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