The "little things" in emergency preparedness - and the value of time and energy

 

Continuing our thoughts about emergency preparedness...

Too many people today have never tried to live outside their homes.  They've never been camping, and when they have, it's often been with tents (even travel trailers), lots of food in coolers and in cans, plenty of clean clothes, access to showers and toilets (or, at least, areas where it's safe to bathe in streams and "do your business" without being disturbed by natural hazards), and so on.  They have no idea at all what it means to get "up close and personal" with Mother Nature without such aids to comfort . . . let alone with other human beings who are also struggling to survive, many of whom are going to be more than ready to take whatever they need from you, whether you like it or not.

Let's look at some of the issues we're going to run into from Day One of a long-term emergency.  We've discussed some of them in these pages before, but I don't think we've put them all together into one big picture.  In many cases, these are the "little things" that can make a difference between coping with an emergency, or being swamped by it.

After identifying some issues, I'll talk about what they imply for us during a prolonged emergency.

1. Fuel:  What are you going to use for heat and cooking if electricity is cut off?  (That will also cut off propane and natural gas supplied by pipeline, as the pumps will shut down.)  You can store a certain amount of propane in cylinders, or kerosene in drums, but probably not enough for an extended period (i.e. months) - and certainly not in cities or towns without violating all sorts of fire safety regulations, which may get you into a lot of trouble if authorities find out.  You'll probably need firewood to cook with, and (in winter) to heat your home.  Do you have a fireplace and chimney, or any other means of burning it?  If yes, when did you last have the chimney swept and the firebricks checked?  If not, where are you planning to burn wood to cook?  You can't do so indoors, after all!  An apartment balcony may be all you have available - and then the entire neighborhood will see (and smell) that you have food.  They're going to want it, too.  How much wood and/or charcoal and/or coal do you have in your stash?  One cord of firewood (a stack 8' long by 4' high by 4' wide) takes up a lot of space, and can be expensive if you buy clean-burning seasoned hardwood.  A typical fireplace in a typical suburban living-room will go through at least one cord of wood every winter if you burn it for 3-4 hours most evenings.  If the central heat shuts off (i.e. no electricity or natural gas), and you have to rely on your fireplace as a primary source of heat, you'll quadruple or quintuple that consumption.  Don't think you can just go outside and chop down trees or pick up deadfalls, because everyone and his neighbor will be doing the same thing.  Competition for firewood and other fuel is likely to be heated (you should pardon the expression), and may turn violent.  (It won't matter if the trees you're trying to harvest are on your land, either.  In a prolonged emergency, people will ignore property rights and chop them down anyway - and you as well, if you try to stop them.)  Most of us don't have enough storage space (or money) for more than half a cord or so of firewood, and few of us are accustomed to using chainsaws, axes and other tools to get more.  Therefore, plan on storing as much as you can near your home and keeping that stockpile in good shape by regularly replenishing what you use.  If you regularly cook on a charcoal or gas BBQ grill, how much fuel for it do you have on hand?  There won't be any available when an emergency hits.  The same goes for camping gas stoves and their little canisters of fuel.  If you don't have it now, you won't have it then.  (Strong recommendation:  a few Esbit stoves and their fuel tablets can be worth their weight in gold.  The fuel tablets can also serve as firelighters.)  If you boil water to make tea or coffee, heat more than you need, then use a thermal carafe to store it for future use - that'll save fuel.
2. Water:  We've already discussed purifying and filtering it.  However, keep in mind that simply gathering it is going to be difficult and time-consuming.  Your vehicle may not have enough fuel available for regular runs to the nearest source of water (e.g. a local dam, or stream, or lake).  Do you have something like a garden cart to carry your containers there and back - and are you fit and strong enough to make the journey, repeatedly?  Water weighs 8 pounds per gallon, so a full 5-gallon bucket will weigh 40 pounds plus the weight of the bucket (and the lid, of course, to prevent loss due to splashing).  Can you handle that?  If not, what size and weight of bucket can you handle?  How many will fit on your cart?  That determines how often you'll have to make the journey to get more.  How long will it take you to get there, fill your buckets, and get home again?  We may be talking about a few minutes, if you're lucky:  but if your water source is a mile or two away, it may take hours, depending on conditions.  The short-term solution is to store as much as practicable at home in case of emergencies, but you may not have much space available.  I plan on needing 2 gallons per person per day (Texas is a very hot, arid state in summer), and there are two of us here.  That means every week I'll need 28 gallons of water, weighing 224 pounds, along with a decent amount of storage space to accommodate it all.  It also means that when my stored water runs out, I have to collect 4 gallons every day to replenish my stash, weighing 32 pounds.  How am I going to do that?  I'd better think about it before the need arises, and equip myself accordingly.
3. Household cleanliness:  Think of all you do right now to keep your home neat and tidy.  You wash dishes, probably using a dishwasher - but such appliances won't be working in the absence of electricity and piped water.  You mop your floors.  You vacuum (or have something like a Roomba do it for you).  You clean your windows.  You launder your clothes (again using a washing machine and dryer for most of us).  In a prolonged emergency, you'll have to do all that by hand without any labor saving devices - and that's going to take a lot more time (hours every day!) than you currently spend on such tasks.  That means washing clothes in bathtubs or buckets, probably using washboards and/or manual agitators.  You'll have to rinse them, wring them out, and hang them up to dry.  Do you have a manual clothes wringer?  It's not essential, but can save a lot of hard work and allow clothes to air-dry faster.  What about a clothesline or drying rack?  For a lot of laundry, plan on needing more than one.  What about cleaning your home?  Detergent, glass cleaner, etc. won't be something you can pick up at the supermarket, as we do at present.  You'll need to have stockpiled at least a basic quantity in your emergency supplies, to allow you to perform at least basic domestic hygiene for several weeks or months until supplies are available again.  (Remember, this isn't just for cleanliness or smartness - a dirty home is a health hazard, particularly in case of injury, and can attract insect and animal pests.)  I keep several months' worth of concentrated detergent, 30% vinegar, glass cleaner, bleach (in powdered "pool shock" form), baking soda and other materials on hand.  (Be careful about mixing them!  For example, bleach and vinegar together produce chlorine gas.  Doubleplusungood!)  Also, maintain a reserve stock of dish washing sponges, cleaning cloths, spray bottles (to dilute concentrated cleaners), paper towels, a spare mop and broom (and/or spare heads for them), and other such goodies.  We also keep a supply of powder laundry detergent that can be used for hand washing as well as in washing machines.  (Those dinky little liquid detergent sachets are nifty for machines, but not so good in buckets of cold water.)  A more recent development has been laundry detergent sheets, which are neither powder nor liquid, and can be dropped into washing machines or buckets when needed.  I think they're a great no-mess, no-fuss idea for traveling, and I've put some in our emergency stash as well.  (I've found they don't dissolve well in cold water, but if you pre-dissolve them in a cup of hot water, they work just fine.)  For fabric softener, mix warm water, baking soda and a little vinegar, and add to your rinse water.  It works.  (IMPORTANT:  See the note about unscented products in point 9 below - this applies to cleaning products too.)
4. Personal hygiene:  This is an absolutely vital consideration.  Our health will depend on personal cleanliness to a very great extent, as will our ability to live with each other - being stinky is not conducive to good interpersonal relationships!  In a prolonged emergency, most cosmetics and hygiene items will not be available, so we'll have to get back to basics.  Keep a stash of bath soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, skin moisturizing cream and other basic hygiene items.  Forget fancy touches like cosmetics, bath bombs, hair curlers and the like - they'll all be luxuries that take too long to use and demand too much time and attention (and fuel to heat water).  Add extra skin lotion, because we'll be outdoors a lot more than usual in such emergencies, gathering water, fuel and other items, and our skin will be exposed to a lot more sunlight and get a lot drier in hot climates.  Stock up on nitrile gloves in the sizes needed by members of your household;  they're invaluable to maintain hygiene (particularly in cleaning or food preparation) if/when water for hand-washing (not to mention soap and towels) is/are in short supply.  Figure out how much of each item you use today, plan on needing at least double that during the emergency, and stockpile accordingly.  When it comes to critical feminine hygiene products (sanitary pads, tampons, panty liners, etc.), find out what each person uses and prefers, then stockpile that.  It's such a personal choice that forcing people to use a common item, with no choice available, is likely to spark friction.  Take the easy way out, and stockpile what the women in your life really want.  If you think that may run out, consider adding some reusable menstrual pads and/or period cups to your stash.  (Don't forget lots of toilet paper!  Corncobs and pinecones are not all they're cracked up to be . . .)
5. Personal care:  Things like nail clippers, foot files, denture fixatives and cleaners, toothbrushes, medicated shampoos and/or soaps, hair brushes and combs, and similar items should be included in every individual's emergency preparations.  I strongly suggest packing at least one spare of every item in your emergency stockpile.  It's hard to cater for everyone's tastes in a common stockpile, so individuals should be responsible for providing what they need and adding it to the stash.  Those who insist on needing wanting non-essential items such as cosmetics should be advised to stockpile what they need want for themselves - it should not be a burden on the overall household budget.
6. Personal health:  Another critical area.  If you rely on prescription medication(s) to treat a chronic (i.e. ongoing) condition, you should plan on stockpiling them in your emergency supplies to the extent possible.  Your doctor may be willing to give you an additional prescription now and again to add to your stash, or you might lose your luggage while traveling and need to replace a prescription, giving you an additional supply.  Some prescription medications are also available for animals, but in human-grade form (see, for example, this supplier - there are many more).  Use them at your own risk (I do, and have never encountered a problem).  I regard a six-month reserve supply of essential medications as a good start;  a full years' worth is desirable.  You may be able to research natural supplements that can substitute for prescription drugs to treat certain conditions, but this is risky, because one can't be certain that the supplement's claimed potency and effectiveness is as described (particularly if it's sourced from China).  Talk to your doctor about this.  Add to your stash common over-the-counter medications such as pain relief, indigestion aids, constipation and diarrhea treatments, sunblock (and sunburn treatments), and the like.  Plan to need a lot more of them than you'd normally use, because you'll be exposed to very different patterns of work and life than you were before the emergency hit.  If you rely on medical equipment for your ongoing health (e.g. a CPAP machine, an oxygen generator, a powered wheelchair or mobility scooter, etc.) then the loss of power during a prolonged emergency may be life-threatening to you.  You'll have to see about a backup power supply (e.g. a generator, a power station, etc.), plus some means of getting fuel for it or recharging it (such as a solar panel for a power station).  Those options are expensive, but if you rely on such life support equipment, you don't have much choice about spending the money.  In fact, let's be blunt:  if you're medically impaired to any severe extent (e.g. diabetes, paralysis, asthma, epilepsy and so on), or very unfit (including obesity), or old enough to be affected or weakened by age, your life expectancy during such an extended emergency may be a lot shorter than you'd wish.  The much more difficult circumstances of daily living in such an environment must and will take their toll.  I think it's important to face up to that reality, discuss it with your loved ones, and plan accordingly.  It's a hard truth, but it's truth nonetheless.  (It certainly affects me:  after a partially disabling spinal injury 19 years ago, plus two heart attacks, I know I'll find it difficult to survive an extended emergency, and avoid being a burden on others.)
7. Dealing with Mother Nature:  In a prolonged emergency, we'll have to spend a lot more time out of our homes and in the great (?) outdoors.  Gathering firewood and water, perhaps hunting for food, walking long distances to buy and/or trade for what we need, patrolling our property to keep out intruders, and other activities will become routine.  That means we'll have that much less time available for other routine activities.  We'll also be exposed to insects, animal pests, hot and/or cold weather, and potentially infectious environments and diseases much more often than is usually the case.  Plan accordingly, and stockpile sunscreen, insect repellent, protective clothing (particularly in areas where ticks can attach themselves to your body - long trousers and socks can protect you from some nasty diseases), and other necessities.  If you aren't sure what you'll need, talk to friends who go camping or hunting often, and follow their advice.  Don't skimp on your stash!  In a prolonged emergency, you'll need a lot more of such things than you imagine.  In heavily infested snake country, snake gaiters can be a life-saver:  if they strike at your lower legs, the gaiters are too thick for them to easily penetrate.  Stout walking boots or shoes, poles, hiking hats, work gloves, day packs and other equipment may be very useful indeed, even if you don't need them under normal circumstances.  (Emergencies are, by definition, not normal circumstances!)  Mosquito nets (wearable and over your bed) can be worth their weight in gold, particularly if you're in an area affected by diseases such as malaria, Zika or dengue fever.  If you're going to be away from your home for some time (for example, gathering firewood or water), it's worth having some energy bars or concentrated emergency ration bars on hand, along with smaller bottles of water.  They allow you to eat and drink as you move, without having to stop to prepare food.  Sleeping bags, tents and other equipment may be necessary, but that'll depend on your individual circumstances.
8. Pets:  This is a very emotional issue for many people, particularly children.  In an emergency, pets can be an asset (e.g. dogs can warn of intruders, cats can help control animal pests such as mice and rats, etc.);  but they're also a liability, needing to be fed and watered and kept healthy.  If hunger becomes widespread, other people in your area will almost certainly eat pets, and will see yours as just another item on the menu.  If you try to protect your animals, this may provoke violence.  (I'm not joking.  I've seen it happen before.)  Also, stockpiling dry animal food doesn't work for prolonged periods, because it becomes stale and your pets may reject it.  (The fats in dry pet food will go rancid sooner or later.  Storing it under climate-controlled conditions in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers can delay that for a short period, but probably not more than a year or two at most.)  I've got a stash of food for our cats, but the time may come when we can no longer feed them.  We won't be able to release them into the wild:  they're indoor cats, and would be completely incapable of fending for themselves.  They'd be killed and eaten by predators (hawks, bobcats, coyotes) or hungry people within a day or two.  The only merciful solution will be to painlessly euthanize them.  If you're a pet owner, and that idea shocks and horrifies you, you need to re-evaluate your ideas right now, because this is a situation you may have to face yourself one day.  There are no easy answers.  When push comes to shove, people come before animals, and we have to prioritize our decisions and actions accordingly.  That's a lesson I learned the hard way in the Third World, but it's one that most folks in the First World have never had to confront.  Better to think about it now than when you won't have time or leisure to think.
9. Other considerations:  Some people struggle with chronic health conditions such as asthma, allergies, etc.  It's very important to take them into account when planning what to stockpile for emergencies.  For example, an asthma sufferer may not be able to tolerate strong scents (e.g. in soaps, shampoos, cleaning materials, etc.).  That means you have to stockpile unscented items to avoid potentially life-threatening (not to mention relationship-threatening!) complications when an emergency strikes.  (Note, too, that "unscented" does not mean it has no smell at all.  Some manufacturers use the word loosely.  The only way to check is to actually test their product to see if it's truly odorless.  I've been caught that way a few times.)  Even if only one person in your household has that problem, it may be serious enough to require everybody to do what they can to minimize it by using disability-friendly products.  It's also important to consider the safety and trustworthiness of what you're buying.  (For example, many products coming from China, particularly food, have in the past been adulterated with additives that may or may not be safe for human or animal use or consumption.)  I look for brands that I've used before and trust, and often look up their MSDS information to confirm that they're safe.  I also check consumer reviews;  it's amazing how often customers contradict manufacturers' claims from their own experience.  If I can learn that the easy way, without wasting my money on the product, I'll take that as a win.  Finally, consider how things that you take for granted today (for example, the ability to get a good night's sleep) will be much more difficult in emergency.  Without heating or cooling, you'll find it more difficult to relax and rest;  the sounds and activities of day-to-day life will be a lot noisier and more disturbing than pre-emergency;  remaining on your guard against intruders and thieves will be a major requirement;  and you won't have as much time to sleep as before, because all those things will take longer, and take more out of you, every day.

We haven't spoken at all in this article about food, general emergency equipment, tools, self-defense and security issues, and a host of other areas (although we've covered many of them in previous articles dealing with emergency preparations, some of which are listed in the sidebar).  This article has only addressed peripheral issues around those major topics.  However, it's surprising how often people forget about or ignore these issues, while concentrating on what they consider to be more important elements.

What do these factors imply for an emergency situation?  Basically, they mean we're going to spend a lot more time, and require a lot more strength and energy, to accomplish tasks that right now are performed by labor-saving devices, and/or by buying goods and services we need rather than making and/or doing them ourselves.  Want some examples?

• If you're used to spending only ten to fifteen minutes tossing a load of laundry into the washer, transferring the clean clothes to a dryer, then taking them out, folding them and putting them away, you're in for a shock.  Doing all that by hand without automated assistance will take you a couple of hours per load of laundry.  During that time you won't be available to do anything else, so (for example) you'd better have someone else to gather and prepare food, or you and your family will get very hungry.  While you're preparing a meal, all of it by hand without labor-saving devices, and then washing pots, pans and plates, you won't be able to make beds, or sweep floors, or gather firewood.  Any and every task in your everyday life that was aided by automation is going to become a hands-on, full-time task.  Many non-essential tasks will have to be left to whenever you have a few moments available (e.g. dusting, cleaning windows, etc.).  Some tasks (e.g. ironing clothes, washing vehicles) will have to be abandoned altogether, because you won't have time or energy to do them.
• The demands on your physical strength, stamina and energy are going to increase very sharply.  If you're not already fit and strong, you're going to have to get that way pretty quickly, or you'll find that you just can't cope.  Gathering and chopping firewood;  finding, collecting and purifying water;  disposing of trash;  all these and other activities are going to drain you, each and every day.  Things like playing with young children may have to become occasional treats, few and far between because of the demands of essentials.  Every member of the household is going to have to get involved and help out, whether they like it or not, from the youngest child to the oldest ancestor.  If your household comprises older or health-impaired people, you're going to need the help of a network of others who can help you while you help them.  Some can cook, some can clean, some can gather and distribute essentials, but by helping each other, they all get the things done that they need to get done.  Without such teamwork, they may not get done at all.  (Yes, this affects my wife and myself very directly.)

Time and energy.  We seldom have enough of either in our normal lives.  In an emergency, we're going to have a lot less of both - but our need for them is going to be vastly greater than it is at present.

Please add a comment if you can think of other areas around the topic of emergency preparations that we haven't addressed.  This is a never-ending process, and there's always room for improvement and new ideas.

Peter