Hello, I've got some questions today, hope you don't mind them being all in one post. Forgive me if they are silly:

1. Do I need to protect my dust masks from being crushed or exposed to air in order to preserve their filtering powers? If so, why is that?

2. I saw the earlier thread on carrying soap to clean dishes, but I'm still wondering: is it safe to use simple cleansing wipes to clean dishes? Does it depend on what the pot/utensils are made of (chemical reactions)?

3. Do you ever feel that if you are the only one in your neighborhood/family/friends circle who is knowledgable and prepared, you must accept the responsibility to help others if something happens? If a bugging-out scenario was to occur in your area, would you immediately get out of Dodge (alone or with immediate family), or stick around a bit to assist unprepared friends or neighbors before leaving (even if it made it more dangerous for you)? I guess I'm just wishing that my family would take more of an interest, in case something happens to me, and I could let them go ahead while I stayed to help.

I don't have an opinion on 1 and 2, but as far as bugging out goes I think if you have kids then you think of them first and get them out of there. Childless people or people with grown children probably have a lot more latitude.

I would stay and help but that's just me.

Regards, Vince

1.) You should protect the dust masks from beeing crushed. When they are crushed the fit on the face may suffer. This would bypass the filter system. If the filter is of the sponge type crushing it will deform it over time. As the distance through the sponge is shortened the filter power is reduced.
2.) Using the wipes may leave residue which will alter the taste of your food. Good rinsing would be called for. Apart from that soap is cheaper.
3.) If it´s a real bugout scenario I´d be gone real fast. I would not try to encourage others to stay there for a longer time. If they don´t have it ready to grab and go, they can´t take it with them. Being a member of St. John´s I would report for duty a come back though.

Christina:

Re. 2: In an outdoor situation, soap for dishes is overrated in my opinion. Food preparation and eating utensils should be stainless steel, licked clean, and rubbed with what ever is available to get out what you can't eat. If you are worried about germs, just put the food side of the utensil facing a fire for a few minutes to burn off any nasties.

Re. 3: I've said it before, and I'll say it again, you can't save the world at the last minute. Friends and aquaintances would be abandoned because they were too stupid to believe and prepare. Loved ones and family would probably tug at the heartstrings so strongly that I would attempt to save them.

The final decision is yours.

Bountyhunter

So much depends on the actual scenario. If it's really a bug out situation, then I'm gone.
But I'll be back, and with reenforcements. I would guess that most bug out events are
temporary. Wait until the event is over (hurricane, anyone?) then bring supplies and help
with you when you return.

'Bugging out' How many survival pundits have actually been a buggee? Their gushing altruistic comments are more paranoid buggers. Obviously, the recent tsunami demonstrated one option of immediate action-RUN. A program on Pompeii recently demonstrated how even ships, people previously fled 10 miles into the country and even across the water still died. The fact is, even cataclismic events are often handled by staying put until it is safe to evacuate in an orderly fashion, if at all. More people die from being crushed trying to escape burning buildings than from smoke inhalation. My great grandmother ducked under the desk I am typing on during the Great San Francisco 'quake, as did my grandmother in the Northridge quake. People died or suffered injury in both events by running outside. People talk of some post apocalyptic social breakdown. Looting, price gouging and similar acts do occur. But, people also help each other. A BOB is usefull if you need to evacuate your immediate area and emergency resources aren't readilly available. It's not a lifeboat with oars to beat others off to keep from swamping.

Regarding #2, you could use a multi-use product like the following:

Dr. Bronner's Liquid Soap

or

Camp Suds

HTH

I think Max did a good job covering #1 and #2 so no point in me just basically repeating what he said. On #3, I'm outta there.

More specifically, In any serious disaster situation, whether bugging in, out or all about <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I am concerned about myself and my son and I feel that any distraction from that is a risk to him and/or myself. I'm simply not willing to risk my son's well being for anyone else, period. If I had no child then that would be another story and I 'may' be more willing to help others, but even then it would only be close friends and/or family members. I'd love to help everyone in need all the time, but not at the risk of those that I love and certainly not at the risk of the one (my son) I love more than the rest of the entire world combined. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Just my humble opinion. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Soap is a wetting agent. It makes water wetter, thus helping to disolve dirt and food particles. Normal soap has no disinfecting agents or antibiotic properties. Clean off as much crud as possible and pasturize / sterilize in very hot or boiling water and whatever is left will not harm you.

Turbo:

Out in the "boonies", water is too precious a commodity to waste cleaning dishes. Cut out the "middle man" and put the dishes in the fire!

Bountyhunter

Bountyhunter,

I agree with you. But I was replying to the question of soap and I assumed they were using water anyway.

For some reason, alot of backpackers and those who use MREs use plastic or lexan spoons, so putting it into the fire also has the benifit cleaning their clock.

You like to eat soot? <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

In reply to #3. Living in CA. there is really no excuse for being un-prepared. As far as stopping to help someone, there are only a few people that I'd stop to help if that risked my life or the lives of my family.
Dave

Yeah? After Charlie, you couldn't find a generator _anywhere_. Returning buggees brought with
them a generator purchased north of the Florida-Georgia border. Could have sold it for 2x-3x what they
paid for it.

Hurricanes may be a special case, though. We have warning days in advance. In sudden onset
bugout-type situations, staying put makes a lot more sense. Hurricanes are all I have
direct experience with, though.

I tend to agree with the idea of sticking around. After all, for the most part, you are already familiar with the area, know where certain supplies can be found (yours and other's) and would have the convenience of all the supplies/tools/weapons that you might not be able to take with you in a bug out scenario.
I also think it would be easier to defend a known area, your home and immediate vacinity, than to risk the "getaway" route(s) that will be used by so many unprepared individuals. The risks would appear to be greater if you were to leave, not only in personal danger, but the idea of blocked roads and unusable escape routes.
Help others? Yes, I feel I would, but there are also those that I might not. There is safety in numbers.

However, there are a number of things that could change ones mind. I know if 1/4 (1/10th?) of the population of the LA basin decided to bug out at the same time, "road anarchy" would prevail. Road rage would take on a new level of inhumanity; I can only imagine the number of weapons that would be carried in a bug out scenario and not necessarily in the hands of the best trained or most stable individuals.

Depending on your location and the size of the local population, defending your own turff sounds like it would make more sense.