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#12878 - 02/13/03 10:40 PM My first kit - suggestions?
Anonymous
Unregistered


Well, I've been reading up on preparing a disaster kit for myself and I wanted to post it and get some suggestions.

I live by myself in Washington DC and do not have a car so leaving the area if something were to happen is probably not an option. My main worry is terrorism since I feel like I live in probably the largest target in the world. So, I tried to prepare a kit that would allow me to hunker down for 3 days or so without water or power.

My kit:
Various canned foods - I bought all items that do not need cooking/water
Can opener
4 gallons of bottled water
Maglite flashlight
AM/FM Radio
Batteries and spare batteries for radio and flashlight
Couple of cigarette lighters
scissors
AMA first aid kit with first aid manual (it has all of the items suggested on this website)
Pastic sheeting, duct tape and N95 masks (I realize that these are probably a little over the top the more I am reading about it, but they did not cost me much and I am going to carry one of the masks with me in my work bag as I use the subway a lot and live downtown)
Swiss army style knife
Soap
Bleach
toilet paper
Plastic bags (for various uses plus for waste if necessary)
I have enough clothes and blankets in the apartment for warmth
Spam <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

This is all I have right now. I was wondering about the wisdom of getting:
some sturdy gloves?
potassium iodine?
water purification items like tablets?

I also wanted to learn more about getting some basic survival skills and was wondering if you guys could recommend any basic, easy to use books.

Thanks a lot for your help


Edited by flashman (02/13/03 10:40 PM)

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#12879 - 02/13/03 11:51 PM Re: My first kit - suggestions?
Schwert Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 03/13/02
Posts: 905
Loc: Seattle, Washington
I would increase the water to 6 gallons minimum up to about 10 gallons if possible. Rotate this water on some sort of schedule. My wife and I keep 21 gallons of water which we rotate every 6 months.

Heavy leather gloves are a good idea for moving rubble etc.

Otherwise it looks like you have a good start. My kits are never done, always in a state of flux.

A pump type water filter would be a good addition allowing you to filter other sources of water. You can also use Toilet tank water, hot water heater, filled tubs etc as additional fall back storage.

A small bottle of bleach is a good addition.

Check out Doug's literature reviews for many books.

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#12880 - 02/14/03 01:37 AM Re: My first kit - suggestions?
AyersTG Offline
Veteran

Registered: 12/10/01
Posts: 1272
Loc: Upper Mississippi River Valley...
First, kudos for making reasonable preparations for emergencies. I have been in your metro area and city before, during, and after severe weather episodes in both summer and winter and my firsthand observations are that most folks in your area are not very prepared for "normal" emergencies... but that folks seem to open up and share information and resources pretty freely.

Transportation by personal vehicle was worse than horrible in all the storms I was there for. The Metro pretty much worked fine, but it doesn't go everywhere, so either good maps or good local knowledge were important to me (I had some of each; enough info manage). I did more walking than I normally would have - a few miles during one storm - because local road transportation was so messed up.

If you usually travel using public transportation, you may want to invest in two sets of decent maps - perhaps laminated ones (one for at home and one for your commuter kit). I find that I less well know my way around cities that I use public trans in VS actually driving myself. I suggest that you include at least a larger scale map (or several smaller maps) of outlying regions as well just in case you find it better to move away from your abode rather than towards it. If you're not possessed with an inate sense of local direction (N-S-E-W), then even an inexpensive compass that will orient you and your map to the world could be invaluable. Some of us have a direction "bump" and some don't... figure out which you are.

Eye protection? Walking into something in gloom or dark with an eye is at best very painful and can be essentially incapacitating. I prefer a clear hardshell set like shop or industrial glasses with UV protection (they usually can be fitted correctly over prescription eyewear, but check), but I do not have a deep "urban canyon" mindset. If you work/dwell in the urban canyons, perhaps some sort of dust goggles might be more to the point (they are bulkier and very conspicuous). I'd keep eyeprotection in your commuter kit.

I do not know what your N95 masks are, so cannot comment on those.

Personally, I would not be very pleasant if I did not receive an occassional infusion of tepid-to-hot coffee or tea, and I get cranky if I don't see a warm bit of food every few days, so you may want to consider some sort of inexpensive means to warm a little water or food. An unopened can of food can be safely warmed by putting it in a pan of boiling water (never directly over a heat source unless it is pierced or opened). Try this out on your apartment stove some evening - a saucepan of water set to boil with a can of whatever pleases your palate set in it - you'll find out how long you need to leave a can of that size in the boiling water. Label off, first... the water is perfectly useable for washing or making a beverage (even just hot water is good if it is chilly outside). Worst case you get a little glue gunk in the water and with a little practice you learn to avoid even that.

There are a number of posts here about what sort of heat/light/stove solutions are "best" - read at your own risk, LoL! But a 4 pack of large Sterno cans and a little experimentation at your leisure won't cost much more than your time. After that, go back and read the posts again... along those lines, a few candles and a safe way to employ them would be another inexpensive bit of kit to lay in. "Tea Candles" are very cheap and OK for indoors use, although they are not the best solution. Again, try them out first (probably cost you a buck for a package of 12) - spend a "normal" evening at home without using your electric lights and decide if they are good enough for you. Actually, two evenings in a row will give you a better perspective - expectations and needs sort themselves out better after the first trial.

A gallon per day is a little light in your summer climate. Two gallons per day is enough for short term - enough to drink and a little for personal hygene.

If it is possible that you would lose water for flushing (your scenarios and location - I cannot guess), you need to figure out how to deal with waste elimination. Urine is simple to deal with. Solid waste should get more than a casual thought. A simple solution is a used 5 gallon plastic bucket lined with several appropriate-sized garbage bags. Make a "lid" for it (as simple as a few thicknesses of corrugated cardboard with plastic taped over the side that faces down). Try to reserve the "can" for solid elimination only and replace the lid when not in use (weight the lid down with whatever is handy). You will KNOW when it is time to carefully remove the inner bag (or inner two bags if you are paranoid about leakage)... Carry the bag out and dispose/stash it somewhere "safe". If you are bored and have the cardboard, you can make a "conventional" seat for it, but carboard seats are hard to keep sanitary. The time to try a seat out is NOT when you need one - I'd do a "dry run" before there is anything nasty in the liner bags... and (I hate to mention it) - if you ever do get into a temporary survival mode, pay particular attention to personal hygene with regard to washing up after elimination. Dehydration from a GI aliment can kill a person almost overnight.

I would add a 6 pack of 20 oz GatorAdi or Sport drink to your stash and keep one or two in your commuter kit. The bottles are portable and make great "free" canteens or water bottles. There's even a nifty groove around which one can tie/duct tape a loop of cord or strip of cloth to allow you to sling the bottles from your shoulder.

Your duct tape and plastic sheeting have many many uses - don't feel awkward about having purchased those. While I have informed and spectualtive reservations about sealing myself up in a room with plastic sheeting (respiration and transpiration), the combination of plastic sheeting and duct tape has so many other useful applications that it would drive MacGiver insane... besides, did you see the carnage wrought by dust in apartments in NYC? Gee, it might even be useful for sealing things up after all (but with me outside, LoL)...

Er, is your knife sharp? Is it a good quality knife or a knock-off? Can you carry it in your commuter bag or is that a security/legal issue for you? A good Victorinox (my choice) or Wenger (also good) is not very expensive and a cheap knife is no bargain.

Look, I don't mean to drone on. Please continue to ask your questions!

Regards,

Tom


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#12881 - 02/14/03 05:58 AM Re: My first kit - suggestions?
Hutch66 Offline
new member

Registered: 10/12/02
Posts: 148
Loc: Virginia, USA
Looks like a good start. You might think of adding a good quality fixed blade knife. There's a million and one posts on this forum about these. You'll probably want to get a sharpener too. I have a $2 idiot proof one from Target that puts a shaving edge on my folder, so at that price, why not? Also some 550 cord would be useful. If you can't fix it with para cord and duct tape, it probably can't be fixed.

Now before I go any further, let me say that I'm not a doctor nor do I have any expertise in the medical field besides being a basic first aid instructor, I'm simply relaying what I've read. Potassium Iodide, as I understand it, used to prevent the types of radiation complications that occour from fallout from a nuclear blast or a meltdown at a nuclear power plant, not a radiological dispersion device, or "dirty bomb." I think the nearest nuclear plant is down in Lake Anna, and if a nuclear bomb blows up downtown, well, we've got bigger problems <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Hope this helps.

Take care,
Chris.

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#12882 - 02/14/03 06:02 AM Links
Hutch66 Offline
new member

Registered: 10/12/02
Posts: 148
Loc: Virginia, USA
PC2K had this link on a post of his, and I found it very interesting. Good discussion of the "dirty bomb" under "Weapons of Mass Disruption"

Chris.

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#12883 - 02/14/03 06:23 AM Re: My first kit - suggestions?
Anonymous
Unregistered


Along with everyone's excellent sugestions...I would recommend a crowbar for escape, rescue, and if it comes down to it, a weapon. Also, I want to stress what others have already mentioned...getting some leather palmed gloves, a good fixed blade knife, and some sort of water purification method. Oh...and if you're planning on eating that Spam...get some Maalox! <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

-John McIntire

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#12884 - 02/14/03 10:02 AM Re: My first kit - suggestions?
johnbaker Offline
old hand

Registered: 01/17/02
Posts: 384
Loc: USA
fm,

In addition to all of the other fine recommendations:

1. Do a search on this site for $50 survival equipment test, or something like that (I'm sorry, I just don't remember). It was about the middle of last year.

2. Make sure you have enough blankets for your household assuming you have no heating.

3. Do look into a genuine Victorinox/Wenger SAK with lots of tools they start in the $10+ bracket (i.e., well under $20). And don't forget an inexpesive knife sharpener. WallyWorld has a good $5 Ezelap diamond rod (well at least I like it & have it in our BOBs).

4. I know Tom already mentioned this but do be sure to get a compass & some maps of your region. You never know when you'll decide you need to leave it.

5. Be sure to get alternate heating/cooking/lighting equipment & supplies.

6. You can add SW radio capability to AM/FM for about $50 more or less at Radio Shack.

7. Get a few more butane disposible cigarette lighters.

Good luck & God bless,

John

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#12885 - 02/14/03 04:57 PM Re: My first kit - suggestions?
Anonymous
Unregistered


Sounds like you have a good start and have received a lot of good suggestions.

Some other things that I always have for fixing everything:
Duct tape ( flat roll of about 30 ft is easy to carry in a coat pocket or pants pocket.)
Heavy coat-hanger wire (not the flimsy white painted ones but the heavy green ones)
Strong nylon thread and needle (some prefer dental floss over thread because it has more uses)
Zip-ties - Get a wide assortment of lengths ( These will make expedient shelter truely expedient not to mention a million other things that don't require the thermal properties of the coat-hangers.)
Vise grips
Leatherman wave or other plier equipped multi-tool
Big contractor grade garbage bags
Gallon ZipLocks
Cordage (this is soooo handy that I always carry 200 foot of cord with me fits in my other back pocket to balance my fat wallet)

I find it helps to think in terms of needs and scenarios.
Needs first because they are very similar in all scenarios

For urban settings this seems like a decent list of things you may want to add and may be a good price though I haven't finished my comparison shopping yet.

Water
You can only carry so much of this - it is heavy. You can store quite large quantities though and should. If you are staying at home you will want enough for consumption and hand-washing as a minimum. You can probably forego bathing for a while. The general recomendation is between 1 and 2 gallons per day per person. More if you will be dealing with extreme exertion or extreme heat. You will run out! Faster if you are on the move but you will run out. Have a means of purifying water. A good filter is best when combined with boiling. Chemicals for disinfecting water are decent against bio hazards but useless against chemicals. Boiling requires a stove and fuel. Filters will clogg at somepoint but a decent one will provide tens of thousands of gallons of filtration.

Shelter
If you are staying at home this is taken care of. If you can take your vehicle then you have something but might want a tent as well and a destination. If you are walking you will want something light but adequate - minimal would be a contractor grade large garbage bag.

Food
if your food will need cooking then this category will also require cooking and cleaning supplies - this greatly complicates things. If you need to cook in an apartment building then you will have to add fire suppressants to your needs ( not a bad thing to have around for other reasons) Acquiring food in an urban setting is not as easy or as well received by your neighbors as in the country. Hunting with a .22 rifle you could probably harvest your fill of pigeons, gulls and squirells in an urban park for the first few days until everyone did it and then nothing would be left. But you would probably be removed form this activity immediately by concerned citizens or LEO's. OTOH a simple box trap and some popcorn/crackers/crusty bread/other available garbage and you can quietly gather all of the above types of food in a corner of the park that might be less visible and no-one would be concerned.

Go to a park some afternoon and practice traping and releasing with a simple box trap. As long as you are not killing but traping and releasing you will probably not run far afoul of the LEO's doing this. (box trap design - Card-board box about 10" cubed, stick proping up one end with string attached for you to pull, popcorn bait for pigeons and nuts for squirells. put the bait around and under the box and wait. The domesticated pigeons and squirrells will blithly wander under the box after the bait and you pull the stick. Not so hard.) This doesn't work in rural areas because the animals haven't been domesticated and are suspiscious of humans trying to feed them under a box.

Miscellaneous tools
This is where the fun comes in. Generally a SAK or leatherman will be helpful. You will also want a can opener and spoon. Even if you didn't stock up on canned foods you will probably be able to find some in the rubble if you are in an urban environment. If the can is un-opened then it is good. If you are in an urban environment the wire saw will not be as useful as the crow-bar / wreking bar. Bolt cutters and strong wire cutters capable of opening chain-link fencing would also be helpful. (I am not suggesting burglaring but rather when buildings collapse you may need to exit through obstacles such as locked doors and fencing.) In a rural environment the crowbar should probably be replaced with an ax or sierra saw and the bolt and wire cutters may be left behind (unless your scenario includes either SAR or opportunistic re-supply)

And the list goes on. The important thing to remember is that the needs are always the same and that tools are complementary. If you have no stove the cookpot isn't as necessary. If you are using an alcohol stove in an apartment you'd better have a fire extinquisher. Snares are useful on squirells in most urban and rural environments but it helps to have a knife for skinning and a stove for cooking or the process will be very primitive. If your scenario includes getting out then you need to spend much more attention to the news and be prepared in your vehicle to just jump in and go. This means maps, plans, destinations, adequate vehicle. If you don't have a place to go and a vehicle that can go off-road a bit to get around obstacles and a map and directions for alternate paths incase the normal one is impassable then don't bother considering the equipment needed to evacuate. What you need is the stuff to get noticed by those who are organizing evacuation so that you can hitch a ride earlier rather than later. First things first. The Ham radio, Air horn, whistle, and signal mirror are much cheaper than the Jeep Cherokee and require much less up-keep but they will not drive you out before the disaster. Fema will come get you if they can find you so you will want the radio, horn and whistle. If you have the jeep you might be out before the problem if you can read the signs in the news well enough or have your own private inteligence network - (TFDB and Black Helicopters)


OH, DON'T FORGET THE PLASTIC SHEETING AND DUCT-TAPE! <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

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#12886 - 02/14/03 06:55 PM Re: My first kit - suggestions?
paramedicpete Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 04/09/02
Posts: 1920
Loc: Frederick, Maryland
I am not too sure I would agree with your ideas of hunting/trapping of food in his area. If he is preparing/responding to a bio/chem/nuc threat, many of these sources (birds, squirrels, etc.) would likely to be contaminated. Even if the some event were to occur in his area, I would suspect law enforcement would still strongly respond to an individual with a weapon in the D.C. area. Pete

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#12887 - 02/14/03 10:00 PM Re: My first kit - suggestions?
Anonymous
Unregistered


Pete,
I totally agree with you in the case of a bio/chem terror attack I wouldn't take game in the affected area! Of course that would not make any sense.

There are other disaster scenarios that might occur to a resident of the Washington DC area and I was thinking of overall preparedness. In the case of infrastructure attack or storm, flood or fire or explosive attack that disrupts basic services and society with effect lasting more than a week (think hurricane andrew not WMD) some food gathering options other than buglarizing the rubble of the local Kroger's or A&P might be helpful since you might not be the first to get there. In my (humble?) opinion the possibilities of a Bio / Chem attach that disrupts anything larger than a neighborhood is low even in target areas such as Washington DC. A serious Bio / Chem attack has already been launched on Washington DC and it was only effective in shutting down a few buildings and no-one was killed not even Sen. Dashle who was targeted personally. I don't mean to belittle the risk but put it into perspective. Blackouts, storms, fires and floods are much more likely to happen than any form of terrorist attack. To properly prepare you need to prepare for the scenarios that are most likely first and those that are less likely later and those that are least likely last if ever. No - one will deny the possiblity that a killer asteroid may hit the earth or that in-fact one will sooner or later in the geological time frame. OTOH, few seriously prepare for this eventuality at a personal level - I would think that to prepare for the terrorist bio-chem attack when you haven't taken care of the extended infrastructure disruption scenarios first is somewhat out of order. like worring about a helmet for walking in an urban environment because you might be hit by a motorist but not thinking to wear your own seatbelt while driving. If one is comfortable taking the risk to drive without a seatbelt (not suggesting anyone here is just using an example) then that same person should not rationally be worried about wearing a helmet while walking in a busy downtown. Or to bring it home. If you are comfortable living in Washington DC without any preparations for flood (DC is a landfill in a swamp) then you should be comfortable ignoring the risk to yourself of a bio / chem attack.


Let's not forget another reason for the threat level to be raised here in the US - the possibility that by being more aware of odd and threatening happenings in our neighborhood we might notice and report something that our overwhelmed police and inteligence forces might not otherwise notice. After all, there are certainly more citizens than police (so-far).


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