pressure using the phone anyway.

 

Good morning Varuna,

Were they nervous because of limited field experience or because they were doing something not in the best interest of the assignment ? I can guess. It's the same here.

There is a writing pen for field work - once advertised in the large "Rite in the Rain" catalog for a combination pen and IT software inside it. The scribe can write in script the notes on paper and later back at the Emergency Management Center / EOC (American English term) or tent, the pen can be uploaded to a PC/computer.

The pen is relatively expensive but the big headache is if reporting to someone, it frequently occurs that some matters are not to be recorded. You know the rest...............

 

Combination of limited field experience and because I've always copying whatever reading taken using my phone along with consulting paper map they feel as if we were lost or critical equipment was a missed. I eventually just let the phone to keep track of all the readings (GPS, barometric) so I could copy it afterward. Ironically I've always the one with the cheapest & oldest electronic around, my "field electronics" consist of Xperia Z3, Samsung S4, Lenovo S920, and a low spec Acer 14" laptop (the laptop was chosen for battery endurance)

I tend to avoid any specialized equipment for ease of logistic (weight & commonality) and also cost efficiency I still rely in my Parker ballpoint for writing (albeit this become rare nowdays) and signing off documents. Luckily these days its more of an e-mail & spreadsheet work rather than a paper work, however it also mean that they still need to be done and delivered on schedule doesn't matter if we were at some uninhabited island or in the middle of a few million years old tropical jungle

 

Good afternoon Varuna,

Good info.

I agree; Avoid the specialized gadgets.