Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
bleach (4 drops per quart) and by allowing water to stand for thirty minutes. See
chapter 8
for full
water-treatment details and my personal water-filter recommendations (I design these things for
a living, so I know what I am talking about). Boiling for just one minute will kill all waterborne
organisms, but will do nothing to remove toxic chemicals, bad tastes, and odors.
6.
72-hour grab-and-go survival kit.
Every family should have at least one grab-and-go kit that can
be thrown in the car on a moment's notice, or carried on your back, if the need should arise. Grab-
and-go kits should provide the basic emergency food, water, shelter, and first-aid supplies that
you, and your family, will need to survive the critical first three days after a disaster. See
chapter
2
for a full list of all the supplies I recommend to include in a well stocked grab-and-go kit.
7.
Store your grab-and-go kits in “dry packs.”
If you live in hurricane country, or an area prone to
flooding, I strongly recommend you purchase a “dry pack” for each of your grab-and-go kits. Dry
packs are a special combination backpack and waterproof bag used by river guides. They have
removable padded shoulder straps, are made of extremely tough waterproof material, and are 100
percent sealed against water intrusion, so in addition to keeping your stuff dry in a deluge, they
can also double as floatation devices to help keep you afloat in floodwaters. A dry pack stocked
and ready to go for every member of your family is cheap insurance if you live in an area prone
to hurricanes and/or floods!
Figure 13-1. A “dry pack” provides waterproof storage.
Photo courtesy of Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS)
8.
Colloidal silver generator.
After a hurricane or flood, homemade colloidal silver will purify drink-
ing water and will help fight infection and viruses when high-tech pharmaceuticals may be un-
available or ineffective. All hospitals use silver-based ointments to fight infection in severe burn
victims, where traditional antibiotics are simply not enough to fight the infection over large areas
of burned skin. See
chapter 6
for more details.
