World not prepared for disasters

[Silent memory]

According to CERF the world is not prepared in a monetary frame to handle disasters.

In fact it is so unprepared it may take years to get a workable infrastructure if there is a disaster like the Tsunami in Japan at the beginning of this year. From what they have said it may take longer to raise money to help people in diasters than first thought.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16336396

Contributors on the BBC news website states China donating £500,000 to this fund followed by the UK at £95. With the rise of natural diasters it seems the world has a lot to do to catch up on itself.

DONORS TO CERF IN 2011

UK - £94m
Sweden - £74m
Norway - £67m
Netherlands - £54m
US - £6m
Japan - £3m
China - £500,000
Source: UN CERF website

Next yearAfghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Indonesia, Norway, Sweden, Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom announced increases to their 2012 pledges contributing to a $16 million increase in total pledges compared to 2011. Denmark announced that it will double its contribution to nearly $18 million, making it one of the largest donors.

http://ochanet.unocha.org/p/Documents/CERF%20High-level%20Press%20Release%20final%2016Dec2011.pdf

So with the thread I done previously in this section in regards to the survivalist ideal, it seems the 72 hour idea may not be a workable ideal if major diaster happens. If this is the case then a rethink of what is needed to be done is called for. Having something underfunded can cause problems if a diaster hits like in the past with the Hurricane season and the destruction of property.

[Mekugi]

What's recommended for the common family in terms of supplies, in your opinion?

[Silent memory]

What's recommended for the common family in terms of supplies, in your opinion?

In what scenario?

[Mekugi]

Something like what happened in Fukushima. I was in Tokyo on business and bringing back bottled water to families up there who had children and were in desparate need of water, which was tainted by radioactive iodine. So, earthquake and tsunami is my big concern.

[Don Roley]

A bug out bag seems like the bare minimum. Have something that you can grab with everything you need to ID yourself and get by in a refugee camp for a while. If you can add things like camping gear, even better.

Add in a first aid kit with extra bandages and maybe keep a pile of food that will last with some bags next to them for quick packing.

I personally try to prepare for at least two weeks snowed in. It seems likely to me that we might get a huge blizzard that drops about 2 meters of snow (it has happened here about ten years ago) and possible crashing of the electric grid that would also take out my central heating. I also prepare for a fire coming towards my house and the need to flee at a moments notice.

[Mekugi]

I've got two weeks water, 1 weeks food (stretched to two if need be) but for heat I am SOL; I'm in an old Japanese house with mud, bamboo and wood walls. I can hear the neighbors alarm go off (and it wakes up). I was thinking about getting a hibachi...they are not only cool, but functional. I need a spooker kit something fierce..any recommendations?

[Silent memory]

Start with some of the items in this video. It gives a basic idea of what is needed in a pack.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUVqh6Zi_1U

Ideally oats for breakfast. Grenola bars are nice but to people who are diabetic like me they are avoided. Flapjacks are a better option. Tinned food. In the UK you can get meatballs in sauce tinned. Tinned fish is also a good option. The shelf life of one tin sold recently has a eat before date of 2016. From that you can have a supply of food that will last months if not over 2 years.

I looked through the tins I have in storage and for weekly use. Sugar sweetener lasts 1 year. Sugar also about same. Corn flack/cereal about same shelf life also. Tinned fruit a few months. The longest I had was Steak and kidney pudding. 3 year shelf life. Most food likebaked beans will last 2 years along with Spam.

Have a box for when you are at home for what I call "The Justin experience". It comes from a stick I had in the car called Justin Case. British Army has a ration pack box. It contains toilet paper, tinned food, chocolate, dried food, matches, hexamine burner and hexamine blocks. 1 box is one days worth of food. A 8 man is 8 people 1 day or 1 man 8 days. Same stuff and as large as the cardboard boxes you get to see when workers open them up for produce to place on the sleves. Get one and put food in there. Let it fit in the back of the car along with your bug out bags. Place about 5 days of food in of dried and tinned. 3 tins and rest dried or noodle packed food.

[Mekugi]

I have a large supply of MRE pieces I bought back home, I don't need the pleasantries like coffee, creamer and tootsie rolls. Canned food- check..dehydrated milk and peanut butter...check...I'm set on food and water (as much as my pantry can hold). I have oodles of bandages, antiseptic and whatnot...ibuprofen and acetaminophen...hmmm...

[Silent memory]

Ibuprofen I am not keen on as a drug. Had a problem with them in regards to addiction some years ago. Maybe strong Ibuprofen gel instead of pill form. Aspirin as it is natural is good. It thins blood a bit.

Mind you eating plants can have some benefits. A book by Miles Irving called The Foragers Handbook will be a good reference. Amazon prices it at £17.50. It may only cover UK plants but basically any plant that is listed can be edible. It is the one thing everyone seems to overlook is walking through a place with loads of food and think of it as weeds.

So if the world is not ready for what they are saying is, then maybe using plants and "MRE" packs for food will help more if needs be.

[Mekugi]

I'm keen on foraging too. I used to love the fact there were only a few things in Oregon you could not eat, one was the Yellow Bellied Salamander. I've began taking notes on Japanese plant and animals, which ones are edible (actually, many of the eaten plants here grow wild) and which ones need to be avoided. There is a plethora of info in Japanese and there are several hundred field guides on the subject, by area or the entirety of the Japan. Unfortunately, not much is published (or at least, as well) in English....

[Silent memory]

Doing foraging is better than eating into your own supply. Knowing how to prepare food from the wild areas to suppliment your own can give you more food with less weight. It is one hting that is overlooked with survival people on the web.

[Don Roley]

I'd be wary of using the hibachi for heat.

If you want to cook, then you can do what I did. I have one of those mini stoves you do nabe on and I keep a lot of the gas canisters for them. I will eventually use the canisters one way or another.

[Mekugi]

Yeah I've got to fully check out the hibachi...the older, smaller ones seem good for heating a small, segmented space, that's what they used to use in this house along with a large hearth. I've used an old one that was okay but they are more for comfort than serious heating. Toyu worries me a bit, however that's what we are using now with stoves in the rooms. So I may just buy a large tank and bury it under the yard, keep it stocked for the summer and drain it slowly for winter...seems practical.

[Abbax8]

Russ,
If you are planning on using propane to heat the house look into ventless gas heaters and fireplaces. I have three in my home, two on the first floor (either end of the house) and one in the basement. I have heated my home for 3 years with just the two on the first floor, got the basement one about a month ago.

I recommend Empire brand, http://www.empirecomfort.com/corporate/ ,but living in Japan you may find another brand more accesible.

Dennis

[Mekugi]

Cool! I need to check those out. I've never seen them before now!

Toyu- sorry, that's kerosene. I heat the house with kerosene...

[torbjork]

What if there's a serious crisis threatening the butter supply, like what happened here in the weeks leading up to Christmas last year? :D

[Abbax8]

As long as there is beer we will survive.

:D

Dennis