Your Meds in an Emergency

In normal times, replacing expired medicines isn’t a major issue. You call your physician and get a refill for “fresh” meds. Medicine bottle descriptions and those in print and online sources tell you to discard any drug that has expired, a recommendation so common that it’s considered standard.

But in an emergency or disaster when access to your regular pharmacy may be cut off, what should you do with expired medications? Here are some thoughts from Hikingware.com:

You might be surprised to know that expiration dates have only been government-mandated since 1979. The expiration date is simply the last day that the pharmaceutical company will guarantee 100% potency of the product. In other words, you won’t grow a horn in the middle of your forehead or other ill effects if you take the drug the week after it expires. Indeed, it is rare for expired drugs, especially in pill or capsule form, to be any more risky than the non-expired versions.

This is an important issue to those preparing medically for survival scenarios. If you believe that some disaster will take society to the brink, then you should also understand that such a scenario also means that it’s unlikely that pharmaceutical companies will be functioning to manufacture drugs. Maybe for a few months, maybe for a year or longer. Therefore, at one point or another, you might have to make a decision regarding the use of an expired medication.

This is a decision that also must be made by government agencies such as FEMA and the Department of Defense. Federal warehouses store tens of millions of dollars’ worth of drugs meant for use in peacetime disasters. When these drugs expired, the forklifts came out and huge quantities of life-saving medicines were discarded.

Over time, even the government began to think, “Wow. This is getting expensive. I wonder if these drugs are still good?”. And with that thought, the Shelf Life Extension Program (SLEP) was developed.  The SLEP tested over a hundred drugs in their possession and found that the vast majority were 100% potent 2 to 12 years beyond their listed expiration dates.

These findings led the government to put out extensions of expiration dates for certain drugs as needed, such as the 5 year extension given the anti-viral drug Tamiflu (oseltamivir) during the 2009 swine flu epidemic. These are referred to as “emergency use authorizations”.

Despite this research, you’ll see opinions from those in academia or elsewhere that state all medications are dangerous when expired and should be discarded. These opinions are fine in normal times, but members of the preparedness community should at least consider holding on to medications that might no longer be available in times of trouble.

Think about this situation:  Let’s say that a true catastrophe has occurred that has taken out the grid and modern medical facilities for the foreseeable future. Your daughter is fading from a bacterial infection. You have an expired bottle of antibiotics. She’s dying. Are you going to use the expired drug or not? The answer is: YES, use them even if they're expired; at the very least, they cannot do her any harm.

Medicines, expired or not, should be stored in cool, dry, dark conditions. Their potency will fade twice as fast if stored at 90 degrees than if stored at 50 degrees. Freezing them, however, is rarely necessary. Even if stored in less than ideal conditions, a capsule or tablet that hasn’t changed color, smell, or consistency is probably still worth keeping for austere settings. Of course, in normal times, seek out qualified medical professionals whenever and wherever they are available for medicine refills.

And finally, it’s important to know that all drugs have side effects or restrictions in children, pregnant women, and patients with certain medical conditions. Take time to learn indications, dosage, and side effects of all medicines you keep in your medical supplies.

Have you got these on hand for an emergency?

Hikingware.com reminds us that not all survival supplies are big ticket items. Some essentials are very humble, but very necessary. 

The list below may seem a little weird — like, “Why would I need to stockpile that?” kind of strange. Well, you don’t know what you need until it’s gone, and these are some of those things you just really don’t want to have to try and do without. They are so cheap, they may even appear inconsequential. They’re not.

 Shoestrings are probably not on your radar, but you need them. Survival is going to be a lot of walking and outdoor work. Tying and retying your shoes weakens the strings. A broken shoestring is actually a big deal when you are trying to get around and your shoe is falling off. They are cheap, so load up on them in varying sizes. Or be sure all your shoes use Velcro. 

 Duct tape is something that appears on most survival lists, but a single roll is just not going to do it. You will discover you will need duct tape for just about everything. You could easily go through a roll in the first week if you are using plastic to cover the windows, fix broken glass and so on. Duct tape to waterproof shoes is a common trend, but what they don’t tell you is you can burn through almost an entire roll on one pair of shoes.

 Nails and screws. These are not always cheap, but if you visit some yard sales or thrift stores, you can get them for fairly cheap. Big buckets and cans of screws and nails, even if they are used and a little rusty, will prove invaluable when you are starting over from scratch. They can be used to build new shelters, repair existing structures or fix fences. And they can be used in trade for other items you may need and not have. 

 Reading glasses. You can pick them up for a buck at the dollar store. Buy a lot. If you have a slight vision impairment, you will want to be able to see to read, do any kind of detailed work or to see in general. When there are no eye doctors available for a while, you will want to have the extra glasses on hand.

 Ziploc sandwich bags. Generic ones are fine. These bags will make life a little easier and cleaner. Packing food for a scouting trip, keeping medical supplies dry, storing dried herbs and so on is easier when you have sandwich bags. If first-aid supplies are in short supply, wrapping a sandwich bag around a bandage will help keep the injury and bandage dry if you are going to be in the rain or snow.

 Paper plates and plastic utensils. They are a bit of a luxury, but imagine when you have no water. You won’t be able to wash dishes very often. You don’t want to eat off dirty dishes (it could make you sick) and you don’t want to leave a sink full of dirty dishes that will invite unwanted guests. Paper plates can be used and then burned for fuel.

 Safety pins. They also are so versatile! Using them to hold up your pants, replace a broken zipper or as a makeshift hem are just some of the uses. You also can use them as a fishing hook or to hold a tent door closed. And again, they can be used to bargain for anything you may need but have run out of. After all, they don't go stale! 

 Gloves of all kinds. Exam, rubber and work gloves are going to be a huge help. Putting on a pair of exam gloves when you are butchering an animal is prudent, especially if water is in short supply. Rubber gloves can be worn when you are cleaning up nasty business, including the bucket toilet. Work gloves will protect your hands from blisters when you are taking care of outside chores.

Novelist Jade Chang on the Pros and Cons of Googling While Drinking Cachaça

Researching a bottle of booze

reveals tipsy thoughts that are news.

I don't like to think

it's only the drink

that colors my DUI views . . . 

Fergus Falls man to ride giant pumpkin down Red River to break world record

Rick Swenson took his pumpkin to the river Red to ride
from Grand Forks down to Oslo on the water's pulsing tide.
He'd grown it in his meadow where the mourning doves did coo;
he scooped it out with shovel to create a round canoe.
This Swenson was a sturdy chap, who yearned for Guinness fame;
he didn't want to drink the stuff, just win their listing game.
His mother by the riverbank did plead with him in vain
to come back home instead to fix the stopped up kitchen drain.
His friends said it was folly, and his pastor shook his head;
his high school teachers recommended he should stay in bed.
But Swenson spurned their doubts and fears, and tipped his pumpkin in,
and used his oaken paddle to prevent a lot of spin.
The water gurgled, cold and gray, as cruel as Donald Trump;
the branches and the snags reached out, his fragile bark to dump.
Brave Swenson steered around them all, including sandbars hid
just below the water, full of broken glass and squid.
Along the banks the crowded ranks of well-wishers did yell
as he floated by serene inside his pumpkin shell.
He hit a log and near capsized, but righted at the last.
He waved in manly solitude while motorboats roared past.
Six and twenty miles he rode his pumpkin without fail -- 
and then ran into trouble when the weather turned to hail!
It pummeled him and pierced the pumpkin shell so that it sank;
he was nearly frozen when they dragged him to the bank.
And so the Guinness Record Book did not receive the news,
and Swenson went back home to fix the drains and sadly muse
on how the whimsies of the gods gave freely of renown
to some, but to the others left them feeling like a clown. 

The Breaded Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloins all breaded are quite good enough for me;
once I've had my fill of them I'm full of joy de vie. 
With a little mustard and a touch of relish, too,
they provide me with an optimistic worldly view.
Bring 'em on for breakfast, or for lunch, or late at night;
I'll eat them till the cows come home, or mom turns out the light.
Pork tenderloins and Iowa go hand in glove, by gum;
and anyone says diff'rent is a lousy commie bum!
Of course if you put bacon on the top of one you'll find
the kind of taste and texture that will blow your little mind.
Forget about elections or a terrorist attack;
give me breaded tenderloins, and pile 'em in a stack!
Add some mashed potatoes and some coleslaw, holy smoke -- 
it'll send you straight to heaven (maybe by a stroke).
So hail the breaded tenderloin of pork, ye men of meat;
unlike Trump, it's something that is very hard to beat. 

Prepare for Winter Emergencies NOW.

In regions such as North Dakota and Maine winter is already here, with reports of snowfall and freezing temperatures. While winter offers many delights, it can also be a challenging time even without an emergency or a disaster taking place.
Hikingware.com offers these brief, common-sense suggestions for being prepared to meet and, if necessary, defeat Old Man Winter:

• Make sure all general garden maintenance is up to date. Loose and/or old branches cut down, perennial weeds burnt etc.
• Check slabs and pathways for cracks that may let water in and then freeze causing more damage and trip hazards – repair as required.
• Put a couple of bags of rock salt and grit mix out the back to keep the patio safe to walk on.
• Put a couple of bags of rock salt and grit behind the side gate to keep the drive ice-free.
• Stow all the garden furniture away for the winter. 
• Bag up footballs,  super-soaker guns and other kiddie crap and hang in the garage.
• Rinse and air dry the wetsuits and store in rodent proof box.
• Make sure wood supply is adequate and coal bunker is full.

• Grease saws and garden tools to keep them in good condition.
• Clean and grease lawnmower blades and wipe the machine down ready for spring.
• Replace all tools in their rightful home at the far end of the garage.
• Check roof for gaps and holes – close the door during daylight and look up, any splits and gaps will show. Seal/repair as required.
• Wipe down outsides of all electrical items: tumble drier, spare fridge and spare freezers. Check all plugs and sockets for damage, repair as required.
• Clean out cupboards checking food dates and looking for blown/rusting cans.
• Check pipe lagging under the sink.

• Check for flaking paint/varnish on wooden doors and sills, repaint /varnish if required to prevent water penetration and rot.
• Check weatherboards and fascias are in good repair and tightly fixed in place.
• Seal any gaps in window frames/door frames
• Clean UPVC frames and windows.
• Check lagging on the outdoor taps. Re-lag if needed.

• Check the roof. Go into the loft during daylight, close the hatch and look for dislodged tiles or slates. Repair as required.
• Check pipes on exterior walls are lagged.
• Put one emergency box right outside the back door on back porch ready for use.
• Test central heating and bleed radiators if needed.
• Get boiler serviced.
• Get chimneys swept.
• Fill log baskets and put next to each fire, ditto coal scuttles.

Many service stations offer a 'Winter Tune Up' special for vehicles this time of year. If you don't do this stuff yourself, take advantage of these specials to get your car in shape for winter. Also, go through your glove compartment(s) to throw out any trash and restock with safety and emergency items such as a flashlight, candles, matches, and some hard candy.

Don't be daunted by the length of this list! Do a little bit each day, and in a matter of a week or two you'll have your homestead and vehicle ready for whatever Old Man Winter may bring on this year. Then you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the sledding, skiing, and making snow angels with the kids! 

What to Save During an Emergency

WHAT TO SAVE DURING AN EMERGENCY

You can't schedule an emergency or crisis like you can a dental appointment. So how can you ever really be prepared for one?
Hikingware.com recommends five areas where planning ahead will help you better survive the disasters that unavoidably come into our lives:

Legal Documents

• Identification, especially in this day in age, is extremely important. In light of a catastrophic disaster, your access to transportation, medical aid, and other public services could be hindered if you fail to provide some form of identification. Also, in the event that one of these forms are stolen during a break-in, your family is now extremely vulnerable to identity theft for what can easily be several years. Not only can this lead to feelings of discomfort and perpetual worry, but it can even have a devastating impact on your family’s financial security. Other types of documentation to consider are insurance policies, wills, health records, and financial documents.

Bank & Financial Information

• Everyone, individuals and families alike, should have an emergency fund that will last a minimum of six months. Emergency funds are best made up of guaranteed investments such as savings accounts, as opposed to stock portfolios. Many individuals even elect to establish both short-term and long-term funds. While the short-term fund can be for less-serious emergencies like car repairs, the long-term fund is for major emergencies and disasters. The information for these accounts, and all other financial accounts for that matter, should be stored someplace safe and secure. If you do not already have them, consider purchasing a fireproof safe or obtaining a safety deposit box. At the very least, have copies of major banking information put in a freezer bag to store in your freezer.

Home Safe Home

• It is almost impossible to prepare for all disasters, but what you can do is take a few preventative measures that are easy, affordable, and protect your home from a wide variety of disasters. One such measure is investing in a good security system for your home. It will protect your home against everything from the obvious break-ins, to fires, floods, and below-freezing temperatures. These systems provide constant monitoring whether you are at home or away, and can save you a lot of heartbreak and headaches along the way as well. Having peace of mind that you and the proper authorities will be alerted in the event of an emergency is immeasurable.

Survival Kits

• Disaster emergency kits are simply a collection of the important items an individual or family needs during the event of an emergency or disaster. These kits should be kept in a couple places around the house, and perhaps even a place of work. They should contain at least one gallon of water per person, three-day supplies of nonperishable food, clothing, a battery-powered radio, flashlight, extra batteries, basic tools, maps, and even necessary medications. This will allow you, and/or the members of your family, to not rely solely on aid relief. It will also provide you with the ability to stay put, as opposed to venturing out into a potentially dangerous environment.

Plans & Instructions

• The American Red Cross recommends developing a preparedness plan, unique to you and your family, that both prepares and informs in the event of a disaster or an emergency. It is also recommended to choose two separate meeting places outside of the home. One should be immediately outside of your house for sudden disasters, such as a fire. The other meeting place should be outside of your neighborhood to cover the chance of there being a mandatory evacuation. This also brings up the point that an evacuation plan should be put in place, practiced, and executed efficiently by family members at least once a year.