Choosing the Right Flashlight for Your Emergency Kit

Advances in LED (light-emitting diode) technology and battery efficiency have resulted in flashlights that are smaller, lighter and brighter than they were just a few years ago. These advances have made it easier and safer to store with your emergency preparedness kit. 

Hikingware.com suggests you choose your emergency flashlight(s) carefully; you may need to depend on them for up to several weeks at a time in a severe emergency.

SureFire G2 Nitrolon Flashlight

So what is the best LED flashlight for your survival kit? Here are some guidelines:

The key factors to compare when selecting a flashlight:

•   Light output

•   Battery type and run time

•   Size and weight

Flashlights range from under $20 to over $200, yet they may be the same size. What are the differences? Brightness is the biggest one. A pricier light is more powerful due to the use of an advanced bulb, battery and circuitry technology. A rechargeable battery can add to the cost, as can features such as strong impact- and water-resistance, effective heat dissipation and multiple lighting modes.

Light output is measured in lumens.  Beam intensity, distance and type all influence the effectiveness of a light in different applications. A flashlight’s light output can range from a modest 20 lumens (great for reading a book) to a terrain-scorching 3500 lumens.

Check the run time of your flashlight. How long does it take the light output to drop to 10% of the rated output on new batteries? Light output may gradually decrease over time, or remain largely constant and then suddenly decrease.

How impact-resistant is your flashlight? Flashlights are tested today by dropping them a few times onto a concrete floor from a stated height. Your flashlight rating should include that height. It’s worth noting that no flashlight is rated impact resistant from being run over or when used as a hammer!

How water-resistant is your flashlight? Can it remain submerged for up to a half hour; will it stand up to being used in the rain? Is the casing metal or plastic?

What kind of beam does your flashlight have? The lens reflector that surrounds a bulb influences how the light is dispersed. 

Nitrocore SRT7 LED Flashlight

The 3 Common Flashlight Beam Options:

Flood (or fixed): A single beam width. Good for general tasks in camp or while walking.

Spot (or focused): A single beam condensed into a spotlight to penetrate a long distance. This is best for route-finding or other fast-paced activity.

Adjustable: Beam width ranges from wide to focused, or any point in-between. This means, for example, a climber looking for the next pitch would use a spot beam; to study a map, a flood beam.

What type of battery does your flashlight have? The type and availability of replacement batteries is often a factor in selecting a flashlight.

The 3 Common Flashlight Battery Options:

Disposable: The most common battery sizes in use, AAA or AA, are readily available. CR123A is also a common choice, but is more expensive and can be harder to find. Their upside is a higher voltage output for a smaller size and weight, making it possible to have a brighter flashlight in a smaller, lighter package.  Flashlights using D cell batteries are still available if you want a baton-sized tool for security or a light that won’t get lost in a pocket.

Rechargeable: Built-in lithium-ion batteries can be recharged through a USB connection from a computer, AC or DC outlet or solar panel. The higher upfront cost is more than made up for by the low ongoing running cost, no need for disposable batteries and reduced waste.

Renewable: Flashlights with a built-in battery energized by a hand crank or solar panel are ideal for emergency kits.

Caution: Do not use lithium or lithium-ion batteries with any flashlight unless recommended by the manufacturer. You risk damaging a light by mismatching it with lithium batteries.

So which type of flashlight will you include in your emergency survival kit? 

WILDFIRE! CAN IT HAPPEN TO YOU? 

The Washington Post reports:  

"As 14 large fires rage across California, the U.S. Forest Service is sounding the alarm about the exploding cost of protecting people and property from a growing wildfire threat.

In a new report released Wednesday, the agency says that while it spent 16 percent of its total budget on preparing for and fighting fires in 1995, it will spend more than half its budget this year on the same task — and a projected 67 percent or more by 2025 under current funding arrangements.

The fact that people are building more structures in harm’s way only compounds the problem, the agency adds."

Over half of the United States is vulnerable to wildfires. Hikingware.com wants you to be prepared for this kind of natural disaster if it occurs in your area. Here are some federal government-approved tips to prepare for wildfire before it happens:

• To begin preparing, you should build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan.
•  Design and landscape your home with wildfire safety in mind. Select materials and plants that can help contain fire rather than fuel it.
• Use fire-resistant or noncombustible materials on the roof and exterior structure of the dwelling, or treat wood or combustible material used in roofs, siding, decking or trim with fire-retardant chemicals evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
• Plant fire-resistant shrubs and trees. For example, hardwood trees are less flammable than pine, evergreen, eucalyptus or fir trees.
• Regularly clean roof and gutters.
•  Inspect chimneys at least twice a year. Clean them at least once a year. Keep the dampers in good working order. Equip chimneys and stovepipes with a spark arrester that meets the requirements of National Fire Protection Association Standard 211. (Contact your local fire department for exact specifications.)
• Use 1/8-inch mesh screen beneath porches, decks, floor areas, and the home itself. Also, screen openings to floors, roof and attic.
• Install a dual-sensor smoke alarm on each level of your home, especially near bedrooms; test monthly and change the batteries at least once each year.
• Teach each family member how to use a fire extinguisher (ABC type) and show them where it's kept.
• Keep handy household items that can be used as fire tools: a rake, axe, handsaw or chainsaw, bucket and shovel.
• Keep a ladder that will reach the roof.
• Consider installing protective shutters or heavy fire-resistant drapes.
• Clear items that will burn from around the house, including wood piles, lawn furniture, barbecue grills, tarp coverings, etc. Move them outside of your defensible space.

PLAN YOUR WATER NEEDS

• Identify and maintain an adequate outside water source such as a small pond, cistern, well, swimming pool, or hydrant.
• Have a garden hose that is long enough to reach any area of the home and other structures on the property.
• Install freeze-proof exterior water outlets on at least two sides of the home and near other structures on the property. Install additional outlets at least 50 feet from the home.
• Consider obtaining a portable gasoline powered pump in case electrical power is cut off.

Your best resource for proper planning is www.firewise.org which has outstanding information. Firewise workshops are offered for free all across the nation in communities large and small and free Firewise materials can be obtained easily by anyone interested.

Volcano Safety

If you live in Alaska, Hawaii, or the Western half of the United States, you are probably within 200 miles of an active volcano.

An important clue to understanding volcanoes is knowing the location of the volcanic bands. Many of the world's active volcanoes are located around the edges of the Pacific Ocean: the West Coast of the Americas; the East Coast of Siberia, Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia; and in island chains from New Guinea to New Zealand--the so-called "Ring of Fire" (diagram to left). 

Recently, active volcanoes were also found in Iceland, the Kenya Rift Valley in Eastern Africa, Italy, and Hawaii. Looking at the locations of these volcanoes through the glasses of plate tectonics, we also notice that most volcanoes occur near the edges of the large "plates" that comprise the solid surface of Earth. Looking even more closely, we also notice that the dangerous explosive volcanoes, such as Mount St. Helens and Mount Pinatubo, that make the evening news are located where plates are crunching together. The quieter, "effusive" volcanoes, like Iceland and Hawaii, are found mostly where plates are coming apart or in the middle of a plate.

Hikingware.com wants you to play it safe if you are in a volcanic zone. Here are the procedures to follow, approved by the American Red Cross:

Before:

• Learn about your community warning systems and emergency plans.
• Be prepared for the hazards that can accompany volcanoes:
• Mudflows and flash floods
• Landslides and rockfalls
• Earthquakes
• Ashfall and acid rain
• Tsunamis
•     Make evacuation plans.                     
• If you live in a known volcanic hazard area, plan a route out and have a backup route in mind.
• Develop an emergency communication plan.
•   In case family members are separated from one another during a volcanic eruption (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), have a plan for getting back together.
•   Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the "family contact," because after a disaster, it's often easier to call long distance. Make sure everyone knows the name, address, and phone number of the contact person.
• Have disaster supplies on hand:
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit and manual
• Emergency food and water
• Non-electric can opener
• Essential medicines
• Dust mask
• Sturdy shoes
•    Get a pair of goggles and a throw-away breathing mask for each member of the household in case of ashfall.
•   Although it may seem safe to stay at home and wait out an eruption, if you are in a hazardous zone, doing so could be very dangerous. Stay safe. Follow authorities' instructions and put your disaster plan into action.

During:

• Follow the evacuation order issued by authorities.
• Avoid areas downwind and river valleys downstream of the volcano.
• If caught indoors:
• Close all windows, doors, and dampers.
• Put all machinery inside a garage or barn.
• Bring animals and livestock into closed shelters
•  If trapped outdoors:
• Seek shelter indoors.
• If caught in a rockfall, roll into a ball to protect your head.
• If caught near a stream, be aware of mudflows. Move upslope, especially if you hear the roar of a mudflow.
• Protect yourself during ashfall:
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
• Use goggles to protect your eyes.
• Use a dust mask or hold a damp cloth over your face to help breathing.
• Keep car or truck engines off.
• Stay out of the area defined as a restricted zone by government officials.
• Effects of a volcanic eruption can be experienced many miles from a volcano. Mudflows and flash flooding, wildland fires, and even deadly hot ashflow can reach you even if you cannot see the volcano during an eruption. Avoid river valleys and low lying areas. Trying to watch an erupting volcano up close is a deadly idea.
• If you see the water level of a stream begin to rise, quickly move to high ground. If a mudflow is approaching or passes a bridge, stay away from the bridge.
• Mudflows are powerful "rivers" of mud that can move 20 to 40 miles-per-hour. Hot ash or lava from a volcanic eruption can rapidly melt snow and ice at the summit of a volcano. The melt water quickly mixes with falling ash, with soil cover on lower slopes, and with debris in its path. This turbulent mixture is dangerous in stream channels and can travel more than 50 miles away from a volcano. Also intense rainfall can erode fresh volcanic deposits to form large mudflows.
• Listen to a battery-operated radio or television for the latest emergency information.

After:

• If possible, stay away from volcanic ashfall areas
• When outside:
• Cover your mouth and nose. Volcanic ash can irritate your respiratory system.
• Wear goggles to protect your eyes.
• Keep skin covered to avoid irritation from contact with ash.
• Clear roofs of ashfall:
•   Ashfall is very heavy and can cause buildings to collapse. Exercise great caution when working on a roof.
• Avoid driving in heavy ashfall.
• Driving will stir up more ash that can clog engines and stall vehicles.
• If you have a respiratory ailment, avoid contact with any amount of ash. Stay indoors until local health officials advise it is safe to go outside.

Remember to help our neighbors who may require special assistance -- infants, elderly people, and people with disabilities. 

Facts About Food Waste in America

From a short piece about food waste from The Des Moines Register: 1,000 adults were surveyed, and 63 percent of them said they were concerned about our country's food waste. In fact, it was a bigger issue to many of them than GMOs or climate change.

Here’s the really interesting part: only 34 percent of those surveyed thought the food they wasted in their own homes was a concern. Almost half of the people who see food waste as a problem, don’t see it as their personal problem.

Perhaps they don’t know that according to a recent USDA report, twice as much food is wasted on the consumer level than it is on the retail level. In other words, if you think grocery stores throw out more food than people do in their homes, you’re wrong. Perhaps they also don’t know that Americans throw away 40 percent of the food they bring into their homes. Almost half of what they buy gets trashed.

Hikingware.com wants you to be aware of this disturbing trend, because during an emergency or disaster there may be very little, if any, food available for you and your family -- unless you act wisely and have a food storage plan.

And a good food storage plan also includes provident living BEFORE the emergency and/or disaster.

How is your personal food waste, the food you bring into your home but never eat, a problem? Here’s how:

• You’re contributing to the waste of energy. A study by the Center for International Energy and Environmental Policy at the University of Texas at Austin found that 2 percent of the annual energy consumption in the U.S. was used on food that went to waste. How does food use energy? Think of the all the energy it takes to produce, transport, process and handle food, and you’ll start to see that every step of the way, energy is used for food. That 2 percent is probably a conservative number because the study used 1995 data that said Americans threw away 27 percent of the food produced. It’s now estimated that food waste could be as much as 50 percent.
• You’re contributing to carbon emissions. The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization released a report that found “the carbon footprint of wasted food is equivalent to 3.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually.” China and the USA are the top two carbon emitters in the world. Food waste is the third. It’s like food waste is an entire country in and of itself when it comes to carbon emissions, and so much of that food waste comes from what we throw away in our own homes.
• You’re contributing to hunger. Pope Francis commented that our culture of food waste is like stealing from the poor. As long as we don't see our food waste as a big deal, we won't think of how tackling food waste can help the hungry. If everyone from the farmers who grow the food to the governments who subsidize the food to the markets that sell the food to the consumers who buy the food worked together to stop the waste and divert the perfectly edible food into the hands and mouths of the hungry, real change could happen.
• You’re wasting your cold, hard-earned cash. The average family of four throws away $2,275 worth of food each year. If you don’t see any of the other issues surrounding personal food waste as a problem, it’s hard to argue that wasting this much money isn’t a personal issue!

What can you do about your personal food waste?

Believe it or not, your food storage can help. For example, in my family, I am the only one that likes red and green peppers. So I only re-hydrate the servings I need, rather than buy fresh and potentially waste part of the fresh vegetables, and just to add them to my dinner when I want them. Same with things like broccoli. I use what I need and the rest stays in the pantry for future use.

Start an Indoor Windowsill Garden for Emergencies

After you have your emergency food storage taken care of, wouldn't it be nice if you could count on some fresh veggies during an emergency that kept you inside for days or weeks or during times when you couldn't get to the grocery store?

With a windowsill garden, you can still have some fresh and healthy vegetables almost year-round to augment your emergency food supply. Plus, it's a fun project for the kids and it's easy and inexpensive.

Hikingware.com suggests the following vegetables for easy indoor growing and eating!

Green Onions
Buy one bunch at the store and you'll never have to buy another set again! Simply use the green stalks down to about 2 inches above the white head. Then, put the heads in a small jar of water and place them on a windowsill with some light exposure. Within days, the green stalks will start growing again and you can have an unlimited harvest of scallions year-round. Change the water in the jar about once a month to avoid any mildew odors.

Carrots and Radishes
Most root crops need greater depth to grow than you can provide indoors, but radishes, especially round or globe varieties that do not root very deeply, grow well in boxes, troughs and pans. Seeds can be sown from late-winter until mid-autumn, often producing usable roots 21 to 25 days later. Round carrot varieties are also successful in pots and boxes.

Potatoes
Seed tubers used for outdoor plantings are easily grown in large pots, buckets, or even plastic sacks, and produce worthwhile yields of tasty new potatoes. When planting the tubers, leave space at the top of the container for adding more compost to earth-up the plants as they develop. The top of the sack can be rolled down to start with, and then rolled up as required.

Mushrooms
Mushrooms are an ideal indoor crop for any time of year. Prepared bags of special compost with mushroom spawn only need watering before being left in a draft-free, dark place such as an attic or cupboard. Keep at 50-60ºF (10-15ºC) and mushrooms should be cropping a few weeks later.

Beans and Peas
Dwarf French beans can be sown in pots from late-winter on-wards for early pods. Dwarf broad beans and dwarf runner beans crop well indoors too. Tall runner beans grown on cane wigwams or on string up the sides of a sunny conservatory are decorative as well as productive, and both dwarf and tall mange tout peas will do well as houseplants. Pick the pods while they are young, tender and juicy.

And here are some delicious herbs to grow indoors that will brighten any meal, emergency or not!

Basil
Start basil from seeds and place the pots in a south-facing window—basil likes lots of sun and warmth.

Bay
It's a perennial that grows well in containers all year long. Place the pot in an east- or west-facing window, but be sure it does not get crowded—bay needs air circulation to remain healthy.

Oregano
Your best bet is to start with a tip cutting from an outdoor oregano plant. Place the pot in a south-facing window.

Parsley
You can start this herb from seeds or dig up a clump from your garden at the end of the season. Parsley likes full sun but will grow slowly in an east- or west-facing window.

Sage
Take a tip cutting from an outdoor plant to start indoor sage. It tolerates dry, indoor air well, but it needs the strong sun it will get in a south-facing window.

Thyme
You can start thyme indoors either by rooting a soft tip cutting or by digging up and potting an outdoor plant. Thyme likes full sun but will grow in an east- or west-facing window.

Water & The Human Body - The Importance of Survival Water Filters

Water. Most of us take it for granted, but have you ever taken a moment to stop and think just how important water is to you?

For the human body, water is truly a vital resource. You can go weeks without food but only 5-7 days without water. When the water in your body is reduced by just 1 percent, you become thirsty. At 5 percent, muscle strength and endurance declines significantly, and you become hot and tired. When the loss reaches 10 percent, delirium and blurred vision occur. A 20 percent reduction results in death.

Are you prepared for a disaster or emergency that cuts off your normal water supply? What plans have you made to insure a continuing amount of safe water for you and your family?

Hikingware.com suggests that you have a water filtration system as a backup for the 'if & when' of drought or disaster that could seriously impact you and your loved ones.

There is no more important nutrient for our bodies than water. No other substance is as widely involved in the processes and make up of the body. A man's body is about 60 percent water and a woman's is approximately 50 percent. Did you know that the human brain is about 75 percent water?

Every day, we lose 2-3 quarts of water through urination, sweating, and breathing. Since many of the processes within the body rely greatly on water, it is important we replace our fluids regularly to compensate for this loss.

Here are just a few of the vital roles pure water plays in our health.

Water as a Transporter:
Once a substance is dissolved in water, water becomes very important for transporting it throughout the body. Blood, which is 83 percent water, transports oxygen, CO2, nutrients, waste products, and more from cell to cell. Urine is also mostly water.

Protection:
Water is needed for protection as well. It keeps your mouth moist and washes away dirt and grim in your eyes. Water even lubricates our joints, keeping them from getting stiff and making sure motion is smooth.

Electrolyte Balance:
Water is very important in maintaining electrolyte balance within our bodies. Electrolytes are charged ions (such as Na+or Cl-) which must be kept at certain levels to maintain the proper amount of water in our cells. Electrolytes transmit all sorts of information to our brains in the form of nerve impulses and are important in muscular activity as well. To maintain electrolytes at the proper level in our cells, water flows in and out of the cell to make sure that these ions remain in balance.

The most important way water regulates our body temperature is through sweat. Our normal body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. When you go outside in the sun, you'll probably begin to sweat in no time, especially if you're active. But why does the body need to sweat? Sweat is a way for the body to cool itself down. When we sweat, it evaporates on our skin, drawing heat away from the body and cools us down.

Powdered Milk - The Do's & Don'ts

Your emergency food storage should include powdered milk, or a milk alternative. There are many whey-based milk alternative products available. Plus, canned evaporated milk may be considered -- but only for 2 or 3 years; after that it begins to deteriorate rapidly.

Hikingware.com is happy to give you the complete lowdown on powdered milk do's & don'ts.

Non-fat dried milk (NFDM) is suitable for short and long term emergency food storage. It is made from non-fat, grade A milk that has been dried by spraying into hot air or heated on a drum. The process removes nearly all of the water, prohibiting the growth of microorganisms. Dried whole milk and dried buttermilk have milk fat and are not suitable for long term storage.

Start with top quality product. Some NFDM is "instantized," a process that makes it easier to reconstitute. "Extra-grade" is higher quality and some manufacturers supplement dried milk with vitamins A and D. A product meeting all three of these options would be the best for storage. Evaluate several brands of dried milk before purchasing any large quantity for emergency storage.

Packaging. Dried milk must be stored free of moisture and oxygen. Mylar-type bags and #10 cans make good containers for large quantities. Canning jars are suitable for smaller quantities, provided light is prevented from reaching the dried milk. Other plastic containers are less suitable, e.g. food-grade buckets. Oxygen absorbents should be used to remove oxygen from containers to extend shelf life and minimize off-flavors.

A USU study concluded that after 4 years NFDM samples stored in plastic bags (not Mylar-type) were statistically less acceptable than samples stored in cans. The form of milk (instant or regular) did not affect the length of time NFDM could be stored. The unacceptability of samples in the study was due to an oxidized/stale flavor.

Storage conditions. The shelf life of packaged, NFDM ranges from 3 months to 3-5 years. The main factor is storage temperature. At cool to cold temperatures the shelf life is 3-5 years. At hot temperatures the shelf life can be as little as 3 months. Research demonstrated NFDM held at 32°C (90°F) for 6 months began to develop off-flavors, and by 24 months was considered unacceptable by a trained sensory panel. After 4-year storage, NFDM samples stored at 21°C (70°F) were rated unacceptable by the panelists. Storage at 10°C (50°F) resulted in minimal flavor changes in 52 months.

Nutrition. NFDM is an excellent source of protein and calcium, providing 80 calories per serving. Most vitamins in dried milk are present in comparable levels to those of whole milk. Vitamins A and D are not present in non-fat milk and must be supplemented.

Nutrition degradation during storage. Vitamin levels are stable for 6 months and only minimally decline after 18 months. Data is not available for longer term storage effects on vitamins. Storage of these products for periods longer than several years will result in vitamin and flavor degradation. Most other nutrients (calories, carbohydrates, proteins, and minerals) will remain unchanged.

Use of NFDM from storage. Typically 1/3 cup dry powder is mixed with one cup water to make one serving. The instantized type of NFDM will dissolve in water more readily. Non-instantized versions may need blending or can be held overnight in the refrigerator after reconstituting to increase solubility. Reconstituted NFDM will not taste any better than fresh non-fat milk. If the absence of milk fat is objectionable, mix reconstituted NFDM into whole fresh milk. Once opened, NFDM will have a 3-month shelf life. Keep opened containers away from light, moisture and warmer temperatures.