I promised to tell you how to build a Faraday cage with the foil and mylar blankets we are adding to our General Store this week. Now is the time to act to protect your electronic gear.

To be adequately shielded, electronics must be kept inside a completely enclosed metallic structure known as a Faraday cage. Nested Faraday cages offer even more protection for those closest to the attack, just in case. A Faraday cage is an enclosure surrounded by a good electrical conductor such as copper or aluminum. Large Faraday cages to protect computers and even power stations, are possible but more complicated and very expensive. For small electronics though, the task is very simple.

There are just a few simple but important points to remember.

1. Foil or metal should not touch the item placed inside or the EMP will be conducted back to the item you are trying to protect, destroying the electronic components.

2. Items must be completely covered with no gaps in the protective covering. The EMP will be conducted around the outside of the container preserving the items inside.

3. You will have no warning of an EMP attack so items will need to remain in the cage until needed and should be returned immediately after use.

4. Consider carefully which items you want to protect. Cell phone towers will be destroyed so storing a cell phone may be a waste of time. The same is true of convenience items such as hair dryers. The only reason to protect these is to avoid the cost of replacement later.

5. Adding more layers of foil or metal will do no good unless there is a layer of a non conductive material between the layers of metal. This is the same principle as layering clothing during a cold weather emergency. Simply adding more layers is not as good as adding clothing that is larger and allows air to become trapped between the layers.

6. Remember to protect cords. They must also be completely covered by a metal shield. Antennas also need complete protection.

A few options:

A Faraday cage can be built using two cardboard boxes. Place your items inside the smaller box. Be sure the box does not have any openings in the cardboard. If it does layer some more cardboard or place your items into a heavy duty plastic bag before placing in the box. Cover box completely with aluminum foil or a mylar space blanket. The blankets are great as they cover completely for much less money than the foil. Place the smaller box into the larger and again wrap the larger box completely, sealing it, with a mylar blanket or foil. Be sure the foil is taped securely to prevent tearing. Many advise to attach a ground wire at this point but the demonstrations I have seen did not include a ground. The impulse simply travels around the metal covering looking for a way in until it dissipates.

A military ammunition box can also be used as a Faraday cage. Wrap foil all the way around the gasket to form a seal, metal on metal. The inside of the can should then be lined, completely, with a non conductive material such as cardboard or foam. Do not use duct tape to seal spaces in the non conductive material. Once that is done the items can be placed inside, the lid closed and latched, and you are good to go.

You can also construct a cage using 2x4s and copper or aluminum mesh. The cage lid can be hinged for access but remember the mesh must to touching everywhere to provide protection. You cannot just staple the mesh to the wooded frame, it must touch metal to metal or a pulse can get through.

A microwave oven can also be used as a Faraday cage. Remove the power cord completely, place items inside and seal the vents and hole where the chord was with foil, mylar or metal mesh. Naturally, this is a microwave that is already dead as once you remove the chord it is no longer good for cooking.

A galvanized trash can or a large aluminum stock pot can also be used as a cage. You just need to be sure you have a good seal and there is metal touching metal all the way around the opening. As always your items being protected cannot come into contact with the metal.

Items to place in your cage may include, HAM radios, battery powdered radios, fuses, batteries, spare parts for tube radios, replacement components for your generator, and any other item which will be able to work separate from the electrical grid.

Join Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

Subscribe to our Newsletter: http://blog.totallyready.com/announcing-the-totally-ready-newsletter/

This week we learned that one out of eight families in the United States are on food stamps! How long can the government afford to keep supporting that many? They will need to reduce the programs or increase our taxes and fees to make up the shortfall. I am betting I know which one it will be.  A report this week on MSNBC said those who were storing food were “exhibiting an extreme reaction”. Really? The extreme reaction has been the action of those in Greece who are now being told the free ride must end and they are rioting in protest. I do not want to be seen walking into a grocery store if that happens here. I like Abraham Lincoln’s quote much better: “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail”.

Just a reminder, because of my concern for rising food prices and economic uncertainty,  I will send any new subscribers to the Totally Ready Newsletter a copy of our March issue which includes the information you will need to store a nutritionally balanced three month supply designed for your family’s needs, not a generic list you may find other places. Those of you who have been subscribers already have the information and the plan and now is the time to work the plan.

There have been so many questions about EMPs and Solar Flares, how we can prepare for them, and how we can live afterward, that it is time to add a few things to our General Store to help. Tomorrow we will discuss how to build a Faraday cage to protect items from the effects of an EMP. To do that we will need metal which will “repel” the effects of an electromagnetic pulse.

We can only protect a very few of our own electronic devices. Even with a radio and a few other items still in good working condition how will we use them if there is no power from the power grid? We will need to provide our own heating. We will need to cook our food in a different manner. We will need to protect our family from searing summer temperatures. Aluminum foil and emergency mylar blankets are integral to this process.

The June issue of the Totally Ready Newsletter will include an entire section devoted to cooking without power. We have already talked about a few of these including foil dinners which, of course, requires foil to be used in the cooking process. This is an issue you will definitely want to copy and include in your preparedness binder. Think about it, when the power fails you will not be able to access all the great information you have concerning survival. You will not be able to do a search for directions on the Internet. When we began our Seven Steps: 365 things to do to be Totally Ready, almost, I asked you to create a binder. Again, when we began our General Store I asked you to start a binder. This years as we commenced adding non food items to our General Store I again reminded you to add to your binder. If you have not gotten the message before now is the time to start that binder!

This past weekend I attended a HAM radio conference which was geared to emergency communications. One of the speakers was from San Diego county and spoke about the 2007 fires. The people in his community were without power for eight weeks! Two months! They had no water because wells can not pump without power. They had no light, no air conditioners, no fuel pumped at gas stations, and little help from relief organizations and the government. It does not take an EMP or a solar flare to take down the power grid for a long period of time. The past two weeks we have seen increased terrorist activities. What if they were able to take down a grid or two or three?

This week purchase aluminum foil and emergency mylar blankets. This will be an expensive week so I promise next week we will add a frugal item. Mylar blankets have dozens of uses so I have a stash of about 20 in addition to what I have in the car and in our 72 hour kits. If you aren’t sure how you would use a mylar blanket see our September 2007 post: Survival in Your Pocket or check out your August 2009 edition of the Totally Ready Newsletter for an expanded list. I also have two huge rolls of foil from Costco. You should purchase as much as you can reasonably afford. When purchasing foil; be sure to purchase heavy duty foil. You will save money as you will use less to accomplish your goals.

Join Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

Subscribe to our Newsletter: http://blog.totallyready.com/announcing-the-totally-ready-newsletter/

Our April Newsletter is out so if you have subscribed and did not receive one please let me know. April’s issue includes:

General Store: Items stored as of April 1st

Tips of the Week: Expanded for the month of March

Storing Food Safely

Containers Appropriate for food storage

Containers NOT appropriate for food storage

Dutch Oven Cooking: How to Purchase a Dutch Oven; How to Season a Dutch Oven

Recipes: Bread Recipes: Dutch oven cooking from breakfast to dessert

On to our tips…When I was young I experienced the horror of civil unrest. It was during the age of race riots and people were actually sent into the city where I lived to insight unrest. It was very frightening. We could hear gun fire at night and knew no one was safe out on the streets. My parents bought a big dog and endured many sleepless nights with a baseball bat close at hand. For those who live in the city this is a real concern when planning for an emergency. After every disaster we have witnessed some of this lawless behavior.

Many times people who feel entitled loot and burn stores. They threaten those who are trying to escape the area. Occasionally we see these groups invade homes, but usually they focus on stores where there is much greater to collect. When the time comes that there is a major disaster and the store shelves are empty where will these people go? They will be hungry and they will attack anyone they believe may have food and supplies. Obviously, this is of much greater concern in the city than it is in the suburbs. There are things to do now to prepare.

Last week we talked about getting to know your neighbors and making plans with some of them. I would not make a big announcement of my intent and preparations but I would approach people individually. Preparing together serves two purposes, first you don’t have to store everything, you can share, and secondly if your home is invaded or becomes uninhabitable you have a place nearby to seek help and refuge.

After a disaster plan to lay low: Don’t run out to stock up on milk or other perishables. This makes you an obvious target, you are taking home food and you have money. If you don’t have it, do without. Now, if you know a storm is coming everyone will be stocking up so by all means, go stock up.Only if the disaster is sudden and unexpected should you stay put.

Be prepared to be sneaky: If you have a generator and can run a computer or your fridge, do so during the day. Use glow sticks and flashlights at night and if you must use the computer after dark close all the blinds so no one can see that recognizable blue light that it emits.

Whatever your supplies make it look as if you are struggling as much as everyone else. Don’t do anything to single out your family. As your food defrosts, if you are going to use a grill to cook, fill it as full as possible and cook everything at once. Everyone will be cooking up their freezer stash the first few days. You will want to have your food cooked and ready to just reheat after these initial few days. Nothing will cause people to show up on your doorstep like the smell of meat being grilled.

Cover your windows so passers by or those in the apartment opposite yours can’t see what you have. I love mylar blankets for this purpose. Tape them in your window and they will keep out lots of heat during the summer as well as providing privacy any time of the year. No one will be able to see into your home but you will be able to see out.

If you fear roving bands make it look like your home has already been ransacked. Scratch up  the door and the lock so it looks like someone has already looted your home. This is the time your HAM radio license will be of great value. You will know the frequencies to monitor and you will hear of dangers in your neighborhood and you will be able to alert the authorities as you observe lawless behaviors.

Have an escape plan. If you are plan to evacuate the city do so immediately. Don’t wait to see what happens. If you have warning of an impending disaster do not wait until authorities say it is time to go, just go. Too often, especially for those leaving a large city,  traffic jams can make an hour drive turn into three or four. This uses up gas, makes tempers rise and means potty breaks you could avoid by going early thus being on the road less time. Yes, potty breaks. This may seem silly but every time you have to stop you are in danger of not being able to get back on the road and you risk being hassled by those looking for food or money because they failed to plan. Remember we are focusing on civil unrest today. You are the safest when you are in your car so make every provision you can to remain on the road once you have made the decision to leave.

I’m sure you are wondering about now why I have not mentioned ways in which to defend yourself. First, if you can avoid confrontation that is always safest for you and your family. Second, because I have made it a policy never to advise anyone to purchase a _____ or _____, you get the idea. I do not want the responsibility either moral or legal if an accident should occur. Defending your castle is a matter for your own training, family circumstances and moral compass.

There will be civil unrest after a disaster. Plan on it and plan for it.

Join Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

Subscribe to our Newsletter: http://blog.totallyready.com/announcing-the-totally-ready-newsletter/

I received this email yesterday morning and it is a very frightening warning about things to come over the next two weeks on the west coast of the United States. If you have family or friends on the west coast please forward this post to them so they can prepare and understand the threat.

If you are an amateur  radio operator in CA you may be called upon to provide assistance with this one. There are already awful landslides and whole neighborhoods being evacuated in southern CA and we have only seen the first storm go through. Do you have your grab and go kit ready? Are your back up batteries charged?

An email I got this morning from an NOAA colleague:

This is where things get even more interesting, though. The models are virtually unanimous in “reloading” the powerful jet stream and forming an additional persistent kink 2000-3000 miles to our southwest after next Sunday. This is a truly ominous pattern, because it implies the potential for a strong Pineapple-type connection to develop. Indeed, the 12z GFS now shows copious warm rains falling between days 12 and 16 across the entire state. Normally, such as scenario out beyond day seven would be dubious at best. Since the models are in such truly remarkable agreement, however, and because of the extremely high potential impact of such an event, it’s worth mentioning now. Since there will be a massive volume of freshly-fallen snow (even at relatively low elevations between 3000-5000 feet), even a moderately warm storm event would cause very serious flooding. This situation will have to monitored closely. Even if the tropical connection does not develop, expected rains in the coming 7-10 days will likely be sufficient to cause flooding in and of themselves (even in spite of dry antecedent conditions).

In addition to very heavy precipitation, powerful winds may result from very steep pressure gradients associated with the large and deep low pressure centers expect ed to begin approaching the coast by early next week. Though it’s not clear at the moment just how powerful these winds may be, there is certainly the potential for a widespread damaging wind event at some point, and the high Sierra peaks are likely to see gusts in the 100-200 mph range (since the 200kt jet at 200-300 mb will essentially run directly into the mountains at some point). The details of this will have to be hashed out as the event(s) draw closer.
In short, the next 2-3 weeks (at least) are likely to be more active across California than any other 2-3 week period in recent memory. The potential exists for a dangerous flood scenario to arise at some point during this interval, especially with the possibility of a heavy rain-on-snow event during late week 2. In some parts of Southern California, a whole season’s worth of rain could fall over the course of 5-10 days. This is likely to be a rather memorable event. Stay tuned.

Yesterday I caught up all the laundry, trimmed branches from trees close to the house so they wouldn’t blow into windows, and filled all my pitchers and picnic coolers with water. I also hung glow sticks on the door knobs in all our rooms, for easy access if the power goes out. I brought all the outdoor lighting and furniture into the garage and cleaned out gutters. If it is already storming where you are this morning do what you can and prepare.

My Favorite Preparedness Items to check out:

Leatherman New Wave Multi-Tool

Berkey Water Filters

I promised on our yahoo group that I would share a story about using HAM radio. I am a big believer and becoming more of a believer as I hear more stories of those who have been helped by an amateur radio operator. A few weeks ago we saw this in action.

Our son and his wife are finishing college in Idaho and one night about 10:00pm we received a text message from our son that their power was out and had been for about an hour. We checked the weather and realized it was 6 degrees, and I’m sure the wind chill made it below 0 degrees, this is a very windy part of the state. Mom gave him some advice about closing doors to keep their body heat contained in one room, and covering windows to keep cold air from entering their apartment. We then asked what had caused the outage. That was the mystery.

Dad told him to get on the radio to see what he could learn. In about two minutes he reported back that he had contacted a HAM in Idaho Falls and he had the scoop. There had been an equipment failure at the power plant.

This is just a small example of how radio can help in a crisis and this was not a terrible disaster, yet, there was no information available to those in the dark. We had looked on the internet and found nothing. After about an hour there was a report on the internet that a tanker had crashed into a power station. That turned out to be untrue. The amateur radio operator was the only one who had accurate information.

While we were in Houston recently we were caravanning as we visited some of the sites. We became separated and one of the cars became stuck in a massive traffic jam. We communicated via our radios and the second car was able to avoid the mess and use an alternate route. Now, you may say we could have done the same thing with our cell phones. That is true but during an evacuation cell phone coverage will be non existent or very unreliable. Ask any emergency responder who has been involved in a disaster and they will tell you land lines are more reliable than cell phone and radio is by far the best way to communicate.

Several years ago our local scout troupe was on a 50 mile hike and a member was injured. It was days until someone could hike out to get help. Last year a friend was on a hiking trip with his son and his father-in-law suffered a heart attach. They did not discover the family crisis until they hiked out four days later. Several years ago our niece and her boyfriend were lost for two days when their car went off the road during a snow storm in Oregon. In each case there was no cell phone coverage. In the case of our niece, there was no sleep for any of us until they were found, and many hours of pacing and praying. All of these scenarios could have been made easier had those involved had a license and radio with them.

I got my license this last spring at a HAM cram. These are one day sessions where you literally cram to take the test. You review the questions and answers over and over until they become second nature to you. At the end of the day you take the test and you know immediately if you passed. The day I took mine everyone passed including a 10 year old girl and 11 year old boy. To find a HAM cram near you contact your local Amateur Radio Club. You can find them by searching on the internet or just asking around.

You can get started for under $200.00, it’s well worth the investment.

I am so excited to share with you today the great weekend our family had. On Saturday there was a HamCram class scheduled in our area. I told you a few months ago that I got my ham license and we are now very involved with our church’s ham net. We are preparing everything we need to be able to help during a local disaster. It happened that our family was in town last week for a family reunion and our daughter, her husband, our son and his wife and two of our grandchildren decided they wanted to be able to keep in touch with us during an emergency so they all attended the class. They all passed! Our 11 year old grandson was one of the first to finish the test and our 8 year old grand daughter was the youngest in our area to ever pass. We are so proud of all of them! What a blessing when thinking forward to an emergency to know we will have several who can communicate their situation to us, hundreds of miles away. Recently a friend needed to contact her husband who was on a 50 mile hike with their son’s scout troop. Her father had had a heart attach and it took three days to notify her husband. A ham radio operator in the group could have saved her from all the stress of not being able to reach her husband. Amateur radio is great, try it!

Now to our General Store. This week we are again going to add a non food items which you will not want to be without should a pandemic force you to self quarantine this fall. You should have calculated the number of rolls of toilet paper you need to have to complete a three month supply. If you have not already done this do it now. Use the same method you did to determine the amount of oil, toothpaste, shampoo, etc. you need. Since it is important ot get some stored right now begin this week by adding 4 rolls of TP per family member and 2 boxes of facial tissue per family member to your General Store.

We will get back on track with the food in our General Store in a few weeks. Since we already have a months supply of food, sufficient to make it through a self quaratine,  it is important to add non food items now, just in case the H1N1 becomes the next crisis we face.  No one want to live without TP!

Having just hosted family for a week I have become very aware of just how much food and other supplies you can go through in a very short amount of time. We have prepared in case some of our family has to quarantine with us. If you may find yourself in that situation I suggest you plan now and stock a few more items than your immediate family will require. The foods and non food items we are stocking in our General Store willl all last for several years, or more if you do not have to use them so why not stock up, just in case someone shows up on your doorstep needing your help. We stock up if we think family may be seeking refuge during a hurricane threat so treat your pandemic preparations in the same way.

Wow, have I gotten lots of questions lately! I will answer more tomorrow as I didn’t want too long a post for one day. Please keep those questions coming!  It really helps me to understand your needs and concerns and I learn so much as I research areas that are changing, such as the H1N1 vaccine, and also areas I’m just learning about such as HAM radio.

“I was trying to look up the ham radio operators in my local area & have no clue what to look for.  I don’t have the money or space for a big equipment set up like most of these

old-timers.  What do do?  What should I look for or ask when joining a club or getting a license?  Please advise.”

I suggest you go to the ARRL website (Amateur Radio Relay League), where they have a club search database: Affiliated Club Search

You can also try searching in Google for “amateur+radio+club+your county or city” and see what you find. Another search term that might lead to a licensing class, is to search for a “hamcram”. A popular method of preparing for the Technician Class License is to attend a one-day course called a HamCram, and at the end of the session they give the FCC exam, and over 90% of participants usually pass the test with no trouble.

In local areas there are radio organizations that affiliate ham radio operators with local offices of emergency services. One organization is Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES). They are focused on preparing to serve in a local emergency, thus part of their preparation is to make certain their own families are equipped and prepared. Check it out at the ARES page.

Most ham operators are eager to help a new licensed operator learn the ropes, and most are eager to serve their community. The main thing is to enjoy the people involved, and the process of learning new operator skills. A sense of curiosity and adventure will help you understand the mentality of many “hams”.

There are many new technologies for those so inclined: Internet-linked repeaters that allow global communication, digital voice transmission, amateur television. For the technical person, these would be fascinating pursuits.

Base stations can be very small and will easily fit into a drawer or onto a shelf to be pulled out and used when you want to get on the air. Our base station is about seven inches square. You will need an antenna but your local club can advise you what works well in your area. There is quite a bit of used equipment available on the Internet, which is how we got most of ours’. Again, ask for help from those who have been “hams” for awhile and know what you are looking for before you buy something.

Someone was telling me about a solar lantern that would last six hours after charging.  Do you have any recommendation or info on this?  Someone recommended this which also has a radio and multiple ways to recharge it.  I would appreciate your help!

I love solar items which can also be used with batteries or a crank to supply power. I would not invest in more than one until you have actually held one and tried it. Some are cheaply made and easily damaged. Be aware that if you purchase a model with a crank that it must be charged using the solar option before the crank feature will work. Set it in the sun for several hours and you are good to go. I love the crank option because the sun is not always shining during an emergency, such as a winter storm which takes out the power. Also, a crank charge will last for several hours and is a great option for a night light. By the time the charge runs low you are asleep and you haven’t run down your batteries. Great for a kid’s room.

Just wanted to mention that even receiving items in mail can contaminate you with the virus. On our local news they discussed that if the virus is surrounded by mucus from a person, it can live up to 6-7 days. They mentioned it in connection of dollar bills that could circulate with the virus on it, but mail-order items would also be concern. Just make sure you wash your hands a lot, even if you haven’t gone into the public. I get flu every year even with the shots, so I don’t think I will take the vaccine. I don’t trust it being put together so quickly. In the past that has led to more deaths than the flu itself.

Great point about the mail and money. We must be aware of all of those avenues of contamination. During the 1918 pandemic people who self quarantined still became ill because neighbors would leave food on their porch, trying to help, but the containers had been exposed to the virus and the recipients became ill. Lots and lots of hand washing and lots and lots of disinfecting will be necessary to remain safe.

As for the vaccine, only time will tell how quickly it will come to the market and how much testing will have been done. I am also watching that closely. It frightens me when they say the vaccine will be available in August. I can’t believe it can be properly tested and manufactured by then. I will keep researching that since I too am skeptical. I would recommend anyone who has a compromised respiratory system or who has had pneumonia in the past get a pneumonia vaccination as one the foremost causes of death in the swine flu has been pneumonia. My sister-in-law had the H1N1 turn into double pneumonia in just two days.

You say we’re on track to have our 3 month storage by February. If I want to speed that up so I’m more prepared by the second wave of the flu (which would hit in the August-September time frame if it follows the 1918 pattern, or by October if it waits till normal flu season to reach second wave levels), how many months of food would I have stored if I either:

1. doubled up on all the weekly assignment food amounts starting now
2. (harder) went back and doubled everything that has already been assigned and stored?

By the way, I have ordered your Mother Hubbard and other ebook, and perhaps they will answer this question when I receive them.

We now have a three week supply so you could just multiply that by your goal. If you want a three month supply, for example, multiply by 4 (12 weeks = three months), for example, and stock up. There are however, a few things which we will add only once, such as the baking ingredients we added last week, so you will not have seen those yet. When you receive your ebook there will be an interactive spread sheet which will give you all the answers. Just enter the number of family members and the number of weeks or months that you choose as a goal. You will then see how much you need to store. Next, you can add in what you already have and it will calculate what you still need.

I am thrilled that you understand the importance of this part of preparing for the return of the H1N1. We all hope it won’t return and we can use our storage to eat more cheaply, as we will only need to purchase foods when they are on sale. BUT, if the flu comes back and we need to self quarantine we will eat well!

I’m finalizing my Pandemic ebook, I’ll let you know as soon as it is available. It would make a great Father’s Day gift or Wedding or Bridal Shower gift. Help everyone you know get prepared!

I’m prepping for an Emergency Preparedness Fair in Manteca California this weekend. If you live nearby please come say hello. It is being held at the LDS Church 6060 Northland Road, Manteca CA from 4:00pm till 8:00pm. I will be teaching..Beginning Food Storage (What, Where, and How to store)  at 4:30, A Three Month Supply of Food (Designing a plan for your family, not the masses) at 5:30 and Pandemic: Don’t Panic…Prepare at 6:30. There will be lots of displays and booths for information on everything from fingerprinting to gardening, from HAM Radio to water storage, from document storage to preparing for pets, and much more. Spread the word and join me if you can.

I’m also preparing for another web cast on June 20th. I’m not sure what you would like to hear about so please give me your ideas. I know there are still more questions on a pandemic but is that what you really need help with the most? Please let me know. Even if you are unavailable to listen on Saturday the archive is available on line after the web cast so please send me your ideas and questions and you can listen when it is convenient for you.

We all learn as you ask questions and since I try to wait until I have a few to post answers, today is the day. This first one came in the form of a comment but I thought it was good information for all. I will be posting a longer article about HAM radio in a few days so watch for that also.

Would you please write a post about how this equipment works (HAM radio) in a power failure situation? I’ve looked, in confusion, at various models offered on the internet, but haven’t got it figured out.

During an emergency HAMs work with government agencies and relief organizations providing help with communications. They often travel into areas devastated by the disaster. In these cases they use hand held radios to communicate. These radios are a great way for a beginner to get on the air. These models run on rechargeable batteries which are especially designed for radio use. With the right accessory the radio can also run on AA batteries.

Hand held units are designed to operate on 12 volts so they can also be run off of a car battery. The cost of a hand held which would do everything you need during an emergency is about $150.00.

Sounds like you may be thinking of getting a license. Do it! The more ways you have to communicate during a crisis the better. See the next question..

You talk about first responders not working during a pandemic so we can expect power failures, who are first responders?

First responders are anyone who has a job which affects our everyday life or our infrastructure. In other words, doctors and nurses, police officers, fire fighters, but also power company and telephone company repair personnel, and those who work at water treatment and sewage treatment plants. If a winter storm or other weather emergency, or merely a car accident or equipment failure, causes a problem during a pandemic there may not be anyone able or willing to go out to make the repairs. You may see telephone, cell phone and Internet communications all fail. If this were the case HAM radio would be your only form of communication.

Well, I guess that proved my point. I was just finishing up this post when there was a thunder storm, no rain just thunder and poof the internet went down. That was two hours ago. I’m sad to say there must have been lightening with the storm in the Sierra because now I can smell smoke. It can happen just that quickly, and we can have our communication cut off. Be prepared for the possibility.

One more questions.

Should we have plastic sheeting and duct tape stored for a pandemic?

No, you may, however, want to have it for other disaster purposes. I’m assuming you meant to use in a recovery room. A recovery room should be kept well aired out, as should the entire house. If someone in your home is ill the windows should be kept open when weather conditions permit. In the recovery room itself widows should be opened whenever the bedding is changed and/or the patient is out of the room, such as when they are in the bathroom. It is also appropriate to leave windows opened if the patient is comfortable, will not be laying in a draft, and it is warm outside. You want to create an environment that encourages the virus to die! Using plastic and duct tape on windows and doors should only be done when sheltering in place during a chemical or biological attach or when using the sheeting to prevent drafts during power outages in winter.

TWO MORE DAYS UNTIL OUR GIVE AWAY

SIGN UP TODAY!