Preparing For a Widespread Disaster
By Alan Detwiler
There are at least seven global or widespread disasters that seem likely
to occur at sometime in the future. A large asteroid hitting the earth
is one of those seven. It is generally accepted by scientists that
asteroids have struck the earth in the past causing widespread damage.
It is believed that asteroids will continue to collide with the earth
every now and then. Maybe every sixty million years a big one comes
along that is large enough to have a global effect on survival of
earth's living things. The chances of such an event happening in a
particular person's lifetime are tiny. But that tiny chance is there.
It is unpleasant to consider such terrible things. But the best
attitude, it seems to me, is to ignore, to a very large extent, the
unpleasant feelings that the topic causes. That allows a person to
consider what might be done to increase the chances of surviving a
disaster. No way can a person be fully prepared. And since we cannot
know just what is going to take place, it may be an exercise in
futility. But you never know, simple basic preparations could bring you
through some calamity.
And why not take the attitude that your efforts and interest in such
preparation is something to feel good about. Those efforts can be fun
and interesting. The topic certainly grabs my attention better than a
Hollywood movie. By doing what I can to become prepared, I am doing
something that could dramatically make my life much more pleasant should
I be involved in a catastrophe. Disaster preparedness is an interesting
and enjoyable hobby that could pay off big-time. Knowing that all the
benefits of modern life are not necessarily a given, is a reason for
enjoying them more.
The seven possible widespread or global disasters:
1). Very large volcanic eruptions. Hugh volumes of gas and dust could
spread around the globe. There is some evidence that these have occurred
before. Doesn't that mean that it could happen again?
2). An epidemic. There was the flu epidemic of 1918 that killed 30
million people worldwide. There was the plague that killed about one
fourth of Europe's population in the Dark Ages. Viruses and germs are
known to mutate and change. They may become resistant to vaccines and
medications, become more deadly, and become more contagious. Viruses and
other pathogens could mutate into virulent forms that could spread
rapidly around the world by people using air travel.
3). Crop failures due to plant diseases, climate change, or ozone
depletion.
4). Climate changes including global warming and the effects that might
come with it such as extreme heat, drought, and severe storms.
5). Nuclear war.
6). Terrorist act which could bring about widespread effects. If, for
instance, a nuclear device was detonated in Washington, D.C. and another
wiped out Wall Street, the effects could be unpredictable and could
include economic depression, anarchy, shortages of consumer goods, and
war.
7). Something unexpected. A disaster could be caused by a completely
unknown event. It is unreasonable to think we are smart enough to be
aware of all threats that could bring catastrophe.
There are many other plausible scenarios for widespread catastrophes.
These include such things as a large solar flare that shoots out
radiation and charged particles toward the earth; an object such as a
black hole passing close to the earth; and a technology accident such as
a genetically modified organism being released into the environment.
In recent years vast quantities of methane gas have been discovered on
the sea floor where the water is very deep and in places where the water
is very cold. It is believed that global warming or earthquakes could
cause the methane to be released perhaps suddenly and in massive
quantities. Methane is explosive and could displace oxygen causing
suffocation.
Below are some things you can do to be better prepared for emergencies.
Store food and water: About a gallon of water a day per person is a
reasonable goal. How many days worth is anybody's guess - you have to
use your own judgment about what is practical for you. Know where to get
water if your standby supply runs out. Water of unknown purity should be
boiled at least 3 minutes to kill any pathogens. If boiling is not
possible add 16 drops or 1/4 teaspoon of household bleach per gallon and
let stand at least 30 minutes. Smell the water. If it does not have a
slight bleach odor, repeat the process. Use bleach that contains nothing
else other than water and 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite. Bleach is
most effective for killing bacteria but is not effective against
parasitic organisms.
Choose long storage food such as canned goods, dry food such as nuts,
seeds, beans, and grain products in plastic or glass containers. Most
dried beans will need to be soaked and cooked before eating. Examples of
dried beans that can be eaten after soaking and without cooking include
split peas, mung beans, lentils and black-eyed peas. Wheat and corn can
also be soaked and eaten without cooking. Peanut butter and vegetable
oil are good choices because they are calorie rich, long keeping and
require no preparation. Canned meat provides protein and requires no
cooking. A multi vitamin will help with adequate vitamin requirements.
Keeping warm: The colder the climate where you live, the more important
this is if the electrical power fails or you are forced to leave your
home. Have enough heavy clothing and blankets in your home to keep you
warm. Have ready to go to put in your car such as in a garbage bag: at
least two changes of clothing that will keep you warm, a sleeping bag or
a couple of blankets, gloves, knit hat, and sturdy shoes.
First aid kit: The most important items may be soap for washing a wound,
an antiseptic ointment, and bandaging.
Tools and supplies for short-term emergencies: Flashlight and batteries,
candles, matches, can opener, soap, battery-powered radio and batteries,
face mask for filtering the air you breath,
Tools and supplies for long term emergencies: all of the items above for
short-term emergencies plus the food items listed above plus: long
lasting led flashlight, wind-up flashlight, wind-up radio, unscented
5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite bleach for purifying water, sturdy
knife and sharpener, salt, grain grinder, food storage containers,
shovel, blankets, rifle and ammunition.
Tools and supplies for your car: gallon of drinking water, blanket,
extra clothes (sweatshirt, long underwear, boots, socks, gloves, hat),
compass, rain gear, battery-powered radio and batteries, long storage
and light-weight food, maps, siphon (20 feet plastic tubing, 1/2 inch
diameter), gas can, wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, portable light.
Long-term and extras: bleach for purifying water, shorts or swimsuit,
tube tent (or 10 by 10 tarp, cord), ground moisture barrier, closed cell
foam sleeping pad, sleeping bag, insect repellant, sunglasses,
sunscreen, soap, knife, backpack, duct tape, cord (i.e., seine twine,
parachute cord, masons' twine).
Have a short-term plan: Discuss with your family how everyone will get
home if their usual transportation is not available. If the phone
systems are operating, one person could remain at home to take and relay
messages. Have a place in mind in case you need to relocate to a
different geographic area. Plan how to get there and what you will take
along. If you believe you are not enough prepared, decide how to become
so.
Stay informed: Have at least a battery operated am/fm radio with extra
batteries. A wind-up radio not requiring batteries could be used if the
power is off for an extended period. Emergency alert radios might
receive broadcasts in a long-term power failure where the backup
generators for am/fm radio stations have run out of fuel.
If situations develop so that longer-term solutions are needed, you will
need other strategies. You may have to hunt for and gather food from the
wild. Very long-term collapse of the present supply chain would require
that you become self-sufficient in mending and making your own clothing.
You might have to construct a shelter using basic tools and basic
materials. The scope of this article does not allow for discussions of
what you would need to know to survive extended collapse of society into
how it was a couple of hundred years ago.
If you would like to learn more about disaster preparedness, use the
following url(address) to another copy of this article. At the end of
the article are urls to other articles giving more information.
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