Seattle Area preparedness classes

Seattle Area preparedness

I hope this will answer both of your questions.
I am currently working on a curriculum for a class, usuming there is enough interest I'd like to expand it. Keep in mind this is a work in progress. Some of the areas I'm working on and that I have real practical knowledge in are as follows:
1) Food storage, including how to calculate how much one needs for 1 month and 1 year etc., proper food storage, home preparation and preserving. Sustainable gardening methods, composting, bed prep and food crops.
2) Water collection, filtration, purification and storage.
3) Medical supplies, medication and home remedies.
4) Home knowledge, water main shut off, main power breaker, and gas shutoff.
5) Soap making, clothing repair, homemade cleaning supplies.
6) Firearms, care, storage, safety
7) Trapping, hunting and food gathering
8) Purchasing land for a self sufficient life.
I also have quite a bit of knowledge and practice in wilderness survival but I want to focus on long term home preparedness as opposed to the "bug out" method.

As far as my background is concerned, I am self taught, through books,
years of research and practical application. I also have had real life
experience in wilderness survival, economic colapse, and natural disaster, all of which were incidental in my life. These experiences really taught me alot
about preparedness and the need to know and apply more methods.

Emergency Preparedness Classes in Spokane, WA

I wil be teaching Disaster / Emergency Preparedness classes this Spring '09 in Spokane.

I pitched a curriculum to a local Community College and they were very receptive.

Guns, Politics and Religion are definitely not in the curriculum. It is a family friendly course designed to explore using common sense ideas to prepare for a wide variety of emergencies. No black helicopters, no alien abductions, no conspiracies. Just good ol' neighborly preparation for unexpected emergencies.

I am willing to share ideas and info. I also encourage you to approach your local Community Colleges as well. Access to their facilities and marketing is invaluable.

The bottom line is to share our information. Educate our friends and turn potential "trials" into "experiences."

Disaster Survival In the Urban Environment

PaulBk said:

I am interested. Please post curriculum. -Paul Bokor
CERT Instructor

Click to expand...

Here is what we are teaching our CERTs:
Class materials may be downloaded at:
W4AVA.ORG

OBJECTIVES:

Why teach "survival" in the city?
Catastrophes vs. disasters
This is about your family SURVIVAL, not volunteering
Priorities for human survival

Disaster V. Catastrophe

Disasters are short term
"Make do for 3-4 days until help arrives…"
Catastrophic events are long term
Katrina-scale hurricane, tsunami, earthquake
Major terror attack, nuclear detonation, dirty bomb
No help is coming soon, "you are on your own"

Why?

Complete loss of civil infrastructure
Minimal or no police, fire or EMS response
No electricity, municipal water, communications
Transport of fuel / food is severely impaired
Public safety agencies will be overwhelmed
Recovery is long term (over 30 days)

Situational awareness, basic knowledge and
a "survivor's mindset" enable you to cope effectively

STOP Calm down, and size up your situation…
THINK Anticipate which hazards are most likely
Take stock of materials and resources around you
OBSERVE Orient yourself to your surroundings
PLAN Select equipment and supplies appropriately
ACT! Execute your plan, evaluate progress, adjust, "party on."

PREPAREDNESS

Have an evacuation kit ready at all times
Don't presume that a disaster will be short-term
Pack essentials first, then consider comfort items
In real emergences, forget last-minute purchases
Plan for more supplies than you "think" you may need
Inspect / renew your supplies each spring and fall
Provide entertainment for young children.

SIX STEPS TO PROBLEM SOLVING

Size Up Your Situation
Determine Objectives (stay or evacuate?)
Identify Resources (either stored supplies or salvaged materials from your surroundings)
Evaluate Options (use the safest way)
Plan (use your head)
Act...Improvise and overcome

FIRST AID AND SANITATION

Maintain personal and family health
Prompt treatment reduces infection risk
Sanitation reduces risk of disease vectors
Water borne illnesses, diarrhea
Major cause of dehydration
Increases your survivability!

SHELTER

Protection from the elements
Wind and rain resistant
Insulation from cold

"Stay or Evacuate" Decision

If evacuation is not mandatory, the same safety rules
for entering a structure apply to using your home as shelter

DO NOT OCCUPY IF:

There is structural damage
(6 sides of the "box" are not plumb)
Utilities cannot be controlled
Structure was damaged in a fire
DO NOT occupy a floor that has been flooded,
micotoxins from molds are respiratory hazard!

EVACUATION PLANNING

Best to relocate with friends or relatives outside of affected area
Don't rely on government-run shelters
They are an "option of last resort" for those unable to evacuate
Evacuation route selection is important
Make sure your vehicle can carry essentials
A huge "bug-out" vehicle is a handicap on crowded roads
It uses more fuel, which may be expensive / scarce in an emergency.
Don't plan on fuel being available en route
In normal times always keep your gas tank at least half full
Upon warning an event is imminent, conserve fuel, keep tank ¾ full
Carry extra fuel containers outside the vehicle

EVACUATE OR STAY?

Conclusion from FEMA Urban-Rural Evacuation State Planners Workshop

Given:

● Population of the DC Metro area
● Propensity to self-evacuate, overwhelmingly by automobile
● Wide distribution of evacuation destinations,
● Perceived vulnerability to terror attack, and anticipation of multiple attacks

Result:
● A large-scale, chaotic mass self-evacuation should be anticipated.

Sheltering at Home During an Emergency

For using a building without working utilities as shelter

Exhaust - candles, camp stoves, lanterns, generators,
heaters, charcoal grills, all generate carbon monoxide
and must not be used indoors!

Open flame - above ignition sources
must never be left unattended!

Fuel - most of the above require flammable fuels
to operate, which must be stored outdoors.
Use Fire Marshal approved fuel containers

Improvised Emergency Shelters

As in all real estate, most important is location:
Avoid low spots with poor drainage
Seek a gently sloped area so that surface water drains away
Sheltered from prevailing winds
Away from bodies of water (attracts insects and animals)
Insulated from direct contact with ground, rock,
or concrete, which conducts away body heat.

Avoid as shelter:

Areas around downed utility lines
In or near culverts
Within the "collapse zone" of a damaged building
(maintain 2:1 ratio of distance away to building height)

Improvised Shelters:

Sheds
Tents
Tarps
Vehicles

Emergency Shelter Materials:

Salvage building materials from debris or
from damaged structures only when it can be done safely

TYVEK building wrap
Plastic sheeting
Roofing paper and shingles
Siding, plywood
Chain link fence
Lumber
Carpeting
Wire, rope, and fasteners

Build Your Shelter In Layers

Structural framing: lumber, plywood, fencing, metal
Fasteners: reinforce structural connections with nails, wire or rope ties, wooden spikes
Water and wind proofing: TYVEK, plastic sheeting, tarp, shingles, roofing paper
Insulation: drywall, leaves, tree branches, carpeting, (may also be used as ballast to hold water/wind proofing layer in place)

FIRE MAKING METHODS

Matches or lighter
Flint and steel (Doan Machinery Corp. Fire Starter)
Use cotton ball and petroleum jelly as tinder
Battery and steel wool
Fresnel lens

WATER SUPPLY

Minimum for drinking
1 gallon per person, per day
More water is needed for
Cooking and food preparation
Personal hygiene, sanitation and decontamination
Store a two week supply as minimum
Food grade containers with screw caps
Away from direct sunlight

EMERGENCY WATER SOURCES

Captive water in household hot water tank and interior plumbing is OK
Filter cloudy water to remove particulates, using an EPA-rated filter
with a pore size ≤ 1 micron, then:
Disinfect with Clorox (6% sodium hypochlorite) add 8 drops of Chlorox
bleach per gallon if clear, 16 drops if cloudy, let water stand 15 minutes before use
Or boil vigorously for 15 minutes
Store potable water in clean containers.

All natural sources (from springs, ponds, rivers or streams)
must be boiled or chemically disinfected.
Chemical disinfection or boiling - Kills bacteria and viruses
Doesn't remove particulates or chemical pollutants
Filtration - Coffee filters, etc. remove gross particulates only
EPA-rated filters (pore size smaller than 1 micron) are needed
to remove bacteria, viruses and Giardia cysts, but don't remove chemical pollutants.
Distillation is the most effective method.

FOOD

Lowest of the seven survival priorities
Need is mostly mental, because we are used to eating regularly
Healthy people will do OK without food for a week or more, if they are well hydrated
Balanced nutrition is a important health factor for elderly and infants.

SHELF LIFE OF FOOD STORED IN THE HOME

Food in a refrigerator is safe for a day after the power goes off,
either use it in 24 hours or throw it away
Frozen food is safe if there are still ice crystals,
once thawed, cook and consume it within 24 hours
Next use non-perishables and dry staples
Canned foods are best for long term storage
(up to 4 years) but are heavy to transport and bulky to store
Dry packaged foods are easiest to transport
Choose foods requiring minimal preparation
Eat at least one balanced meal daily
Include nutritional supplements in supplies
Drink enough water.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

Folding utility knife or multi-tool
Scout type, Leatherman®, Swiss Army or Mil-K-818
Manual can opener, if not on utility knife
Sturdy fixed blade, such as 5" Mil. Aircrew Survival Knife
For chopping, digging, or as pry bar
Shovel, Gerber field spade or similar
Hand saw, #7947 Fiskars Woodzig Pruning Saw, folding 10"
Axe

ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES

Each person should have their own backpack of personal essentials
Flashlight
Portable radio
Extra batteries
First Aid Kit, (containing a first aid manual)
Personal medications and sanitation supplies
Cooking and eating utensils
Wool blanket or sleeping bag for each person
Sturdy shoes and extra socks
Rain gear
Change of warm clothing and underwear
Items for special needs, care of infants

DISASTER FINANCIAL PLANNING

Financial Planning: A Guide for Disaster Preparedness

Electronic transactions, account verifications may be impossible
Evacuate with enough cash for at least two weeks of essentials
Carry account numbers, contact addresses and telephone numbers for all important persons and institutions
Helping one's unprepared friends and neighbors may prove expensive!

COURSE SUMMARY:

Positive attitude - Stop Think Observe Plan
First Aid / Sanitation - Maintain proper hygiene, preserve family health, prevent illness or injury
Shelter - Protection from environmental hazards - use Time, Distance, Shielding
Signaling / Communication- be heard / seen
Fire - Warmth, light, food prep, water sterilization
Water - Prevent water-borne illnesses through filtration, chemical sterilization, boiling or distillation
Food - Eat at least one balanced meal daily, drink enough water, include nutritional supplements
Equipment- Flashlight, knife, saw, axe, shovel
Planning - Prepare a Kit, Make A Plan!
Ready.gov - Prepare. Plan. Stay Informed.

Thanks for your interest

I'm glad that some of you are interested, If those of you that are would be willing to send me a personal message so I can get a good perspective on how many people would like to attend that would be great. Once you have contacted me we can begin organizing a time and place to learn. Any ideas in addition to what I posted previously would be much appreciated as I no doubt have not thought of everything. It's important to remember that getting prepared is a process of trial and error, unless you implement the knowledge you gain from any source it will be useless to you when you need it. So with that I am very interested in hands on experience being a big part of our curriculum so classes will be involved where it is sensible to do so. Again thanks for your interest, drop me a line and well take it from there.