Preparedness for when

grandma247

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

GRANDMA first catch your cow, then learn how to kill it, then learn how to skin it, then learn how to cleanse the hide, then learn how to tan it, then learn how to make the sinews into threads, then learn how to make a pattern, then learn how to refine metal to make a cutting implement and some needles, then learn how to make a moccassin, easy yes???

Lol My Grandfather used to make wooden clogs.

Paul_Varjak

Not seen much mention of preparing for floods on this thread. Apparently, 5 million people in the UK live on a flood plain and, as we don't generally have hurricanes or earthquakes, flooding is the most likely cause for a bug-out (or bug-in) scenario, especially for elderly, disabled etc.

Anyone living on a flood plain should register with the Environment Agency's Flood Warning Service. You can do so here...

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/58417.aspx

By registering you will receive advance warnings of flooding in your area by phone/fax/SMA/eMail. You can then tune into radio/TV or call a special short dial number for your area to find out more.

I think it is an absolute necessity to sign up for this - I did so as soon as I moved into my home just 400m from the River Humber.

I have a flood gate barrier ready to put up on my only outer door, in case of a flood but have been thinking about getting this new one, which is lighter and much easier to fit, requires absolutely no tools and takes less than 60 seconds to put into place - time can really be of the essence in flood situations!

This is my old flood barrier...
http://floodgate.ltd.uk/

and here is the one I am thinking about...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPkJZqvjBGo

Another thing I am looking at is a one-way valve for the waste system - to prevent backwashing of contaminated water into the toilet bowl and shower (important for a bungalow) You can also fit devices to the toilet pan to prevent the same.

You can also get devices to fit over airbricks (some even close automatically when flood water arrives) others have to be fitted temporarily and then removed once the flood danger is over.

It is always worthwhile keeping a supply of clean water in the house as well - at least 2 litres/person/day for 3 days. Water filters may be able to filter out pathogens, but I would not want to rely on such filters to remove chemicals found in flood water.

Paul_Varjak

Perplexed_Pineapple wrote: »

Very keen to teach my children relevant skills (even if I have to learn them myself first lol). What do people think are the best things to be teaching smaller children (under 10)?

Get them to put together their own bug-out bag with items purchased from Poundland!

nuatha

Perplexed_Pineapple wrote: »

Very keen to teach my children relevant skills (even if I have to learn them myself first lol). What do people think are the best things to be teaching smaller children (under 10)?

I'd start with basic cooking and food prep, including some foraging (ramsons in spring, blackberries in autumn). If they show an aptitude for plant recognition I'd build on this with other useful plants.
Its amazing what children can pick up and the memories from childhood stay with them. Seeing things made or mended rather than thrown away helps form an attitude that could well be useful in the future.
HTH

craigywv

hi PAUL welcome here. flooding has been talked about earlier in the thread also storing water greyqueen,lurcherwalker and 2 tonsils have had a good few ideas regarding these subjects so have a look earlier in the thread.hope this helps. also water purification,bug outbags,foraging,etc...

GreyQueen

Hi Paul Varjack, I'm in a groundfloor flat on a floodplain 50 metres from the river. A frisky river, weakly tidal, which has claimed a fair amount of lives over the centuries. People have boated in the streets around here. The biggest thing between it and me is a 3 feet tall wall. The river is normally a good 15 feet below it's bank but goes higher at certain times. I keep an eye on it having been told by one of my Spies and Informants (a scientist with the regional water company) what would happen here if certain other things happened either up or downstream. The EA classifies my neighbourhood as being at moderate risk of flooding but any flooding which would occur would be severe.

I've long been registered with the Environment Agency's Floodline and also have a "flood plan" which is a mental list of things which can be moved above the probable floodline. Precious things like family photos are stored on top of a wall unit 6 feet up. I also have home contents insurance and know where the contour lines are over my rather hilly city (i.e. which way to run!)

Re what you can teach a 9 year old, sounds like craigy's extended family are on it. Fishing's good. So is to be a strong swimmer. A healthy sense of sceptism; learning to think outside the box and question what we are being told. Cooking and foraging, learning to make campfires.

At 9 I was splitting firewood with a hedging hook to get logs down to kindling and was responsible for raking out and setting the fire when back from school. I was most cross when the parents replaced the coal fire with a gas one. Map reading is good, so would be some first aid.

A lot of circumstances in everyday life, never mind a crisis, can be worsened even unto catastrophe by want of common sense, so aim to cultivate as much of that as possible. Commonsense isn't as common as it ought to be.

Right, need tea, then will venture out into the wicked world to earn my shilling before heading up to the lottie to get on with the important stuff; destroying couch grass.

Laters, GQ xx

mardatha

Totally agree re commonsense. In another group we were talking about garden tools going rusty in a shed. One of the many suggestions was "run a dehumidifier in the shed"... seriously! :rotfl::rotfl: Gawd what happened to the oily rag?!
You won't get anywhere at all without commonsense and an ability to adapt things, inc your thinking.

GreyQueen

mardatha wrote: »

Totally agree re commonsense. In another group we were talking about garden tools going rusty in a shed. One of the many suggestions was "run a dehumidifier in the shed"... seriously! :rotfl::rotfl: Gawd what happened to the oily rag?!
You won't get anywhere at all without commonsense and an ability to adapt things, inc your thinking.

:eek: Jings, Mar, that's positively scary! Are these people allowed to vote?!

I clean the tools down, dry 'em with one rag and wipe them down with an oily rag. Never have rust. Good tools should last several lifetimes without neglect or abuse. Another option is to have a bucket of sand in the shed, soused with vegetable oil, and to plunge the clean tools into that before storage.

Rust is bad as it's contaigous between tools. You can clean it off small tools by immersing them in cola. You can also clean toilets with the stuff, just don't drink it. And tools with tines and spades should be hung by their handles not stood business-end down on the floor.

I have lengths of unplaned 2 by 1 battens (cheap as chips to buy, got mine from a skip) which are screwed horizontally the length of the shed, onto which are mounted tool hangers and tool clips. There is also a kick-a$$ chain wrapped around and threaded through the tool handled, with a padlock, all designed to dishearten a would-be thief. Most thieves are lazy and give up if confronted with a bit of work...........

pineapple

craigywv wrote: »

Hi my son is 9 recently i have taught him the value of money ...no it does not grow on trees , he helps me grow our veg and fruit,and can go in and makehis own jam unaided with my beady eye watching from the table lol. and he goes rounf the supermarket with me and getting to know the value range lol. he can set and light the outside burner again under mine or oh beady eye and goes fishing with his granda.

Just to say - 'Good for you! :T

[Deleted User]

OK GRANDMA Clogs it is, inspired, you can tell which one of us has a brain, and it isn't me, Doooohhhh why did I think leather????? Nitwittily yours, Lyn xxx.