Preparedness supplies, CDE
I haven’t done a preparedness post in a while, so…. I figured I would repost an article I wrote for another entity I am involved with, as it A) might help some folks on here, and B) will reassure those who think I am nuts that I am, in fact, batshit insane 
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Preparation Overview for Catastrophic Disastrous Events (CDE)
A Catastrophic Disastrous Event, or CDE, is a major disaster so large that it dramatically affects the entire hemisphere or globe, reducing the efficacy of- or neutralizing entirely- any aid efforts that may be attempted. CDE vectors include major pandemics or widespread bioterrorism, complete destruction of the global power grid by a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), impact of a large celestial body- an asteroid or comet measuring a kilometer or larger in diameter- into the earth, the eruption of a caldera such as the Yellowstone or Aso calderas, full-scale nuclear war, etc. The principal difference between a regional disaster and a CDE is the scale, scope, and impact, which are global and crippling.
In a CDE, governments throughout the world will be pressed so hard that- should they survive, or a successor government rise to power quickly rather than over time- they will be unable to mount any relief efforts for months, and recovery efforts will take even longer. TheUS Dept. of Homeland Security advocates 72-hour emergency kits, which is adequate to get through a minor or very localized event, but for anything with greater impact it is vital to have proper resources. The following resources and information are designed to give the operator a familiarity with the equipment- much of which you may already possess- and stores necessary to effect minimal survival in the event of a CDE. However, this top-down approach of planning for a worst-case scenario is also effective in mitigating or countering lesser disasters, as preparing for the worst-case scenario also prepares you for the less severe ones, while the reverse is most certainly not true.
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Shelter-In-Place or Safehouse
The best option for surviving a CDE is to shelter in place, either in a secured home or facility, or at a pre-established safehouse somewhere within your AO. Wherever you are going to be bunkering down, you should have at least a year’s supply of essentials beyond the items I list below. These incidentals are oft-overlooked necessities- toilet paper, cleaning supplies, personal hygiene essentials, waste disposal bags (trash bags and contractor bags), contact lenses or spare glasses, etc. However, the scope of this article is to create an inventory recommendation for the operator to establish, and does not focus on the minutia. Common sense and experience will dictate those matters.
Food: http://www.internet-grocer.net/1yr-fl1.htm per person primary, with an additional three month supply- http://www.internet-grocer.net/3mo-fl1.htm is the recommended minimum food stores. Due to environmental contamination (see below under Environmental Considerations), it is highly recommended that the operator acquire a two-year supply: http://www.internet-grocer.net/2yr-unit.htm .
Water: http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/CAMP205-1.html one per bathtub; http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/MLT4945-1.html as many as you can fill and store; and http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/CAMP352-1.html x3 per person.
Weapons: While the target audience of this article are obviously well-prepared in this category, I would be remiss if I did not include basics for those on this list who are not experienced nor equipped personnel. Skip over this section if it is redundant to you. At minimum, it is recommended that you acquire a reliable assault rifle that can double as a medium-range DMR if necessary. I recommend one of the following, based on financial circumstances-
* Poor: http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storeproduct347.aspx or http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storeproduct843.aspx / http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storeproduct765.aspx (based on preference);
* Decent Money: http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storeproduct390.aspx ;
* Some Money: http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storeproduct571.aspx ;
* Well-To-Do: http://dynamicarmament.com/items/ar-15~ar-10-rifles/lwrc/lwrc-m6a2-556nato-16-rail-piston-30-round-magazine-lwm6a2r5b16-detail.htm .
A Reliable shotgun, either pump or military-built semi-auto. Recommend the following-
* Poor: http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storeproduct534.aspx ;
* Not Poor: http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storeproduct762.aspx ;
* Well-To-Do: http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storeproduct808.aspx .
Sidearms are as per preference, but shoot for reliable weapons that have common ammo types. Handgun ammo is most common in 9mm and .45, so plan accordingly.
Ammunition (secure 1,000 rounds each unless otherwise noted): 9mm- http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storeproduct800.aspx ;
.45- http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/wolf-45-acp-230-gr-fmj-1000-rds.aspx?a=180451 ;
7.62×39- http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storeproduct823.aspx ;
5.56- http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storeproduct826.aspx ;
12ga (.00 buck defense/combat rounds)- http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/250-rds-12-ga-2-3-4-wolf-00-buckshot-9-pellets.aspx?a=140694 (250 round cases x2 minimum)
Medicines: Operators take note- field medics will still need supplies, so pay close attention to the following. It is important to clarify, by way of disclaimer, that the use of non-prescription medications herein is intended only for use during a catastrophic event where conventional medical supplies are not available, and treatment with these medications is a matter of life and death. I bear no responsibility for anything that happens as a result of someone taking these, as this is listed for emergencies only. Antibiotics- Prescription antibiotics will be extremely rare in the event of a CDE, and veterinary medications- which are available over the counter at feed stores (except in CA) and do not require a prescription- should be stockpiled prior. Veterinary antibiotics are not as refined as human-specific varieties, and will vary in strength to some extent. However, if used appropriately they are relatively effective in treating general infections as well. One of the more common human/veterinary crossover antibiotics is Tetracycline- http://petscriptions.com/medications/antibiotics/tetracycline . The general dosage guidelines for human use are 500mg every eight hours for 7-14 days, depending on the severity of the infection. It should not be taken with aluminum or calcium-based antacids, and should not be taken with food as that reduces the efficacy. Amoxicillin- http://petscriptions.com/medications/antibiotics/amoxicillin is another form of crossover antibiotic that can be purchased that will work as well. Dosage for this is 250mg every eight hours for 10-14 days, depending on the severity of the infection.
Painkillers- While veterinary painkillers will work on humans, the potential for abuse of information and sources by some prevents me from listing specifics here. In addition, unlike veterinary antibiotics, which are more or less rougher versions of human ones, veterinary tranquilizers and painkillers are chemically designed to affect different physiologies than our own, and the risks of illness or fatality are substantially greater even with proper guidelines. The next best step is to stockpile conventional OTC painkillers such as Ibuprofen and Naproxen Sodium. Given in a high enough dose (approximately 1.5-2 times the listed dose) they will be effective for moderate pain, and will help ease severe pain somewhat. It should be noted that hot-dosing in such a manner should only be done for acute pain over short periods of time, no more than a week or two, as prolonged excessive use can have detrimental side effects.
Antiseptics- Most antiseptics such as Hydrogen Peroxide are available over the counter, and have a very long shelf life. It is therefore recommended that the operator stockpile a substantial amount of these antiseptics and keep them stored in a climate controlled space.
Power: Due to the need for electrical power for communications and other equipment, or to run pumps and other key in-house infrastructure, it would be best if the home was converted to an off-grid solar/wind system. However, due to the expense of those systems, and the possibility that the vector of the CDE may prevent sunlight from reaching the ground or destroy external systems, it is important to have a secured generator with proper exhaust venting. http://store.colemans.com/cart/military-generators-c-22.html has several mil-spec generators, many of them diesel. While they are fuel dependent, diesel generators can run on home-made diesel or biodiesel with little conversion effort.
Communication: As with any operation you are familiar with, comms are critical. However, in this case it is less a matter of OpCom and more a matter of information acquisition. Key to both future planning once the initial CDE is over, and the psychological well-being of the survivors, communications equipment should be of a type common enough to access information being broadcast by emergency services and other individuals. HAM and shortwave systems are perfect for this. It is recommended that the operator have a full HAM rig established at static station, but for COMSEC and relocation signal acquisition also have a mobile unit mounted in a truck or similar vehicle prepared. Both systems would use the following base station- http://www.elecraft.com/K3/K3.htm transceiver, with the mobile station additionally using the following components- http://www.elecraft.com/buddipole/buddipole_from_elecraft.htm portable antenna, http://www.elecraft.com/MD2/proset.htm headset, and http://www.solarpowergetics.com/servlet/the-281/solar-panel-100W-24V/Detail for direct power.
Storage: http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/MTM310-1.html , http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/gamma-sealwaterproof-storage-containers.aspx?a=266012 , and http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/plano-sportsmans-box.aspx?a=486648 with gaskets and sealant for caches and for storing notarized copies of key documents (deeds, birth certs, etc.), which will be crucial for establishing identity and ownership during future recovery.
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Caches
Most operators already have at least one cache of one sort or another. However, the focus of this section is to spell out CDE-contingent caches for the attached non-combatant members of the operator’s group, such as family, friends, refugees, etc. Caches should be established in a three-layer concentric circle expanding out within your AO in the four cardinal directions from your secured area. In other words, there should be a set of four caches roughly a mile or two from your home, one relatively north, one relatively south, etc.- taking terrain and geographical obstacles into consideration- and then another set five to ten miles out, etc. Each cache should include a week’s worth of food per person, a weapon and ammunition, extra clothing, a tent and sleeping bag, maps of the area with coded markings for escape routes and other caches, long-term storage water, a water filtration bottle, and notarized copies of all key documentation as above. This should all be placed in a backpack or packs so that it can be dug up, thrown on, and you can get back on the road fast. Best-case scenario would be to get to the cache, extract it, and be on the move again in under an hour, half an hour preferably. Here are recommendations for caches (these also work for Bug Out Bags, or BOBs)-
Food: http://www.mredepot.com/servlet/the-270/MRE-Military-USGI-Meal/Detail three cases per person, two dispersed into the packs, and one dispersed into a disposable duffel or shoulder bag (difficult to carry boxes). I am not a fan of MREs for long-term storage food, but for BOBs and caches they are perfect. 36 meals at 1,000 calories minimum each means 18 days worth of food if rationed at two MREs per day. Rationing down to one per day will sustain you for over a month, but not for heavy activity such as hauling a lot of stuff on the road, thus it is recommended that you plan on two per day.
Weapon: http://eastcoastgunsales.com/product.php?ID=98536 Mossberg JIC, which gives you a 12ga shotgun in a sealed tube along with backup supplies, and an adttional 250 round cases of 12ga ammo sealed in plastic and/or foil, and stored in the JIC tube and the backpack.
Clothing: A spare set of 5.11 TDU pants or similar, four sets of undergarments, including T-shirts, a pair of broken-in boots (old ACU boots or “deployment-worn” footwear that still has viable tread would be a good choice), button-up long sleeve, and jackets according to the worst weather expected.
Tent/Sleeping: A relatively small pop-up tent will work, however, depending on the vector of the CDE and resulting weather patterns, you may need more substantial shelter or secondary tarps and other enhancements. Sleeping bags should be suited for the worst, coldest weather possible.
Water: a MOLLE hydration bladder, empty to prevent pathogens from forming, attached or integral to the backpack, and as many of these- http://www.safetycentral.com/90packetcase.html as can be safely stored in the pack. Also include another case for emergency hydration, and to fill the hydration bladders. In the event that you prefer not to make a Johnny-on-the-spot filter out of charcoal, a rag, and a perforated coke can, I recommend a filtration pump- http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/CAMP175-1.html .
Backpack: As mentioned above, I prefer an all-in-one hydration pack, but if you need more space, duffel bags such as this- http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/BAG186-1.html can be used, but as many of us know from personal experience they are much harder to carry. Smaller bags for children or smaller-framed persons should be chosen based on who you believe may be in your evac group. However, I would recommend not going any smaller than a lvl III assault pack- http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ItemDetail.aspx?sku=PACK-121 and simply pack it lighter. If at all physically able, everyone should be able to carry gear and packs to carry their own supplies. The operator and all other combatants should follow their experience and carry quick-detach packs, while everyone else should be loaded only with what they can carry over a long period of time. Excessive weight will make a much bigger dent in the food and water supplies due to the person(s) being heavily laboured.
Cache Deployment: Everything should be stored in sealed containers wrapped in sealed plastic bags with desiccant packs, and ready for rapid grab-and-go. Even if there are no threats on the road from people, the longer it takes you to get to a shelter or safe area, the worse off you will be. It is very likely that many members of your group will not have the same level of discipline and experience, thus it would be best if the combatants were split into perimeter and processing teams, or the operator focus on extracting the cache while someone who is alert stands watch if no other combatants are present.
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Environmental Considerations
It should be noted that the preparations for a CDE are not based on an event affecting only you AO or general region, or even state. A CDE is an event that is widespread in scope, often displacing millions of people, killing millions more, and- depending on the vector of the disaster- possibly severely impacting physical infrastructure and terrain. Even in a low-impact vector such as a biological agent or pandemic, many critical infrastructure components- power, sewer treatment, water, etc.- will not work or will quickly fail without personnel at the controls. This can have secondary disastrous effects that will severely exacerbate the impact of the initial vector. Toxins and pathogens from sewage treatment plants, chemical plants, and industrial facilities will eventually seep into ground water and rivers, contaminating them beyond potability with even the most advanced filtration systems for weeks or months, unmanned nuclear power plants will run out of diesel for their cooling tank generators, which will then boil off as the spent fuel rods heat up the water, causing a massive radiation contaminant discharge comparable to the fallout of a 20-40 megaton yield warhead (though without the immediate physical or gamma ray damage), and water that has ceased to be treated and stops flowing will become contaminated with pathogens almost immediately.
This will cause a chain reaction of infrastructure failures that will filter out into the environment at large, including radically altering arable land as irrigation systems fail, dams break due to lack of maintenance or factors due to moderate to severe vectors, and contamination of water and soil leading to secondary contamination of flora and fauna, rendering some of them inedible. Thus, it is important to review the potential threats and environmental factors in your AO to determine what additional steps will need to be taken to ensure sustainability and recovery.
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Psychological Factors
While the scope of psychological impact will vary widely based on the vector and nature of the CDE and its immediate aftermath, some key principal elements are important to be aware of. It is an absolute certainty that a majority of the surviving population will endure some level of post-traumatic stress, and long-term coping mechanisms must be ready to be put in-place immediately afterward to mitigate the impact of the events. While most of us have been in hostile and stressful situations, it is incumbent upon us to remember that we will likely have a civilian presence around us, either family members- including children and possibly the elderly- or friends and others we have taken under our protection. These individuals have- barring unusual circumstances or training- lived a relatively sheltered life and will not have been exposed to the chaos and horrors of a world without the conventional controls and laws. Even experienced operators will not be fully prepared for what they will face in the aftermath, as such events have not happened in recent history, and it will be important to accept this inevitable emotional and psychological trauma as a reality that must be dealt with rather than shrugged off or suppressed.
Once security is established, a daily routine should be formed to give a sense of normalcy and order. Chores, regularly scheduled meals, duty schedules, family gatherings, religious services, etc. will all go a long way to help the survivors- including yourself- cope with the events and aftermath. As it is highly unlikely that you will have access to a counselor or mental health professional to discuss what you are going through, it will become important for everyone to be able to support each other. This will, in turn, also help create a sense of stability that can help mitigate the stresses of the CDE. Review your pre-deployment PTSD briefings for the signs and symptoms, and be willing to ask for help, and give it, when needed.
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Threats
Obviously, it is a given that various elements of the immediate surviving population will turn to predation, either out of desperation or due to sociopathic tendencies they possessed that were held in check by the now-absent threat of incarceration. These predatory factions- termed “raiders” or “bandits” in various security threat assessments dealing with the short-to-long term loss of regional control- will likely be well-armed, either from pre-possessed weapons, or those captured from dead or overrun military units and abandoned facilities (National Guard/Reserve armouries, smaller bases and outposts, etc.) Unlike similar groups of insurgents that you may have dealt with in the past, these “raiders” will be comprised of a broad spectrum of society, and will be just as likely to include rogue elements of law enforcement or the military as members of criminal gangs. Depending on the strength of these raiders and your capacities, there are only two options- avoidance and elimination. If the hostiles are stronger, and are merely passing through your AO, mask any presence of your secure area and the presence of survivors. If possible, leave planted evidence that will send them elsewhere, preferably to a region where you know defenses could easily repel or eliminate them. If they remain in your AO, you may need to evacuate under the cover of darkness and secure as many of your supplies as possible. Bury or otherwise hide what you cannot take with you so that the hostiles do not have access to it. If your capacity is of sufficient strength to do so, elimination becomes a viable option.
Natural threats should not be overlooked, either. Environmental conditions may cause predatory wildlife and feral packs of formerly domestic canines to attempt predation on any livestock you may have secured, and possibly even yourself or any children or weakened members of your group. Most of these threats can be mitigated via appropriate fencing and elimination.
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Conclusion
While there is no question that a CDE is the worst-case scenario, it is survivable, and it is important to acquire the resources to ensure survival not only for yourself, but as many others as you can save. However, in the end, we are responsible for our own survival, and cannot rely on anyone or anything else but ourselves and our own preparations.
Tags: dept of homeland security, disastrous events, global power, principal difference, relief efforts, rise to power
