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