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Class, Mildred Smith Part 2
EMERGENCY
PREPARATION – PHYSICAL
While spiritual
preparation is of first importance when getting ready for any emergency,
it is also essential to make what physical preparations are possible and
prudent. We know that having a complete stash of food, water, even the
scriptures in the home would have been useless for those whose homes were swept
away by tsunami or hurricane or buried beneath the mud and rocks of a
Knowing how our grandmothers made soap may be helpful, but to
make soap, grandmother used gallons and gallons of lard or tallow from the
hogs, beef, goats, sheep or wild animals we butchered at home. And there were
lots of “fryings” from the many chickens we fried almost daily in the
summertime, and lots of “drippings” from the fatty meats we all used. Now there
are small communities of Amish or related groups who still butcher their own
animals and still make their own soap. But the most of us do not butcher at
home. We do not fry chicken or steak or bacon or ham or any other food once or
twice a day as we once did. Where in our economy would we find enough fat with
which to make soap? I know there is a lot of oil used in fast food production,
but now that there is technology that makes it possible for us to run our cars
on the oil left over from frying fast foods, much of it is not likely to be
available for making home made soap. Since all it takes in addition to the fat
is a can of lye, it might be prudent to have a can of lye and the recipe on
hand. Lye is not an expensive item, and just in case it and the recipe were not
destroyed in the catastrophe, by being careful we just might be able to gather
enough fat for a batch of cleansing lye soap.
But let’s start at the beginning. The one thing we know we
will need, in addition to our scriptures, whether we are preparing for a
conflagration or just a house fire, is the ability to know that the family is
safe. Communication is paramount. It can save lives as well as give comfort and
assistance to all members of the family.
Let¹s say it is a house fire against which we are preparing.
That the house should be equipped with smoke detectors and fire extinguishers
that the family knows how to use goes without saying. Carbon monoxide detectors
are good insurance against furnace malfunctions or the burning of open fires as
in fireplaces, kerosene heaters, charcoal burners or even candles inside a
closed room. Every room should have an escape plan and a way to escape. There
should be no barred windows, no boxes or chairs or any kind of equipment or
toys cluttering pathways or barring exit through doors and windows planned for
escape. There should be a family plan for escaping, and that plan should be
familiar to every member. Especially if the family includes small children or
infirm elderly, plan it and practice it. Have real fire drills!
A very important part of the plan is often neglected. That is
deciding how and where to meet after the emergency. Once the family is out of
the house, everyone should have a way of knowing it. Deciding on a spot to
which each person will immediately go to gather can assure the family that all
are safe and prevent some risking their lives to return to the burning building
in an effort to rescue someone who is already safe. Or one person’s absence
from that spot can signal the fire fighters that someone is still in need of
rescue. A light post, when available, makes a good spot because there, even in
the night, everyone is easily seen.
In a time of uncertainty such as is now faced because of
threats of various sorts to our safety, the communication plan is crucial. The
family could be scattered anywhere when disaster strikes. Some may be at work,
some at school or shopping or visiting or at church. Selecting a person or
place to whom all will go for information can prevent some of the heartbreak
suffered by many during the recent tsunami and hurricanes when many could not
find their families, or even know whether they survived, for days or weeks
after the disaster. The designated spot should be outside the immediate
vicinity where all might be subject to the same disaster. It can be the home or
business of a relative, a friend or an organization. And there should be
alternate places designated in case the first is not available.
The federal government suggests that each person in the
family carry a family communication plan on their person that tells: (1) who
they are, (2) what the name and telephone number of the local family contact
person is, (3) what the name and telephone number of the out-of-town contact
person is, (4) what neighborhood meeting place has been chosen with the
telephone number of that place, and instruction to call 911 in an emergency.
This assumes there will still be telephone service in the
community, but that can hardly be assumed. Explosions can disrupt electronic
communications so that even cell phones are useless. Storms can fell trees over
electric and communication lines. But at least the information can help with
personal identification and give guidance to whomever is trying to find the rest
of the family.
When there are adequate facilities available to the church, one of the services
that could well be addressed is a center for clearing information in case of
disaster. There is now in existence the Association of Saints Church Radio
Amateurs whose purpose is to offer assistance in case of emergencies. Robert
Farnham of
Make
a Kit
And
a Check List
In preparation for any disaster, general health practices
should be reviewed. In case of a pandemic, as, for example, the bird flu or
just flu, are the needed vaccinations in place? Are the children and adults
properly protected from communicable diseases? Are all the family’s tetanus
shots up to date. In case of destruction of buildings and infrastructure by
explosions or natural disaster, there are many opportunities for puncture
wounds to occur. Tetanus (lock jaw) is an ever present danger and not a pretty
way to die.
Whether one is making a portable kit or
just preparing for an emergency that includes pandemics, having a store of
water and food on hand at all times is just common sense. Recommendations that
follow are generally applicable.
In case of confinement, there should be some means of
learning what is going on outside whatever shelter is in use, what instructions
need to be followed, and when it is safe to emerge from shelter and resume
normal life. A battery powered radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone
alert, and extra batteries for both is recommended. Battery operated
lights, with plenty of extra batteries, are essentials for any degree of
comfort and freedom from isolation to occur. These are to be priorities in the portable
kit the government recommends be prepared for each family.
In addition, our government recommends that each portable kit
include at least a three day supply of water (one gallon per person per day) and a three day supply of nonperishable
food (with a can opener if the kit contains canned food), a first
aid kit, a whistle to signal for help, dust masks or cotton
t-shirts to help filter the air, moist towelettes for sanitation, wrench
or pliers to turn off utilities, plastic sheeting and duct
tape to “shelter-in-place” if necessary, and garbage bags and plastic
ties for personal sanitation. (Each of these items will be discussed in
detail later.)
Such a kit should be customized to fit family needs. For
example, baby diapers, formula, etc., or supplies for menstruation or
incontinence will substantially increase the volume of the kit. Prescription
medications, if needed, will vary. Important family documents will vary
with families. It is recommended that each person’s identification, insurance
and banking information be kept in waterproof containers ready to go. And the
possible temperature to be experienced will determine the clothing and
bedding to be in the kit. If you live in a cold climate, your selection
will be different than if you are in a warm climate, but it is still prudent to
consider one complete change of clothing and shoes per person. For cold it will
include: a jacket or coat, long pants, a long sleeve shirt, sturdy shoes, a hat
and gloves, a sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Even in warm
climates it is wise to remember that it gets chilly at night and some of the
same items will be welcome. Rain, too, is always a possibility. Rain gear
and a tent could be very helpful.
Household chlorine bleach has a special place in the kit. It is caustic
and must be handled carefully, but it has definite health preserving capabilities.
You can use bleach as a disinfectant (diluted nine parts water to one part
bleach), or in an emergency you can also use it to purify water. Use 16 drops
of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. (Do not use scented,
color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.)
Salt, too has a special place in the kit. It will be
useful in treating any sort of dehydration from diarrhea or vomiting caused by
common diseases or radiation sickness. Salt water is also a health preserving
mouth wash, especially when radioactivity is encountered. Some form of sugar
will also be useful in rehydration.
For a family, the kit is becoming pretty bulky by now. It may
be wise to divide the heavier portions among those who are strong enough to
carry them. And there are other items that the government suggests might be
helpful in your supply kit: emergency reference material such as a first
aid book or a print out of this information, mess kits, (paper cups,
plates and plastic utensils), matches in a waterproof container, money
(cash or traveler’s checks, change), writing materials, paper
towels, fire extinguisher, compass, signal flare.
The
First Aid Kit
A first aid kit will make it possible to treat minor
injuries, or even major ones, until medical attention can be obtained. Not the
least of the services of first aid is the comfort it provides to injured
persons. FEMA and the Red Cross advise the following items be included so you
are equipped to stop bleeding, prevent infection, assist in decontamination,
etc.:
* Two pairs of Latex, or other sterile gloves
(if allergic to Latex).
* Sterile dressings to stop bleeding.
* Cleansing agent/soap and antibiotic towelettes to
disinfect.
* Antibiotic ointment to prevent infection.
* Burn ointment to prevent infection.
* Adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes.
* Eye wash to flush the eyes or as general
decontaminant.
* Thermometer
* Prescription medications you or family members take
every day such as insulin, heart medicine and asthma inhalers. (Rotate
medicines to account for expiration dates.)
* Prescribed medical supplies such as glucose and
blood pressure monitoring equipment and supplies.
In addition, things it may be good to have include:
Cell Phone, Scissors, Tweezers, Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant,
medicine dropper and Nonprescription drugs: Aspirin or nonaspirin pain
reliever, Anti-diarrhea medication, Antacid (for upset stomach), Laxative.
Deciding
Whether to Stay of Go
Here in the midwest the natural disasters against which
we need to prepare include fire, flood, tornado and earthquake. Hurricanes,
tsunamis, mud slides and volcanic eruptions are real possibilities for many of
the church’s people. Winter storms that leave people snowbound or iced in for
days are no longer as threatening as they were before the days of modern
communication and transportation. The action of terrorists, internal conflict
or unbridled persecution seem to be suggested as possibilities by the
scriptures. Even radioactive fallout could become a reality either from the
action of terrorists or from actual invasion.
The type of the emergency faced will dictate whether the
family remains at home near their cache of preparedness or must take a kit and
leave the rest behind. Frequently keeping in touch with weather reports and
breaking news will give some indication of the action to be taken. If the
emergency calls for evacuation as in a hurricane, flood or wildfire, or
instructs you to seek medical assistance as in case of germ warfare or even a
flu pandemic, try to cooperate and follow instructions as quickly as possible.
Even an earthquake or volcanic eruption is sometimes predictable and many lives
are saved by evacuations.
Flooding is the most frequent single natural disaster in the
Tornadoes happen anywhere, and persons living in areas frequented by those
cyclonic winds should learn, if they do not already know, how to protect
themselves from the ravages of those violent storms.
If circumstances are such that the decision to go might
become prudent, an evacuation plan known to the entire family should be made.
Routes leading to safety may be chosen outside the usual traffic ways to avoid
congestion when others have the same desire to escape as you. If traveling by
car, always have your car at least half full of gasoline and well serviced. If
you have no car, be advised of whatever public transportation your community
has made available and try to take advantage of it. If your community has no
such plan, you might do it a real service to help to establish one. FEMA offers
help in organizing such community action. The Citizen Corps it sponsors offers
opportunity for everyone to be active in making communities safer and more responsive
to its citizens’ needs in time of disaster or in time of peace. Certainly the
church should have a plan that includes promptly removing all of its people
from harm’s way.
Although there is no way to guarantee that preparation will
be adequate, it is better to do what we can than to be left helpless in an
emergency. The four basic needs for survival identified by the federal
government for which we can make some preparation are: fresh water,
food, clean air and warmth.
Water
There is no guarantee that a supply of water will be
preserved under any of these circumstances, but water is one storable item that
no one can go without for long. Normally, each person needs 2 quarts of water
per day just for drinking. Since we need water for so many purposes, storing a
gallon a day per person is recommended. It is suggested that we store a minimum
of three gallons per person, a gallon a day for three days. Those with small
children, nursing mothers or sick people will need more; and there is no
guarantee that the emergency will last only three days. A supply of as many as
14 gallons per person is recommended by the government as the desirable amount.
The amount we can store depends on the space we have available and the number
of people for whom we are preparing. For a family, the recommended amount may
take more space than many have available, so just fill all of the containers
you can store in the space you have up to a reasonable amount. In case of emergency,
and you are still in your home, the water in your hot water heater, your water
pipes, the ice cubes, and even that in the flush tank of your toilet (not the
bowl) is all usable. In case there have been ruptures to the water system or
sewage lines, it will be necessary for you to shut off the water coming into
your house, so be sure you know where the shut-off valve is.
FEMA gives the following instructions on how to use
water from your water tank and pipes:
To use the water in the hot water tank, be sure the gas or electricity is shut
off and open the drain at the bottom of the tank. Start the water flowing by
turning off the water intake valve and turning on a hot-water faucet. Do not
turn on the gas or electricity when the tank is empty.
To use the water in your pipes, let air into the plumbing by turning on the
faucet in your house at the highest level. A small amount of water will trickle
out. Then obtain water from the lowest faucet in the house.
Before every hurricane, the order goes out to fill all
bathtubs, cans, jars and barrels available with water and put out barrels to
catch rain water. The later instruction might not apply in case of radioactive
fallout that could contaminate the water. In any emergency, if there is a
warning long enough before the event, collecting water may be a priority. If
you and your store of water survive the immediate devastation, you will welcome
the abundance that makes it possible to keep clean as well as to assuage your
thirst.
Containers for storing water can be those that normally would
be recycled. Milk jugs with tight screw on lids can be rinsed thoroughly,
preferably with bleach. Bleach bottles are very sturdy plastics and make good
containers. Plastic beverage containers generally are good as are plastic
buckets with tight lids or pans lined with fiber glass or enamel. Except for
plain bleach, never use a container that has had a toxic material in it. You
will want to recycle the water periodically, FEMA says every six months, just
to keep it fresh tasting. Even if it gets stale tasting it can still be safe to
use. For recycling, just empty the containers into the washer for a laundry and
refill with fresh water as needed.
Even when radioactive fallout is present to be
considered, water from outdoor sources such as rain water, water from lakes,
streams, ponds and springs may have to be used. Do not use water that has
floating material in it, that has an odor or that looks dark. And never use
flood water for drinking. If there is radioactive fallout, that must, of course
be removed first (See section on radioactivity for information). Then FEMA
recommends that to destroy bacteria that might cause dysentery, typhoid,
hepatitis or like diseases, the water should be purified by one of three
methods or a combination of them: boiling, treated with regular 5.25% sodium
hypochlorite liquid household bleach or by distillation.
All particles or suspended matter should first be settled out
or strained through paper towels or several thicknesses of cloth. If boiling,
boil for one minute then cool. The water will taste better if oxygen is
returned to it by pouring it from one container to another several times. This
method also improves the taste of stored water.
If bleach is used, use 16 drops of regular bleach to a gallon
of water, stir and let stand 30 minutes. If the water does not have a slight
bleach smell, repeat the process and wait another 15 minutes before using. FEMA
says to use only regular bleach. No scented or special care bleaches are
acceptable. Neither are iodine or the water purification substances sold for
camping or traveling to be used.
Distilling is necessary if heavy metals, many chemicals or
substances like salt are to be removed from the water. Even some especially
difficult organisms are only destroyed by this process. To distill, fill a pot
halfway with water. Tie a cup to the handle on the pot's lid so that the cup
will hang right-side-up when the lid is upside-down (make sure the cup is not
dangling into the water) and boil the water for 20 minutes. The water that
drips from the lid into the cup is distilled.
Food
A minimum of three days’ food supply is recommended for a kit
to take along if one has to leave home. The supply of food readied for an
extended emergency at or near home should require no refrigeration, no cooking,
and little or no water. Include canned meats, fish, beans, fruits, vegetables,
packaged baked goods, dry cereals, fruit or cereal bars, dried fruits,
nuts, canned juices, cheese spreads, peanut butter, jellies, nonperishable
pasteurized, canned or dried milk. The possibilities are extensive. Choose
foods your family will enjoy and choose a variety that will permit a balanced
diet as much as possible. Even fresh fruits and vegetables may be included in
the three day’s supply, and many fruits and root vegetables will last for a
much longer period of time. If your water supply is limited, try to avoid foods
that are high in fat and protein, and don't stock salty foods. They would make
you thirsty. Try to stock salt-free crackers, whole grain cereals and canned
foods with high liquid content. Just in case the emergency lasts a long time,
be sure to have such items as flour, baking powder, soda, salt, vinegar,
packaged dry yeast, oil, sugar, honey, dry pasta in your long term stash.
Keep stored foods covered and in a dry, cool spot - a dark
area if possible. Of the foods with a limited shelf life like baked goods,
choose foods you serve regularly so the supply can be kept rotated and fresh.
As one package is opened, replace it with a fresh supply placed at the back of
the storage kit and marked with the date. As foods are used, open boxes or cans
carefully so that you can close them tightly after each use. Wrap cookies and
crackers in plastic, and keep them in tight containers. Empty opened packages
of sugar, dried fruits and nuts into screw-top jars or air-tight cans to
protect them from pests. Inspect all food for signs of spoilage before use.
If you have to take the kit and run, don¹t forget that the containers need to
be opened. A manual can opener, scissors and a sharp knife are helpful. And if
there is room in the kit, utensils for eating the foods would be welcomed.
These should probably be disposable in view of the limited amount of water for
dishwashing.
Floods are the most frequent disasters faced. Water and food
supplies that are submerged in flood waters should not be assumed to be safe
even if the containers are not violated. Flood waters are frequently so full of
pathogenic bacteria that can contaminate even small openings around the
closures of containers that the water or food is not safe to use. If the
emergency is such that there is no choice but to use them, be certain the
containers are sterilized before opening or the food is boiled before use. This
is true even of sealed cans of food and strong, waterproof plastic food
containers. Be sure they are thoroughly cleansed with hot sudsy water and
dipped in bleach water before opening them.
This reminds us that we must have a way of starting a fire
among our emergency supplies. The boy scouts will all tell you, you need
matches in a waterproof container just for a camp out!
Radioactive
fallout
If the disaster involves an atomic explosion, whether by
design or accident, devastation and destruction will be wide spread for a
number of miles around ground zero. Radioactive fallout is carried by the wind
and may be spread over thousands of miles. Assuming that the explosion does not
immediately affect you, coping with radioactive fallout poses special problems
in obtaining food and water and in maintaining clean air for breathing. In
areas of considerable fallout, the first two days are the most dangerous, but
one can expect the radioactive particles to be falling in dangerous amounts for
about two weeks. It requires shelter under a foot of cement, three feet of dirt
or the protection of upper stories of a building to absorb the radioactivity of
the particles so it does not directly damage living tissue. That often requires
one to be separated from their usual store of water and foods. It will be
necessary to stay in shelter at least most of the time for about two weeks. If
there is necessity of leaving shelter, one should be covered well with clothing
that can be discarded or brushed well and washed thoroughly. Since particles,
especially the ones that fall later in the aftermath of an explosion, are fine
enough to be inhaled, a mask can be valuable if one has to go outside the
shelter; and one has to be careful to exclude as many of the particles as
possible from entering the shelter. (See information on clean air elsewhere in
this piece.)
Even if there is radioactive fallout, all food stored inside
should be safe. Frozen or refrigerated foods are not likely to be contaminated
and should be used first if there is a disruption of electricity that would
permit them to spoil. If the particles do not fall on the foods, there is no
danger in handling or using them.
Of those foods that are exposed, the radioactive particles do
not penetrate the containers. The particles can be safely brushed or washed
away. Fruit or vegetables that have been exposed can be washed and peeled.
Whether by brushing or washing, the particles, including the peels, must be
discarded outside the living area. Water that has been contaminated can be
refreshed.
Some radioactive particles may be removed from water by
simply straining the water through paper towels or several layers of cloth.
Filtering materials should be disposed of outside the living area. Filtering
through 10 inches of dirt, free of radioactive particles, is also effective. Or
one may muddy the water with clay, a handful per quart, and allow the mud to
settle out. The radioactive particles cling to the clay and settle to the
bottom of the container. The radioactive free water may then be siphoned off
and rid of disease causing bacteria either by chemical means, with bleach, or
by boiling. There was a time after the second World War when atomic bombs
were feared so greatly that some discussed providing bags of clay for bomb
shelters to assure a more or less continuous supply of safe water.
Even water for farm animals may be refreshed if it is
possible to get to the ponds or other water supply, muddy the water and allow
it to settle before giving the animals access to it. It must be remembered that
fallout may be coming down for days after the initial explosion, so exposed
water cannot be assumed to remain radioactive free. Stock tanks may be covered
with tarpaulins. Radioactive particles will, however, settle rapidly reducing
the danger from pond use. Water from covered wells and flowing streams would be
safe for farm animals.
If food producing animals are in shelters with enough mass
overhead to absorb the radioactivity from the fallout, their flesh and the
foods they produce will be safe to eat, unless or until they eat contaminated
food or drink contaminated water. Normally hay filled haylofts offer some protection.
If they do not have adequate protection, the animals may contract radiation
sickness just as people do. The sickness does not contaminate their food, but
their production and survival may be jeopardized. If they do experience some
fallout, if it can be brushed or washed off soon and disposed of outside their
shelter there can be some protection for them and the foods they produce.
There are two radioactive products of especial interest to us
so far as our food supply is concerned. Radioactive strontium 90 and
Radioactive iodine 131. The radioactive strontium 90 has a half life of 28
years and may take 40 or more crops to remove it from the soil on which it
falls. In the human body it does its damage by trying to take the place of
calcium. The only known protection is to be well supplied with calcium so there
is no place for the destructive element to settle into bone, teeth and tissue.
Eggs will likely be safe since chickens are relatively
resistant to radiation, are generally kept under cover and may be fed
uncontaminated foods. For cows without access to contaminated food or water,
there is no problem with using their milk. Cows that do ingest the radioactive
strontium 90 have the capacity for filtering out almost all of it from their
milk, making milk one of the safest fresh foods available except for the Iodine
131 it contains.
The cow does not filter out the radioactive iodine. Once it
is in the milk from contaminated food the cow has eaten, it is best to wait for
the radioactivity of the iodine to “decay,” lose much of its radioactivity,
before using the milk. Iodine 131 affects the function of the thyroid, and
children are especially vulnerable because their thyroids are small. Even
mother’s milk may carry the dangerous radioactive particles if the mother has
eaten or inhaled the dangerous substances, and goat or sheep milk are reported
to carry 10 times the amount of iodine 131 that cow’s milk carries.
But the “half life” of this substance is about 8.03
days and after 60 days of radioactive decay no longer poses a danger. If
processing plants are still operable, the milk can be made into nonperishable
forms, dried milk or cheese or ice cream or whatever, and stored for 60 days
for safety from the iodine. Even home made cheeses, and the whey from
their preparation, would be storable for that long. Perhaps this is at least
one of the reasons the Lord had Isaiah say that those who survive the
devastations of last days will be those who have an abundance of milk
available. They will be presumed to be well supplied with calcium in the
beginning and in time of emergency be able to eat “butter.” (Isaiah 7:21-22).
Most of the “butter” of the Old Testament is actually curdled milk or cheese.
Only the Psalmist uses another word that really means smooth and pleasant like
our butter.
In case of fallout, for a time after consuming foods
contaminated with fallout, animal flesh is free of contamination and safe to be
used except for the internal organs, the liver, kidneys, etc. They become
contaminated very soon after the animals’ food is contaminated and should be
discarded almost from the start. As the flesh becomes contaminated from animals
eating radioactive particles on their food, the only way to make it safe is to
boil it in a lot of water and discard the water. Of course you lose nutrients
doing it, but there may be a time when some food is better than no food how ever
the nutritive value has been diminished.
Radiation sickness can occur from breathing the particles or
from ingesting them. In case someone becomes ill from it, it is good to know
that it is not contagious. It manifests itself in the same way as anxiety and
stress with vomiting and diarrhea typically among the symptoms. Rehydration is
essential in these cases and can be accomplished by the addition of 6 teaspoons
sugar or molasses and 1 teaspoon salt to a liter (a quart and 8 teaspoons) of
water and administering it in small, frequent doses to the sick one. If sugar
is not available, just the salt water will be helpful. The salt water is also
helpful in maintaining mouth health that may help prevent or treat radiation
sores should they develop. The rehydration mixture just described is one that
can be used in all cases of dehydration from nausea and diarrhea of any sort
whether from dysentery, cholera, or whatever.
“Dirty bombs” that may be used by terrorists are another
matter. They use ordinary explosives to scatter radioactive materials. While
the area of the blast is immediately apparent, the area over which the
radioactivity is spread can only be determined by equipment designed to measure
it. It is wisdom to get as far away from the area as possible as quickly as
possible and get as much shielding from cement or dirt or other absorptive
materials as possible between you and the blast.
Clean
Air
Terrorism brings the necessity for protection of air
space that is not limited to radioactivity. Anthrax has already been a tool of
the terrorists as has the nerve gas that killed many Japanese when it was
released in the subway system. Whether particles from an explosion that can
damage the lungs, germs from a biological attack that can make one ill when
taken into the body by breathing, swallowing or, as is true of some, just
entering through a cut or abrasion on the skin, it is suggested that a barrier
be considered to keep the contamination out of your family’s living space. Sand
bags have long been used to close off shelters from radioactive particles.
Heavyweight plastic garbage bags or plastic sheeting secured by duct tape may
be useful in some situations and they, with scissors, may be something you
might want to include in your preparedness supply.
FEMA has identified a situation it calls “shelter-in-place”
as a space in the home, school, recreational or work place made safe from
foreign agents, either chemical or biological, by preventing their entrance
into the atmosphere. Windows, doors and air vents may be taped to provide a
barrier.
Choose an interior room if possible or one with a minimum of
doors and windows. Try to include a radio or TV in the furnishings of the space
or take in your battery powered equipment. Plastic sheeting should be cut
larger than is necessary to cover the entire door, window or air vent it
protects. It is recommended that such a place be chosen and taping
materials selected, precut and labeled so installation in case of impending
contamination can be swift and thorough. All air conditioning equipment, forced
air heating, clothes driers and other air intakes in the building must be shut
off and fireplace dampers closed. If one is in a car when such an emergency
occurs, shut off air conditioning and heating equipment and keep the windows
closed.
There is no known material that will keep out all
destructive agents. Chemical gasses are of especial concern. Face masks or
dense-weave cotton material that can fit closely over the nose and throat or
cover an open wound may be of help, especially if one is outside a protected
area. For use, two or three layers of a tee shirt, handkerchief or towel or
several layers of tissue or paper towels is suggested. The fit must be such
that most of the air being breathed is filtered through the mask. Care must be
taken to assure children and sick so protected still get enough air to breathe.
Wash with soap and water as soon as one is in a protected place. In fact, in
cases where one is experiencing watery eyes, stinging skin and trouble with
breathing from chemicals, FEMA suggests the person forget modesty, strip and
use any source of water available with which to wash! As long as communication
systems are in place, watch TV and listen to the radio for instructions.
If a “shelter-in-place” is created and used, however, it will
be necessary to filter or change the air in the facility periodically to
prevent dangerous buildup of carbon dioxide, disease causing bacteria, etc.
Some people, particularly those with severe allergies and asthma, may already
be using HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filtration) filters in masks or
portable air purifiers. In larger homes or industrial models these filters may
continuously filter the air as long as there is electricity to operate them and
they do not admit the contaminate. In areas of greatest probable danger, a
portable air purifier with a HEPA filter might be considered prudent in some
cases.
Warmth
The Lord has been aware of the additional hardship that
disaster in cold weather brings and instructed His people of old to pray that
their flight should not occur in winter or on the Sabbath (Matthew 24:17).
Keeping warm when our sources of heat are unavailable leaves us dependent on
warm clothing, sleeping bags and warm bedding. While we probably do not want
all that in a bag by the door, we do need to have such clothing and supplies
available and accessible, even in the summer. I have never slept so poorly
because of the cold than on a cot at camp in
On the other hand, in case of extreme heat, cooling may be
the problem at issue, especially for the very young, the sick and the infirm.
People have lived for millenniums without air conditioning, and we can, too. If
there is water available both for drinking and for bathing, especially the
hands, arms, face and neck, heat is much less hazardous. Shade goes without
saying as a major consideration. Temporary shelters should be made of materials
that reflect the heat, not absorb or concentrate it. Light colors are
preferable. Tree branches, make good shade. Branches of the fragrant evergreen
myrtle were used by the Israelites during Biblical times to make the temporary
shelters they used during their festival of the booths.
Any method of moving the air to enhance evaporation of sweat
will be helpful. Tree branches have long been used to move the air and to ward
off flying insects. Cardboard fans were once the choice means of advertising
for some businesses, especially funeral parlors that placed them in churches
and other public places to provide comfort to the public and to sell their
wares. When it is cooling that the person needs, it is wise to avoid use of all
beverages that contain alcohol or caffeine. These substances are diuretic and
drinking beverages containing them increases the need for water.
Sanitation
Of absolute necessity is the provision for disposal of
body wastes and the inclusion of first aid supplies in the preparedness cache.
If the flush toilets don¹t work, a latrine like the boy and girl scouts know
how to make will have to do. If the family is confined to a shelter-in-place, they
will need buckets with tight fitting lids or strong plastic bags with secure
closures as receptacles for feces, urine and vomit. And as soon as it is
possible, these must be emptied in a latrine or buried so they do not further
contaminate the area. A temporary toilet or commode may be created by removing
a circular portion of a chair seat and placing a receptacle under it with the
plastic securely attached to its rim. The plastic may then be removed and
tightly closed to be stored until it is safe to take it outside for final
disposal.
Famine
Preparation for even longer periods of isolation from
normal food supplies, as in a full blown famine or a time when transportation
is not available to bring supplies from the many places on the earth from which
we now get our plenteous and varied supply of foods, causes concern about types
and quantities of food to have in storage. It is interesting that the Lord made
provision for such a time in His Word of Wisdom by naming the flesh foods as
foods to be used in famine and excess of hunger. All those involved in
preparedness tell us if facing such a situation we can prolong our food supply
by eating the animals before they become decimated with hunger and then eat the
primary foods they would have eaten had they lived. The primary foods include grains
which can be stored over a long period of time and offer much the same staple
nutrients that meat provides. Although section 86 of the Doctrine and
Covenants affirms that all grain is good for the food of man, it also
reminds us that wheat is the one that most nearly provides the nutrients needed
by the human body. Even brown rice does not come close in providing needed
nutrients and does not store as well as wheat. Rancidity develops quickly in
rice unless it is stored with all air excluded. For the sake of variety, it
would be prudent to store a variety of grains with wheat being stored in the
greatest quantity.
Dry beans, soy beans, lentils and peas store well and have
formed the protein base of a successful dietary for Orientals for centuries. Beans
and grains must be stored so they are not destroyed by weevils of other
insects. There are various treatments that may be recommended by Extension
services and other authoritative sources. After treatment, they must be
stored in tight containers that will prevent further infestation. Subjecting
the foods to freezing for a time before storage to kill insects and insect
larvae that may be present is one way to prolong storage life. We have wheat
given to us in 1969 after being stored in the bin through a cold Canadian
winter. It is stored in a plastic ice cream bucket with a tight fitting lid. It
still looks like it did thirty six years ago and still makes good breakfast
cereal or flour.
If these foods are not properly treated and stored, the
result will be bags of empty shells left by the insects that devoured the
foods. I know. I helped carry out numerous bags from my uncle’s attic after the
family died. Although beans will be good to eat for many years, they become
more difficult to cook until tender as they are stored.
If the usual cooking facilities are not available, we would
need to employ the kinds of methods the boy and girl scouts learn. Asking them
now to teach us how to make a reflector oven, or how to cook beans or meats in
an underground oven, or how to make a spit to cook a whole animal over a fire
can benefit them as well as us. Even building the fires, choosing safe sticks
to use in holding foods over the fire and building temporary supports for
cooking directly over a fire take skills they already know. Survival techniques
are also a part of the scouting programs in many areas. Take advantage of their
knowledge. Ask them to teach the rest of us before we actually need to know
how.
A diet of grain and beans would not sustain any people for
long. We need the vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals usually supplied by
fruits and vegetables. While supplements might help some of the nutrients,
there are many nutrients that are not in supplements. We need the food, and
some of it should be stored canned or dried. Freezing is, of course preferable
but is not practical in view of the likelihood that there will be no way of
keeping it frozen. Ordinary drying destroys much of the Vitamin C, A and B
values, and those values continue to deteriorate during storage in air. Freeze
drying preserves many of these nutrients and sealing the foods so dried in cans
or packages that exclude the air enhances nutrient retention. Canning of the
fresh produce also results in some loss of nutrients, but many of them remain
in the canning liquids. Don’t waste a drop!
Fresh foods are sometimes available in places we may not have
suspected. Euell Gibbons’ book, Stalking the Wild Asparagus, is a
delightful reference for identifying, harvesting and preparing many wild
plants. Conservation offices in every state produce publications
detailing what is there and how to use it. Missouri Conservation distributes
Jan Phillip’s Wild Edibles of Missouri. It contains drawings of plants,
descriptions of the various portions with cautions for those parts that are
poisonous, laxative, bitter or otherwise not desirable or to be used with care.
Locations at which the plant is to be found, seasons when different parts are
available, method of preparation, all are detailed, even with color paintings
of those most likely to be encountered and mistakenly used.
All parts of the dandelion can be used some way for food, and
there are places in this world where they are raised commercially. But so many
poisons have been used to try to eradicate them that one hunting them for food
must avoid those that have been so treated. As greens they, like many other
plants, must be harvested while their leaves and shoots are very young and
tender. More mature they are very bitter. Sheep sorrel, chicory, lambs quarter,
pepper grass, day lilies, milkweed pods, cat tails, purslane, watercress, all
are excellent wild foods, but you need to know when to harvest them and what
part to use. Perhaps the wild edibles books are of greatest value for the clarity
of their warnings about plants or parts of plants that are to be avoided.
Those who live in areas where may apples grow profusely
usually are aware that all parts of the plant are poisonous. Even the apple
itself is poisonous until it is ripe. Then it is delicious.
Poke greens are avidly gathered in areas
where the poke plant grows and people live close to the soil; but those people
know very well they must not eat the leaves without boiling them in two waters,
the first of which is discarded. And they know they must not eat the roots at
all. Roots are poisonous and narcotic. They cause vomiting, diarrhea and
sometimes death. The raw greens are also toxic and therefore not to be
used as a salad.
Mushrooms may be edible or poisonous, even lethal.
Either the Conservation Department or the Extension Service will have
information concerning the ones you can eat.
Ground cherries, the Hawaiian Poha, are wonderful, but you
must know how to tell them from the deadly nightshade.
Wild grapes and plums are good right off the tree or vine and
make wonderful jams and jellies if you have the sugar required to make them.
Nothing is more delicious than a wild strawberry, but they are so tiny!
Now may be the time to get acquainted with the Fox Fire
Books. In these delightful volumes information can be found on
survival crafts once practiced that may have to be revived if devastation is as
widespread as it might be. They are filled with interviews with people who
lived the crafts they describe. You will find everything from how to follow a
bee to its sweet hoard of honey, and capture both the honey and the bees, to
how to use sweet Birch to add sweetness to your food. Everything from raising
sheep to harvesting their wool, cleaning and carding it, making it into thread
and making the thread into cloth is there. They are interesting reading even if
one never needs their expertise.
For families to store large quantities of foods for whatever
contingency hardly seems profitable. In order to keep supplies fresh, it would
be necessary to constantly be eating stored foods that may have diminished
nutritive value. I have witnessed the destruction of hundreds of jars of home
canned foods stored for that emergency that was about to happen decades ago but
never did. I have just been given 32 gallons of wheat to distribute. It was
stored in the basement of a person who died before it was needed. Fortunately,
it is well packaged and still good. But what family would try to guard their
stash while neighbors suffered hunger or death? The Lord’s provision for a
storehouse seems to make a lot more sense. As long as there is food available,
all will share, and when it is gone, all have the privilege of petitioning the
Lord to supply their need. He sent Manna to the Hebrews, didn’t He? The people
got tired of that honey flavored wafer and complained, but they survived
healthfully on it for a lot of years. The God who fed the five thousand men,
plus women and children, and had twelve baskets full left over; the God
who fed the four thousand men, plus women and children, with seven loaves and a
few little fishes and had seven baskets full left over; the God who gave his
people in the Americas bread and wine for Communion when there was no bread or
wine available; the God who fed the Saints and their Thanksgiving dinner guests
at Second church in Independence, Missouri during the last great depression
knows how to provide whatever is necessary in time of need. We do what we can
to be ready and leave the rest up to Him. There may be a test of our
faith, but we know we can trust Him!
APPENDIX
Based on FEMA Shelf-life of Foods for Storage:
Use within six months:
Powdered milk (boxed)
Dried fruit (in metal container).
Dry, crisp crackers (in metal container)
Potatoes
Use within one year: (These will be safe much longer.)
Canned condensed meat and vegetable soups
Canned fruits, fruit juices and vegetables
Milk canned or nonperishable pasteurized.
Ready-to-eat cereals and uncooked instant cereals (in metal
containers)
Peanut butter, jelly, hard candy, canned nuts
Vitamin C
May be stored indefinitely (in proper containers and
conditions):
Wheat
Vegetable oils
Dried corn, dry pasta
Baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar
Soybeans, other dried beans and peas
Instant beverages, bouillon products for flavor
Salt, sugar, honey
White rice (Brown Rice is more
nutritious but shelf life much shorter.)
Powdered milk (in nitrogen-packed cans)