Disaster Preparedness

Take measure of your overall surroundings and behaviors of nearby people if it is safe to do so.

• Ask yourself: “What resources do I have access to?”, “What do I need?”, “Where do I go to get what I need?”, “What don’t I need?” A clear list of essentials is vital to making a solid survival plan.
• A basic list would include^[1] :
  • Water
  • Bar soap
  • AM/FM radio (HAM radios work well for communicating with others as well.)
  • Canned food (including a manual can opener)
  • Space blanket
  • First aid kit (with waterproof bandages, rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, sutures, etc.)

Consider storing 2 weeks to 3 months supply of items that will make your life easier during a period of social breakdown.^[2] If you are stockpiling supplies or hoarding food, you may not want to make it publicly known. You don’t want everyone converting your house into the new local grocery store.

• Warm and moisture-wicking clothing is essential even if you live in the warmest climate where the temperature and weather changes erratically. You can still get sick from getting wet and not changing into dry clothing as soon as possible.^[3]
  • Relying on electricity or natural gas to stay warm and dry is not recommended as it may become unavailable for weeks.
    
    
• Safe sources of water may fail for any number of reasons. Of course, your hot water heater is one source of drinking water but it may be filled with sediment. Consider storing water in food grade containers in case of an emergency. 5 gallon (18.9 L) containers can be moved if needed. 55 gallon (208.2 L) barrels are great but impossible to move during an emergency. Store 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water per person per day. A family of 4 will need at least 120 gallons (454.2 L) to survive 30 days.^[4]
• Avoid storing water or other materials in dairy jugs as the dairy residue can be hard to wash out and break down faster than non-dairy jugs. Try using an empty water jug or a well-washed plastic container instead.^[5]
  
  
• Sanitation: You’re warm and have plenty to drink. The next essential is staying clean or sickness can and will spread rapidly. If there is no water pressure, the toilet can be flushed by dumping a gallon of water into the bowl after use. Try to use old dish washing or bathing water. Don’t waste your drinking water. If there is no water or functioning sewage systems nearby, establish a latrine or a waste bucket far from sleeping, eating, and common areas without plenty of ventilation. Use a bit of that drinking water to wash hands. It is worth it to stay healthy.
  
  
• Defense: Often, in social breakdowns, there are people who may be very dangerous and violent due to the lack of law enforcement. One must defend what resources they have from theft. During the 1992 Los Angeles riots, Korean business owners were able to defend their businesses with firearms from being looted and burned by rioters. Owning a weapon and sufficient ammunition may be critical for survival. Also, one must know how to maintain and use the weapon in case a situation might arise. Just make sure that the weapon is legal and if applicable, registered.
  
  

Consolidate your immediate support networks: friends, close coworkers, family, and neighbors.

• No man is an island; it is crucial to remain connected to a community if one is to survive a breakdown of government. Make sure that your loved ones are safe by keeping them close by and in contact.

Venture out to procure your needed supplies.

• Be aware: in the immediate aftermath of a disastrous breakdown of the social order, if you are in an urban area, there will likely be many, many people looking for the same thing. Looting will be rampant and widespread, and in the chaos, you may not be able to reach your ideal supply centers.
  
  
• Have contingencies in mind: cast your net wide, but locally. Do not venture too far from your base of operations in search of needed supplies, and if other people are willing to fight or kill you for it, back away. The key is to be adaptable and to survive.
  
  

Having secured your supplies, it will be time to consolidate things back at home. This will call for you to become an effective leader: oftentimes even a well-prepared group can break down due to internal tensions.

• Keep a level head and try to be fair and impartial in dealing with difficult or stressful situations between people.
  
  
• You will all be under a great deal of stress: try to encourage stress-relieving activities, such as plenty of exercise, board games and puzzles, reading, and investing time in learning useful practical skills.
  
  
• Delegate resources efficiently and according to need. Although some will obviously want special treatment, remember to keep in mind that your resources are limited. If necessary, use triage.
  
  
• Give everyone a useful task. Idle hands are the devil’s plaything.
  
  
• Resolve arguments before they can occur. If you sense tension or anxiety growing between two people, try to get the issue out into the open before it can turn into a potentially deadly confrontation.
  
  
• If conflicts are unavoidable, try first negotiating a compromise: speak to each person involved on a personal basis — don’t try to be a dictator. Calm spirits by speaking in a firm, but soothing tone. If the situation continues to degenerate, get friendly, neutral parties to restrain the combatants.