There are at least seven global or widespread disasters thatseem likely to occur at sometime in the future. A large asteroidhitting the earth is one of those seven. It is generallyaccepted by scientists that asteroids have struck the earth inthe past causing widespread damage. It is believed thatasteroids will continue to collide with the earth every now andthen. Maybe every sixty million years a big one comes along thatis large enough to have a global effect on survival of earth'sliving things. The chances of such an event happening in aparticular person's lifetime are tiny. But that tiny chance isthere.
It is unpleasant to consider such terrible things. But the bestattitude, it seems to me, is to ignore, to a very large extent,the unpleasant feelings that the topic causes. That allows aperson to consider what might be done to increase the chances ofsurviving a disaster. No way can a person be fully prepared. Andsince we cannot know just what is going to take place, it may bean exercise in futility. But you never know, simple basicpreparations could bring you through some calamity.
And why not take the attitude that your efforts and interest insuch preparation is something to feel good about. Those effortscan be fun and interesting. The topic certainly grabs myattention better than a Hollywood movie. By doing what I can tobecome prepared, I am doing something that could dramaticallymake my life much more pleasant should I be involved in acatastrophe. Disaster preparedness is an interesting andenjoyable hobby that could pay off big-time. Knowing that allthe benefits of modern life are not necessarily a given, is areason for enjoying them more.
The seven possible widespread or global disasters:
1). Very large volcanic eruptions. Hugh volumes of gas and dustcould spread around the globe. There is some evidence that thesehave occurred before. Doesn't that mean that it could happenagain?
2). An epidemic. There was the flu epidemic of 1918 that killed30 million people worldwide. There was the plague that killedabout one fourth of Europe's population in the Dark Ages.Viruses and germs are known to mutate and change. They maybecome resistant to vaccines and medications, become moredeadly, and become more contagious. Viruses and other pathogenscould mutate into virulent forms that could spread rapidlyaround the world by people using air travel.
3). Crop failures due to plant diseases, climate change, orozone depletion.
4). Climate changes including global warming and the effectsthat might come with it such as extreme heat, drought, andsevere storms.
5). Nuclear war.
6). Terrorist act which could bring about widespread effects.If, for instance, a nuclear device was detonated in Washington,D.C. and another wiped out Wall Street, the effects could beunpredictable and could include economic depression, anarchy,shortages of consumer goods, and war.
7). Something unexpected. A disaster could be caused by acompletely unknown event. It is unreasonable to think we aresmart enough to be aware of all threats that could bringcatastrophe.
There are many other plausible scenarios for widespreadcatastrophes. These include such things as a large solar flarethat shoots out radiation and charged particles toward theearth; an object such as a black hole passing close to theearth; and a technology accident such as a genetically modifiedorganism being released into the environment.
In recent years vast quantities of methane gas have beendiscovered on the sea floor where the water is very deep and inplaces where the water is very cold. It is believed that globalwarming or earthquakes could cause the methane to be releasedperhaps suddenly and in massive quantities. Methane is explosiveand could displace oxygen causing suffocation.
Below are some things you can do to be better prepared foremergencies.
Store food and water: About a gallon of water a day per personis a reasonable goal. How many days worth is anybody's guess -you have to use your own judgment about what is practical foryou. Know where to get water if your standby supply runs out.Water of unknown purity should be boiled at least 3 minutes tokill any pathogens. If boiling is not possible add 16 drops or1/4 teaspoon of household bleach per gallon and let stand atleast 30 minutes. Smell the water. If it does not have a slightbleach odor, repeat the process. Use bleach that containsnothing else other than water and 5.25 percent sodiumhypochlorite. Bleach is most effective for killing bacteria butis not effective against parasitic organisms.
Choose long storage food such as canned goods, dry food such asnuts, seeds, beans, and grain products in plastic or glasscontainers. Most dried beans will need to be soaked and cookedbefore eating. Examples of dried beans that can be eaten aftersoaking and without cooking include split peas, mung beans,lentils and black-eyed peas. Wheat and corn can also be soakedand eaten without cooking. Peanut butter and vegetable oil aregood choices because they are calorie rich, long keeping andrequire no preparation. Canned meat provides protein andrequires no cooking. A multi vitamin will help with adequatevitamin requirements.
Keeping warm: The colder the climate where you live, the moreimportant this is if the electrical power fails or you areforced to leave your home. Have enough heavy clothing andblankets in your home to keep you warm. Have ready to go to putin your car such as in a garbage bag: at least two changes ofclothing that will keep you warm, a sleeping bag or a couple ofblankets, gloves, knit hat, and sturdy shoes.
First aid kit: The most important items may be soap for washinga wound, an antiseptic ointment, and bandaging.
Tools and supplies for short-term emergencies: Flashlight andbatteries, candles, matches, can opener, soap, battery-poweredradio and batteries, face mask for filtering the air you breath,
Tools and supplies for long term emergencies: all of the itemsabove for short-term emergencies plus the food items listedabove plus: long lasting led flashlight, wind-up flashlight,wind-up radio, unscented 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite bleachfor purifying water, sturdy knife and sharpener, salt, graingrinder, food storage containers, shovel, blankets, rifle andammunition.
Tools and supplies for your car: gallon of drinking water,blanket, extra clothes (sweatshirt, long underwear, boots,socks, gloves, hat), compass, rain gear, battery-powered radioand batteries, long storage and light-weight food, maps, siphon(20 feet plastic tubing, 1/2 inch diameter), gas can, wrenches,pliers, screwdrivers, portable light. Long-term and extras:bleach for purifying water, shorts or swimsuit, tube tent (or 10by 10 tarp, cord), ground moisture barrier, closed cell foamsleeping pad, sleeping bag, insect repellant, sunglasses,sunscreen, soap, knife, backpack, duct tape, cord (i.e., seinetwine, parachute cord, masons' twine).
Have a short-term plan: Discuss with your family how everyonewill get home if their usual transportation is not available. Ifthe phone systems are operating, one person could remain at hometo take and relay messages. Have a place in mind in case youneed to relocate to a different geographic area. Plan how to getthere and what you will take along. If you believe you are notenough prepared, decide how to become so.
Stay informed: Have at least a battery operated am/fm radio withextra batteries. A wind-up radio not requiring batteries couldbe used if the power is off for an extended period. Emergencyalert radios might receive broadcasts in a long-term powerfailure where the backup generators for am/fm radio stationshave run out of fuel.
If situations develop so that longer-term solutions are needed,you will need other strategies. You may have to hunt for andgather food from the wild. Very long-term collapse of thepresent supply chain would require that you becomeself-sufficient in mending and making your own clothing. Youmight have to construct a shelter using basic tools and basicmaterials. The scope of this article does not allow fordiscussions of what you would need to know to survive extendedcollapse of society into how it was a couple of hundred yearsago.
If you would like to learn more about disaster preparedness andrelated topics some of the following links might be helpful.
American Red Cross
Terrorism Preparation Materials
Dealing with terrorism and natural disasters of less than twoweeks duration. Some of that info would be helpful at the firstpart of a long-term disruption.
www.redcross.org/pubs/dspubs/terrormat.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response
Has a little information on nuclear radiation treatments andeffects, avian flu and other diseases, the effects of hotweather on the body.
www.bt.cdc.gov/
American Red Cross
Food and Water in an Emergency
Brief guidelines for storing and using food and water forshort-term emergencies.
http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/beprepared/foodwtr.html
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Heat Wave: A Major Summer Killer. An online brochure describingthe heat index, heat disorders, and heat wave safety tips.
www.nws.noaa.gov/om//brochures/heat_wave.shtml
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Extreme Cold: A Prevention Guide to Promote Your Personal Healthand Safety. Planning to avoid problems caused by exposure toshort periods of unusually cold weather.
www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/guide.asp
Index of other articles at same site:
www.cdc.gov/az.do
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Update on the Spaceguard Survey and on Asteroid Apophis
Schweickart Proposes Study of Impact Risk from Apophis (MN4)
A couple of articles on issues concerning a specific asteroidthat has a small possibility of striking the earth in 2036.
http://impact.arc.nasa.gov/
Investigate Magazine
Late, Great Planet Earth
Describes the effects of an asteroid hitting the earth, evidencethat it has happened before, odds of it happening again, andwhat should be done about it.
www.investigatemagazine.com/mar3ast.htm
NewScientist.com
Climate Warning as Siberia Melts
This describes one factor that can accelerate global warming.
www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg18725124.500&feedId=online-news_rss20
Toronto Globe and Mail
Civilization Could End in a Giant Methane Belch
The vast quantities of methane hydrate in ocean sediments couldcause what would otherwise be a gradual increase in globaltemperature to become a faster and greater increase.http://www.gasandoil.com/goc/features/fex34681.htm
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Abrupt Climate Change: Should We Be Worried?
Global warming can cause abrupt regional climate changes thatcool or dry continent-size areas of the earth. Such changescould occur in as little as a decade.
www.whoi.edu/institutes/occi/currenttopics/climatechange_wef.html
Independent Digital
A Modest Proposal To Save the Planet
What can we do to head off global warming.
www.gasandoil.com/goc/features/fex42410.htm
Effects of a Global Thermonuclear-War
by Wm. Robert Johnston
www.johnstonsarchive.net/nuclear/nuclearwar1.html
Nuclear War Survival Skills
by Cresson H. Kearny
www.oism.org/nwss/
Hoods Woods Survival.com
Eating Bugs
An article on eating insects
www.survival.com/bug.htm
Backwoods Home Magazine
www.backwoodshome.com
Mother Earth News Magazine
www.motherearthnews.com
Each of these has a few hundred articles that can be readonline. Some of the articles describe how to accomplish sometask contributing to self-sufficiency.
About the author:Alan Detwiler has written several books about ways to have fun.Find them by doing a search for his name at the ebooks sectionof Amazon.com
His web site, www.leisureideas.com has ideas about having fun.
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