Lessons from tornadoes.

[Hydrostatic]

Hello everyone.
For me, these past couple of weeks have been devoted to helping people recover from the recent tornadic system that ripped through North Mississippi. While my own kith and kin were unaffected by the storm, many people in the area did not share the same luck. After cordnatingwith local volunteer groups, two friends and myself, set out with my truck and all of my disaster preps and got to work.

Untill now, my preps have been centered around dealing with civil distress and disease outbreak. After two weeks of putting my preps through hard use, I have found that I was lacking in many areas. One problem that I ran into, was that I had devoted to much of my resources to self defense. While having an AR15 and enough ammo to hold off a small army, provides myself with a sense of security to no end, it holds little practicality in the situtaions that I am most likely to be in.

One of the things that I found was needed most was extra medical supplies. After two days of clearing debris, I had already burned through my basic FAK. Between dozens of cuts recieved from routine work, and my friend suffering an allergic reaction from a bee sting, the only medical crysis I could take on was premenstraul cramps.

Another thing that I found my preps lacking in was food. While food and shelter was available to us in our work area (courtesy of a local family) , for the sake of putting my preps to a test, I had brought a portion of my stockpiled food along with a camp stove and two 5 gal. water cans. On the second night I had burned all of my stove fuel and my friends had demolished the box of MRE's that I had. There was still plenty of food left, but I had expected the fuel to last longer, and I second handedly witnessed the gastrointestinal distress brought on from cheap MRE's.

One more item that needed addressing was a few of the tools I was using. I found myself wishing for a decent camp axe during many tasks that I worked on, as well as a good multi-tool and a few hundred feet of rope (there are many other things I wished for, but I'll avoid my gear fantasys and be brief) Also, the chainsaw that I was using to clear a road, busted a chain on a hidden nail that had sunk into a tree. Luckily a replacement was quickly given to me, but had I been by myself, I would have been screwed out of a valuable asset.

So! the lessons that I learned personally?
1: Manage your resources wisely.
Yeah its fun to imagine yourself fending off hoards of zombies, but most likely, mother nature is going to be the one screwing with you. That doesn't mean you shouldn't arm yourself to the teeth, but be realistic to some degree and remember to cover all of your aspects. Invest wisely and do not cut corners on important items.

2: You never can have to many meds.
You can get a little to giddy buying trauma kits and go against lesson number one, but it never hurts to have a surplus of bandages and basic meds.

3: PEPTO BISMOL.
In a dire survival situation, the shits can kill you just as surely as a zombie can. So stock up on anti-diarrhetics. Pepto might not be the best choice, it seems like I remember it having detrimental side affects or something. But for my uses, its worth its weight in gold.

4: Spare parts.
Any key peice of machinery that you may rely on, needs to have a few spare parts in case something fouls up. In my case it was the chain to a chainsaw. So now I carry two extras, I also threw a few extra bulbs for my flashlight into my EDC bag for good measure.

5: Test your preps.
The only way to know if your disaster preps will work, is if you test them. Lucky for me, I had a golden opportunity to test mine out, and it didn't involve finding my short comings in a critical moment. Take into account factors like having extra people to take care of and potentialy loosing part of your kit.
(On a side note I just want to say that the Schrade Sharp Finger knife is the best fifteen dollars that I have ever spent. That damn thing preformed some hellish utility tasks that was well out of its price range)

I hope this helped someone in some way. If Ya'll have any suggestions on further bolstering my disaster preps, let me hear them.
Thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings. Now if you'll excuse me, I havea rifle to sell.

[Katica]

the only medical crysis I could take on was premenstraul cramps.

I'm amazed you managed to cram a heating pad and a quart of ice cream into your first aid kit

Seriously though I thought your post was very helpful. It's reiterated to me the importance of having good tools.

One comment I would make though would be about the diarrhea - I think you're supposed to put up with it for a day or so without trying to medicate it away, to give your body a chance to flush out any parasites, bacteria, or toxins that may be making you sick. After that, if the diarrhea persists, then try medicating so you can avoid dehydration. For diarrhea, I'd keep some baby wipes and zinc cream on hand to avoid irritating your butthole (or to soothe one that's already pissed off), and pouches of electrolyte drink mixes. (You can also make your own electrolyte drink with a little bit of salt and sugar). Then after a day or so of the shits, use the medication.

[airballrad]

Good onya for helping those who needed it.

Immodium is a lifesaver when dealing with the runs. You can never have too much roll gauze; works for big wounds and little wounds. Also, see about switching out your current flashlight with an LED model. You'll never need to replace the light bulb, they're far more schock resistant, and your batteries will last longer.

Estwing hatchet is hard to beat for durability and price. Leatherman/SOG/Gerber for the multi-tool. Avoid China-made models. This is less a moral stand than a practical one.

[Blacksmith]

Good write up. I can see you are thinking this thing through based on your experience.

Even good MREs can cause gatro problems to people not used to them. (usually with a solid lock up, which might even be helpful). I avoid them altogether and focus on foods we eat everyday.

[powerstrokin06]

Yeah I agree MRE"s are bad about causing LOCK Up's but I aint never heard of em giving the runs........That being said I live in Philadelphia, MS and we are ground zero for the F5 on April 27th.....I can say I never needed a chainsaw like I could of used one then......I will buy one this summer

[SwampRat]

Doing some major prep advancements next month/ bookmarking for reference, this is gonna be a good thread.

[Acquisitor]

Just got the all-clear after a tornado warning here in Johnson County Kansas (SW corner of Kansas City). This is the first warning we've had since I moved into my house. From this, I've gathered the following:

1. Do not underestimate the time it takes to herd cats (literally).
1a. Have enough carriers for your pets (we do).

2. The basement has too many windows, and the obvious choices (laundry/utility room) have gas lines along the ceiling. Ended up sheltering under the basement stairs.

3. Situational awareness: I started paying attention to the weather about six hours ago when the skies turned dark. After it was over, I was surprised how many people knew nothing about a tornado warning because they were watching satellite tv, netflix, etc., and didn't hear any sirens. (When the warning was announced, I admit, I was watching a channel with a soccer game. I turned to a channel with something quieter and was able to hear the sirens; TV had local authorities beat by about one minute).

[Sylence777]

This actually contains some very useful information I hadn't even bothered to think of.

Thank you for writing it.

[yale]

Hydro,
Thanks for the AAR (After Action Review). It is always important to share lessons learned. Kudos to you and your friends who took time out to help others. It is great to see reports of people thinking and acting for others.
Your post brings up several points I have tried to get across when I was running into "militia" types back in the early 1990s shortly after I got out of the Army. I was looking for preparedness/civil defense type groups but kept running into the weekend Rambo wannabe types.
Like you describe in your post, having an AR and thousands of rounds of ammo is great if you are fighting the undead but what most of us need is real life emergency response skills. I tried to explain to many of the 'militia' types how, in the Army, for every front line foot soldier there are about 10-12 support troops doing the mundane things to keep him in the fight.
I drove M1 Abrams tanks. That's all gungho and cool but without my fuel supply guys I wasn't going anywhere. Without my mechanics I was stuck. My company suppy Sgt was my best friend for bringing me hot food and clean chothes as often as he could. Thanks to the cooks who made that food and they quartermasters who supplied the gear. The medics who treated me after a pipe hit me in the leg while changing track sure would be missed if they weren't there. The guys in finance and all the clerks who kept the paperwork going were important to me doing my job.
So many people think guns and camo but don't think of all of the other stuff. You learned how it works in real life. I tried to tell the 'militia' guys that instead of buying more guns and going on marches in the woods they spend a weekend learning how to maintain and use chainsaws. Like you learned, there are things like a broken chain which you have to prepare for.
Imagine this.... Instad of a purely gun orientated 'militia' group a bunch of guys formed an Engineer type militia. Sure you can still have guns. Keep them in the truck near by. The main responce would be with pickups hauling a Kubota tractor with a front end loader scoop attached, a couple of trailors with chainsaws and other support gear. They get to an area and set up a command post. They make contact with residents and part of the squad begins clearing trees and limbs from streets and yards. A support unit of medic and cooks man the CP. They ensure everyone takes regular breaks and stays hydrated and norished and equipment such as saws and tractors stay maintained. They use their Squad radios (aka FRS/GMRS walkies) to coordinate their work.
Not a glamorous as the Rambo training stuff but let's face it. The engineer type stuff is what gets used more often. Around here, after a hurricane, tree clearing is a major undertaking.
Zombie Squad is a great place for getting people to start thinking beyond the guns and gear angle. I wish more poeple would look to real world responses and gear up for them. Contact AHA or Red Cross and get CPR and First Aid training. If CERT is active in yoru area take their clases. Learn how to help yourself and your neighborhood. The time to do this is before a disaster strikes.
Hydro, keep up the good work. You are an example to all.

[CaraRN]

3. Situational awareness: I started paying attention to the weather about six hours ago when the skies turned dark. After it was over, I was surprised how many people knew nothing about a tornado warning because they were watching satellite tv, netflix, etc., and didn't hear any sirens. (When the warning was announced, I admit, I was watching a channel with a soccer game. I turned to a channel with something quieter and was able to hear the sirens; TV had local authorities beat by about one minute).

When I was visiting MN last summer there were several times when the sirens went off, but usually late at night and were hard to hear. According to the paper, many people complained that the sirens weren't loud enough and stopped too soon. We found out that the sirens were never intended for people to hear indoors (esp with air conditioners and closed windows) and were programmed to stop after a few minutes, even if the threat was still present. They recommended that everyone should have a NOAA all hazards radio. We got on the next day and it woke us up that night for another warning.

[SamuraiBobX26]

We just had our brush with the tornadoes a few weeks ago and it was fun living without power for about 7 days.

I really learned a lot from that experience and it showed me wehre I needed to improve on my preps as well. I am glad to hear that you came out alright and that you had learned from the experience. Too many people don't learn from events like this and are in the same prediciment when it happens again. And if you live in the South or Tornado Alley, severe wheather will happen again.

I hope people in the Souther and Mid-Western Part of the US are getting kits together because its going to be a long season this year with pleanty of tornnadoes.

[Medic73]

Great post and follow up posts. Thanks to the OP for doing what he did and for reporting it back here his results.

I live in the heart of Tornado Alley (Tulsa Oklahoma) and I'm a Storm Chaser for one of our local TV Stations. I've seen the worst damage you can imagine and lots of injured (and dead) people from EF-5 tornados. Whenever I'm chasing, I always carry some basic gear so I can help those in serious immediate need of help or to help me be able to keep moving for my own safety.

I carry a chain saw with a gallon of bar oil, 2 extra new chains, 1 old but sharpened chain, a chain file (and yes, I do know how to use it and do sharpen my chains) and a 2 gallon of treated 2 cycle fuel. I carry a 20 foot tow chain, 20 foot tow/snatch strap, 30 foot heavy tow strap, come-a-long winch, electric winch, hi-lift jack, 2 bottle jacks, 2 fire extinguishers, large tool box, heavy work gloves, boots, hard hat and a large first aid kit.

I make sure that I keep the vehicle fuel tank full and I carry extra fuel in case the power is out at all the gas stations. I carry a case of MREs with the Heaters, so I don't have to use propane to heat my food. I carry 10 gallons of fresh drinking water and an ice chest with ice and chilled water and other drinks. My vehicle (a full sized cargo van) is large enough that I can "camp" inside it, so I have a queen sized air bed that keeps me up off the floor, is comfortable and alloes me to store my equipment and supplies underneath. I carry battery powered LED lanterns so I don't waste the vehicle battery when not running.

I have seen what severe weather can and will do and I'm not afraid to get out there in it to first warn others that it is coming and second, to help provide rescue to those that did get hit by it. I was a US Army Medic and I still work in the medical/surgical field, so I am trained to provide First Aid and other help as needed. I am also a Ham Radio Operator and as a member of ARES/RACES I can communicate with the NWS and other Emergency Management organizations without having to rely on cell phones.

A few years ago, Tulsa and all of eastern Oklahoma, SW Missouri and NW Arkansas got hit with a MASSIVE Ice Storm. Our neighborhood was one of the hardest hit areas in Oklahoma and we lost all but one of our 6 large trees. It took my wife and I over a week of 8 hour days working with 2 chainsaws to just clear the broken trees and branches from on top of our home, our vehicles and to clear the sidewalk from our front door to the street so we could walk out. I KNOW how hard it is to do those things and none of our neighbors offered any help. They would stand in their yards and stare while we worked while they just shook their heads. At least we now know that we can not count on any of them if/when TSHTF, but we do know that we CAN count on each other and our family to do what must be done.

Because of our own experience with the Ice Storm and seeing what REAL storm damage can and will do, I have never been one to not offer help to those that need it. I can only imagine some poor little old lady, living alone and having no family around to help her and her living off of social security, can't afford to hire help. I look for those types of people in need and offer them my help first. I never accept any payment for doing so, it is my Christian duty and my honor to be able to help in this manner.

So thanks again to the OP. You are a person of great caliber.

Medic73

[basm]

Yeah, I see many people prepping by going mall ninja. If that is their bag and what they feel is needed then ok with me, but I think sometimes the thought is not enough towards real practicality in the real world during something like a storm's aftermath.

Thanks for the report. It is good to be reminded.

Any thoughts toward part of your kit that excelled and you were really pleased with?

[Hydrostatic]

Yeah, I see many people prepping by going mall ninja. If that is their bag and what they feel is needed then ok with me, but I think sometimes the thought is not enough towards real practicality in the real world during something like a storm's aftermath.

Thanks for the report. It is good to be reminded.

Any thoughts toward part of your kit that excelled and you were really pleased with?

As I said in my post, the sharp finger knife from Schrade did wonderfully. When I bought it, I was only going to use it as a skinning knife, but it held up to me chopping limbs that were about two inches thick, wedging it into a smashed car door so we could reach the parking brake, and I even cut a section of tin roofing in half with it. It was still sharp enough to shave paper after everything was said and done. Also, a come-along or hand winch is very valuable for moving large items while maintaing mobility. The one I had was some off brand piece, but it worked fine. My clothing also preformed very well. A pair of Dickies dunagrees kept my legs from being ate up with briars and debris, as well as having awesome pockets to suit my needs, they also are cut right do that hang ups are to a minimum. A good pair of work boots are also a very nice thing to have, I had Wolverine steel toe lace ups. My only problem with them was when I'd get them wedged in a crook or something, I don't have that problem with lighter boots.

[oldsoldier]

Up here in MA, we got hit last week with devastating tornadoes. Now, we get maybe 2-3 a year, but, they rarely do any damage, and almost NEVER do any SERIOUS damage. But, in light of what happened last week, I am rethinking my preps strictly because of that. Its just something I never imagined I would need to consider here. Like earthquakes-we simply dont get them. We just bought a condo that doesnt have a basement, and, to be honest, in retrospect, I would prefer one, if for nothing more than a place to shelter from one. Next purchase, I will ensure that though. Scary times...

[taskforce71]

Acquisitor, I was in Kansas too when those tornadoes hit. I learned something: do not be caught in a car with your crazy dad when it happens. My dad is the kind of person who thinks that just because he has an AWD pickup, that it's somehow "invincible" and a tornado won't do much damage! Unfuckingbelieavable. To say I was pissed at him would be a colossal understatement. He FINALLY pulled off the road after the hail brought by the tornadoes cracked the windshield! Sheesh, I mean what does it take to convince him that tornado+truck on highway=TROUBLE? I hope he learned not to do anything crazy like that ever again.