Michael commented on a previous post:
Plan A stay home. Always have a realistic Plan B and maybe a Plan C.
In
general, never be a refugee. You're an unwelcome person looking for
human kindness and generosity to survive a bad situation.
My plan
B is shared by many of my trusted friends as they also have the same
plan B. We pre-positioned supplies in each other's homes, so we'd be
welcomed visitors there.
I've a "Storage Shed" both here and at a
friend that is well insulated, windows and in general easy to make a
sturdy shelter if needed.
Trusted friends and trusted family along with a strong faith in God is better than "money in the Bank" and even gold in hand.
There is very little I can add to this.
How much space?
Mrs ERJ recently shared that there was a homeless family of at least two adults and one baby sleeping in the back of a full-sized pickup with a "topper". No cooking or toileting was done in the truck. That is basically three people per sheet-of-plywood. In Michigan. In November.
The city of Vienna, Austria* requires 9 square-meters (three sheets of plywood floor-area) per adult and 6 square-meters (two sheets of plywood) per child under the age of 7. I believe that includes the space used for toileting and food-prep.
In the winter, shrinking the foot-print per person to extremes (like the truck cap) results in issues with condensation and loss of insulation capability of clothing.
If you round the Vienna number up to 100 square-feet then the standard, US, two-vehicle garage can hold 5.7 adults or 2 adults and 6 kids.
Extreme sanitation must be exercised at toileting and food-prep areas. Bringing new people in can be a train-wreck of ectoparasites like lice, bedbugs, fleas and so on. A supply of "bug-bombs" can be useful in such situations.
* Hat-tip to reader Simon
Get your pyrethrin now!
ReplyDeleteBug net tents would be useful in summer, but in winter cold weather up north ? Better to go with a lean tarp to beside the truck. Small open fire to keep the space warmer. My brother and I shared a pickup cab 'topper' for several days when deer hunting. it as tight but we made do. Foam cushions at least 2" thick help w/ sleeping bags help. Have to keep the windows cracked to avoid condensation build-up..
ReplyDeleteAnother thought: A metal cattle panel is approximately 15' long. Metal 't' posts driven into ground with a 8' diameter in a circular pattern - two panels needed, joined at end. Visqueen vapor barrier plastic sheeting along the perimeter: +/- 25' long x 5' tall. Covered with 12' x 12' tarp. A very basic yurt of about 50 sq. ft. enclosed.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting idea but Visqueen + wind +rough cattle panels = shredded plastic sheeting pretty soon. That and the resulting flat roof and a bit of rain or snow load is a problem.
DeleteNOW make a Hoop House out of that Cattle Panel (like my garden hoop houses) using heavy duty contractor grade sheet plastic and a tarp closing the two ends...
Medical isolation might help you prevent the refugee flu from disabling your whole group. Remember the last time you had a "I wanna die" flu.
ReplyDeleteNow think about your whole group exposed to it.
A medical isolation area secured by cattle panels (multi use items) with a doubled plastic layer framework and blue Styrofoam insulation can create a cleanable-disposable area to keep post disaster visitors in medical isolation for a week.
Seriously folks, a few days after the lights go out a LOT of "Friends" are going to be interested in your safe place.
Not all of them can be "Shot, Shovel and Shut Up" no matter what internet heroes might say.
Your daughter shows up with her best friend and so on.
Also useful for securing that odd Single Mommy with a baby wanderer that shows up and you suspect she might be a gang recon element.