Survival & Disaster Kit Recommendations - Fire Starting Supplies & Techiniques

Disaster Girl's Kit Recommendations

Bonus items you should add on top of items listed in  previous survival kit article.

FIRE STARTING SUPPLIES & TECHNIQUES

WIND & WATERPROOF MATCHES

Retail Value: $7.00 + S&H

 MAGNESIUM FIRE STARTER

Retail Value: $6.16 + S&H

UST's Trekker Stormproof Lighter

Retail Value: $28.73 + S&H

But.. What if I don't have any of those things available?

 

xoxo disaster girl

Disaster Kit Recommendations - Weapons Without Machinery

Disaster Girl's Survival Kit Recommendations

Bonus items you should add on top of items listed in  previous survival kit article.

 

WEAPONS WITHOUT MACHINERY

Somewhere between Breaking Bad & The Walking Dead it became apparent that perhaps the stealthiest weapons are the ones you wouldn't traditional carry. Let's face it, guns require quite a bit of maintenance compared to knives and they also make a lot of noise. Weapons that don't advertise your location will be the most useful to have in apocalyptic scenarios, and although I don't condone the use of them in disaster scenarios sometimes you just don't know what cards you will be dealt. As the movie Aftershock kindly (& graphically, might I add) pointed out- you never know what a natural disaster can cause. If there is a devastating natural disaster looters WILL be found, and prisons may experience breaches- so it never hurts to be prepared.

 

 

BOW & ARROWS 

 

BEAR ARCHERY BRAVE III COMPOUND BOW

Retail Price: $49.95 + S&H

Via Sierra Trading Post

CROWBAR

 

LARGE CROWBAR

Retail Price: $11.50 + S&H

Via eSafety Supplies

MACHETE

 

GERBER GATOR MACHETE

Retail Price: $13.99 + S&H

Via Fleet Farm

PICK AXE

 

NEW CHINESE MILITARY SURPLUS PICK AXE

Retail Price: $14.99 + S&H

Via Sportsmans' Guide

It's always a good idea to have weapons that aren't guns!

xoxo disaster girl

Disaster Kit Recommendations - Forcasting Weather Without Technology

Disaster Kit Recommendations
TIPS FOR FORECASTING WEATHER

WITHOUT TECHNOLOGY

• Generally speaking clouds that are high and white colored mean good weather, whereas clouds that are dark and low indicate bad weather.
• Clouds that are visibly moving in different directions (I.E. Some moving West to East VS East to West) means bad weather is coming.
• High wispy like clouds (Cirrus)  usually mean bad weather within the next thirty-six hours.
• If there is dew in the grass in the early morning it's not likely that it will rain that day, whereas if there isn't dewy it means it will likely be cloudy and may rain. 
• A red sky in the morning usually means rain on the way, whereas a red tinged sky at night means the weather will be nice.
• If you see a rainbow in the western sky, rain is likely on the way, to the east- it has already passed you.
• If birds are flying high, good weather is present. If the birds start flying low, or perching it usually means low pressure system is on the way.
• Chances are if you smell and/or hear the outdoors more than you normally do, rain is on the way.
• If smoke moves straight up, good weather will stay. If the smoke moves up and then gets pushed down or sideways a storm is likely approaching.
• Any storm systems in the west have likely not made it to you yet and will. Whereas storms that lie to the east have likely already passed you by.
• If there's a ring around the moon, there's moisture in the air.
• Leaves that are facing upwards (with the darker side facing the sun) mean good weather, whereas if the lighter side was visible you should expect some rainy/windy weather.
• You can tell the temperature by counting a crickets chirps. Count the chirps for 14 seconds and then add 40 to the number, the temperature should be right within a couple of degrees.
• A late night temperature rise usually means a storms approaching.
• Wind blowing east to west mean an approaching front and winds blowing west to east mean good weather.
• Wood and natural materials tend to swell before a storm arrives.
• Cloud cover on a winter night means a milder morning, whereas clear nights often give way to cooler mornings.

Clouds can tell you a great deal about

what kind of weather to expect:

• Cumulonimbus/Altonimbus/Nimbus/Mammatus/Nimbostratus clouds means bad weather.
• Cirrus/Altocumulus clouds mean bad weather in the next couple days.
• Cirrus/Altocumulus clouds in the same day means bad weather tomorrow.
• Cumulus clouds usually mean good weather.
• Stratus clouds usually mean a chance of rain/snow.

Happy Forecasting!

(&& Remember not be be as hard on yourself as you are on the Weather Man ;)

xoxo disaster girl

Disaster Kit Recommendations - Emergency Water Purification Methods

Disaster Girl's Survival Kit Recommendations

Bonus items you should add on top of items listed in  previous survival kit article.

Adding water purification methods to your Stash:

On top of having a hefty back up supply of water on hand, you should also know the following methods of purifying water yourself. The recommended water intake per person per day is currently at a gallon, also a gallon for pets. So for a household of say four, you would need 4 gallons a day, 28 gallons a week, 112 gallons a month. And that's just for drinking,  so you're definitely going to need more for bathing, cooking, cleaning, etc. So with the amount of water usage for the average family being so high, it makes more sense to buy a house next to a fresh water lake than it does to have a couple thousand gallon water tanks lying around.

Below I've listed all the items you need to purify water three separate ways:

The Sun Method:

Sun, Sun, and more sun! Did you know that if you store water in PET bottles (available here) and let it sit in direct sunlight for 6 hours, the sun will clean it for you? 

The Bleach Method:

The bleach method depends on what kind of bleach you are using. Normal household bleaches contain less than 6% chlorine per bottle, if you are using one within this range the measurements will be 8 drops per gallon. However if you are either unsure or have a lower percentage than 4-6% you are going to want to use between 30-40 drops per gallon. Double amount for cloudy water, repeat dosage if there isn't a faint odor of chlorine after a 30 minute treatment.

Chlorine Bleach with 4-6% Chlorine Count

 Retail Price: $2-6

The Iodine Method

Potable Aqua Iodine and Taste Neutralizer Tablets

Retail Price: $11 + S&H

See Here

Instructions

From Bottle: Each bottle includes 50 tablets; 2 iodine tablets treat 1 quart of water
Plain Iodine: 5 drops clear water / 10 drops cloudy / wait 30 minutes

Happy Drinking!

xoxo disaster girl

P.F.S. Links for the Curious

7 Ways to Purify Water  

Special Thanks to Survival Life!

I want to thank Survival Life for sending me

my free Survival Business Card, for survival on-the-go!

As per their website:

Here's what the tool includes:

• 11-in-1 Functions:
1. Can Opener
2. Knife Edge
3. Slotted/Flathead Screwdriver
4. Ruler
5. Bottle Cap Opener
6. 4 Position Wrench
7. Wingnut Wrench
8. Saw Blade
9. Direction Ancillary Indicator
10. 2 Position Wrench
11. Keychain Hole

• Dimensions: 2- 5/8” x 1- 3/4”
• Durable Stainless Steel construction
• Leather-look sleeve
• Diagram of functions
• Credit card size fits easily into wallets

Get Yours Here! 

Thanks Survival Life!

xoxo disaster girl

Disaster Kit Recommendations - Emergency Dental Remedies and Temporary Fillings

Disaster Girl's Survival Kit Recommendations

Bonus items you should add on top of items listed in  previous survival kit article.

Adding the Power of a Dentist to your Stash:

Let's face it, one of us bound to get a toothache when disaster strikes. Whether the dentist's office just doesn't have power or it's completed shut down is irrelevant in the end, what matters is the ability and know how to temporarily fix it.

Now I'm not talking full on root canals, caps, braces or bridges- you'll actually have to find a dentist for that. What I am talking is basic cleaning instruments, cleaners, and methods of repairing minor issues that spring up along the way.

Below I've listed all the dental related items you should have in your kit:

Dental Instrument Set

Dental Tool Kit By SuperFresh

Retail Price: Between $20-$32 USD

Lowest Price: $19.99 on Ebay.com

Sterile Gauze Pads

Dynarex Gauze Pads

Retail Price: $7.23 + S&H

See Here

Sterile Cotton Balls

Curad Sterile Cotton Balls

Retail Price: $2.12 + S&H

See Here

Oral Analgesic

Orajel Maximum Strength Oral Analgesic Liquid

Retail Value: $6-$13

See here for 6.99

Oral Antiseptic

 Hydrogen Peroxide Mouthwash

See here for $6.29

Temporary Filling's

DenTemp Temporary Filling's

See here for $2.99

It also wouldn't hurt to have small bottles of all of the following: acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin. DenTemp is the only thing that requires instructions, and they are located on the back of the box. The most important of all being that you keep the area clean and dry during whatever work you are doing! While this won't be a permanent fix to your dental woes, it will bide you some time to find a dentist!

Happy Surviving!

xoxo disaster girl

Irene, The Hurricane I was Waiting For.

IRENE
The Hurricane I was Waiting for.
Hurricane Irene Wiki
Thank you to all who followed me during and at the height of the storm!


Irene in Cape May NJ Courtesy of NJ.com


Irene's Full Path as a Hurricane & Tropical Storm


Hurricane Irene coming over North Carolina
from my lil' cuz Sarah


If you know me at all, or spent any substantial amount of time with me you would know that last years hurricane season was a huge disappointment for me. (I can't HELP wanting to get hit with one, I haven't been in one yet.) I made it through a tornado, standing outside enjoying the sights- and I am determined to see this beast up close and personal. If I could get in the eye without killing myself I would, sue me- I'm fucking nuts.

Are you prepared? Probably not. (Emergency Kit Lists)
Creating A Custom Disaster Plan

Hurricane Irene at her Max:
-Category: Category 3 Hurricane
-Max-Sustained Winds: 120 MPH (Wind Gusts of 120-130 MPH)
-Start: African Coast, Cape Verde Island
-End: American/Canadian Border (PTS)
-Largest Recorded Width: Appx 900-1000 Miles WIde
-Fastest Recorded Movement: 25-30 MPH
-Largest Recorded Wave Height at Eye: 40-50 FT
-Lowest Central Pressure: 942 MB
-Deaths:41 (2 "indirect") reported deaths so far, people still missing 8/30 10AM
-Estimated Cost: Appx $10,000,000,000
Other:
-Strongest storm to hit East Coast since 1893/1938
-Strongest storm to hit Northeast since Gloria in 1985
-Tornado forming hurricane
-Waterspout Tornado producing hurricane - MD 7PM
-Extreme threat to entire East Coast
-Hurricane Irene will be the 7th "I" storm name to be retired within the last 11 years
-Hurricane Katrina 8/28/05 Hurricane Irene 8/28/11 .. 6 Years - same time frame
-First landfall on US soil in 3 years
-Occured on the same day as the 1893 Hurricane mentioned, which was the last big storm to hit the Northeast Coast
-Downgraded to Tropical Storm just before eye reached NYC/NNJ
-9th Billion dollar weather event for US in 2011, topping 35 Billion Total
-Made 3 landfalls total, NC, NJ, NY

Other info
State Of Emergencies declared in:
NJ, NC, VA, MD, CT. NYC/NY, RI, MA, SC, MA, NH, PA, VT
Evacuations in:
Hoboken NJ, Jersey Shore Area Beaches/towns, NY Zone A/B, Va, Ocean City MD, Fire Island NY, Delaware- Sussex Co, Dare Co-Currituck County-Ocracoke/Hyde County NC, Outer Banks, Barrier Islands NJ, Cape May County NJ
-Hospitals in NY evacuated
-Many curfews enacted in NY/NJ/VA/MD/NC/DC

Damages/Expected Damages
Effect on Bahamas:
90% of houses affected on islands Cat 3/4 in repairs (meaning most are destroyed and beyond repair), island communication loss
-Severe Damage reported in Puerto Rico, President Obama declared Federal SOE, aid expected
-SW Outer bands reach Florida, waves injure 8 on FL Getty
-NYC/NJ Transit Full Transit Shutdown
-Tornadoes formed by Hurricane Irene in NC possible injuries and structural damage
-Pier in Atlantic Beach blown away by Irene
-Boy dies after tree falls on house NC
-Surfer dies in FLORIDA after trying to surf Irene's massive waves
-East Coast Oil Refineries shut down, temporarily raising gas prices
-Airports Closed - All flights in and out of NYC cancelled as of Sat evening through Monday morning
-Power Outages Reported in NJ, NC, VA, MD, CT. NYC/NY, RI, MA, SC, MA, NH, PA, VT
-Total Power Outages as of 8/29 2PM Roughly 5 Million & counting
-Man drowns in NJ
-High tide played a huge role in flooding impacts of coastal NY/NY/NYC
-Georgetown University Arts building suffers partial roof collapse because of Irene.
-Road Closures/bridge closures throughout Northeast/east coast
-Possible Dam failure in MD
-Driving Ban enacted
-Hudson & East River rise significantly
-Lower Manhattan, Lower Brooklyn, Lower Queens flooded
-NJ woman drowns is car after call for help at 1AM, wasn't found until 9AM
-Gilboa Dam Middleburgh NY Sirens have alarmed, evacuations in the area ordered
-3 NJ Dams put on alert, many Crest Monday Morning
-90 Rivers put on overflow warnings
-Rescues still in progress throughout East Coast
-212 "Worrisome" dams in NJ
-Rain that fell on NJ was about 1,060,920,115,200 gallons. If stacked on the Giants field, it would be 466 miles high.
-20 people stranded in hotel with no power, downstream from dam with a breach near NYC.
-Most NYC transit restored as of Monday 8/29
-Quechee bridge was washed away
-Vermont one of the hardest hit areas
-NJ Transit rail services remains suspended, some buses also suspended too, revised list of bus availability up 8/29 morning.
-MA orders evacuations of areas surrounding dams cresting
-NJ/NY/VT hit record rain totals


PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE IF YOU LIVE IN NY/NJ AREA
New York's Modern Day Atlantis, NY Island wiped of Map because of Hurricane




Irene at her Height


NYC - Battery Park AM 8/28


VT

CNN State-By-State Developments related to Hurricane Irene

The Weather Channel Extreme Flooding in VT Video/Pictures

National Geographic Hurricane Irene Aftermath Pictures

Hope you all stayed safe!

xoxo disaster girl

P.F.S. Elsewhere in the US we also have small tremors rattling California from an "Ancient Volcano" VIA Reuters & A reported 2.9 Earthquake in Albany NY... sounding apocalyptic to anyone other than me..?

Are you ready? Probably not....

No home or person should ever be without an emergency kit. Even as The Disaster Caster, I spent most of my life without one, so I can understand how people chose to do without one. Every person should have their own kit, and if everyone had one- I truly believe death tolls during natural disasters would significantly decrease.

People aren't prepared. They're to busy worrying about next weeks light bill, or when the economy will get better. I get it, but for about $20.00 a week, in two short months you can have a full loaded emergency kit. I've created a list of things you should consider placing in your kit, and this post will be followed by disaster plans.
Water (1 Gallon Per Person A Day)
High Calorie Food Bars (Lightweight & A Full Day's Meal)
Manual Can Opener & Utensils
Reusable Cups, Plates, Condiments
First Aid Kit & First Aid Book
Copies of Important Papers
List Of Emergency/Personal Numbers
Warm Clothes/Light Clothes/Rain Gear
Heavy Work gloves
Iodine and an Eyedropper for Water Purification
Toilet Paper, Feminine Supplies, Hand Sanitizer & Hygiene Supplies
Plastic sheeting, Duct Tape and Utility Knife
Tools - Crowbar, Hammer & Nails, Staple Gun, Adjustable Wrench and Bungee Cords.
Light Fireproof Blanket
Bucket Toilet Bowl
Heavy Duty Garbage Bags & Small Trash Bags
Any Special-Needs Items
Flashlight
Radio – Battery Operated
Batteries
Whistle
Dust mask
Pocket knife
Emergency Cash (Small Denominations & Quarters)
Sturdy Shoes & Warm Hat
Local Maps
Permanent Marker, Paper & Tape
Photos of Family Members and Pets for Re-Identification Purposes
List of Allergies to any drug (especially antibiotics) or food
Copy of health insurance and identification cards
Extra prescription eye glasses, hearing aid or other vital personal items
Prescription medications
Extra keys to your house and vehicle
Solar Powered Cell Phone Charger
Battery Powered Cell Phone Charger
Inflatable Pillow (Airplane Kind, Can be used for Flotation)
Magic Candles
Activities for Children

An Ugly Suitcase with wheels is your best bet for transportion. Don't go using an expensive/new suitcase, or else you'll be robbed. I also suggest taking it to the tailors and having them mount shoulder straps on the back, very helpful when you need both of your hands, or are running for your life.

Most of this stuff can probably be found around your house, not even being used. Each week I spent $20, but put in a lot of items that I already owned. After creating your Disaster Kit, your next step in being prepared in any disaster is having a customized disaster plan. My next post will show an example of my disaster plans, and how you should go about constructing yours.

xoxo disaster girl