2017 is going to be a good year. As mentioned in our last post, we're going to see some changes in how we do things at the ZSG. The intention, of course, it to help build your own confidence in tackling the chaos that comes with an emergency. We were very excited to do just that last night st TELUS Spark's Adults Only Night: Off the Grid. If you're connected to us on Facebook or Twitter you would have seen the invitation to join us. It was an incredible time: lots of fun, lots of good conversations, and lots of people!
There's pictures and a summary after the jump, but for those new folks who are interested in coming to our January Meet & Greet, here are the details:
Date: Jan 22, 2016
Location: Pearce Estate Park (google maps)
There's pictures and a summary after the jump, but for those new folks who are interested in coming to our January Meet & Greet, here are the details:
Date: Jan 22, 2016
Location: Pearce Estate Park (google maps)
What are we doing?
1. Wisewood Apothecary is hosting a Survival Plant Walk (RSVP required: click here) from 11:00 - 1:00 pm
2. Social time at the Hose and Hound Neighbourhood Pub from 1:30pm - 3:00 pm
Connect with us on Facebook to stay in the loop on the details!
But what about MacGyver?
As promised at the booth, we've compiled a list of household items that can be "MacGyvered" in emergency situations. Here's what we've got so far, divided into categories of needs. Have any other suggestiond? Add a comment below! We're all in this together!
Water
MacGyver Essentials - these are powerhouse items found around your house!
...And the kitchen sink!
Good luck out there everyone! Stay warm, stay safe, and stay 10 steps ahead of the zombies!
-Jayme
1. Wisewood Apothecary is hosting a Survival Plant Walk (RSVP required: click here) from 11:00 - 1:00 pm
2. Social time at the Hose and Hound Neighbourhood Pub from 1:30pm - 3:00 pm
Connect with us on Facebook to stay in the loop on the details!
But what about MacGyver?
As promised at the booth, we've compiled a list of household items that can be "MacGyvered" in emergency situations. Here's what we've got so far, divided into categories of needs. Have any other suggestiond? Add a comment below! We're all in this together!
Water
- Plastic pop bottles - use in the construction of a water filter or solar still
- Coffee filters/cheese cloth - helpful to filter out sediment
- Activated charcoal (found in fish tank filters or enclosed kitty litter boxes)) - removes toxins and heavy metals (but not bacteria)
- Crayons - light them on fire and they'll burn for about 15 minutes
- Cardboard tubes + dryer lint/cotton balls/cushion batting - stuff the lint or cotton balls into the toilet paper tube, wrap in alumnim foil or drop into a ziplock bag, and you have a great firestarting "log"
- Cooking oil + shoelace or string - coil the string into a container of cooking oil. The string acts as a wick and the cooking oil is the fuel. Bonus points if you fasion a hangar into a support for the wick!
- Bra - apparently, the padded foam ones can be used as face mask for dust.
- Coffee filters - makes an acceptable emergency toilet paper.
- Plastic wrap - good to wrap around bandaged wounds to keep waterproof. Can also be twisted into cord or braided into rope.
- Sanitary pads/tampons - bandages or plugs for puncture wounds, can soak and freeze to make an icepack or cold compress.
- cardboard box + aluminum foil = solar oven
MacGyver Essentials - these are powerhouse items found around your house!
- Panty hose - used to secure bandages on arms or legs, can be worn to prevent blisters or protect from ticks when hiking, can stuff with fabric/clothes to prevent drafts, add ice/snow to make an ice pack. It can used as a rope, or add something heavy to make an improvised weapon. Any person who wears dresses in the winter can agree that pantyhose is surprisingly warm, so it can be warm under clothes as an extra layer.
- Duct tape - sealant, help in shelter building, can be twisted into rope, can be used for labels, can make a temporary sling for a wounded arm,
- 5 gallon bucket - Storage and Containment Essential! Aside from storage of food, , it can be used as a temporary washroom. If you have a lid, it also floats. It's a great place to put valuables that you can't take with you when evacuating from a floor. It will float and should remain sealed.
...And the kitchen sink!
- I imagine this tip to be used in really dire circumstances: I'm talking seriously snowed in, no power or heat, and dangerously cold temperatures. If you need to start a fire to stay warm or cook inside your home, a metal kitchen sink will apparently work, as long as it is next to a window. I haven't done this myself, so take the advice with a grain of salt! The key for a fire inside is ventilation; if your kitchen sink is next to a window, crack the window open to allow the fumes to vent out. I would imagine the cermaic sinks miight be best, since they wouldn't conduct heat into the counter tops like a metal sink would. You will have to replace your kitchen sink after the emergency is over, but it should be fairly easy to pop the burnt one out and put the new one in. In less dire circumstances, I'd just advice you to build a firepit in your backyard, bylaws be damned.
Good luck out there everyone! Stay warm, stay safe, and stay 10 steps ahead of the zombies!
-Jayme
Sources:
- http://www.naturalnews.com/052285_survival_prepping_everyday_items.html
- http://www.happypreppers.com/37.html
- https://survivallife.com/13-everyday-items-for-survival/
- http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Camping-Toilet-Bucket/
- http://www.re-energy.ca/docs/solaroven-cp.pdf