Tag Archives: disaster preparedness
The Lost Art of Food Preservation
As mentioned in an earlier blog, we had a blessed growing season on our little mixed farm in 2019. We did have some sub-par production, i.e. orchard fruit, potatoes, tomatoes, kale. But the advantage of mixed farming is that other produce makes up the difference. No one starves, for sure! Many 21st Century households […]
A Valuable Lesson from Hurricane Florence
One of the first of numerous natural disasters to which I responded throughout the world was a hurricane along the coast of my home state, South Carolina. I never realized the journey that one small response would take me. I don’t even recall the name of that storm! Hurricane Florence hitting the Carolinas last September […]
Household Emergency Kit Maintenance
A while back, my shoulder began aching. Although it seemed to come out of nowhere, maybe it was a pulled muscle or ligament from tackling all the chores on a fruit and berry farm. I discounted this as soreness, but the pain kept worsening. Maybe it’s yet another invasion of the ‘A-word’ (i.e. arthritis), that […]
Random thoughts while under my car’s hood
I’m continuing a discussion that began with…of all things…my car not starting! While changing out the starter in my Honda, I began thinking of the fragility of the western lifestyle, and dependence on our tools, such as the automobile. As if we don’t have enough of an issue with ‘planned obsolescence’, overly complicated machines, or […]
“I’m Gonna Die!” Hawaii’s False Missile Launch Warning
On a tranquil Saturday morning, January 13, 2018, at 8:07AM, a message went out to cellphones across the state of Hawaii, signaling an incoming missile. It was a false alarm, but took 38 minutes to correct. Meanwhile panic erupted across this normally idyllic state. Several lessons were learned, which can help us all. The Hawaii […]
Disasters with Agricultural Roots
Most of you are aware that here in British Columbia, I focus on agricultural emergencies. “What are they?” you may ask. “And why should we care?” Good questions, and I’ll offer a few reasons, which I’ve mentioned in other blogs. Two – thirds of animal diseases (and 100’s exist!) are ‘zoonotic’, which means they begin […]
The latest potential bio-terrorist weapon
I live in Canada, and perhaps like your location, ours a privileged society. Like most of the developed world, we have incredible freedoms. However, our liberal culture also has its dark side. Living in Victoria, British Columbia, are a disproportionate number of disenfranchised people — unemployed or under employed, disabled, and/or addicted. I used to […]
A look back on 2016
It’s worthwhile to look back at events, because as we often hear…”there’s nothing new under the sun.” The end of the year is an appropriate time to review a few disasters and emergencies, and perhaps weaknesses in preparedness and response. Maybe we can learn a few lessons. As we know, disasters can be either human-induced […]
Esperanza – a Getaway Heaven in Case of an Emergency
dddEsperanza is amazing. A spectacular location on the rain-drenched west Pacific coast of Vancouver Island, nestled beneath imposing overgrown cliffs that meet tranquil sea channels. About 10 acres split by a stream, naturally carved from the rugged shoreline in view of Nootka Island. The location is very near where Captain Cook first dropped anchor in western […]
Prepping for the Large One
We know that emergencies come in all sizes and shapes…from a bothersome power outage for an hour or so during a summer storm, to a 9.0 earthquake that rocks our world. As an emergency prepper, we look at worst case scenarios. This is why we advocate a supply stock for sheltering in place, ‘grab and […]
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