If worse came to worse and the world was in chaos, where would you go?

Many people already have determined where they would go – a bug out location – a spot where they could lay low and live for a while if things got pretty bad. If you haven’t decided where you’d go during an emergency, or you already have an idea, here are a few points to consider.

1. How far away?
How far away is your bug out location going to be from your home? With some disasters it doesn’t need to be very far away. For example, a flood zone might only take up a few miles and you might be able to walk to your bug out location. Other disasters, like an economic disaster or nuclear one, might require you to get a little further away from your home.

2. What kind of shelter?
Once you get to your bug out location, what kind of shelter are you going to live in? Is there a house on the property? Are you going to be staying in a tent? The type of shelter that you have might affect how long you are able to stay in the location. If you have to go to your bug out location in the dead of winter, you might be moving if your only living in a tent.

Many people even considering purchasing land in a more remote location so they don’t have to worry about living on someone else’s property. This would allow you to build a home and place supplies there.

3. Do you have a emergency bag?
We’ve talked previously about what kind of items you’d want in an emergency bug out bag or 72-hour kit. Depending on what are you’re in, your emergency items might differ. For example, if your bug out location is right next to a river, you might want a water filter instead of large water containers.

4. Water
Speaking of water, it’s important to know where you will have access to water during an emergency. If man-made water sources aren’t working, you might need to choose a location that has it’s own natural water source. You might want to choose a location close to a lake, river, stream or natural well. Mind you, if man-made water systems are out of service, a lot of people are going to be looking for water in these locations. You’ll also need to consider how susceptible those sources are to contamination.

5. Nearby food
Depending on how long you plan on staying at your bug out location, food might be a major consideration. Are you going to have enough animal or plant life around you that you can just live off the land? Are you going to be packing in all your food? Is the ground suitable for planting?

6. Popular for other people
If you think you’ve found the perfect place for you, there might be others that think the same. While at times, preparing to defend yourself is necessary, you might have a leg up if you know how to barter and maintain a good relationship with other people who are also bugging out in the same location.

7. How are you going to get there?
Like we mentioned above, this really depends on how far away your location is from your home. If it’s close to your home, you might consider walking or riding a bike. If it’s far away, are you going to be driving? This also has an impact on your ability to prepare with food and water. If you are going to be packing in a lot of water and food, how far you have to travel might be a big decision.

8. How many people are you planning for?
Is it just going to be you? Your spouse? Your children? Friends? Extended family? Many times, people will join with a family friend to buy property and build a home on their bug out location. This is probably one of the first things you’ll need to determine because it has a huge effect on your food storage, water storage and other emergency supplies.

9. Communication
How are you going to get in contact with others? Going to bug out location doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t need to communicate. Are you going to be too far away that you don’t get cell phone coverage? Are you going to get radio and/or TV coverage? Staying in contact with people will help you know what is going on and help you stay prepared.

10. Medical Care
Are you going to have the right supplies at your bug out location? While you might have enough food and water, what if you have a large cut and can’t heal yourself? You might consider a bug out location that is close enough to civilization that you can go to a hospital or find the right drugs that you need but is also far enough away that you can escape if you need to.

What else?
What do you think? What other considerations did you take into account when you were determining your bug out location? Please comment below and let us know. Share your knowledge!

Part of being prepared is being able to repurpose and re-use items. That’s why vinegar is such a great thing!

You can use vinegar for cleaning, emergency situations, food storage and more! Take a look at 20 uses below. You can also comment below to tell us what you have used vinegar for.

1. Clear dirt off PCs and electronics
Your computer, printer, fax machine, and other home office gear will work better if you keep them clean and dust-free. Turn off your machine and wash with a mix of equal parts white vinegar and water. Wash with a cloth, not a spray bottle. You can use cotton swabs for tight spaces.

2. Get rid of smoke odor
If you’ve recently burned a steak or can’t get rid of that cigarette smell, remove the lingering smoky odor by placing a shallow bowl about three-quarters full of white or cider vinegar in the room where the scent is strongest. To get the smell out of the air, moisten a cloth and wave it in the air.

3. Wipe away mildew
Use undiluted vinegar to wipe away heavy mildew stains. Mix it with water to clean light mildew stains. You can even use a vinegar mist in a spray bottle to prevent mildew stains from forming in rugs and carpets.

4. Clean chrome and stainless steel
To clean chrome and stainless steel fixtures around your home, apply a light misting of undiluted white vinegar from a recycled spray bottle. Buff with a soft cloth to bring out the brightness.

5. Unglue stickers, decals, and price tags
Don’t you hate when you peel a sticker off of your new furniture or product and it’s still sticky from the glue? Worry no more! Use full-strength white vinegar and gently scrape it off the product. Use an expired credit card to scrape. You can also uses this solution to get glue off of glass, plastic and walls.

6. Brighten up brickwork
Have dingy bricks around your fireplace? Use 1 cup of white vinegar mixed with 1 gallon of warm water to scrub the area. Your bricks will be looking shiny and nice!

7. Revitalize wood paneling
You can also use vinegar to shine up your dull wood paneling. Mix 1 pint warm water with 4 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Let the mixture soak for a few minutes and then polish.

8. Remove carpet stains
You can lift out many stains from your carpet with vinegar:

• For light stains, mix 2 tablespoons salt with ½ cup white vinegar. Rub into the stain, let try and vacuum.
• For tough, ground-in dirt and other stains, make a paste of 1 tablespoon vinegar with 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and rub it into the stain using a dry cloth. Let it set for two days, then vacuum.

9. Keep car windows frost-free
Vinegar is a great way to keep frost from forming on your car windows. Spray the outside of your windows with a mixture of 3 parts white vinegar to 1 part water.

10. Refresh your refrigerator
Have you ever smelled a refrigerator that hasn’t been used for a long time? It’s gross! You can freshen up your fridge with a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water. You can use the solution to wash the interior and exterior of the fridge.

11. Steam-clean your microwave
Fill a bowl with 1 cup water and ¼ cup vinegar. Set the bowl in the microwave and cook on high for 5 minutes. Once the bowl cools down, use the solution to wipe off the walls of the microwave.

12. Disinfect cutting boards
Use full-strength white vinegar to clean wood cutting boards or butcher block countertops. This is a great alternative to dishwasher detergent because it can weaken surfaces and wood fiber. It disinfects against E.coli, salmonellsa and staphylococcus.

13. Clean china, crystal, and glassware
Have soap spots and dingy spots on your dishes after you put them in the dishwasher? Simply add a few ounces of vinegar to your dishwasher. It will prevent those hard-water stains from showing up.

14. Trap fruit flies
Did you bring home fruit flies from the market? You can make traps for them that can be used anywhere around your house by filling an old jar about halfway with apple cider vinegar. Punch a few holes in the lid, screw it back on, and you’re good to go.

15. Tenderize and purify meats and seafood
Soaking a lean or inexpensive cut of red meat in a couple of cups of vinegar breaks down tough fibers to make it more tender. You can also use vinegar to tenderize seafood steaks. Let the meat or fish soak in full-strength vinegar overnight.

16. Control your dandruff
Can’t wear those black shirts because your dandruff will show? Vinegar to the rescue! After shampooing, rinse your hair with a mixture  of 2 cups apple cider vinegar and 2 cups cold water.

17. Ease sunburn and itching
Gently rub a sunburn or rash with cotton balls or a soft cloth soaked with white or cider vinegar. Try to apply this before the sunburn begins to sting. You can use this to help treat insect bites or rashes from poison ivy or poison oak.

18. Clean your eyeglasses
When it’s more difficult to see with your glasses on than it is with them off, it’s a clear indication that they’re in need of a good cleaning. Applying a few drops of white vinegar to your glass lenses and wiping them with a soft cloth will easily remove dirt, sweat, and fingerprints, and leave them spotless. Don’t use vinegar on plastic lenses, however

19. Stop reds from running
Unless you have a fondness for pink-tinted clothing, take one simple precaution to prevent red washable clothes from ruining your wash loads. Soak your new clothes in a few cups of undiluted white vinegar for 10-15 minutes before their first washing. You’ll never have to worry about running colors again! This also works with other bright colors that you worry might run.

20. Speed germination of flower seed
You can get woody seeds, such as moonflower, passionflower, morning glory, and gourds, off to a healthier start by lightly rubbing them between a couple of sheets of fine sandpaper-and soaking them overnight in a solution of 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar and 1 pint warm water. Next morning, remove the seeds from the solution, rinse them off, and plant them.

(Hat tip  to Reader’s Digest for help with this article)

Your solutions!
What have you used vinegar for? Comment below and share your knowledge!

Part of being prepared is being resourceful and using items for more than one purpose. It’s important to be able to know how to use items like Baking Soda again and again to help you in different regards.

Baking soda is a great tool in your multi-use arsenal! You can use it for cleaning, cooking, refreshing, maintaining and more! Here are a few ideas!

1. Make toothpaste
You can combine baking soda with 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution to create a non-fluoride toothpaste.

2. Facial scrub
Instead of going to an expensive spa, make your own facial scrub! Make a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Rub in a gentle circular motion to exfoliate the skin. Rinse clean. This is gentle enough for daily use.

3. Deodorant
Pat baking soda under your arms to neutralize body odor. It’s a great alternative to harsher deodorants.

4. Use as an Antacid
Baking soda is a safe and effective antacid to relieve heartburn, sour stomach and/or acid indigestion. Refer to baking soda package for instructions.

5. Treat Insect Bites & Itchy Skin
For insect bites, make a paste out of baking soda and water, and apply as a salve onto affected skin. To ease the itch, shake some baking soda into your hand and rub it into damp skin after bath or shower.

6. Make a Bath Soak
Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to your bath to neutralize acids on the skin and help wash away oil and perspiration, it also makes your skin feel very soft. Epsom salts are pretty miraculous for the bath too.

7. Soothe Your Feet
Dissolve 3 tablespoons of baking soda in a tub of warm water and soak feet. Gently scrub.

8. Make a Hand Cleanser and Softener
Skip harsh soaps and gently scrub away ground-in dirt and neutralize odors on hands with a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water, or 3 parts baking soda to gentle liquid hand soap. Then rinse clean.

9. Freshen Sponges
Soak stale-smelling sponges in a strong baking soda solution to get rid of the mess (4 tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in 1 quart of warm water).

10. Polish Silver Flatware
Use a baking soda paste made with 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Rub onto the silver with a clean cloth or sponge. Rinse thoroughly and dry for shining sterling and silver-plated serving pieces.

11. Clean Shower Curtains
Clean and deodorize your vinyl shower curtain by sprinkling baking soda directly on a clean damp sponge or brush. Scrub the shower curtain and rinse clean. Hang it up to dry.

12. Boost Your Liquid Laundry Detergent
Give your laundry a boost by adding 1/2 cup of baking soda to your laundry to make liquid detergent work harder. A better balance of pH in the wash gets clothes cleaner, fresher and brighter.

13. Gently Clean Baby Clothes
Baby skin requires the most gentle of cleansers, which are increasingly available, but odor and stain fighters are often harsh. For tough stains add 1/2 cup of baking soda to your liquid laundry detergent, or a 1/2 cup in the rinse cycle for deodorization.

14. Remove Oil and Grease Stains
Use baking soda to clean up light-duty oil and grease spills on your garage floor or in your driveway. Sprinkle baking soda on the spot and scrub with a wet brush.

15. Clean Batteries
Baking soda can be used to neutralize battery acid corrosion on cars, mowers, etc. because its a mild alkali. Be sure to disconnect the battery terminals before cleaning. Make a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water, apply with a damp cloth to scrub corrosion from the battery terminal. After cleaning and re-connecting the terminals, wipe them with petroleum jelly to prevent future corrosion. Please be careful when working around a battery–they contain a strong acid.

16. Deodorize Your Refrigerator
Place an open box in the back of the fridge to neutralize odors.

17. Deodorize the Cutting Board
Sprinkle the cutting board with baking soda, scrub, rinse.

18. Remove Odor From Carpets
Liberally sprinkle baking soda on the carpet. Let set overnight, or as long as possible (the longer it sets the better it works). Sweep up the larger amounts of baking soda, and vacuum up the rest. (Note that your vacuum cleaner bag will get full and heavy.)

19. Remove Odor From Vacuum Cleaners
By using the method above for carpets, you will also deodorize your vacuum cleaner.

20. Camping Cure-all
Baking soda is a must-have for your next camping trip. It’s a dish washer, pot scrubber, hand cleanser, deodorant, toothpaste, fire extinguisher and many other uses.

21. Extinguish Fires
Baking soda can help in the initial handling of minor grease or electrical kitchen fires, because when baking soda is heated, it gives off carbon dioxide, which helps to smother the flames. For small cooking fires (frying pans, broilers, ovens, grills), turn off the gas or electricity if you can safely do so. Stand back and throw handfuls of baking soda at the base of the flame to help put out the fire–and call the Fire Department just to be safe.

22. Septic Care
Regular use of baking soda in your drains can help keep your septic system flowing freely. One cup of baking soda per week will help maintain a favorable pH in your septic tank.

23.  Fruit and Vegetable Scrub
Baking soda is the food safe way to clean dirt and residue off fresh fruit and vegetables. Just sprinkle a little on a clean damp sponge, scrub and rinse.

24. Clean the Microwave
Baking soda on a clean damp sponge cleans gently inside and outside the microwave and never leaves a harsh chemical smell. Rinse well with water.

25.  Relieve Diaper Rash
Put two tablespoons in your baby’s bathwater to help relieve diaper rash.

26. Fresh Flowers
Keep cut flowers fresh longer by adding a teaspoon to the water in the vase.

27. Repel Rain
Wipe your windshield with it to repel rain.

28. Music Fruit Relief
Soak dried beans to a baking soda solution to make them more digestible.

29. Spot-Treat Acne
You can make a paste with baking soda and water. Apply the paste to surface zits. It probably won’t work as well for deep blemishes.

30.  Obviously, Cooking
Use it as a substitute for baking powder by mixing with it with cream of tartar or vinegar.

Thanks to care2.com for contributing to this article.

What ideas do you have? Comment below to tell us what you’ve used baking soda for!

Imagine if the economy collapsed, there would be a number of items that would become very popular very quickly. For me, they would be shoes.

I have always worn through shoes fast. When I was a kid my mother would get very frustrated when she had to buy shoes twice as often as the other moms.

When I thought about it, shoes would be a very high commodity in an emergency situation. They would be pretty hard to come by and would be something that you’d need to get around. And even if you weren’t in an emergency situation, you could save yourself some money by making custom shoes for you and your family. So, without further adieu, here are some instructions on how to make your own shoes.

- Stay warm and have shelter in case of an emergency -

Make your own Ballroom Shoes
An emergency is no excuse to not put your best foot forward. You can create a nice pair of nice looking shoes for less than $50 in under 20 hours.

These instructions will help you to create casts of your feet, patterns for cutting, creating soles and more. Click here to learn how to create your shoes. The materials required are on the side.

Thanks to William Botini for the instructions.

Duct Tape Shoes
You could even make shoes out of duct tape! In an episode of Myth Busters, hosts Jaime and Adam are marooned on an island with nothing but a pallet of duct tape. They make a lot of things, anywhere from water bags to shoes.

Tire Sandals
Have you ever wondered why tires come with a 20,000 mile guarantee but shoes only last for a year or so? Well, worry no longer!

You can create sandals that are rugged and durable with your old tires. Just use the cutout image on a tire and use nylon straps to bind them together. Click on the images to the side to get a more detailed look at the cut out.

Hat tip to Hollowtop.com.

So what ideas do you have? Comment below and share your ideas!
We would love to know what ideas you’ve come up with. Send in your ideas by commenting below and maybe we’ll feature your content on our next blog post!

In the film “Cast Away,” Tom Hanks’ character is stranded on an island after his airplane crashes. On top of all the problems he has – learning to make a fire, finding food, water, shelter – he has  a toothache!

This scared me half-to-death when I saw the film. I wondered, in an emergency, would I be able to take care of a simple toothache?

With the help of the Special Operations Forces Medical Handbook, we have highlighted some things that you can do to treat cavities, fractures, extracted teeth and more, in an emergency. These techniques should only be used in an emergency and are not a replacement for a qualified dental professional.

The handbook recommends that you have cotton balls, anesthetic, an explorer, a spoon excavator and a mixing tools. You will need some of these in order to take care of the problems we have listed below.

Anatomy of a tooth
The first thing you’ll need to know about emergency dentistry is the anatomy of a tooth.

A tooth has two major parts – the crown and roots. The crown is the (hopefully) white part that is visible. The roots are embedded in your gums.

The crown has five surfaces: the occlusal (biting) surface, the lingual (tongue side) surface, the facial (cheek side) surface and two contact surfaces that touch the adjacent teeth.

Cavities
Symptoms. If you have a cavity, you’ll feel dull pain in the area. Heat, cold, sweet, or salty foods may enhance the pain. You’ll want to determine on which surface the cavity is located.

Treatment. Cavities can be very tricky to treat because of anesthesia.

The first thing you’ll do is apply an anesthetic agent. Be sure that you are trained on where the injection should be placed – which is near the top of the tooth’s root – in a mucobuccal fold. Do not inject into a blood vessel.

The Medical Handbook recommends the following anesthesia:

• 2% lidocaine with 1/100,000 epinephrine (Xylocaine)
• 0.5% bupivacaine with 1/200,000 epinephrine (Marcaine)
• 3% mepivacaine without epinephrine (Polocaine or Carbocaine)

After the anesthesia has been injected properly, begin to remove the soft decayed area with a spoon-shaped instrument. If they are properly anesthetized, they shouldn’t feel any pain.

After you remove the decayed content, wash out the cavity with warm water. Combine zinc oxide (IRM) powder with two or three drops of water – mix until it’s a putty texture. Then place the putty in the hole. If the cavity was on the occlusal surface, have the patient bite a few times to form the putty.

If IRM is not available, you can fill the hole with a cotton pellet impregnated with eugenol.

This is a temporary procedure. Only a dentist can provide definitive care.

Crown fractures
Your front teeth are more susceptible to fractures than your back teeth. A crown fracture will be a break in your tooth.

Symptoms. Usually someone with a crown fracture will have sensitivity to heat and cold. They might find tooth fragments in their mouth or feel jagged tooth edges.

Treatment. If the fracture is small, you can smooth the rough edges with an emery board or small flat file.

If the fracture is extensive wash the tooth with warm saline. Then, isolate the tooth with cotton gauze. After you’ve isolated the area, cover the fracture with Zinc Oxide-Eugenol paste (IRM). This will hold for about 6 weeks.

Dislocated tooth
Symptoms. You’ll probably notice that your tooth has moved or is wiggling.

Treatment. You can place local anesthetic on the tooth to relieve pain. After you’ve applied the anesthetic, manually reposition the tooth to its normal position. You can then use wire or heavy fishing line to bind the tooth the the teeth next to it. Splint the tooth in place.

Tooth out of its socket
Symptoms. You may have your tooth in your hand.

Treatment. If the tooth has been saved, do not let it dry out. Do not try and scrape anything off the tooth. Instead, place the tooth in a clean liquid like saline or milk.

Next, administer some local anesthetic to the socket. If there are blood clots in the socket, clean it out with saline solution. Replace the tooth in the socket. Then splint the tooth to the surrounding teeth with wire or heavy fishing line. Be sure to administer some type of pain reliever after replacing the tooth.

Tooth extraction
If you end up having to extract a tooth, after the extraction, compress the sides of the empty socket and place a folded sponge over the socket. Apply light pressure for 60 minutes. Do not rinse your mouth for 12 hours since this may disturb the clot.

Earthquakes have the ability to knock out electricity, water, and other utilities. So, what would you do if you had to use the bathroom after the earthquake had knocked out your plumbing?

History
The United States has one of the most expansive and efficient plumbing networks in the world. Since the idea of indoor plumbing started in the mid-1800s, Americans have laid down millions of miles of plumbing, allowing people to conduct their business, flush it and forget it!

Indoor plumbing was actually accelerated because of the discovery of viruses and microorganisms. Previously, people hadn’t worried about where they dropped their waste and many times it got back into the water supply causing extreme sickness.

What you’ll need
You can make your own potty disposal kit with a few simple things:

1. Portable Potty Chemicals
2. Portable Potty Lid
3. 6-gallon Bucket
4. Portable Potty Bags
5. Toilet Paper
6. Hand Sanitizer
7. Latex gloves
8. Ventilation Mask (Optional)

You can easily store all these items inside your bucket until you need to use it.

When setting up your potty, make sure that you lay the bag over the rim of the bucket and then place the lid on top. This will allow you to go without having to hold the bag up.

The Ready Store also offers some ready-made kits that you can purchase to save you from having to buy all these products separately. We also have some other types of toilets that you can choose from including a tri-fold collapsible toilet and a flushable toilet.

Disposing of the waste
If a disaster knocks out your plumbing for an extended amount of time, you may need to worry about where to dispose of your waste. If you think that your garbage won’t be emptied for a few days or weeks, you may want to consider burying the waste. However, that decision is up to you! The best way to bury the waste is to create a cathole.

Location. You’ll want to choose a place that is at least 200 feet away from water and places where people might be on a regular basis. Try to find a place with rich, organic soil. A forested area usually works well too. Try to choose a place that has maximum sunlight. South-facing slopes and ridge tops will have more exposure to sun and heat than other areas.

You’ll also want to choose a place that is slightly elevated so that runoff during a storm won’t just wash it into the local water supply.

Digging. Use a small garden trowel to dig a hole that is 6-8 inches deep and 4-6 inches in diameter.

Bury. You’ll want to bury your waste in the hole. Make sure that the waste is covered with the original dirt and disguised with native materials.

Latrine: Extended waste
Although catholes are recommended for most situations, you may want to create a latrine if you have young children or will need a method for more than a few days.

Location. When choosing a site for a latrine, you’ll want to use the same criteria as a cathole. Since there will be more waste in this location, you’ll want to make sure that you choose your location wisely.

Digging. Start by digging a pit that is at least 4 feet deep and 3 ½ feet wide

Bury. You can use the same criteria for burying your waste in a latrine. However, since the larger amount of waste will decompose more slowly, it’s recommended that you throw a handful of dirt in each time you use the latrine to help the process.

Housing. If you feel like you need to build some shelter around the latrine, you can add some walls and a roof to the latrine. Here are some instructions on how to build an outhouse.

Other things to consider
Toilet paper. If you have to use paper, try and use plain, unbleached, non-perfumed types.

Camping and Peeing. We found this helpful video for you that demonstrates how to create a cathole. He also addresses the issue of peeing and how that factors into waste disposal. This is a great lesson for campers to learn.

Most people know that there are microscopic organisms in backcountry water that can make you sick. But how prevalent are these organisms?

Many people have tolerances to certain types of organisms in water and thus think that they don’t need to treat any of their water! However, there are many protozoa, bacteria and viruses that can cause severe illness.

Here are a few of the most common and threatening organisms, advised by Ray Brooks.

Protozoa
Protozoa are the most common disease causing organisms in backcountry water. They are also the largest and easiest to remove with microfiltration. However, they are the hardest to kill with chemicals.

Cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidium is a type of protozoa that is found in 97 percent of the rivers and lakes found the in the United States. In 1991, two studies found cryptosporidium present in 65 – 87 percent of U.S. surface water samples.

Giardia. Giardia is just as common as cryptosporidium in backcountry water. It’s estimated that 2- 5 percent of people have giardia at a given time in the U.S. In fact, from 1979 – 1988, an estimated 4,600 people were hospitalized per year as a result of giardia. The CDC reports during 1991 – 2000 show that giardia was a cause of 16.2 percent of reported infectious outbreaks spread through drinking water.

If you become infected with giardia or cryptosporidium symptoms can be very intense. They include watery diarrhea, abdominal cramping, weight loss, fever and vomiting.

The hard part about identifying protozoan infections is that they typically have a long incubation period. It typically takes 5 – 28 days before symptoms appear. Until 2005, people had to let these infections run its course. However, now a drug called Alinia can help.

You can also treat water with Katadyn or MSR microfilters to remove protozoa. Chlorine dioxide is also helpful in killing cryptosporidium.

Bacteria
Bacteria that is found in backcountry water that affects humans, is the same type of bacteria that is found in improperly processed meat. The method of transmission is the same – through traces of feces contamination.

Campylobacter jejuni. This is one one of the most common bacteria in backcountry water. C. jejuni can survive in high-altitudes. It can also survive in surface water for months at a time. C. jejuni can be carried by poultry, horses, cows, waterfowl, rodents, deer, elk and bears.

C. jejuni affects an estimated 1 million people every year. Symptoms include diarrhea, cramping, abdominal pain and fever. Symptoms usually arrive within 2 – 5 days of ingestion. Illness usually lasts a week.

E. coli. E. coli actually consists of four classes. These four classes cause gastroenteritis in humans. Symptoms include watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, low-grade fever, nausea and malaise. E. coli is usually found in the intestines.

Salmonella typhi. People affected by salmonella typhi know it by its common name – Typhoid Fever. There are about 400 cases reported in the U.S. each year and the majority of these cases originated from international travel. Typhoid fever can be life-threatening and it’s recommended that you get an immunization shot or booster before traveling internationally.

Cholera. Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The infection causes severe vomiting, leg cramping, water diarrhea and a rapid loss of body fluids. Without treatment, cholera can cause death within hours.

Bacteria can be removed from water through Katadyn, MSR filters and purification tablets.

Viruses
Viruses in water have only one source – human feces from infected carriers. The majority of outbreaks occur due to cross contamination. Outbreaks have also occurred from well or river water contaminated with raw sewage.

Enteric adenovirus & astroviruses. Enteric adenovirus is the most common virus found in water. It can cause respiratory problems but can also cause illnesses such as gastroenteritis, conjunctivitis, cystitis and rash illness. Enteric adenovirus causes 5 – 20 percent of the gastroenteritis in young children.

Norovirus and the calcivirus group. Noroviruses symptoms include headaches, fever, vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms usually appear within 48 hours. Norovirus can survive in up to 10 ppm chlorine – well above the levels used in public water systems. You can, however, treat norovirus with chlorine dioxide at 1 ppm in 30 minutes.

Rotavirus. One of the hard things about rotavirus is that it has an incubation period of 2 days. Symptoms include vomiting and watery diarrhea for 3 – 8 days. They are usually accompanied by fever and abdominal pain. Children are particularly affected by rotavirus and account for the hospitalization of 55,000 children in the U.S. each year.

Hepatitis A. Hepatitis A can be very prevalent in water outside the U.S.. However, it can be present in backcountry water in our borders. Hepatitis A affects liver functions and can cause long-term problems. It’s recommended that you get an immunizations shot for international travel.

Enteroviruses. This family of viruses includes 62 separate viruses that can infect humans. Most of the viruses cause cold- or flu-like symptoms. However, some of them can cause Polio, aseptic meningitis and more.

To combat viruses in water, you should first use a microfilter, then treat the water for 15 minutes with chlorine dioxide.

Other concerns
Blue-green algae. Also known as Cyanobacteria, this algae can affect water’s color and smell. You should try and avoid cyanobacteria water, however, if you’re forced to use that water, try and filter water where the algae doesn’t seem to be as thick. Be sure to run the water through activated charcoal. Microfilters will remove the majority of the toxins.

Contaminated water. You’ve probably seen pools that have a skull-and-cross-bones sign in front of them. These pools are usually contaminated with metal deposits or chemicals. While activated charcoal will remove many organic chemicals, it probably won’t remove metals, salts, or carbonates.

I remember many times going camping and the only way to get clean was to rinse off in a nearby lake or river. Now, in Utah, the snow melting off the mountains in the summer time can cause some pretty cold streams. I didn’t much enjoy that!

Now, when I go camping, no more of that cold bathing! Now, we have the Solar Heating Shower!

This cool shower is self-heating and has a polyethylene exterior. This 5 gallon bladder absorbs the heat of the sun and can get up to 100 degrees! And the cool part is that it heat the water in as little as 2 ½ hours!

That means that you can fill up the bladder, go hiking or any adventure you please, then come back to a warm shower at the end of the day!

The new shower also has a ergonomic handle in order to allow for easy transportation.

You can hang the shower up with the S hook attachment on the end of the bladder. Once it’s hung up, you can use the on/off spigot to turn the shower on and off. According to our testing, the shower will provide a consistent stream for 4-5 minutes.

Our team made a video to show the shower in action. At first we just had someone holding it but realized that 40 lbs of water wasn’t as easy to hold as we had originally thought! However, we rigged up a system and have the demonstration video below! Enjoy!

During periods of emergency or disaster, sanitation levels can deteriorate rapidly and disease can spread and even cause death in a matter of days. Maintaining good hygiene will prevent disease and illness from spreading. You will need a sanitary way to use the restroom, a way to keep your living environment clean, and a way to keep your hands, mouth, and body clean.

Some Hygiene or Sanitation items you should keep in an ‘easy to access’ place in case you find yourself in an emergency situation could include:

1. Waterless Hand Sanitizer
2. Antibiotic ointment
3. Antiseptic cleansing wipes
4. Bar of Soap
5. Tissue Packs
6. Toilet Paper Rolls
7. Latex-Free Gloves
8. Particle Respirator / Dust Mask
9. Toothbrushes
10. CombRazor

Some other less essential, but ideal items could include:

1. Clean Change of Clothes
2. Toothbrushes
3. Comb
4. Razor
5. Port-a-Potty Lid
6. Port-a-Potty Bags
7. Port-a-Potty Chemicals

Also remember to keep a clean, sanitary source of water at all times. You can store it by using any type of water preserver, or you can keep a water filter near by.

Avoid illness during a disaster with good hygiene. When there’s no plumbing available, a portable sanitation hygiene kit will come in very handy. It comes with all of the items you’ll need to take care of the sanitation needs for up to 5 people in one place.

• Includes personal care, sanitation, & hygiene.
• Bucket double as container and Port-a-Potty.
• Trusted quality from The Ready store.

Never underestimate how important good sanitation is during an emergency.  Most people take this for granted, but believe us, you it will be one of the first things you will miss like crazy during an emergency.  Don’t put your family at a huge health risk and forget to be prepared with a good sanitation kit.

Behind Water, and Food, this is probably next in line in your list of things to be prepared for.  You don’t want to have to find a public restroom that may or may not work.  Make sure if you haven’t already that you are ready for any sanitation need you may have.

In addition to good sanitation, you also should store enough water to help keep your body clean.  Make sure you have everything you need to keep your body is clean and healthy.  This includes tooth paste, deodorant, and other toiletries to help you not only physically, but psychologically.

Your health can be maintained during an emergency if you are properly equipped to take care of your families sanitation and hygiene supplies.