emergency » Survival and Beyond

Secret Weapon to Access Restricted Water

Posted by Ed Corcoran News No Responses »

Mar 262013

Water is a high priority in most emergency situations; for something as simple as thirst, to decontamination, personal hygiene, or refilling a vehicle’s radiator. There are times that you need access to it, and it’s right there, but you can’t access it. One simple, inexpensive tool can change all that.

The tool I am talking about is called a 4-Way Sillcock Key. Every Automotive EDC kit, survival kit and bug out bag should have one of these.

What are these used for?

A 4-Way Sillcock Key is used to open tamper-resistant hose bibs (with permission, of course…wink). Next time you are out, start looking at the exterior walls of Malls and large buildings. You will quickly start to recognize and identify the freeze proof water spigots that this wrench will fit.

I have never been able to open one of these tamper-resistant hose bibs (again, frequently found on the exterior of fast food restaurants, malls, rest stops and office buildings) with a set of needle-nose pliers, and having a flat-head screwdriver that fits the square socket is a matter of luck. Eliminate the gamble with this inexpensive tool.

I learned about this tool once when I saw it used at a closed rest stop’s outside tap. It was used to get water, to clean up a sick baby.

Get one, even if it is only used to fill up a car radiator. Water is a very high priority in most emergency situations. Don’t be the prepper that needs water, and it’s right there, but you can’t access it! Don’t pass this one up.

Coleman Green Valley 30 Degree Sleeping Bag

by Coleman (121) Buy new: $34.81 - $54.71

15 Ways to Prep for Free (Or Almost Free)

Posted by Ed Corcoran News 1 Response »

Mar 222013

The River’s Edge Post

Unemployed? Money tight? 15 ways to prep for free (or almost free). Today’s economy makes it tough to prep for emergencies so today I wanted to touch on how to prep when you don’t have the money to spend.

First of all I’m not talking about just having a little money to spend, I’m talking none. Millions of people are unemployed and their unemployment checks probably don’t cover rent/mortgage or are perhaps slightly above. So what do you do when you want to continue or begin prepping when you have no money to spare?

Well, first of all, you obviously can’t buy anything. Ok, you could choose to not pay your mortgage or rent but if you get kicked out of your home where will you put all your belongings? If you have somewhere else to live, then that will be between you and your alternative homeowners.

True that these 15 ways to prep for free (or almost free) can benefit anyone regardless of personal financial freedom (or lack thereof) but we wanted to let those lacking know (in case they didn’t already) that there are some great ways to prep for free (or almost free).
So for those that have fallen on hard financial times then this list is especially for you.

Craigslist – Go to the free section and browse. You have to keep up on the free section as if there is anything really good, it usually goes quickly. Also there are occasionally people that are listed in the ‘for sale’ sections but are willing to barter.
Construction sites – Often you can get free wood, windows, bricks, rocks and other items such as sinks, toilets and cabinets from homes or businesses that are being torn down or remodeled for free. Just ask.
Friends, neighbors, family – If you have a friend, neighbor or family member that is doing some remodeling or demolition to their own home, shed or garage ask them if you can take anything off their hands.
Free samples – There are countless websites that allow you to sign up for free samples from various companies or sign up with the company directly.
Freecycle – A website devoted to free items only.
Restaurants and Fast Food – Ok, now I understand that if you don’t have money for preps you really don’t have money to go out to eat, but ask friends and family to save any free condiments or plastic ware they can for you.
Dumpster dive – This is by far the dirtiest of the options but people have been able to get great finds this way. Just make sure to clean and sanitize it really, really well.
DIY containers – Too many things to list for this one but for example, a coffee tin turned into an emergency stove/heater, soda or juice bottles to store water, soup cans into candle holders, tin can solar heater.
Candles – If you burn candles, re-use the left over wax to make new candles and if you don’t, just ask friends or family for theirs.
Food Grade buckets – Ask local bakeries or grocery stores (with bakeries) if they will give away their old icing buckets. Just wash, sanitize and you have some great containers for container gardening, storage and more.
Garden – If you don’t have a garden now is the time to plant one. Per plant, seeds are cheaper to start with than seedling plants but you still need good soil or they won’t grow or produce. You can often find free fertilizer (like horse or chicken manure) on Craigslist. Also you can get free seeds from 1) a gardener you already know 2) online – check with places like Wintersown.com, Gardenhoard.com, SweetOrganicNursery.com, and others (“free seeds” Google search). What you don’t eat you can always dehydrate and add to your prep items. If you don’t have a dehydrator just let the sun do it.
Take a class – check out our previous article on free emergency preparedness classes. You can take online classes or Red Cross emergency medical training for free!
Raise chickens – If you are in an area that allows chickens and you don’t already have any check with Craigslist, your local Co-Op or farm and feed store to see if there is anyone looking to get rid of any of their chickens! I live in an urban area and in one year I had at least two people ask me if I wanted any chickens. There are many simple DIY coops that would take up one or two days to build. There is a great article by Mother Earth News on how to feed your chickens without buying supplemental feed. Also if you create a compost (see article from Mother Earth News) the chickens benefit and you have your own awesome fertilizer.
Coupons – Depending on where you live (and how they tax) you could possibly get free items from the grocery store. Combine coupons with sales and use sites like Couponmom.com (note: Rivers Edge Post is not with an affiliate program with Couponmom.com) to help you out (she kind of does the grunt work for you, do the free sign up, that’s what I did).
Be creative – What is junk to throw away for some is a future tool or material for a project to come. I recently watched a video of a tiny house that was made with all used materials. The man made a fold out table on the outside of the house (for projects or eating outside) out of the side of an old broken washing machine. Let your imagination fly!

I hope you’ve found these suggestions helpful whether you are unemployed, under-employed or just thrifty!

On a side note: Remember that Food Banks, Churches and the Salvation Army, to name a few, will give food, clothing and possibly medical/hygiene supplies to those in need. Let me be straight here, I by no means am even insinuating getting prep items from food banks or churches for those that are not in need. I simply ad this as a reminder for those that are in such a financial disaster that they could benefit from the assistance.

If you have any other ideas please feel free to add them to the comments section below!

Coleman Green Valley 30 Degree Sleeping Bag

by Coleman (121) Buy new: $34.81 - $54.71

9 Mistakes Typically Made by Preppers

Posted by Ed Corcoran News No Responses »

Dec 282012

By The Survival Woman – BackdoorSurvival.com

Once upon a time I was a novice prepper and there are days that I still feel that way. Having chosen the prepper lifestyle, I always find myself in search of that next greatest thing – whether it is a piece of gear, a new type of freeze dried food, a fabulous new prepping book or a DIY survival skill. No matter what it is, there always seems to be something out there to capture my attention.

While I do believe that is it worthwhile to be looking forward, it is also good to reflect on past prepping mistakes, to learn from them, and to move forward with a new sense of resolve. Today I am going to share some common prepper mistakes. Many of these – especially those at the top of the list – I have made myself. Others – through luck or planning – I have managed to avoid.

Whatever your personal situation, take some time to review this list and if you find an area where you are remiss, consider the past a learning experience and do what I do – make adjustments and move forward.

9 Mistakes Typically Made by Preppers

1. Failing to inventory stored food supplies.

Guilty as charged. It is easy to amass a sizable supply of food in a short period of time. This is especially true if you tend to purchase a little bit extra each time you shop. Before you know it, you have a closet or pantry full of stuff but no clue as to what is inside. In my case, I have some well marked buckets of food but no master list. I know I have 30 pounds of coffee beans – or is it 40? And #10 tins of freeze-dried meats, fruits and veggies? They are packed away in carton boxes and I know I have lots of cartons but just exactly what and how much?

I have been storing food for so long that I can not rely on memory alone to know what I already have and what is still needed. This is my number one mistake and one that I plan to remedy in two ways. First of all, everything new that I purchase will be inventoried right away. This is what I call my going forward plan. Then, as time allows, I will methodically inventory everything else.

The key, of course, is not to co-mingle the old with the new. Sure, I may end up with some duplicates but that is better than being so overwhelmed than to do nothing at all. Your plan may be different given the dynamics of your space and your time. All I can say is that if you are fairly new to prepping, don’t let this one slip by. Keep track of what you have from the get go and save yourself a lot of grief down the road.

2. Identifying the most likely risks and prepping for those first.

When I first started, I went off willy-nilly preparing for all sorts of calamities. Earthquakes, terrorist attacks, pandemics, nuclear melt-downs, civil disobedience – you name it, I tried to prepare for it all. These days, I recommend that one of the very first steps that you take when prepping is to evaluate the most likely risks in your area and within your personal domestic situation.

Most if not all city, county and state governments will have emergency management websites that will help you sort through the most likely disasters to occur in your area. Add to this an assessment of your location. Are you in a city where gangs, mobs or terrorist attacks are likely? Do you live in a remote area where the failure of transportations systems or the lack of fuel will cut off you off from supplies from the rest of the world? Is your employment situation tenuous requiring that you build up some cash reserves to get you by just in case the job goes away?

Clearly, at the beginning, some choices will need to be made regarding the best use of your prepping budget. Just remember that food, water and first aid supplies should be at the top of everyone’s list. After that, assess the most likely risks and plan accordingly. A good place to start is 12 Months of Prepping – The First Year which is a recap of monthly supplies, skills and tasks to get you starting on the road to preparedness.

3. Preparing mostly to bug out rather than bugging in.

We all talk about having a bug-out-bag and without question, having your most basic survival items in a pack that you can grab and go if you need to get out of dodge in a hurry is important. But beyond that, over and over I see people acquire all sorts of gear for surviving on the run - perhaps in the woods or bush in a remote location.

I know that in own case and also with the majority of the readers on Backdoor Survival, hunkering down and bugging in will always be preferred to taking off into the unknown with our stuff. For many, the choice to bug in has to do with family, health concerns or financial considerations. That, plus the availability of stored supplies makes bugging in – or staying at home – the choice when a disaster strikes.

At the end of the day, take care of your bugging in needs first and foremost. Plan for outdoor cooking facilities (perhaps an existing charcoal grill?), supplemental lighting (like this $21 Dorcy Wireless Motion LED Flood Lite), stored water, and a portable generator now. Later, down the road, you can expand your supplies to include the essentials for truly bugging out.

That said, pay attention to mistake number 4.

4. Failure to evacuate at just the right time.

When the storm of the century is heading your way, know that it is time to evacuate. Load up your vehicle and go. As much as you feel that your are better off in your own home, if the authorities tell you to leave – and even if they do not – get out of harms way as a precautionary measure. Do so while you still have the ability to load up your vehicle with supplies and fill the tank with gas.

Sticking around when there is at least a 50% chance of a disaster occurring (hurricane, flood, landslides, tsunami,wildfire) is just plain silly. Remember mistake number 2 – failure to evaluate the risks? Part of your planning should be to determine the trigger point for evacuation as well as identification of an evacuation site and a route to get there. Better yet, plan an alternate route as well.

5. Having the gear but not knowing how to use it.

I am guilty of this one as well. I have a Kaito emergency radioamazon.com/e/ir?t=continmoti-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B003A21DQA" alt=" 9 Mistakes Typically Made by Preppers Backdoor Survival" width="1" height="1" border="0" /> as well as some Midland FRS radios. Sure, I know how basically to use them but what if I needed to use some of the more esoteric features? My bad. I also have a hand held compass – a nice one at that – and yet in these days of GPS navigation, would I know how to use it?

Get out the gear two or three times a year and put it through its paces. Not only do you need to know how to use it, but you need to make sure your gear is in good working order. Blades need to be sharpened, batteries need to be charged and skills need to be refreshed.

6. Underestimating other humans as a threat.

In a perfect world, we would all get along and go about our business in a mild-mannered way, not bothering anyone or causing others harm. Alas, as humans this has never been the case. From biblical times forward, man has opposed man. There have been and still are warriors, and armies, soldiers and dictators, enemies and foes.

As recent mass shootings have revealed, mental illness or drugs can make good people go bad. Add the uncertainly and chaos created by an unstable society and the potential for human threat because a major cause for concern.

Whether you embrace firearms or shun them, you still need a way to defend yourself, your family and your property. Consider pepper sprays, martial arts, and other defensive mechanisms in addition to traditional firearms. It is foolhardy to believe that having some means of defense is not needed because “there is no one out to get you”. Desperate people are dangerous people. And the lack of food, water and supplies will turn ordinary people into desperate people in a heartbeat.

7. Buying stuff while ignoring the need to develop skills.

Buying stuff is easy. Save up your money, select your merchandise and go to your local outdoor emporium or Amazon and make a purchase. On the other hand, learning new skills (or practicing old ones) takes time, patience and bit of study. Do you know how to start a fire without matches or a butane lighter? Do you know how to take advantage of natures bounty by knowing how to fish or hunt? And what about growing your own food? Could you do it?

Developing skills to become self-sufficient are every bit as important as having a closet full of the best gear money can by.

8. Lacking the knowledge to properly store your food supplies.

There are six enemies of food storage: Temperature, Moisture, Oxygen, Light, Pests and Time.

Okay, some might say there is a sixth enemy: namely the two legged type that gets into the tastier items (such a cans of brownie mix) and eats them without telling anyone.

Seriously though, storing food for the long term – meaning five years or longer – does take some care. Brush up on the basics of food storage and set up an active rotation program. You don’t necessarily have to store food for 10 years or longer but what you do store – even for a year or two – should be protected to the best of your ability.

One thing to keep in mind that except for the problem with pests, most food will still be edible even if it is not stored at optimal temperatures in a moisture and oxygen-free environment. But why not learn proper storage methods to insure maximum taste and nutrition. Here on Backdoor Survival, the following articles will help educate and there are plenty of others elsewhere on the internet including YouTube. A few hours of your time is all that it will take to make you a food storage expert.

Food storage and Beans: Using Mylar bags and a Food Saver
Food Storage Part I – A Primer on Oxygen Absorbers
Food Storage Part II: Unraveling the Mystique of Mylar Bags
Food Storage Part III: Food Grade Buckets, Lids and Gamma Seals
Food Storage Mistakes and Goofs

9. Relying only on yourself and ignoring like-minded members of your community.

When I first started prepping, I did not mention my new little “hobby” to anyone. You know, OPSEC and all that. But about a year into it, I realized that I could not do it all on my own. There were things I was having trouble grasping on my own and I needed help. As I tip toed around the edges of my community, I found some like minded people and much to my surprise, I found that I had skills and knowledge that they lacked.

The mutual exchange of skills and knowledge ensued along with some informal agreements to team up if circumstances required us to be on our own for any period of time. This included teaming up for shelter and food as well as defense.

The importance of having a peer group of like minded comrades in my own community was strengthened as I read R. P. Ruggiero’s Brushfire Plague and continues as I explore other truer than life survival stories,. How you decide to expand your community contacts is up to you but be advised that when it comes to survival 1 plus 1 will definitely add up to more than 2.

The Final Word

These days I feel fortunate that I have come so far with my prepping activities. Moving beyond obsession, the prepping way of life is now a part of my core. It is “what I do” as well as being a hobby and a passion.

Indeed, I have made some mistakes along the way and many of them are listed above. There will surely be others down the road but I know that will be okay since they will afford me an opportunity to learn and grow. At the end of the day, life is all about growth, opportunity and the ability to take care of oneself physically, mentally and spiritually. To me, that is what prepping is all about – mistakes and all.

Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!

Gaye

Coleman Green Valley 30 Degree Sleeping Bag

by Coleman (121) Buy new: $34.81 - $54.71

Planning an Evacuation

Posted by Ed Corcoran News No Responses »

Dec 202012

By Thomas Miller – Personal Liberty Digest

There have been many natural disasters in recent history that have required people to leave their homes in order to preserve life and safety. Most recently, the East Coast was forced to deal with Super Storm Sandy.

In this case, about two days’ notice was all that residents had to evacuate the areas that would be affected by the storm. Those that chose to adhere to the evacuation order were certainly inconvenienced but survived to talk about it. In past times of disaster, those who ignored orders to evacuate from disaster areas have lost their lives or at best have been stranded for long periods of time.

So What Makes An Evacuation Successful?

It is safe to say that in most cases, an early evacuation is a successful evacuation. Those who wait until the last minute to leave will likely end up on the gridlocked Interstates and some may become one of the unfortunate evacuees who run out of fuel and have to abandon their vehicles in the middle of the highway system.

The key to a successful evacuation is not only leaving early but having a plan to evacuate. Here are some considerations for planning a successful evacuation:

Know Where To Go

Evacuating will remove people from immediate danger but it does not give evacuees a place to stay. In most cases there will be shelters that are set up by relief organizations, and there are always hotels and motels that are available. But shelters are not ideal, and other lodging options fill quickly and are also being expensive.With that being said, the best option is to coordinate with family members or close friends to stay with them at least until longer term arrangements can be made. Staying with friends and family also typically removes limits on whether you can take family pets with you. Shelters and other lodging facilities don’t always give that option.

How Will You Get There?

Method of Evacuation: Most individuals or families will elect to take the most reliable vehicle available to them, others will take more than one vehicle, and some do not have a vehicle to evacuate in and will be forced to rely on others or the government in order to leave the area. Key points to consider when selecting the vehicle that you will use to evacuate is the weather you will be driving in, terrain you will be driving on, capacity of the vehicle, and the availability of fuel and parts for the vehicle as you are evacuating. If you do not have a vehicle and do not want to be left hitchhiking, consider talking to close friends or family in your local area now who have cars about what might happen if there ever was an evacuation order. Find out if one of them will plan to pick you up on the way out.

Routes of Evacuation: Plan more than one evacuation route to your destination. Ideally, there will be a route that will lead out-of-town or away from home and work in each direction: north, east, south and west. This will allow for evacuation regardless of whether one direction is blocked or not. When planning routes, avoiding large cities and metropolitan areas can be a sound decision to avoid danger, areas of congestion and unnecessary delays. One of the best technologies that is available that can be utilized to assist in planning evacuation routes are the online map websites that allow users to get directions from one place to another. An added bonus to planning your routes this way is that once they are planned, they can be printed and placed in a binder with other pertinent information, kept in vehicle glove boxes, or even shared with other family or survival group members through online file sharing. Global positioning systems are great for navigating as you travel, but it can be valuable to have paper maps or an atlas that covers all of the states and major population centers that you may travel through as a backup.

Stops Along the Way: It is likely that if you find yourself in a position where you are evacuating your home that you are probably not going to a destination right down the street. Furthermore, if your idea of a good time is not staying in a high school gym with a bunch of strangers, the destination you will evacuate to is likely to be a close friend or family member, so it may become necessary to make a few stops along the way. These stops may include arranging overnight accommodations. Plan stops for fuel, food, lodging, etc. as needed along your planned routes. To ensure that your planned stops are likely to be open and operating, look at truck stops and places other than one light towns.

What to Take

Cash: In the event of an emergency or disaster situation there may be electrical outages or technology failures that will result in businesses not accepting credit and debit cards. If this becomes the case, cash will be king. Planning to have cash on hand when evacuating will provide for purchasing necessities. It is also possible that banks will be closed and ATMs could be inoperable or out of cash.

B.O.B.: For those not familiar with the acronym, B.O.B. stands for Bug-Out Bag, which can be pretty much any bag that contains the life support items and necessities to survive for a certain period of time (usually 72 hours). The idea behind a B.O.B. is to have a bag on standby either in the house or in the car that can be grabbed at a moment’s notice and taken along. This is a perfect item to take in an evacuation to ensure that you are not without the bare necessities for survival. While there are no laws governing the B.O.B., typically each individual will have his own bag. A backpack is the most effective bag to use for carrying a B.O.B. for any period of time.

A B.O.B. should include:

A light source (at least a flashlight with an extra set of batteries).
Water for drinking (and a method to purify more water is recommended).
Food (jerky, granola bars, tuna, or other long-life foods that do not require refrigeration and ideally would not require any preparation).
Shelter (poncho, tarp, plastic sheeting, or survival blanket).
Fire/Warmth (fire starters, hand warmers and/or waterproof matches)
Clothing (Whatever suits you, no pun intended. For example, if you keep your bag in your car and wear dress shoes daily you would want to keep some hiking boots or athletic shoes in your B.O.B.).
Self defense/security (pepper spray or whatever is legal in your local area).
·First aid kit.
Personal hygiene items (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, feminine products, etc.).
Tools (At a minimum a good knife, but a multi-tool can be valuable because of the additional features it offers. Other tools that some include in their bags include a hatchet, small pry bar, Woodsman’s Pal or machete.)
Communications (extra cell phone, CB radio, or family band radios to communicate between vehicles during an evacuation.)

Treated Fuel: If you have to leave, don’t get stuck on the side of the road in a vehicle that has run out of gas. A reasonable guideline is to carry enough stabilized fuel with you during an evacuation to travel an additional 100 miles.

Spare Vehicle Parts and Tools: Extra parts seem to always be needed at the worst of times. It is not going to be possible to carry an entire automotive shop everywhere you go, but a few key items can make a significant difference. Some important spare parts that should be kept in a vehicle include an extra set of belts and hoses, spare fuses, a can of fix-a-flat, various hose clamps, electrical tape, spare light bulbs and extra fluids. A basic mechanics tool set can be obtained inexpensively and will contain most of the tools needed to make side of the road repairs in an emergency. Must have items are jumper cables, lug wrench, tire jack, and either road flares or a warning triangle.

What Will Be Needed at Evacuation Location: Some of the important items that may be needed once you arrive at the location that you have evacuated to include:

Medical Records/Shot Records
Driver’s license
Social Security card
School records
Prescription medications (copies of prescriptions)
Glasses (copy of prescription)
Medical equipment
Comfort Items (especially important for children)
Insurance documents
Bank account information

Dealing With Extended Evacuation

The victims of Hurricane Katrina were displaced for extended periods of time and some never returned to New Orleans. Part of evacuating will require staring down the barrel of the cold hard truth and knowing that a new life may have to be established somewhere else, at least for a temporary, yet extended, period of time. This will mean obtaining long term housing, securing employment, finding schools for the kids, etc. Long term disruption is not a guarantee with every evacuation, but being prepared for this possibility can make a significant difference for a person that ends up in that situation.

For instance, an evacuee that has filed a resume in Google Docs so that it can be accessed from anywhere is better prepared to apply for a new job in a different part of the country than a person that is displaced and has to create a new resume from scratch.

In an ideal world there would never be a need to involuntarily leave home. The fact of the matter is that as long as natural disasters, catastrophic failures in technological systems, societal collapse, pandemics, economic disaster, terrorism or acts of war threaten society, so it may be necessary to evacuate your home and relocate to another location. If this happens, having a plan in place results in a proactive approach instead of a reactive evacuation where key items may be missed. Trying to gather all the necessities at the last minute may put you, your loved ones and/or friends in a difficult situation.

-Thomas Miller

Coleman Green Valley 30 Degree Sleeping Bag

by Coleman (121) Buy new: $34.81 - $54.71

Dealing With Human Waste in a Disaster

Posted by Ed Corcoran News No Responses »

Dec 172012

PrepperIdeas.com

Human Waste. One thing many people don’t consider is waste. Not having a plan for how to handle waste can create disease and sickness quickly. It doesn’t take a lot of preparation but it does take a bit of forethought.

In-House Toilets – Precautions

During times of emergencies, such as power outages, for those people that plan to empty the water out of their toilet bowls and then place a garbage bag in the bottom to catch the refuge, this is not a good idea. The water in the toilet bowl (and the traps for sinks, showers, tubs, floor drains, etc.) keeps the sewer gases from coming into your living space. Sewer gases are methane gas, and therefore, are very deadly and explosive. News stories report that utility workers have died from exposure to methane gas. It is also important to add water to your floor drains or other unused drains about once a month in case the water has evaporated.

It would also be a good idea to check out a “Plumbing Plug”, a device that seals off the drains. If the sewer systems don’t work, sewage can start to come up through the shower, tub, toilets, and even sink drains. This can also happen because of flooding, frozen drain pipes, blockages, etc.

Bucket Style Porta-Potty – Precautions

The Bucket Style Porta-Potty will tip over very easily (people are used to a toilet bolted to the floor). If one of these tips over and spills, you will have a major mess and most likely won’t have enough spare water to clean it up. So, think about using these in a shed or garage. Perhaps you could build a frame to sit it on where the bucket can be placed underneath.

Camper-RV Style Porta-Potties – Precautions

Camper-RV Style Porta-Potties (with chemicals) have a bad odor from the chemicals so if you have one you will want to place it a good distance from your living space. The chemicals can freeze and damage the unit. A lot of these are designed to be emptied at waste disposal sites for camper trailers. Most homes don’t come equipped with RV dump stations. It is better to have a permanent outhouse style commode so that you don’t have to store, handle, clean buckets, and dispose of the waste.

Outhouses

I think with no water, you can’t beat the good ol’ outhouse. Up until probably around the 70′s or so, my great grandparents still had a working outhouse on their farm. They are just a wooden box with a roof, a shelf, a floor and a door. The wall with the door in it should be 7ft. tall, the opposite wall in the rear should be 6ft. tall. Of course the side walls will have an angle across the top. When you frame the floor, don’t sheet it until last. After you get the walls built just cap the roof with 6 inch eaves around the top, the roof should be about 5ft. square. Inside before you sheet the floor, across the entire length of the back wall , you need to construct a 2ft. wide shelf about 2ft. above the floor and box-in the front of the shelf. Cut an oblong hole in the center of the shelf about 10 x 12 inches and cover it with a regular toilet seat and lid. You can now finish the floor.

The outhouse should be set over a hole that has been dug, usually about 3-5ft. down into the ground. You should construct the outhouse about 50ft. to 150ft. from your house for sanitary and odor reasons. If the hole ever fills up you will need to dig another and drag the outhouse over top of it. This will be unlikely, however.

Caution:If you have a water well, make sure you place this a minimum of 50 feet away so you don’t contaminate your drinking water.

In the old days people bought powdered lime or lye and sprinkled it down into the hole to help with the smell. You may want to add wood chips or sawdust each time you use it so that the material will compost.

I believe it is always better to place the waste where it will stay instead of moving and handling it. Less accidents and less problems. You may never need to use your outhouse, but if you ever need it, it will be handy. If you ever need this in the winter (when the ground is frozen) you will be glad you set it up ahead of time.

Coleman Green Valley 30 Degree Sleeping Bag

by Coleman (121) Buy new: $34.81 - $54.71

Emergency Signaling Basics

Posted by Ed Corcoran Videos No Responses »

Nov 202012

Here’s a quick primer on signaling by Craig Caudil; founder of the Nature Reliance School.

Signaling is the use of gear gear or other surroundings to bring attention to a position. In a survival or crisis event this becomes incredibly helpful when you want someone to find you. In the most recent event of Hurricane Sandy, people that needed attention were hanging sheets from windows to indicate that they were in need of assistance. That was a good choice because the gear or device you are using needs to be in sharp contrast to its surroundingss. Quite frankly signaling is that simple. If you are in a high rise made of glass or concrete, anything of color that contrasts with the building you are in, would bring some one’s attention to that location.

Obviously things of bright flourescent coloring is the best choice for such signaling. Here is a quick video to help you in a wilderness survival situation. Please continue to read after the video below, to get some more ideas.

Beyond colored signaling please consider the following as well:

Brightness – most people know of signaling mirrors that are sold. You can also do this with the bottom of an aluminum can, the mirror on a compass, aluminum reflective tarp, or other reflective material.

Smoke – smoke is a very nice way to signal in a wilderness survival situation. It is easy to see as well as easy to smell for those on a search team. Both are good indicators to help someone find you.

Sound – as we indicated in the video, we personally like carrying a whistle with us. We do not allow kids into any of our classes without having a whistle with them at all times. They are too easy to use to help find lost children and adults.

Those are some good ideas to help you in regards to signaling. I say good because you can carry some lightweight gear, or improvise with materials around you if the need arose. Just keep in mind to CONTRAST what your signaling device is with its immediate surroundings. You have heard of us talk of this in tracking and nature observation, it is as true here as it is there. We certainly hope this helps.

Until next time, I hope to see you on, or off, the trail.

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Testing Your Emergency Plan

Posted by Ed Corcoran News 2 Responses »

Nov 192012

By Tom Sciacca

If you read my column regularly, you know the importance of an emergency plan as an integral component of your overall urban survival skills. Yes, it’s great if you keep a first aid kit, MRE and water on-hand, but unless you’ve mapped out how you plan to use your supplies, you’ll be a lot less effective in helping yourself, your family or your neighbors to get through a natural disaster or civil emergency. An emergency plan is vital, and testing that plan is equally critical.

When Hurricane Sandy hit the east coast last week, we were within the projected path, giving us a chance to really test our emergency plan. We went through all the details that I’ve mentioned to you in previous blogs, and guess what? We found holes in our own emergency plan! Thankfully, we didn’t get hit by the storm directly, and this valuable experience has helped us identify the changes that needed to be made.

How concerned should you be about an emergency plan run-through? I’ll give you some examples of situations that people have found themselves in, and let you be the judge:

During a power outage, the homeowner retrieves a flashlights, only to discover that the batteries, which were stored inside the flashlight, have gone dead. (Tip: To keep batteries from discharging, don’t insert them into your flashlight until you need them.)
Emergency supplies were stored in different areas of the house, making it difficult to find them during a power outage, slowing evacuation.
The backup generator has been stored for years without being used, causing the fuel inside to spoil and making it impossible to start.
Critical emergency supplies were storied in the basement and were flooded before they could be used.

Testing your emergency plan doesn’t require you to wait for a massive storm. Simply set up scenarios that you could likely face in a real emergency. I’ll give you three possible drills you could test against your emergency plan, and think about others that match situations you could

High winds snap a tree branches, plunging your town into darkness. You need to be able to find your generator in the dark, get it started and run the appropriate extension cords to critical appliances.
A tanker truck crashes on a nearby road, emitting a toxic cloud. You need to have your go-bag (including food water, spare clothes, insurance papers, ID, prescriptions and any other items) and your family in the car within five minutes, ready to evacuate.
You’re alerted to a surprise snowstorm while at work. You need to plan out an effective route home, both by your normal route and by a secondary route in case the roads are clogged. You also need to contact all family members, arrange transportation home, and ensure that there’s enough food in the house to endure multiple days stuck inside.

If you have kids, you certainly don’t want to scare them with doomsday scenarios, but teaching them age-appropriate preparedness skills will make them better equipped to face the realities of life. Many stories have been told of children who saved the family from harm by knowing what to do in an emergency. And instilling your family members with the idea that you’re all a responsible for each others well being is never a bad thing.

Be safe and stay alert,

Tom

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Situational Awareness Could Save Your Hide – Part 2

Posted by Ed Corcoran News No Responses »

Nov 132012

Here’s the second part of Tom Sciacca’s 2-part article on Situational Awareness.

By Tom Sciacca

CampingSurvival.com

A couple of months ago, I saw a news article about a car crash that had resulted in two fatalities. Sad, but nothing out of the ordinary, right? The difference with this accident was that both fatalities were good Samaritans who got electrocuted by downed power lines when they ran to assist to the accident victims. If you had been there, would you have instinctively run to help the occupants of the vehicle, or would you take time to assess the situation?

Since you and I weren’t there, it would be wrong to speculate on what happened, but there is a general word of advice to anyone responding to an emergency: If you get taken out of the fight, you’re no good to anyone.

While I frequently focus on wilderness survival, urban survival is also a big part of my daily work at CampingSurvival.com. With that in mind, I thought you might find it helpful to have some general tips about situational awareness in the event you witness a car wreck:

If you’re the first person to arrive at the crash, don’t stop in the middle of the road. Move your car completely off the road at a safe distance from the accident scene, as not to endanger anyone or cause secondary accidents, and turn on your hazard lights.
Grab your phone and check for traffic before exiting your vehicle. Assess the number of vehicles and see if anyone is injured. Don’t touch them, but let them know you’re there to help.
Dial 911 and calmly explain the situation, including your exact location, the number of vehicles, the severity of the crash, and the number and type of injuries.
If there are people who are injured but walking, escort them to safety and have them sit down. They may be disoriented and will be a greater danger to themselves if they are wandering around.
Unless there is immediate danger of fire or explosion, don’t move injured people who cannot move themselves. You could worsen their injuries.
If you are comforting an injured person until help arrives, don’t say anything that could scare them, like “you’re really gushing blood” or “don’t die on me!” The best thing you can do is to remain calm, remind them that help is on the way and you’ll stay with them.
Similarly, don’t comment on other people’s injuries to a person you’re comforting, especially if there’s a fatality, nor should you say “everything is going to be fine,” if you know it’s not. If your victim asks about the status of someone else in the car, just reply that medical help is on the way and they’ll help everyone to the best of their ability.
When police or fire personnel arrive, be ready to provide a full account of exactly what you saw and who might need treatment first. Don’t speculate on anything you didn’t actually witness, though. If you arrived after the crash happened, you will only muddy the waters by offering opinions on what MIGHT have happened.

Obviously, these are suggestions and not rules, so use your head: If a crashed tanker truck is spewing toxic vapors, you could be dead within a minute of running into that cloud. A situation like this killed a state trooper just a few years ago. It would be better to stay at a safe distance and advise the 911 operator of the situation so that fire crews can be ready. (A good friend of mine keeps an OSHA manual in his glove compartment just in case he needs to identify a tanker truck by its markings.)

Of course, if it’s just a minor fender bender of a car accident and nobody is injured, it’s probably best to get the damaged cars off to the side of the road and out of the way of approaching traffic.

Some people say that you should never stop to help car accident victims out of fear of a lawsuit, but many states have laws on the books to help protect a Good Samaritan who renders assistance. Personally, I couldn’t live with myself if I passed a serious accident and didn’t try to help the victims, but that’s just me. Ultimately, you have to do what’s in your comfort zone, but if you maintain your situational awareness and keep a level head, you’ll be the most effective help for people in need.

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