Laughing Wolf

Friday, December 22, 2006

Food for Thought:  Matters of Life and Death

Originally posted May 8, 2004

One of the bits of personal business this last week was a meeting with the people who literally hold the power of life and death over me: holders of power(s) of attorney and executors. Now, I can already hear some people complaining that this is supposed to be a cheerful and upbeat post, and this subject is a drag. I disagree, and based on my view of life (plan for the worst, hope for the best, and take what comes because whatever you plan for never happens), this is upbeat.

The fact is, we all have plans for ourselves and our stuff. We know what we want and don’t want, and we have ideas about who should have what. Given the State’s interest in our stuff and where it goes, over a little matter of taxes and what else it can skim, it behooves us to make proper plans so that our stuff does not end up going to the greedy and grasping State, nor is our life and death left to something increasingly bloated and without honor in such matters.

Think it can’t happen? Take a look at what happens in your location to those who die without a will (intestate). In most cases, the State gets to decide who gets what, in what way, in what time, and with little or no choice as to taxes and fees or outright confiscation. There have been more than a few corruption problems in this area before, and many widows, children, or other survivors have been cheated out of everything, from their home to family heirlooms. Keep in mind that they will probably name some “friend of the court” to be Executor of your estate. If you want tragedy and circus in equal proportions, take a look at what happens when the State gets to decide on individual care and terminal care. None of this is a pretty sight, and is something to be avoided by any sane individual.

So, avoid the possibility – and ensure your long life – by making your decisions now, and by making them known in a legally binding manner. If you can’t afford full lawyer’s fees, there are many inexpensive or free services that will help you create and file wills and powers of attorney.

I’ve had a will since I was a teenager, because I owned land and needed to ensure its smooth passage, and have had powers of attorney/living wills since almost the same time because the State became involved with terminal care issues. Actually, my first such was more an “insurance policy” with a friend (and a shotgun) who would deal with the situation if I was ever placed on life support with no hope. Such things are much better handled for all concerned by appropriate paper, but it was reassuring to know the “policy” was out there.

Your will simply says who gets what, and who is responsible for getting stuff to the right location. The person responsible is the Executor/Executrix, and they have the power under law to make sure all your legal wishes are carried out. There are some limits on them, so make your wishes fairly reasonable, and they can and will take care of it. The key here is to select someone you trust completely, and have at least two people of equal integrity on standby to take over in case something happens to the first choice. Having backup ensures that the State has minimal involvement, and cuts down considerably on lawyer’s fees, court costs, filing fees, and the like. Having been through this process several times now, I will testify that backups and such are a very good thing.

Now, I did have a complex will, actually I still do. My will first of all saw to the care and protection of my father, so that he would be taken care of as best possible if anything happened to me. There were other provisions where I took care of a number of other people, mostly cousins, did some charitable trusts, and more. Many things have changed, however, most import is the fact that my father is no longer an issue. Having been through the process more than once has also played into things, and I have learned both to keep it simple and a few “tricks” to cut down on legal interactions, fees, and such. I will be making a number of changes as a result.

My single bit of advice here is to keep it as simple as possible. Pick a good person as your Executor (and backups), and trust them to do the job. Don’t place a lot of burdens on them, indemnify them, and trust them to do the job. With luck, all they will have to do is pay the lawyer for helping file, any filing fees, and then they can tell the lawyer and the State where to go. Your stuff can then go where you want it to go. A “trick” to consider where the lawyers will allow it is to give the Executor/Executrix everything, and provide them with non-lawyered, non-binding (except morally) written instructions on who gets what. My Mom did this very simply: she had written notes taped to things with the name of who should get it, history, and other details. Made life very much easier for Dad and myself.

To my mind, even more important than the Will is the power of attorney issue. Powers of Attorney can cover many things, and I have two: one for general and financial issues, and one for healthcare.
Let’s say that something really bad happens to us, such as being tackled by Al Franken or Spongemike Sweatpants, and we end up in the hospital in a coma. Who pays your bills? Who collects your insurance? Who goes after those that hurt you, and seeks settlements on your behalf? Who feeds the cats? Who can even go in your apartment or home, legally? These are the types of things handled by a general power of attorney. I have picked a lead and backups that I trust with all my things without reservation, and through this document have given them the power to access all my accounts, pay bills, make investment decisions, declare bankruptcy, make or break leases, and otherwise do whatever is needed to take care of my estate, with the goal of conserving and expanding if circumstances allow. Given that I have selected people who are far better financial managers than I, it is entirely possible that should this be invoked, I might even wake up to find myself in far better shape than I was before.

Having this is crucial, because without it your friends or family must hire lawyers, go to court, and pay out the nose to have the state declare that it is legal for them to do this. The State may also place a lot of limits on them, and will also not indemnify them or otherwise ensure that they do not incur massive obligations and expenses. Think about this, because even if they have keys it may not be legal for them to enter your home, especially if it is a rental property, without your previously existing legal authorization. If they remove anything, it is theft. If they touch any of your financial assets, it can be both theft and tax fraud. There is also no guarantee that any friend or family member of yours will be picked by the State to be holder of . It may well be a lawyer or other “friend of the court” who is no friend to you and yours. Don’t take the chance.

While your estate is being take care of, you also need to have a Power of Attorney for Healthcare in place (along with a living will or other documents required in your locality) to ensure that YOU are taken care of in the manner you desire. Simply telling people is not enough. I have seen in real life people who knew the wishes of the sick/injured party fail to convey them or carry them out, because they did not have the strength, courage, or integrity to do so. It is a difficult burden, because you are putting your life in their hands. If you have elected not to receive heroic measures or other existence prolonging measures, you are literally asking that person to kill you. Make sure that you are not asking more than they can do.

My father trusted me to do that for him, and I trusted him to do the same. It was something we had discussed quite a bit, and we knew each other’s limits and desires for treatment, and for termination. I have discussed it quite a bit with those who now hold that power over me, and they know how I feel and I know that while they will not like it and it will make them sad, they have the courage and moral integrity to kill me. They have the strength not to keep me around and force me to suffer for their selfish desire not to let go. They love me fully enough to let me go when it is my time. When you pick your people, pick wisely, and do not ask too much of them. Nor should you think less of those you know can’t handle that duty. But pick them you must, for whether you live or exist rides with them. Otherwise, the State will make the decisions regardless of your wishes and desires, often with court processes that will last (and place burdens on your estate) for years and even decades after you are finally gone. Don’t go there.

As I said before, there are services that will help you set up such things for inexpensive (don’t go cheap on this!) or for free. Get forms and such from the WWW, fill them out, and get them to a service so that they are properly done and filed as needed, so that they are in force to protect you. Make sure your decision makers have copies of all notarized, filed, or needed documents. Hospitals and others will demand to see such copies, ID, and a lot more to cover themselves, so make sure you have proper legal copies of each. Once you do this, then think about it: you have planned for the worst. What you plan for never happens. Life is good, and you have taken mature steps to ensure that it remains good.

Some Additional Thoughts on Practical Preparedness

Originally posted December 21, 2003

This should have run a few days ago, but I got sidetracked. It is also a good example of being too close to the trees to see the forest.

In all my writing on practical preparedness, I failed to identify one of the most basic and needed preparations simply because it never truly occurred to me that it needed mentioning. Yet, it does because it is always the obvious that is missed.

Remember that a disaster need not be man made, and that no matter the cause one thing can almost always be assured: you will have to deal with bureaucracy. It is in the nature of natural disasters, and keep in mind that terrorists are here to hurt us, not help us by eliminating red tape, bean counters, and bureaucratic inefficiency. Indeed, if they truly wanted to hurt us and our way of life, they would have already detonated a bureaucrat bomb to increase bureaucracy 100 fold. Hmmmmmm. You don’t think…

Interesting speculation aside, you are going to need certain things no matter the disaster. You are going to need identification; you are going to need insurance numbers and related; you are going to need prescriptions and prescription information; and, you are going to need ready cash/valuables. These are things that need to be on you, and on others, during and after any disaster.

First, let’s look at who needs what. All adults need on them – not in a bag or other item that can be lost or stolen, but on them – a “master” set of documents. Given that I know far too many adults who are not nearly as responsible as some of their children, have at least one other member of the party have a master set as well.

Second, what are the needs of each master set? Easy. You need copies of each person’s drivers license and passport if they have one; a photograph or a good copy of a photograph of each person in the party; copies of critical pages of insurance records or all relevant insurance numbers, along with name of company, agent, toll free numbers, etc.; copies of bank account numbers, credit card numbers, and such; and it is not a bad idea to have copies of deeds, titles, or other relevant records in a reduced form. Each person should have a set of documents pertaining to them on them, for use and/or identification. In this way, you have every bit of information that red tape is likely to require.

Third, it is a good idea to have prescription medicine and copies of all pharmaceutical and eyewear prescriptions. This documents that you do indeed need and why you use them, and allows you to obtain replacements as needed. Remember, the odds are that you are going to have to prove a legitimate need in order to obtain medicines and the like, and that the natural tendency is going to be that you don’t need them unless you can provide overwhelming evidence. That is just the nature of the beast, and it has been seen many times in many disasters.

In an emergency, if your pharmacy is nearby and if you have time, get fresh refills before you head out. Your pharmacist is likely to be most helpful on this. Also keep in mind that even if you have to pay full price, it will be worth it and you can always charge it.

Fourth, have cash and credit cards in these packs. Use the credit cards as much as possible, but keep in mind that in an emergency many places will only take cash. My recommendation is to have a variety of bills and to spread things out. Never flash a large roll, things are bad enough without inviting attacks or otherwise making the kids hope that the milkman really was their real father by acting the fool. In fact, it is a good idea to spread things around the party, so that even the baby is carrying something. That way, no matter what, the odds are that some of it will be missed if things truly hit the fan. Having the numbers and the toll-free numbers also means that you can cancel the cards as soon as practical if they do get lost or stolen.

Another thing to consider in addition to cash is to have some other commodity on you. Gold coins come in a variety of sizes, are easily hidden, and readily exchanged for goods or money the world over. High-end jewelry can be used the same way. Think about it, think practical, and then act.

Now, this seems like a lot, but it really is not much more than is recommended for any traveler. Each of my suitcases has a page condom or two filled with this type of information, including copies of power of attorney and advanced healthcare information and directives. That is another thing you should have: blood type, allergies, and other critical information. That way, if things go really badly for you, the information is there for first responders and treatment facilities. I still wear a set of dog tags just for this purpose.

Make this a part of your normal travel planning, and make it a part of your disaster preparedness planning as well. The more you plan and prepare, the better off you are if things do go wrong, be it weather or man. The motto applies to us all: Be Prepared. And remember the wolf’s motto: That which you plan for, never happens. So plan for the worst, hope for the best, and take what comes.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Practical Preparedness: Some Final Thoughts on Bugging Out

Originally posted November 6, 2003

Or staying put, as the case may be. I know many of you are rolling your eyes and that there are private comments aplenty about getting backpacks and camping gear. That is your choice, but I will make just a couple more suggestions.

One, for crying out loud get the knapsacks with waist belts for your kids. The amount of books they have to haul around at, to, and from school these days is ridiculous and the resulting back damage beyond the pale. There are some with both waist belts and wheels, but before getting one with wheels try wearing one for a while. I did, and promptly donated it to charity with an apology to the charity. Those wheels hurt and can do damage if you use it as a real pack.

Two, even if you don’t camp or even hike in the park, get some decent rain gear for your kids. Gortex and other delights are wonderful, lightweight, and can even be warm. Be sensible and get some, for that type stuff always comes in handy with kids no matter where you live.

Three, get some decent walking shoes or boots for them too. Boots can be stylish these days, and will come in handy for some afterschool or other types of activities. Good walking shoes or boots come in handy no matter what.

Four, consider the same for yourself. Face it, the kids can probably outhike and outwalk you anyway if they are over 6 years of age, but having some decent footware handy makes it less a crushing defeat than otherwise.

To stay or go is your choice, but remember that good shoes, good gear, and good clothing can make a difference no matter what.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Practical Preparedness:  Snivel Gear for Bugging Out

Originally posted November 5, 2003

Yesterday, I gave a quick overview on bugging out and the need to be prepared to do it in stages. There are many circumstances that can require one to abandon your vehicle, from it dying to officious orders. Be prepared for it, and be prepared to make the best of it no matter the circumstances.

A large part of my philosophy of life is not merely to survive, but to survive with comfort and style. Yes, I can still go out with very little and get by, but why do so if you can avoid it? Also, the fact is that if you are going out as a family that not all the family members are going to be able to handle that, especially children and the elderly. Think ahead a bit, and be prepared.

At a minimum, you are going to want shelter and warmth: some form of dining fly or cover that can be put up, a tent, a means of cooking, sleeping bags and ground cloths for all, and some food and water. This is indeed a lot, but there are ways to double things up a bit.

For example, that dining fly can be made out of one or more of the groundcloths. If you go for larger groundcloths, you can have just a couple handle the needs of all. You also can get five or more people in a three-person tent in an emergency.

On the tent, get a good one that is roomy, very light, and can be set-up with out stakes and such as needed. This lets you set-up anywhere from the fields to the floor of a gymnasium as needed. You cover all the bases, and ensure that you don’t have to accept official hospitality when that hospitality is a problem waiting to happen.

Individual sleeping bags are a must, in my opinion, though two can share one in a pinch. The other thing to consider with the bag is a self-inflating pad to go with it. Again, field or floor, it will provide some much needed comfort for little room and weight.

Cooking gear should be light, simple, and easy to fuel and use. Go to a good camping/hiking store and check the wide variety out. I actually have a couple of different systems that I have obtained over the years. My favorite is a two-burner system that lets me heat food and water at one time, yet you can use just one burner as needed. It is light, rugged, and reliable. I also have a single-burner system, and I even have my old-fashioned tripod stove, which uses standard propane torch cylinders both as fuel and one leg. I will bug out with all of them, but am prepared to stage down to just one of them as needed. The excess also gives me trade goods and bribes along the way.

I also have a set of light, rugged, and nice pots for use. I couldn’t quite afford to go all titanium, but was able to get some. I have a small set of cooking tools, again light and compact, and I have some other basic snivel gear that will help get me by.

Water is an important consideration, and I strongly recommend using some of the Camelback systems in addition to water bottles. Make at least one of your water bottles a water purification system, such as the Exstream systems [UPDATE:  check out Katadyn as they appear to have bought out Exstream], and I also carry a stand-alone water purification system. These are not just useful in the wilds, but, sadly, are often very much needed at refuge centers and the like as well.

I also keep on hand some camping food, so that I can eat without hunting or foraging as I go. If you are with a family or group, this is going to be a very important consideration. The newer freeze-dried and irradiated food will keep for years, so it is not a bad investment. The other thing I keep on hand, and eat and replace, are things like jerky. Allow me to also highly recommend the small bottles of tobasco and the like. Trust me on this, field or refugee center, the food will need all the help it can get.

This may seem like a lot to have, but remember that I also used to camp a good bit and want to get back to doing it again one day soon. Some of the gear is good to have no matter what.

There are two other important considerations to keep in mind.

One, have kids carry a pack with their own sleeping bag, a small first aid kit, some jerky and trail mix, and a small bottle of water. This will not be a problem for even small children, and may make a huge difference to them. It gives them a stake in things, a sense of responsibility, and it takes a load off you, literally. If you are in a group, spread the load as much as possible on the snivel gear.

Two, be prepared to cache things as you stage down, and if possible have pre-selected positions for such. You want to be able to hide valuables or other things you can’t take with you if you do stage down, so that if possible you can recover them later. Also, you are not going to be allowed to take anything that might conceivably be a weapon (nail clippers anyone?) into a refugee area and you sure don’t want to carry real valuables in either. If you turn them in to the authorities, I would not plan on getting them back, so think ahead and plan what and how you will do. Look at probable evacuation routes and figure where you might store things as needed.

For example, I know where nature or terror could take out two critical bridges on my prime paths out of here. I also have some idea where I might could cache some items for later use because I am familiar with those routes. Plan ahead just a bit, and it will make things much easier if you ever have to do them.

A final thought is that the snivel gear not only gives you comfort, it gives you trade items as well. You can trade parts of it for rides, for shelter, or more. If you have excess gear, you can and will find a use for it.

Going back to yesterday, another recommendation I will make is to look at Load Bearing Vests in addition to knapsacks and packs. These give you additional carrying capacity, and can keep truly critical items (ammo, medicine, emergency rations) on you no matter what. There are many around, and even sporting vests can serve for this in a pinch.

Prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and take what comes. Survival with style and comfort is the ultimate revenge against nature or man. 

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Practical Preparedness:  Bugging Out

Originally posted November 4, 2003

It has been too long since I posted anything on practical preparedness, so wanted to get something useful out especially given the recent firestorms in California. Also, Kim du Toit did a post a few weeks ago on his bugout weapons and means of carry, all of which reminded me that most people are not prepared to bug out when disaster strikes.

In an ideal world, we would be able to ride out disasters large and small in our homes. Yet, there are many things natural and man made that can oblige us to leave our castles – sometimes in a hurry. The trick to getting out with all that truly matters is a small amount of pre-planning and an equally small amount of preparation.

As I’ve noted in past articles, I keep my emergency gear in Rubbermaid boxes with snap lids. Boxes are nice because they can be easily moved and keep things together. The type of box is far less important than simply having the supplies in some form of easy to move and stack containers.
This is a major part of the pre-planning I mentioned, because if you do have to evacuate, it is easy to gather up all the boxes and have the emergency supplies packed in a hurry. The other part is to take the time and have the truly important stuff like insurance papers, documents, and other critical items in an equally easy to move firesafe or similar box. Remember, if it is an emergency you are not going to have the time to go hunting around for everything, so plan ahead and have it all together and easy to move.

When and if you ever need to evacuate, you have your family, you have your boxes, and all you have to do is grab the travel gear and go. Easy to pack, easy to do.

Yet, there is one more bit of thought that should go into this. Plan on what to do if you can’t use a vehicle.

The fact is, I can think of several natural disasters that could occur around here that would eliminate my being able to use a vehicle or to use it for very long. Consider also that Big Brother Government at any or all levels may try to force you into busses or such, or just plain block your way. So, plan your evacuation gear with the idea of staging in mind.

Staging is simple. In this case, you have the emergency gear (food, flashlights, tools, etc., see previous posts in this category) in boxes and ready to go. You load it, load the travel gear and truly important stuff, and go. Yet, you need to be prepared to abandon the vehicle and take the truly critical things with you.

To do this, invest in a good knapsack or three and/or a good backpack or two, along with some basic camping gear. Both items should have a waist/hip belt to help carry the load, and be as roomy and as rugged as possible. I have both, and both came from REI. I used my knapsack at trade shows and other events where I needed to haul stuff in and out for security purposes each day, and it also meant that I had the knapsack with me in case I got the chance to go hiking.

The packs and gear go into the vehicle with you, so that if you have to leave the vehicle, you can then winnow down the emergency gear even further, put it in the packs, and continue on.

Tomorrow, I will go into some of the basic camping gear I recommend having with you. 

Rational Preparedness:  Power

Originally posted August 16, 2003

What, did you think I was going to miss something this obvious? The great blackout gives ready fodder for the mill, especially when you have reporters and anchors on network news talking about how ill prepared they were. The fact is, a power outage does not have to be the end of the world, just a mere inconvenience to those who are prepared.

There is already talk about lawsuits, who let this happen, and such, but lost in all the blather is the simple fact that it is up to each and every one of us to be prepared. It is not up to the government to take care of us, it is not up to the power company, nor is it up to anyone else. It is up to you to be prepared. This goes double if you or yours have a critical need for electricity, such as for medical equipment.

First off, you should always have at least one flashlight in the home with batteries changed out every six months. I have absolutely no sympathy for those caught without during this last blackout. Good flashlights are not that expensive, and you can get so-so quality lights for almost nothing. Personally, I recommend and use Hubbell brand/HubbelLite [UPDATE:  No longer making flashlights, alas] because they are well designed, much brighter than the average flashlight, and about as rugged as they come. They can even be used in some hazardous environments. Yes, they are a little pricey at close to $20.00 each, but well worth it.

While you should have at least one flashlight, I recommend having at least one in each room and one in each vehicle. There is no warning when the power goes out, and rummaging through the dark trying to remember where you put the single flashlight is not a fun party game. Put them someplace obvious, even if discrete, and check them periodically.

Candles can also provide light, but they are a fire hazard. If you have proper holders and take great care, candles can and will provide light and even a small amount of heat if needed. They make a great way to conserve batteries, and you can even have some fun turning the incident into a good excuse for romance with a partner, or adventure with kids. A good way to protect furniture and walls in an emergency is to use aluminum foil to catch wax, reflect light, and protect surfaces from heat.

Better than just plain candles for lighting are candle lanterns. These are sold a sporting good stores and are a wonderful gift to the camper and preparedness freaks such as myself. A candle lantern is a self-contained system that keeps the candle in a protective environment for fire safety, provides a reflector that can be used to make it directional, and a mechanism for either standing or hanging the system. The candles that go in them are multi-hour candles, so they can be used for very long stretches. The replacement candles are also fairly inexpensive, so it is not a problem to have enough candles to go 48 or so hours straight.

Because I both like to camp and because I live in an area where thunderstorms, tornadoes, and ice storms hit, I also have a good lantern. Lanterns can be a good investment and the route I chose was to go with a multi-fuel lantern. These can burn the special lantern fuel, white gas, kerosene, or unleaded car gasoline. If you have my luck with mantles, keep several spares handy.

Okay, these take care of light, now what about heating for heating food, water, and such? Easy. I have my camping stoves, and for the urban reader I also have a portable chef’s stove. The latter can be found in restaurant supply stores, online at Chef’s Club and similar outlets, or even in some department stores.  [UPDATE:  Also check out local Asian groceries as they often sell them.] It is the same thing many places use for made-to-order omelets and such on buffets, makes a nice addition to any household, and has practical uses for entertaining and such. No reason preparedness items shouldn’t be used for other things, in fact all the better.

Other heating can be problematic, but solved by things such as kerosene heaters, fireplaces, and such. To be honest, I don’t have a kerosene heater [UPDATE:  Do now, want more, much colder here] simply because the apartment comes with a fireplace. If I did not have a fireplace, I probably would have something else but to be honest I have never absolutely had to have one. The last time we had a significant power outage because of an ice storm, the place stayed fairly warm just from candles, cooking, lanterns, etc. With proper clothing, I was quite comfortable and set to the point that the people running the nearby shelter threatened to come stay with me.

Now, what about the wonders of modern life, the many electronic conveniences? If you are fortunate enough to have a gas stove, heater, water heater, etc., you may think yourself set for much of the vicissitudes, but bear in mind that many will not come on without power. Your computer, fancy phones, and other items also require power. What to do?

Again because of thunderstorms and such, I have invested in a series of real surge protectors (not talking cheap power strips here, stick a crowbar in it and get real) and UPS systems. With them in place, I can keep the command phone running including message system, keep the laptop going for quite some time (provided the laptop battery is in good shape), and even run some of the peripherals as needed. Were there other critical systems, they would have a UPS as well. I have threatened to put one on the entertainment center, but that is just because I hate resetting everything after the thunderstorms roll through. All major or expensive electronics do have good surge protection because of the storms. This is an area where the Air Force invested some significant money in a nearby facility to put all the computer cable over to fiber optic in large measure because of the thunderstorms and the repair bills from same.

If you or a loved one have critical medical equipment, call your local power company right now and find out how to get them set for priority support. There is a brief amount of paperwork (at least here), and it ensures that in an emergency you or they will get priority service. I did it for my Dad and his oxygen system, just in case.

Yet, if you have a situation where it is a matter of life or death to keep power, it is not up to the power company or the local government to take care of things, it is up to you. Get with an electrician, go to the local home store, and get a generator. Get the electrician to hook it in on a special circuit that will run the medical systems and maybe a light or two. This does not have to be expensive, especially given that a life is at stake. Splurge a little and get a larger generator and have a bit more comfort at home. Also, don’t forget to check and see if this can be deducted from your taxes because of the medical necessity.

Okay, you say, this is fine if you have your own home. What if you are part of an apartment complex, live in an apartment building, co-op, condo, or such? Well, then, work with your neighbors and the owner of the complex to go in on things together. If you do it right now and live in an affected area, you might be surprised at what people would be willing to chip in to help all. If one or two don’t want to participate, keep in mind that it is okay. Yes, they may get a free ride in an emergency, but better that than you be without just because of them.

The other thing to do is be sure you have battery powered radios and at least one battery powered television. Be sure to have spare batteries as well. This way, you can get news and information, and even have entertainment as needed. I say radios because I recommend having one boombox or similar device that many can listen to, and at least one personal radio that can clip on a belt or go in a shirt pocket to stay with you as you move around. Consider also some of the handcrank radios and related gear as they will not be totally dependent on batteries.

While it is not directly related to providing power, I do recommend keeping a few gallons of water tucked away for emergencies like this. It can be in the back of a closet or shelf, or wherever works for you. Just remember to change it out about every six months or so. With water, you can survive about anything. If you keep some food as well, remember to make it food that does not require extra pots or things that will need water for cleaning…

When you travel, also take certain precautions. I always travel with a flashlight (actually, a Hubbell and a penlight Hubbell) and some other basic gear. I prefer hotels that have windows you can open, rather than totally sealed. In this way, you need not end up like those poor people who slept outside in New York the other night rather than in the rooms they could not get to or stay in. Yes, you or your travel agent can find out about such things before you go, so take an extra 30 seconds and ask.

Also, wherever you are when the power does go out, get a light and every available container in the room and head for the bathroom. Fill up the tub(s), and fill the containers with potable water. The water may not stay on if the water supply system also looses power. It should have backup power, but as seen recently even cities that know better may not have a working system for such. The tub water can be used to flush the commode every now and then (not every time you go), and the potable can be used for drinking, making coffee or tea, etc.

Have a plan for travel and home, and follow it when needed. For an hour or two of planning, an hour or so of shopping, and less than $100.00, you can do a heck of a lot of preparation that will get you through a blackout in comfort if not style. Spend a little more and do even better. Remember, as I’ve pointed out before in the rational preparedness posts, you don’t have to (and shouldn’t) go spend large amounts at once. Do it over time, take your time and shop around, and build up for emergencies.

Yes, you will end up with an investment in supplies, but that investment is returned many times over when you need it. It is not up to anyone else to take care of you or provide for you when the lights go out, that is up to you.

Monday, December 18, 2006

Rational Preparedness:  Lists, Communications, Kits

Originally posted May 23, 2003

This one will be a bit short, but I wanted to give you the same information I have been giving to my extended family.

First, don’t bother with the preparedness kits you see advertised. I got one of them to check it out, and you pay $30- $50 for information that you can get for free from the Internet. To get the same information, much better presented than the one I checked out, go to:

Red Cross Disaster Counseling Materials, FEMA, The American Academy of Pediatrics which has a great set of information on preparing for disasters for those with children, and the Department of Homeland Security’s preparedness page.

Unless a kit has things like food, emergency gear, or other things with it, save your money. Take a long, hard look at any kits that do have that gear, as you have a pretty good chance of putting together a better kit for less on your own.

Short and sweet, you do need lists. You need the lists so that everything gets done, when it should, and you are not caught short. Lists can help ensure you have a can or bottle opener to deal with all the cans and bottles.

You also need communications. I heard this morning as someone pushed cell phones as great for emergencies, and they are just that. When they work. All too often, natural and man-made disaster tend to overload or take out the cell phone system, so don’t rely on them alone. Spend a little bit and get some good walkie talkies. They can and do come in handy for non-emergency situations, and are worth their weight in gold in an emergency.

I think I said it before, but in terms of food, think calories and long-term storage. Many of the meal-in-a-box things that are sold for school lunches are great. Do I think you need to rush out and buy large amounts right now? No. See the previous posts and build up slowly.

That is it for today, and I will try to go into more in the days ahead. Enjoy the holiday weekend, be safe, and be prepared.

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Rational Peparedness:  Defense and Gas Masks

Originally posted May 17, 2003

I promised more on rational preparedness, and it is time to deliver. The questions I get asked the most that have not already been addressed come down to one topic: personal protection. There are two main topics: guns and gas masks.

I am going to take the easy one first, gas masks. No, I don’t think you need to go get a gas mask right now. There. Easy. Happy? The reasons why are fairly simple. Gas masks work great if you have warning with enough time to put them on before you are exposed. It is doubtful that the terrorist are going to give warning, so the utility of a gas mask is questionable.

In the interests of full disclosure, yes I do have one. It was given to me by an acquaintance when I visited them on a regular basis, as they happened to live next to U.S. Government repository for nastiness. We probably needed MOPP gear, but he had the mask and it made him feel better for me to have one too. Not sure if the canisters are still good or not, but it is somewhere in my closet.

What to do if there is a warning and you don’t have a mask? Simple, according to government sites and experts: take a tight-weave t-shirt, get a double thickness, and put it over your nose and mouth. It is not as good as activated charcoal and layers of micron-level filters, but it will get quite a good bit including – I am told – most biologicals.

If you look at the odds and types of threats, the likelihood of same, and do a cost-benefit analysis and decide differently, knock yourself out. Don’t want to spend that much? There are escape hoods that are much more reasonably priced and will do in a pinch. They are even good for travel in case there is a fire at the hotel or other location.

Now we get to the nitty gritty and the thing that will upset most people: guns. The upsetting part is that I am going to say up front that most people should not go buy a handgun.

Unless you are going to take the time to buy the gun, get instruction on proper use and safety, and practice with it on a regular basis, please don’t get a handgun. If you are like people I have met over the years and go get one, load it, and put it on the bedside table, please never invite me to your house.

“I got my gun today!”

“You did? What type?”

“I got a Frick 9mm. I’ve got it loaded an up on the bedside table. Want to see it?

“Well, how does it shoot?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t shot it yet.”

“Really.” (Oh bleep. This guy is an accident waiting to happen, and I don’t want to be the accidental death) “When are you scheduled for the range and lessons?”

“Oh, I haven’t done that yet. Don’t know when I will.”

“Oh.” (Wonder if I can take out a policy on his wife, kids, and dog?) “But you have it loaded and ready to shoot?”

“Yeah! I will smoke any intruder that comes in.”

“Since you haven’t shot it, how can you be sure that it is accurate?”

“Oh, the sights are good, and everyone tells me it is the most accurate pistol on the market.”

“The sights probably are good, but without being sighted in how can you be sure that where you aim is where you will hit?”

“Oh, its accurate and it will hit where I aim!”

“Riggghhhhtt.” (Can you take out insurance on other people’s possessions?) “Well, then, what type cleaner did you use on it?”

“Oh, it was clean as a whistle when I bought it.”

“Oooookay.” (Wonder if I can take out a dismemberment or death policy on him?) “You didn’t check to be sure there was no grease in the bore or receiver?”

“No, should I?”

Okay, you get the drift here and the truly scary thing is that this is close to a real conversation or three I have had. This is a perfect example of a firearms accident waiting to happen, and I tend not to go back to these people’s houses. People like this give responsible owners a very bad reputation. This is also the type person who sticks the gun down the front of their pants and eliminates future contributions to the gene pool.

If you do want a pistol and are willing to be responsible and do it right, here is the way to go. Go to a reputable gun store. To find one, talk to those who do shoot and get recommendations. Try different guns, find one that fits your hand and has the things you need, such as stopping power, ease of use, good skull sweat in the design, etc. Also, keep in mind that no one pistol is going to be the best thing for all situations. Try them on a range, this is something good gun stores are happy to do. Most shooting ranges will rent pistols to you or let you try a variety of rentals for the price of one if you are pistol shopping. Once you have done your shopping and research, then buy what works best for you.

Once you have bought, then take the gun to the range and get with the range master/certified instructor. They will help you learn the pistol, clean it before using it (you need to get a kit with the gun), and teach you all you need to know. This may take more than one lesson, though a lot of range and safety basics can be covered during the try-them stage. Then practice, practice, practice. You need to do a lot to get used to the pistol and to break it in. You then need to go at least once a month to maintain your proficiency.

Unless you take a full day at the range once a month, maintaining is about all you will do. To give you an idea, I used to fire around 500 rounds per weapon per month when I was semi-serious about shooting. That was simply to maintain, not to necessarily improve – though I took any advancement I could get.

Rather than a pistol for home defense, I tend to recommend a shotgun. If there is a situation, real or imagined, the adrenaline flows. Your hands shake, your heart hammers, your breath comes in gasps, and none of these things is conducive to pinpoint accuracy. Take a look one day at the statistics for gunfights, and see how many shots are fired at very close range, and how few (if any) hit the target(s).

A shotgun makes up for that with lots of bullets, called shot. Get some number one buck, or even some number two shot and it will do the trick. Lots of pellets with punch to do what you need done. The trick is, also, that you need to shoot the shotgun at a range as well. That way, you can see the damage that will be done. You will know what it is going to do to your home, which is tear the holy hell out of it. Even though you can get rounds that won’t penetrate a wall, they are still going to tear up the things in that room where you shoot and the wall.

This is a good thing. It means that you are not likely to use it unless you have a clear target that really needs shooting. You are not likely to shoot the spouse, the kids, the dog, the cat, the bird, or a shadow. If you do have to shoot someone or something, you are going to do it right to spare the rest of the house.

Two other quick points. First, I do not believe in trigger locks or locking guns away. This is dangerous, far more dangerous than you think. If you want the citations, take a look at John R. Lott Jr.’s “The Bias Against Guns”. It will be getting a review here in the next couple of weeks. I hope, as it is a hard read for me simply because some of what he goes over in the way of bias tends to raise my blood pressure to the point I have to quit reading.

Second, teach your kids properly about guns. Do NOT traumatize them so that they never want to touch one; that is your psychosis and should not be put off on them. Teach them responsibly and well, be it with an Eddie Eagle program or some other. My parents taught me from a very early age, about 3 if I remember correctly, that guns were not toys. I knew not to touch one unless I was going hunting or to a range. I knew what they could do and would do if not handled properly. Doesn’t mean I did not make mistakes, just that the mistakes were controlled and knowledge applied to the seat of learning as needed. Do thou likewise, as an educated child is far less likely to do something stupid simply because you were stupid and did not teach them properly.

Final thought of the day: the choices you make are yours. Live with them and take responsibility for them. No one else is responsible for your decisions, for what you do, or what you do not do. You and you alone are the master of your fate.

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Walking Home

This post by Uncle Jimbo reminded me that I was way behind on some specific posting promised earlier.  Yes, my site is in the process of being upgraded, and I have finally hired professionals for the task.  My temporary site has also had some ups and downs, from cracking of the homepage by an AQ-linked group.  Nevermind the apparent continuing DDOS/spam attack on the “old” site that has my hosting provider kvetching about excessive CPU usage… Well, enough of that.  Things are finally moving in a good direction, and it is high time to start posting as promised.  One of those promises was to post on practical and rational preparedness, and Jimbo’s post reminded me of the following postdone a year ago September on car kits.  In the interest of transparency, I am correcting some spelling and other errors as I repost.  Maybe. 
*****

One of the projects I undertook this weekend was the annual car clear and re-arrange, which includes pulling out and re-doing my “Walking Home” kit that stays in the car.  It is not a full bug-out kit, though it can be used for that in a pinch, but rather something designed to get me home or to help if things go bad. 

I have kept something like this in my vehicles since I started driving.  Not only does it make a lot of sense to be prepared, but I also used to go off into woods, mountains, and other areas off the beaten track.  If something had happened, it would be up to me to get it out, get it fixed, or otherwise beat feet.  While I am not in the wilds that much anymore, caca can still occureth, so I remain prepared as the best way to ensure something does not happen is to prepare for it.  Most of these preparations are not obvious to anyone looking into my trunk, which has its own advantages…

The first thing any vehicle should have are some basic tools:

With what I have here, I can fix most things that are fixable outside of a shop, dig or pull my way out of problems, remove trees or other impediments, and otherwise cope with most situations.  Many things pull double duty, and can also serve as camp implements if needs require. The throwing axe actually has about three uses right off the bat…

Next up are fasteners:

Fastners can also pull double duty, but I have rope, cord, wire, chains, pack webbing, and my tow rope.  The latter is actually part of a cargo parachute system used to drop tanks and similar items, and so can handle about any loads I may place upon it.  The snow/ice chains are technically illegal where I now reside, but I keep them anyway for emergencies, as the letter of the law will cheerfully be stretched in the face of a life-threatening emergency. 

Other items include:

Plastic wrap/tarp, a canvas painters tarp, a collapsible jug, and a breath mask.  Can you say waterproof and warm/cool shelter as needed?  Can you say emergency window repair?  Can you say being able to breathe in a dust or other storm?  I knew you could, and know that you can think of other uses too…

Scrapers, tire inflator, heavy-duty jumper cables, a hat, snow salt, wiper fluid, and canvas tote bags round out the other items.  With these, many car problems can be solved, I have a cover for my head as I work or hike, and the ability to go get or otherwise carry items in a comfortable manner. 

Finally comes the pack.  The backpack I have tucked away in the car has three major parts.  The outer pocket:

contains paper and pencils, eating utensils, compass, bottle/can opener, knife, sewing kit, and locking D-rings. 

The middle part:

contains food and other essential supplies.  Essential supplies include a filter mask for dust or other delights, cord, and a water purifier.  That brand is no longer available, but you can go find the same technology in Exstream products from Katadyn.  With it, you can take water from almost any source except salt water, and drink it safely.  Food includes beef jerky, sweets, salty, and even some textured vegetable protein in case the trip home takes far longer than anticipated.  All the food is chosen as it will last for a year in some rather extreme temperature ranges. 

The back part:

The back part contains a space blanket, foil blanket, heavy duty cord/parachute rigging, clothing, and a flashlight.  Note that this is in addition to the normal car flashlight, just in case the car stuff disappears… The old film cannister contains tacks, brads, and other items that might come in handy. 

Again, remember that most of this is out of sight and not taking up space in the main trunk.  Modern car trunks offer a lot of places to put this and more where it can’t easily be found. 

Not shown are two first aid kits, one that stays out in the open and one that is hidden with the pack, and a few other implements including several bottles half-full of water.  Yes, half full so that they don’t split from heat or freezing.  I am considering adding a couple of other things to the mix, most notably two siphons, one for gas and one for getting water out of containers, wells, or other such places without electrical power (I have one in the basement of the lair to get water out of the well if the power goes out).  I am also considering adding this to the car:

though I would prefer something a bit more portable.  Will see. 

So, what is in your vehicle?  Are you prepared to walk home or out if needed?  For more on preparedness, remember to check out this archive and all the links. 

LW

Content copyright C. Blake Powers and the individual authors. Comments become the property of C. Blake Powers and may be altered, edited, deleted, and used by C. Blake Powers or the individual authors without restriction or recompense.