Thursday 16/07/15
In some situations it only takes a couple of minor oversights to turn a situation from one you can cope with into an unnecessary hassle (or worse). There’s no way you can plan for every eventuality, but you can do little things to lean the odds in your favour.
This week’s blog is simply a list of things that will make your life easier in tough times.
Airtight plastic containers – Definitely pack a couple of these in with your emergency food supplies. If you are in living in the aftermath of a natural disaster or experiencing an evacuation situation, you need to protect your dry-goods from moisture and vermin. Flour, powdered milk, rice, pasta, instant coffee, sugar and salt can all be ruined by constant high humidity (like that caused by several days of torrential rain). Also; cockroaches, ants and rats are attracted to anything sweet such as sugar and biscuits. There’s no point making preparations if your food is going to be ruined before you get a chance to use it. Seal it or lose it.
Dental floss – This stuff makes a great thread to repair rips in your gear or clothing. If you don’t have a sturdy needle, you can fashion one out of a piece of bone, a small sharp stick or a small, sharp piece of metal you might have in your gear. I once used the corkscrew on my pocketknife to create guide holes in ripped canvas for the floss to pass through.
Non-lubricated condom – I mentioned condoms once before, but they’re great for keeping electronic car keys, matches and other personal items dry; so I’ll take this opportunity to remind you of their worth.
Mobile phone – Even if your phone can’t get a signal, the screen can still be used as a source of light at night. Use this wisely, you don’t know how long it will be until you can recharge your phone.
Toilet paper and tissues – We rely on these items on a daily basis, but they are often overlooked by people when they are gathering their supplies. In addition to the obvious, lightweight paper makes great tinder for your fire.
Garbage bags – Please see last week’s blog for other uses.
Duct tape – I’ve used this stuff for everything from first-aid through to emergency car repairs. Do not buy the cheap tape; it is a waste of money.
Shovel (fixed handle or folding) – You’ll need one to bury your waste and to dig your pit toilet.
There you have it, a few simple suggestions to add to your ever increasing knowledge bank. Take a moment to think how much you have learned since you started reading my blog, and how much better prepared you are to deal with unusual situations. If you have any suggestions for blog ideas, please let me know; if it is within the realm of my knowledge and experience, I’ll be happy to share the information with you.
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