The writer of the best contributed non-fiction article
in the next 60 days will be awarded two transferable Front
Sight "Gray" Four Day Training Course Certificates. This
is an up to $4,000 value!
Round 16 of the writing contest ends May 31, 2008
You can write on any topic related to preparedness or survival that you think would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers. To be eligible, an article must be a minimum of 1,200 words. (Reeeaaally long articles are allowed, but may be serialized.) All writings must be original works and the copyright will become the property of SurvivalBlog. Non-fiction articles only. (No fiction, poetry, or prose pieces will be accepted.) We reserve the right to edit articles for length, grammar, spelling, punctuation and to excise any portions that are off-topic. We reserve the right to post only those articles that we deem "blogworthy." The only other limit to this contest is that you can only be awarded one prize per year. Articles may be written under pseudonyms.
Because we received so many great articles, we decided to make it on-going.
Special judging consideration will be given to the article with the most useful and detailed information on a practical skill that is applicable to a TEOTWAWKI situation. Since SurvivalBlog is "text only" for the convenience of readers that use mobile devices, please do not include illustrations with your article. (Although articles with URL links to images housed at your own web site for at least three subsequent years are acceptable.)
The top prize is worth up to $2,000 and is transferable.
SurvivalBlog advertisers are not eligible for the contest. Prize winners are not eligible for subsequent awards unless two years has elapsed.
So start writing, ladies and gents! You can submit as many articles as you'd like for judging.
Please submit your articles in RTF, AppleWorks, ClarisWorks, HTML, MS-Word, or plain text format, via e-mail.
Thanks!
James Wesley, Rawles
SurvivalBlog Editor
Congratulations
to the Winners
of Previous Rounds of the Contest:
Round 1: B.H. in Spokane, for his article titled "On Preparing Your Children", which was posted on October 24, 2005.
Round 2: "EMT J.N." who wrote the article: "Getting Your Group to Buy In: The $20 Medical Kit" which was posted on January 13, 2006
Round 3: K.A.D., for his article titled: "Defending Your Home: An Outline of Security for Troubled Times" which was posted on March 28, 2006.
Round 4: Northwest Huey, for his article titled: "Using Rechargable Batteries" which was posted on May 28, 2006.
Round 5: TruthFirst, for his article titled: "How to Build an Inertial Well Slow Pump for Grid Down Emergencies" which was posted on July 31, 2006.
Round 6: R.E.M., for his article titled: "Maximizing Food Storage Life" which was posted on September 26, 2006.
Round 7: SF in Hawaii, for his article titled: "Wheat Sprouts and Wheatgrass as Survival Foods" which was posted on November 6, 2006.
Round 8: JLM, for his article titled: "Gardens For the Future" which was posted on January 26, 2007.
Round 9: E.C.W., MD, for her article: "Wound
Care: An Emergency Room Doctor's Perspective" which was posted on
February
24, 2007.
Round 10: "Grandpappy" for his article "How
to Harvest, Process, and Store Vegetable Seeds" which was posted on
May 11, 2007.
Round 11 John O. MD for his article
"Survival
Labor and Delivery" which was posted on July 10, 2007.
Round 12 "Polar Bear" for his article "Converting
Diesel Vehicles to Run on Waste Vegetable Oil" which was posted on September
10, 2007.
Round 13 "LP" for his article "Preparedness
While on Business Travel --What to Pack" which was posted on November
24, 2007.
Round 14 J. Britely for his article "Prepare
or Die" which was posted on January
30, 2008.
Round 15 Paul C., for his article "My Seven Favorite North American Edible Wild Plants" which was posted on March 25, 2008.
Introduction
Let us review the basics of child rearing. Children are a gift from God and
we are to bring them up in the fear and admonition of the Lord. All preparedness
means nothing if we have prepared our children for the eternal fires of hell.
God, in His eternal wisdom and grace, providentially provided His son Jesus
to restore us to a loving relationship with the Almighty. God provides covenantal
blessings for those who obey Him and curses for those who don’t. With
that being said it is imperative that all our worldly preparation be first
and foremost spiritual because we are to store up that which is eternal and
lasts forever rather than the temporary. Furthermore, the Bible is very clear
as to our responsibility to provide for our own family which thus leads us
into this discussion. I have thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Rawles's book Patriots and
find it to be the most comprehensive book of its kind. I was blind to the
fact I was not prepared for any small emergency that may occur. It shocked
me into action. Whether it is an evening storm outage or the full blown worse
case scenario I wasn’t ready. The following article is an attempt at
providing an addendum to Patriots for those families with small
children. We home school our five children ages 3 to 11 and found preparing
for emergencies take on a whole new meaning when plans must take into account
those who can’t account for themselves. The Patriots story
fits a certain demographic and my family doesn’t fit that profile.
So here are my thoughts and ideas on preparing a family with primary age
children.
The Beginning
I truly believe that having the right mindset or belief system about preparedness
is essential. We are not hoarding out of panic or fear but making a concerted
effort to provide the necessities of daily living for an extended period
of time. Discretion is necessary because two things occur during preparation.
The first is possibly being socially ostracized by being labeled a survival
whacko by neighbors. These people are harmless until a survival situation
occurs and then they become problem number two-potential security risks.
I believe all preparedness should be disguised in some way. For instance,
all guns and equipment can be acquired for our camping and shooting hobbies
or purchasing food in bulk can be “taking advantage of a good sale." Whatever
you do just be creative in disguising all your actions especially with family
or friends. Likewise, our mindset should be long-term focused because being
prepared is a process, not an event. Preparedness begins with education
of the entire family and not just the spouse who is driving the agenda. A
family should cultivate an environment of learning that permeates the entire
daily lives of its members. The more you educate yourself prior to purchases
the farther your dollar will go with wise decisions and quality buying habits.
Education
My education started with reading Patriots for the first time. I would
recommend everyone do the same because it gives you a realistic idea of the
effort required to get prepared. Once you make the decision to start you should
take a realistic inventory of your skill set and knowledge. Be honest about
how well you would do in a mild disruption, large-scale emergency and full-tilt TEOTWAWKI.
Start your reading list with the idea that you will prepare for the worst and
hope for the best. Start first with Beans, Bullets and Band-aids and in that
order.
Beans refer to getting educated on how to grow, store and prepare food in a
survival situation. This may at first seem a large burden on the parents but
children of all ages can have a keen role in this area. Children love gardening
and are good at planting and weeding. In fact, by the time I was 12 years old
I was responsible for half of our garden which included beans, broccoli, strawberries,
raspberries, onions, carrots and potatoes. Children are especially adept at
picking crops without ruining their backs or getting stuck by thorns in the
blackberry bush. Beware of “2 in the mouth and 1 in the bucket” blight
of these two-legged creatures. It can be as costly as infiltration of a four-legged
pest into your garden.
Turn off the TV! Or better yet, get rid of it altogether. The outdoors should
be a constant classroom as you walk, talk, weed, plow and play. By being outside
you have ample opportunity to teach across a broad spectrum of topics and curriculum.
For example I have attempted to link activities with teachable topics for preparedness.
I think you get the idea. Even something as simple and mundane as football
has value to prepare for a survival situation. The key is to be creative and
make it fun for the kids. I play a game with my kids as we hike. We haven’t
made the move to the country so we drive over to a natural area on the edge
of suburban Spokane. Our game is called “Patrol” We hike in silence
and in 5 yard intervals. Each kid takes a turn at Point leading the way up
to a pre-determined destination and the others rotate bringing up the rear.
The really fun part is when I whisper “Danger Close!” or “Tango” we
race to find concealment and the last one to get concealed well is tagged.
When its time for a break we look for a rest spot that is concealed and yet
provides good line of sight for security. I don’t want to traumatize
them so the “bad guys” are the looters they saw on TV during Hurricane
Katrina coverage. Even kids know a bad guy when they see one. Children love
to learn and play games and if you can do both at once, Amen! Each teachable
moment is a short lecture about life and the world we live in. You will train
your children to improvise, adapt, and overcome life’s challenges. Educate
yourself in all aspects of the preparedness mindset but don’t exclude
the little ones. They are just as eager to learn as you and may actually retain
more factoids than our aged brains.
Getting Out of Dodge
G.O.O.D. provides several unique
hurdles when preparing for children. Instead of breaking up the topic into
Beans, Bullets and Band-Aids I will discuss as an all encompassing endeavor.
Depending on the age of your children preparedness has to take into account
the child’s physiology from the start. Teenagers don’t have inherent
problems as do tending to small pre-adolescent age groups. A teenager, for
the most part, has stopped growing or is growing into adult sizes that make
acquiring survival gear a bit easier.
Primary age children grow out of their clothes extremely fast and if a TEOTWAWKI
scenario occurs you must store sizes to grow into. I guarantee during TEOTWAWKI
Wal-Mart won’t be holding a clearance sale or Schumer Day sale on gear
(Actually if anyone would be open for business it probably would be Wally World).
I believe one can prepare in several ways for growing children and seasonal
changes in weather. Once again a little education can go a long way.
Preparation should encompass a layered approach starting with a 1) G.O.O.D.
Bag, 2) Rapid Deployment Bin and 3) Long-term Inventory. G.O.O.D. bag is a
backpack loaded with all essentials that are pre-packed and ready to go at
a moment’s notice. Mr. Rawles description in Patriot’s is a great
place to start. The idea with children is to size down the weight since kids
can’t carry at par and most likely won’t be carrying ammo and other
weighty items. Also make sure the clothing is sized up one size. Kids can fit
into something a bit larger but squeezing into something a size too small is
misery. Once you bring the weight down look to exchange adult items for kid
friendly items for comfort and entertainment. Add a couple of books and a deck
of cards or a travel size game instead of ammo or firearms. Also have a spare
set of clothing one size bigger to grow into.
Rapid Deployment Bins
The Rapid Deployment Bin is a supply prepared for rapid deployment where you
will travel by vehicle and not on foot. For instance, if you had ample warning
and were leaving home for a retreat location this would easily be picked
up and hauled with other necessary items. We use square plastic bins with
locking lids that conveniently stack and are transportable. One bin per kid
and you can easily prepare several years of clothing for all weather extremes.
Add two pairs of boots and two pair of snow boots and one child can be squared
away for at least two years. Coveralls are a great way to fit one child for
several growth spurts. Coveralls can fit even when their too big and can
be grown into over time. One pair of light[weight] and one insulated can
be stored easily to provide year-round protection. You may have realized
the problem of keeping all eggs in one basket. If I were to loose one bin
that child would be in a world of hurt. I am currently looking for some plastic
half-barrels to store two clothing units per kid and hold two for each member
of our household.
Long-Term Inventory
Long-term inventory at a retreat location would be similar to Rapid Inventory
arrayed in comparison to the Patriots example of lockers. The supply
of clothing and other necessities would be more in depth and take into consideration
long-term growth in height and weight of children. It would also be wise to
add some patches and Shoo-Goo into your sewing kit to add calendar life to BDUs
and boots. Knees on pants and soles on boots can wear out faster than other
articles. Repairing means some items can be handed down to smaller kids when
outgrown by its owner. Once kids grow out of a size and you run out of kids
to hand them down they will make great charity or barter items.
Purchasing and Storage
We have two methods for obtaining and storing clothing that saves time, money
and storage space. My wife is warrior shopper which means she finds all the
deals and never pays full price. We found a new pair of Sorrel winter boots
in a youth size for only $3.00 at a local thrift store. The most intriguing
part is that it was August when she bought them. Remember: Preparing is a
process not an event. Start with a list of sizes and actual gear you need
to outfit the family. Camo gear can be hard to come by but light brown and
earth tones aren’t. Buy the earth tones and browns which can easily
be dyed to some level of camouflage during bad times.
Thrift stores and garage sales are the only way to go. We also plan to buy
a sewing machine and learn a few basics on manufacturing our own clothing.
You can now buy polar fleece camouflage material in several patterns which
can save a bundle compared to store bought outer gear. Be diligent with the
yard sales because in our area the local Russian immigrant population hits
the sales right as they open between 7 and 9 AM. We have found that they can
take all the good stuff before you even get a chance.
A big recommendation for G.O.O.D. bag, Rapid Deployment Bins and Long-term
retreat storage is the use of a vacuum sealer. You can seal
a whole set of clothing in one pouch. It saves on G.O.O.D. bag space and bin
space also. For an example, in a large bag I can fit 1 pair of BDUs, 3 t-shirts,
3 underwear, 5 socks and one set polypropylene and that is vacuum sealed into
a space the size of a laptop computer. Planning ahead and have several sets
all prepared and sealed allows for additional storage space. Label each bag
with a marker for age and size information to make inventory easy and you are
set to store for use, charity or barter. The sealer works great for dried food
items also so this is a great purchase for beginning to get squared away. Shop
online for the best deals or even check local “nickel” want ads.
Caching
I have a few quick thoughts on a cache that may be easier on the pocket book.
If you are looking to cache some items you don’t have to wait until
you have a big pile but you can cache in increments. Five gallon food grade
buckets can be used as personal or individual caches. Restaurants throw these “buckets” away
on a regular basis. Contact a local burger joint and ask them if you can
have their pickle buckets when finished. Soak overnight in a little bleach
water to remove the vinegar smell. Use a small plastic garbage bag to line
the interior before placing items inside. If the restaurant destroys or cuts
the lid you can purchase replacements at paint stores or nearest warehouse
lumber store.
Placement of the buckets in the ground can be done individually as you prepare
them. I recommend sealing the lid with duct tape and placing the bucket into
black garbage bags before putting into the ground. Use the heavy duty contractor’s
grade garbage bags; they cost a little more but are super heavy duty and will
take 30+ years to decompose in the soil. Place your bucket into one bag and
then inside a second bag for double layer protection. I prefer a long trench
for my cache to make recovery as simple as possible. Once I find the first
bucket I know where exactly the others are in a linear formation. You can save
time and energy later by lining the trench and back-filling around the buckets
with pea gravel up to 3 inches over the top. The last 12 inches should be normal
top-soil or fill. There are several reasons to use pea gravel. First, it allows
better water drainage over time so there is little chance of moisture compromising
your cache. Second, rocks can be pushed into and break open the plastic containers
that’s why irrigation, telecom and other utility pipe is installed with
sand first and then backfilled with dirt. Third, pea gravel helps recovery
of cache if done when conditions aren’t ideal. If you have to recover
in the dark the pea gravel will contrast to top soil by sight and sound when
digging. It also makes removal of buckets easier since they will just slide
out and won’t have to be dug from compacted soil. It can also help if
you have to dig with primitive tools or your hands.
Defense/Combat Training
I am a graduate of Front
Sight Firearms Training School. I cannot stress enough the overall value
of spending time at that facility. They took me from dangerous novice to Distinguished
Graduate status in four days. I was ignorant of just how dangerous I was to
myself and others. I had gone through a basic hunter’s Ed class at age
12. I have hunted many years in the woods of northeastern Washington chasing
deer and in the blinds of the Pend Oreille River freezing my tail off for the
occasional duck and goose. Being around guns all your life actually makes you
complacent and more dangerous than a novice. Just because you’ve been
around guns your whole life doesn’t mean you are safe. Once you have
professional grade training you will be astonished at just how much you didn’t
know. So before you go off and try to teach combat skills make sure you have
time-tested education in this area. Even with my level of skill I am slowly
introducing responsible gun handling to my kids. When we are out in the woods
they can take toy guns or BB guns and they are to practice muzzle control.
At home during dry practice we practice snapping in and breathing for sight/target
control and trigger control. These elements come together when we take the
Chipmunk .22 out to the range. The kids are already proficient with open sights
at 25 yards.
Bottom line is you will always fall back to your highest level of training
during a combat/life saving situation. If you can’t do the right thing
without thinking about it you are likely a danger to yourself and others if
the threat level goes black. Don’t wait to find out the hard way by causing
injury or death negligently. Get the training-it’s worth it!
Conclusion
I hope I have provided some helpful hints and ideas. If you have a better thought
or suggested improvement please share them in a follow up letter. I know
I have come a long way but I am just getting started in this process of becoming
prepared. It is comforting to know that God’s providence rules over
all things. Preparedness must be in submission to His law or it is hoarding,
which is sin. If you don’t know the difference go seek guidance from
your pastor or church elder. There are blessings for those who keep His commandments
and curses for those who don’t. We are not guaranteed an easy life
or a life free from persecution or strife but His path will not lead you
astray. God Bless and get started. - B.H. in Spokane
Overview
After the Katrina fiasco, a lot of my friends started to get interested in
preparedness. Having some experience as an EMT and SAR volunteer,
I decided to take the initiative and organize a group buy on medical supplies.
This article is intended to help others who would like to put together low-cost,
practical medical kits, particularly for a group.
For the short version, skip down to The Kit: Part I. Otherwise, read on.
Background
For any kind of preparedness project, it's best to have a set of goals in mind
at the outset. The goals I came up with were to build a kit that:
1. Is simple to use by lay people, with a maximum chance of helping in a crisis
and a minimum chance of causing harm.
2. Contains supplies for 2-3 people to take care of themselves for 1 week in
the event of a crisis (earthquake, weather emergency, flu, etc) or for one
major incident (car accident, work injury).
3. Useful for the same 2-3 people during an average year of minor cuts, scrapes,
and illnesses. Useful as a stand-alone kit or a module in a larger cache.
4. Easy to obtain and replenish (no exotic meds or perishable items)
5. Compact and easy to store (1 gallon Ziploc).
6. The last, and most difficult: the kit must cost around $20.
Based on experience, I felt that it would be unrealistic to expect friends
and neighbors to spend $1,000 on a full-blown medic bag suitable for an expedition
to Mt. Kenya, or to spend 100+ hours in EMT training. Someone who is dedicated
can get to this level of preparedness, but those supplies do no good if they
are locked up in your basement and not out where the hurt or sick people are.
If you happen to be the sick person or away from your cache of gear, the same
rule applies.
So let's start with the assumption that our friends are be willing to put $20
towards their own safety and maintain something that fits inside of a 1 gallon
Ziploc. If copies of that kit are distributed to all of your friends, neighbors,
family, deer hunting buddies, etc then there is a better chance that:
1. They will be able to take care of their immediate needs during the first
critical hours of a disaster.
2. They will be there to help you.
3. As a group, you will collectively have enough supplies to stabilize someone
who is really seriously hurt.
The Kit Part I - what do we really need?
A lot of papers have been written on the subject of first aid kits and what
they should contain. What we're most interested in is being able to carry
out a few basic interventions that can treat the small problems and buy us
time to get to a real doctor for the big ones.
So what can we reasonably do? A complete discussion of first aid measures could
easily fill a book, but let’s keep it simple.
The basic things needed for a person to live are the ABCs:
Airway
Breathing
Circulation
Any major interruption to the above, and you're basically done for without
immediate intervention. Going down the line, we have other common problems
that can threaten our survival:
Shock
Hypothermia
Dehydration
Fever
Infection
Major Injury
We also have a number of minor problems that can become major ones if we ignore
them. A sprained ankle may keep you from being able to evacuate. A minor cut
can lead to sepsis when you're in a dirty environment. Diarrhea is annoying,
but can kill you if it goes on for longer than a couple of days.
For the kit to be worthwhile, every item should be able to help us solve these
problems, and preferably have multiple uses.
After substantial research, the kit listed below was settled on as being a
good compromise in terms of usefulness and cost. The supplies are grouped by
categories.
Personal protection
(1) 2oz Bottle, hand sanitizer
(4) Exam gloves, Nitrile
(1) CPR shield
Instruments
(1) Splinter forceps, pair
(1) EMT shears, pair
(2) Disposable fever thermometers
(1) Razor blade
Bandaging:
(20) 1" Band-aids, cloth
(2) Roll, 4.5" Kling gauze
(1) Small roll, medical tape
(4) 4x4" gauze bandages
(1) Triangular bandage
(1) Ace elastic bandage, 3"
(10) Steri-strips, 1/4x1.5"
(2) Tincture of benzoin swabs
(2) Instant Cold Packs
Medications:
(6) Packets, triple antibiotic ointment
(20) Benadryl tablets
(20) Ibuprofen tablets
(18) Imodium tablets
(15) Aspirin
Other:
(4) Plastic vials, 2 dram capacity
(1) Bag, 1 gallon Ziploc freezer-type
The Kit Part II - What can we do with these supplies?
Here is a brief explanation of each group of items and what it might one day
do for you.
Personal protection - These items are there to help
keep you, the rescuer from getting a disease or worse from someone
you are trying to help.
Gloves are a good precaution whenever bodily fluids (blood, vomit, etc) must
be handled. The more expensive Nitrile gloves are better, as some people are
allergic to latex. They are also more sturdy.
A CPR shield is a must-have if you ever expect to perform CPR or rescue breathing
- it could mean the difference between helping someone without hesitation and
not being willing to risk it. Don't spend a lot of money here, as it's also
one of the least-used items and the reusable models can be harder to use without
practice.
Hand sanitizer is always useful. Ask any nurse about the importance of washing
up. The alcohol-based gel is not as good, but the best you can get when the
hot, soapy stuff is unavailable.
Instruments - Being able to dig a splinter out, cut away
clothes, or take vital signs, is one heck of a lot easier with some basic tools.
EMT shears are inexpensive, heavy-duty scissors that can even cut through a
penny. These, along with the other items will find many uses to an imaginative
person. The forceps (tweezers) can also be used to get the cotton out of the
pill bottles.
Bandaging - Bandages are used to stop bleeding and protect wounds.
An assortment of cloth band-aids can help you deal with minor injuries, while
the larger gauze pads and rolls can help with bigger lacerations (cuts) and
abrasions. An Ace bandage can be used to treat a sprain, hold a makeshift splint
onto a leg, or wrap up a severely bleeding wound that requires pressure. An
additional item that might be added is one or more sanitary napkins. Aside
from their feminine use, they are excellent for soaking up blood on large injuries.
For major cuts, steri-strips are a way of closing up the skin without needing
special equipment and training. Think of these as "band-aids on steroids." They
are thin tape strips, 1/4" or so wide and 3-4" long, coated with
a super-aggressive adhesive and reinforced with cloth fibers. After thoroughly
cleaning a wound (a hole poked in the Ziploc can allow you to squirt clean
water deep inside), the steri-strips are applied much like sutures (stitches),
across the wound to close the edges up.
Tincture of Benzoin (a sticky disinfectant swabbed on wounds) will make the
steri-strips stick better. Properly applied, they will stay on for up to 2
weeks, even with showers. Don't waste your money on butterfly bandages - these
are far superior.
Medications - These are inexpensive drugs that can be bought
(at least in the U.S.) without a prescription.
Antibiotic ointment (i.e. Neosporin) should be applied to cuts to reduce the
chance of infection, particularly in dirty environments.
Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) is an antihistamine (anti-allergy) medication that
can help treat cold and flu symptoms (runny nose, congestion), make allergies
less severe, and aid sleep. (Many OTC sleeping
pills contain Diphenhydramine.)
In addition, taking Benadryl early could help save your life if you
suffer anaphylactic shock (i.e. a severe allergic reaction, such as from a
bee sting
Ibuprofen is a pain reliever, anti-inflammatory and fever reducer. In a survival
situation, being able to carry out important tasks without the pain from a
headache or sports injury could be critical, as could reducing a life-threatening
fever.
Aspirin is also a pain reliever, and has fever reducing effects, although Aspirin
should never be administered to children with fevers, due to the possibility
of a life-threatening complication known as Reye's syndrome. Aspirin is also
often given at the first signs of a heart attack in many EMS protocols.
Imodium (Loperamide) is the last OTC drug included, and it is used to control
diarrhea. Diarrhea can interfere with your ability to perform tasks, but it
can also be life threatening if it causes dehydration. A 2-3 day course could
be life saving in an emergency.
With any medication, it is important that the full instructions be included
in your kit. Make photocopies of the drug labels and warnings, and include
with your other documentation. Be sure to write down the drug expiration dates
as well.
All of these meds should be good for at least 1 year after purchase, but check
first.
Plastic dram vials are good for packaging drugs purchased in bulk. Add a small
amount of cotton if you need to protect the pills from being crushed by vibration
and shaking. And don't forget to print labels for each bottle.
In addition to the four above, you might want to pack an extra vial for your
personal medications.
The Kit Part III - Being a savvy shopper!
Assembling all of this and keeping the price under $20 is difficult unless
you buy in bulk.
From our research, we found that Costco had hands-down the best prices on medications.
You will need to buy the large, bulk bottles and repackage them.
For bandages and related first-aid supplies, buy quantities mail-order from
an EMS or medical company such as Emergency Medical Products.
Many supplies are available locally. Wal-Mart often has 2oz bottles of hand
sanitizer for U.S.$0.99. The plastic vials can be purchased in packs of 25
or 100 from several eBay vendors. The razor blades can be had in 100-packs
at any hardware store.
Some of the "Big Lots" type discount stores also have first aid supplies.
I recently found 2-packs of Ace bandages for U.S.$0.99. But be wary of buying
medications at these places, as you may find that they are close to their expiration
dates.
Conclusion - Putting it all together
Once you have orders from all of your group members (20-25 kits seems to work
out well on quantities for the first order) and you've received your supplies,
you'll need to pack them. I've found that the best way to do this is to have
each group member come and pack their own kit. This way, everyone will be
familiar with the contents and will know where everything is.
The first time you do this, you will probably lose money, owing to the odd
quantities that some products must be purchased in, and occasional hidden tax
or shipping charges. Think of it as a charity (or charge a bit more than you
think you need to up front!)
And remember, the best survival kit is the on you keep inside your head, in
the form of training. Go sign up for Red Cross First Aid/CPR training, take
a First Responder, Wilderness First Responder (WFR),
or EMT class. Read books, or take on-line lessons. There are several excellent,
free resources on-line.
Appendix I:
Spreadsheet with kit contents. Includes a worksheet help figure out quantities
to order, total cost, etc.
http://23.org/~arclight/firstaid/medical_kit_worksheet.xls
Sample Avery labels (Avery #8257) for pill bottles.
http://23.org/~arclight/firstaid/drug_labels.doc
Appendix II:
Optional Items:
Rehydration Mix
If you should come down with severe diarrhea, you can die from dehydration
and loss of electrolytes. Stocking some Pedialyte, Gatorade (dilute to 50%
with water) or the homemade equivalent could be a life saver. The basic recipe
is 1 teaspoon (5ml) salt, 8 teaspoons sugar and 1 liter of water.
SAM Splint (or imitation)
These are very versatile split devices, which consist of thin aluminum on a
foam backing. You can bend and use as-is, for splint arms, wrists, legs, etc
or cut up with your EMT shears to make finger splints.
N95 HEPA Masks
If you're worried about airborne pathogens, this is a good thing to have. Most
hardware stores sell masks with an N95 or higher rating, and small, collapsible
masks are available from medical outlets.
Upgraded CPR Mask
The $1, disposable shield will serve, but a better shield, with a one-way valve
will make things easier. The CPR Microshield from MDI is good compromise,
as it is superior to the thin plastic shield, has a one-way valve, and comes
on a keychain.
Suction
Keeping the airway clear is critically important when someone has experienced
trauma or is severely ill. Commercial suction devices are available, but a
cheap, improvised solution is a standard turkey baster. For less than $2, this
could be a useful addition to a kit.
Thin Sharpie Marker and paper
Useful for recording vital signs. (You do have a watch, right?) With a Sharpie
marker, you can also write the numbers on the patient's hand, so that there
is no chance of the paper being lost during transport/evacuation.
Better Packaging
The 1-gallon Ziploc bag was chosen as the least costly option for getting the
kit out there. You will probably want to find a better container to package
it in if you expect it to last in a vehicle or other harsh environment. The
basic kit can fit into a 30 caliber ammo can, a small Pelican box (1300 series
or larger) or a soft bag. Harbor
Freight offers a low-cost canvas or nylon bag that will neatly hold the
kit. Check out items #40727-3VG, item #38167-0VGA, and item #32282-7VGA
If you really want a top-of-the-line, well organized packaging system, look
at the compartment cases from L.A. Rescue, Outdoor Research, or Atwater-Carey.
A search through most EMS catalogs, or a Google inquiry should turn these up.
Useful Web Sites:
Wilderness Emergency Medicine Services Institute (WEMSI)
Lots of good materials, including the full text of their training manuals
http://www.wemsi.org/
Where there is No Doctor (Now available on-line)
http://www.healthwrights.org/books/WTINDonline.htm
Free First Aid Guide (From SciVolutions, a medical manufacturer)
http://www.firstaidguide.net/
Emergency Medical Products
Sells a full line of EMS supplies
http://www.buyemp.com
Allegro Medical
Generic Medical catalog, offer smaller quantities of similar items
http://www.allegromedical.comBooks
Wilderness Medicine (Great reference, previously recommended here
on SurvivalBlog.com)
Paul W. Auerbach
(1,910 pages, hardcover)
ISBN: 0323009506
98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive
Cody Lundin
(240 pages, soft cover)
ISBN:1586852345
My mentor in the law, when asked to prove the depravity of man, produces
from his pocket a common set of keys. He then asks, if men are not morally
depraved, why he must lock his home when he leaves it. His belief in the common
depravity of man is such that he (quietly) celebrates the fact that many of
the lawyers in the office carry concealed sidearms, believing that the fact
that many of us are armed makes all of us safer. Everyone who locks his door
has taken the first step toward securing his home, but there are many further
steps that better ensure the safety of your family and possessions. While we
can talk about these steps as a good idea in times of relative peace and order,
they become critical lifesaving decisions whenever the thin veneer of civilization
collapses.
The signs of a gathering storm, which we daily read from the pages of our papers,
call us to the preparation for a lawless future, where we face the hand of
evil men who hold themselves accountable to neither the law of God nor the
law man. In the day of that storm, which may come slowly or arrive with great
force, you will need a mentality of preparedness centered on deterrence, detection
and deadly force. In preparing deterrence, you will hope that the evil man
will see the height of the prepared ramparts and choose other targets. If he
approaches, preparedness for detection will allow you to know he is there and
preparedness for deadly force will allow you expel him with the minimum necessary
proper force.
Much of what I write here is centered toward the needs of the urban survivalist.
My family and I make our life in the heart of a great city, on 1/3 of an acre.
Much of what I write here will also apply well to the rural retreat, but some
of it will not. The principles of deterrence, detection, and deadly force are
constant; how you apply them will vary with your own terrain.
Deterrence involves creating in the enemy two beliefs. First, you want him
to believe that there is nothing in your home and lands worth stealing. Second,
you want him to believe that, even if the target is tantalizing, the cost is
simply too high. You seek a very specific deterrence. Seek to alter his incentives
and to convince him that the rewards are greater and the risks are lower someplace
else. That a man wishes to perpetrate a felony is none of your affair; seek
merely to compel him to do so elsewhere. Deterrence, it must be said, is fairly
passive in the hour of urgency. Deterrence is all about what you did before
the balloon went up. Well-planned deterrents are designed to self-execute,
even in the absence of a power grid.
For the first point, that there is nothing worth stealing, it should be your
constant habit to hide from view things that are of great value. Expensive
automobiles are a decadent form of foolishness; they scream that portable wealth
is to be had for the easy taking. Similarly, small items of personal property
in plain view are an evil. Good order and discipline forbids clutter left about,
and good order and discipline will compel you to hide expensive items, like
cash or a pistol or electronics, from plain view from your window. Discipline
yourself to put up your tools and your toys. Almost anything can be stored
in a proper cabinet or drawer. Dummy electrical outlets can serve as safes
for small valuables. Gun safes can be tucked away in closets (and bolted to
the deck—don’t make it easy). You can hide a rifle in the wall
by cutting a hole in the wall and mounting your medicine cabinet over the hole.
If the repairman or the deliveryman comes to your home, reduce his access to
your house to the greatest extent possible, and hide from his view those things
which are valuable. And don’t leave keys to the house laying about in
plain view; make the attacker believe he must cut his way in through a window
and kick his way out through a door. This first point is a thorough going discipline;
you have to do these things all of the time.
For the second point, that the risks of breaking and entering are too great,
let the whole world see your preparations, and layer them at differing perimeters.
As a first perimeter, a fence too high to be easily jumped, surrounded by cactuses,
and topped with spikes, will deter the lazy. At a second perimeter, rosebushes
and cactuses surrounding windows will discourage the undetermined. Between
the second and third perimeter, have a very barky dog, and maybe a clothesline
to deter nocturnal attackers. At a third perimeter, visible window locks and
alarm sensors tell the professional thief that penetration into the building
will be a slow and uncertain process. Motion lights make the thief wonder if
he has, in fact, been detected. A sign from an alarm company, whether you have
an alarm or not, warns the felon of the difficulty of finding enough booty
before he is detected and apprehended. If you are inclined toward burglar bars,
they complicate entry and exit considerably. Within a fourth and final perimeter,
heavy interior doors, heavily locked with deep throws, give a place for your
family to hide (behind a door and a receiver) and prepare, and they encourage
the evil man to stick to that which may be easily stolen and to forgo other,
more heinous, acts.
The hone st truth is that some men will not be deterred, and they must be detected.
From the moment that a felon decides to enter your home, he has seized the
initiative in the critical encounter that results from his actions. The element
of surprise is his advantage until the moment of detection, and you must make
that moment happen before he has closed within the range to do you real harm.
Detection is not passive. While you may deter men with preparations before
the hour of danger, detection must occur through vigilance at the hour of need.
Specifically, you must be alert to the telltales of impending jeopardy, but
you should expect subtle cues. It is unlikely that you will see the enemy coming
through NVGs while standing
post; we will all be too busy for that luxury. The only one with the vigilance
and adequate night-vision is your dog.
Detection must also be layered. The combination of an indoor dog and an outdoor
dog is very wise. It is also wise to give your next door neighbor’s son
a puppy (with parental consent). In the outermost layer, telltales may be very
subtle. I am a fan of the little solar walkway lights. If something walks in
front of one of them while I am looking out the window, even at a good distance,
I notice; I also investigate. These solar-lights are particularly handy in
that they are even more useful in a grid-down disaster.
Closer to my home, I am installing motion lights, such that you will not be
able to get within five feet of a door or window without setting off a light
that gives me an idea of trouble in a particular area. If you choose bright
enough lights, you can also blind an assailant. You may want to choose a supplemental
power system for the lights, to prevent problems when the grid is down. A denizen
of the French Quarter also implemented an excellent grid-down alert mechanism,
a perimeter of thin (displaced) roofing slates. They crackle when you step
on them, alerting you to the presence of heavy footfalls. Install peepholes
at every door. Some people like video cameras, but cameras need power.
I will talk for a minute about alarm systems. Most of them are applied so superficially
as to be useless. In candor, sensors are more valuable than monitoring, and
this may encourage a do-it-yourself approach. Brinks will attempt to sell you
a sensor-light monitoring-cost-heavy package. They will try to alarm some doors
and not others, missing your real need in the process. First, you need spare
batteries to operate the system and sensors if the grid is down. Otherwise,
the entire system is useless on the morning after the balloon goes up. Second,
you need open/close sensors at every window and door, coupled to glassbreak
sensors at every window. This provides you with the appropriate level of perimeter
security. Assuming that the perimeter is thwarted, motion detectors in core
rooms of the house are very handy. Spend money on sensors before you waste
money on monitoring. If the Schumer
and the fan are commingled, then knowing the enemy is present is more valuable
than calling for help. On that note, though, thieves frequently cut phone lines.
A cellular backup for your alarm is handy.
Ultimately, though, the key is vigilance. The telltales may be subtle, and
everyone has to know how to read them. Train your wife to realize that a dead
phone line and a motion light suddenly on are signs that trouble may be afoot
and she should get to the safe room and draw a gun. Train your children to
realize that, if the alarm system or the dog is acting strangely when they
arrive home, they should clear the scene with all haste. Train your dog to
bark at the things to which you need to be alerted, and not to bark otherwise.
It is of note that my dog is sufficiently well trained that, if he barks during
the night, the M1911 finds
my hand immediately. Train yourself to look through a peephole every time you
open a door, not merely when you have reason to think someone is outside. The
sound of broken glass is a late warning. Listen for the clues that come before
the enemy is that close, and you can retake the element of surprise.
I have spoken repeatedly of dogs in this discussion. Dogs are the 4th ‘D’ of
home defense, and, while you could argue that some people do not need guns,
everyone needs a well-trained dog. A dog provides deterrence, both in the threat
of detection and in the threat of deadly force. Dogs also work when the grid
is down. By the way, when someone kills your dog, you can count on something:
they just told you who is next.
Finally, we come to deadly force. When Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem,
he worked with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other. It should be
likewise with you. If you have to step more than once to reach a lethal weapon
in any room of your house, you need more lethal weapons. The same goes for
your car. A good pistol under the seat is a minimum. A good rifle behind the
seat is good preparation, and a second pistol in the glove box is a courtesy
to your passenger. Even as I write this, on a quiet Friday evening in my own
study, I am wearing a pistol in the waistband of my gym shorts. I wear that
same pistol when I turn the compost pile.
If you’re not comfortable with guns, buy tactical batons and knives.
I am plenty comfortable and a little proficient with a gun, and I keep ASP
batons and knives discretely and in plain sight in places where gu ns are not
appropriate. You also need to think through your tactical situation. Identify
the choke points in your house, where you can place yourself and your firearm,
like the Spartans of Thermopylae, between the people that you love and danger.
In my house, there is a nice ‘dead-man’s corner’ in the hallway
to the bedrooms. Woe be unto the man that enters that hallway as an uninvited
guest. Use the minimum force necessary to stop your assailant, but be sure
that he is stopped. Go for solid projectiles. We saw in the Denver papers today
that scattershot is generally not enough force.
Once upon a time, I came home from work, and I found the door unlocked. I took
that as a warning; I don’t leave doors unlocked. Not being one to let
that warning go unheeded, my sidearm and my hand promptly found each other.
As I entered the house, I discovered a (now very) scared repairman, who claimed
that my air conditioner was fine, and that he couldn’t find the problem.
I asked his name. I then politely explained that I hadn’t called for
service, and that I would consider it a great courtesy if he stood very still
while I phoned the apartment manager to verify his identity. My gun had never
left my backpack, but he had ascertained that the hand that he could not see
was important. The apartment office vouched for him, and we got along quite
well after that. I am always grateful to God that he was what he claimed to
be, and I pray that the Lord will keep me the type of person who locks doors
(deterrence), who notices when they are not locked and should be (detection),
and who reacts forcefully when a threat is identified (deadly force).
I hope that you are also such a person, and that the words that I have written
will keep the ramparts of your own home secure and quiet.
There have been a number of comments on SurvivalBlog about rechargeable batteries.
The majority of these expressed the feeling that rechargeable batteries were
expensive and ineffective for a long term storage plan. Before anyone gives
up on rechargeable batteries I would like to share a plan that has proven effective
for my family.
One day I sat down and assessed my family’s state of preparedness. Like
many others, we needed more beans, bullets and band-aids. Turns out, we also
needed more batteries. Before I started buying batteries, I tried to think
of creative ways to minimize the number of batteries I would need. The first
thing I decided to do was to go to low drain and no drain devices when possible.
For example, I picked up an LED conversion
for my Mini Maglite that more than triples the run time of my flashlight. [JWR
Adds: Such as one
of these.] So now, I get the runtime from two batteries that used to require
six batteries. An example of a no drain device is the Swiss windup alarm clock
that I purchased to replace my battery powered clock. Obviously these steps
only lessened my dependence but I still needed a lot of batteries. The next
idea I had was to standardize my equipment so that I only needed one type of
battery. This way I would not have the expense of stocking up on a bunch of
different types of batteries. This also helped because I would only have to
worry about rotating one type of battery in my storage. I ended up choosing
to standardize with the AA battery. Not only are they cheap and readily available,
I found that almost every type electrical device that I wanted came in a model
that used AA batteries. For instance when it came down to an Aimpoint or a
HOLOsight, I choose the HOLOsight model that was powered by AA’s. Even
after standardizing I still had some devices that I purchased earlier that
use other types of batteries. Instead of immediately replacing them, but in
keeping with my plan, I purchased some battery adapters (from greenbatteries.com).
These sleeve type adapters slide over AA batteries and allow them to be used
in place of C and D cell batteries. This completely solved my standardization
problem and added flexibility to my plan. Runtimes are obviously much shorter
when using the adapters but at least the devices will be useable should I need
them.
Standardizing and going with low drain devices was only part of the solution.
I was still faced the daunting task of buying a sizable number of batteries.
It was at this time that I started looking at the cost of various AA batteries.
I went down to the local retail store and came up with the following: 8 alkaline
batteries cost $5.18 or $0.65 each, 8 lithium batteries cost $16.84 or $2.11
each and 8 NiMH rechargeable
batteries cost $17.87 or $2.24 each. Based on initial cost alone it would seem
that alkaline would be the way to go. However if you look at cost per
500 uses, NiMH is $2.24, Alkaline it is $325 and Lithium is $1055.
If you can get 1000 charges out of your NiMH battery, it will still only cost
you $2.24 while the costs of the alternatives double. Although the initial
cost is higher, I would only need to recharge each NiMH battery four times
to break even with the cost of alkaline batteries. On paper rechargeable batteries
looked good. However, I was still skeptical because my experience with rechargeable
batteries has not been all good. I decided to do a little more research to
see if they could be a viable long-term option.
My research revealed that rechargeable batteries have several deficiencies.
To make a plan that would work I would have to overcome the following problem
areas: overcharging, overheating, poor conditioning and deep discharges. The
plan I came up with will require more effort to maintain than simply buying
lithium batteries. However, if you are up to the challenge of making sure your
batteries are properly conditioned and rotated then the monetary savings are
worth it. Now let me tell you how I made the plan work for me.
The first step was buying a quality smart charger. The right charger makes
all the difference in the world and helps minimize my effort by preventing
overcharging, overheating and poor conditioning. The bad press about rechargeable
batteries is largely to blame on older chargers sometimes called ‘dumb’ chargers.
These dumb chargers are set to charge batteries for a certain time period.
This time period is based on the batteries being almost totally discharged.
If the batteries are not totally discharged then they can be overcharged and
overheated. Smart chargers monitor the batteries charge and stop charging when
full capacity has been reached. Overheating is largely prevented by not overcharging
but you can also do things to prevent overheating like placing the charger
on a platform that allows air to circulate. I like to use old plastic strawberry
containers turned upside down. Also if the charger has a cover leave it open
while it is charging or remove it completely. Overheating is not a problem
limited to the charging cycle, so when the batteries are actually being used
keep the device out of the sun when possible.
Poor condition occurs when the battery is used for a short time and then recharged
again without being fully discharged. When this repeatedly happens a battery
can lose the unused capacity. This is often referred to as memory effect. Look
for a charger that comes with a conditioning cycle. The really good chargers
will sense when a battery is poorly conditioned and will automatically run
it through a few charge/discharge cycles to regain lost capacity. One last
thing to consider in a charger is one that can be powered by both 110
volt AC and 12 volt DC. I couldn’t find the right charger locally
so I got on the Internet and found a Maha MH-C204F (from Thomas
Distributing). This model meets all my needs and is the backbone of my
plan.
The last problem I had to solve was deep discharges. If voltage drops too low
you can lose performance or even kill a battery due to polarity reversal or
anode oxidation. This generally isn’t a problem when using digital devices
like GPS, FRS radios
and digital cameras as these devices shutdown on their own when power gets
too low. You have to watch out for devices that keep pulling a charge when
performance drops off. The best example of this is a flashlight that starts
to get dim but is still sucking power. The solution is to immediately switch
batteries in any device that starts to lose performance. Also, it is a good
idea to buy a battery tester so you can check batteries in devices like this
so you can be sure they are not being too deeply discharged. Deep discharges
can also occur in batteries that are just sitting on the shelf. Rechargeable
batteries have a higher self-discharge rate than normal batteries. Normally
they lose 1% to 2% of charge each day when stored at room temperature. This
means they are only good for use 3-5 weeks from their last charge. If you really
procrastinate using or recharging the batteries they can eventually reach a
state of deep discharge. To combat this I started storing batteries in my freezer.
This slows the discharge and retains about 90% of the charge for a full month.
Even if I can’t complete a full cycle of using all the batteries before
they lose their charge I can slow their discharge down to the point that I
can minimize the number of times the batteries have to be charged. And the
fewer times they have to be charged needlessly the more times they can be charged
and put to use for a necessary reason. Keep in mind that the batteries work
best when they are first returned to room temperature after coming out of the
freezer.
How many batteries did I buy? I made an inventory of all the electronic devices
that I would conceivably use in a TEOTWAWKI scenario.
Let’s say I would use 12 AA batteries on my worst day. I then applied
the survival rule of three and multiplied the 12 batteries by 3 and came up
with 36 batteries. That allows me to have 12 batteries in use, 12 batteries
that have been charged, and 12 batteries that are being charged or waiting
to be charged. 36 batteries my not seem like a lot but keep in mind that I
will be getting between 500 and 1000 uses out of each battery. I decided against
buying additional batteries because this would make the rotation between batteries
so long that some would not be used before they had to be recharged again. IMHO it
would be better to buy an extra smart charger or two and keep them in a sealed
ammo can in the basement. This is due to the fact that smart charges are controlled
by computer chips and therefore would be vulnerable to EMP.
You will also want additional smart chargers if the charger you choose cannot
charge the required number of batteries in one work day. In the previous example
the charger I picked can charge 12 batteries in less than 9 hours so the one
charger has sufficient capacity for the example.
I didn’t run out and buy the batteries right away. First I looked at
individual brands of batteries to see if one was better than another. I found
an article on the internet titled “The
Great Battery Shootout”. It shows the results of a test done with
digital cameras and various brands of rechargeable batteries. You can look
up the results yourself but let me summarize by saying that Energizer got top
marks and since my local retail store carries that brand that is what I buy.
To make the plan affordable and to ensure that all my batteries don’t
go bad at the same time I bought them over time. I started off with 8 batteries
and kept track of how often I charged them. After 4 charges each I broke even
with the cost of alkaline batteries and went out and bought 8 more batteries.
Again after 4 charges each I went out and bought 8 more batteries and continued
the process until I reached the required number of batteries. Once I reached
the required number of batteries I actually started saving money as compared
to using alkaline batteries. This money is now free to be used for other pressing
needs. Eventually I will need to reinvest in some new rechargeable batteries
but at my current rate of use that day is years away.
Any rechargeable battery plan is based on having a grid down power source.
Ideally this power source would be your existing backup power source. If you
don’t have a backup power source then you should consider investing in
some portable solar panels. Otherwise, this plan will only work until the lights
go out.
Summary of Plan:
-Replace battery operated devices with low drain or no drain models.
-Standardize to AA batteries (Buy battery adapters if an essential device is
not AA compatible).
-Buy quality smart [AC/DC] charger(s) with enough capacity to charge your battery
needs for one day.
-Buy quality rechargeable batteries (3 times the number you expect to use on
your worst day).
-Rotate batteries: Charge, store in freezer, then use them on a rotating basis.
-Replace batteries when they drop below 50% capacity (roughly 500-1000 cycles
for NiMH).
Note: Rechargeable batteries may not work for all situations. If you keep some
supplies away from home or in your car that can’t be regularly rotated
then you should probably buy some lithium batteries.
This article describes how to build an inexpensive, simple, easy to use pump
that can pump water out of a residential water well from about 100 feet down.
It’s called the “Simple Siphon” pump because its key component
is a cleverly designed valve by that same name. (See below). Under ideal conditions
it can bring up between 1/2 and 1 gallon per minute. I know this works, because
I built and tested one on my own home well. If the power goes out, this pump
can get you lifesaving water! Building the Simple Siphon™ Well Pump (SSWP)
will require the following:
1. One Simple Siphon™ valve, $12 for a three-pack
(not including shipping), available from http://www.siphonsonline.com or
write to Simple Siphon Plus, 684 South Drive, Divide Colorado 80814, simplesiphonplus@earthlink.com (Congratulations
guys for making a simple, durable, affordable valve that can be used for a wide
range of fluid-handling projects!)
2. Amazing Goop® Plumbing adhesive and sealant by Eclectic
Products, Inc.
3. One 200 foot roll of 1/2” black thin-wall drip hose (drive around with
your valve to different hardware stores until you find one that carries hose
small enough to form a tight fit with your valve). The brand I found was RainDrip,
1/2” (.620) Poly Hose, 200 foot coil, part #052020, from Lowe’s Hardware.
(You probably won’t be able to get the SSWP to work much deeper than 100
feet, but the extra hose could come in handy for other things, and it certainly
is cheap.)
4. One section of 1/2” rigid white PVC pipe, (make sure it will fit over
your thin-wall drip hose) and cut off a 2 foot section. (OPTIONAL)
5. One pop riveter (I used one made by United Shoe Machinery Corp, but any manufacturer
will do.) Compact, lightweight, simple to use. Read the directions.
6. One box of pop rivets (you only need 4 for this project, but you might wish
you had more), 1/8” diameter pop rivets for 1/8” “work thickness”,
United Shoe Machinery Corp, stock # S-42-100
7. One small triangular file (a little wooden handle for the file is nice, but
not necessary)
8. One electric drill and 1/8” drill bit (some of you will be prepared
enough to have an old hand-held crank or push drill, in case the power is already
off).
9. One roll of commercial-grade, outdoor-rated duct tape. (You really don’t
need it to be that high quality, but you’re only going to use a little
of it with this project and if you’re in some kind of survival or emergency
situation you won’t want to have cheap duct tape…)
Note: Read through all the instructions below before beginning this
project!
Using a small triangular file, file the grooves on the Simple Siphon™ valve
a little deeper. Angle the file so that it cuts a more barbed shape into the
valve stem. Go easy on the filing – you want an edge, but don’t want
to cut too deeply into the copper.
It will keep the hose easier to handle if you leave it coiled in its original
size coil, but work loose the end you will be attaching the valve to about 2
feet. Do your best to not kink the hose at any time, if possible.
Before mounting the valve, you’ll want to slide your 2 foot section of
PVC over the end of the thin-wall tubing. This will keep the working end of the
SSWP straight, so it can’t curve and get caught on the gaps between well
pipe sections.
First, bevel both ends of the rigid pipe section so there is no edge to catch
on any mineral accretions or pipe gaps. This is especially important for the
top edge of the pipe! Getting your SSWP caught going down into the well isn’t
such a problem, but getting it caught or snagged coming back up could be a real
problem!
Put a little water or dish soap on the end of the flexible hose, then slide the
rigid pipe on. There should be enough friction that you won’t need to glue
the stiffener in place, and it’s not going to fall off! Push it up far
enough to leave you with about 3” of black thin-wall hose to mount the
valve to. Once you’re through attaching the valve you can slide the stiffener
pipe back down as close to the valve as you can get it.
Now, using a new pencil end (not the eraser end), squirt a small amount of Amazing
Goop Plumbing onto the side of the tip. Roll the tip around inside the end of
the hose to more or less evenly coat the inside. (Epoxy turned out to be too
brittle in early testing. Goop appears to have just the right balance of adhesiveness
and flexibility.)
Apply more Goop to the pencil and roll / spread it over the valve stem, especially
in the barbed grooves. You have to move quickly, because Amazing Goop Plumbing
dries fast!
Push the valve stem into the hose end as far as the valve will go. There will
be a bead of Goop at the end of the hose, which will be no problem. Wipe it off
with your finger if there’s TOO much and it threatens to drip.
While the Goop is still uncured, drill one hole in the side of the valve stem,
close to the top. You should be able to clearly see where the top of the valve
stem is through the bulging in the hose. Press the un-turning drill bit into
the plastic to start an indentation, then back off of the pressure and start
to drill. Use light pressure so that the drill bit does not slide out of position
and across the tubing! Be sure you’re not drilling right at the end of
the stem.
Immediately put the pop rivet head into the hole and apply the rivet with the
tool. If you haven’t used a pop riveter before, practice on a sheet of
metal or a few inches of hose.
Turn the hose over and drill a hole approximately opposite the first hole. Rivet
it.
Turn the hose so that both rivets are parallel to the ground. Drill a third hole
closer to the end of the tubing and rivet it.
Turn the hose over and drill the fourth hole approximately opposite the last
hole. Rivet it.
Wipe off any excess Goop, or Goop that may have gotten onto the hose elsewhere.
Any Goop you may have gotten on your fingers will just roll up, and you can then
wash up with soap and water. (If you’re concerned about getting Goop on
your hands, wear vinyl or rubber gloves.)
The Simple Siphon Well Pump assembly will dry more quickly if it’s kept
warm indoors (the smell is not strong). 24 hours is the minimum. The Goop’s
main job is to seal any leaks that might form between the hose and the valve
stem, but it’s also going to help hold the valve to the entire end of the
hose, while the rivets only hold the valve to the hose at four points. (This
assembly – with no glue - has been actually tested to hold at least 53
pounds of weight, in a bucket hanging from the valve. In further testing the
rivets tore through the tubing around a load of 100 pounds or so. This is plenty
of strength for the water above the valve and any peak load caused by pumping
the hose up and down.)
After a few hours of drying, when the Goop isn’t tacky anymore, re-coil
the tubing into a larger circle. My tubing originally came in a coil that was
18 inches across. The hose will have less resistance to moving up and down in
the well pipe if it’s not coiled so tightly. I re-coiled my tubing around
the back of a recliner, for a diameter of about 25 – 26 inches. If you’re
going to be handling your Simple Siphon Well Pump in cold weather, you might
want to coil it even larger.
To make handling the hose inside the cramped quarters of a well-house / pump
house easier, duct tape the end (not the valve end) to the hose when you make
your FIRST loop of hose. This will keep the end from whipping around, and keep
it clean if you cover the hose tip too. Every 5 or so loops, duct tape the coils
together (one layer will do), then keep coiling. As you insert the tubing, tear
off the duct tape as you come to it. Reverse this process when you take the tubing
back out of the well when you’re done.
To protect the valve head from damage from getting flung around in tight quarters
with metal pipes and fixtures (the pump house), I’m outfitting my pump
valve end with a bit of foam rubber-type material to cushion it, and will remove
the tip cover when I’m ready to insert the SSWP.
NOTE: If you’re building your Simple Siphon Well Pump in advance of a regional
or national electrical emergency, you might consider preparing at least one of
your spare Simple Siphon valves in advance. Since drilling through the copper
valve stem is the one step that involves an electrical tool (drill), you could
pre-drill (and pre-file, might as well) one of your spare valves in the appropriate
places. Save the spare to replace your main valve if it gets damage, if you need
to build a second pump, or if your original hose gets damaged and you need to
shorten it (removing a valve once riveted on is hard work unless you have an
electric drill handy).
Once your spare valve was slid into a tight-fitting hose end, you should be able
to gently probe the plastic to locate where the holes are and manually drill
through the hose with an awl, or small and sharp Phillip’s screwdriver
head, or with a manual drill (crank, or Yankee screwdriver-style push drill),
then rivet it in place.To use your SSWP you’ll need:
1. The SSWP
2. Two pipe wrenches (at least 14” long, probably no shorter than that,
wrenches that are much longer than that may be hard to use in a cramped pump
house)
3. 2 clean rags or washcloths – one dry, one soaking wet
4. Roll of duct tape (of course!)
5. One contractor-grade 30-gallon trash bag
6. One or two 5-gallon water bottles (When transporting water remember this:
it weighs 8 pounds per gallon. Each of these bottles will weigh 40 pounds. It’s
probably easier to move heavy weights like these two at a time.)
7. Two feet or so of the thin-wall tubing, cut off and carefully split lengthwise
8. Teflon thread tape for plumbing
9. A 3/4” x 1” female plumbing adapter (50 cents or so, threaded
for 1" O.D. pipe
on one end, with a 1" inner diameter un-threaded end on the other) will
cover the threads on the well pipe so they don't cut into the SSWP piping.
Take two pipe wrenches out to your wellhead and remove the well pipe cap. One
wrench holds the well pipe from turning, and the other, facing the opposite direction,
turns the well cap. Get help if you don’t understand how pipe wrenches
work. (If you’re testing this before the power actually goes out, you must
first shut off the well pump switch and drain the water from the pressure tank.
In fact, even after a power failure, to be on the safe side, check that there
is no water pressure in the pressure tank.)
Use one clean rag to thoroughly dry around the top of the well pipe, inside and
out.
Tear off a 4 inch piece of duct tape and wrap it around the well pipe, with half
of the duct tape above the end of the pipe. Roll the half sticking out over the
top edge and into the pipe end. If you can still feel sharp edges through the
duct tape, add another layer. Run another section of duct tape around that tape
to firmly attach it to the outside of the well pipe. You’re creating a
slight cushion at the top of the pipe to protect the SSWP from being scratched
or rubbed through when inserting the SSWP or when pushing it up and down. (A
hardware store may have something more durable you could adapt to protect the
SSWP, just be sure the SSWP will pass easily through its opening, and securely
tape your guard to the well pipe to keep it from moving around.)
As you lower the SSWP into the top of the well, use the damp cloth to wipe down
the hose as you insert it. Ideally, you could mix a little (a l-i-t-t-l-e !)
bleach in the water that you soak the cloth in, to help clean and sterilize the
hose as it goes in. Too much bleach will be hard on your hands.
Don’t insert the SSWP too rapidly unless you know the depth of the pump.
You don’t want to ram the valve into the top of the pump at the bottom.
Slow down as you approach the bottom.
You don’t absolutely need to reach the very bottom of the well pipe. All
you need to do is to get the Simple Siphon™ valve several feet (say 6 feet)
below the static water level inside the well. The one unknown is how fast water
will seep into the well pipe through your model of electric well pump. The deeper
you can empty the well pipe with your SSWP, the more water pressure will be exerted
at the pump to refill the pipe, and it will refill quicker.
So if you’re pumping the well pipe dry, try pumping at a lower depth. If
you’re still pumping it dry at the bottom of the well, you’re just
going to have to pump more slowly. Leave the SSWP at least 6 feet above the well
pump to give it room to refill (water will seep around the SSWP and up the well
pipe, but it will not seep into the end of the SSWP because of the pressure of
the water stacked above the Simple Siphon valve, that’s why you have to
shove it up and down to create a sucking/pumping action).
Once inserted, if you’re really at the bottom of the well, and you’ve
got a lot of extra hose left, cut the hose so there’s enough length to
reach your water container and a generous loop as well. Take the remaining part
of the hose and have your assistant hold it in your water jug. If you don’t
have an assistant, duct tape the hose so it won’t pull out of the opening
of the jug.
Do your best to not kink the hose at any time! Once you’ve determined the
best working depth for the SSWP, take the split section of hose you prepared
earlier and tape it to the SSWP hose so that one end is just inside the well
pipe and the other end is where your upper hand will hold the hose. Don’t
duct tape the part that is going to be going in and out of the well pipe unless
you’re sure the extra thickness won’t be too much for the well pipe.
You are reinforcing the “working” part of the SSWP so that it can
take the motion of pumping without kinking. If the hose kinks it will continue
to fold at that point each time you move the hose, and you’ll have to hold
the hose there or otherwise support it.
If you need more hose, you could splice on a short section of hose from another
roll, using a double-ended barbed plastic coupler (ideally glued or clamped into
place). But don’t use spliced hose in the well pipe unless you’re
absolutely desperate, because of the possibility that it could come apart at
the splice (long hose stuck inside the well…). You can buy a $15 crimping
tool by Murray Keystone ("045, OTC-1000 Tool Crimping", looks like
a nipper, but with no sharp edge) and some 3/4" Ideal Crimp Clamps (high-nickel
corrosion resistant, my package said 3/4” but it actually fit pretty well
over the 1/2” hose. These crimp clamps – use two per side of the
connection – work pretty well, but they stick out from the side of the
hose too far to risk putting them inside the well pipe. They’ll
be fine for an extension between the SSWP and your storage jugs. If you absolutely
must use a spliced hose in the well pipe, pin the connector to the two pipe ends
with long pop rivets or nails, passed through drilled holes, instead of using
a crimper or clamp.)
Once everything is in place, lift the Simple Siphon valve well away from the
well pump at the bottom so you don’t smash into it (this is important!).
(Remember, the SSWP only needs to be below the static level of the water, not
all the way at the bottom of the well…) Quickly build speed going up, then
quickly shove the SSWP down into the well pipe about 9 to 12 inches. Draw it
back up, then, quickly reversing direction, shove it down again. What causes
the suction and pumping action is that the water in the hose gets moving in one
direction (up) until it’s moving quickly, and when the hose reverses direction
and starts suddenly downward, the water in the hose continues upward from inertia.
This creates suction in the valve end of the hose! Water gets sucked in, and
the valve keeps it from running back out. (This inertia-caused pumping is the
principle behind the SSWP, in fact we first considered calling it the “L.I.F.E.
Well Pump,” standing for Lightweight, Inertial-Flow-Effect
Well Pump)
Each time the water level in the SSWP will rise about 6 - 9 inches, because of
suction caused by the inertia of the water. If the water level is 50 feet underground,
this means working the pump up and down 100 times before water reaches the surface – be
patient! Eventually, the water will reach the top of the well and come spilling
down the hose into the water jug. Repeat for as long as you need, trading off
if the operator gets tired. Depending on the well refill rate, you may have to
pump for a minute, then wait for 5 minutes or more while the well refills, then
pump again. It will be different for every situation.
I strongly recommend that you not leave the SSWP in the well pipe when not in
use. For one thing, someone could come along and steal it or damage it, and you
are already in a desperate survival or emergency situation. For another, pulling
it up gives you a chance to inspect how the valve end is doing and if any holes
are being worn in the tubing somewhere along the length of the well pipe. (If
you need to remove the Simple Siphon™ valve to move it higher on the tube,
or to move it to a new tube, you can drill out the pop rivets if you’re
careful, and reuse it!)
When you pull the SSWP out of the well, have your assistant duct tape the first
coil of hose as you did when preparing the pump for use. Then as you feed hose
to your assistant, have him / her duct tape the coils together every 5 or so
loops to keep it under control, and prevent it from kinking. Once the SSWP is
completely out of the well and taped off, store it in your construction-grade
trash bag. The tube will still have some water in it that you can collect in
the bag.
Lightly replace the well pipe cap so that no dirt or insects get into the well.
Be sure to tighten the cap (using plumber’s Teflon thread tape, or “plumber’s
goop” sealant) before you try to operate the well pump once electricity
has been restored! It would be a good idea to leave the pump shut off, in case
power comes on unexpectedly and the well cap isn’t on tightly yet…
Once you’re back at home, you can completely drain the tubing of water
to get as much out of it as possible. (None of the components are prone to corrosion,
so that’s not an issue.) Be sure to check it for damage and repair or replace
what has been damaged. A tiny hole in the tube towards the top will only drain
off a small amount of water, but a hole nearer the bottom will drain more water
because of the greater water pressure there, and will eventually risk the structural
integrity of the SSWP.
If you aren’t sure what the quality of the water in wells in your area
is, if there is any possibility they are contaminated with bacteria, fungus,
or parasites, then please treat the water you retrieve from the well with regular,
un-perfumed laundry bleach in the recommended proportions (or use some similar
purifying technology). In a crisis, the last thing you need is to come down with
some condition or sickness because the water was contaminated.
If you test the SSWP in a functioning well, it would be a good idea to run a
cup or two of the bleach described above through the well cap vent hole into
the well shaft when you’re finished with your test to kill any bacteria
you may have introduced to the system. And it should go without saying that you
should NOT use the same SSWP to pump gasoline or contaminated water, as you would
to pump from a well.
On a personal note:
The knowledge you now possess on how to get water out of a private well when
there is no electrical power could be life-saving power. Before the next major
crisis strikes, share this article and concept far and wide. Many people will
just dismiss you as a “survivalist nut,” but others will understand
and prepare.
Water is a unique resource. You can’t make it from something else. If you
find water you can purify it, filter it, sterilize it, store it. But you need
to have water, even lousy water, as a starting point. Many locales will have
surface water that can be made drinkable. But some locations rely heavily on
water wells and have little, if any, surface water. The knowledge in this article
will make life-giving water easily available to people in any of those circumstances.
(Getting water out of municipal or corporate wells is a slightly different challenge.)
Share the knowledge. Make a difference. The more people who are prepared, the
better off we ALL will be.
Other valuable survival resources can be found at:
www.ready.gov
www.redcross.org
Rand Organization
Quick Guide
Crofsblogs
- Coming Pandemic
Campus
Crusade (the ultimate “preparation” - spiritual!)
Note! If you have the money and would like to buy a commercially made inertial
well pump, check out Waterra.com.
Also, well “bailers” have been around for a long time in the well
drilling trade. They’re long, narrow tubes with a simple ball valve at
the bottom. You lower them into your well (small ones – typically 3/4” diameter – can
fit right into the well pipe by only removing the pipe cap with a pipe wrench
and not the whole well cap!) with a cord or twine and pull them up to empty them.
It’s slow going, but VERY simple and VERY reliable. Here are some suppliers: Vosstech, Environmental-expert.com,
and Waterra.com Buy
a pack of them and share with your neighbors!
This information is copyrighted for the purposes of making it freely available
to the public. No one else can copyright or control this information, except
perhaps to charge for the cost of simply photocopying this article. It can be
reproduced or transmitted in any form, so long as the entire text is included. No
promotional support has been received from any company for endorsing any product. This
article exists because this approach works, and could make a very large difference
in how well families across the United States cope with a long-term disaster.
May God have mercy on us all.
Well, I guess it is safe to say that we have successfully dodged the Y2K bullet
(still not completely sure though), which means that a lot of us that implemented
food storage programs in its anticipation in 1998 and 1999 are now looking
at rotating stock. This, coupled with current events, has me refocused on restocking.
I have some tips to share that may be of value to readers that find themselves
in a similar position.
First, when evaluating how to go about restocking food supplies, consult the
Excel spreadsheet that you created when you first started to get serious about
provisioning (you did create a spreadsheet, didn't you?). If not, be sure to
start one with your next major food purchase. The spreadsheet should have the
purchase date of the food listed, dates for inspection, and replacement, and
other important information (weight, distributor name, how packaged, etc.).
This inventory becomes essential in managing large stores of food, particularly
when items are purchased over a period of time. By automating your inventory
in a spreadsheet, you can, with a click, sort the spreadsheet on the inspection
or replacement date columns - now you instantly know what needs to be inspected
or replaced. The weight factor comes in handy if your survival plan necessitates
moving your stores from one location to another - either as a core strategy
or a contingency plan. It is amazing how the weight really adds up. Best to
know what you have before you start trying to load 1,800 lbs. of food into
your half ton pickup truck!
For those folks that do not live at their retreat, but have to drive there,
long term remote food storage offers some special challenges. If you do not
have to frequent your retreat, then inspection and maintenance can be a logistic
nightmare. Here is a trick for those of you in this situation. I like the money
I save by purchasing food in bulk - especially in super pails. However, in
order to test the condition of product packed this way, one has to open the
pail, which essentially ruins the packaging and the long term storage capability
of the package. This can quickly negate the savings you got when you purchased
in bulk. The next time you order bulk food in super pails, also order, from
the same supplier at the same time, the identical item in two of the number
2.5 (about 1 quart) cans. Label the cans and the bulk food in the super pails
with the purchase date, but also include the the first inspection date and
the estimated replacement date on the cans. Store the cans in your home, in
an environment the duplicates, to the best of your ability, the same storage
conditions as the bulk food stored in your remote cache. Now instead of driving
there to do the food inspection, you can, in the convenience of your home kitchen,
simply sample what is in the cans at the appropriate time, and have a real
good idea of the condition of the bulk food you have in remote storage. This
is especially handy when your food cache is a few hundred miles away!
In order to rotate your food storage stock efficiently, it is essential to
accurately predict shelf life. This information is often skirted by vendors,
but I found a
very handy chart supplied by Walton Feed that really lays this out - you
might be surprised at some of the results.
There are a lot of environmental factors that effect storage life, but probably
the most predominant is that of temperature. Lowering the average storage temperature
by as little as 10 degrees Fahrenheit has a dramatic effect on storage life.
That said, for those of you that like the convenience of MREs
and plan on purchasing several cases, consider storing them under refrigerated
conditions. A 20 degree drop from 80 degrees Fahrenheit to 60 degrees Fahrenheit
changes the storage life of MREs from 76 months to 130 months! For every 10
degree drop in temperature, the storage life of seeds is doubled. Not just
garden seeds, but many folks store seeds to eat as sprouts. So, here is the
deal - if you are going to buy several cases of MREs, you may as well shell
out that extra $20-$40 dollars to pick up a used refrigerator at the local
thrift store or yard sale. Drag it downstairs into your basement, into your
barn, wherever, and load it up. Even five cases of MREs, at $70 a pop, plus
shipping costs, represents a decent investment. Even after factoring the cost
of electricity, you come out way ahead by doubling, or even tripling the length
of time you can store this stuff before you need to replenish.
Yea, I know, "eat what you store, store what you eat"...."rotate
your stock"...etc. All sage advice. So, you mean that none of us have
a bunch of outdated MREs laying around, right? Right. Don't forget that through
refrigeration you can now also greatly enhance the storage life of injectable
antibiotics, some prescription medications, bakers yeast, etc.
And date label everything. It irritates me that MREs aren't date labeled. I
like the way cases are packaged, with the heavy duty cardboard box and neat
little plastic bands, but open each case, and date each individual MRE. Once
they "get loose", all is lost - so don't just date the case on the
outside of the box. I recommend repackaging them though, in their original
heavy duty case boxes and storing them that way, just in case you need to "grab
and go".
I have been looking for a way to augment my dehydrated food storage with some
real yummy stuff, like real meat. Not that I don't love pigging out on TVP...Yum.
The freeze dried option for meat is great, but it is very expensive. What I
discovered is that you can actually store a lot of meat fairly
cheaply. I am finding that with a little patience in my shopping, I can find
canned salmon and tuna fish with late 2010 expiration dates. That's four years!
DAK hams, canned in Sweden and sold through Wal-Mart are also an excellent
low cost, long term option for meat storage. Four years is a considerable term
for meat. And that is calculated at room temperature. If refrigerated, these
canned goods will keep much, much longer. Meat that is home canned, such as
elk, deer, and small game, can also be stored in the fridge for extended life.
Just use some common sense. Never open a can that is bulging (just pitch it),
and be sure that all meats stored this way are well heated (including precooked
hams, etc.) prior to eating. The heat destroys the toxicity of salmonella toxin,
which is odorless, tasteless, and very nasty stuff. I have enjoyed home-canned
squirrel stew and other canned-then-refrigerated game meats for many, many
years after they have been canned with no problems at all.
I'm sure many SurvivalBlog readers have additional tricks and tips when it
comes to long term food storage. Now would be a good time to share them. Did
I mention that I am restocking? - R.E.M.
One of the problems with stored food is the inevitable deterioration of the
vitamin content. You don't have to worry about the mineral content going anywhere
but vitamins are notoriously fragile. While many have asked for the best kind
of multi-vitamin supplement for long term storage, the answer for the survival
community is simpler. Many of us have buckets of wheat stored. So make wheat
sprouts and wheatgrass juice.
Vitamins increase substantially during the sprouting process. In regards to
wheat, vitamin B-12 quadruples, other B vitamins increase from 3 to 12 times
and the vitamin E content triples. Vitamins A, K and others also increase.
Amino acid levels (the building blocks of proteins) similarly increase and
fiber content increases three to four times that of whole wheat bread.
Dry seeds, grains, and legumes are rich in protein and complex carbohydrates
but contain no vitamin C. Fortunately, the sprouting process creates 20 milligrams
of Vitamin C per 3.5 ounces of wheat.
Sprouts can be eaten in as little as 48 hours after soaking (and rinsing).
No light is required for the first few days and at this stage, they are more
grain than vegetable. Over time (and with light) chlorophyll begins to form
and they transition from grain to vegetable. Eating them takes a bit of getting
used to. Young sprouts can be eaten whole and are very chewy, and sweet. No
cooking needed. They are an excellent G.O.O.D. food
for your survival pack. All you need is a glass mason jar and a mesh cap. Go
to your local health food store and ask for the plastic ventilated tops that
fit over mason jars for sprouting. If you want to decrease the weight, put
them in a stocking or plastic paint strainer mesh (available at your hardware
store) and then into a plastic wide mouth bottle. As you travel, the wheat
will convert into chewy nutritious little snacks. In terms of travel, if you
think that you will have access to water (hiking near a river or other other
water source) but no cooking fuel (wintertime and it's wet) then this is an
excellent option. They sprout while you hike. If a member of the party has
dental problems, make a mortar and pestle from two rocks and crush the sprouts
before eating them. Remember, we don't manufacture cellulose, the enzyme that
other animals have to break down plant fiber. If you don't cook or juice your
vegetable, you must chew (or crush) them to get anything out of them.
Here
is a list of other seeds/grains/beans you can sprout as well as
how to sprout in a jar.
If you have the time and inclination, you can go from the sprout stage to the
grass stage. Again, this shifts the wheat from grain to vegetable. This will
change the relative protein, carbohydrate and vitamin composition so I suggest
you use your powers of observation. If you crave the sprouts at one growing
stage versus another, honor it. It's your body telling you that given your
current state of malnutrition, that stage of the sprout you are craving contains
the maximum amount of what you need. Wheatgrass juice is a little sweet and
many will get nauseous even if they drink only an ounce at a time. It is very
potent stuff, but not dangerous.
Here
is a link for sprouting to the grass stage including techniques
to sprout without soil or trays (you can even use a baby blanket):
Be mindful that when going for the grass stage, hygiene is everything. You
must start with clean grain or mold will grow on them.
Wheatgrass juice can be chewed but this is very labor intensive.
Ann Wigmore who made wheatgrass juice famous ate grass from her lawn with her
grandmother during the war in Germany and attributes it to her and her Grandmother
not starving to death. I think that a wheatgrass juicer is a very sound investment,
as important as any other in my survival kitchen. No, a regular juicer will
not work. You will need a wheatgrass juicer. With it you can also juice other
leafy greens if you like. Manual wheatgrass juicers are not overly expensive
unless you want to go stainless steel but they all work pretty much the same
way. [JWR Adds: Used wheatgrass juicers can sometimes be found
on eBay for
very reasonable prices.)]
If you have wheat then you have bread and vegetables if you know how to juice.
In the summer months, if you have grass growing nearby and it hasn't been sprayed
with pesticides and other lawn chemicals you have a garden you may not have
been aware of. While not all grasses are necessarily safe to eat, you can experiment
with a drop at a time. As with all suspect plant life, first put a drop on
your skin and see if it gets irritated over the next few hours. If that works,
next put a drop under your tongue and spit it out. Was it bitter or soapy or
was there a milky sap? (A survival botanist who wants to elucidate/correct
this would be appreciated.) If not and if you feel okay after another few hours,
next try to drink a drop. With some experimentation you may be able to determine
if the grass varieties growing wild in your local meadow are safe for consumption.
While many other sprouts are also useful and certainly more tasty and easier
to manage (mung, buckwheat, adzuki) wheat is something that anyone reading
this blog is likely to have in abundance. You can, however, sprout any grain
or bean too increase it's vitamin content. Also, sprouting does not mean you
must eat it raw. You can sprout your beans and grains and then still cook with
them. The chinese do this with mung beans in their cooking. You will lose some
of the vitamin content by cooking them but you will still end up with a meal
many times higher in vitamin content than otherwise. - SF in Hawaii
There are many reasons to make open pollinated ["heirloom variety"]
seeds an integral part of your gardening experience and food storage.
If
seeds
are
collected
from F1 hybrids, the plants grown from those seeds will generally not
have the characteristics that you desired in the parent plant. Open
pollinated seeds allow the gardener the option of saving seed and growing
the plants you like, year after year. In the April 1991 issue of National
Geographic, in an article titled, “World Food Supply at Risk”,
the authors point out past failures of agriculture being based on only
a few varieties. Such disasters include the 1970 corn blight that destroyed
much of the US crop and the potato famine that killed over 1 million
in Ireland. Such disasters are not new. The article also states that
there is evidence that a blight destroyed much of the maize crop around
900 AD and probably caused the collapse of the Mayan civilization.
I would recommend a trip to the library since the article is a good,
sobering and interesting read, as is the October 1998 National Geographic
on population and feeding the planet. Several organizations, such
as The Seed Savers Exchange, have been established for education and
as sources for open-pollinated seed. I find it a bit of a chuckle that
many people put such an emphasis of a year’s supply of food,
but do not store usable seed, canning supplies and the like. What if,
for hypothetical example, a flu pandemic in the US occurred and the
duration was more than a few months? What if there was a new disease
outbreak in our food crops, for example a new fungus attacked our wheat
supply in a wet year? The trouble with genetically identical (hybrid)
crops is that they would all be at risk. That is the primary risk one
runs with most of your caloric food base being dependent on one or
two grain or starch crops.
The US used to be ready for such a crisis, but not anymore.
From
WorldNetDaily
From Jeff Rense
When one thinks of the recent ‘mad cow’ concerns here in
the United States, one realizes that even today, agricultural disasters
can still happen as is illustrated by this
short article from the Seeds
Trust web
site.
The current trend of some large agricultural conglomerates is to develop
hybrid/biotech seeds that will not germinate when collected seed is
replanted, or have the plant ‘self-destruct’. This technology
now has several patents. For a look at the ‘terminator gene’ being
developed for use in several crops, such as cotton, see the
article from University of Indiana on the Terminator Gene.
It is easy for me to see both sides here. If the company spends millions
of dollars to develop a new, higher yielding strain; they will want
to protect that research at least until the money is recovered with
some as profit. The trouble is illustrated by that oil rapeseed farmer
in Canada (Percy Schmeiser) whose fields were planted with his own
stuff and then his fields were contaminated with the genetically modified
rapeseed. Even though he never planted the stuff, he found himself
in court. The company (Monsanto) sued him (successfully!) when their
gene was found in his crops, Even though he grew his own seed and his
was contaminated. Shows a break down of common sense in the judiciary,
which is no big surprise. The other problem is that by having terminator
seeds, it allows direct corporate control of farmers by a corporation
or government. In other words, they control what you can grow to insure ‘customer
loyalty’.
For more on Percy Schmeiser see:
Percyschmeiser.com/
Sierraclub.ca
Currently only a handful of companies control most of the US seed and
nursery market.
A recent Countryside
and Small Stock Journal article titled “Do
you know where your seeds come from? You may be surprised…. The
Gardening Game”. The article highlights this consolidation [of
seed vendors] in the US market place.
Sources of open pollinated/heirloom seeds:
http://www.seedstrust.com/
http://www.seedsavers.org/
http://www.seedsave.org/
http://www.rareseeds.com/
http://www.victoryseeds.com/
http://www.bountifulgardens.org/
http://www.abundantlifeseed.org/
http://www.nicholsgardennursery.com/
JWR Adds: A wide assortment of heirloom seeds
are also available from The
Ark Institute
Unique/heirloom plants and nursery stock:
http://www.treesofantiquity.com/
http://www.onegreenworld.com
http://www.raintreenursery.com
An Internet search for heirloom seed or open-pollinated seed will turn
up many more sources.
Basic "how to" instructions for saving seeds:
http://www.seedsavers.org/
http://www.seedsave.org/
Several books on saving seeds, including:
Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners
by Suzanne Ashworth
Seed Sowing and Saving: Step-By-Step Techniques for Collecting and
Growing More Than 100 Vegetables, Flowers, and Herbs (Storey's Gardening
Skills Illustrated) -- by Carole B. Turner
Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties: The Gardener's & Farmer's Guide
to Plant Breeding & Seed Saving -- by Carol Deppe
Saving Seeds: The Gardener's Guide to Growing and Storing Vegetable
and Flower Seeds -- by Marc Rogers, et al
Books on gardening and edible landscape design:
“
How to Grow Vegetables and Fruits by the Organic Method”, Rodale
Press, out of print, but easy to find at used bookstores or e-bay.
How to Grow More Vegetables: And Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains, and
Other Crops Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can
Imagine by John Jeavons (Paperback - Mar 2002)
Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew
Introduction to Permaculture by Bill Mollison and Slay Reney-Mia
Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture by Toby Hemenway
and John Todd
Greenhouse Gardener's Companion: Growing Food and Flowers in Your Greenhouse
or Sunspace by Shane Smith and Marjorie C. Leggitt
Designing And Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally by Rosalind
Creasy (Foreword), et al.
http://www.foodforeveryone.org/
http://www.gardensimply.com/
http://www.carryongardening.org.uk/
http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/perma.html
http://www.permacultureactivist.net/
http://www.foodnotlawns.com/
http://www.cwo.com/~bart/perm_links.htm
http://www.sherrysgreenhouse.com/
Also refer to the extension service of your state university.
The some articles on plant disease threats:
http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20050924/food.asp
Dangerous Wheat Disease Jumps Red Sea.
http://www.grain.org/seedling/?id=108
VOA News
Then you add into the fray the mess politics can make of crops and
farm policies. Worst case:
From The Christian Science Monitor
From
The Daily Telegraph
Arguably the most important factor in wound healing is the potential
for infection. Ever since Semmelweis and Lister demonstrated that strict
hand washing made a tremendous difference in reducing the incidence
of postoperative infections and puerperal fever after childbirth, health
care workers have tried to refine methods for decreasing bacterial
contamination of wounds in an effort to avoid infection. Thus we have
some practitioners who still soak wounds in betadine solutions lengthily
even though more modern research has shown that this kills viable tissue
and makes wounds less amenable to suturing. For the concerned individual
who must deal with a wound outside the emergency room or clinic setting,
for whatever reason, I have some reasonable advice on avoiding infection
that is not widely taught, even in some health care settings. (The
following applies to wounds that an experienced parent could evaluate
and immediately know that a band-aid alone would not be appropriate.)
Bleeding is Nature's way of cleaning a wound, but a little goes a long
way. Remember that as long as the wound is "down-stream" from
the heart (pump), bleeding will be under pressure. So don't forget
to elevate a bleeding extremity above the level of the heart to get
control of bleeding. This may be accomplished in some novel ways in
the field, and may require improvisation. To elevate a leg or foot,
for example, you might need to place the patient on the ground and
prop the leg on an ice chest or stump. Scalp wounds especially bleed
profusely and may be frightening to the uninitiated: Use multiple layers
of absorbable material---sterile gauze or a clean towel (or the cleanest
cloth you have available)--- and hold direct pressure until bleeding
ceases or is at least reduced to a slow ooze. A patient who is taking
aspirin will have a prolonged bleeding time, so you will have to hold
pressure for a longer period of time.
Plain soap and tap water have been shown to be just as good for washing
the wound as an antiseptic soap and sterile water. It turns out that
some of the antiseptic solutions available kill so much good tissue
that they are not preferable to regular soap. I would recommend a liquid
soap, to avoid the bacterial culture waiting to launch itself from
the bar on the counter, but would avoid the "antibacterial soap" (with
triclosan) widely available that has been shown to increase bacterial
resistance. In a perfect world I would prefer Hibiclens, but would
certainly use a "no-tears" baby shampoo (neutral solution)
or even diluted Dawn. One could apply it to a clean washcloth wet from
the tap and use it to gently scrub the wound.
The sterile water solutions that are available bottled are fine, as
long as they have not been opened previously, since they are contaminated
when opened, but non-sterile bottled water is not preferable to tap
water. Studies have shown that tap water is sufficient for cleansing
of most wounds. I would not use this for an open fracture, although
you would certainly not be dealing with one in the field or at home
if you had the option of doing otherwise. Of course, freshly boiled
water would be more reliable than non-sterile bottled water or water
that you have previously drawn up in a clean milk jug, but better to
wash a soiled wound immediately if you have clean water available than
to take the time to boil and then cool water, leaving a heavily contaminated
wound to stay in its dirty state. One could always re-rinse the wound
with sterilized water. The length of time that the cleanser is in contact
with the wound and the degree of flushing that takes place will determine
the number of bacterial contaminants remaining and thus have a significant
effect on wound infection rates, so spend several minutes on this step.
Of course the examiner/caregiver should scrupulously wash his own hands
and any instruments used to probe the wound beforehand. Thoroughly
cleaning the wound will usually result in resumption of bleeding: When
finished, pressure can again be applied as before.
A foreign body remaining in the wound can be a focus of infection and
prevent healing in a wound that has been well cleaned and closed, so
it is imperative that care is taken to rid the wound of any and all
particles that may be present. This is why a relatively clean knife
wound can be simply washed prior to closure but a contaminated wound
or one sustained through layers of clothing must be explored and scrubbed.
It may take a long time, and I have done just that in the ER, picking
out particles of wood dust or grit of various types. This is why I
sometimes prevail on the surgeon to take a patient to the operating
room to debride a wound under anesthesia. A large syringe or squirt
bottle can be used to administer a stream of water into the wound under
a little pressure in order to thoroughly clean and dislodge particulate
matter. Chainsaw wounds may require debridement of the margins with
a scalpel to remove seared tissue in addition to removal of particles
and clothing fibers, as searing prevents the wound edges from closing
together in healing.
In the hospital or clinic setting, I use a sterile scrub brush for
contaminated wounds. If I were in a wilderness setting and had the
option of boiling or sterilizing equipment such as a scrub brush or
tweezers, I would certainly do so, but in any case removing all foreign
material from the wound is necessary. (Cleaning instruments with alcohol
and/or soap and water would be better that nothing.) Blood clotted
in the wound must also be removed by scrubbing, as dried blood serves
as a "foreign body" in this setting. After thorough cleansing
with soap and water, if a wound is to be sutured, betadine (if available)
could be swabbed on the skin in pinwheel fashion, from the skin at
the wound edges out to two or three inches away from the wound.
Anesthesia is certainly desirable prior to any painful manipulation
or procedure, and if it is possible should be mercifully administered
prior to any vigorous cleaning. Even the most stoic among us can appreciate
pain relief, even if it is only temporary. So a vial of Lidocaine (1%
or 2% ) and a syringe to administer it may be part of your wilderness
medical kit. If the Lidocaine (xylocaine) has epinephrine mixed in,
it will help a lot to keep the wound from bleeding as you try to sew
it, but you must not use epinephrine in a wound on an extremity such
as a finger or toe, as it could result in necrosis (tissue death).
On the face or scalp epinephrine is a welcome additive, since these
wounds tend to bleed so freely that you can scarcely see what you are
sewing without it.
Adjuncts in keeping the bleeding slowed while you are attempting wound
closure are elevating the wound above the level of the heart (always
recommended) and limited tourniquet banding with a wide strip. (In
the ER I might use a blood pressure cuff pumped up to the point where
it stops the bleeding). This should be very temporary in order to maintain
a bloodless field for closure only. Carefully and slowly infiltrating
the margins of a wound with a few milliliters of an anesthetic solution,
a learned technique, will result in control of bleeding and pain (for
closure). Then you must give the anesthetic a few minutes to be absorbed
before commencing your repair. Whether you use anesthetic or not it
would be wise to administer pain medicine of some kind, either orally
or by injection, since the wound will throb even after the repair is
done.
Wound closure is a key factor in healing and infection rate as well.
Wounds left open will be infected to some extent. The six-hour rule
for closure is followed for minor wounds; that is, if care is sought
within those limits the wound can be cleaned and sutured with impunity.
This follows from studies that showed infection rates increasing after
that time-frame, and of course there is leeway for wounds that were
clean a priori. But for large wounds or cosmetic disasters the rules
are frequently bent. Field studies from Vietnam proved that delayed
closure of wounds (up to several days old) could be performed with
good results if the wound margins were "revised" (old tissue
cut out with a scalpel) and the new margins sewn together. And surgeons
will usually close facial wounds up to or even over twelve hours old
even without revising the margins.
Closure may involve suturing (sewing), or may be as simple as using
Dermabond (super glue), steri-strips or staples made for this purpose.
In the ER I tailor the method to suit the patient and the situation,
but you might not have that option in the wilderness or homebound setting.
If you do, or if you can reach qualified medical help within a suitable
time-frame, I wholeheartedly advise you to do so. But if that is not
possible, even duct tape may be preferable to non-closure.
One must be careful to hold the wound margins together tightly to apply
Dermabond, as any solution that makes its way into the wound may itself
prevent healing, and with Dermabond the trick is to keep one's fingers
from being glued to the wound as you wait the few seconds for it to
dry. I do not advise Dermabond for a wound that has a tendency to continue
bleeding the minute pressure is removed, nor in a wound that is deep
or under stress. It works well on some facial lacerations, but really
I trust steri-strips to do the job and they could easily be part of
a medical kit. Dermabond is expensive but really comes into its own
when trying to repair a wound in a very small child who could be expected
to try to remove strips. Dermabond should be left on the skin to dissolve
on its own, which will occur in several days, usually too soon for
larger wounds or wounds of the lower extremities.
If applying steri-strips or tape, wound margins should be closely approximated
prior to the application of any binding material. If I were reduced
to using duct tape, I would tear several inches off the roll (use for
another purpose), so that what I used on the wound would not have been
in contact with a dirty surface. Then I would tear or cut three or
four inches off and cut that into 1/8 to 1/4 inch strips, taking care
to keep my hands from touching the part of the tape that will be over
the wound. Pressing the wound edges together with one hand, or having
a helper hold them together by pushing from each side, I would apply
the strips of tape, starting on one side and pulling firmly to apply
some tension before allowing it to adhere to the other side of the
wound. I would space these strips 1/8 to 1/4 inch apart to allow the
wound to breathe and then cover my work of art with sterile gauze secured
by tape or an ace wrap (or cotton bandage) to keep it from being re-contaminated.
I would not worry about small defects or ragged edges unless I could
easily trim this and have plenty of loose skin to work