SS #5: Evacuate or Shelter in Place

How do you decide if you will Evacuate or Shelter in Place following an emergency?

Scriptures

D&C 45:57 For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day.

Jacob 3:4 And the time speedily cometh, that except ye repent they shall possess the land of your inheritance, and the Lord God will lead away the righteous out from among you. 

D&C 112:10 Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.

Questions to ask yourself:

• Short-term or Long-term evacuation?
• Is Evacuation Forced or Optional?
• Emergency vs. Disaster vs. Grid-down Event? Risk varies by the hazard
• What are the risks of staying home?
• What are the risks of evacuating?
• What are the trigger events that would signal a time to evacuate?
• Do I wait until everyone else is evacuating?

Consider your answers in light of the 7 Risk Priorities:

1. Violence
2. Sickness/Injury
3. Lack of, or Poor, Communication
4. Lack of, or Poor, Organization
5. Dehydration
6. Hyper/Hypothermia (shelter)
7. Starvation

Also remember how to mitigate each of these risks, whether your stay home or evacuate:

1. Defend yourself, family and community.
2. Provide medical care.
3. Use non-standard communications.
4. Use ICS (Incident Command System)
5. Produce, filter and purify water.
6. Provide basic shelter.
7. Provide initial food supply and grow more.

"Shelter-in-place" means selecting an interior room or rooms within your facility, or ones with no or few windows, and taking refuge there. In many cases, local authorities will issue advice to shelter-in-place via TV or radio.

Sheltering At Home

Reasons you might choose to shelter in place:

• Familiarity of home & neighborhood
• Emotional stability
• Comforts of home, everything within reach
• Protect home from looters
• Local police protection?
• No means of evacuating
• Nowhere to go
• Better than the Superdome!
• Pets & farm animals
• Job or other responsibilities prevent you from leaving
• Roadblocks
• Disaster could be in winter
• Protection from severe weather

Risks / Hazards of sheltering in place:

• Home may not be stable
• Local resources may be limited or overwhelmed
• Maurading gangs
• May be difficult to defend your home 24/7
• Opportunity to evacuate may be limited

Evacuation

Risks / Hazards of evacuating:

• Safety in numbers IF joining with like-minded people
• Safer if home is unstable
• Avoid marauding gangs?
• Lack of local resources
• Invitation from the prophet?
• Seek family

Risks / Hazards of Evacuation:

• Exposed to weather extremes
• Hotels are costly, may be over-booked
• Cannot take all your necessities
• Home left unsecured
• Roads may be gridlocked
• Possible fuel shortages
• May lose your job
• Some family may refuse or be unable to join you
• Emotional insecurity of the unknown
• Highly emotional & desperate people all jammed together on the highways and at gas stations
• Could get stuck in crowded or unsanitary shelter
• May be caught by marauding gangs

You may be FORCED to evacuate in some circumstances, such as:

• Severe event: home may not be livable, either temporarily or permanently
• Neighborhood at risk: fire, flood, toxins, radiation, foreign invasion
• Pandemic: Ebola, Bioterrorism
• Sewage backup

Consider the recent Oroville, CA dam evacuation crisis.

Evacuating residents stuck in gridlock traffic.

Hundreds of cars in wall-to-wall traffic can be seen on Highway 99 as people stream out of Oroville away from the dam.

Comments from local residents:

"We had less than 1 hour’s notice to evacuate!"

"We had nothing ready!"

"We vow to ALWAYS be packed and ready to evacuate from now on!"

Recent KSL Headlines:

With More Rain Likely, Logan City Working to Stay Ahead of Sewage Problems Feb. 14, 2017

Raw Sewage Floods Farr West Neighborhood Feb. 9, 2017

14 Homes Evacuated After Mudslide in Woodland Hills Aug. 14, 2015

Consider organizing, copying, consolidating Irreplaceable Documents & other items, such as:

• Patriarchal Blessings
• Family Photos in Digital Form—CD/DVD, Thumb drive, External Hard Drive
• Scrapbooks or Photos to Grab if Time Allows
• Back-up of Computer Files
• Insurance Contacts
• Home Deeds, Mortgage Info.

Remember the concept of layers on how it might affect your evacuation planning.  For example, will you be evacuating with just the clothes on your back or will you have time to grab a tent?  Do you have a camper trailer, or perhaps even a cabin to which you will evacuate for shelter?

Is your plan written down?  Does EVERYONE know the plan? Do you have a plan for your workplace?

• Where will we meet?  When?
• How long will we wait for everyone to show up?
• Who will pick the kids up from school?
• What route will we take out of town?  Is there an alternate route?

If you don’t have a Plan B, 

you don’t have a plan.

Consider compiling a Grab-n-Go Binder

• Organize a Binder with Lists of items that need to be gathered from Each Room if evacuating.
• Make a list of things for Brief Evacuations and a more expanded list for Long-term Bug Out.
• Bold or highlight items that you grab only for a brief evacuation (<2 wks).  Grab everything if you don't know when (or if) you will return.

Sample: Kitchen

• Can Opener
• Cutting boards
• Garbage Bags
• All sharp knives
• Towels/hotpads
• 2 WMF Pressure cookers
• Cheese slicers
• Silver Trashcan
• All Silicon stuff (Muffin cups, Bread pan etc.)
• Metal Bread pans
• All Cast-iron pans and Skillet
• Metal mixing bowls
• Cheese grater
• Popcorn/kettlecorn maker
• Ktech Bread mixer and ALL Parts and Blender
• Stock pot and stainless steel pans
• Pitcher with Green lid
• Rolling pin
• All Potato Peelers

Sample: Under Kitchen Sink

• All plastic Gloves
• Dish Soap
• Disinfecting wipes
• Handsoap
• Steel scrubbers
• Scotchbright scrubbers
• Bottle Brush
• Scrubrushes

Sample: Pantry

• All buckets of food
• All candles / matches / lighters
• Paper goods
• All Medicines
• Fire extinguisher
• Popcorn/kettle maker
• Big Metal and Glass mixing bowls
• All Spices and rack on door
• Jugs of oils, vinegar and syrups
• Aprons
• Cookbooks
• Empty Ice-cream buckets
• Dog Toothbrushes

 More thoughts on Sheltering in Place:

Don't try to heat the whole house in winter with limited resources.  Heat just the room(s) you use the most, such as the kitchen or family room.  Seal them off with blankets, doors, plastic to trap the heat.  Then sleep in the cooler rooms, or even all together.  Buddy Heaters (Mr. Buddy, Big Buddy, etc.) are approved for indoor use.  Beware of many heaters that create deadly carbon monoxide.  Keep fresh batteries in your CO2 monitors

• Do You Know Your Block Captain?
• Do you have your Emergency Window Placard handy?
• Have you check on the neighbors to each side and across the street?
• Are you a trained CERT member?
• Don’t Just Sit Around – Do Something!
• Volunteer with the Red Cross
• Check on your neighbors
• Participate in CERT
• Teach others what you have learned to conserve (heat, fuel, electricity, food)

Would the Prophet every ask us to leave our homes?  What is the scriptural / historical pattern?

Consider the following examples (not in any particular order):

1.       Brother of Jared leaves Babel

2.       Lehi & family leave Jerusalem

3.       Ishmael and his family join Lehi in fleeing Jerusalem.

4.       Mulek leaves Jerusalem

5.       Alma & followers flee from wicked King Noah

6.       Alma's fleeing from Lamanite bondage (Mosiah 24)

7.       Puritans and Pilgrims flee England to America

8.       Moses & the children of Israel flee Egypt

9.       Enoch & his city flee before the flood (Moses 7:27)

10.   Noah flees the world on an ark.

11.   Mary and Joseph flee to Egypt

12.   Saints fleeing from Jerusalem and Titus in 70 A.D.

13.   Limhi's people fleeing  from the Lamanites (Mosiah 22:6-13)

14.   Nephi fleeing from Laman and Lemuel

15.   Ammon and his Anti-Nephi-Lehi's fleeing the Lamanites (Alma 27)

16.   Mosiah flees the Land of Nephi into the wilderness (Omni 1:12)

17.   Joseph of Aramathea in Jewish legend driven from Jerusalem in a boat with Mary, Martha, Lazarus, Mary Magdalene and others.

18.   The ten tribes fleeing from bondage into the north countries.

19.   Abraham flees from Ur of the Chaldees.  (Heb. 11:8, Abr. 2:3)

20.   Another Jewish legend of Jeremiah fleeing to Egypt and then to England and Ireland before destruction of Jerusalem.

21.   Lot flees Sodom and Gomorrah

22.   The Nephits flee from their homes and gather together to fight the Lamanites and Gadiantons, pooling all their supplies for 7 years.

23.   Amulek flees from Ammoniah (Alma 15:16)

24.   Zoramites cast out and flee to Jershon (Alma 35)

25.   The people of Ammon vacate Jershon so the Nephites can battle the Lamanites. (Alma 35:13)

26.   Jacob flees to Egypt to get food.

27.   The saints flee Kirtland to go to Missouri

28.   The saints flee Missouri to go to Nauvoo

29.   The saints flee Nauvoo for Salt Lake

30.   Adam and Eve have to leave the Garden of Eden to start a new life.

31.   Hyrum Smith received a revelation saying his life was in danger and to move his family from Palmyra to Colesville, N.Y. He packed that night and left the next morning. "Life of Joseph Smith by His Mother"

32.   Father Smith's life was in jeopardy. He was warned to flee but didn't leave soon enough and was thrown into prison where he spent a month. After his release he immediately moved his family to Waterloo, NY and most of the Smith family would never see Palmyra again. "Life of Joseph Smith by his Mother"

33.   Joseph and Emma flee Palmyra with the gold plates to live in Harmony, Pa.

34.   Joseph flees from Harmony

35.   The saints fleeing U.S. marshals into Mexico to save their families.

36.   Moroni flees the rest of his life from the Lamanites.

37.   People of Limhi deliver themselves from bondage by departing into the wilderness with tents, flocks, families. They couldn't do it by the sword--were out-numbered. Went out the back pass. Mosiah 22:2 

38.   Zoramites find out which people believe Alma's and Amulek's words and cast them out of the land. They go to Jershon Alma 35:6-9. Verse 14 "Those who repented were driven out of the land."

39.   Peter, James, and John, "And straight way they forsook their nets and followed Him." Mark 1:16-18

40.   Jesus fleeing Nazareth when they tried to kill him, never to return to his home town.

41.   Omer is warned to flee because Akish and his secret band are going to kill him so Akish can marry Jared's daughter and give Jared the kingdom. Ether 9:3

42.   The people in the city Moroni fled to the city Nephihah. Alma 51:24

43.   Jacob fled when Simeon his son killed those who had abducted his daughter Dinah.

44.   Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, fled with "the residue of the people of God" and "came out from the land, which was called Shulon, and dwelt in a of promise..."  Moses 6:17.

45.   Saints in Europe coming to Utah in mass exodus.

46.   Many of our grandparents or ancestors individually answered the call of Joseph Smith to immigrate to America and join with the saints in Utah. Left their homelands and relatives.

47.   No sooner had the Pioneers settled themselves with good herds and good homes than they were called to leave it all and settle St. George, the San Juan, Arizona and other places in-between, and often more than once.

Lessons Learned from Getting Stuck in the Mud

While looking for an area for family weekend getaways, my wife & I wanted to check out a place in the hills above Indianola.  This is a semi-remote, rural area about 45 minutes from home, but we had a little time in the late afternoon before some scheduled visits I had set up, so we figured there was time for a quick trip before it got dark.  The snow had been melting rapidly with the warm weather and many roads had cleared up considerably.  Just a few days previous we had been out and had no significant problems aside from some slippery mud.

Going up the dirt road, things were wet, but well packed.  We came to a point where the snow began and saw someone had parked there side-by-side UTV with snow trax where they had stashed their car for a trip to town (clue #1).  The snow on the road was slushy, but we still had plenty of traction to move forward, so on we went.  We found the turn-off for the next road we needed and discovered that nobody had traveled it recently and the snow was twice as deep (clue #2).  Still, I figured that this was just an effect of being on the shadowy side of the hill and that it would get easier the further we went.  Delia was voicing her concerns about getting stuck (clue #3), but I’m a guy with a 4X4 with new mud tires and not afraid of a little snow as long as I can back up if things get too deep.  Well, the steepness increased and the snow got too deep to move forward, so it was time to admit defeat and go home. 

All we had to do was back down the hill the way we had come until we found a place to turn around. That’s when nature & physics overturned our confidence & plans.  The deep snow conspired with the sideways slant to the road to ever so steadily slide us closer to the soft shoulder where we started sinking into the mud.  Stuffing some branches under the tires got us moving downhill again, but nothing we did got us back up onto the road, only further along and deeper into the muddy ditch.  Finally, we were high-centered, not only on snow, but a small boulder or large rock about 12-15 inches across.

We spent the next hour digging out the snow, packing sticks & car mats under the tires, but one wheel was still too high to get any traction and would just spin, taking all the power away from the other tires.  We jacked up the car enough to get off the rock, but the one front tire was still in too deep to get us out.  Darkness was upon us.  It was time to walk.  There had been at least one home that looked like someone would be home.  Here is where we really felt foolish.  We teach others about emergency preparedness and survival planning, yet here we were wearing cotton jeans, no gloves (each of our jackets almost always have a pair of gloves) or hats, no emergency food or supplies, even though twice in the past 3 days we had been fully prepared for just such an event, but had taken everything out of the Suburban except for some water bottles and the snow shovels.  At least we had the presence of mind to bring some snow boots “just in case.”

Back at the main road, we saw evidence that the snow trax side-by-side had already returned from town, so we missed that potential rescue.  Two miles down, we found the only occupied home.  However, the shirtless guy eating his dinner & watching Star Trek had already helped at least 20 other idiots this winter and was not about to attempt another rescue, nor was he willing to give us a ride back to town where we could seek other help.  Three miles later walking steadily into a brisk wind, we picked up cell service and called a friend to come pick us up, planning to come back the next day with tire chains & another rig to pull the Suburban out of the ditch.  No activities were going on at the local church which was all locked up.  We found a home with lights on, knocked on the door and begged for a warm place to wait for our friend.  We were welcomed in by the lady and her two friendly dogs.  Awhile later, her husband arrived and offered to pull us out with his Ford F-350 PowerStroke.  I figured, if anything has the power, that big truck would do the job, if we could get back up there in the dark.  The light rear end and all-season radials made for a challenge getting back up the mountain, but we did manage and sure enough, were able to yank the Suburban out of the ditch and back onto the road only a little worse for the wear.

Trying to back down the road seemed a bit risky, so we shoveled out a driveway entrance and got the Suburban turned around and headed the right direction.  However, getting that huge F-350 turned around proved to be too much.  We soon found ourselves using the freshly rescued Suburban to pull the truck up out of the snow-filled ditch on the other side of the road, more than once.  With the truck stuck sideways with no traction and the Suburban on the uphill side of the road, we were facing another 5 mile walk back to town.  Fortunately, the Suburban had the power and traction needed to get the truck back onto the road.  Now, we just had to carefully back downhill without sliding into a ditch again, or worse, into a ravine that passed close to the roadway in one spot.  Once down and turned around, we headed back down the mountain and found Delia & our friend, Dave, waiting just beyond the snow in case we did have to make that walk.  No sooner than we got squared away, the storm arrived with a fury, unleashing sleet & snow for another late winter storm that left 4 – 6 inches of wet white stuff at home (and over a foot by that evening), which was probably a foot or more of fresh powder in Indianola.    Almost 7 hours after leaving, we were back in the safety & comfort of our home.

Lessons learned:

·         There is a difference between moving forward until you can progress no further (then having to backtrack) and getting stuck.  Wisdom is knowing when to turn around before you can’t avoid getting stuck.

·         Choose your spouse wisely.  When life’s challenges arise, or you get stuck in remote places, you might as well have your best friend by your side. 

·         Guys: listen to your wives.  They have wisdom and insight that trump your overconfidence.

·         Ladies: even with saying “I told you so”, you’re still stuck in the mud.  Nobody plans on getting stuck.

·         A large rock will hold you fast in a fixed position and keep you from being moved against all efforts to dislodge you.  Just like having your faith anchored on the rock of Christ will keep your faith solid in the face of social opposition.

·         Good friends will come to your rescue. Even if you ultimately don’t utilize their help, you still need them.

·         Some people suffer from compassion fatigue and no longer care about helping others in need.

·         The world is full of people who are unsympathetic to your problems and are unwilling to help you out.  Don’t assume that everyone falls into that category.  Give everyone the benefit of being a Good Samaritan and proving that there are still good people out there.  It simply may be the last house you come to.

·         Don’t begrudge those who are unwilling to help you.  You don’t know what life events led them to their decision.  You may just be interrupting their dinner & movie, or there may be deeper issues you do not see.

·         Good tires may trump a bigger truck.

·         Having confidence in your skills and trusting your gear is good.  That’s how we have courage to tackle hard things and take new adventures.  Just realize that ignoring common sense will lead to trouble in spite of your confidence & skills.

·         If you think you should buy snowchains, buy the snowchains…now, before you get stuck.

·         You cannot solve all of your problems by yourself.  You must seek help from others, even strangers.  Your problems may be designed to bless / teach not only you, but to give others an opportunity to show compassion.

·         Some problems cannot be prayed away.  God does not solve all your problems.  Sometimes you simply have to get down in the mud or walk 5 miles in a storm to find solutions.

·         “You are exactly where you deserve to be in life based on the decisions you have made up to this point in your life.” –Russell M. Nelson (paraphrased)

·         After being rescued, you may have to turn around and rescue the rescuer.

·         Emergencies often don’t arise when you are prepared for them, so try to be prepared at all times to deal with the unexpected.

·         If you have the gear & tools to get out of trouble, take them with you, even (especially?) when you don’t think you’ll need them.

·         Confidence simply means you don’t understand the seriousness of your current predicament.

·         You really do need to clear all obstacles before you can move forward freely.

·         Instead of cursing God for your misfortunes that are natural events of life and your own decisions, look for evidence of His hand holding back the rain & snow until you’ve freed yourself from your problems.  But don’t curse God even if He lets the rain & snow fall on you.  Someone else may be praying for rain.

Staying Warm Without Heat

How do you stay warm in wintry weather without a working furnace or fire?  Many events, unforeseen or as part of your daily life, may put you into situations of extreme cold in which you risk life-threatening hypothermia and/or frostbite if your aren't prepared.  Over the years, I've tried wool, down, fleece, and synthetic materials as I've gone on winter Klondikes with the Boy Scouts, or skiing & other winter activities with my family.  I've slept in tents and snow caves and camp trailers.  In most circumstances, those winter nights were miserable tests of endurance.  My wife & I zip our down sleeping bags together and have been much more comfortable.  However, recently we've discovered the benefits of foam clothing & sleeping bags.

Everyone should know by now that in wet winter weather, Cotton Kills!  It may be great and breathable in warm weather, but cotton sweatshirts and socks are your worst enemies in winter, especially as they get wet, even from just your own perspiration.  Many people find wool uncomfortable, although newer merino wool blends are as comfortable as cotton.  It even retains some insulation capacity if it gets wet.  Down is the ultimate in warmth, but is totally useless when wet.  New synthetic down or water-repellent down are great improvements and still very lightweight, but also very costly.  Regardless of the material, eventually it will absorb moisture and lose the ability to insulate you from the cold.  After 3-4 days, or even a full week, most of these need aired out so they can dry.

Foam, on the other hand has so many benefits.  For one, it can take the cold day after day for indefinite use.  You can jump into a frozen lake, squeeze out the water, go to bed under a tarp and not only stay warm, but wake up drier than when you went to bed.  Every year, groups of people spend an entire week on top of the mountain pass above Logan, Utah, in blizzard-like conditions, without any tents or campfires in clothing they made themselves from polyurethane foam.  They all remark how amazingly comfortable foam clothing & sleeping bags will keep them.

Jim Philips is the pioneer in developing this simple technology and has a lot of great resources on his website www.safeharboralliance.com.  He offers classes on how to make your own clothes and even offers ready-made clothing sets.  He explains that in an emergency, you can find foam in a lot of places that can be stuffed inside your clothes or wrapped around you and may just save your life if stranded away from home or are suddenly without working heaters at home.  Your carpeting has an underlayment of 1/2" foam.  Your car seats have thick foam as well.  If your alternative is to cut up your carpeting or car seat which will need replaced later versus freezing to death, from which you cannot recover, what will you do?  If you have time to plan ahead and secure a full set of foam clothing and sleeping bags before an emergency arrives, how much peace of mind will that provide you and your family?

Local entrepreneur, John Arbon, has taken these concepts even further with high-quality clothing under the brand Fortress Clothing, and four-season sleeping bag systems called Pakanuni.  Be aware that there is a waiting list for his sleeping bags.  You can find the clothing sets at some emergency preparedness conventions and online.  You can have these custom made or download patterns and just buy your foam and material from John (much cheaper than you'll find it anywhere else).  You can email him through his website, or contact me for his phone number.

Read the links below and watch the videos that demonstrate how foam out-performs even the most advanced winter sports gear on the market.

http://www.safeharboralliance.com/palstrade/

http://www.fortressclothing.com/

https://pakanuni.com/

Alternative Cooking

• Dutch Oven / Volcano: stewing, grilling, baking, broiling. Can cook virtually anything.  Outdoor use only.  Charcoal storage issues.
• Backpacking stoves: portable, lightweight, great for 2-4 people, limited to boiling / frying.  Fuel storage issues.  Carbon monoxide. White gas vs. butane vs. propane vs. multi-fuel (white gas, gasoline, aircraft fuel, kerosene, cooking oils)
• Butane camp stoves: 2 cases of fuel sufficient for family of 4 for 1 year. fuel storage issues.  Indoor use.
• Open camp fire: fuel storage, least efficient, fire hazard
• BBQ gas grill, Camp Chef burner: fuel storage.  Outdoor only.
• Fuel cubes.  Outdoor only.
• Rocket Stove.  Outdoor only.
• Sterno.  Outdoor only.
• Stove-in-a-Can.  Outdoor only.
• Buddy Burner.  Outdoor only.
• Alcohol Stove: denatured alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, HEET fuel line antifreeze.  Needs ventilation.
• Solar Oven / Cooker: DYI or commercial.  If you can see your shadow, you can cook.  Subject to weather and time of day.
• Parabolic Stove / Cooker: Sol Source.  Intense heat, free energy.  Subject to weather and time of day.
• Wood Gas.  Outdoor only.
• Biolite Stove: charge your cell phone while cooking food.  Outdoor only.
• Kelly Kettle. Outdoor only.

Considerations:

• How much fuel can you legally and safely store?  Check local regulations and homeowner insurance policy.
• Will starving roaming marauders or hungry neighbors be attracted by the aroma / open flame?
• Do you have alternative options in case one method fails?
• Is it portable?
• Is your energy source renewable / replenishable?
• What is your cost of investment? …of operation?
• Does everyone in your family know how to (safely) operate it?
• Can it be dual purpose?
• Can you use it indoors?

Alternative Heating

Choose your favorite flavor of disaster. Earthquake, EMP, blizzard, prolonged unemployment, tornado, grid-down, TEOTWAWKI. Power is down. Furnace won't work. Now imagine that it's the coldest winter in 20 yrs. What are you going to do to keep you and your family warm? Do you want to burn every stick of furniture that you've invested in over the years? Are there even enough trees in Utah to supply everyone's home that is now in the same deep freeze as you? Here are a few ideas that can provide some warmth aside from snuggling the whole family together in one bed.

• Mr. Heater, Big Buddy, Little Buddy: safe for indoor use. Fuel storage issues
• Coleman tent heater: carbon monoxide? Fuel storage issues
• Propane / Kerosene space heaters: carbon monoxide? Fuel storage issues
• Foam clothing: the shelter & bedding that you wear. DIY or purchase.
• Heat only limited living spaces. Close off unnecessary areas. Layer clothing.
• Wood stove / fireplace: it literally takes a woodpile the size of your house (or living space) to heat for one year.
• Pellet stove: fuel pellet storage. Will it run in a power outage?
• Wood Gas / Rocket Stove: requires proper venting
• GeoThermal
• Solar Water Heater: a warm shower or wash water is wonderful.

Considerations:

• Before you go wild, keep in mind that it is easier to hide the fact that you still have food than it is to hide the fact that your have a way to keep your house warm.
• How much fuel can you safely and legally store?  Check local regulations and homeowner insurance policy.
• Can you use it indoors without risk of carbon monoxide poisoning?
• Is it portable in case of evacuation?
• How cold is the worst-case scenario?  How long might the worst-case scenario last?
• How large an area do you really need to heat and for how much of the day?
• What type of shelter are you heating: home, a room, a small space, tent, tarp, trailer, cave?
• Does everyone in your family know how to (safely) operate it?

Alternate Lighting

What do you do during a power outage?  My kids see it as an adventure and a chance to light some candles.  Now, what do you do if that lasts for several days?  What if it could last for weeks, or even indefinitely.  A little light on a dark night can bring peace to frightened children.  It can provide a safer pathway to the bathroom or garage in the middle of the night.  It can provide security (or perhaps increase your risks) by illuminating your surroundings.

Here are a few lighting options to consider.

• Candles, Oil Lamps, Kerosene Lamps: can you operate them safely? Fuel storage?
•  Flashlights: storing / recharging batteries, solar, LED?
•  Propane / butane / Coleman Lanterns: Fuel storage, extra mantels, carbon monoxide concerns
•  Solar lights: low energy use, costly investment but indefinitely (?) reuseable, not EMP proof.  Roof top vs. portable.
•  Glow sticks, phosphorescent paint: limited uses
•  Gas / Diesel / Propane Generator: don’t expect to run your entire house.  Select limited circuits & appliances.
• Solar LED bulbs in your home fixtures.
• Thermocouple generator
• Wind or Water Generator

Considerations

• How much fuel can you legally and safely store?  Check local regulations and homeowner’s insurance policy.
• Will the sound or light emission attract undesired attention from neighbors or roaming marauders?
• Do you have more than one option as back-up?
• Portability.
• Is there a fire or carbon monoxide hazard in using it?
• Start-up investment vs. cost of operation?
• Legal issues: reverse power surge into local utility lines, HOA rules?
• Does everyone in your family know how to (safely) operate it?

Prepared vs. Primitive

One principle of life that we all can agree on is that tomorrow always comes and that bad things do happen. 

With that in mind, we can plan our preparedness efforts according to what is the worst case scenario that we might face given the likelihood of risks around us.  The level of that preparedness will determine whether we will face the unexpected event as an adventure or resort to dealing with the problem in a more primitive method.

Take a couple simple common occurrences for examples.  Do you have a jack & spare tire in your car for the unexpected flat on the highway?  (Is that not a form of emergency preparedness?)  Do you know how to use the jack and other tools to change the tire?  Is the spare tire inflated?  If you are properly prepared, you deal with the flat as an inconvenience and get back on the road.  You might even use those resources to help someone else in need that was less prepared.  On the other hand, if you are not adequately prepared, and nobody else comes to your rescue, you are left with the most primitive mode of transportation: namely walking (what sort of shoes are you wearing right now?).

In February, 2015, a bitter snowstorm left over 160,000 residents of Georgia without power for several days.  How often does that happen in the Deep South?  Depending on your resources, you might have a generator to restore at least some lights and run the furnaces, perhaps even the refrigerator.  A kerosene heater or wood stove might heat one room where everyone can huddle together for warmth.  A solar generator could provide some lighting, and run a radio or a couple small appliances.  A camp stove would enable you to heat some soup.  If you are less prepared, you may only have a few candles, a flashlight with no spare batteries, and inadequate winter clothing to enable going outside for more than a few minutes before risking hypothermia.  Your day may begin and end with the rising and setting of the sun just like it did for the Pioneers.

Can you afford to be wrong in your emergency preparations & planning? Some people have the attitude that nothing serious is going to happen, at least not to them. If that is your belief, you had better be absolutely certain that you are right, because if you are wrong, you are in big trouble.  However, if you plan for the worst and you are wrong (ie. nothing happens, or only minor problems arise), No Problem! You have your gear and resources for another day or for a great camping trip!  Can you see the difference?  On one hand it’s OK to be wrong, while on the other hand there is only disaster and tragedy.

The Principle of the Parachute says:

·         You must have a parachute before you need a parachute

·         You must have your parachute with you when you need it

·         Your parachute must be in working condition when you need it

·         Your parachute should be made of the highest quality materials

·         You need to know how to use your parachute and have practiced using it before hand so that you can use it properly during an emergency

·         Your parachute needs to have been packed by a trustworthy parachute packer

Emergency Preparation Baby Steps

Baby Step #1:  Plan for a short-term emergency

·        Build a 72-Hr Emergency Kit

·        Get a 2 week supply of fresh water

·        Build up a 3 week supply of food that you eat every day

·        Buy a water filter

·        Build an emergency supply of cash, in small bills and even coin

Baby Step #2: Prepare your vehicle

·        Put an emergency kit in your car

·        Don’t forget the water

·        Get in the habit of keeping the tank full, never let it go below half-full

·        Keep decent tires on the car

·        Can it get your family where you need to go in an evacuation emergency

·        Do you need 4WD?

Baby Step #3: Get smart about potential disasters

·        Do a disaster inventory of your community, 5 mile radius, 10-20 mile radius, 50 mile radius

·        Weather events

·        Natural disasters

·        Manmade disasters

·        Socioeconomic disasters

·        Political crises

·        Personal catastrophes

Baby Step #4: Get home, no matter what

·        Have an emergency Get Home kit at work

·        Include good walking shoes

·        Plan for the worst inclement weather you might face

·        Who will pick up the kids and care for them if you can’t get home?

Baby Step #5 Develop a survival mindset

·        Become familiar with the prophecies

·        Study the scriptures and warnings of the latter-day prophets

·        Be willing to obey the prophet with faith, no matter what, but not blindly

·        Be aware of current events, even those not in the regular news, and how they fit into fulfillment of prophecy

·        Work toward getting out of debt

·        Gradually build your food storage to 30 days, 90 days, 6 mos., 1 yr.

Clothing: the Personal Shelter That You Wear

November's Mapleton Ready class was all about Staying Warm in Winter, featuring Jim Phillips.

Everything you have learned about staying warm in winter may be wrong!  Layering works great, while you are active & moving. What about when you stop moving?  Moisture builds up between these layers and rob you of your body heat.  Is there a better way?  Is about more than just the right clothes, but understanding the principles of staying warm.

For almost fifty years Jim has been a pioneer in outdoor living, winter camping and arctic survival.  With his broad technical background he has developed proven methods and equipment for surviving the harshest climates on earth.  In 1989 he was awarded Popular Science Magazines "Best of What's New" for his arctic clothing technology designs.  He has since been featured in a variety of magazines including: ThermoSphere , Camping Journal, The Mother Earth News, Boys' Life, Scouting, Alaska, Popular Mechanics, Sports Illustrated and Fortune.  He's also the only man I know of that's cut a hole in a frozen lake, jumped in, then survived without fire and shelter for several days, twice!

This YouTube video on Weather Happens is essentially the presentation Jim gave in class (it's over an hour long, but full of great information).

Sadly, there are few resources for getting outfitted.  However, there are a couple local people offering custom made winter clothing using the Phillips Arctic Living (PAL) principles.   You can also make your own with some creativity.  Among the links is a DVD for sale that teaches you how to make your own.  Keep checking back on this blog for updates on group purchase options or classes that are in the works.

Here are some other links on information from Jim's years of research, including notes and videos.

Safe Harbor Alliance

Winter Without Worries

 

Thermal Johns

Thermal Johns Freezer Test

PALS Mukluks

How to sew foam clothing DVD

“If you’re prepared, emergencies turn into an opportunity to have an adventure.” That was the message given at November ‘s Mapleton Ready seminar on cold weather preparedness.

“Winter is an ally, not an enemy,” said Jim Phillips, a nationally-recognized expert on cold weather clothing and survival. “If there’s ever an emergency or a pandemic, don’t go to a warm place – quarantine in an igloo. In winter, there’s plenty of water. Cold weather tends to eliminate hazards such as street gangs, flies, and mosquitoes. And it slows the spread of disease.”

Winter brings dangers too, of course: discomfort, hypothermia, frostbite, to name a few. But the good news is that these dangers can be minimized with proper preparation. “You can’t guarantee that you’ll always have a source of heat,” Mr. Phillips said. "But you can prepared by understanding how to conserve heat; having a source of backup heat; reducing the need for heat; and most important of all, having the proper cold weather clothing. In a cold weather emergency, don’t expect to continue the same lifestyle you’re used to. It won’t be practical to heat your whole home indefinitely. But there are ways to keep warm.”

To conserve heat, you can prepare your home now by adding insulation, insulation, storm windows, etc. In an emergency, you can cordon off rooms with plastic sheeting and duct tape so that you only have a small area to heat. “Now is the time to get the plastic sheeting. Look for clear, 4 mil plastic.”

Sources of backup heat include various fuels such as wood, propane, white gas, etc., plus alternative options such as solar heating. “Be very aware of safety issues, especially if there are children in the home. Combustion poses hazards such as burning and carbon dioxide poisoning. Understand the fuel you are using and how to use it safely.”

“Auxiliary heating isn’t really practical for the long-term, and sometimes not even for the short term,” said Mr. Phillips. “The most practical, affordable, and reliable solution isn’t to try and keep your house warm – it’s to keep yourself warm. You can do that with the right clothing. Clothing is your personal portable shelter. To use it effectively, you need understand how to stay warm and dry."

“Layers have their advantages, but they will fail in extreme weather, partly because moisture is trapped between the layers. A monolayer system is best for extremes.”

He then went on to explain Phillips Arctic Living System (PALS) clothing – foam clothing with a synthetic shell. “You can make winter clothing that will outperform anything you can buy. You’ll need 1/2″ or 1″ open cell polyurethane foam for insulation, and polyester or nylon fabric for the outer shell. Never use cotton – it becomes death cloth in cold weather, because it traps moisture. Also, never use coated or sealed (waterproof) fabrics – they keep water out, but they also keep water in.” There are various ways to make the PALS clothing, but in a pinch, you can even “roll and stuff” the foam behind your current clothing.

“Just having the right ‘stuff’ isn’t enough,” Mr. Phillips concluded. “You need to also have experience and confidence. Test whatever emergency solution you’re relying on ahead of time. For example, dress in your winter clothing and then go spend the night outside on a lawn chair. If you can’t make it, then come back and change your solution. Practical experience is key.”

 

Also, a quick re-cap on LDS underclothing options for staying warm in the winter.

100% Nylon Mesh will keep you the driest.

100% Nylon Drisilque because of it's very tight weave slows moisture passing through and will also feel more "clingy" when wet.

100% Polyester Thermax as the name implies is the warmest feeling when dry, however,  because of its thick dense weave it will retain and hold more moisture longer.

Dri-Lux 85% Polyester / 15% cotton and Carinessa II 91% polyester / 9% spandex retain some moisture but dry much quicker than cotton so if you can't live without the cotton feel either of these may work better for you.

Any of the 50/50 cotton blends retain even more moisture and of course 100% cotton is the most absorbent of all and should not be worn in cold weather.

Bottom line, your underclothing is to help you stay dry by keeping moisture away from your skin.  100% Nylon Mesh is likely your best bet but before you buy a whole bunch you may want to just try one to be sure you can live with the feel.  Many find they love it and wish they had been wearing these all along, but it may not work for all.

Incidentally, the same applies to warm weather and will help you feel drier instead of moist and clammy.

Hope this helps.

Derek Haynie

derek@MapletonReady.org

+1 (801) 491-1111

Life's an Adventure . . Are You Ready?®