A suitable topic since it is now "flashflooding" around Las Vegas today. Here's ten things to know about flash floods.
If you come from a place where it rains copiously (like Seattle) be
aware that when it rains copiously in places that don't get much rain
(like Las Vegas and other desert areas) you will probably end up in a
flash flood situation. Unless the ground is very permeable, the rain
will have nowhere to go except to run along the surface of the ground
where it will gather at low spots and form impromptu rivers in places
there weren't rivers only a couple of hours before.
Pay attention to flash flood warnings on TV and on the radio (and in
messages to your cell phone from organizations that send out such
warnings). This will give you a heads up on when and where flash floods
may occur.
Try to stay inside during flash floods. These types of floods are
usually accompanied by thunder and lightening storms. It's just safer
to be inside.
Be super careful when driving. Never drive through standing
water--the road could be gone beneath the water or there could be stuff
there you don't want to drive over. Also, slow down--hydroplaning is
not a good thing. And of course, watch out for people who don't follow
these rules.
Stay away from the wash. In places where flash flooding is common
you will see empty drainage areas that will fill up with water when it
floods. These "washes" are just like rivers when they get water in them
but unlike rivers, they are not places to swim or play. The water is
moving swiftly and full of junk and you can drown very easily so stay
away from them.
Stay away from impromptu washes. Even if you don't see an
"official" wash, racing water can pool into a river, down streets and
other raceways, and can literally carry you and/or your car away. Stay
away from these places!
If you don't know where to go during a flash flood, go to the
highest ground you can find. The water will tend to pool and run at the
lowest areas (low lying intersections, running in a river down the
slope of a mountain, etc. Don't remain in these low-lying spots.
Go elsewhere. During a disaster, even something as small as a flash
flood mini disaster, people automatically want to get home no no matter
what. If you come upon a flooding area, no matter how close you are to
home, turn around and go elsewhere. The possibility of dying in flood
water is so big that is isn't worth the risk.
Do not wade through flood water, no matter how shallow. Besides the
possibility that it could be running swiftly, knock you down and carry
you away, there is all kinds of crap in flood water that you don't want
on you: chemicals, oil from the street, sewage waste, snakes(!), etc.
Prepare your home for a flood. If you know floods are on the
horizon, take precautions in your home. If lightening is forecasted,
unplug your appliances and avoid taking a shower or bath during the
storm. If appropriate, put sandbags around areas of your home or yard
that tend to flood. If flooding is common in your area put things up:
put your furnace and hot water tank up on a solid platform. Consider
flood insurance.
Basically be careful, use common sense, and don't underestimate the power of rushing water.
from Modern Survival Blog - surviving hard timesby Ken
1. A moving object is easy to spot. I repeat. A
moving object is easy to spot. This is probably the most important thing
to remember if you are trying to remain undetected, for whatever
reason. 2. Mask yourself with natural cover. Apart from
wearing a Ghillie suit, this includes the choice of clothing you are
wearing. Consider your surroundings and blend in with them by wearing
similar colors. It’s usually a safe bet with neutral colors without
patterns – olive drab, brown, beige, gray… 3. Movement during periods of low light, or bad weather will reduce the likelihood of being seen. 4. Avoid silhouetting. Walking in the open,
particularly without objects nearby behind you (e.g. across a hilltop,
etc.) will present a visible profile to others. 5. At irregular intervals (as in NOT regular
intervals), STOP at a point of concealment and LOOK and LISTEN for signs
of activity. Your sense of smell may assist as well. 6. Be quiet. Be aware of the noise you are making as you move and travel including that of your equipment or clothing. 7. Moving along an irregular route will help conceal
evidence of travel. As in, it’s easier to track someone walking a
straight line. 8. Do not break branches or disturb vegetation.
‘Manage’ vegetation that normally would spring back (e.g. use walking
stick to part vegetation). 9. Do not grab small trees or brush. 10. Do not overturn ground cover, rocks and sticks. 11. Take advantage of solid surfaces (rocks, logs, etc.). 12. Cross roads after observation from concealment to determine if there is activity. Cross at points offering concealment.
Because
of the unreliable nature of the electrical utilities in my area, I have
been working on improving the interface of my backup diesel generator
to the electrical system of my house. If you have seen this video: http://youtu.be/SSs5D-Qr0rg then
you know that I theoretically might have wired it so that I could
backfeed my panel (if legal) via the clothes dryer line. Basically I
(again, theoretically) made a connection from the dryer outlet
(internally, not a plug) to a second breaker box in my workshop that I
use to distribute power therein. That is a reletively common practice,
by the way: extending the dryer wiring to power some piece of workshop
equipment, typically a welder. Although a standard 200-250 amp welder
needs more current at full load than the typical 30 or 40 amp dryer
circuit can supply, home workshop welding jobs almost never require the
full output of the welder. A dryer circuit can supply all the power the
average welding installation ever needs. You just have to make sure the
welder never gets used while the dryer is running. I took that basic
circuit a step further. I had a load center, complete with a full
compliment of breakers, that had been discarded during a home rewire
job. I added that to my workshop to distribute power to the various
tools. When I installed the generator, I (theoretically) connected it to
an unused 30 amp double-pole breaker in that box. This meant that
during a power outage I had to grab my checklist to make sure I did
everything correctly and in order, and follow the steps to bring the
generator online. It went something like this:
Turn off the main breaker.
Turn
off the water heater breaker and any other breakers I deem necessary.
The dryer breaker stays on. If the dryer was running, it won't restart
on its own so it is not a problem.
Go out to the shop and make
sure the generator breaker is off. Turn off all other workshop circuits
too, except the house connection. Start the generator and let it warm
up.
Go back in the house and double-check that everything is ready.
Return to the shop and bring the generator online.
That
sounds like a lot of opportunity for a catastrophic failure, but it is
really not as bad as it seems. First, having a checklist and following
it to the letter every single time you bring the generator online
prevents problems. As they say, the best safety is between your ears; or
to put it another way, attempting to design a foolproof piece of
equipment underestimates the ingenuity of fools. Second, there are three
circuit breakers separating the generator from the house wiring. Two of
those are 40 amps and the third is 30 amps. The generator is rated
7,500 watts continuous. 30 amps at 240 volts is 7,200 watts, or 96
percent of the continuous rating of the generator. That is a nice safety
margin. On the other side of the main breaker is a whole neighborhood
just waiting to be powered up. To a 30 amp breaker, that looks like a
dead short. If the generator were brought online with the main breaker
in the "on" position, that 30 amp breaker would trip instantly.
Granted, the best solution is a true transfer switch that disconnects
the public power before connecting the generator line. But those are not
only expensive; they are also not necessarily 100 percent reliable.
Sure, if you have one of those big industrial three-pole double-throw
knife switches as a transfer switch, that would be as close to 100
percent reliability as you can get. But those are not easy to find, and a
new one probably costs a thousand dollars if you do find it. If you
find a surplus one cheap, by all means use it. I used to have one
myself, but I haven't seen it in over ten years, so I obviously don't
have it any more. The transfer switches that are readily available are
nothing more than a pair of breakers placed back to back so the act of
making one connection breaks the other. That works, but breakers do fail
on occasion, and one of the ways they can fail is sticking contacts so
that a breaker that is supposed to be "turned off" is actually still
conducting. That is unlikely though, so if you prefer to shell out 300
dollars or more for one of these, have at it. Personally, if I wanted
one of these I would make my own from breakers and boxes I already own.
There is another disadvantage to a transfer switch, even the big
industrial knife switches: it has to go "upstream" of your main breaker,
between the breaker box and the meter. Because you don't control the
meter, this means you have to get the power company to come out and
disconnect it before you can work on that portion of the circuit. You do
not want to work on that wiring while it is live, even if it were
legal. Actually there is a way to install your transfer switch without
calling the electric company and telling them about it so they can
disconnect the line. Just don't pay your bill. After awhile they will
come out and disconnect your power without your asking them to do so.
After you install your switch, pay the bill and they will reconnect your
power. This is merely a tongue-in-cheek observation, not a
recommendation. Some utility companies would probably have you up on
charges (no pun intended) if you actually did that. That is one of the
reasons I prefer to keep all my electrical work downstream of the main
breaker. In some jurisdictions (mine, for example), the wiring
downstream of the main breaker is the responsibility of the owner. The
power company doesn't worry too much about it, as long as the main
breaker is in place. So the first time I saw a generator circuit
interlock, I was excited about it. Basically it is just a sliding bar
that blocks one breaker while leaving another free. In one position it
allows the main breaker to be on while blocking another breaker (for the
generator input) in the off position. In the other position it allows
you to switch the generator circuit on, but you must first switch the
main breaker off. Electrically it is nothing more than an additional
breaker that connects the generator just as if it were a water heater or
other 240 volt appliance. The sliding bar is what makes it different.
It is not only simpler, but also cheaper than a transfer switch. The
companies that produce them make different versions to fit specific
breaker panels. Also, some load center manufacturers sell a kit to fit
their own panel. Most of these interlock kits sell for around 100
dollars, which seems like a lot for a metal bar and some screws (and
is), but it is far cheaper than a transfer switch, especially when you
factor in utility company service charges and labor charges for the
licensed electrician that the utility will likely demand that you hire
to install the switch. Depending on your specific panel, you may be able
to make your own interlock. I was lucky enough to have a Square D QO
panel. In this panel the main breaker is centered at the top and
switches horizontally, while the individual circuit breakers are in two
vertical rows and also switch horizontally. This makes for the simplest
possible interlock. The generator circuit must go in the top right
position. This allows a simple sliding steel bar about 3/8-inch wide and
1 1/2-inch long to block either the main breaker or the generator
breaker, making it impossible for both to be energized at the same time.
I have decided to implement such a device, and have taken the first
steps to do so. The dryer circuit is less than ideal anyway because I
can hear a slight hesitation in the air conditioning compressor when it
cycles on during generator operation. I have listened to the generator
when the compressor kicks in and it doesn't strain at all, so the
culprit has to be voltage drop across the wiring and all its breakers.
Fortuitously, the load center in my workshop is also a Square D QO, and
it contained an unused 30 amp double-pole breaker. So I absconded with
that breaker and used it for my new dedicated generator circuit in the
main panel. To do so and put it in the correct location for an
interlock, I had to move one single-pole breaker from the right to the
left side, open another slot at the bottom of the right bank, and move
all of the remaining breakers in the right bank down by two slots to
vacate the top two slots for the generator breaker. This went off
without a hitch. Also fortuitously, about a year ago I came into
possession of a section of 6/3 (with ground) UL direct-burial wire long
enough to reach from the generator to the main breaker. There won't be
much voltage drop on that with 7.2 kilowatts maximum. The last thing I
did was install a real fused disconnect at the generator end of the
line, and put 30 amp fuses in it. I will leave that connected even when I
am not using the generator. I'm using that because fuses are more
reliable safety devices than mechanical breakers, and because (you
guessed it) I salvaged that from a rewire job, too.
Now the generator changeover procedure goes like this:
Switch off the main breaker.
Switch off the circuit(s) I do not wish to power right now, such as the water heater.
Go out to the generator shed and start the genny.
Return to the breaker box and bring the generator circuit online.
As you can see, that is easier and less prone to accidents than the way it was before.
By
the way, if you have never had a diesel generator and have been
thinking about buying one for either backup or offgrid prime power,
allow me to offer a bit of advice: you do not need or want a big enough
generator to power everything in your home at the same time. Not only
will a generator that big cost far more money than you need to spend, it
will also use more fuel than necessary and furthermore, will give you
more problems than a properly-sized generator. The reason this is true
is because diesels like to work. They are happy running in the range of
50 to 90 percent of their rated capacity. If they are running at 20
percent of capacity for extended periods, not only will they use more
fuel than a smaller generator powering the same load, but that excess
fuel will produce more soot and other deposits, which will build up in
the engine (especially around the exhaust valves and in the exhaust
system) and gradually reduce its performance, making it use even more
fuel and become harder and harder to start. The cure for that condition
is to hook it up to a near-maximum load and let it run that way for an
extended time, but it is better to prevent the condition by sizing the
generator such that you can run it in the upper 50 percent of its
capacity most of the time. There is an old adage among (mostly retired
now) truckers who are familiar with the old 2-cycle Detroit Diesel
engine that the way to ensure good service from a truck powered by one
of those is to slam your hand in the door first thing in the morning so
you will be mad at it, and drive it like you are trying to kill it! That
is somewhat of an exaggeration of course, but it does contain a kernel
of truth. The same thing applies to the more common 4-cycle diesels,
too.
“How long should you boil water to make it safe to drink?”
When I ask this question to small groups, I usually get a lot of
different answers. They range from 1 minute to 30 minutes. Thirty
minutes is a long time! In fact, a lot of the water would be lost to
steam if you boiled it for 30 minutes. You’d have create a primitive way
to capture that steam, allow it to cool, and then collect the water as
it condensed back to liquid form.
Fortunately, 30 minutes of rigorous boiling is not required to kill pathogens.
Contaminated Water
When you are in survival mode, whether simply lost in the woods
during a weekend campout or after a major natural disaster such as a
regional flood, it’s critical to stay hydrated. Next to air and shelter, water is the next most important item to seek out.
Under stressful conditions, going just a couple of days with too
little water can be debilitating and even life threatening. It’s
important to stay hydrated and watch out for the signs of dehydration.
However, you don’t want to risk making matters worse by drinking water that may be contaminated with pathogens such as giardia or cryptosporidium. They can cause diarrhea, gastrointestinal discomfort, and other issues that will make survival extremely tough.
You must purify the water before drinking it. Even clear, fast moving water can carry microscopic organisms that will wreak havoc on your digestive system.
Boiling Water
There are many ways to make water safe to drink. Chemicals such as iodine and chlorine can be used to kill unwanted microorganisms. Ultraviolet light can also be used to retard their ability to reproduce, making it safe to consume infested water. You can also use a filter to remove the disease causing parasites.
All of these have their place in survival. However, they are
typically dependent on a non-renewable source. You can run out of
chemicals. You will run out of batteries for the ultraviolet Steripen.
Filters will get old and will need to be replaced.
Fire, on the other hand, is renewable. As long as you can make a
fire, even by rubbing two sticks together, you can have fire. And if you
have fire and a container to put water in, you can purify water.
According to the EPA, waterborne illnesses can be prevented by bringing water to a boil for 1 minute.
Water boils at 100C or 212F. Typically, most pathogens are dead before
the water even begins to boil. 185F will kill most microorganism in just
a few minutes.
If you are familiar with the Ideal Gas Law,
you know that temperature, volume, and heat are proportionally related.
What does this mean to us? At higher elevations, there is less pressure
so a longer heating time is required to achieve the same affect. A safe
rule of thumb is at elevations greater than 5,000 feet, water should be
brought to a boil for 3 minutes.
Everyone
needs a knife sharpener because no matter how careful you are, when you
use your knife in the field, it is going to get dull. I don’t care how
expensive, or how high tech your knife is, using a knife will
eventually dull the blade.
What does this mean for the prepper? You have some choices. You can
carry a ceramic stone and sharpen your blade . . . or you can carry a
basic little sharpener that will make the job simple, quick and easy. I
guess you know what I choose. I choose the easy way to sharpen a knife
without spending a lot of money!
I purchased Smith’s Pocket Pal Multifunction Sharpener
a few months ago and have used it quite a bit. Not that my blades were
super dull, mind you, but I wanted to learn how to use it properly and
run it through its paces before I had to use it out in the field, while hiking, or in an emergency situation. The Technical Stuff
This lightweight little knife sharpener weighs only an ounce and
features a fold out, tapered round diamond-coated rod for sharpening
serrated and standard edges quickly and easily. It measures 3-1/2 inches
long and is 1 inch wide – plus, and it only weighs just 1 ounce. The Survival Husband Impressions
I recruited my resident knife expert, Survival Husband, to give me
his impressions. (Remember him? He is the one that swiped my Kershaw OSO Sweet from me . . . ). Here is what he said:
This sharpener is great. It is compact and the
construction is very durable. The real plus, however, is that it is
small enough and light weight enough to simply drop it in your pack or
packet and not worry about it taking up space or being bulky.
The “pocket pal knife sharpener” is easy to use. In addition to the
fixed sharpening blade, it has a small steel which enables you to
sharpen a serrated blade no muss no fuss.
In my view this is great for sharpening blades in the field or
emergency situation. I would recommend that you purchase a few to stash
in you pack, your pocket and around the house so that you always have a
sharp blade – whenever and wherever.
How to Use the Pocket Pal
Sharpening Slots
Insert knife blade into the V-shaped slots at a 90-degree angle to the sharpening blades or stones.
Pull the knife blade straight back towards you while applying light pressure.
Repeat this action until blade is sharp.
Tapered Diamond Rod: Flat Edges
Always hold the unit with the rod facing down. Place heel of the blade on the diamond rod closest to the unit.
Hold blade at a 23-degree angle to the rod.
While applying light pressure, push the knife away from you towards
the end of the rod. Draw knife down so that the tip of the blade comes
off the end of the rod. Repeat this action until blade is sharp.
For the other side of the blade, you will need to switch hands holding the sharpener and the knife and repeat steps 1 through 3.
Tapered Diamond Rod: Serrated Edges
Only sharpen the side of your knife edge with the serrations.
Hold rod at 23-degree angle to the blade and move it back and forth through each serration until sharp.
The Final Word
Although I own a fancy, smancy Chef’s Choice knife sharpener knife sharpener, it is clumsy, heavy and dare I say expensive?
Sure, there are better sharpeners out there but for $9 or less? Well,
this is great choice to keep in your survival kit. Plus it proves that
survival gear does not need to cost a lot to be useful and effective. Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation! Gaye
Everyone
needs a knife sharpener because no matter how careful you are, when you
use your knife in the field, it is going to get dull. I don’t care how
expensive, or how high tech your knife is, using a knife will
eventually dull the blade.
