Some Sorta Very Light Shaking Goin' On

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.

Yes, there was an earthquake today here in Northern California, but nothing much happened where I live. What has changed, though, are some basic safety instructions. The U.S. Geological Survey has good disaster readiness info for the whole country, with the following tips about 50% quake specific and 50% to general prepping advice. 

Another page, titled What should I do DURING an earthquake?, has the following advice:

• If you are INDOORS -- STAY THERE! Get under a desk or table and hang on to it (Drop, Cover, and Hold on!) or move into a hallway or against an inside wall. STAY CLEAR of windows, fireplaces, and heavy furniture or appliances. GET OUT of the kitchen, which is a dangerous place (things can fall on you). DON'T run downstairs or rush outside while the building is shaking or while there is danger of falling and hurting yourself or being hit by falling glass or debris.
• If you are OUTSIDE -- get into the OPEN, away from buildings, power lines, chimneys, and anything else that might fall on you.
• If you are DRIVING -- stop, but carefully. Move your car as far out of traffic as possible. DO NOT stop on or under a bridge or overpass or under trees, light posts, power lines, or signs. STAY INSIDE your car until the shaking stops. When you RESUME driving, watch for breaks in the pavement, fallen rocks, and bumps in the road at bridge approaches.
• If you are in a MOUNTAINOUS AREA -- watch out for falling rock, landslides, trees, and other debris that could be loosened by quakes.
• If you are near the OCEAN - see these safety rules from NOAA's Tsunami Warning Center. 

I have posted several articles covering earthquake prepping, so please follow that link for more information. There are also included links to other bloggers in my posts that contain information that either I didn't think about, or the authors had specific information and knowledge I don't have, that can help keep you safe!

In my opinion, an earthquake is no different than a tornado or hurricane in that there is potential damage which may occur; it's just that there's no current system to give early warning for one. What is different, however, is there are very few major earthquakes, and I seldom hear of a minor tornado or hurricane. (Oh, they exist; they just don't make the news outside the states where they happen. -- Editrix Erin)

Everyone stay safe, plan your winter swap-out of summer gear, and get ready for the changing seasons!

Recap and Takeaway 

• Quakes are not predictable, so be ready every day.
• Have your meeting places set, and backup plans for your backup plans.
• Set your vehicles up for local conditions.

* * *

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

 

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Disaster Anxiety

Last week, my area experienced a 5.7 magnitude earthquake with the epicenter was only a few miles from my house. Everyone is fine, damage was minor, and there were no injuries or fatalities, but many people were left with severe anxiety, made worse by frequent strong aftershocks.

I'd like to share a message from the Utah Division of Emergency Management, taken directly from their Facebook page.

Lokidude

Prudent Prepping: Earthquake! Part the Latest

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping. 

Well, the post I wanted to make last week has been pushed back again. I wonder if the idea behind it should be shelved, since things are conspiring against turning it in...

Earthquake!
Yeah, we had a medium-size one last night, 4.5 on the Richter Scale; big enough to wake me up and shake up the dog, but not enough to break anything here. It was quite a surprise to our recently arrived from overseas house guest! They are used to typhoons, but the house shaking for no apparent reason was a novel experience for them, and there was a little squealing and shouting from one end of the house to the other, checking on everyone.

That by itself wasn't too bad, but the text messages coming in for the next hour wore me out. I was scheduled to start an hour early that morning so I really needed some sleep, but the check-ins were (and are) appreciated.

This past week has really been crazy at work. How crazy you ask? This crazy!

Prepping Without Knowing How
With PG&E's announcement of a preemptive power shutoff, flashlights and batteries sold out fast along with the normal stock of generators carried in local stores. Many people decided to place orders to guarantee having one in case the power actually went out in a larger area than was first outlined. From last Monday to this Wednesday morning, a local store ordered and sold 144 generators of several sizes. This morning, the store I was in sold out of generators again.

I believe the blackout, and now an earthquake, has really opened many peoples' minds to planning for a disaster. Thursday the 17th is the 30 year anniversary of the (almost Big One) Loma Prieta Earthquake, and on the U.S.G.S. website is an explanation of what happened -- and what will happen -- to this area in the future. I wrote about earthquake prepping and showed an animation in this post from last year that pretty accurately showed where things were shaking in last night's quake. Please read through the linked posts under "What To Do". My fellow bloggers show what, and also explain why, they do when planning for a disaster.

Blackout Update
P.G.&E has said that all but a few isolated areas will soon have power restored. Now that they have potentially prevented a fire similar to what So. CA. had this past weekend, the Governor is now demanding PG&E pay people affected by the blackouts $100 and businesses $250, while respected news outlets are questioning whether this situation is potentially the New Normal for California.

Here at Blue Collar Prepping we have a very strict 'No Politics' policy that is enforced for members and bloggers, so I am not blaming any party. What I am going to blame, however, is 50 years of forest mis-management (in my opinion) and short sighted business practices for contributing to the fires that have burned too many square miles, destroyed far too many structures, and killed so many people for far too long.

Be safe and be prepared.

Takeaway And Recap

• Nothing was purchased for this week, but I'm being asked even more questions on where to start. I have to dig my prepping books out of the totes to see which might be a good beginner book.

* * *

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: Grid Down?

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.  

I've had to change my blog post topic this week, due to the Northern California fire danger and our local Power company's response to the threat.

When The Grid Goes Down
I first mentioned Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and their emergency response plan in this post from May of this year. There were discussions of having to possibly 'power down' sections of North California in the event of a major fire, or at least the threat of a fire based on the conditions at that time. No one was too concerned due to how remote the locations were where most of the fires started, and there was little thought given to the transmission lines (possibly) affected running through the wilderness areas to the urban power users.

Guess what happened this morning? Weather conditions are such that PG&E has announced that 800,000 customers will be affected by a mandatory power outage, and potentially 3 million users could be turned off if there are actual fires. Here is the latest, complete news report from SF Gate:

Neighborhoods Impacted by PG&E Shutoffs
This map shows part of my county, but lucky for me I'm not in the potential blackout zone.
 

https://www.sfgate.com/california-wildfires/article/pge-potential-power-outage-map-wind-fire-14501332.php#photo-18398580

The map below shows the entire Black Out area for Northern California. On this map I'm right at the "O" in the San Francisco. As you can see, major portions of the Coastal Range and Sierra Nevada mountains are affected by this policy.

https://www.sfgate.com/california-wildfires/article/pge-potential-power-outage-map-wind-fire-14501332.php#photo-18398587

Because I live in earthquake country and quakes are normally a complete surprise that lasts 30 seconds, I've finally seen what my fellow bloggers experience when storms are forecast: Panic Buying! I watched every generator, half of the larger flashlights, and ALL of the battery lanterns sell off the shelves between 6:01am and 1:30pm at the store I was working in today, and I was asked for lights and batteries All. Day. Long.

One cool thing was that I had several people looking for advice and tips on what to do, and I directed several to this blog for information. I expect to see a big spike in Sawyer Mini water filters and Etekcity LED lanterns, not from me but as Featured Items on Amazon.

Okay, maybe from me.

One of the local counties is recommending people in the affected areas to be prepared for as many as 5 days without power. This is a good time to review preps and convert others to being prepared. Not only did I send people to BCP, I shared my previous orders on Amazon with two co-workers and a customer I've known for several years to show that it's possible to build up supplies while having a reasonable budget. Everyone has slightly different requirements for their families and likes different things, so I don't think it's necessary to show a detailed list. What is important to show are the basics:

• 1-2 gallons of water per person, per day. This is your minimum requirement.
• Easy to cook (and acceptable) food for your family. This doesn't need to be fancy, long term storage food either. In fact, if your power goes out for 5 days, emptying out your freezer and fridge might give you enough food for 2-3 days by themselves.
• Lights for everyone. My recommended lantern produces more than enough light to keep the dark away. Don't forget the batteries!
• Radio, to keep up on the news. Battery or hand cranked. 
• Optionally add portable power packs for personal electronics to this list. Cell phones may not have service if the towers lose power and backup generators run out of fuel, but it will temporarily allow for games and reading eBooks.

Of course, this is only if the power is off and there is in fact no fire. If there is a fire, all bets are off and you must evacuate!


It's sad that it takes a crisis to get people to think about taking care of themselves, but there is no time like the present.

Be safe, stay safe, and be ready to explain why you have emergency supplies.

Takeaway And Recap

• Nothing was purchased this week.
• Next week I'll have a report on my new water bottle, along with some more prepping news.

* * *

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: Always Something There To Remind Me

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping. 

The anniversary of the last big earthquake in my area slipped by me recently, lost in the hubbub of local activities and then real serious weather in the southeast. It was brought to mind this past weekend when I went through Napa taking an out-of-town friend shopping on a pleasant afternoon.

Really.

Okay, we hit a couple wineries.

I don't get up there too often as my work doesn't take me there any more, so it's usually a day trip showing friends the sights. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the last major building damaged in 2014(!) is back in shape and open to the public. It took until 2017 for the last contract to be signed for retro-fitting another building to current earthquake standards; I think that building had major internal damage and even though it looked good from the street, it was really bad inside. 

I was also reminded that there were some houses destroyed by fire because gas lines and a water main were damaged in the earthquake. I don't want to have that problem here, so I'm going shopping.

Want List

• Gas meter wrench, to be tied to the meter of this unit, even though this is a four-plex. I don't see any reason not to have one available to whomever needs to turn off the gas. This wrench is the cheapest one I can find, even though I had a better one at the old house. I don't want to have something hung up in public view just to be stolen as a prank. 
• More water jugs, because there are now four people that I have to look out for here, plus my folks. Those water jugs are also stocked at Walmart, and if those of you in Free States can hold your noses while shopping there after the latest news, you may find them as a seasonal close-out.
• Another bucket of emergency food, because moving totes in an emergency can be hard. I really like Mountain House for their variety.

This is going to be posted on September 11, and I want to have everyone think back on how friends looked after friends, strangers helped folks get across the country, no matter who they were, where they came from or who they liked. I'm trying to be prepared to give the same type of help to my friends and neighbors if there is a local disaster. 
                                                    
                                                                    ***

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: A LITTLE Shaking Going On

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.


Just as I was wrapping up my day yesterday afternoon we had an earthquake, followed by a second one 15 minutes later. Where I worked was 15 miles away from the epicenter, but due to all the noise and equipment, no one seemed to notice. I only found out from the all-news station that I listen to for traffic reports on the way home that there were reports of "no damage and things are back to normal."

A USGS scientist then said (paraphrased), "This was a very minor pair of quakes, on a fault line that has quakes of this magnitude regularly. There is no direct connection between the S. California earthquakes and the ones today." A couple texts came in as I was driving, and when I read them both were about the quakes and how to plan for a bigger one, if not The Big One. It forced me to sit down and write a short list for my recently transplanted, young friends. I've done this before, but here is what I wrote:

Short Term

• Minimum of 2 gallons of water per day, per person. How you store it is up to you, but get to a week as soon as possible. I can send you links later. 
• Stock up on your normal food, with things you normally buy. Start thinking about longer storage foods, something like this is a good choice.
• Make sure your existing camping gear is in good shape. The weather here is milder than back home so you don't need anything extra.
• Make sure to search the blog, starting with last week and working through the author list.

Something New
I picked up a new toy to try out, Night Hero Binoculars by BulbHead. 

https://amzn.to/2JJg5qI

From the Amazon page:

• ATOMIC BEAM LASER: Night Hero Binoculars are equipped with a special atomic beam laser that reveals objects in complete darkness up to 150-yards away!
• DAYTIME BINOCULARS: Use during the day for enhanced clarity and contrast with 10x magnification – a must-have for sporting events, sightseeing, hunting, and hiking!
• NEVER MISS A THING: unlike night vision goggles, Night Hero Binoculars have rubber eye cups that give you the most comfortable fit. With a full range of focal adjustments, you’ll never miss a thing!
• COMFORTABLE: take Night Hero Binoculars anywhere – their lightweight design and rubber eyecups make viewing easy.
• INCLUDED: one (1) pair Atomic Beam Night Hero Binoculars

Now, the "atomic beam" is an emitter, so it isn't a night vision binocular that captures ambient light but rather needs something else to illuminate the area you want to search. I've only had them for 3 days and used them for maybe 20 minutes at night, so I can't really talk about battery life or compare this to actual NVG's, but the view is reasonably clear as a binocular and at night I can see much farther than if I just use my eyes. Another point to consider is that since this uses an emitter for viewing, anyone with similar equipment or just light collecting goggles will be able to see where you are. As I'm not worried about being spotted by other people, I think I'm okay. Besides, I can't afford to spend the several hundred dollars up to the price of a nice used car for proper NVGs.

Recap and Takeaway

• It's good to know friends and co-workers are listening and not laughing when prepping questions are asked. 
• Prepping is a journey and not a destination for me, my family and friends, especially since none of us are rich. 
• One set of Night Hero Night Vision binoculars were purchased locally for $39.95 but Amazon has used ones from $28.51.

* * *

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!
If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: The Big One, part the Latest

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.

There has been quite a bit of shaking this last week in Southern California, and I believe it's past time to do a recap of basic prepping with a focus on earthquakes. I have been asked what is different with earthquake prepping compared to either tornadoes or hurricanes, and my answer is "Very little, other than earthquakes regularly collapse freeways and bridges." That gives a little bit of extra stress to getting around in California after a large quake. 
 
What Is This? 

http://scedc.caltech.edu/recent/

Here is an updated map of all the earthquakes in California for the last week, updated through July 9. Pretty scary, right? In fact, other than the magnitude 7, 6 and the high 5, it was an almost normal week. If you go to the source page here, you can see an enlarged version of the map for any spot in California where an earthquake has occurred by clicking on the squares shown. My part of California has been calm after the Napa quake (mentioned in this post) almost 5 years ago. Many people don't realize we have earthquakes every week, and unless there is actual property damage, they are barely felt.

The San Andreas Fault runs up to San Francisco, but a branch called the Hayward Fault travels through the East Bay.  Here is an animation of the Hayward Fault, which is not the fault responsible for the 1989 Bay Bridge collapse. This is the fault that will do the most damage near me, due to most of the cities being built on areas that were originally marshland.



Even with the (noted) exaggeration, the Oakland area of the map will be severely damaged in an earthquake. I live to the right side of the earthquake fault, near the mountain peak shown in the larger portion of the animation and to the far right side of the earthquake damage shown in the inset on the left.

It's expected that the three major major bridges will be damaged, including the reconstructed Bay Bridge. With freeways damaged as expected, food and water will be in short supply.

What To Do

Everyone should be reasonably aware of what to do, if you've been reading Blue Collar Prepping for any length of time, but if you haven't, this post has links to several authors and what they recommend. I really do suggest going to the Search box on the blog page and reading what everyone thinks is an important topic, especially Bug Out Bags, followed closely by First Aid kits. 

Where To Start
You already have what you need, but probably not enough. My friends already have plenty of rice and canned goods that, when combined with my stored food, should get 4 people through three weeks without a problem. What is a problem, however, will be getting enough water for three weeks, if water mains or the power is off for an extended time. I'm down to 28 gallons of water because I shared another seven-gallon can with a friend to get them started in prepping. 

I live within a mile of a spring and don't have any bridges to cross to get there and back. Even with getting water right from the source, we will be using a filter and possibly heating everything to the pasteurization point before use. My favorite filter brand is a Sawyer filter of some type. I have done tests of Sawyer filters here and here, and Chaplain Tim did a recap of a real-world study of Sawyer Filters and like how adaptable they are. (He also has an excellent series of posts on water sources, with this being most applicable to me. Go and read them all.)

Getting the water back is what our next priority, so this next month we are buying at least two more of these jugs:

Reliance Products Jumbo-Tainer 7 Gallon Jerry Can

I already have four of these, and while I don't stack them, they do nest together well.

https://amzn.to/2Jr7WbB

From the Amazon page:

• 7-gallon jumbo-tainer style rigid water container
• Combines the easy to carry shape of a traditional in a more contemporary style
• Features reliable tap style spigot and dual grip-through handles

I like the fact that the spout is replaceable* and at 7 gallons, it's light enough that most people can lift one. Pouring is easy when the air relief valve on the can (white button) is opened.

* We are ordering 2 replacement spouts along with the cans.

I've eased my friends into prepping and with the examples of the damage in Southern California, this is going to be an easy 'sell' towards prepping.

Recap

• Start with what you have. My tag line 'Some is Always Better Than None!' is in response to a blogger who wrote the polar opposite to that phrase.
• Make sure everyone is on the same page and committed to working together.
• Make your plans fit your group and location.
• Nothing was purchased this week.

Be safe in your travels, check in with your friends often and do what you can to be prepared.

* * *

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: Prepping For the Inevitable Big One

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.            

As if I needed a wake-up call to get ready for what is coming, the government has sent out a full-color animation of the BIG ONE. Well, maybe not the REALLY Big One, but certainly big enough and close enough to really ruin the day for approximately 2 million people.

This information come from the United States Geological Survey, and this video shows a view of the expected damage zones of an earthquake on the Hayward Fault. I looked and the fault line stretches from San Jose, through Oakland and almost to Napa.



This information is very similar to that from a site I wrote about in July 2016, from the San Francisco Disaster Preparedness Office, but that was only text; video really brings home what could happen.

Here is an animation of what will happen near me (there are other animations on the USGS Hayward Fault page):

Yes,  I live between Downtown (Concord) and Walnut Creek, about 20 miles east of the actual fault. I do expect major damage to roads, freeways and older buildings, like the 60 year-old house I live in.

While the USGS didn't release this scenario to create fear but rather to show  what could happen when the Hayward fault quakes, that video by dozens of experts is eye-opening and frankly a bit frightening. It has built a fire under several of my friends to stock up, and I'm hoping that one or two more will start seriously preparing for what WILL happen, even if the exact date is unknown.

What To Do
I am planning to increase my stored food and water by 50% before the end of the year.

Here are other things you can do:

• Read the GHB (Get Home Bag) posts on this blog. Look at what everyone has posted, especially our authors that live in a similar climate to yours. 
• If you are at any level of prepping, please share Erin's post on how to have a calm talk on prepping with your non-prepping friends and family!
• Make sure you have your supplies safely stored if you are away, as Lokidude discusses here. 
• Use your gear to keep up on what you know, like Chaplain Tim explains here. 
• Whether Bugging In or Out, be certain everyone in your group/family/tribe knows what is expected of them, knows what to do in an emergency, and has the necessary gear and has confidence in each other to do the right things. 

The Recap
Even though my planned-for disaster happens infrequently and yours may be more common, we all need to step up to take care of those around us and spread the word on how simple, easy and Blue Collar it is to be prepared.

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: Monthly Roundup

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.

This is a quick recap of several things that happened to me, items I purchased or events that caught my eye coming to the end of October.

Earthquake Preparedness 
Several friends outside California, including my co-bloggers, were puzzled with recent news reports on the swarm of earthquakes near the Salton Sea and the 'Earthquake Warning' posted by the government. Their very logical questions could be boiled down to "What are you supposed to do about an 'Earthquake Warning' when one is issued?" 

Tornadoes and hurricanes give you enough time to either leave the area or shelter in place; the vagueness of a quake prediction means both the chances of one occurring (1:10,000 to 1:500) and the time period of the potential temblor make doing anything impractical. Besides, even a large quake is over quickly; for example, the 1989 Loma Prieta that hit the S.F. Bay Area only lasted about 15 seconds -- far too short a time to do much but recognize there is an earthquake!

The reasoning seems to be that if the State of California is aware of a danger and does nothing to alert the population, the state will be open to demands for investigations and accusations of negligence. However, while there is very little that can be done during the shaking, quite a bit can be done to prepare for the actual shaking and the aftermath.

California government agencies have been sponsoring The Great California ShakeOut for a while. This year's drills were performed on October 20, three days after the 27th anniversary of what has been nicknamed The World Series Earthquake. Included on the Home Page is an interactive game showing what to do and how to prepare (in as fun a way possible) for a disaster along with several PDF checklists, including one for taking care of those with disabilities.

Check out the whole page. Much of the info is easily used for general disaster prepping.

Personal Care

In my EDC supplies is a toothbush/toothpaste combo called The TOOB (and reviewed in this BCP blog post). In the reviews on the REI website , several people mentioned the toothpaste cap blowing off or the the tube itself breaking. Well, mine did too, but only after what I consider a reasonable amount of time for an inexpensive, lightweight and compact toothbrush.

Also like some of the other reviewers, I found the bristles a bit stiff and some did fall out. Despite all this, I like it and it will be replaced because it makes no claims to be anything other than what it says it is.

I am tempted to go back to a full sized toothbrush and pack a partial tube of my favorite toothpaste, but that starts me down the path of carrying larger items, and not wanting to do that was the reason I stepped down to a smaller EDC bag in the first place

The Takeaway

• As with all your other preps, practicing your pre-emergency plan is as important as post-disaster clean-up. While earthquakes happen quickly, getting things set to minimize the damage is easy. 
• Brushing my teeth will not be a top priority in a disaster, but during the work week it helps me make a better impression on all the people I meet. 

The Recap

• Nothing has been purchased this week, but The TOOB is available from Amazon for $11.75 with Prime shipping, or from REI for $5.95.

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running! 

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: Quakehold! Wax Review

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.

Last week marked the 2 year anniversary of the Napa, CA earthquake. There is a very good recap of the damage at the 2014 S. Napa Earthquake Wikipedia page, and I gave it a very brief mention in a post a week after it happened.

Last week also saw a terrible earthquake of similar magnitude hit Central Italy, but with very different results.

What seemed to make the difference was

1. Very strict building codes in California, used to build and remodel older structures;
2. Italian earthquake retrofit laws only coming into force since 1997, and 
3. The difficulty in reinforcing 100-500 year old structures. 

California has very few buildings over 150 years old, and none of them are for residential use. The house I am in now is 50 years old, and while not up to current CA codes (in place since the mid 1980s), it is built and braced well enough to show no damage from the 1989 earthquake. I don't have any worries about this house falling down in anything less than a repeat of the 1902 San Andreas quake, estimated to be 100 to 200 times more powerful than the 1989 quake that destroyed a freeway and closed the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge!

I do however have a personal concern for things inside the house falling or breaking. I have anchored the mirror on my dresser to the wall and do not have anything else to hold steady, other than the monitor and mid-tower computer case on my desk. My landlord, on the other hand, has several cabinets that are strapped to the walls, but the contents are liable to be broken in an earthquake.

I have recommended to him some of this:

QuakeHold! Museum Wax

http://amzn.to/2bTwIRt

From the QuakeHold! website :

Depending on what types of items are to be secured, and on what kinds of surfaces they will be positioned, here are some recommendations as to which adhesive to choose. In the case of china, pottery, ceramic, or wooden items the putty is preferred. For crystal and glassware use the clear gel, and for anything being secured on a more permanent basis on wooden shelves the wax is a good option.



As the china cabinets hold family heirlooms and mementos that will be difficult to replace, securing everything to the shelves is important! I used several QuakeHold! products in the past and my parents are using it to secure my Mom's mementos.

Using all of these products is very simple:

1. Clean the base of the object to be secured, and also the space where you are securing it.
2. Scoop out a small portion of of the wax and roll in your hands to make it soft.
3. Place it under the item(s) to be secured and press firmly to mold the wax to the shelf and item.

One Important Tip!
When mounting bowls, vases and other items with circular bottoms, several small dots of wax from pea to grape-sized are better than one large blob. Smaller amounts will show less and make dismounting things much, much easier.

The Takeaway
Don't forget the small things in your prepping plans. Grandma's cup and saucer won't keep you warm, but saving them may warm the heart of someone close.

The Recap
Recommended to my landlord: Several QuakeHold! items, particularly Museum Wax. $10.49 from Amazon with Prime.


Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running! 

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Earthquake Preparedness

There's not much you can do when the earth starts moving. It's uncommon, it's scary, and you're pretty much helpless until it stops. There are things you can do beforehand that will mitigate much of the damage and danger, and will greatly aid in survival of yourself and your property. If you live in an earthquake zone, these are things to consider.

Before
When the ground moves, things tip over and fall down. When things tip over and fall down, they break, and they injure or damage whatever they fall on. Anchor your bookshelves, TV stands, and any other tall furniture securely to the wall. There are limitless options on the market for doing this, allowing you to select the anchors that meet your needs. An Amazon search for "earthquake straps" yields more options than one would believe.

In particular, pay attention to gas appliances, and make sure that they're secured. Water heaters are of particular note, as they're tall and heavy and can become unstable. Use plumber's strap and screws to secure it to the wall.

Try to not hang pictures and other decorations above areas where people sit or sleep. Also, store pots and other heavy items close to the floor where they cannot fall on anyone.

During
During the quake itself, move away from windows and exterior walls by crouching or moving on hands and knees. Stay down and close to the wall for protection. Doorframes are no stronger than the rest of the wall, and provide less protection than a full wall, so ignore that old wives' tale about seeking shelter in a doorway.

After
When the shaking stops, perform a head count. If you're all there, check yourself and your people for injuries and perform first aid as necessary. If someone is missing, search for them if it is safe. If it's not safe, then cold as it sounds, you shouldn't look for them. If you do, then other people will be searching for or performing first on you. Call 911 if you're afraid that a loved one is buried in the rubble.

Speaking of which, the 911 service will be under such a heavy load that getting through is of questionable likelihood. Do not call unless you need emergency personnel sent to your location. Any other calls contribute to the excessive load on the system. Cellular towers may be similarly overloaded, so text messaging is a far more reliable method of communication with loved ones.

If you smell gas or have other utility issues/concerns, remember the lesson on utility shut-offs. Get out of any building that is dangerous, and follow any government directions that seem prudent. 

The earth may move, but you can be solid.

Lokidude