emergency preparedness

[ZBM2]

Anyone prepared in the event of a catastrophic or devastating natural event in Western Canada? What precautions have you taken? Im good to go for a long time comfortably. I am interested in establishing and maintaining contact with others that have an interest in co-op preparation, mutual assistance and preparedness if the wheels fall off society. My boy scout motto was "be prepared"
something along these lines.

http://www.radmeters4u.com/arktwo/photoconstruct/photocon.htm

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Nothing wrong with being prepared. That being given, we won't entertain any talks of organized armed groups (militias).

Want to talk about shelters and rations, fill your boots.

 

[ZBM2]

Organized Militia? Wrong number. What I am suggesting that preparedness is vital to all. Whether the blackout is for a couple of hours or longer. What is your level of preparation? Water. Food. Shelter. Comms. Plans? Sustainability?

 

[Mike Baker]

Actually, yes, I have been reading on it. We do get bad weather around here, an some if you look at the news, things are not too great in the world. But for me an my family, we are just starting out, so we are not far into it.

 

[Greymatters]

Would the Internet still be operational for you in event of a disaster? (natural or otherwise).  Most incidents result in only those with mobile satellite links will retain this capability, which is still a bit expensive... or are you talking about a using Blackberry's or other devices?

 

[Mike Baker]

Wouldn't HAM still work, if you had proper power sources for it?

 

[geo]

Would the Internet still be operational for you in event of a disaster? (natural or otherwise).   Most incidents result in only those with mobile satellite links will retain this capability, which is still a bit expensive... or are you talking about a using Blackberry's or other devices?

Internet will only work so long as the servers around the world work.
If the servers are brought down, you're on your own.

 

[geo]

Wouldn't HAM still work, if you had proper power sources for it?

HAM will only work if there are other individuals still on the air around the world.... which there should be.

 

[Greymatters]

Internet will only work so long as the servers around the world work. If the servers are brought down, you're on your own.

True, so it remains to be clarified whether he is implying a world-wide disaster (meteor, anyone?) or more likely a locally-contained disaster, in which case there would be other servers across the country... but not neccesarily any way to link to them (no power, no local server working, etc...) 

 

[ZBM2]

I try to prepare for all eventualities. I do not consider loss of internet service catastrophic but the events causing it to occur could constitute such. HF or HAM radio is a solid network for long distance communication/entertainment, CB SSB also but in the event Wal Mart shelves are empty or the local 7-11 is closed for an extended period, what is your level of preparation to feed clothe shelter and defend your family. The world may not be a friendly place when the lights go out and I'd like to know what measures/skills you have taken. My eventual goal is to establish a network of competent/professional and motivated personnel interested in mutual co-operation and an agency capable of providing assistance to others as well.

My skills/equipment
water purification,welding,farming, fishing, hunting,wine making,animal husbandry,butchering and meat preparation, construction, communications (marine,satellite,VHF,HF), small engine mechanics,boat building

Looking for responses especially those with knowledge of power engineering and generation through natural resources. Interested parties can email me at twistedbiker@hotmail.com

 

[Ex Ranger Instructor]

My skills: getting my butt to the base in the event of disaster, which is the only thing required.  Wine making and farming- great, put that on your brag sheet, but in the mean time report for duty and keep manning that AGA.

 

[Fusilier]

"My skills: getting my butt to the base in the event of disaster, which is the only thing required"  Willy, of course as military that is our job, however it does not preclude preparing our homes and families to be sustainable in the event of an emergency. 

I believe ZBM2 has brought up some good points.  I've been to the floods, ice storm and the fires and have seen the confusion and the lack of preparedness.  Look as example what happened in New Orleans, look how quickly humans reverted to the baser instincts in order to survive.  Being prepared for an emergency doesn't just mean for when the balloon goes up, but also severe storms etc.  My husband and I have talked about this extensively, we live on an acreage and keep a minimum of 200litres of fuel on hand, food for at least two weeks, some cash in small bills, and water.  We also have our own generator which will power our septic and well.  Speaking of the internet, because I believe it won't be reliable I've been collecting "back to the land books" everything from building a log cabin to gardening and canning.  The best preparedness is knowledge.  I don't think we are "survivalists" in the extreme sense or candidates for a "militia".  Both my husband and I have been on numerous tours, if you been to Croatia, Bosnia, etc you have seen first hand the resourcefulness of people under extreme circumstances.

As military of course the first thing I would be doing is getting in my truck and heading for base, but I can leave knowing that my family and home is as prepared as I can make it!  Also, I'll be looking for ZBM2 for some of that wine!  ;D

 

[Ex Ranger Instructor]

You talking about Op Pontoon Fusilier?  I was there too, I know exactly how confusing it was.  Where were you at?

There's nothing wrong with emergency preparedness, and keeping some water and a good first aid kit on hand is just common sense.  Now that said, I think that this:

My eventual goal is to establish a network of competent/professional and motivated personnel interested in mutual co-operation and an agency capable of providing assistance to others as well

is redundant at best.  We already have it as one of our roles in the military to provide aid to the civil power when required.  Maybe Pontoon was a bit of a gong show-- fair enough, let's talk about what we could do better next time within the military context.  That's our job.  Setting up a parallell survivalist organization isn't.

 

[Fusilier]

Hey Willy,

Sorry missed that one  ;D, talking about Winnipeg 97 floods, then of course the Quebec/Ontario ice storm 98, and don't forget the BC fires guess I've been around for a while......

Regardless it's basically the same thing a large scale emergency/disaster.  Agreed there is nothing wrong with being prepared (the boy scouts have been doing it for years).  The military is not always called in, granted if it's serious enough we will be and of course as members we must leave our own families and answer the call.

I think maybe we're reading too much into the comment "establish a network of competent/professional and motivated personnel interested in mutual cooperation and an agency capable of providing assistance to others as well".  As military personnel lets face it our experience and training in general makes us maybe a little more aware of what is required and should be done to prepare and protect our families sharing ideas etc might not be a bad thing.

There are agencies at local, provincial and federal levels set up to deal with emergencies, they're easy to look up on the web for each province etc.    I've found tons of ideas etc on some of these sites.  example - http://www.getprepared.ca/index_e.asp

I may be incorrect but my take on his comment was that he's interested in a network of like minded persons not to form a "militia" but to share ideas, info etc.  So why don't we ask him to clarify exactly what ZBM2 means by "agency".  I don't feel that ZBM2 is trying to set up a "parallel survivalist organization", just looking for like minded personnel, however I could be mistaken.

Hey ZBM2 - can you clarify?  Tx

 

[ZBM2]

Willy, ref getting your butt to the base is the only thing required. A couple questions:

Does your spouse/children know how to avoid the immediate hazards such as flood, electrocution, debris?
Do they know the location of water and gas shutoff, main breaker? Do you?
What if the children/spouse are in school/work? Do you know the evacuation/survival plan? Do they even have one? An RV point if roads are unusable? Pre-planned travel routes/destinations?
Does your family have necessary provisions/knowledge/skills to carry on while your butt is at the base for a day or 2, a week or two?
Can a neighbor be relied upon? Will the neighbor be a threat?
Is there a survival plan at home? Has is been exercised/drilled?
Bringing anything with you to base beside your butt? Is it packed and ready to go?
Just a few points off the top of my head.

Sure Im headed to base ASAP, but I know when I depart that these issues and many more have been prepared for. Once a disaster happens, the time to prepare is gone and all you can do is cope.

Fusilier knows what Im saying. Kudos on your level of readiness.

 

[Ex Ranger Instructor]

I'll admit that I don't have dependants and if I did then perhaps I'd have a bit more interest in your ideas.

Farming though?  Winemaking?  Come on.  You're not exactly talking short term there.  The government (us included) will arrange for short term recovery from any emergency situation you care to name, short of a Mad Max style apocalypse.  Confusing and frightening though a disaster situation may be, a successful government/CF response has happened every time it has been called for to date, whether you're talking about the Quebec/Ontario ice storm, Manitoba floods, BC Fires or any other such situation of which I'm aware.  The only way your farming skills are going to be required is if society falls apart completely, but that hasn't exactly happened yet.  If it does then I guess there's egg on my face and you were right.  In the meantime however, I'm going to be a bit of a nay-sayer and suggest that your efforts would be better spent elsewhere. 

 

[Simon]

This is our system,

3 days- is basically to maintain your food supply, heat and water. easy no explanation needed

3 weeks:
To extend the genny and fuel supply from the basic 200l of fuel solution is pretty straight up, what I have done is constructed a battery bank of 800 Ah of batteries maintained by a Vulcan DSP standby float charger, with a 3000w inverter and a manual transfer switch, it provides survival level support to the freezer, the fridge, and one kitchen outlet. (coffee). Solar and/or wind support will make this period extend indefinitely.

The genny is run 2 hours/day allowing well water, and general services for showering, flushing, doing dishes and laundry, etc. also the batteries are being recharged via a High output Vulcan FR12/50 industrial charger and a Model 49 automotive charger. after two hours we shut down and return to survival level services, heating via wood stove, in winter. This would allow that 200l of fuel to last 3 weeks or longer, as the genny only functions periodically instead of always.

3 months:
We have 6 months easy supply of dry/canned goods on hand at all times.

I have HAM, VHF, radios, and the tower for communications in extended scenerios. We have two 45 gallon potable water drums with sealing lids containing everything from seeds, brass wire, axes, utensils, rope, nails, hammer, tarp, duct tape of course, winter boots, gloves, first and extended aid provisions, dettol, dettol, dettol, and much more. These can be rolled into the truck in less than 5 minutes.

I recommend you have a "water down plan" in case you need to allow the dwelling to go below zero for a period of time.

plenty more but thats the basics, and oh yea, the neighbours got cows ;D

 

[ZBM2]

Simon. Dettol wasn't on my load list. It is now. Thanks

 

[Fusilier]

Simon...wow,

"To extend the genny and fuel supply from the basic 200l of fuel solution is pretty straight up, what I have done is constructed a battery bank of 800 Ah of batteries maintained by a Vulcan DSP standby float charger, with a 3000w inverter and a manual transfer switch, it provides survival level support to the freezer, the fridge, and one kitchen outlet. (coffee). Solar and/or wind support will make this period extend indefinitely"  - you must live in the country.  How hard is that to do?  Three weeks is a reasonable plan, people were without power longer than that during the ice storm.  If my husband doesn't have his coffee...well we just won't go there. 

I find those of use who live outside the city centres seem to be a little better prepared than our "city mice cousins", maybe it's because we're used to the power going out fairly often.  Our next house we're looking at building with sustainable resources and not necessarily going totally off the grid but incorporating more solar/wind power.  I'm a bit of a closet tree hugger 

Now Willy is a bit concerned that all this talk is a bit "militia/survivalist" like, he stated he doesn't have a spouse and children and that will of course affect his thinking.  He's not alone, but we shouldn't berate him and his like, just try and make him and those like him think ahead.  ZB, I'm not saying you berated him, I just think we should keep this in mind during future posts.

But is he right?  Are we going overboard?  Are we paranoid?  Or are we paying attention to what is going on around us.  To gauge the thinking around us, maybe look at the media.  Disaster movies, how about the series Jerico... is that really all that far fetched?  Global warming, 911, Katrina.....is north America headed for social and economic collapse?  I'm no Chicken Little.....but

I personally would like to share ideas, lessons learned etc, however I'll admit I'm not ready to move to the mountains, chuck it all and build a commune  ;D and I don't think that is what this thread is about.  So guys, lets keep it civil and practical.  I'm interested.

PS:  Willy thanks for your PM, I'm on a DWAN and can't PM you back.

 

[Greymatters]

Simon, I would be interested in diagrams and a list of equipment for how you set that up, if you have time.