Life is unpredictable, and the formidable future likely holds an unexpected incident. However, there are ways to prepare for such an event. When it comes to preparing for survival, natural remedies and preparations are the safest, most reliable way to go.
What is a Disaster Preparedness Kit?
A disaster preparedness kit is the best way to prepare for the unfortunate event of an emergency or disaster. Such a kit contains a variety of supplies and staple products that an individual or family may need in the event of an emergency or disaster. The kit is maintenanced regularly to ensure proper materials. Likewise, it should be established in such a way as to be easy to locate and carry in an emergency.
A disaster preparedness kit is one of the most fundamental survival remedies. Such a system contains a variety of basic supplies. Common contents include water, non-perishable food, flashlights, a radio, extra batteries, a complete first aid kit, any necessary medications, multi-purpose tool, sanitation and personal hygiene items, copies of personal documents, cell phone chargers, family and emergency contact information, extra cash, a blanket, and a map.
Additional items that may be necessary include individual specific medical supplies, baby supplies, games or activities for children, pet supplies, extra car and house keys, and a can opener.
Most Important Home Remedies for Survival
While a disaster preparedness kit is one of the most effective survival remedies, other strategies are also important. Having a survival plan in place is an important consideration for families and individuals alike. Likewise, certain natural remedies help guarantee a better survival rate. Activated charcoal, cayenne, and apple cider vinegar are among the most important natural remedies that can be included in an emergency survival kit or other natural disaster remedy plan.
Activated charcoal is a survival staple, as it can be used to purify contaminated water and alleviate a variety of health conditions. Likewise, cayenne can be used to stop bleeding and heal wounds in an emergency situation. Apple cider vinegar can be used in a variety of ways but particularly to treat food poisoning.
Preparation is key when it comes to surviving any type of disaster. These preparations are effective in a variety of situations and limit the amount of danger associated with a situation.
Continue reading to learn which remedies our readers suggest and let us know if you have anything to important to add to the list!
This past week we lost our connection to the internet and were hit with acute food poisoning.
I remembered activated charcoal and for my sweetie this brought some relief. But my vomiting was so severe it was coming back up. I used to read the recent posts regularly and had skimmed all the remedies sections. But, in my weakened condition my recall was not good.
I was hit by the realization that in the case of a real emergency, like what is occurring in Houston, we would be without the Internet as well.
I need to build a reference library invade of emergency and want a real paper book library. How thorough is the Natural Cures book and will there be updates say… annual best of? Also what books do other readers recommend?
Dear Suzy,
Two of my favorites are:
Be Your Own Doctor by Rachel Weaver
And
Charcoal Remedies by John Dinsley
These books use mostly simple remedies with good instructions. I have referenced both again and again.
~Mama to Many~
1. Activated Charcoal to purify contaminated water supplies.
2. Cayenne to stop bleeding and heal wounds.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar (commercial brand, not organic) to stop food poisoning.
4. First Aid Supply Kit.
Survival Remedies: Let’s touch on the subject of what I think every family should have in their emergency backpack in the event of a catastrophe. According to a lot of people we have one whale of a catastrophe arriving or finishing up in 2012. If we get the troubles predicted (and I certainly hope it will be natural disasters instead of nuclear) groceries are going to be emptied, ditto for drugstores and shopping centers. Probably telephones, TV’s and radios as well as electricity and public water supplies will also be out of order for what will seem like an eternity to us spoiled people who are so used to having it all.
Contrary to popular belief, there have been studies done on lots of plants. There is a federal botanical data base that gives the chemicals and their actions on local and plants from other areas. There is a book titled The Green Pharmacy by James A. Duke (a PHD botanist who spent a lot of years collecting and amassing information for the federal government’s data base. He gives information on local plants in the US, plus information on plants found on other parts of the planet. This book should be in every emergency backpack. Other books that should be in there with it is a good reference book identifying these plants and another on identifying edible wild plants. I recommend a trip to your local bookstore for purchasing them now and start looking through them, and some good family hikes to try to see how many you can find should make them more interesting. Field guides on these things will be handier & lighter weights for these hikes. Of course you should also remember a good water supply and enough MRE’s (ready to eat meals as used in the military) which can probably be found in army surplus stores as well as on-line in emergency supplies.
I thought that I might pass this on. In 1961 I was working in Cairo, On a Sunday in August I was off work, it was incredibly hot, all my friends were out, I went down to the street and bought a small watermelon from a street vendor. I didn’t know that he was keeping the fruit plump in the heat by injecting raw Nile water into it.
I ate two slices and within a few minutes I got the most violent cramp in my belly. The only antiseptic that I had was crystals of Potassium Permanganate… So, on the basis that I might be killing myself, I made a fairly dark solution with bottled soda water and drank about twenty ml three times.
Apparently, I probably saved my own life. That’s all Folks.
Survival Remedies: A whistle is a useful device for attracting attention in times of emergency. You can use it when hiking in the mountains.It will be handy if you are lost or injured and need help. Use it when boating and it can attract attraction easily should the boat overturn. Use it when you are caught in a an natural disaster to get resucer to your aid. Women can also use it for personal protection.
A simple mosquito repellant Get a large bottle of Listerine, pour into a 4-ounce spray bottle and use around areas outside. It works great and it’s safe. It kills them instantly and will last a couple of days. Spray around food tables, play areas, standing water, anywhere you will be working or playing outside. Spray around door & window frames. Don’t spray directly onto wood doors but do spray the frame around the door. This would also be a good thing to add to survival kits.
I used to live in Portland, Or. There is a significant tectonic plate 50 miles of the coast called Juan de Fuca. Scientists have determined that it shifts every 300-350 years with a 9.0+ earthquake to the Northwest. It’s overdue. Because of this the Portland fire department has come up with a training program for civilians. It’s called the “neighborhood emergency teams” (NET). This program was designed to help yourself, your family and your neighbors, in that order. I pulled out my NET manual and this is what the PFD suggest you have in your medical kit.
– Kerlex, Kling, or any other brand of roller bandage (6 rolls)used to wrap over dressings and to secure splints.
– 4in. sterile gauze pads (4-6)
– 2in. sterile gauze pads (4-6)
– Sanitary napkins (2-4) used to control excessive bleeding.
– 1 and 2in. adhesive tape (1 roll of each) used to secure dressings and bandages; change every 6 months
– Bandaids (1 box assorted sizes)
– Triangular bandage (3) used to secure broken arms, shoulder dislocations or as a wrap for splints. Can be purchased or made from old sheets.
– Ace bandage for wrapping sprains.
– Sterile water (1 Qt.)used to flush wounds and cool burns.
– Antiseptic solution (1 bottle) used to cleanse wounds.
– Medical scissors
– Tweezers
– Sterile needle for splinters
– Asprin or non-asprin pain reliever.
– Latex gloves (2 pair)
– Anti-diarrhea medication
– Antacid
– Syrup of Ipecac (to induce vomiting, if advised by Poison Control Center)
– Sunscreen
– Tube of petroleum jelly
– Cleaning agent/soap
– Moistened towlets or baby wipes
– Assorted sizes of safty pins
Understand this is for a 72 hr. period. After the Katrina fiasco I think it’s safe to say that in a major disaster we all may be on our own for a month or more.
As far as food and water use clear plastic bottles for water. I use the 5 gallon type with a teaspoon of bleach in it and change it every 6 months. Just make sure that on the bottom of the container in the recycle triangle the # is 1,2,4 or 5. Do not use 3,6 or 7; it has to do with how the plastic was produced. 3,6 and 7 are fine just not for long term storage like 6-12 months. NEVER use plastic opaque milk containers. They have micrscopic cavities for bacteria. One gallon of water for one person for one day. You can live 30 days without food and 7 days without water. Campers and hikers use the 3/3/3 saying. 3 hrs. for shelter , 3 days for water and 3 weeks for food. As far as food goes can goods are recomended. I make my own granola bars and put them in a Food-Saver bag to the freezer and rotate them out every 6 months. They’re light weight and I know what’s in them. Hopfully we’ll never have to use this information but it’s good to know.
Shawn
P.S. I did this program over 10 years ago and websites weren’t as popular as today. I do not have PFD’s address.
It seems that there have been many catastrophic events in the past so many years; this has gotten me thinking about what might be good to put in a lightweight backpack – for quick carry away. Of course there are a number of interesting insights to be gleaned from Earthclinic but I thought that maybe it could be an interesting topic to put out there for debate and discussion. It seems that governments may (or may not!) know what their rolls are in catastrophic situations but so often the everyday person is caught off guard and unprepared. (Even just recently, for example, it has been written in our local paper that the underground water pipelines are badly aging and could collapse, causing water contamination for many, many people. And yet, no discussion about what people could do to prepare for such a thing.) And on and on! Anyway, just a suggestion. Best regards! Deb
To the lady who wrote asking for things to have in light weight backpack in event of a catastrophe, I suggest that you research this on the internet – or even better go to a bookstore and buy yourself a book on survival tactics which should tell you lot of things, including building emergency shelters. If you do not have one already, get one on edible plants growing wild. After all, a backpack can only hold enough for a few days, and you may have to survive longer. Study these before putting them in your backpack & review them occasionally after that. You will find lots of books available on survival.
I would like to go to my neighborhood camping and hiking store and talk to them about packing a waterproof emergency kit since I think that campers and hikers seem to have worked through many potential problem situations. My initial thoughts include such things as emergency cash, small tubes of antibiotic, arnica (stuff for cuts, scrapes, sprains); Odwalla bars or Kashi bars or high quality, lightweight foods like these, something for water purification (maybe a travel purifier… not sure about this); maybe some small items found in a formal first aid kit like scissors, tweezers, gauze, etc., perhaps some dry undergarments. It seems that a person could have a really good stash of emergency supplies of miniature items so that a kit could be lightweight but well stocked.
Your idea about discussing food strategies is excellent. This has been a topic of conversation around here and a number of people I know will be joining local CSA farms. Although it never got off the ground, at one point, people in my neighborhood were talking about doing pot luck dinners maybe three nights a week; each week hosted by a different neighbor who would supply dishes, silverware and clean-up. This might be fun to do in conjunction with a church as well. Many church kitchens have been abandoned but are wonderful for serving up group meals.
Suggestion 1: Buy and read the books “When All Hell Breaks Loose” and “98. 6 Degrees The Art of Keeping Your A** Alive! ” by Cody Lundin.
Suggestion 2: Buy a very good bushcraft knife (not a survival knife) and learn how to use it. In an emergency, your knife will become your absolute best friend.
Suggestion 3: Take a good survival course. By good I mean one taught by someone with several years experience. Thoroughly check out the instructors.
Suggestion 4: Stockpile a minimum of 72 hours of light weight, easily transportable food (freeze dried). Also, 72 hours of water – most suggest 1 gallon per person per day. But that generally takes into account water for personal hygiene.
Suggestion 5: Build a well stocked first aid kit. These can be purchased, but most are only a start to a complete kit.
Suggestion 6: Stay away from commercially produced survival kits. These are designed for making money not keeping your butt alive.