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Introduction to Prepping

Hello to all!  My name is Kirstin.  I am in a Communications class at Old Dominion University and this Tumblr account was developed to explore curating.  For this project I have decided to explore the question, “How has the use of social media outlets contributed to the rise of people prepping for cataclysmic events (ie. Doomsday Preppers, Survivalists, and Homesteaders)?”  

My husband and I were talking one night recently about how different things are in the world now than when we were growing up.  We both feel it is inevitable that one day, maybe in our lifetimes, maybe in our children’s lifetimes, something could happen that will force everyone to learn new ways of living and maybe of surviving.  If and when that time ever comes, it would be essential to have some skills and basic knowledge on how to live independently.  I thought this would make for an interesting topic to curate on because there are a lot of people out there I know feel the same as I do, and would like to learn how to prepare their families.  

To start, I know there is a lot of information out there about the prepping/survivalist movements.  I would consider sources that are knowledgeable about this topic, who post on a continuing basis about prepping, to be essential sources on this topic. Some of the sources I will be using include:  

ThePatriotNurse.com

Sensible Prepper (YouTube)

Engineer775 Practical Preppers (YouTube)

The Prepper Journal

MoreThanJustSurviving.com

SHTFPreparedness.com

I hope to contribute to this movement with this Tumblr page by organizing the vast amounts of information there is out there into one spot.  

So here I go…

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In the event of another financial collapse like what happened during the Great Depression, this article talks about some of the lessons we can learn from people who lived throughout that difficult time.  

Some of the lessons discussed here include changing your eating habits.  Learn to make due with lesser quality foods.  Learn to make soups, stews, and casseroles that can stretch a food budget.  Also, learn how to use less expensive foods in lieu of more expensive options.  Start to put away food.  Stockpiling food is prepping 101.  Along with this is learning to grow your own food, canning, and raising animals.  Another lesson is to learn how to hunt, fish and live off the land.  This might become a necessity some day.  

This article also talks about learning how to barter.  Being able to trade a skill you have for an item you need could be an invaluable resource.  Learn how to repair things instead of throwing them away and buying new.  Learn how to live with less, know how to ask for help, and learn from people who have survived these types of events.  

There are a lot of books about how people survived the Great Depression that are full of ideas that be used by modern-day preppers.  

Source: HappyPreppers.com

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Since my husband and I are seriously considering starting the prepping process, I found this article to be very useful.  Prepping is definitely something that cannot be done on a whim, but must be thought out and planned carefully in order for it to be effective.  With so much to think about, my biggest concern right now is where to start?  This article talks about several tips on how to start the prepping process.  1.  Start living below your means now-Start saving bait each month if you can to go towards prepping.  Prepping is not cheap.  2.  Don’t blow all your money in the beginning-Prepping should be done slowly and steadily.  3.  Store plenty of water-Think of more than just bottled water.  Also think about barrels to collect and store your own water.  4.  Don’t store water in old milk jugs-Leftover milk residue could form bacteria, and the plastic containers will eventually break down.  5.  Don’t buy food you won’t eat-Try to have a variety of foods you like.  Don’t buy foods just because they are on sale, etc.  6.  Use sturdy shelves for storage-make sure they can hold a lot of weight.7.  Don’t put all your preps in one place8.  There’s more to prepping than how much you store-You also need to gain knowledge and skills to help you survive.  9.  Remember about hygiene and sanitation-Stay healthy10.  Remember those in your group with special needs-People who have medical needs like needing insulin, oxygen, etc11.  Remember your pets-The bottom line is, you will either have to plan for your pet’s essential needs as well, or you will have to abandon them when the time comes.  12.  Don’t be the only prepare in your household-Everyone should have at least some basic knowledge and skills.13.  Don’t tell everyone about your preps-You might find you end up being the one all your neighbors go to for help…and you can’t help everyone.  14.  Stay in shape15.  Don’t assume your guns and ammo will protect you-Be stealthy, avoid drawing attention to what you have.  16.  Have a plan for getting home-A disaster can happen when you are at work, school, anywhere.  Have a plan with your family on how to get home or to a backup meeting place.  17.  Don’t make assumptions about what will happen-You need to have a Plan a, and a Plan B, and a Plan C, etc.  18.  Test everything yourself to make sure it works19.  Take baby steps-Prepping is a process, not an end game.   20.  The end of the world isn’t tomorrow-Live your life now, be prepared for disasters, but don’t live every day thinking it will be the last.  

Source: UrbanSurvivalSite.com

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This article has some great tips on how to start preparing your kids for what to do in the event of a disaster.  It is never too early to start teaching your kids some skills that could be needed some day.  The most important thing to realize, I think, is that you might not always be with your kids when a disaster occurs.  Teaching them some basic survival skills could really help them stay safe.  

Something I never really thought about is getting your kids used to eating organic foods.  In the event that your food supply runs out and you are forced to start growing your own foods, and hunting your own meat, etc, you want your kids to be prepared to handle that.  Let’s face it, kids can be picky eaters.  I would like to think if it really came down to it my kids would eat anything.  But preparing them ahead of time for that possibility would definitely help with that adjustment.  Some other things this article addresses is what to teach your kids in the event a disaster happens when they are away from you or not at home.  Maybe while they are at school, a friend’s house, after school care, etc.  Having a plan with your kids on what to do in the even something happens while they are away from home would be very useful.  Also, knowing the emergency plans at their school, whether it be for fire, earthquake, or even an intruder.  Kids need to know those things.  Take your kids camping!  It will do wonders in teaching them skills on how to be self-sufficient.  Teach them how to fish, how to build a fire, etc.  All of these are useful life skills to have and would be needed in the event you could no longer live in your home and were forced to live off the grid somewhere.  You want your kids to be able to contribute to their own survival as well as you.  Teach them basic first aid as well.  All of these are useful tips to teach your kids.  They will learn skills on how to take care of themselves, how to contribute to your family’s survival, and how to be self-sufficient.  I also think the more you teach your children, the more included they will feel.  

Source: SurvivalKit.com

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SHTF Prepping - 5 Easy Survival Hacks That Everyone Should Know!

This quick video has some great ideas on easy items to keep handy and how to use them to your advantage.  

While watching I especially appreciated his first item, which is a baggie of dryer lint.  I like this because we already keep some of this in a bag at home and when my husband first suggested it I thought he was crazy.  Seeing how easy it can make starting a fire now convinces me of what a great item it is to have around.  Also, this video talks about starting a fire using batteries, steel wool, even a gum wrapper!

The other survival hacks are to keep some non-drinking water handy for running your toilet.  Pouring this into your toilet bowl will help gravity get rid of your waste.  Also, waterproofing your gear is an excellent idea I would probably have never thought to do.  

Source: VP Prepping, YouTube

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This was a great read on things you should be doing now to help prepare you for how difficult life may become in a post-disaster world.  I think many preppers are so busy focusing on stockpiling food, weapons, and skills, that they forget to think about how they will use all that food, those weapons , and those skills when the time really comes. 

Incorporating your prepping food into routine meals would be a good idea to start doing.  You want to know how to actually cook and store the food you are stockpiling for your family.  By incorporating some of these foods you might not ordinarily eat, it will help prepare your group for having to eat them in the future.  I think this is especially important for the young members of your family.  Also, learning to cook meals with the tools you have in your bug-out bag would be essential.  It does absolutely no good to have the tools, and not know how to use them when the time comes.  

It should be no surprise to think if something truly catastrophic happened to our world, we would lose our electricity.  Knowing how to live using solar energy would be a vital skill to have BEFORE the event occurs.  Also, you would want to become battery and solar-conscious now.  Along with this is the concept that without electricity, we would also lose the internet.  Prepping is great to look up online, but what happens when you can’t google the information anymore?  Stocking up on books that teach survival skills would be a great idea.  Also, taking one day off from electronics a week is fantastic.  I know in this day and age, we all depend on our smartphones, the internet and television to not only inform us of the world we live in, but also provide us with entertainment.  What happens when we lose that?  It will be a huge shock to most of us not to have that luxury at our fingertips anymore.  Taking one day off a week from this now could help make that less of a blow when it really happens.  I think this would be the hardest thing to do, especially for kids.  But learning how to adapt to how difficult life might be is going to be vital in keeping you sane.  

Source: DieHardSurvivor.com

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This is an incredibly helpful and very informative video on how to pack a bug out bag, which is a bag to be used when you have to leave your home in an emergency situation.  You should have one bag per person in your home, and enough items to last you for at least 72 hours.  Keep in mind the size of the people who will be carrying their bags (i.e. children).  You don’t want a bag that is too big or heavy for someone to carry, especially if they will have to carry it for a long period of time.  Also keep in mind that the items you will include in your bag will be specific to the type of environment you are living in, and you would want to update your bag for changes in seasons.  The items you pack in your bag should be things that can be used for multiple purposes as well.  

  First and foremost, you want to make sure the bag you pick is durable, large enough to carry everything you need, and has places on the outside you can attach things to as well.  Finding a bag that you can feed a hydration system through is also a good idea so you can drink on the move.  You want to find a bag that has padding on the back, and a hip belt to help with carrying.  Essentially this video talks about 11 types of items you would want to carry with you in a bug out bag. First, you want to think about shelter.  Having things like a tarp, a hammock, emergency blanket, trash bags, and a sleeping bag.  You would also want to carry some kind of cordage to tie things down, and stakes, carabiners or clips.  Next up is water.  Having a hydration bladder that typically holds 2 liters of water and attaches to the inside of your bag would be very useful.  Also having a canteen or Nalgene bottle would be good.  You will also need a way to purify water such a purifying tablets, a steri-pen, life straw, gravity system, etc.  Next up is electronics.  A weather radio, cell phone, and hand held radio would be useful to have.  Include in this section batteries, solar chargers, or external battery backups.  Another type of item you will want to have are things for navigation and signaling.  This would include a map of your area, a compass, a signal mirror and whistle, and a weatherproof pen and small notebook. Food items would include small non-perishable items like Cliff Bars, and other things that won’t spoil and are not too heavy to carry with you.  Keep in mind you will want enough to last you 3 days, so be able to ration.  You will also want some gear for protection and hunting.  A hand gun, knife with a large fixed blade, hunter’s axe, slingshot, etc.  A small handsaw would be useful as well as a multitool.  You’ll definitely need some items to make fire such as waterproof matches, and tinder.  Cooking items would include a gas stove, bio stove, or solo stove, container to cook in, stainless steel cup and utensils such as a spark and a spoon.   Miscellaneous items would include items for lighting such as a flashlight, lantern, glow sticks, candles, and a headlamp.  You would also want some good industrial gloves to carry sharp objects, etc.  Some gorilla or duct tape, bug repellant, eye protection like sunglasses, tissue, hand sanitizer, cards, a survival guide would all be useful items to have.  And finally, it would be essential to carry some kind of a first aid kit.  Your kit should include items to stop heavy bleeds like Quick Clot, as well as items for small woulds like Band-Aids.  Some other items to include would be gauze rolls, tweezers, shears, cloth tape, itch cream, and aspirin.  This video was very helpful and informative on what types of items to include in a bug out bag.  I would like to think if I had a bag packed with these essential items, I would be well on my way to surviving an emergency.  

Source: LivingSurvival YouTube

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I found this article to be very useful in regards to how to stockpile and purify water. No one really thinks about what you would need to survive, but water is the most basic necessity needed to stay alive. I found it eye-opening to think about just how much water myself and my family would need for even one month if you could not obtain water from normal means (like going to the store, or turning on your faucet at home).  And where to store it all?  This is making me start to think that if my family really wants to start prepping, we are going to need a lot more space.  

One of the main things I took away from this article is that you would need 1 gallon of water per person per day.  If I were to calculate the number of people I would be storing for (4 people), multiplied by say one month, that would be 120 gallons i would need to store.  Not all of that water would be used just for drinking, you would also be figuring in your hygiene needs as well.  That is still a lot of water to store.  So the next question would be where to store it?  Smaller heavy duty plastic containers that can hold 7 gallons would be good for saving space.  They can be stacked on top of each other and they are more portable.  For more long term water needs, you would want to think about rain barrels that can hold 50 gallons and can be put outside to collect the rain.  You would still need to be able to disinfect the water first, of course, so you would need to know how to boil water, as well as have some ways to filter water.  Filtration devices could include things like purifying tablets. gravity filters, and bleach and iodine.  

The bottom line is water is essential to your survival.  It is unrealistic to think in a disaster situation you are going to have a readily available supply of clean water, so you need to prepare ahead and start storing some now.  

Source: ThePrepperJournal.com

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This article talks about how to stockpile food.  What I appreciate the most about this blogger is that he says, “You are never going to be fully prepared.”  I find this comforting in a way because the thought of beginning to prep is overwhelming and you begin to worry you will never have it all together.  But the reality is, no one will ever be fully prepared for an emergent event.  The goal I think is to be as prepared as you can be.  He also talks about the 5 main components to survival which are water, food, shelter, security, and hygiene.  If you can prepare for each of these components I think you will be well on your way.

The first question is, “How much food do you need?”  Well, I guess that all depends. The average household has enough food to last for three days.  This blogger suggests starting off your stockpile by having one to two extra weeks worth of food your family already eats in your home.  You can begin to build your stockpile from there.  

Next you need to start thinking about the types of foods to stockpile, and how long they can be stored.  This article does a great job in breaking down how long certain foods will last.  For short term stockpiling (lasting a few years) he talks about storing non-perishables like pastas and canned foods.  Medium term would be considered 5-10 years.  These foods would include MREs, freeze-dried camping foods, and rice and beans.  Long term food would last up to 20 years.  These items would include freeze-dried food and hard red winter wheat that can be stored in 5 gallon buckets.  After long term food you would really need to be thinking about renewable food.  This would include learning how to hunt, growing a vegetable garden, and having livestock you can constantly rely on for fresh foods.  

It is hard to wrap my head around an event in our lifetimes being so catastrophic that we need to think about how we will eat 20 years from now, but you never know what might happen.  Being prepared a little at a time for these possibilities would make me feel a little safer.  

Source: the prepperjournal.com

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This article talks about how to cook when there is no longer electricity, and when all the propane has run out.  It is basically like cooking when you go camping.  Also known as “Chuck Wagon Cooking”.  This article is quick but does have a few ways to cook things like coffee, fried bread, and venison or beef jerky.  

I like the idea of knowing how to make coffee on an open fire.  Let’s face it…many of us love our coffee and the thought it might someday be a luxury we can no longer enjoy just about brings us to tears.  This shows how to make that morning necessity we all love.  Unfortunately, I can see this as not tasting all that great, but when your options are bitter coffee without creamer or no coffee at all…I guess I’d just have to get used to bitter coffee.  The information about making fried bread I find interesting.  If we were in a true survival situation and electricity was gone, and propane was gone, I could see this being something you could make for a short period of time.  I say that because the recipe calls for things like eggs and milk.  Unless you have been able to procure and keep a good milking cow and some chickens, I’m not sure how realistic it would be to make this recipe.  The venison or beef jerky is a good item to learn how to make.  You definitely need to learn how to hunt, prepare, and clean an animal.  And who doesn’t love beef jerky anyway?  What blew me away was that is takes about 3 pounds of fresh meat to make 1 pound of jerky!  That’s a lot of meat when you think about it.  If you are traveling a lot away from your homestead, I can see jerky as being a real necessity.  Otherwise, it might be good just to make a bit and use the rest of that meat for real meals.  All in all, this is a pretty informative article.  We definitely all need to know how to make some basic foods using a open flame.  Let’s face it, canned foods get really old really quick.  

Source: PrepForSHTF.com 

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This is a great video from a couple who are living off the grid on how to start a garden.  I found it useful because if you are ever forced to live away from modern comforts, one of the things you need to be able to do is grow your own food.  This video talks about a very low maintenance approach to amending your soil.  What I like the most about this couple is they are clearly not gardening experts, so their approach meshes well with people like me without green thumbs.  Some of the things they talk about in this video are topsoil, compost, and Biochar.  Bringing in some topsoil from a lawn and garden center is a relatively inexpensive way to start out your garden.  Also, buying compost is a good way to get your garden started, but you also want to learn how to make your own compost for more long term needs.  Compost is also called “Black Gold” because it is typically black in color, and nutrient dense.  When starting your own compost pile, you need to add things that have carbon and nitrogen.  Things with carbon include dried leaves, twigs, pine needles, egg cartons, paper, etc.  Things that contain nitrogen include food sources like leftovers, etc.  They do mention not adding animal products like meats into your compost pile because it could attract animals to it.  Of course, another issue to keep I’m mind is having water to keep your garden hydrated.  This couple have rain barrels to collect rain to use in their garden.  And finally, they talk about using Biochar, which, when added to your soil helps to aerate it and retain more of the water and nutrients.  This was a cool video to watch and really gave me a better understanding of the basic needs to starting a garden.  Source: PureLivingForLife YouTube

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This article talks about how to avoid conflict in a massive disaster situation.  Let’s face it, we all realize being able to defend yourself and your loved ones could be a necessity.  But just as important will be knowing alternatives to avoid conflict.  Most people prepare for these scenarios with the goal of surviving, or staying alive, not wanting necessarily to fight everyone they encounter in a me vs. you scenario.  

In the very beginning of a massive disaster situation, one of the first things you will see will be mass looting.  People, especially those living in metropolitan areas, will be forced to loot for survival.  The first places they will go are to targets of opportunity.  Making your home less of a target in the beginning would be an excellent idea.  Doing this means making your home look like it has already been looted.  It is called the concept of the “Grey Neighbor”.  Another good idea is to help your neighbors out early in a disaster situation.  Offering them some of your supplies early on can make them less inquisitive of what you might be hiding from them later on.  

Avoiding conflict would include to just avoiding conflict with strangers, but also with people in your family and in your survival group.  Having a clear set of rules everyone is expected to follow will help avoid some potential conflicts later on.  Negotiation and open communication skills will be key.  Finally, I would say it will be important to learn how to pick your battles.  With other survivalists, it will be important to know when fighting is necessary, and when negotiating is a better option.  

Source: ThePrepperJournal.com

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This article discusses the top ten types of items that would be useful to have to barter with.  I think it is safe to assume that most non-preppers couldn’t imagine a time when money would not be used to trade for items they need.  But in the event of an economic collapse, how long would that money be useful?  Probably not for very long.  Also, in this day and age, so many people don’t even carry paper money anymore, everything is bought using credit cards and debit cards.  How long do you think you’ll be able to just swipe your card to make a purchase when the economy collapses?  My guess would be not very long at all, in fact, I would foresee that would be the first practice to go.  

The top ten bartering items listed in this article are:  

1.  Information/knowledge-  This would be your skills and talents.  If you have a medical background, are skilled in gardening, self-defense, or hunting for example.  All of these would be incredibly helpful to people who do not possess those skills.  

2.  Fabric- I would also add that skill of sewing to this one.  When clothes become tattered and torn, or when all you have are light clothes when winter is coming, you’ll realize how quickly the need for fabric becomes a necessity.  

3.  Precious metals- still a way to trade almost like using paper money, but metals have value because they can be used for so many other things.4.  Shoes- Like the article says, there is not a need to stockpile a ton of shoes, but think about how badly you would want your feet protected and covered if you were barefoot.  I would include things like socks to this section as well.  5.  Survival Gear- This could be anything really that will keep you alive…food, shelter, water, medical supplies, etc.  Really anything could fall into this category .  6.  Canned food-This is why you would want to start stockpiling canned goods now, before anything happens, or you might be the one who is looking for someone who has them.7.  Guns- I feel like this one goes without saying.  Even if you are anti-gun, the need for guns is going to be paramount when people are fighting for what you have and they need.  8.  Alcohol-I found it interesting this was on the list, but the more I read the reasoning behind it the more it made perfect sense.  Let’s face it, some people need alcohol to cope, or even just to have some sense of normalcy back.  Also alcohol is a very useful item in the sense that it can be used for things like medical needs, disinfecting, cleaning, and even preserving.  9.  Dried foods-If you are on the move, dried food are lighter and easier to carry than canned foods.10.  Bullets-Guns don’t shoot themselves.  I found this to be very helpful.  What I would also add to this article is the fact that when people are desperate, they will do just about anything to acquire what they need.  Because of this, I would say you would not want to widely broadcast to others all the the things you have.  Keep your items in a safe place, and make sure you and the people you are with know how to keep quiet about the items you have.  Otherwise, you might quickly be without them.   

 Source: ThePrepperJournal.com

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Another great article from the prepperjournal about self-defense.  We would all like to think the time will never come when we will be forced to defend ourselves or our families from violence.  The bottom line is, it may or may not ever happen.  My opinion is that I would rather be prepared just in case and never have to use these skills than need to use these skills and not know how.  Another thing to add here is you need to not be the only one in your family who knows how to defend your family.  Everyone, even your children, need to have some basic skills in defense.  

Self-defense includes two main aspects: psychological, and physical.  Psychological self-defense means learning how to mentally get yourself out of a harmful situation.  Learning how to talk or bribe your way out of being harmed is a very difficult skill to learn, but an important skill to learn nonetheless.  Physical self-defense includes training in how to fight someone hand-to-hand.  Also, most people I think will need to have the advantage of weapons as well.  Weapons-based self-defense I think will be a necessity.  Because of this, it is vital to not only know the right types of weapons that will work for you, but also have the training and knowledge in how to use them.  Having a gun in your home does absolutely no good if you do not know how to use it.  To that extent, I would say it is also vital for everyone in your family to know how to use the weapons you have in your home,  Yes, this includes your children.  I’m not saying give your 6 year old a gun.  What I am saying, however, is teaching your kids about gun safety, how to shoot, how to load a gun, etc, will not only take the mystery out of firearms, but will also teach them an important skill in how to defend themselves.  In the event of something catastrophic happening to our world, there are so many things that could go wrong.  I believe people, even the most rational, peaceful people, could be capable of doing some pretty horrific things to others  in an effort to stay alive.  It is the concept of fight or flight, and in a live or die situation, it is amazing to think of what people are capable of.  With that in mind, you need to be prepared to defend yourself and your family from the violence that might potentially come to you.  Source: ThePrepperJournal.com

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This article is helpful in learning how to build many different types of shelters for many different types of environments.  We would all like to think that in a disaster situation we could easily and safely stay in our homes.  If you were ever forced to leave your home and really survive out in the wilderness, it would be essential to know how to build yourself a shelter.  

The main environmental factors to consider when building a shelter, whether it be a temporary or permanent shelter would be wind, rain, sleet, snow, sun, insects, and animal predators.  In selecting a shelter site and the type of shelter to build, you would want to consider these issues.  Also, this article talks about the different types of shelters than can be built for different regions.  it talks about building shelters in cold, desert, tropical, and by the sea regions.  

Source: Survivalist.com

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As my curation project is on prepping, I found this article helpful in determining who to help first when faced with a medical emergency. I am a nurse, so I know a lot about triaging patients to begin with, but many people do not.  If you are able to triage patients, and help them based on medical necessity, it might help you to not get so overwhelmed.  

This article talks about the three tiers of triaging patients.  You want to treat Tier 1 before Tier 2, Tier 2 before Tier 3, and Tier 3 last.  Tier 1 will be people with the most life-threatening injuries.  These would include bleeding that cannot be stopped, unconsciousness, and any respiratory injuries that affect a person’s ability to breath.  Tier 2 would be considered relatively stable.  This would include fractures, back injuries and burns.  I would add to back injuries that they can be relatively stable as long as you do not try to move them.  I would also use caution with burn patients.  If they have suffered from burns on the chest or above, this could become a life-threatening respiratory situation, so it is necessary to re-assess your patients often.  Finally Tier 3 would be considered mild injuries.  These would be things like minor fractures and dislocations, bleeding that can be stopped with pressure, and erratic behavior or people in shock, as long as they aren’t a threat to cause harm to themselves or others.  

There are a few other things to keep in mind when helping people who are injured.  First off, some people simply do not want to be helped.  If they are adult and conscious and telling you not to help them, stop immediately.  The worst thing you can do is help someone who doesn’t want it, and then be sued later down the line.  Also, don’t try to get in over your head.  If you have no idea what you are doing, the best thing you can do is not help.  You could make the situation worse.    The biggest things I think to take away from this article are #1. If you are going to step into a situation were you are providing medical assistance for multiple people, try to know who needs you the most, and #2. if someone is in the right frame of mind and they are telling you they do not want your help, listen to them.  Finally, if you don’t feel you can take on the responsibility of taking care of an injured person until a medical professional can take over, it might be best to just not get involved at all.  Maybe in that situation the best thing you can do is try to stay calm and keep the injured person calm.  

Source: MoreThanJustSurviving.com

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 I found this You Tube video from the Patriot Nurse to be very informative and helpful.  How often do any of us really think about the diseases that could potentially be our downfall in a survival situation?  Living in a First World country, do we really ever think any of these disease outbreaks could happen to us?  Of course not, but they can.  Sometime I wonder if people living in poverty in Third World countries might be better prepared to survive in a cataclysmic event than were are because they have had to learn how to survive thus far.

In this video, the Patriot Nurse talks about the top 5 communicable diseases that will potentially occur during a disaster situation when there is a breakdown in infrastructure.  This includes a breakdown in plumbing, water filtration and sanitation systems, and when people start living in cloistered environments.  These diseases include Tuberculosis, Typhoid, Cholera, Amoebic Dysentery, and Respiratory Infections.  

Some things to look for in Tuberculosis include low body weight, lack of Vitamin D, and cramped living conditions.  Some symptoms include dry coughs, fatigue, weight loss, and coughing up blood.  You need to make sure you have enough nutrition and are able to spend at least 30 minutes a day in the sunshine to get your Vitamin D.  

Typhoid is a water-borne infection.  Symptoms are mainly digestive in nature, and worsening fever.  Cholera is also water-borne and is also passed throughout the fecal-oral route.  This would include things like not washing your hands well and causing feces to be passed into your food and water.  The main thing to keep in mind with these diseases is that you really need to have a good water filtration system in place.  It really is essential to your survival.  Antibiotics like ciprofloxacin and doxycycline would be used for these diseases.  

Dysentery is mainly a digestive disease with symptoms including mucous and bloody stools, dehydration, abdominal cramping and pain.  Fish antibiotics and metronidazole can be used to help with this disease.  And finally respiratory infections would most likely be a huge cause for concern when living in cramped environments with poor ventilation.  Again, things to keep in mind are keep well hydrated, well fed, and trying to avoid a weakened immune system.  None of these diseases are new to the world.  There re plenty of countries that have had outbreaks of most of these diseases, and many very recently.  The main thing to remember is the best prevention is a good plan.  So plan ahead for these possibilities when you are prepping for any type of disaster.  Source: ThePatriotNurse YouTube