Suburban Survival

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kidwholaughs

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Jan 17, 2004
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Hey mods, feel free to move as appropriate.
Guys, long time lurker here. I constantly amazed by the level of knowledge that I encounter on here. Here is question for everyone.
With the swine flu as the wake up call for me, I realized that not what you could call disaster ready. Having to be shut in for a month due to a pandemic is not really out the question. Knowing what to do in a situation like this would be greatly beneficial. Now, where can I fine some resources online/books that deal with specifically on this issue?

God Bless
 
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Liberals keep trying to take guns away and don't own any, so, just go take what you want!

This has a two fold effect. You get to eat and they finally understand why the second amendment is so important.

Kind of a win-win, ya know?
 
PrimitiveMan said:
Liberals keep trying to take guns away and don't own any, so, just go take what you want!

This has a two fold effect. You get to eat and they finally understand why the second amendment is so important.

Kind of a win-win, ya know?
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Regardless of the situation. I will not make other people's lives worse to better my own.
 
There are a ton of resources but you'll have to sift through the ones with the really tight aluminum foil caps:D

Maybe not wilderness, but it's definitely survival. I know you're not talking preparation, but that's what it really comes down to. Avoiding masses of people and proper hygiene are to the two major aspects to adhere to. Not sure what your occupation is, but fortunately school just let out here in TX and our area now is on the rise with the Swine Flu...my wife is a teacher, so hopefully it'll die out over summer (although many predict it will resurface in a more lethal strain in the fall).

School districts here have already planned to shut down and probably will in the future if a case pops up. Having enough food on hand for 30 days would really help at keeping away from the snot-nosed kids at the grocery store or Wal Mart; a good option is hitting the 24 hours stores very early in the morning to avoid most people. Plenty of hand sanitizer and even the small face masks will help to keep you somewhat protected from germs and exposure. Make sure you have plenty of water on-hand. The last place you want to be is in a long line waiting for water rations during a full-blown epidemic exacerbated by some other crisis (hurricane, power-grid outage, etc.).

Remaining healthy is vital; if you smoke, quit, if you're overweight, start exercising. Your body needs to be able to fight off a virus and if you already have health problems, you're going to make it more difficult.

You can at least start working a plan. What happens when school is cancelled and the kids are home? Do you have enough leave at work to take a week or two off in this type of emergency? Do you have a more remote location (family) you could travel to on an "extended vacation"?

Probably more questions than answers, but I hope that helps a little,

ROCK6
 
If you keep your health insurance paid-up, any sign of a flu and you can get antibiotics or Tamiflu for treatment.

The people who have died, died from other complications and not directly due to H1N1.

Here is the first place you should take a look at: Center for Disease Control
http://www.cdc.gov/
 
This is kinda weird. My occupation is public heath, so I very aware of the epidemiology of the flu. My question is more a worst case scenario when a person may need to be shut in for a longer periods of time, regardless of reason.
How would a person operationalize this situation?

God Bless
 
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ROCK6 said:
Not sure what your occupation is, but fortunately school just let out here in TX and our area now is on the rise with the Swine Flu...my wife is a teacher, so hopefully it'll die out over summer.
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I have a school age child and my wife works in the medical field and has contact with sick people, junkies and zombies every day, I feel for you. Her and my son are constantly exposed to walking petri dishes. That means I am as well, unfortunately.

(although many predict it will resurface in a more lethal strain in the fall).
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That's what happened with the original "Spanish" Flu back during World War One...and it stopped World War One which is a little known fact when World War One is historically discussed.

Remaining healthy is vital; if you smoke, quit, if you're overweight, start exercising. Your body needs to be able to fight off a virus and if you already have health problems, you're going to make it more difficult.
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There is some of this with the current type of influenza but they know for a fact that with the "Spanish" Flu, it actually attacked healthy people harder. Well, let me put that a different way because that is not entirely accurate.

The original Spanish Flu technically didn't kill you, that is not what made that Flu so lethal but the healthy body's reaction to it is referred to as a "Cytokine Storm." The healthy or healthier, immune system launches an all-out attack and basically, your immune system liquifies your lungs and you drown in less than 24 hours. When you start hearing about people coughing blood up and keeling over, you will know this Type has mutated to a much more deadly form.

That doesn't mean unhealthy people are not going to die, a lot of them will from secondary infections, etc. What it means is, you might want to lay off of a lot of stuff that hyper-boosts or excites the immune system because that is the real killer with this...
 
Don Rearic said:
There is some of this with the current type of influenza but they know for a fact that with the "Spanish" Flu, it actually attacked healthy people harder. Well, let me put that a different way because that is not entirely accurate.
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You're correct Don, it actually impacted the healthy adults as it made the immune system go into overdrive and most died of pneumonia (I think?) when their lungs filled with phlegm created by the overactive immune system. This is something to consider. Most people who consider themselves healthy would dismiss most symptoms. I'm not one to over-react, but if symptoms continue for a few days, it's time to see a doctor instead of "toughing it out". I still think keeping your health up is a good bet against a flu virus...

I'm sure you've had the same issues as me...when do you have your wife take some "emergency leave"? My wife is a work-aholic, so if she had to drop a couple weeks of emergency leave, it wouldn't be an issue. I've told her that she needs to really make that decision point before it gets worse or when she bring the crud home to me and the kids. I have a slightly more difficult situation in the military as I really just can't not show up to work:D I do have a position where if I wasn't directly needed, I could take some emergency leave as well, so if the situation required us to hunker down, it would be feasible. If not, I could easily get my wife and kids set up and live out of my office for short term. Tough situations all around for a "worse case" scenario.

ROCK6
 
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There's a lot of stuff available. I couldn't recommend a single book or video or whatnot for a guide- look into distaster and depression pantry planning, alternative cooking (camp stove? grill in the backyard?), water purification.....
 
One month is a long time to stay locked down and isolated. Having a water potable water source is a main need, nutrition and sanitation. I recall at least one thread a while back where folks talked about the possiblity of using your backyard pool as a water resevoir. You still will likely need to treat it before drinking, but this could be a source that is 'under the radar'. Running water from plumbing would not last long or one shouldn't count on it to last a month duration.

Most folks around these parts like to launch into a whole practical/tactical type discussion of how they are going to defend their hole out. It strikes me that staying under the radar and unnoticed can be more effective than trying to project that you are fort knox. Keeping food supplies in hidden caches (e.g. backs of rice and dried beans/lentils) in in the attic or the back corner of a crawl space where could be helpful.

I haven't figured out the best sanitation method, but I'd like to hear any ideas more creative than digging a hole in the ground.
 
kidwholaughs lives in New Jersey, a heavily populated state. He is up the creek without a paddle.

As I noted earlier there is a website in NJ dealing with the flu. Reading it will scare the living crap out of people.

For disposing of waste - take a 55 gallon steel drum. Cut it in half. Build an outhouse over it. Periodically mix some diesel fuel in it and burn it. Voila!

My suggestions - store food and water for a month. Stay away from other people. Have fuel to heat the house and cook food.


Edit: looking further in the NJ website, here are some snips regarding the 1918 Flu Pandemic.

The speed with which the disease killed was as shocking as the number of people it affected. One insurance agent recalled that, during the pandemic, "deaths were so sudden that it was almost unbelievable. You would be talking to someone one day and hear about his death the next day."

A New Jersey physician said that it was a common experience to speak with someone who appeared to be healthy one day and then come across them a few days later on the autopsy table.

Medical facilities were quickly overwhelmed. Nurses and physicians were in short supply as well.

One physician treated more than 3,000 patients in one month.

The dead bodies accumulated faster than they could be buried. At first, city employees and firemen helped to dig graves. Then teams of horses were used to plough trenches which could be used as mass graves.

Good luck.
 
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Seriously, In NJ you are "Bugging in" whether you like it or not.

You have a few bridges out, which will be PACKED if push comes to shove, and will more than likely be shut down "for our own good" if something were to happen.

No way off the island.

And by the way, while I was kidding about my "taking what the liberals have" comment, don't be so sure you would not make someone else suffer for your benefit. You would be very surprised at what you would do if your child looked up at you and said "Daddy, I am hungry".
 
PrimitiveMan said:
Seriously, In NJ you are "Bugging in" whether you like it or not.

You have a few bridges out, which will be PACKED if push comes to shove, and will more than likely be shut down "for our own good" if something were to happen.

No way off the island.

And by the way, while I was kidding about my "taking what the liberals have" comment, don't be so sure you would not make someone else suffer for your benefit. You would be very surprised at what you would do if your child looked up at you and said "Daddy, I am hungry".
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It's all good dude. No need to apologize. I can be slow sometimes.


Guys,

Super advice guys. Keep the good ideas coming. It not need to be a flu pandemic. Many things can keep a person indoors for a month, although the flu might be the most likely.

Actually, I spend half of time in the NYC and half at home with my family. If some pandemic should really happen. I just don't want to be caught home with my pants down. I like the suggestion of storing up enough food for a month. Not sure about the water part though.

God Bless
 
PrimitiveMan said:
Seriously, In NJ you are "Bugging in" whether you like it or not.

You have a few bridges out, which will be PACKED if push comes to shove, and will more than likely be shut down "for our own good" if something were to happen.

No way off the island.

And by the way, while I was kidding about my "taking what the liberals have" comment, don't be so sure you would not make someone else suffer for your benefit. You would be very surprised at what you would do if your child looked up at you and said "Daddy, I am hungry".
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2 man inflatable boat and a MinnKota electric motor.
 
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