100 Items That Disappear First in a Disaster
(Have on Hand for Trade, Sale and Your Own Use)

1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky, noisy target for thieves; maintenance, etc.)
2. Water Filters/Purifiers (Shipping delays increasing.)
3. Portable Toilets (Increasing in price every two months.)
4. Seasoned Firewood (About $100 per cord; wood takes 6 - 12 mos. to become dried, for home uses.)
5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!)
6. Coleman Fuel (URGENT-Impossible to stockpile too much.)
7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots
8. Hand-Can openers & hand egg beaters, whisks (Life savers!)
9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugars
10. Rice - Beans - Wheat
11. Vegetable oil (for cooking) (Without it food burns/must be boiled, etc.)
12. Charcoal & Lighter fluid (Will become scarce suddenly.)
13. Water containers (Urgent Item to obtain. Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY)
14. Mini Heater head (Propane) (Without this item, propane won't heat a room.)
15. Grain Grinder (Non-electric)
16. Propane Cylinders
17. Michael Hyatt's Y2K Survival Guide (BEST single survival guide for sound advice/tips.)
18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.)
19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula/ointments/aspirin, etc
20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)
21. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)
22. Vitamins (Critical, due to daily canned food diets.)
23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item.)
24. Feminine Hygiene/Hair care/Skin products
25. Thermal underwear (Tops and bottoms)
26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets & Wedges (also, honing oil)
27. Aluminum foil Reg. & Heavy. Duty (Great Cooking & Barter item)
28. Gasoline containers (Plastic or Metal)
29. Garbage bags (Impossible to have too many.)
30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, paper towel
31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake liquid every 3 to 4 months.)
32. Garden seeds (Non-hybrid - Heirloom) (A MUST)
33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)
34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit: 1(800) 835-3278
35. Tuna Fish (in oil)
36. Fire extinguishers (or.. large box of Baking soda in every room...)
37. First aid kits
38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)
39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies
40. BIG DOGS (and plenty of dog food)
41. Flour, yeast & salt
42. Matches ( "Strike Anywhere" preferred. Boxed, wooden matches will go first.) waterproof with melted paraffin
43. Writing paper/pads/pencils/solar calculators
44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime)
45. Work boots, belts, Levis & durable shirts
46. Flashlights/LIGHT STICKS & torches, "No.76 Dietz" Lanterns
47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (Jot down ideas, feelings, experiences: Historic times!)
48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with wheels)
49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers, etc
50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)
51. Fishing supplies/tools
52. Mosquito coils/repellent sprays/creams
53. Duct tape
54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes
55. Candles
56. Laundry detergent (Liquid)
57. Backpacks & Duffle bags
58. Garden tools & supplies
59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies
60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc.
61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)
62. Canning supplies (Jars/lids/wax)
63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel
64. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc.
65. Sleeping bags & blankets/pillows/mats
66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)
67. Board Games Cards, Dice
68. d-Con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer
69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets
70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks...)
71. Baby Wipes, oils, waterless & Anti-bacterial soap (saves a lot of water)
72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc.
73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)
74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)
75. Soy sauce, vinegar, bouillon/gravy/soup base
76. Reading glasses
77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)
78. "Survival-in-a-Can"
79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens
80. BSA - New 1998 - Boy Scout Handbook (also, Leader's Catalog)
81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)
82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky
83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts
84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)
85. Lumber (all types)
86. Wagons & carts (for transport to & from open Flea markets)
87. Cots & Inflatable mattresses (for extra guests)
88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.
89. Lantern Hangers
90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws, nuts & bolts
91. Teas
92. Coffee
93. Cigarettes
94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc.)
95. Paraffin wax
96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.
97. Chewing gum/candies
98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing)
99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs
100. Goats/chickens

Home Fire Safety

by Heather Diodati, DDesign

Home fires claim thousands of lives, injure tens of thousands and cause billions of dollars worth of damage. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, rural homeowners are more than twice as likely to lose their lives in a fire than those in cities or suburbs. By using some of the following precautions, you can help to protect your home, yourself and your loved ones from possible danger from fire.

1) Make sure to keep a charged 5 lb. Fire extinguisher in your kitchen. Failing that, keep baking soda or salt on hand. These are natural fire extinguishers. However, be aware that it takes quite a lot of one or the other to extinguish a fire. For a grease fire in a frying pan, a large-enough pot lid placed on top will deprive the flames of oxygen and smother them.

2) Never force-open your self-cleaning oven door before it has unlocked by itself. The extremely high heat inside the oven during the cleaning process is very dangerous.

3) Ashes thrown out in a cardboard box could re-ignite. Store cooled ashes in a tightly covered metal container outside of your home.

4) Store all flammables (i.e. Gas, turpentine, paints, propane, etc.) in an outdoor shed.

5) Be careful with cleaning supplies. Certain products when mixed together can be lethal. For example, chlorine and bleach mixed together can explode.

6) Chlorine is highly flammable and must be stored outside.

7) Gas-soaked rags should never be crumpled up and tossed in a corner or in a cardboard box or thrown out with paper, cardboard, etc. The gas will heat up instead of evaporating causing the rag to ignite. Air the rags outside by laying them flat so the gas can evaporate.

8) Never clean anything with gas or turpentine inside your home. Gas vapors are heavier than air and will settle near the floor. Any spark can trigger an explosion or flame, for example, a spark from a hot water heater or furnace.

9) Keep furnaces and gas water heaters clear of piled-up boxes or any other combustibles.

10) Keep baseboard and electric space heaters free of hanging curtains and by all means avoid using them to dry such items as mittens and socks.

11) Have your chimney cleaned each year to prevent creosote build-up and inspect it frequently for obstructions and damage. (don't use pine or other soft woods they have very high creosote and are a hazard)

12) Test your smoke detector batteries regularly.

13) Don't overload your electrical outlets and never run extensions under a carpet.

14) Never replace a burnt fuse with a penny. (yes, there are homes that still have these)

15) Finally, plan and practice an escape route with your family and agree upon a round-up area to make sure everyone is accounted for during an emergency.

Heather Diodati, owner of DDesign, is the creator/distributor of the Pet Computer Virus, a novelty designed for the computer user; as well as other unique computer novelties; and Whimsies! Personalized Cartoon Designs for all occasions. Sign up for our free ezine, On A Whim, for your free time management gift, The Memory Jogger System; and if you looooove ballroom dancing be sure to subscribe to Dancing On Air ezine, for your free gift, The Dancer's Notebook! http://www.whimsies-online.com

© 2003 DDesign
Reprints of this article are free of charge as long as you include the author portion of the text.