Preparedness for when

vanoonoo

facemasks have been mentioned a couple of times recently - in the event of a pandemic what would be needed for best protection from airbourne particulates is a 'respirator' type mask with a good filter. The ones we see in hospital dramas in surgical environments are not what would aid to protect from cross contamination in a pandemic scenario they are purely to stop fluids spraying about (sorry if you're having breakfast).

For best practice with a respirator you would need to have performed a "fit test" in advance to check sizing and positioning.

from wiki for europe (US standard is different)

European standard EN 143 defines the following classes of particle filters that can be attached to a face mask:
ClassFilter penetration limit (at 95 L/min air flow)P1Filters at least 80% of airborne particlesP2Filters at least 94% of airborne particlesP3Filters at least 99.95% of airborne particles
European standard EN 149 defines the following classes of “filtering half masks” (also called “filtering face pieces”), that is respirators that are entirely or substantially constructed of filtering material:
ClassFilter penetration limit (at 95 L/min air flow)Inward leakageFFP1Filters at least 80% of airborne particles<22%FFP2Filters at least 94% of airborne particles<8%FFP3Filters at least 99% of airborne particles<2%
Both European standards test filter penetration with both dry sodium chloride and paraffin oil aerosols, after storing the filters at 70 °C and −30 °C for 24 h each. The standards also include tests on mechanical strength, breathing resistance and clogging. EN 149 also tests the inward leakage between the mask and face (ten human subjects perform five exercises each and for eight of these individuals the average measured inward leakage listed above must not be exceeded).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Respirator

There is currently a supply issue with materials from china on many types of face mask and respirator - so price and availability are both challenging.

It's something I havent prepped (yet) but have researched and work with so am considering. Respirators generally have a shelf life of at least five years from date of manufacture but obviously dont have much use other than what they are designed for. Apart from maybe fashioning comedy bikinis or pet hammocks. Buy what you use and use what you buy and all that ....

taurusgb

I have a small broken chest freezer that is beyond repair. DH all for carting down to recycling depot, before he does, is there anything I could use it for in the garden for storage? No room in house, but there is a space by the shed where it will be out of sight if I could find a use for it.

GreyQueen

taurusgb wrote: »

I have a small broken chest freezer that is beyond repair. DH all for carting down to recycling depot, before he does, is there anything I could use it for in the garden for storage? No room in house, but there is a space by the shed where it will be out of sight if I could find a use for it.

Keep it! They make excellent vermin-proof containers in outbuildings for a "deep larder" of canned goods.

You can read about this in Rawles' book TEOTWAWKI. He suggested painting them in a matt colour to match their surroundings; wood colour for hiding in a woodpile, straw colour for hiding in a barn.

Cut off the leccy cable and look for any tiny gap in the casing (like where the cable went in) and cover with a metal plate. Pop rivet on, perhaps? Mice can get thru a hole of the same diameter as a pencil, remember.

nuatha, back in the 1970s when there was a bread crisis, the supermarkets in my hometown were breadless. So the small independant baker in town suddenly had brand new customers, the kind who mocked my mother pre crisis for buying bakers' bread rather than the fluffy white factory loaves which were much much cheaper.

When the crisis came, people were queuing down the road to get their bread at the little baker's shop, and the quantity you could buy was limited. But baker refused to have his regulars stand in line for their bread on order and we just walked right past. Nearly 40 years ago and I can still feel the stares of resentment and outright hatred from the other women waiting in line.

But baker was right; as soon as biz as usual resumed, they were back at the supermarket for their bread and we continued to be his customers until he retired over 20 years later. Then we bought from the man who took over the biz, only stopping when he went out of biz, driven out by the supermarkets.

So, yes, an excellent time to be building relationships with your local independant tradespersons. Plus I have a considerable quantity of breadflour from the windmillers and lots of dried yeast. Will look at getting some more of the latter, too.

[Deleted User]

TAURUSGB do you remember the TV gardener Bob Flowerdew? he of the long plaited hair? He used broken freezers and fridges as root cellars to store potatoes and carrots etc as they are an airtight seal , completely light proof and completely vermin proof. You apparently stand them on thier backs so the door is at the top if they are an upright and insulate them with earth and straw up the sides, I assume polystyrene sheets covered in earth would do the job ok as well, and they will store your crops just the same way as an old fashioned clamp!

FairyPrincessk

taurusgb--if you do keep it, make sure either a) it cannot by opened by anyone but you, or b) that it can be opened from the inside. Although the mechanism on doors is now usually magnetic, it used to be that children would crawl in disused refrigerators and freezers to play and then suffocate because they could not get the door open. I know they changed the way the doors latched in the US back in the 60s? I think but, still, something to consider when you're painting/disguising/mouse-proofing. I think a simple chain and padlock would do the trick.

thriftwizard

taurusgb, I've actually been considering getting a second dead freezer, for several of the reasons listed above! But in the end I've opted to turn an old & slightly battered bureau into a tin store - amongst all my "stock" it just looks like another piece of old furniture awaiting its chance on the saleroom floor.

[Deleted User]

I'm going to perfect making non yeasted flatbread in the coming weeks, the type you can make in a frying pan. I think in an emergency situation I'd have more likelihood of being able to cook these over some heat source than having to rely on some sort of baking oven. Last week I found a magazine called 'Eat In' and there is an article in it on many types of flatbread and recipes to use them that is very straightforward and that's what I'm going to use for reference, Cheers Lyn xxx.

GreyQueen

thriftwizard wrote: »

taurusgb, I've actually been considering getting a second dead freezer, for several of the reasons listed above! But in the end I've opted to turn an old & slightly battered bureau into a tin store - amongst all my "stock" it just looks like another piece of old furniture awaiting its chance on the saleroom floor.

Loving it! I'd have an old dead frezer like a shot if I had anywhere to put one and means of transporting it. Am still cross I couldn't buy that 4-drawer filing cabinet (£2!) at the bootsale on Monday. I was 40 miles from home and don't think National Express would have let me put it in the luggage locker.

I have an unremarkable blockboard CD/DVD cabinet, one with semi-hidden pull outs on the front and side of the main cabinet. The bulk of the cabinet is behind a door and holds my sewing kit, but the pull outs have some surprises; baked beans and toothpaste, anyone?

BTW, Tosspots Basics toothbrushes are 18p for a twin pack and are very good.

Perplexed_Pineapple

GreyQueen wrote: »

You're on the money. They're gagging for it. SG asked me an hour or so ago if I knew parliament had been recalled and I told her that I didn't but they'll vote for war. Too many people in power figure they have something to gain.

Getting older is depressing in a way; you can so clearly see the strings that it's like watching a Th*nderbirds episode.

Let's see, shall we stand up and admit that we are in worse debt than Greece, Spain, Italy and Portugal and Eire or shall we join in the USA hiding their rotted-out economy by prosecuting a war overseas to distract attention?

Watch this carefully, fellow preppers; if the supply of oil and natural gas from the middle east is disrupted or ended, we will be in a world of hurt here in the UK, especially if a certain russian president orders the taps turned off over there.

Look behind the curtain and always ask yourself Cui bono? (to whose benefit).

I don't think our debt is worse than Greece or Spain, GQ, the UK has a better functioning export sector which helps a lot with the balance of payments, of which oddly enough arms exports are a major component so the propagation of war benefits the UK economy overall.
I've just finished reading Last Light by Alex Scarrow, thought-provoking stuff. Modern agriculture is massively dependent on oil, both to power machinery and to produce fertilizers. In the First World War the Uk nearly ran out of food because of shipping blockades (Llloyd-George forced convoy systems on to the Navy and averted the crisis). The population of the Uk at the time was about 40 million, it's now about 70 million. Agricultural technology hasn't improved that much; we now import about 40% of our food which IMO is a horribly precarious position to be in.

mardatha

PP I wouldn't believe any figures this lot publishes. I wouldn't believe them if they told me my own name, I'd check my birth cert first lol