by Prepare Magazine | Apr 5, 2025 | Blog, Digital Announcements
Ready or Not, the New Year Begins…
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The list is virtually endless when it comes to what area of life preparedness planning touches. Each month we attempt to focus on a main theme, yet inevitably the theme expands and other areas of necessity come to mind.
PREPARE Magazine is designed to give an overview of preparedness options in multiple areas of our lives. As with any topic, there will always more to be studied, more to be tried, more to be practiced and perhaps even a better way to do something that suits your needs specifically. But the fact of the matter remains; in every area of life if we are oblivious to the need to prepare for a contingency we are doing a disservice to ourselves, our loved ones and our community.
Preparedness living isn’t quite compartmentalized into bunkers or food storage. It is a mindset, a practiced skill of looking at contingencies. And as we all know, a potential contingency can change at any moment, in any area of life.
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Just think of the many roles you may have in your own life. You likely wear many hats. You are not merely an employee or entrepreneur, you are not the job you hold, you’re not merely your education, you’re not merely a father, mother, husband, wife, brother, son, sister, or daughter. Each role you have has its responsibilities, it’s joys, its struggles and it’s rewards. And preparedness looks different from each and every angle of each and every role you or I have in this life.
Our goal here at PREPARE Magazine is to help you be encouraged in whatever role you have in life to enjoy the preparedness journey of your own choosing. The authors, designers, founders and support team all want to inspire you to think for yourself and be spurred on to prepare in areas that you feel are important. And yes, we know…there are many.
Here’s to a Happy New Year of Preparedness – Your Way!
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by Prepare Magazine | Apr 5, 2025 | Blog, Guest Bloggers
Prepping for Winter – The Shelter on Your Back
By Mike Douglas – The Maine Primitive Skills School
Each season brings unique beauty, great bounty and a special set of challenges. Between the time of the maple sap and ice out in Spring, to the insect hatches and movement of fish through our waterways in Summer, to the legendary hunting of Autumn, the three friendlier seasons offer sportsmen the bounty and beauty of the outdoors with risks that are worthy of respect, but often more forgiving than the harsh, often life threatening conditions that come wrapped in the beauty and solitude of our Maine Winter.
In 1998 my young family enjoyed a rare vacation together due to an ice storm. The beauty of bent and popping trees laden with ice and enshrouded in bitter cold created a magical landscape. The lack of power was a blessing, insulating us from the noise of the world and allowing us to enjoy in each other’s company. We explored the trails, ate meals around the wood stove under the light of candle and oil lamp, split wood, and thawed snow in to drinking water. It was a dream come true . . . until the fourth day. That was when my wife decided to start the car and check the radio. The sudden realization that people were in trouble, lives were being lost, and community was coming together over the air waves to assist those in need remains one of the most sobering moments of my life.
Here are some techniques that might help you enjoy the rugged and pristine beauty that our winter landscape provides and to do so in a fashion that will improve your comfort and minimize your chances of running into real trouble.
Dressing in layers is good advice. There is one thing to remember with this advice. In cold weather survival one of the rules is to remain “comfortably cool and dry”. Anyone who has spent a winter day in the North Woods knows that this can be a tricky, and sometimes near impossible, proposition. Unlike Alaska and other regions of the far north, our snow is rarely dry and powdery. If it is, it won’t be for long. In a twelve-hour period we can have rain, freezing rain, wet snow, and clearing skies at night where the temperatures can plummet well below zero. For this reason, personal shelter and the ability to make a warm fire are a priority when venturing out. This article will focus on clothing as our primary shelter.
Adequate shelter begins with the clothing on your back. As with any effective shelter, you should start with good materials and a solid foundation. The layer that makes contact with your skin should be hydrophobic. This means that it will not hold your body’s sweat or any other moisture close to your skin. Essentially, your radiant body heat acts to drive away the dampness keeping you dry and warm. Nylon, polypropylene, and silk are great materials for this first layer. It is called the “wicking layer” because it wicks moisture away from your body. The next layer is the insulation layer. This layer traps radiant body heat in a bubble of “dead air space” around you to keep you warm. Fiber pile is popular and effective. Goose down is available, but not only is it expensive, it is useless at creating a dead air space once it gets wet. My all-time favorite for insulation, as well as wicking layer, is wool. Merino wool close to the body and a heavy wool insulation layer have been my preferred cold weather choice since 1979. The reason is quite simply that wool will retain your body heat even when wet. The last layer is the protective shell that repels weather. A good shell is either breathable or has ventilation in the form of a main zipper and “pit zips”. Really good ones have both.
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To prevent conduction, pay special attention to your feet. Thick liners or insulated inserts and socks nestled in a weather tight shell will not only keep your feet protected and dry from cold wet snow, it will also protect you from losing your core temperature through the active transfer of your body heat into the frozen ground. A good technique to remember is to keep a pair of wool socks on your feet and one tucked into the waistband of your pants. When your feet get wet or cold, you always have a warm and dry pair of socks to switch to. Even if you already switched into your dry pair, while your wrung out pair is drying in your waistband, the other pair is keeping your feet warm and dry. An inexpensive trick that helps keep your feet dry is to put on a pair of nylon dress socks before your wool socks. The nylon makes an inexpensive and effective wicking layer.
Outer garments and how you use them is important as well. A good thick cap beneath a hood adds extra protection and versatility to match our ever-changing weather. Having overmitts and two pairs of glove “liners” (one to go one your hands inside the mittens and the other tucked in your waist line next to your extra socks) is also a great combination that affords you protection from the cold as well as the ability to use your fingers.
The old saying, “If your feet are cold , put on a hat” has some truth to it. Any time your blood flow is near the surface, such is in the arteries in your neck, or near the surface and away from your heart, like the capillaries in your feet, fingers, and scalp, extra insulation can be used to keep you warm.
In our next article we will explore the strategies used to stay warm beyond the clothes on your back to include habits that will increase your comfort and prolong your time outdoors during Winter in Maine.
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Mike Douglas has taught survival since 1983. He’s studied with Paul Rezendes, Tom Brown Jr., Jon Young, and others. After the Marines he began The Maine Primitive Skills School. Mike’s run programs for the military, schools, camps, and businesses. He’s advised for Discovery Channels’ “Dual Survivor” and was featured on National Geographic’s “Doomsday Preppers”, receiving the highest “Survivability Score” of the shows first season. His programs draw people from around the world to participate in Tracking, Survival, Awareness, and more.
by Prepare Magazine | Apr 5, 2025 | Blog, Guest Bloggers
A Product for Preparedness: WonderMix Heavy Duty Mixer Review
By Vickilynn Haycraft, http://www.RealFoodLiving.com
When considering products to purchase for their journey of preparation, many choose non-electrical products that can be used off-grid. Others may add some products that can be used while power and fuel are available, to increase their preparedness efforts.
Since we know that there are many situations and scenarios where our preparations may be needed, and not all of them will be off-grid, choosing products to assist us is always a good thing. For us, we choose to be assisted by products that allow us to put food into storage, freeze, dehydrate, can etc. One of these beneficial products for our family is a large, heavy-duty mixer / kitchen machine for home use. We use it to make big batches of bread, batters, mix, knead, whip, whisk, shred and more. We consider it an essential tool for our food storage preparations.
As a Product Reviewer for almost 30 years, I have tested and reviewed several mixers for home use including different
models of the Bosch Universal, Kitchen Aid, Dimension 2000 and Ankersrum mixers and now I have been testing the WonderMix. I was able to compare function to function against other brands and put the WonderMix through many different tasks and the WonderMix performed brilliantly.
In my list of requirements for Product Testing of mixers, I especially look for a heavy duty mixer that is well-made and sturdy, one that can handle large batches of stiff 100% whole grain doughs with ease without straining the motor, without jumping all over the counter and most of all, that will effectively develop the gluten in whole grain bread. On the other end of the spectrum, this heavy duty workhorse must be gentle when whipping delicate items and be able to mix and knead very small batches of bread effectively and as well as the large batches. The mixer must be durable and easy to use as well as accommodate accessories for expanding its functions, making it multi-purpose.
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Testing of the Basic Package:
My initial observations of the WonderMix Revolution were that it had a smaller footprint than other mixers and looked like it could not handle my extra-large batch requirements. Boy, was I ever wrong! I packed up the WonderMix with my biggest batches of 100% whole wheat bread, triple batches of sprouted whole wheat bagels and stiff whole grain doughs. The smaller size of the WonderMix disguises the power and engineering efficiency contained inside. I am extremely impressed with the performance of beautifully developing gluten structure without overmixing the dough on large and small batches of yeast doughs. Also, as required, the WonderMix was able to delicately whip, mix and shred even the lightest batters, meats, and doughs.
I compared the WonderMix function to function against the Kitchen Aid stand mixer, Bosch Universal, Ankarsrum Kitchen Assistant, and in all the tests, the WonderMix performed much better than the KitchenAid and Ankersrum and matched the Bosch in some functions and outperformed the Bosch in others.
Some of my favorite features of the WonderMix are the locking 2-part lid (and it really locks, keeping the dough inside the bowl while kneading those big batches!), the unique dough hook and dough divider that facilitate large and small bread batches, and of course, the 900 watts of power. A huge feature is:
It. Did. Not. Walk. Across. The. Counter. (Even with mega-batches of stiff bread and bagel dough.)
In addition to checking off my Product Testing and Performance criteria check sheet, comparing the WonderMix to other mixers, I simply used it for everyday mixing, kneading, shredding, whipping, blending and had immense fun with it. I have to say that I am in love with this new mixer!
Features:
From the same established company that brings us the Wondermill and Wonder Jr. grain mills with proven quality, workmanship, and excellent Customer Service.
- CSA and UL listed
- Lifetime Warranty on many parts (no other heavy duty mixer offers this)
- 900 Watt Motor
- Direct Drive High Torque Transmission
- 3 Speeds + Pulse
- Large 22 Cup Mixing Bowl (5.5 quart)
- Heavy Duty Tru-Mix Dough Hook
- Convenient bowl handle
- BPA Free
- Cord Storage Compartment
- No Walking Base
- Overload Protection
- Dishwasher Safe Bowl
- Safety Bowl Locking System
- Double Beating Whisks
- For a limited time: comes with Cookie Whips and Blender
- Designed, Engineered and Licensed in Germany
- Accessories available
- Less expensive than other heavy duty mixers
Dimensions:
13 inches wide, 9 inches deep and 12 inches tall
Weight:
11 pounds
Conclusion: Based on testing, comparison and performance, I highly recommend the WonderMix Revolution Mixer as a heavy duty mixer. I use it for a wide variety of applications in my own kitchen.
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Vickilynn’s 7-loaf 100% Whole Wheat and Honey Challah
7 cups water, warm, about 120 degrees
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup softened butter (or use all olive oil for dairy free)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tablespoons instant yeast
18-20 freshly ground whole wheat or sprouted whole wheat flour, divided
1 cup honey
6 large whole eggs +
3 large egg whites (1 2/3 cup eggs) *reserve the yolks for the glaze
1 Tablespoon salt
2 cups vital gluten
Glaze
3 egg yolks
3 Tablespoons water
Place hot water and apple cider vinegar in WonderMix mixing bowl fitted with the dough hook. Add softened butter and mix to dissolve butter. Add 3 cups of flour and yeast. Mix well, cover and let sponge for 15 minutes.
Stir down sponge and add olive oil, salt, honey, eggs and 8 cups whole wheat flour. Mix well until everything is incorporated.
Add in flour, one cup at a time, until a dough is formed that pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl and clings to itself. The dough should not be very sticky, but still moist and supple. Do not add all the flour if not necessary and add more if needed. The amount of flour needed will vary.
Let dough knead until very supple and springy and gluten is developed. *By hand, 20+ minutes, by large mixer 10 minutes.*
Let rise, covered, until doubled. Punch dough down and divide into 7 equal portions. Shape into desired shapes* and let rise about 30 minutes. Mix egg yolks and water until completely mixed. Brush breads with glaze before baking.
- To braid, divide each loaf’s dough into 4 portions. Roll each fourth into long snakes. Braid by starting with the left portion and running it over, under over under the other portions. Pinch each end of the loaf to seal. Roll loaf slightly long-wise on the counter before placing on the baking sheet.
- For shaped rolls; bake in a preheated 425 oven for 10-12 minutes, or until just lightly browned. Do not overbake, they will be hard. I bake mine for 10 minutes.
- For loaves, bake in a preheated 350 oven for 30-35 minutes, or until done.
- To make butterhorns (or crescents): divide each loaf portion into 2 equal parts. Roll each part into a circle 6-8 inches. Cut into 6 equal triangles. (I use a pizza cutter). Starting with the wide end, roll up the triangle and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet, with the point underneath. I turn the edges down slightly as well so the rolls look like an upside down “u”.
- To make cloverleaf rolls: divide each loaf portion into 12 balls. Divide each ball into 3 smaller balls. Place 3 balls in each tin of a 12 muffin pan. The balls will join together as they rise and look like a “crown”.
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Vickilynn’s 8-loaf 100% Whole Wheat and Honey Raisin Bread
8 cup water, warm, about 120 degrees
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
20-22 cups freshly ground whole wheat or sprouted whole wheat flour
3 Tablespoons instant yeast
2 cups vital gluten
1 cup oil
1 cup honey
1 Tablespoon salt
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
3 cups raisins
Place hot water and apple cider vinegar in Wonder Mix mixing bowl fitting with the dough hook. Add 8 cups of flour and yeast. Mix well, cover and let sponge for 15 minutes.
Stir down sponge and add vital gluten, olive oil, honey, salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract and raisins. Mix well until everything is incorporated.
Add in flour, one cup at a time, until a dough is formed that pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl and clings to itself. The dough should not be very sticky, but still moist and supple. Do not add all the flour if not necessary and add more if needed. The amount of flour needed will vary.
Let dough knead until very supple and springy and gluten is developed. *By hand, 20+ minutes, by large mixer 10 minutes.*
Let rise, covered, until doubled. Punch dough down and divide into 8 equal portions. Shape into desired shapes and let rise about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 in a preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until bread is done. Let cool before slicing.
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Egg-Free, Vegan Marshmallow Fluff (made with aquafaba)
1 teaspoon pure lemon juice (no oil!) or apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup aquafaba, unwhipped (about what is in a can of cooked garbanzo beans)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon guar gum (optional, but makes a more firm consistency)
Pinch of salt (optional, and only if using unsalted bean aquafaba)
1/2 cup powdered granular sweetener, sugar or xylitol
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Wash the WonderMix bowl very well and make sure it is completely dry. Wipe the lemon juice or vinegar all over the inside of the bowl, to remove any oil residue.
Pour in the aquafaba, cream of tartar, guar gum and salt if using. Place the beaters in the Wondermix and cover the bowl. Beat on #3 for 10 minutes. Remove the small lid and start adding the powdered sweetener in VERY slowly, 1 Tablespoon at a time, and let the sweetener incorporate before adding more. When all the sweetener is in, add in the vanilla and taste the fluff. If it is sweet enough, use immediately. Add more sweetener as needed.
You can use this recipe to make baked meringue cookies, whipped toppings, vegan ice cream and more. For additional recipes, visit the Facebook group, Aquafaba Everything.
Vickilynn Haycraft is the author of: “Wrapping It Up!” and co-author of “Naturally Healthy Cuisine, Real Food for Real Families”. Vickilynn is a sought-after independent product tester and book reviewer delivering accurate, honest, and trustworthy reviews on products and books for the whole family. Subscribe to Vickilynn at: RealFoodLiving.com, National Product Review Examiner, National Family Preparedness Examiner.
Disclaimer: There are NO affiliate links within Vickilynn Haycraft’s review.
She is an independent Product Reviewer. She does not sell products or accept payment for reviews. The products reviewed are either purchased by Vickilynn Haycraft or provided for review and all reviews are unbiased regardless of how the item was obtained. This product was provided for testing and review.
Contact The Wondermill Company Directly here
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Here at PREPARE Magazine, we are delighted for Vickilynn’s unbiased review of fine products such as this and the many she has shared with us throughout our years of publication.
By way of full disclosure: If you are interested in purchasing the WonderMix Deluxe Mixer, please consider purchasing through Millers Grain House, an Authorized Dealer of all WonderMill Products. Our Founder would greatly appreciate your support.
NOTE: The warranties are only applied when you purchase the WonderMix through authorized dealers. Do not purchase from Ebay or Amazon dealers unless they are authorized.
Click here for more of Vickilynn’s recipes
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by PREPARE | Apr 5, 2025 | Blog, Guest Bloggers
How vulnerable are you to cyber threats?
Love it or hate it, the vast majority of us are constantly connected to the Internet using some type of handheld device or computer to communicate with others and conduct business. Improved battery, chip and wireless technologies combined with reasonably priced smart phones, tablets, readers and gaming devices have allowed the digital world to permeate into almost every facet of our lives.
And, as more people migrate to mobile and cloud services for communication and commerce, cybercriminals will continue to evolve and increase their attacks and threats.
Did you know…
- there are over 2.7 billion active Internet users and 6.8 billion mobile subscribers worldwide;
- 55% of American adult cell owners use the internet on their mobile phones;
- 75 Million Scam emails are sent every day claiming 2,000 victims;
- 8,200 new unique threats are found every hour according to Trend Micro;
- 73% of Americans have experienced some form of cyber crime?
We will try to keep our “geek speak” to a minimum, but the goal here is to mention some things you should be aware of and steps you can take to help protect devices and systems from various types of cyber threats.
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Secure and protect your devices
- Make sure computers and all wireless devices have current anti-virus software and firewalls, schedule them to scan daily or weekly, and update virus patterns often. If you own or manage a business, encourage employees to protect their personal home devices too.
- If you use a wireless router to access the Internet, secure it. Change the name of your router from the default ID (usually SSID or ESSID) to a name that is unique to you and won’t be easily guessed by others. Change the pre-set password on your router to a long and strong password using a combination of letters, numbers and symbols.
Also, set your router’s level of security to either WPA2 (if available) or WPA since they are more secure than the WEP option. And In summary, some routers allow for guests to use the network via a separate (or guest) password. If you have kids or many visitors in your home, it is a good idea to set up a guest network. Your provider should have instructions on all (or most) of these procedures.
- Set security preferences as high as possible on Internet browsers and anti-virus packages.
- Although it is best to not open emails or attachments from unknown sources, that’s not always feasible – especially in the business world. But consider saving the attached files into a temporary directory and scan them before opening.
- Create long passwords using a combination of letters, numbers and special characters; change them often and don’t share them with others. And don’t use the same password for all your accounts!
- Don’t access financial institutions from mobile devices using apps or email links. Instead, visit banking and credit card sites directly using a browser window. And limit the use of apps on social networking sites too since they can have security weaknesses and flaws.
- Speaking of credit cards, check the backs of your cards to see if they have radio-frequency identification chips (RFID) or Near Field Communication (NFC) chips that are embedded in credit and debit cards. (Visa calls its technology payWave, MasterCard is PayPass, Discover brands it Zip, and American Express calls it ExpressPay.) If any of your cards have a phrase, symbol or chip, consider using RFID-blocking shields or wallets, which generally use aluminum or steel to keep out prying eyes. There are even instructions on the Web about how to give your existing wallet RFID-inhibiting protection using duct tape and aluminum foil.
- Be aware there are lots of “scareware” scams online! Do NOT download or click on a screen that says it found “X number of viruses or spyware on your system” suggesting you download their package — it will most likely be a virus.
- Beware of “ransomware” (malware that prevents you from using your computer until you pay a fine) and “madware” (mobile adware – esp. apps – that can potentially expose location details, contact data, and device identifiers to cybercriminals) since they are predicted to be major issues going forward.
- Also beware of “smishing”(a combination of SMS texting and phishing) and “vishing” (voice and phishing) scams. Typically these involve you receiving a text message or an automated phone call on your cell phone saying there’s a problem with your bank account. You are given a phone number to call or a website to log into and asked to provide personal identifiable information—like a bank account number, PIN, or credit card number—to fix the problem. Do not respond to unsolicited e-mails, texts or phone calls requesting personal data, and never click on links or attachments contained within unsolicited e-mails or messages.
- Backup data often and keep a daily or weekly backup off-site. And keep in mind, if you back up data using the cloud (rather than using an external drive or other local device) you may not be able to access your data if there is a disaster or emergency limiting access to the web.
- Make sure someone knows how to download patches or fixes in case a computer or system gets infected.
- If your business or employer is hacked, file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov
by Bill & Janet Liebsch
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Bill & Janet Liebsch are the founders of FedHealth, a publishing and marketing company formed in 1999 to help the public focus on preparedness and health-related issues. They also are the authors and publishers of “IT’S A DISASTER! …and what are YOU gonna do about it?” and are dedicated to developing programs that primarily benefit First Responders, schools and volunteers. Get a sample of the content with this free mini-ebook HERE
by PREPARE | Apr 5, 2025 | Blog, Guest Bloggers
Floods
While Britain does not suffer from some of the most horrendous weather events experienced elsewhere in the world, we do have our fair share of floods, and they are getting worse!
Flooding in the UK usually comes from 1 or more of 3 sources:
- Exceptional rainfall
- Heavy snowfall followed by a rapid thaw
- Coastal storm surges
Our flooding since the start of the new millennium has mainly been from exceptional rainfall. This has given events such as flash floods and the repeated river overflows in Gloucestershire, Yorkshire, and elsewhere, particularly in 2007, 2010, and 2012, with some towns and cities having areas flooded by overflowing drains and excessive surface water on paved areas.
That latter effect has caught out many people who live miles from the nearest river and have never experience flooding before, nor expected to. Meanwhile some towns and cities like York and Tewksbury that have known occasional flooding many times over the centuries have found it becoming an annual event. And despite the efforts of various agencies in some areas it is becoming increasingly damaging. Those people in flood prone areas in what were once expensive and desirable homes now find that they can neither sell nor get insurance.
Depending on the level, flooding can be anything from an inconvenience to a disaster. If your house or business is affected by deep flooding you will almost certainly have to evacuate and in many cases people have not been able to return to use the buildings for over a year. We have friends in this situation and they initially went to a hotel or local evacuation center and were eventually moved to temporary accommodation; in 1 case a touring caravan (trailer), for almost 18 months before the family could return to their home. In some buildings the foundations or structure have been so badly damaged the only safe alternative was demolition.
Threats
So, what are the threats from flooding? Direct threats include:
- Drowning – people drown in their buildings, in their cars, and on the street when the water catches them unexpectedly or while trying to evacuate, and often, tragically, while trying to rescue another person or animal.
- Electrocution – in a building or outside when power lines are brought down or substations flooded.
- Chemicals – flushed out of their normal storage.
- Sewage and other biological hazards.
- Injury – Flood waters can move heavy objects (e.g. trees, fences, cars, etc) at high speed. If you are struck by one of these objects you might sustain severe injury. The water also covers many sharp and otherwise dangerous items, so moving through even still flood water can pose real hazards.
- Loss of possessions through damage or theft, destruction of cars and other transport, and even loss of your home.
And what can you do to minimize the threat?
Precautions and preparations
- The first thing to do is evaluate your risk of flooding. Go online and research the flood risk and warnings for your area.
- Sign up for the text message and email warnings and find out what other alert measures might be available in your area.
- Take measures to prevent or minimise the damage from flood water. This could include:
- Consider your use of rooms – could you use a higher level room for the living room/study/etc where the greatest number and most expensive, electrical equipment is used and instead use a ground floor room as a bedroom?
- Install non-return valves on water outlet pipes, including from the washing machine and dishwasher.
- Use silicone around doors and windows to reduce the likelihood of water penetration.
- Install fittings for flood gates on all external doors and low level windows, and airbrick covers close to ground level. Keep the gates and covers easily available.
- Consider replacing timber floors and carpets with solid floors and tiles – rugs are easier to move (and are) less expensive to replace than carpets, and even if the tiles have to be reaffixed, the cost of sheet ply base is lower than laminate. Also investigate replacing at least the lower steps of a staircase with concrete instead of wood.
- Replace low level, chipboard and laminate kitchen cupboards with freestanding ones made from plastic or stainless steel.
- Replace wooden internal doors, skirting boards etc with plastic ones.
- Use lime plaster on ground floor walls rather than standard gypsum plaster.
- Paint the outside and internal ground floor walls with waterproof sealant or paint. Consider a 2 level decoration scheme so that you only have to redecorate the lower level.
- Have electrical sockets raised to waist level, or higher if likely water levels require it, rather than near the floor – they’re more convenient there too, especially if you have back problems.
- If you have already been flooded, or believe the risk is high, buy a high-capacity pump that can extract water faster than your extra precautions will allow it to enter.
- Prepare a Flood Plan. This should include:
- Safety plan – Know how to turn off your electricity, gas, and water supplies. Do it before the flood water reaches the switches!
- Protection plan – know what to do to prevent or delay water entering your property. Store the equipment and supplies you will need (e.g. sandbags, floodboards, airbrick covers, etc) in a place you will be able to get them.
- Storage plan – the things you will not take with you if you evacuate but want to protect by moving them upstairs or to some other safe location. Keep this plan easily available! In an emergency you have many things to think about and a list will help you not to forget something you might otherwise mourn the loss of. Think about pets, valuables (monetary and emotional), vehicles, electronics, furnishings, etc. Remember that looting of evacuated buildings is very common. Even if you make things safe from the water you might lose them to thieves.
- Evacuation plan – how will you get out, where will you go, what will you take?
- Contact plan – List numbers for family, relatives, and emergency services, insurance companies, etc. Agree a contact that any family member who is out of the area when flooding occurs should call if they cannot contact people who were at home. Also agree close and more distant meeting places that are not likely to be affected by the flooding for use in case the telephone system is out.
- If you haven’t already got one (??) prepare an evacuation bag. This might be your Bug Out Bag or part of it, but remember that you are more likely to be going to a hotel/evacuation centre/friend than a bivvy site in the backwoods, which if you are being flooded out due to torrential rain is probably the last place you would want to go! Suggestions on what to include are listed in the Annexes.
What to do if it happens
- Keep informed about the situation – if you have online access keep visiting relevant sites. Tune your radio to a local station and listen for news and warnings. Watch the area around you.
- Make sure neighbours and friends you care about also know what is happening and what to do. Make arrangements to help one another where you can.
- Put your Plans into action.
- Put plugs in the sinks and bath and weigh them down with a sandbag or other heavy cover. Put a plug (e.g. sandbag) in the toilet
- If the flooding is so sudden that you cannot get out, move yourself, family, evacuation kit, and emergency supplies to the safest place in the building, then prepare for signalling to potential rescuers.
- If you can escape, secure your property and then get out early – the longer you leave it, the more difficult and dangerous evacuation will be.
- Take great care when moving through water and test to ensure you do not get in too deep. A long stick – even a broom handle is good – can be a great help. Six inches of moving water can knock you over if you are walking and 2 feet can lift and float your car.
- Beware of holes e.g. from displaced manhole covers.
- If you have had to move through flood water, then as soon as you are safe get out of the wet clothes and wash and disinfect yourself and the clothes.
- Put your contact plan into action – let family and friends know you are safe and how they can contact you.
- Contact your insurance company – and landlord if you have one – and employer, to let them know what has happened and how to contact you.
- If you need additional official help contact your council, and for other help any support/survival group you might have.
After the flood
When the waters recede it will be time to take stock and begin recovery action.
- As soon as possible, return home to secure your property.
- Take care as you enter:
Flooring might be damaged or displaced,
Other structures including staircases might be unsafe
There could be an electrical hazard
Anything touched by the floodwater will be contaminated
There might be human or animal intruders
- Make a list and loss-evaluation of any property destroyed or damaged and take photographs or videos. Your insurance company will make arrangements to assess the damage to the building and make arrangements for repair.
- Do NOT switch on any of the mains utilities until they have been checked and approved as safe by a professional.
- Do NOT use any food or drink any water that might have been in contact with flood water. Water under pressure might have been forced into bottles, jars, or packets. Thoroughly clean the outside of sealed tins before opening. Do not drink mains water until it has been declared safe and then not until you have run enough through your water system to thoroughly flush and clean it.
- If you are cleaning up yourself expect:
Outside: fallen walls and fences, all plants other than trees and large bushes washed away, missing rubbish bins, muck and rubbish everywhere.
Inside: destroyed carpets, falling plaster, disgusting smells, ruined cupboards/furniture/kitchen white goods/stuff in the garage/workshop/shed (including preps?).
- If you need to pump out water including from under the floorboards, you can hire a pump or might be able to get help from the fire service. Check with your insurance company first, this might be part of its tasks and only to be done when a nominated contractor decides it is safe to do so.
- If you are cleaning up yourself you can use ordinary cleaning products, a garden hose, etc, but do wear overalls and rubber gloves and boots. You might need a skip (dumpster) or lots of rubbish bags. The local authority might arrange extra collections.
- It will take much longer for the house to dry and be restored than you think: be patient!
- Be aware, especially if you are living close-by, that thieves will be waiting to take any opportunity to steal materials as your home is being repaired. Some of our friends had the new copper piping and other fittings stolen 3 times before the property was repaired enough to be secured!
Floods are bad news, but you can limit their effects and dangers by proper awareness, planning and response, and as in all emergencies many of the preps you make will be as useful for this one as any of the others.
By David E Crossley
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David E Crossley is a British Prepper living in Scotland. He has been into prepping for over 40 years and has built his experience through 22 years as a soldier, 4 years as the Training Manager for Scotland for the British Red Cross and many years studying and doing the prepping things so many people just think or talk about. He is also a published author. Learn more about him at his website at: www.tfns.co.uk/index2.html
