How much drinking water storage do you have? When did you last replenish/recycle your drinking water storage? Regardless of the claims made by the company that provided the water “preservative” you used in order to secure a shelf-life for your water, it is recommended that you cycle through your water storage and replenish it every 6-12 months.

Notice that I am strictly discussing drinking water storage and not general use water that will not be consumed internally. General water storage can be cycled through at longer intervals if desired.

Naturally, people always wonder why this cycling out is recommended…especially those of us with large quantities stored. (It’s no cheap endeavor.) Here are some reasons why I do it yearly:

1. Cycling out my water ensures the integrity of my water. I like to save money everywhere I can, but on matters of sustaining life and ensuring critical functionality in crises I will not scrimp. Over the last few years, I have come across a handful of individuals who thought that their water storage was in perfectly consumable condition only to discover their storage had turned to non-potable quality. Some of the bung seals had cracked due to improper application, a non-secured seal, or poor protection from environmental elements. Another culprit was unauthorized access by a curious household member. This person had opened up the container and closed it, essentially cross-contaminating the water and not informing anyone. Tisk, tisk, tisk.
   

   Use the water you are cycling out to run through your water purifier/filter & drink it, water the garden, wash the car, rinse off garden tools, hydrate & wash the pets, or re-allocate that water as general-use storage and fill a new drinking water storage container to build up your supply!

2. “Take care of your tools & they’ll take care of you.” This is a no-brainer and the primary reason that many of us like to “rough-it” every once in a while. I like spontaneous camp outs in the back yard or somewhere locally to test out gear and ensure its deliverability. This also gives others within my family (or group) a chance to learn, test, and socialize. Most importantly, it has helped me refine gear or methods for future applications. I have discovered gear that I will not purchase again and recommend that others avoid acquiring. I have also discovered products that required more frequent inspection, such as my Coleman grill/stove combo. One of the O-rings had to be replaced and I had not noticed it after I had previously used then stored it. Lesson learned.
3. Habits are formed through repeated action. My wife and I have three wonderful children who are eager to see & do almost anything that they observe us doing. Our boy Joshua absolutely loves helping me break-down tools to clean, inspect, and oil them, so do our two daughters. It’s more than neat to then watch them internalize those principles and do the same to their toys and tools. We all enjoy the same excitement when we get together in the kitchen or go pick fruits/vegetables from the yard. Beyond the individual discipline that I need by forming healthy habits, these behaviors become a legacy-mindset to our posterity & like-minded friends. I learn directly from observing others as well. One of the greatest joys of life is the bonding that emerges as individuals participate in collective learning experiences.

Clearly, the reasons for cycling out my drinking water storage are based on principles that extend far beyond that commodity. I approach Self-Reliance with the idea that principles & laws found in nature extend into all aspects of Life. Our challenge is to adapt & apply those guiding lights to the particular project(s) we presently pursue…and then share them.

-David SafeWater

The post Why Refill My Water Storage? appeared first on LPC Survival.

Our friend Gaye Levy (Survival Woman) from BackdoorSurvival.com recently posted an article with 29 questions to help you determine & secure your level of preparedness…when an urgent event strikes.

After reading the questions, is there anything that you think needs to be included or that you feel is important but wasn’t included? If so, please comment and let us know or feel free to email your thoughts as well. We have included a FREE Download Checklist for you. Click on the checklist image to download the PDF file.

Click Image to Download your FREE Printable Checklist

1.   Has your family rehearsed fire escape routes from your home?

2.   Does your family know what to do before, during, and after an earthquake or other emergency situation?

3.   Do you have heavy objects hanging over beds that can fall during an earthquake?

4.   Do you have access to an operational flashlight in every occupied bedroom?  (use of candles is not recommended unless you are sure there is no leaking gas)

5.   Do you keep shoes near your bed to protect your feet against broken glass?

6.    If a water line was ruptured during an earthquake or hurricane, do you know how to shut off the main water line to your house?

7.   Can this water valve be turned off by hand without the use of a tool? Do you have a tool if one is needed?

8.    Do you know where the main gas shut-off valve to your house is located?

9.    If you smell gas, do you know how and would you be able to shut off this valve?

10.  Gas valves usually cannot be turned off by hand. Is there a tool near your valve?

11.  Would you be able to safely restart your furnace when gas is safely available?

12.  Do you have working smoke alarms in the proper places to warn you of fire?

13.  In case of a minor fire, do you have a fire extinguisher that you know how to use?

14.  Do you have duplicate keys and copies of important insurance and other papers stored outside your home?

15.  Do you have a functional emergency radio to receive emergency information?

16.  If your family had to evacuate your home, have you identified a meeting place?

IF AN EMERGENCY LASTED FOR THREE DAYS ( 72 HOURS) BEFORE HELP WAS AVAILABLE TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY:

17.  Would you have sufficient food?

18.  Would you have the means to cook food without gas and electricity?

19.  Would you have sufficient water for drinking, cooking, and sanitary needs?

20.  Do you have access to a 72 hour evacuation kit?

21. Would you be able to carry or transport these kits?

22. Have you established an out-of-state contact?

23. Do you have a first aid kit in your home and in each car?

24. Do you have work gloves and some tools for minor rescue and clean up?

25. Do you have emergency cash on hand? (During emergencies banks and ATMs are closed)

26. Without electricity and gas do you have a way to heat at least part of your house?

27. If you need medications, do you have a month’s supply on hand?

28. Do you have a plan for toilet facilities if there is an extended water shortage?

29. Do you have a supply of food, clothing, and fuel where appropriate: For 6 months? For a year?

The post Printable Checklist: The Preparedness Test by Gaye Levy appeared first on LPC Survival.

Ever wonder about why we use the term “generic” with the blue Sport Berkey water filtration bottles that we sell? If you have, you’re not the only one. With increasing interest in water filtration and purification, we have noticed more people are asking if the Generic Sport Berkey is an authentic Berkey product. Here’s the deal:

• There are two versions of the Sport Berkey available:

As you can see, the Sport Berkey on the left has printing directly on the bottle. The “generic” version on the right is an authentic Sport Berkey but does not have printing or a label on it. The lack of printing results in a lower retail price for folks who don’t need the printing on the bottle.

The Sport Berkey is manufactured and assembled in the United States of America.

-TBG

The post Is the Generic Sport Berkey an Authentic Berkey Product? appeared first on LPC Survival.

Do you own any of these systems? If you own anything other than a Berkey system, it might be featured here in this video by LDSPrepper. He has over 150 videos and has tons of subscribers on his YouTube channel. If you get a chance, visit his channel and subscribe to it. We recently heard this video review and appreciate the things he had to say. Check out the video:

The post Video: Shocking Water Filter Review & Comparison appeared first on LPC Survival.

This week’s CERT training gave me some experience in the fundamentals of Search-And-Rescue or SAR. In learning the fundamentals of searching for the victims of a disastrous or catastrophic event, the principle of personal safety first must be exercised!

Personal safety is an on-going process, not a static event. Such considerations must be implemented before, during, and after responding. I have often thought of personal safety in terms of arriving on-scene and deciding if I can respond, given what’s happened or not happened. Now, I understand more fully that a responder should never “feel at home” on-scene and must stay aware for his own and partner’s safety: situational awareness.

From the CERT Field Operating Guide (FOG) No. 573 (pg. 24):

Priorities of CERT Search and Rescue:

• The safety of CERT members
• Life safety for victims and others
• Protection of the environment
• Protection of property

Goals of CERT Search and Rescue:

• Rescue the greatest number in the shortest amount of time
• Rescue lightly trapped victims first

Effective Search and Rescue:

• Effective Size-up (see Size-up Checklist)
• Rescuer safety
• Victim safety

The FOG then goes on to make this point:

Safety Considerations: Regardless of the severity of structural damage, rescuer safety must be the primary concern. The two most frequent causes of rescuer deaths are disorientation and secondary collapse.

Here are some more points that I learned, along with a little expansion on the topic:

Primary Concern is Rescuer Safety

If you’re a prepper, then hopefully you have learned to appreciate redundancy. Redundancy allows us to master the fundamental principles of life. As complex as the world is, all of that complexity is based on basics. It is the repetitiveness of a particular message, such as safety, that will remind us to never attempt a rescue near a downed electrical line. It is that same redundancy that reminds us to activate EMS when we’ve observed someone grab his chest and fall unconscious to the ground, or in shouting “CLEAR” while visually confirming that no one is touching a victim who is receiving the effects of an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED). Remember, don’t become part of the problem by becoming another victim!

Buddy System

The buddy system is an excellent way to maximize the presence of human resources. Having a buddy, or two, ensures an extra set of eyes, ears, and able-bodied effort to assess the scene and provide feedback beyond the inherent limitations of an individual. It will be crucial that both “buddies” actively follow the principles of rescuer safety in order to maximize the benefit of collaboration.

Beware of Hazards

Many hazards do not present themselves in a clear and obvious way. Electrical conduits such as power lines, lethal vapors or gases such as carbon monoxide, pyrotechnic devices such as airbag inflators, and similar hazards do not shout out, “I’m a danger, watch out!” unless responders have educated themselves to the latent threats inherent in each one. It is beneficial for all consumers to learn more about the basic threats posed by the items which make our lives more convenient, as long as they are working properly!

Safety Equipment

It never ceases to amaze me how something so simple as wearing goggles, gloves, or helmets, can seem such a burden to folks who should be wearing such equipment because of the nature of their activity. It is easy for individuals to develop “superman” or “superwoman” syndrome after having repeated an activity hundreds of times without incident. Need I remind us all that all it takes is just-one-time? Safety equipment is designed to protect us/reduce risk from that 0.0001% of circumstances when things go wrong.

Support Teams

If you’ve ever watched an active response to a wildland fire, or a serious structure fire, then you’ve no doubt seen support teams staged somewhere on-scene assisting exhausted responders, providing them with water, food, and medical treatment. CERT members often form part of those support teams, helping refresh other responders and offer support in many ways.

With the previous points in mind, an appropriate Scene Size-Up becomes the object of study and practice.

Size-Up Checklist

1. Gather Facts
2. Assess and Communicate the Damage
3. Consider Probabilities
4. Assess Your Own Situation
5. Establish Priorities
6. Make Decisions
7. Develop a Plan of Action
8. Take Action
9. Evaluate Progress

-TBG

Part 2/3, Search and Rescue: Physical Search, will discuss the Size-up Checklist more fully and cover the physical search process of SAR.

The post CERT Training: Search & Rescue (SAR) Intro Part 1/3 appeared first on LPC Survival.

This week at my CERT training, I was able to learn more about fire safety. Specifically, I learned that fire can also be described as “an exothermic reaction process where rapid oxidation of a material produces light, heat, and other products of combustion”. I learned the answer to a $64,000 question: Is oxygen itself flammable? The answer: No. It was interesting to learn about the fire triangle as well. [Fire Triangle image] Oxygen contributes as an oxidizing agent to the flammable fuel material.

Until this week’s training, I had never used a fire extinguisher to extinguish a significant size flame. The fuel source of this particular fire was gasoline and it was performed under the supervision of professional fire personnel and with enough resources to secure a “controlled burn”. In contrast to a controlled burn, the term conflagration denotes an uncontrolled burn, such as in a structure fire or a wildfire or blaze. This fire extinguishing experience increased my respect for firefighters and provided first-hand exposure to the amount of heat generated in a small, controlled burn.

We watched videos that described historically significant events and tragedies involving structure fires and losses of life, such as the Station Fire on Rhode Island, February 2003:

Having lived in Southern California in my younger years, I have experienced earthquakes of varying magnitudes including the Whittier Narrows quake of 1987 and the Northridge quake of 1994. I have witnessed firsthand how scenes and groups of individuals can become chaotic in an instant when the earth moves. This chaos is what has led to so many losses of life in structure fires such as the Station Fire. When enclosed locations are populated beyond capacity and poorly lit, these are the basic ingredients for a tragedy, although a tragic event may not occur.

An interesting comment was made by one of our instructors (paraphrasing mine):

There are some people that mistakenly subscribe to what they call “the rule of thumb”. They suggest that as long as you are able to stand far enough away from a disastrous event so as to be able to place your thumb in front of your dominant eye and obstruct the view (contain the event by visibly blocking it from your view), then you are at a safe distance…that’s wrong and those people are mistaken! You can bet I’ll be a few thumbs’ distance behind those people with all their thumbs.

That instructor was right, especially with an event like this one:

In this week’s class, we also covered:
• Various methods of carrying victims out of an area
• ABCDE fires
• Appropriate situations & how to turn residential gas off
• Obtain & properly maintain/check smoke & carbon monoxide detectors regularly
• Hazmat in home
o Separate ammonia from bleach

Below is a fire classification chart that I found at SafetyPosterShop.com:

-TBG

The post Basics of Fire Safety CERT Training appeared first on LPC Survival.

Our friend from YouTube Sootch00 recently made a video on the most important and fundamental life sustainer: WATER. Please watch and enjoy!

The post Featured Video: Water: Bug Out or Bunker In by Soootch00 appeared first on LPC Survival.

Our good friend and author of The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse, Fernando Ferfal Aguirre, made this video on 10 EDC (Every Day Carry) items. Please watch this video and let us know what you carry or recommend for EDC. Your feedback will help others improve their preps. Got a video you recommend that we share? Let us know by commenting below.

-TBG

The post Featured Video: Top 10 EDC Items by Author Fernando Ferfal Aguirre appeared first on LPC Survival.

This last week, I had the opportunity to participate in my first Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training. I have to admit that I had been putting this off for quite some time, but am glad that I am finally getting involved now.

The initial class was great. There are a few weeks remaining and lots of material to review. After talking with quite a few folks about their reasons to not take the course, here are the primary excuses, commonly used:

1. I don’t want to be in the government’s records any more than I already am…I don’t trust the gov’t!
2. I’ve been prepping for several decades and pretty much know my threats…I don’t need a boring class to learn what I already know!
3. I don’t have the time for more “meetings” in my life.
4. My [family member/relative/friend/neighbor] is a [police officer/firefighter/paramedic/etc.] and I can pretty much count on them.

Privacy & Trust

As far as giving more information to government agencies than they already “have” on you, here’s the deal: You are not required to provide your social security number in order to participate in the training. If you would like the opportunity to progress into the advanced CERT trainings and skills capacity, you will need to provide that information. Providing that SSN is important for the agencies because they need to establish that individuals with advanced training are of a character and background free of issues that could conflict with the safe & trusted deployment of their response-ability, without immediate supervision and can function autonomously & securely. Often times, advanced-level CERTs are deployed into areas outside of their immediate communities, into other federal or state regions than the one in which they reside personally.

If you are of an opinion that you would like to help your community (i.e. neighbors, fellow residents, etc.) but distrust government, then consider that by uniting your efforts with CERT you will become the trusted resource to those whom you aid when other agencies/organizations are unable to respond.

Knowledge Expansion

Each individual has the opportunity to expand his/her knowledge in every field of study…and especially practical application! I have met with more than two active fire chiefs of densely populated metropolitan cities and each one has been active in fire service for several decades. Each of them also readily shared that they continue to learn on the job, regardless of their experiences over the years.

It is possible for an individual to have read all of the CERT and supplemental materials and to gain a knowledge of the didactic portions of curricula. The real test of learned knowledge comes in its mastery through application. Any profession which requires its constituents to continually drill and train, understands this principle as well as the need for muscle memory and the building of fast-twitch muscle fiber response.

One crucial component of the classroom/field-drills training is the interaction with other individuals in order to develop appropriate responses per scenario. This is the most challenging aspect of implementing the book work. There will always be lessons to learn from drills. Remember this saying? The more you sweat during practice, the less you bleed during gametime.

Time is Valuable

Time is more valuable than money. For those whose schedules or areas cannot accommodate  8-hour individual classes, 2-hour classes are also available during evenings in most locations. The steady participation in several classes of shorter length can accommodate virtually every individual, regardless of their availability.

For those who are completely unable to attend because of conflicting schedules, you could benefit from visiting the main CERT website and downloading the participant manual and studying at your own pace. Here is the link: CERT Training Materials.

Personal Individual Development

Each and every one of us knows that our country’s decline is the cumulative consequence of individuals abandoning personal accountability. Many attitudes toward emergency preparedness reflect that similar disregard. This is changing, believe it or not. I constantly see individuals who have finally “had enough” of the status quos in their lives. They have decided to take action and engage themselves. Personal individual development is a process that is rewarding and liberating. As we position ourselves with greater autonomy, we strengthen our value to our families, neighborhoods, community, and country. This is the greatest aim of patriotism: Sovereignty.

Following are my notes from my first CERT meeting this last week.

• Instructors have over 30 years of experience in emergency preparedness

• [Received] Community emergency response team manual

• Citizens are the first responders

• Key elements of disasters:

• Relatively unexpected

• Emergency personnel overwhelmed

• Lives endangered

• Be sure to store water as water supply is not inadequate [slightly mentioned]

• Assemble disaster kit

• Develop a safe room

• Possible disasters:

• Flash floods

• Lightning

• Winter weather

• Earthquakes

• Biggest killer is flash floods in USA

• Have flood insurance

• Have a flood evacuation plan

• Stay out of flooded areas

• Tornadoes

• Hail

• Winter storms

• fill your gas tank

• Extreme temperatures

• Heat cramps

• Earthquakes

• Strap water heaters

• Develop a plan

• Conduct earthquake drills

• Identify an out of state family contact

• Secure book case

• Water storage

• 1-2 gallons per day/person [they were too brief on this point]

• Food storage calms people

• Store [food] you like

• Medical supplies

• First aid kit

• Keep prescriptions

• Landslides

The post Getting Started with C.E.R.T. appeared first on LPC Survival.

The following article is used here with permission from our friends Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy. Enjoy!

We have discussed the issue of trauma evaluation and treatment in various articles over the past year, but we have rarely brought up the issue of dental trauma.  During the Vietnam war, medical personnel reported that there were as many dental issues presented at Sick Call as medical issues.  In a collapse situation, therefore, we can expect a percentage of the Survival Medic’s patients to come with dental problems as well. Despite this, few people who are otherwise medically prepared seem to devote much time to dental health.

Today’s dentists have high technology on their side, but this technology will not be available if things go South.  Therefore, we look to historical methods of treating these problems.  Although some of these methods may not currently be in use, they may suffice to at least temporarily deal with the issue in times of trouble. . Of these issues, some will be related to trauma

Dental trauma may appear in various forms.  After an injury to the oral cavity, a person may have:

• a portion of a tooth chipped or broken off (a dental fracture)

(here’s our link to part 1 about dental anatomy and tooth fractures):

http://www.doomandbloom.net/2012/04/dental-trauma-part-1-fractures.html

• a loose tooth (a dental subluxation)

• a tooth knocked out completely (a dental avulsion)

A tooth that is knocked loose but not out of its alveolar socket is called a subluxation. Lightly using your gloved hand or a cotton applicator should identify if it is loose and how much.  Minimal trauma may require no major intervention. If a tooth is loose, it should be pressed back into the alveolus (socket)  and “splinted” to neighboring teeth for stability.  Dentists use wire or special materials for this purpose, but you might find yourself having to use soft wax if professional help is not at hand. Prevent further trauma by placing on a liquid diet (juices, jello) for a time, until the tooth appears well anchored.  Soft diets (things like puddings or soft cereals) are also ok.

The most favorable situation when a tooth is completely knocked out (an “avulsion”) is that it came out in one piece, down to its root and ligament.  In this circumstance, time is a very important factor in possible treatment success.  If the tooth is not replaced or at least placed in a preservation solution, the success of reimplantation drops 1% every MINUTE the tooth is not in its socket.

A good preservation liquid for teeth that have been knocked out is “Hank’s Solution”. This is a balanced salt solution that has been used to culture living cells, and it helps protect raw ligament fibers for a time.  Hank’s Solution is available commercially as “Save-a-Tooth”.  Although you can make your own Hank’s Solution, it is a fairly complex process. (http://www.thelabrat.com/protocols/Hanks.shtml)

If you are not at your retreat at the time of injury:

• Find the tooth
• Pick it up by the crown, avoid touching the root as it will damage the already damaged ligament fibers.
• Flush the tooth clean of dirt and debris with water or saline solution. Don’t scrub it, as it will damage the ligament further.
• If you don’t have preservation solution, place the tooth in milk, saline solution, or saliva (put it between your cheek and gum, or under your tongue). This will keep your ligament cells alive longer than plain water will.

If the tooth has been out for less than 15 minutes, you may attempt to reimplant it…

To continue reading, Click HERE.

The post Featured: Dental Trauma, Knocked Out Tooth appeared first on LPC Survival.