Urbancraft Part I - Recon

[ron_m80]

toilet water tank has fresh clean water in it(1.5-3gallons),

Before the advent and widespread use of this product, eh? How long does this hang around??

the hot water heater (20-60 gallons)has alot of water and would require filtering due to years of built up sediment & rust/whatnot

I would stick to the rust, sediment, and solidified calcium build-ups though.

 

[Mistwalker]

I have been contemplating water mains and what areas might the water be likely to settle in...in the event of a complete failure of the public water works.

 

[Rockywolf]

Do you have a list of things you are checking? Are you journalling about this? Blogging?

 

[Don Rearic]

I have been contemplating water mains and what areas might the water be likely to settle in...in the event of a complete failure of the public water works.

Is there a water testing kit about the size of the old aquarium testing kits, you know, pocket size, where the common man could actually test water to make sure there is nothing really terrible in it?

The urban environment is a lot like any other environment but when it comes to water, it is very different. Look at all of the snow problems we are having in the Mid-Atlantic area, for example, they are putting it in Baltimore's Harbor, in the Chesapeake Bay, there isn't really anywhere else to put it...as far as they are concerned. All of the gasoline, oil, antifreeze, antifreeze and detergent compounds in windshield washer fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, transmission fluid and the plethora of chemical compounds in all of the materials used to treat roads, de-icing, etc.

Hurricane Katrina, when the levees failed in N.O., they were talking about the chemical soup...

Is there a kit where you could test water quickly and come to the conclusion, "Chemically treating this water will render it safe?" or, "Boiling this water will render it safe...?"

 

[Mistwalker]

I don't know for sure but you may be able to distill the water if chemically contaminated.

Is there a kit where you could test water quickly and come to the conclusion, "Chemically treating this water will render it safe?" or, "Boiling this water will render it safe...?"

There are things like these...

http://www.discovertesting.com/prod...20Test%20Kit&gclid=CLb0v-ba8J8CFVRf2goduhgCXw

http://www.unbeatablesale.com/lehf7654.html?utm_source=froogle4&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=LEHF7654

.

 

[Don Rearic]

Uh, thank ya, thank ya, thank ya... Now I just have to find a place locally that sells the First Alert Brand kit so I don't have to chunk out ten bucks shipping.

 

[Zombie Zeke]

Mistwalker, I come to this forum just to read the information you set out there it's great, great stuff.

I am glad you point out the harshness of the water supply and the tough situation shelter would be in an urban environment. Here in Southern California there is always a house to squat in (the local economy hasn't of our governments good deeds yet), a restaurant's back door after closing to scavenge from is perfect just keep an eye on when the posted hours to close are from that add an hour food will come, but water is the true key. I would be interested in seeing if someone makes a master key for those spigots that are secure. A source of water that is seldom thought of is any public school will have fountains.

 

[Core Knife Co.]

Some really good information in this thread.

 

[Mistwalker]

Mistwalker, I come to this forum just to read the information you set out there it's great, great stuff.

I am glad you point out the harshness of the water supply and the tough situation shelter would be in an urban environment. Here in Southern California there is always a house to squat in (the local economy hasn't of our governments good deeds yet), a restaurant's back door after closing to scavenge from is perfect just keep an eye on when the posted hours to close are from that add an hour food will come, but water is the true key. I would be interested in seeing if someone makes a master key for those spigots that are secure. A source of water that is seldom thought of is any public school will have fountains.

Thanks Chef, I'm glad your enjoying the thread. I have a friend here who goes by that nick name. Water is definitely an issue, temporary shelters are around but you often have to be creative in your thinking.

Some really good information in this thread.

Thanks man, glad you like it.

 

[Mistwalker]

I already know I'm going to be pretty busy for the next couple of weeks and so not around as much...Since I was going downtown to look for a Valentines gift for the missus, and see a friend at lunch time before she heads South America for a few weeks for a school field trip, I thought I'd take a walk and look around at a couple of things.

This is the walk across the river.

Living in a tourist town has it's perks...cool scenery

In the warm months I have seen people sleeping in the terraces behind the aquarium.

The river is up so one of the paths I like to walk was blocked at one end.Things like this are good to know about in advance...I hate finding out about dead ends at the wrong time.

 

[Mistwalker]

So I took the winding walk along the river instead of walking the peer like I usually do.

Do you see a couple of sleeping shelters in this picture?

How about now?

now?

They are only actually visible for a few seconds to anyone who is just walking the path. From the side they can't be seen at all.

Just up the hill, on that path leading to the left is another often used temporary shelter...though not as much since it has been partially filled in by the city. You can see where someone has had a blanket over the opening to block the cold winds.

Not as deep as it once was.

but still room to get in out of the worst weather for a few.

.

 

[Mistwalker]

Makes me wonder if the new locals...in the new $250,000.00 condos...know about any of this yet? These shelters have been in use for years.

This is the local traffic helicopter.

I found something for the missus while I was out and about. No it's not her Valentines present...I have more sense than that I got it to take her mind off trying to snag my new light.

But of course I had to check it out and make sure it was ok. Sorry, this is about as close to knife porn as I got this trip.

But I do know where I'll be carrying my RC4 when I'm in the woods now...

Oh, and this is my new light I'm trying to keep her from snagging. It's a SOG Strobe, damned cool little light, very bright for such a little light. I like the striking points also.

 

[jms2021]

Awesome thread Mistwalker! Lots of great info and great photos as well! :thumbup:

 

[New Blades]

Keep it coming Mistwalker.Good stuff!

 

[Mistwalker]

Awesome thread Mistwalker! Lots of great info and great photos as well! :thumbup:

Keep it coming Mistwalker.Good stuff!

Thanks guys, it will probably be a week or two before I get to do anymore on this, but I'm glad you're enjoying it so far.

.

 

[Stickfighter2]

Mistwalker,

Great photos and a very intereseting thread. As was discussed briefly up at the top of the thread, the whole Urban Survival thing is often glossed over, or entirely dismissed as a non-issue by the wilderness survival guys.
(No disrespect intended guys)
I've lived in NYC my whole life, and it really came home to me back during the blackout in 2003 that took out most of the northeastern US, that I had never really thought about "urban survival".

So again, thank you for bringing this thread up.

 

[pitbull592]

Good stuff read the whole thread:thumbup:

 

[Mistwalker]

Mistwalker,

Great photos and a very intereseting thread. As was discussed briefly up at the top of the thread, the whole Urban Survival thing is often glossed over, or entirely dismissed as a non-issue by the wilderness survival guys.
(No disrespect intended guys)
I've lived in NYC my whole life, and it really came home to me back during the blackout in 2003 that took out most of the northeastern US, that I had never really thought about "urban survival".

So again, thank you for bringing this thread up.

Thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying it. I know from experience just how different the urban environment can be from the woods. As a kid I was talk field craft and survival techniques from the perspective of my father who grew up in the great depression of the 30's and then went on a trip to Korea as a U.S. Marine. Back then everything we ate came from the river, the woods, or the garden. I then learned a little more about it from uncles who were in Special Forces in Vietnam. I spent most of my young life away from the concrete and asphalt. Then one day in my teens there was a series of events that put me alone on the streets of a few large cities. In a way it was like suddenly going to another planet for me. It took me a while but over the next four years I figured out the differences and also how to adapt what I had already learned to the new setting. The two environments can be more similar than a lot of people realize. It gets called the concrete jungle for a reason.

 

[Mistwalker]

Good stuff read the whole thread:thumbup:

Thanks man. I was thinking about putting a note in the first post for people unfamiliar with my threads ...that they tend to build over time.

 

[Zombie Zeke]

Mistwalker-I have concerns about those little crenulated flashlights in most instances it seems that the oppurtunity for them to snag on something when they are most needed is high. I carry an older model Inova in edc and 2D maglite with LED for the BOB. What is your experience with the SOG?