Survival plan to face 2012 disaster

Pyramids -> Cosmic Ray Shelters?

2008-06-22T05:09:00.000-07:00

I was reading a paperback from the early 80's entitled "The Nuclear Survival Handbook: Living through and after a nuclear attack", by Barry Popkess. I was looking for some tips that might be useful in the event of any non-nuclear global cataclysms (for example a pole shift), and I can thoroughly recommend reading the chapters on disease and vermin, and the grim picture he paints. But it was the chapter on shelters that sent a chill down my spine. From my point of view, his detailed descriptions of how to build a nuclear radiation shelter parallel many facets of pyramids. If I am correct about the major role of cosmic rays in global cataclysms that occured in our distant past, and the ancients believed the same, then perhaps the true purpose of pyramids can finally be understood.

I'll dispense with paragraphs of introductions, background information and side-trips, and just present the evidence as I see it. Below are excerpts from the book of Mr. Popkess, and how I feel they tie in with corresponding Great Pyramid information.

(Other pyramids require less investiagtion - they were basically a case of "the more thick stuff that is above me, the less I'll get zapped by cosmic rays" - and not designed for anything more than a specific temporary shelter)

This is just a small portion of my online book, Survive 2012 - a look into possible ways our world might end, and how to survive. Available in bookstores sometime before 2012, fingers-crossed...

[ Note: Obviously Mr Popkess is not describing pyramids, but rather shelters that you or I could feasibly build. He is also not just concerned with nuclear blast, but with fallout, biowarfare and disease as well. Based on the following evidence, pyramids could therefore be shelters against any of these things, not just cosmic rays. ]

Affordability

(p67) Few persons are able to afford all the requirements of an effective modern shelter.

Kings, pharoahs, religious and political leaders had the ability and influence to convince those under them to construct pyramids. Powerful people are prone to using their power for personal gain.

Exclusivity

(p69) A drawback to the use of public shelters arises from the speed with which modern weapons may be delivered. The shorter the warning of their approach the wider the entrances to the shelter need to be. And the door is likely to be the weakest point in any shelter, because it should be capable of being opened by those inside.

He is referring to the failure of Governments to provide public shelters, and possible reasons why. In ancient times the problems were the same. It was logistically impossible to provide shelter for everyone, and impractical if the threat could arrive suddenly. Those that govern will select themselves as being more worthy of having shelter - something that the US & Russian governments (amongst others) agree with.

General Design

(p68-9) Is the building, or part of it, suitable in its design and materials?
1 Resistance to blast. Steel-framed buildings and those of reinforced concrete are least likely to collapse. Mortar between bricks of old buildings may have lost its strength;
2 floors strong enough to support sandbags and falling debris;
3 an interior room;
4 a cellar or basement;
5 incorporating heat- or fire-resistant materials;
6 stairs. Interior stairs are protected from various poisons and radiation, exterior ones from fire. In tall buildings there should be both, for lifts may not be working;
7 cubic volume of building or part of it which may be sealed against entry of fallout particles, chemicals or biological agents (For practical purposes, one tenth of the cubic area contains the oxygen reserve.);
8 roof. Its slope should allow wind and rain to readily remove fallout

The Great Pyramid of Giza has resistance to blast - it is probably the most solid building on Earth. It contains interior rooms, a basement, is heat resistant, was sealed and the roof is on a bit of a slope.

Entrance

(97) This should be through a tunnel having the following features:
at least one right angled bend
a step or ramp at its outer end to prevent entry of rainwater or fallout
a decontamination section in which clothing may be changed, and monitoring and cleaning equipment be kept
an outer end facing away from the prevailing wind
at least one efficiently sealing door with which air supply and contaminants may be controlled
The main door should be of steel plate at least half an inch thick...Though its blast resistance would be greater if it opened outwards, unless the shelter also has an emergency exit it may be better for the main door to open inwards so that marauders cannot jam it shut.

The entrance tunnel has a bend, but not at right angles. The main chambers are above the entrance, so that solves the rainwater issue. The decontamination section and prevailing wind are nuclear fallout specific, and probaly not a consideration in the contruction of the pyramid. The entrance face the prevailing north wind. The doors and plugs would have been effective seals.

The exterior entrance to the pyramid supposedly had a swivel door that opened inwards. According to Ian Lawton:

Is there physical evidence for a hinged-block system? The casing stones around the original entrance have now been stripped, as have many of the core blocks behind them, so it is impossible to judge. However the huge double gables over the “inner” entrance, albeit that they were built for support rather than decoration, somehow do not appear to us consistent with the idea of a small hinged door. Meanwhile Egyptologists such as Petrie and more recently Lepre have conducted detailed analysis’ of the way the “doors” might have worked, based primarily on the fact that the Bent Pyramid’s western entrance apparently shows signs of just such a system. The blocks on either side of the entrance are reported to contain distinct sockets in which the hinges would have swivelled, while the floor—although now filled in—originally contained a deep recess which would have been necessary for the block to swivel inwards; (this is Lepre’s reappraisal of Petrie’s theory, which suggested, apparently incorrectly and based on Strabo’s original description, that it would have swivelled outwards). Lepre also suggests that the Meidum Pyramid contains similar sockets.

Volume needed for air etc

(p90-4) Here we shall consider a group consisting of two children, their mother and father, and two additional men included as protection from looters.
The group themselves
Four adults averaging 11 stone each, and two children who average 51/2 stone each will occupy about 20 cubic feet
Their food
One man will need about 4000 calories per day while he works a manual air pump and cycle-generator and engages in other hard work. If he shares the task with others they will share the extra food allowance which therefore remains the same. The foods which this ration might include, listed below, are neither the most or least suitable for the purpose but selected at random from stocks which most supermarkets hold.:
425g tin creamed soup, 340 calories, 31.5 cu in
198g tin ham, 578 cals, 15.9 cu in
397g tin tomatoes, 79 cals, 29.7 cu in
425g tin kidney beans, 382 cals, 31.8 cu in
822g tin apricots, 715 cals, 58 cu in
200g pkt biscuits, 665 cals, 29 cu in
325g cheddar cheese, 1300 cals, 19 cu in
Total: 4059 calories, 215 cu in
Each additional and presumed 'resting' man will need about 1600 calories per day if he is to remain capable of instant strenuous activity:
500g pkt raisins, 1426 calories, 27.5 cu in
43g cheddar cheese, 175 cals, 2.53 cu in
Total: 1601 calories, 30 cu in
Each presumed 'resting' woman will need about 1300 calories per day:
410g evaporated milk, 522 cals, 29 cu in
822g apricots, 715 cals, 58 cu in
Total: 1267 calories, 87 cu in
Each child will need about 1000 calories per day:
425g tin creamed soup, 340 cals, 31.5 cu in
200g pkt biscuits, 665 cals, 29 cu in
Total: 1005 calories, 60.5 cu in
Three months' food for our group of six therefore occupies about 25 cubic feet of shelter space, and the space that everyone and everything which the shelter is to hold needs to be worked out in a similar manner.
Their individual kits
1 pair boots, 50 cu in
2 pairs trousers, 680 cu in
2 pairs pants, 200 cu in
3 pairs socks, 129 cu in
2 vests, 160 cu in
3 pullovers, 1011 cu in
1 anorak, 600 cu in
1 overcoat, 1400 cu in
1 raincoat, 600 cu in
1 pair gloves, 30 cu in
1 scarf, 110 cu in
protective clothing, 6000 cu in
1 blanket-poncho, 2000 cu in
1 mattress, 7776 cu in
1 sleeping bag, 665 cu in
eating utensils, 40 cu in
toiletries, 140 cu in
4 rolls toilet paper, 300 cu in
misc. personal possessions, 500 cu in
Individual kits of the six members of the group will occupy about 78 cubic feet of shelter space.
Shelter equipment
Partition between living and decontamination areas, 12,096 cu in
latrine, 400 cu in
heater, 1944 cu in
cooker, 393 cu in
medical, 2200 cu in
two tins disinfectant, 1200 cu in
one tin rat poison, 600 cu in
two monitors, 576 cu in
weapons for self defence, 1800 cu in
tools, 3000 cu in
cylinder of compressed air, 2289 cu in
two transistor radios, 296 cu in
pots, pans, bucket, mop etc, 500 cu in
reference books, 1296 cu in
seeds and yeast, 1728 cu in
two torches, 62 cu in
cycle, 576 cu in
cycle stand, 144 cu in
two batteries, 2240 cu in
battery charger, 648 cu in
manual air pump and filter, 3592 cu in
fuel, 32,556 cu in
lime, 4032 cu in
Total: 43 cubic feet
Water: 5.5 cubic feet
Grand Total: 171.5 cubic feet (doesn't allow for awkward shapes, is only for the purpose of calculating air reserve)
Air reserve
The supply of air from outside may at any time be interrupted by the air pump breaking down or its operators becoming tired; if, in the close conditions in the shelter, everyone sleeps of becomes ill at the same time; if there is severe air pollution outside, or if the shelter's air inlets become damaged or are blocked by looters intent on forcing the occupants to quit. Clearly, an air reserve sufficient for twelve hours should be regarded as minimal.
A twelve hour air reserve for six 'resting' people is therefore 24,000 litres or 858 cubic feet. If all six were not resting, but one was engaged in strenuous activity, his air intake might be as much as that of all his companions together, and the area enclosed by the twelve-hour air reserve therefore need to be twice as great.
Hence the minimum capacity for a purpose-built shelter for six persons is 1030 cubic feet, which, assuming an internal height of six feet three inches, allows a floor space of a hundred and sixty-six square feet. But because all the group may not be 'resting' all the time, and as the latrine and washing arrangments, decontamination procedures and working fo the air pump and cycle generator would be almost impossible in so small an area, the actual internal dimensions of the shelter should exceed these by as much as the resources of the owner reasonably permit.

According to the Pharaoh's Pump Theory of Edward J. Kunkel, the internal capacity of the pyramid is 600 cubic metres, which according to the above figures is enough space and air for 120 people. Given that the pyramid has rooms with higher ceilings (Grand Gallery is 28 feet high, Kings Chamber roughly 19 feet high), less people than 120 could live in the pyramid - but a group of 6 people definitely could. For the purposes of pumping air, high ceilings would be inefficient, so we must presume that the ancient folk who designed the pyramid shelter did not pump the air manually.

The main internal dimensions for the pyramid are:

King's Chamber
10.5 x 5.2 m, 5.8 m high

Queen's Chamber
5.8 x 5.3 m, 6 m high

Grand Gallery
46.7 x 2.1 m, 8.7 m high

Ascending Passage
39 x 1.5 m, 1.6 m high

Descending Passage
91.5 x 1.1 m, 1.2 m high

Subterranean Chamber
14 x 7.2 m, 5.3 m high

Construction Materials

(p94)The following give minimum shielding from radiation:
three inches of lead
seven inches of steel
eighteen inches of tiles
twenty inches of asbestos sheeting
two feet of concrete
twenty-six inches of asphalt or stone
thirty inches of sand
three feet of brickwork, slates, concrete blocks filled with sand or of well packed earth
five feet of water
seven feet of books or magazines
nine feet of wood
Of these the most readily available is earth. 3.3 inches of soil halves fallout radiation, and 7.5 inches of it reduces initial gamma radiation by a half. As with all barrier materials, if we double any given thickness of soil we more than double the protection from radiation which it affords. Thus three feet of soil gives twice the protection from neutrons and five times the protection from initial and fallout gamma radiation that one foot less would give.
In practice, however, concrete is the ideal material for a survival shelter. It resists blast, heat, all forms of radiation and attempts at forced entry by looters. It is fireproof and waterproof, can support such fittings as heavy doors... and is cheap. 2.2 inches of concrete halves the radiation from fallout, and 6 inches of it does the same to initial gamma radiation. It is so effective because, containing light elements such as hydrogen and also heavier ones such as calcium and silicon, it both slows neutrons and reduces gamma rays. But concrete can become an even more effective barrier to radiation if certain heavy materials are mixed with it. One such heavy additive is the iron ore limonite, and another is barite/barium sulphate from heavy spar.

There is no doubt that the thickness of the pyramid would be highly effective in blocking cosmic rays and other forms of radiation - there is almost 100 metres of stone between the King's Chamber and the sky.

The ancient Egyptians experimented with pyramids of different angled slopes, in an attempt to gain the greatest height from the least materials. Why was height important? Well, the higher the pyramid, the greater the cosmic ray protection afforded to those sheltering directly beneath the pyramid. The typical Egyptian pyramid has a cavity directly below the apex of the pyramid, just below ground level. I believe that these cavities were the original crude shelters, and the pyramids were thought up at a later date. The placing of the chambers high within the Great Pyramid could just be an aspect of the "showing off" displayed by their clever incorporation of mathematics.

The Famine Stela has been used as evidence to support the theory of the Giza pyramids being made out of concrete. Three additives to the concrete are mentioned, based on their smell:

"The garlic stone: Garlic has been suggested for HUTEM and TAAM, i.e. the root word TEM. In col. 16, the ore TEM-IKR could represent the garlic stone, the prefix KR meaning weak, i.e. the stone which has a weak smell of garlic."
"A simple method in petrography for the identification of natural minerals and ores is to heat them with a small blow lamp. If they immediatly release a smell of garlic, they belong to the arsenate family (arsenate of copper or of iron)."

It was valuable to identify arsenate, because it is very toxic - so there is a remote chance that the Giza pyramids are made of concrete which has arsenate of iron mixed in with it.

Also, a Central American pyramid contains broad, thick layers of mica, which had to be transported over 2000 miles from Brazil. These sheets are ninety feet square and were not visible, but merely another layer in the construction. Perhaps its purpose was radiation shielding? Sheets and rods of mica bonded with glass can tolerate extreme temperatures, radiation, high voltage, and moisture. One of the modern uses of mica is windows for microwave ovens. It is also used in Geiger counters and cosmic ray detectors.

Ventilation

(p101-2) A chimney leading through the roof, curved at its outside end away from the prevailing wind, or fitted with a revolving cowl, may be sealed at its inside end after warning of use of chemical or biological agents. Air inlets and vents should be fitted with blast valves which will seal the inside of the shelter from changes in air pressure outside it, and which, in a heavily built-up area should also be capable of being closed to prevent the air inside the shelter being sucked out by a firestorm which might otherwise asphyxiate the shelter's occupants.
In an elaborate ventilation system air filters may be incorporated. Fine mesh prevents entry of large particles and droplets. Activated charcoal granules, available commercially, may be used as absorbents
Heater, cooker, latrine and incinerator should be located near the air outlet.

The pyramid has four shafts which were dubbed "ventilation shafts" by nineteenth century egyptologists - because that is what they most resemble.

The Queen's Chamber has two shafts, however they had to be cut open from the inside of the chamber, and they do not reach the outside of the pyramid. It was almost as if they are spares.

The two shafts of the Queen's Chamber have hogged the limelight in recent years - due to Rudolf Gantenbrink's discovery of a door at top of one of them - and it is easy to forget that the shafts of the King's Chamber actually connect the chamber with the outside of the pyramid, like a proper air shaft should. And today the shafts are have been fitted with fans and actually used for ventilation!

There were possibly iron doors at the chamber end of the shafts:

"The plate was, after all, reported to have been found near the outer opening of the King's Chamber southern "air passage." The discrepancy between the size of the plate (30.5 x 10 cm) and the size of the opening of the shaft (30.5 x 23.3 cm) may be explained by the plate's obvious fragmentary nature. The plate in its original form could easily have been a good fit."

Temperature inside the pyramid

"When the airshafts were cleaned and opened, cool air immediately entered the King's Chamber. Since that time, the King's Chamber has always maintained a constant comfortable temperature of 68 degrees, no matter what the outside temperature was. This seems to be one of the earliest forms of air conditioning. "
http://www.gizapyramid.com/history2.htm
"There is so much stone mass in the pyramid that the interior temperature is constant and equals the average temperature of the earth, 68 degrees Fahrenheit. "
(page 40,- Dramatic Prophecies of the Great Pyramid, 1974, Rodolfo Benavides, ISBN 0-914732-00-5)

It could be that there are two main reasons why the pyramid is as big as it is. Thickness to help block cosmic rays, and density to maintain a constant temperature - a similar temperature to that experienced by other potential survivors who chose to hide underground. It would also be close to the nicest temperature to live in, considering that a common setting for air conditioners in winter is 68 degrees. In Coober Pedy, Australia, where people live underground to escape the heat, dugouts have an average temperature of 23º - 25ºC year round = 73-77 degrees fahrenheit - but they are much closer to the surface than the interior of a pyramid..

Lighting

Obviously the interior of the pyramid would be too dark to be comfortable in. Many have speculated on what would have been used. Lit torches would have been the most common means back then, but a lack of soot within the pyramid seemingly rules that out. Some have suggested an arrangement of mirrors. My favorite is more hi-tech. Several images from the crypts of Dendera appear to show modern electric light-bulbs.
http://www.doernenburg.alien.de/alternativ/dendera/dend00_e.php
http://www.doernenburg.alien.de/alternativ/dendera/dend03_e.php

Food

No need to discuss this at length - the height of the rooms means they had enough storage space for food supplies - the inhabitants could have potentially lived on top of their supplies... except to say that:

Egyptian hieroglyphics indicate that the consumption of mushrooms would bring them immortality. Perhaps this is just reflecting the ability of mushrooms to create food in an environment without light - an environment that affords an immortality of sorts to those who sheltered there?

Toilet Facilities

I vote for the subterranean chamber to be the latrine and trash area. It is unfinished which indicates the royal survivors would no spend much time there. It has a 20 metre deep pit. And there is the escape shaft (also known as the well shaft or service shaft) which looks to me like a laundry shute - ie an easy way of throwing waste down to the basement without trudging down the passageways

Sabotage & Emergency Exits

(p96) When concrete is poured, holes in it will need to be left for external fittings to be added. These fittings will include air inlet(s) and vent(s), an external aerial, the disposal chute and latrine pit, a pipe from an outside water supply, an emergency exit and, if desired an external-radiation sensor and periscope. Because air and water pipes, aerial, surface-radiation sensor and periscope are all liable to cut, blocked or damaged by looters, as well as give away the position of the shelter, they should be camouflaged and duplicated by less well-hidden decoys, the lower ends of which lead away from the direction of the shelter.

A secret entrance (obviously in this case it would be a secret exit) has long been speculated, but not yet found. A key piece of evidence is that the second pyramid (called Khafre or Chephren) has two entrances.

But this pyramid does have redundacy in the air shafts. By having two that reach the exterior, and two more that don't quite reach the exterior, one could speculate that the second set were spares, in case of sabotage. If someone on the outside rendered the air-shafts unusable, they could complete their spare shafts and breathe again.

I'm not suggesting that I know how they would complete the spare shafts, but it's easy to suggest that they used the same technology that allowed them to build the pyramid itself.

Of course one could use the air shafts to facilitate a periscope.

Giant Pump

It has been suggested that the pyramid is a giant pump - either used for raising the blocks when it was built, and/or to help with irrigation. A third possibility is to remove any water that got into the pyramid, if the local area had flooded.

http://www.survive2012.com/cosmic_ray_shelters.html

Global Pyramids

2008-06-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

Asia & Pacific

http://www.survive2012.com/asia_pyramids.php

Japan

These are burial tombs, dating to the Kofun period (circa 300 – 710 AD). I only mention them here because of their immense size and multitude, Japan has over 10,000 mound tombs. The largest is the Daisen Kofun, above, which has the common kofun keyhole shape, and is 35 metres high and an incredible 486 metres in length. Situated in the city of Sakai, 92 other kofun can be found within six square miles.

Built in the fifth and sixth centuries, are 311 burial mounds like this one, near the village of Saitobaru.

Java, Indonesia

Candi Sukuh

Not a lot is known about this site, except that it has the only pyramidal temple in Southeast Asia, and dates to 1416 – 1459 AD. As well as bearing an uncanny resemblance to Central American pyramids, there is also a twin-headed serpent, as discussed in Chapter XX.

China

Xian was for a long time the capital of Ancient China. It has become a popular tourist destination for Westerners since the discovery of the “Terracotta Warriors”. The evidence of local pyramids is scant, due to the Chinese Government and its 'forbidden zones' surrounding the city of Xian in the Shensi Province. These zones are off-limits to foreigners, probably due to military and/or space program bases in the area. Within these zones there are possibly 100 pyramids, and some adventurers have managed to photograph a few them:

The black and white photo was taken by James Gaussman, an American pilot, at the end of WW II (the others are by Mr Hausdorf).

These are not stone pyramids, nor earth mounds, but a combination of the two – made of earth and clay, shaped like pyramids with flattened tops (the same technique as Teotiuhuacan). It is rumoured that in recent times the Chinese Government ordered the planting of trees on the pyramids as a way of disguising them as regular hills, or at least their making their shape harder to discern. New Zealand author Bruce Cathie sought information on their exact locations, so he could fit them into his Harmonic Grid. After initially denying their existence outright, the Chinese officials eventually conceded that there are some “trapezoidal tombs” [i] .

According to Hartwig Hausdorf [ii] , they differ in size from between 25 to 100 metres in height, with the exception of one, the Great White Pyramid. It is situated to the north, in the valley of Qin Lin, and is possibly the world’s largest pyramid, with an approximate height of 300 metres (twice the size of Egypt’s largest).

Update! - In 2004 Chris Maier studied satellite images of the Xian region, found the same pyramids as Hausdorf, and then went there and took a look. Turns out that they are not in a "forbidden zone", are quite well known, and any tourist can take a look, or even climb the biggest pyramid for free! Read his article

Update! - In 2002-2007, Emperor Qin Shihuang's tomb (home of the terracotta warriors) was proven (using radar and other remote sensing technologies) to be more than a earth mound - underneath the dirt is a four-sided, nine-stepped pyramid, very similar to those in Central America. Read more at Channel 4, and China.org - the image below is the shape they believe the pyramid takes.

Russia - Brat & Sestra, nr Nakhodka

320 metres high each, they were until recently in a military zone. Today they are being mined (or could that be a cover for treasure hunting?) - which explains why the top has been removed from one of them. More at Flip Coppins site

Korea

Andong step pyramid, is the best one of pyramids survived being undestroyed in South Korea, is located at soktapri, andong, korea, in the northern valley of Mt. Hakka, 30 km road away from Andong. 13.2 meters by 12.7 meters square and about 4.5 meters high

Tahiti

When Captain Cook visited Tahiti, he described the Marae of Mahaiatea as having a stepped pyramid with a base of 259 by 85 feet. Unfortunately all that remains today is a pile of stones. This drawing comes from the 1799 book The Voyage of McDuff.

Western Samoa

On the island of Savai’i you can find Polynesia’s largest ancient structure, the Pulemelei Mound. The Lonely Planet guide for Samoa describes it:

This large pyramid measures 61 metres by 50 metres at the base and rises in two tiers to a height of more than 12 metres. It is almost squarely oriented with the compass directions…. Smaller mounds and platforms are found in four directions away from the main structure. There is a relatively large platform about 40 metres north of the main pyramid and connected to it by a stone walkway.

Unfortunately the jungle there is almost uncontrollable. The pyramid has been cleared on several occasions, but when I studied it in 1996 it was overgrown and difficult to locate. So much so, that it was only when I kicked a stone embedded in the top platform did I realise I had found it! The bottom right corner of the photo is the pyramid.

Pyramids

Anxiety,Fears and phobias

2008-06-20T09:51:00.000-07:00

Everyone, from the youngest child to the oldest adult, experiences anxieties and fears at one time or another. Feeling anxious in a particularly uncomfortable situation never feels very good. However, with children, such feelings are not only normal, they're also necessary. Experiencing and dealing with anxieties can prepare young people to handle the unsettling experiences and challenging situations of life.

Anxieties and Fears Are Normal

Anxiety is defined as "apprehension without apparent cause." It usually occurs when there's no immediate threat to a person's safety or well being, but the threat feels real. Anxiety makes a person want to escape the situation - fast. The heart beats quickly, the body might begin to perspire, and "butterflies" in the stomach soon follow. However, a little bit of anxiety can actually help people stay alert and focused.

Having fears or anxieties about certain things can also be helpful because it makes kids behave in a safe way. For example, a kid with a fear of fire would avoid playing with matches.

The nature of anxieties and fears change as children grow and develop:

Babies experience stranger anxiety, clinging to parents when confronted by people they don't recognize.
Toddlers around 10 to 18 months experience separation anxiety, becoming emotionally distressed when one or both parents leave.
Children ages 4 through 6 have anxiety about things that aren't based in reality such as fears of monsters and ghosts.
Kids ages 7 through 12 often have fears that reflect real circumstances that may happen to them, such as bodily injury and natural disaster.

As a child grows, one fear may disappear or replace another. For example, a child who couldn't sleep with the light off at age 5 may enjoy a ghost story at a slumber party years later. And some fears may extend only to one particular kind of stimulus. In other words, a child may want to pet a lion at the zoo but wouldn't dream of going near the neighbor's dog.

Recognizing the Signs of Anxiety

Typical childhood fears change with age. They include fear of strangers, heights, darkness, animals, blood, insects, and being left alone. Children often learn to fear a specific object or situation after having an unpleasant experience, such as a dog bite or an accident.

Separation anxiety is common when young children are starting school, whereas adolescents may experience anxiety related to social acceptance and academic achievement.

If anxious feelings persist, they can take a toll on the child's sense of well being. The anxiety associated with social avoidance can have long-term effects. For example, a child with fear of being rejected can fail to learn important social skills, causing social isolation.

Many adults are tormented by fears that stem from childhood experiences. An adult's fear of public speaking may be the result of embarrassment in front of peers many years before. It's important for parents to recognize and identify the signs and symptoms of their children's anxieties so that fears don't get in the way of everyday life.

Some signs that a child may be anxious about something may include:

becoming clingy, impulsive, or distracted
nervous movements, such as temporary twitches
problems getting to sleep and/or staying asleep longer than usual
sweaty hands
accelerated heart rate and breathing
nausea
headaches
stomachaches

Apart from these signs, parents can usually tell when their child is feeling excessively uneasy about something. Lending a sympathetic ear is always helpful, and sometimes just talking about the fear can help the child move beyond it.

What's a Phobia?

When anxieties and fears persist, problems can arise. As much as a parent hopes the child will grow out of it, sometimes the opposite occurs, and the cause of the anxiety looms larger and becomes more prevalent. The anxiety becomes a phobia, or a fear that's extreme, severe, and persistent.

A phobia can be very difficult to tolerate, both for kids and those around them, especially if the anxiety-producing stimulus (whatever is causing the anxiety) is hard to avoid (e.g., thunderstorms).

"Real" phobias are one of the top reasons children are referred to mental health professionals. But the good news is that unless a child's phobia hinders his or her everyday ability to function, the child sometimes won't need treatment by a professional because, in time, the phobia will be resolved.

Focusing on Your Child's Anxieties, Fears, or Phobias

Try to answer the following questions honestly:

Is your child's fear and the behavior he or she is exhibiting typical for your child's age? If the answer to this question is yes, it's a good bet that your child's fears will resolve before they become a serious cause for concern. This isn't to say that the anxiety should be discounted or ignored; rather, it should be considered as a factor in your child's normal development.

Many children experience age-appropriate fears, such as being afraid of the dark. Most kids, with some reassurance, and perhaps a night-light, will overcome or outgrow it. However, if they continue to have trouble, or there's anxiety about other things, the intervention may have to be more intensive.

What are the symptoms of the fear, and how do they affect your child's personal, social, and academic functioning? If symptoms can be identified and considered in light of your child's everyday activities, adjustments can be made to alleviate some of the stress factors.

Does the fear seem unreasonable in relation to the reality of the situation; and could it be a sign of a more serious problem? If your child's fear seems out of proportion to the cause of the stress, this may signal the need to seek outside help, such as a counselor, psychiatrist, or psychologist.

It's a good idea for parents to look for patterns. If an isolated incident is resolved, parents shouldn't make it more significant than it is. However, if a pattern that's persistent or pervasive emerges, you should intervene. If you don't, the phobia will most likely impact your child over time.

You can contact your child's doctor and/or a mental health professional who has expertise in working with children and adolescents.

How to Help Your Child

Parents can help children develop the skills and confidence to overcome fears so that they don't evolve into phobic reactions. Here are some steps that may help guide you in helping your child deal with his or her fears and anxieties:

Recognize that the fear is real. As trivial as a fear may seem, it feels real to your child and it's causing him or her to feel anxious and afraid. Being able to talk about fears helps - words often take some of the power out of the negative feeling. If you talk about it, it can become less powerful.
Never belittle the fear as a way of forcing your child to overcome it. Telling your child, "Don't be ridiculous! There are no monsters in your closet!" may get your child to go to bed, but it won't make the fear go away.
Don't cater to fears, though. If your child doesn't like dogs, don't cross the street deliberately to avoid one. This will just reinforce that dogs should be feared and avoided. Provide support and gentle care as you approach the feared object or situation with your child.
Teach your child how to rate fear. If your child can visualize the intensity of the fear on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the strongest, he or she may be able to "see" the fear as less intense than first imagined. Younger children can think about how "full of fear" they are, with being full "up to my knees" as not so scared, "up to my stomach" as more frightened, and "up to my head" as truly petrified.
Teach coping strategies. Try these easy-to-implement techniques. Using you as "home base," the child can venture out toward the feared object, and then return to you for safety before venturing out again. The child can also learn some positive self-statements, such as "I can do this" and "I will be OK," which your child can say to himself or herself when feeling anxious. Relaxation techniques are helpful as well, including visualization (of floating on a cloud or lying on a beach, for example) and deep breathing (imagining that the lungs are balloons and letting them slowly deflate).

The key to resolving fears and anxieties is to overcome them. Using these suggestions, you can help your child better cope with life's situations.

Updated and reviewed by: D'Arcy Lyness, PhD
Date reviewed: November 2007
Originally reviewed by: David B. Sheslow, PhD

http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/feelings/anxiety.html

Food Sefety For Your Family

2008-06-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

You probably have lots of concerns about the foods you give to your child. Is it a nutritious meal? Will your child eat it? Is there too much fat? But one thing that may not cross your mind as you're slicing and dicing in the kitchen is food safety.

Why is food safety so important? Proper food preparations are necessary to prevent your family from becoming sick from food-borne illnesses caused by bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Listeria (which can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration). Food safety precautions include knowing how to select foods in the grocery store, how to store them, how to cook them, and how to clean up afterward.

So what can you do to make sure your kitchen and the foods you prepare are safe? Keep reading to find out.

Buying Food

The grocery store is your first stop on the way to food safety. To ensure freshness, refrigerated items (such as meat, dairy, eggs, and fish) should be put in your cart last. Keep meats separate from other items, especially produce. If your drive home is longer than 1 hour, you might consider putting these items in a cooler to keep them fresh.

When purchasing packaged meat, poultry, or fish, be sure to check the expiration date on the label. Even if the expiration date is still acceptable, don't buy fish or meats that have any unusual odors or look strange.

It's also important to check inside egg cartons — make sure the eggs, which should be grade A or AA, are clean and free from cracks.

Don't buy:

fruit with broken skin (bacteria can enter through the opening in the skin and contaminate the fruit)
unpasteurized ciders or juices (they can contain harmful bacteria)
prestuffed fresh turkeys or chickens

Refrigerating and Freezing

Before you put the groceries away, check the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer. Your refrigerator should be set for 40° Fahrenheit (5° Celsius), and your freezer should be set to 0° F (–18° C) or lower. These chilly temperatures will help keep any bacteria in your foods from multiplying. If your refrigerator doesn't have a thermostat, it's a good idea to invest in a thermometer for the fridge and freezer.

Of course, refrigerated and frozen items should be put away first. Here are some quick tips to remember for foods that need to be kept cool:

Keep eggs in the original carton on a shelf in your refrigerator (most refrigerator doors don't keep eggs cold enough).
Put meat, poultry, and fish in separate plastic bags so that their juices don't get on your other foods.
Freeze — or cook — raw meat, poultry, or fish within 2 days.
Store raw ground meats in the freezer for a maximum of 4 months.
Freeze cooked meats for a maximum 2 to 3 months.
Remove stuffing from poultry after cooking and store it separately in the refrigerator.

Preparing and Cooking

Follow these handling and cooking guidelines to help prevent food-borne illnesses in your family.

Raw Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Egg Products

Wash your hands with hot water and soap before preparing foods and after handling raw meat, poultry, fish, or egg products.
Keep raw meats and their juices away from other foods in the refrigerator and on countertops.
Use separate utensils for cooking and serving raw meat, poultry, fish, or eggs (or wash the utensils in hot, soapy water before using them to serve).
Never put cooked food on a dish that was holding raw meat, poultry, or fish.
Thaw meat, poultry, and fish in the refrigerator or microwave, never at room temperature.
Cook thawed meat, poultry, and fish immediately.
Throw away any leftover uncooked meat, poultry, or fish marinades.
Do not allow raw eggs to sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours to reduce the risk of Salmonella infection.
Thoroughly cook eggs.
Never serve foods that contain raw eggs, such as uncooked cookie dough, homemade eggnog, mousse, and homemade ice cream. If you want to use these recipes, substitute pasteurized eggs (found in the grocery store's dairy case) for raw eggs.
Cook meat until the juices run clear.
Cook ground beef or poultry until it's no longer pink.

Use a meat thermometer to tell whether meats are cooked thoroughly. (Place the thermometer in the thickest portion of the meat and away from bones or fat.) Most thermometers indicate at which temperature the type of meat is safely cooked, or you can refer to these recommendations:

poultry (whole, pieces, and ground): 165° F (73.8° C)
pork: 160° F (71° C)
beef, veal, lamb, and roasts: 145° F (62.7° C)
ground beef, veal, and lamb: 160° F (71° C)
fish: 145° F (62.7° C)
egg dishes: 160° F (71° C)
leftovers: at least 165° F (74° C)

When cooking, broiling, or grilling meats on the stove, turn them over at least once. In the microwave, cover all meats and:

Turn patties over and rotate the dish halfway through cooking.
Rotate meatloaf dishes halfway through cooking (and let sit for up to 7 minutes after cooking before eating — consult your owner's manual).
Stir ground meats once or twice.

Fruits and Vegetables

Scrub all fruits and vegetables with plain water (even if you plan on peeling them) to remove any pesticide residue, dirt, or bacteria.
Wash melons, such as cantaloupes and watermelons, before eating to avoid carrying bacteria from the rind to the knife to the inside of the fruit.
Remove the outer leaves of leafy greens, such as spinach or lettuce.

Cleaning Up

Clean food is just one part of the food safety equation. You also need to be sure that your kitchen surfaces and your hands are clean to prevent the spread of bacteria.

Refrigerate any leftovers as soon as possible after cooking. If left to sit at room temperature, bacteria in the food will multiply quickly.
Consume leftovers within 3 to 5 days or throw them out.
Wash cutting boards — which can become a breeding ground for bacteria if they aren't cleaned carefully — separately from other dishes and utensils in hot, soapy water; then disinfect them with a homemade cleaning solution (1 teaspoon of chlorine bleach in 1 quart of water). (Designate one cutting board for raw meat, poultry, and fish.) After washing and disinfecting the cutting board, rinse it thoroughly with plain water to remove any bleach residue and leave it to air dry.
Don't use old cutting boards with cracks or deep gouges because bacteria may hide in the crevices of the board.
Wash your hands if they come in contact with raw meat, poultry, or fish.
Don't use a dish towel to wipe meat juices from your hands — use paper towels instead. Bacteria can contaminate the cloth towels and can then spread to another person's hands. If a dish towel does come in contact with the juices of raw meat, poultry, or fish, launder the towel in hot water as soon as possible.
After preparing food, wipe your kitchen counters and other exposed surfaces with a commercial kitchen cleaning product or a homemade cleaning solution.
Because sponges stay wet longer and their porous quality attracts bacteria, experts recommend using a thinner dishrag that can dry between uses instead of a sponge.
Wash dirty dishrags in hot soapy water.
Periodically sanitize your kitchen sink, drain, and garbage disposal by pouring in a commercial kitchen cleaning agent or a homemade cleaning solution.

By taking some simple precautions, you can reduce the chance of food-borne illnesses in your family.

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: November 2007

http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/food_safety.html

All About Allergeis

2008-06-20T09:45:00.000-07:00

Dust, cats, peanuts, cockroaches. An odd grouping, but one with a common thread: allergies — a major cause of illness in the United States. Up to 50 million Americans, including millions of kids, have some type of allergy. In fact, allergies account for the loss of an estimated 2 million schooldays per year.

What Are Allergies?

An allergy is an overreaction of the immune system to a substance that's harmless to most people. But in someone with an allergy, the body's immune system treats the substance (called an allergen) as an invader and reacts inappropriately, resulting in symptoms that can be anywhere from annoying to possibly harmful to the person.

In an attempt to protect the body, the immune system of the allergic person produces antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE). Those antibodies then cause mast cells (allergy cells in the body) to release chemicals, including histamine, into the bloodstream to defend against the allergen "invader."

It's the release of these chemicals that causes allergic reactions, affecting a person's eyes, nose, throat, lungs, skin, or gastrointestinal tract as the body attempts to rid itself of the invading allergen. Future exposure to that same allergen (things like nuts or pollen that you can be allergic to) will trigger this allergic response again. This means every time the person eats that particular food or is exposed to that particular allergen, he or she will have an allergic reaction.

Who Gets Allergies?

The tendency to develop allergies is often hereditary, which means it can be passed down through your genes. However, just because you, your partner, or one of your children might have allergies doesn't mean that all of your kids will definitely get them, too. And someone usually doesn't inherit a particular allergy, just the likelihood of having allergies.

But a few kids have allergies even if no family member is allergic. And child who is allergic to one substance is likely to be allergic to others as well.

Common Airborne Allergens

Some of the most common things people are allergic to are airborne (carried through the air):

Dust mites are one of the most common causes of allergies. These microscopic insects live all around us and feed on the millions of dead skin cells that fall off our bodies every day. Dust mites are the main allergic component of house dust, which is made up of many particles and can contain things such as fabric fibers and bacteria, as well as microscopic animal allergens. Present year-round in most parts of the United States (although they don't live at high altitudes), dust mites live in bedding, upholstery, and carpets.
Pollen is another major cause of allergies (most people know pollen allergy as hay fever or rose fever). Trees, weeds, and grasses release these tiny particles into the air to fertilize other plants. Pollen allergies are seasonal, and the type of pollen a child is allergic to determines when symptoms will occur. For example, in the mid-Atlantic states, tree pollination begins in February and lasts through May, grass from May through June, and ragweed from August through October; so people with these allergies are likely to experience increased symptoms during those times.

Pollen counts measure how much pollen is in the air and can help people with allergies determine how bad their symptoms might be on any given day. Pollen counts are usually higher in the morning and on warm, dry, breezy days, whereas they're lowest when it's chilly and wet. Although not always exact, the local weather report's pollen count can be helpful when planning outside activities.
Molds, another common allergen, are fungi that thrive both indoors and out in warm, moist environments. Outdoors, molds may be found in poor drainage areas, such as in piles of rotting leaves or compost piles. Indoors, molds thrive in dark, poorly ventilated places such as bathrooms and damp basements, and in clothes hampers or under kitchen sinks. A musty odor suggests mold growth. Although molds tend to be seasonal, many can grow year-round, especially those indoors.
Pet allergens from warm-blooded animals can cause problems for kids and parents alike. When the animal — often a household pet — licks itself, the saliva gets on its fur or feathers. As the saliva dries, protein particles become airborne and work their way into fabrics in the home. Cats are the worst offenders because the protein from their saliva is extremely tiny and they tend to lick themselves more than other animals as part of grooming.
Cockroaches are also a major household allergen, especially in inner cities. Exposure to cockroach-infested buildings may be a major cause of the high rates of asthma in inner-city kids.

Common Food Allergens

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology estimates that up to 2 million, or 8%, of kids in the United States are affected by food allergies, and that eight foods account for most of those food allergy reactions in kids: eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.

Cow's milk (or cow's milk protein). Between 1% and 7.5% of infants are allergic to the proteins found in cow's milk and cow's milk-based formulas. About 80% of formulas on the market are cow's milk-based. Cow's milk protein allergy (also called formula protein allergy) means that the infant (or child or adult) has an abnormal immune system reaction to proteins found in the cow's milk used to make standard baby formulas, cheeses, and other milk products. Milk proteins can also be a hidden ingredient in many prepared foods.
Eggs. One of the most common food allergies in infants and young children, egg allergy can pose many challenges for parents. Because eggs are used in many of the foods kids eat — and in many cases they're "hidden" ingredients — an egg allergy is hard to diagnose. An egg allergy usually begins when kids are very young, but most outgrow the allergy by age 5. Most kids with an egg allergy are allergic to the proteins in egg whites, but some can't tolerate proteins in the yolk.
Seafood and shellfish. The proteins in seafood can cause a number of different types of allergic reactions. Seafood allergy is one of the more common adult food allergies and one that kids don't always grow out of.
Peanuts and tree nuts. Peanuts are one of the most severe food allergens, often causing life-threatening reactions. About 1.5 million people in the United States are allergic to peanuts. (Peanuts are not a true nut, but a legume — in the same family as peas and lentils, although people with peanut allergy don’t usually have cross-reactions to other legumes). Half of those allergic to peanuts are also allergic to tree nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, and often sunflower and sesame seeds.
Soy. Like peanuts, soybeans are legumes. Soy allergy is more prevalent among babies than older children; about 30% to 40% of infants who are allergic to cow's milk are also allergic to the protein in soy formulas. Soy proteins, such as soya, are often a hidden ingredient in prepared foods.
Wheat. Wheat proteins are found in many of the foods we eat — some are more obvious than others. As with any allergy, an allergy to wheat can happen in different ways and to different degrees. Although wheat allergy is often confused with celiac disease, there is a difference. Celiac disease is caused by a sensitivity to gluten, which is found in wheat, oat, rye, and barley. It typically develops between 6 months and 2 years of age and the sensitivity causes damage to the small intestine in a different way to the usual allergic reaction.

Other Common Allergens

Insect stings. For most kids, being stung by an insect means swelling, redness, and itching at the site of the bite. But for those with insect venom allergy, an insect bite can cause more severe symptoms. Although some doctors and parents have believed that most kids eventually outgrow insect venom allergy, a recent study found that insect venom allergies often persist into adulthood.
Medicines. Antibiotics — medications used to treat infections — are the most common types of medicines that cause allergic reactions. Many other medicines, including over-the-counter medications, can also cause allergic reactions. If you suspect a medicine allergy, talk to your doctor first before assuming a reaction is a sign of allergy.
Chemicals. Some cosmetics or laundry detergents can cause people to break out in an itchy rash. Usually, this is because someone has a reaction to the chemicals in these products. Dyes, household cleaners, and pesticides used on lawns or plants can also cause allergic reactions in some people.

Some kids also have what are called cross-reactions. For example, kids who are allergic to birch pollen might have reactions when they eat an apple because that apple is made up of a protein similar to one in the pollen. Another example is that kids who are allergic to latex (as in gloves or certain types of hospital equipment) are more likely to be allergic to kiwifruit or bananas.

Signs and Symptoms of Allergies

The type and severity of allergy symptoms vary from allergy to allergy and child to child. Allergies may show up as itchy eyes or an itchy nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, throat tightness, trouble breathing, and even shock (faintness or passing out).

Symptoms can range from minor or major seasonal annoyances (for example, from pollen or certain molds) to year-round problems (from allergens like dust mites or food).

Because different allergens are more prevalent in different parts of the country and the world, allergy symptoms can also vary, depending on where you live. For example, peanut allergy is unknown in Scandinavia, where they don't eat peanuts, but is common in the United States, where peanuts are not only a popular food, but are also found in many of the things we eat.

Airborne Allergy Symptoms

Airborne allergens can cause something known allergic rhinitis, which occurs in about 15% to 20% of Americans. It typically develops by 10 years of age and reaches its peak in the early twenties, with symptoms often disappearing between the ages of 40 and 60.

Symptoms can include:

sneezing
itchy nose and/or throat
nasal congestion
coughing

These symptoms are often accompanied by itchy, watery, and/or red eyes, which is called allergic conjunctivitis. (When dark circles are present around the eyes, they're called allergic "shiners.") Those who react to airborne allergens usually have allergic rhinitis and/or allergic conjunctivitis. If a person has wheezing and shortness of breath, the allergy may have progressed to become asthma.

Food Allergy Symptoms

The severity of food allergy symptoms and when they develop depends on:

how much of the food is eaten
the amount of exposure the child has had to the food
the child's sensitivity to the food

Symptoms of food allergies can include:

itchy mouth and throat when food is swallowed (some kids have only this symptom — called "oral allergy syndrome")
hives (raised, red, itchy bumps)
rash
runny, itchy nose
abdominal cramps accompanied by nausea and vomiting or diarrhea (as the body attempts to flush out the food allergen)
difficulty breathing
shock

Insect Venom Allergy Symptoms

Being stung by an insect that a child is allergic to may cause some of the following symptoms:

throat swelling
hives over the entire body
difficulty breathing
nausea
diarrhea
shock

About Anaphylaxis

In rare instances, if the sensitivity to an allergen is extreme, a child may experience anaphylaxis (or anaphylactic shock) — a sudden, severe allergic reaction involving various systems in the body (such as the skin, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and cardiovascular system).

Severe symptoms or reactions to any allergen, from certain foods to insect bites, require immediate medical attention and can include:

difficulty breathing
swelling (particularly of the face, throat, lips, and tongue in cases of food allergies)
rapid drop in blood pressure
dizziness
unconsciousness
hives
tightness of the throat
hoarse voice
lightheadedness

Anaphylaxis can happen just seconds after being exposed to a triggering substance or can be delayed for up to 2 hours if the reaction is from a food. It can involve various areas of the body.

Fortunately, though, severe or life-threatening allergies occur in only a small group of kids. In fact, the annual incidence of anaphylactic reactions is small — about 30 per 100,000 people — although those with asthma, eczema, or hay fever are at greater risk of experiencing them. Most anaphylactic reactions — up to 80% — are caused by peanuts or tree nuts.

Diagnosing Allergies

Some allergies are fairly easy to identify because the pattern of symptoms following exposure to certain allergens can be hard to miss. But other allergies are less obvious because they can masquerade as other conditions.

If your child has cold-like symptoms lasting longer than a week or two or develops a "cold" at the same time every year, consult your doctor, who will likely ask questions about the symptoms and when they appear. Based on the answers to these questions and a physical exam, the doctor may be able to make a diagnosis and prescribe medications or may refer you to an allergist for allergy skin tests and more extensive therapy.

To determine the cause of an allergy, allergists usually perform skin tests for the most common environmental and food allergens. These tests can be done in infants, but they're more reliable in kids over 2 years old.

A skin test can work in one of two ways:

A drop of a purified liquid form of the allergen is dropped onto the skin and the area is pricked with a small pricking device.
A small amount of allergen is injected just under the skin. This test stings a little but isn't extremely painful. After about 15 minutes, if a lump surrounded by a reddish area appears (like a mosquito bite) at the injection site, the test is positive.

If reactions to a food or other allergen are severe, a blood test may be used to diagnose the allergy so as to avoid exposure to the offending allergen. Skin tests are less expensive and more sensitive than blood tests for allergies. But blood tests may be required in children with skin conditions or those who are extremely sensitive to a particular allergen.

Even if a skin test and/or a blood test shows an allergy, a child must also have symptoms to be definitively diagnosed with an allergy. For example, a toddler who has a positive test for dust mites and sneezes frequently while playing on the floor would be considered allergic to dust mites.

Treating Allergies

There is no real cure for allergies, but it is possible to relieve symptoms. The only real way to cope with them on a daily basis is to reduce or eliminate exposure to allergens. That means that parents must educate their kids early and often, not only about the allergy itself, but also about what reaction they will have if they consume or come into contact with the offending allergen.

Informing any and all caregivers (from child-care personnel to teachers, from extended family members to parents of your child's friends) about your child's allergy is equally important to help keep allergy symptoms to a minimum.

If reducing exposure isn't possible or is ineffective, medications may be prescribed, including antihistamines (which you can also buy over the counter) and inhaled or nasal spray steroids. In some cases, an allergist may recommend immunotherapy (allergy shots) to help desensitize your child. However, allergy shots are only helpful for allergens such as dust, mold, pollens, animals, and insect stings. They are not used for food allergies, and a person with food allergies must avoid that food.

Here are some things that can help kids avoid airborne allergens:

Keep family pets out of certain rooms, like your child's bedroom, and bathe them if necessary.
Remove carpets or rugs from your child's room (hard floor surfaces don't collect dust as much as carpets do).
Don't hang heavy drapes and get rid of other items that allow dust to accumulate.
Clean frequently.
Use special covers to seal pillows and mattresses if your child is allergic to dust mites.
If your child is allergic to pollen, keep the windows closed when the pollen season is at its peak, change your child's clothing after being outdoors, and don't let your child mow the lawn.
Keep kids who are allergic to mold away from damp areas, such as basements, and keep bathrooms and other mold-prone areas clean and dry.

Injectable Epinephrine

Food allergies usually aren't lifelong (although those to peanuts, tree nuts, and seafood can be). Avoiding the food is the only way to avoid symptoms while the sensitivity persists. Doctors often recommend that caregivers of kids who are extremely sensitive to a particular food, or who have asthma in addition to the food allergy, carry injectable epinephrine (adrenaline) to counteract any allergic reactions. They may also recommend carrying injectable epinephrine for kids who are allergic to insect venom.

Available in an easy-to-carry container that looks like a pen, injectable epinephrine is carried by millions of parents (and older kids) everywhere they go. With one injection into the thigh, the device administers epinephrine to ease the allergic reaction.

An injectable epinephrine prescription usually includes two auto-injectors and a "trainer" that contains no needle or epinephrine, but allows you and your child (if he or she is old enough) to practice using the device. It's essential that you familiarize yourself with the procedure by practicing with the trainer. Your doctor also can provide instructions on how to use and store injectable epinephrine.

Make sure kids 12 years or older keep injectable epinephrine readily available at all times. If your child is younger than 12, talk to the school nurse, your child's teachers, and your child-care provider about keeping injectable epinephrine on hand in case of an emergency.

It's also important to make sure that injectable epinephrine devices are available at your home, as well as at the homes of friends and family members if your child spends time there. Your doctor may also encourage your child to wear a medical alert bracelet. It's also wise to carry an over-the-counter antihistamine, which can help alleviate allergy symptoms in some people. But antihistamines should not be used as a replacement for the epinephrine pen.

Kids who have had to take injectable epinephrine should go immediately to a medical facility or hospital emergency department, where additional treatment can be given if needed. Up to one third of anaphylactic reactions can have a second wave of symptoms several hours following the initial attack, so these kids might need to be observed in a clinic or hospital for 4 to 8 hours following the reaction even though they seem well.

The good news is that only a very small group of kids will experience severe or life-threatening allergies. With proper diagnosis, preventive measures, and treatment, most kids can keep their allergies in check and live happy, healthy lives.

Reviewed by: William J. Geimeier, MD
Date reviewed: May 2007
http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/allergies/allergy.html

Maya concepts of time

2008-06-20T02:06:00.000-07:00

With the development of the place-notational Long Count calendar (believed to have been inherited from other Mesoamerican cultures), the Maya had an elegant system with which events could be recorded in a linear relationship to one another, and also with respect to the calendar ("linear time") itself. In theory, this system could readily be extended to delineate any length of time desired, by simply adding to the number of higher-order place markers used (and thereby generating an ever-increasing sequence of day-multiples, each day in the sequence uniquely identified by its Long Count number). In practice, most Maya Long Count inscriptions confine themselves to noting only the first 5 coefficients in this system (a b'ak'tun-count), since this was more than adequate to express any historical or current date (with an equivalent span of approximately 5125 solar years). Even so, example inscriptions exist which noted or implied lengthier sequences, indicating that the Maya well understood a linear (past-present-future) conception of time.

However, and in common with other Mesoamerican societies, the repetition of the various calendric cycles, the natural cycles of observable phenomena, and the recurrence and renewal of death-rebirth imagery in their mythological traditions were important and pervasive influences upon Maya societies. This conceptual view, in which the "cyclical nature" of time is highlighted, was a pre-eminent one, and many rituals were concerned with the completion and re-occurrences of various cycles. As the particular calendaric configurations were once again repeated, so too were the "supernatural" influences with which they were associated. Thus it was held that particular calendar configurations had a specific "character" to them, which would influence events on days exhibiting that configuration. Divinations could then be made from the auguries associated with a certain configuration, since events taking place on some future date would be subject to the same influences as its corresponding previous cycle dates. Events and ceremonies would be timed to coincide with auspicious dates, and avoid inauspicious ones.^[6]

The completion of significant calendar cycles ("period endings"), such as a k'atun-cycle, were often marked by the erection and dedication of specific monuments such as twin-pyramid complexes such those in Tikal and Yaxha, but (mostly in stela inscriptions) commemorating the completion, accompanied by dedicatory ceremonies.

A cyclical interpretation is also noted in Maya creation accounts, in which the present world and the humans in it were preceded by other worlds (one to five others, depending on the tradition) which were fashioned in various forms by the gods, but subsequently destroyed. The present world also had a tenuous existence, requiring the supplication and offerings of periodic sacrifice to maintain the balance of continuing existence. Similar themes are found in the creation accounts of other Mesoamerican societies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_calendar

THE ASTROLOGY OF DECEMBER 2012

2008-06-19T14:11:00.000-07:00

THE ASTROLOGY OF DECEMBER 2012: DISASTER, ASCENSION OR BOTH?

by Roeland de Looff © roeland@astrologycourse.org

http://www.greatdreams.com/2012.htm

(used with permission)

According to many prophecies something important is about to happen in 2012.

In 2012 the centre of the Galaxy is at 0 degree of the Western zodiacal sign Capricorn. 0 degree Capricorn is the point of the zodiac where the Sun is during the December solstice.

At December 21, 11.12 GMT during the December solstice the Sun is at the exact centre of the Galaxy. According to the Mayas the center of the Galaxy is the cosmic womb: the place of dead, transformation, regeneration and rebirth. This moment shows the end of their calendar.

To know more about what this means it is interesting to make an astrological chart of the December solstice of 2012.

Below you see a chart for 21 December 12.12 Middle European Time (11.12 GMT), Amsterdam, Netherlands. The planetary pattern will be the same for all locations only the ascendant and house division will be different.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ASTROLOGICAL CHART

The Sun is at 0 degrees Capricorn, the point of the December solstice. It makes a sextile to Neptune, right at the beginning of Pisces. This is an almost exact sextile. The orb is less then half a degree. This aspect can point towards a spiritual experience, a loss or both.

The most important configuration is a yod which we find in the chart. This is also called the Finger of God. It looks like an arrow in the chart and it indicates change and transformations. .

The yod consists of:

1. A quincunx (150 degree aspect) between Jupiter and Pluto.

2. A quincunx between Jupiter and Saturn.

3. A central opposition (180 degree aspect) made between Jupiter and the Mercury/Venus conjunction.

The two quincunxes are almost exact, they have an orb of less then half a degree. In fact the quincunx between Jupiter and Pluto is exact at December 21 2012.

THE MEANING OF THE ASTROLOGICAL CHART

Pluto is the planet of radical transformation, death and rebirth.

Saturn is the planet of the earthly realm and of learning experiences, especially those of a more painful nature.

Jupiter is the planet of expansion. It is the focus of the yod, the planet which receives the strong energy of the other planets involved. It also expands the energy of the other planets involved (especially Saturn and Pluto).

This yod indicates transformational processes which can be painful for many.

Jupiter has a central place in this because it is the focal point of the energy. This indicates changes in our religious systems, beliefs, philosophical systems. These fall under Jupiter.

Another notable configuration is the T-square with Neptune as focal point:

Jupiter makes a square (90 degree aspect) to Neptune.
Neptune makes a square to Venus.
Venus opposes Jupiter, this is the central opposition that activates the yod.

Therefore Neptune, the planet of spirituality, ascension, confusion and floods is a cruxial planet in this chart.

Is it possible to find out more details about the picture given above? Maybe we can use another astrological method to find out more about what the above chart indicates?

THE CHINESE FOUR PILLAR CHART OR THE STORY OF THE TWO DRAGONS

I have made a Chinese Four Pillar Chart. This type of chart contains of four pillars that are dependend upon the hour, day, month and year. Because the hourly pillar depends upon the location I have confined myself to the pillars of the day, month and year. These are the same for the entire world.

In the roots of the chart (the lower part of the pillars) we find a rat that is surrounded by two dragons. The dragons almost seems to be making plans to eat the rat.

The dragon represents the ouroboros, the mythological dragon or snake that bites its own tail. According to Mayan cosmology this ouroboros symbolises the Milky Way.

The dragon is an earthly sign, the rat is a water sign. Therefore this chart contains water and earth.

In the stems (the top of the chart) we find yang fire. This is the strong fire of the Sun or a natural fire.

In this chart water is the strongest element. It can be found in the rat and in the two Yang Waters.

A meteorite falling in the ocean would be one expression of this chart. Or a vulcan (fire and earth) exploding and causing a tsunami (water). It could also indicate floods. Water and Earth the strongest elements of this charts are enemies to one another. Since Water is more powerful in the chart, this may indicate largescale floods. Therefore of all the events possible large scale floods are the most likely.

This is confirmed by the Western chart in which Neptune plays a crucial role.

In my opinion what this chart indicates is that the polluted energy of the collective unconsciousness will turn against humanity. Whatever happens, it will be an expression of the energy that is radiated by a humanity that is unable to live in peace and to make the right choices (for peace, welfare, health and inner spirituality).

CHINESE FOUR PILLAR CHART DECEMBER 21 2012 (DAY PILLAR, MONTH PILLAR AND YEAR PILLAR ARE NOT DEPENDENT UPON THE LOCATION) (The hour pillar not included as it is different from place to place)

PILLAR OF THE DAY	PILLAR OF THE MONTH	PILLAR OF THE YEAR
YANG FIRE	YANG WATER	YANG WATER
DRAGON	RAT	DRAGON

CONCLUSION: See: http://www.astrologycourse.org/2012.htm

EVACUATION SIMULATION on DECEMBER 26, 2005

2008-06-19T13:53:00.000-07:00

EVACUATION SIMULATION on DECEMBER 26, 2005
Evacuation Simulation of Tsunami in City of Padang, December 26, 2005
http://kogami.multiply.com/journal/item/6

Tsunami disaster December 26, 2005 still leaves deepest commemoration for people in the world, especially for places that have been hit by that killed tidal waves. It was 220,000 dead victims in that tragedy, mostly Indonesia people who were living in Aceh. We could never forget because it just happened. No body in Aceh knew that wave as Tsunami. It was not astonishing at all as history of Tsunami recurrence once in a couple of centuries. There was no information from ancestor to the next generation, different with Simeulue Island that parents always sing a song to remind their kids about signs of Tsunami that they called “smonk.

People of Padang do not want to follow the misstep to face disaster as what happen in Aceh and learn from Simeuleu, so they prepare themselves to reduce the risk that might be caused by that disaster. People who gather in KOGAMI run evacuation simulation again for the fourth time on December 26, 2005. This simulation has little difference with others because officials from ministry of research and technology and from LIPI directly collaborated with KOGAMI in preparing this National event.

This simulation was not only to commemorate last year Tsunami but also to motivate other dangerous places to prepare their communities to face that killed disaster. We hope Padang that is pointed as Pilot Project for Tsunami Early Warning System (TEWS) can play its role well. Regarding these purposes, TVRI (Nasional TV of Indonesia) presented the examination of entire EWS live and exclusively.

Evacuation simulation process was preceded by prayed together that was lead by President Bambang Susilo Yuhdhoyono from Ulele Aceh through teleconference. Then, BMG (Geophysics and Meteorology Bureau) Jakarta explained about mechanism of EWS followed by detecting earthquake that has potential to generate Tsunami in West Sumatra. BMG immediately sent signal of evacuation to mayor of Padang.

Minister of Research and Technology that attended evacuation simulation observed the teleconference between those three cities seriously. After got signal, mayor rapidly gave command to Chief of Operational Command through VHF FM transceiver radio to run disaster SOP and turn on the siren that was followed by other sirens at the mosques.

Officials and vehicles went to their appropriate positions based on the duties while people went out of houses and brought survival kits in bag that already prepared. The unable persons such as handicaps, pregnant women, old persons and children were delivered by their relatives and neighbors to transportation zones. Officials took them and brought them to relocation zones.

People and officials run this simulation seriously as if the disaster was really happening. Police, civil police, and transportation department cleared the way that would be passed by refugees and guided them to the relocation zones. Volunteers of KOGAMI were enthusiastic to aim the refugees through the route that had been made by people themselves. Medical team and firemen that was helped by Scout and Youth treated the victims efficiently. At the same time, military, PMI, women and other organizations had been preparing refuge camp and all need in the relocation zones.

Soon the refugees reached the tents; their data was collected by administration staff. Minister of Research and Technology, Vice governor and the party had been waiting them in the relocation zones and observed victims that had medication and gave motivation to people of Padang to keep doing simulation because West Sumatra, particularly Padang is located on the plates that can crash at anytime and generate Tsunami.

After receiving short information from command staff, people went back home. Minister and party also left the location. From the observation, we could know that there were 10.000 people involved in this simulation. All components played their roles greatly. However, KOGAMI will always need to evaluate for getting better system in reducing of disaster impact. KOGAMI realized that it is not easy to build the synergy and maintain the continuity. We optimize that supporting from many elements will helped us to do many good things and give safety needs for people/community.

WHAT IS PLANET X?

2008-06-19T13:41:00.000-07:00

WHAT IS PLANET X?

http://www.amightywind.com/planetx/planetx.htm

Planet X is a planet that the ancient Sumerians referred to as "Nibiru." This ancient Sumerian word literally means "Planet Of The Crossing." The Sumerians gave it this name because every 3,630 years Planet X crosses Earth's orbit. The Sumerians counted it as the twelth planet in our solar system because they regarded both the Sun and Moon as planets. (Photo of Sumerian tablet, dated 4,500 B.C., shows 11 planets orbiting the sun. One represents Earth's moon. The 10th is Planet X.)

However, modern astronomers have dubbed it as Planet X, meaning that it is the tenth planet in our solar system, the "X" standing for "ten." Planet X has a highly elliptical orbit, rather than the usual circular orbit, more resembling the orbit of a comet than of a planet. It's orbit carries it far out into space, far beyond our known solar system, but then every 3,630 years it returns to the inner solar system and crosses the orbit of Earth.

Planet X is a humongous, giant planet over five times larger than Earth, and having over 100 times the mass of Earth. It has a magnetic core that is so powerful that it clashes with the electromagnetic fields of other planets in the solar system. It was because of this electromagnetic disturbance of other planets that astronomers in recent times figured out that there had to be another huge heavenly body in the outer reaches of the solar system. The search for this unknown heavenly body began over 400 years ago. There is a great amount of literature available on the subject for those who want to research it.

Astronomers finally discovered Planet X in 1982. It was in that year that NASA acknowledged the existence of it. A year later (1983) IRAS (Infrared Astronomical Satellite) actually spotted a large mysterious object in the depths of space. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory also acknowledged its existence. News items about its discovery were printed in the Washington Post and the New York Times. But shortly after these public announcements the great coverup began.

THE COVERUP - "Don't Want To Panic The Masses"

After the discovery of Planet X in 1982, astronomers began to study it seriously. They soon discovered that it was inbound, headed towards the inner solar system again. It was determined that it would cause massive earthquakes, volcanoes, tidal waves, the melting or shifting of the polar ice caps, sudden fluctuations in temperature and climatic conditions, and probably a shift in the polar axis of Earth. This information was passed on to the political leaders in our government, and presumably the political leaders of other nations.

After some consultation, it was decided that if the news about Planet X and the worldwide disaster that it is expected to cause was released to the public, the public would react in fear, hysteria, panic, and anarchy. The result would be the total collapse of the world economy. Wicked men will protect their precious dollars at any cost, counting them of more value than the lives of their fellow human beings. So, a decision was made to suppress all information about Planet X, classifying it as "Super Top Secret." Yet, in the years since 1982-83, NASA and other agencies have continued to diligently study Planet X, accumulating a vast amount of information about it.

In spite of the best efforts of astronomical and political leaders, working in collusion to suppress all information about Planet X, there have been leaks.

It is now known that the Hubble Space Telescope has been repeatedly used to observe Planet X, but all information obtained by it has been hidden from the public. Only a select few top scientists and government officials have been allowed to view the photographs of Planet X picked up by Hubble. It has also been revealed that the Hubble telescope is equipped with special technological equipment that prevents any interception of its signals by anyone other than NASA. Since it is only taking pictures of things in the heavens, why is it so important that only NASA receive those pictures? Do they have something to hide?

It has also been revealed that since 1982-83, the government has quietly financed and built eight new observatories, equipping them with the most advanced technological equipment available, for the specific purpose of studying Planet X. These observatories are in various locations around the U.S., with two of them being in New Mexico. But the public was never told about these observatories being built with their tax dollars. Why?

YOUR CARING GOVERNMENT

During the twenty-two years since the discovery of Planet X, the governments of the wealthy industrial nations of the world have quietly built vast underground complexes (bunkers) capable of housing thousands of people. These bunkers are intended to guarantee the survival of certain wealthy political leaders, ultra-rich bankers, corporate heads, etc., and others deemed necessary for their survival and pleasure. These bunkers have been stocked with enough food, water, clothing, medicine, and technological equipment to guarantee the survival of the occupants for several years.

Those "selected" to use the bunkers have also placed various treasures in them (art; money; automobiles; alcohol; etc.) in order to preserve these things for their future use. At the proper time these "special" people plan to enter their secret, reinforced, earthquake proof bunkers, where they expect to "ride out" the devastation caused by Planet X, emerging only after the chaos and danger is over.

But what about the masses of people on Earth who have no bunkers? The ultra-rich political and financial leaders of the world couldn't care less about the survival of the "common man." The only important thing to them is that they survive. They are the "nobles." They must survive in order to rebuild a "New World Order" and rule over those who survive the devastation caused by Planet X.

BUT YAHUVEH.....

We can marvel at the absolute accuracy of YAHUVEH's inspired Word. There is no question that the coming of Planet X is going to cause Earth to tremble and shake like it has never been shaken previously in human history.

Haggai 2:6-7
For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land.

Matthew 24:21
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Hebrews 12:26-27
Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Revelation 16:18
And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

Now read Isaiah 2:10-22, noting especially verses 19-21...

And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

And when this happens to these wicked men,

He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision. Psalm 24

All of these grandiose plans being made by those who consider themselves the "elite" of humanity, are going to come to naught. Not only does Isaiah 2 tell us that their treasures will be left "to the moles and to the bats," but James 5:1-3 tells us that their "gold and silver" will become "cankered" and will "rust."

These vast underground bunkers that the wicked ultra-rich of the earth have built, may very well become their tombs. There is no way to guarantee that the entrances of these bunkers will not be buried deep beneath the earth, sealed forever by the terrible earthquakes that are going to occur with the coming of Planet X. Neither is there any way to guarantee that the areas of the earth where these bunkers are located won't sink beneath the seas in the coming devastation, carrying their occupants to a watery grave. Someone once wrote, The best laid plans of mice and men often come to naught." This is precisely why Isaiah 2:22 warns,

Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of?

The only security for anyone in view of the coming of Planet X, is to know the Lord YAHUSHUA HaMashiah (in Greek Jesus Christ) in a personal, saving relationship. Sometime before Planet X (or some other heavenly body) devastates Earth, YAHUVEH will remove His people

"from this present evil world," Galatians 13-4

A Flood Of Emotions

2008-06-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/HLSAF2/MF1127.PDF

Rising water is causing more than property
damage in Kansas. It is bringing a flood of emotions.
How we deal with the emotional flood may
affect how well Kansans recover from this natural
disaster.

Emotional Responses
“There are two reactions during a disaster,”
explains Charlie Griffin, Extension Specialist,
Rural Family Support. “I think most people are
very quick to take care of what needs to be done:
sandbagging, packing, helping neighbors. ‘Let’s
take care of what can be done. ‘At the same time
people experience disbelief. ‘This can’t possibly
be happening!... This emotional duality allows
people to keep working for survival. But there may
be a sense of unreality during the disaster.
Other powerful feelings may surface:

• panic/feeling out of control
• anger

• generosity toward others
• despair

• anxiety/uncertainty
• disorientation

• cooperation/team work

“At times, flood preparations have been
wonderful,” comments Elaine Johannes. Director
of the Extension Rural Mental Health Project,
Johannes lives in a flood-threatened section of
Manhattan. “Our whole neighborhood has been
working together, sandbagging and preparing.
There is a sense of team work. We’re getting to
know each other in a special way.”
Griffin suggests that the full force of the
emotional flood will hit after the flood water
recede. “That’s when exhaustion sets in,” he
reports. “As we look at our real losses, we may
experience grief, desperation and depression. We
need to be prepared to pay more attention to our
emotional reactions and to the reactions of our
friends and neighbors once the emergency crews
go home.

Coping
One of first things people can do is pull
together. “Don’t hesitate to ask for assistance!”
Griffin suggests. “There are many people around
who want to help and will help. They just need to
know what to do that will be the most help right
now.”

Many neighbors are pulling together. Volunteers
who are not experiencing flood danger are
sandbagging low-lying areas. Yet some people try
to manage by themselves, without accepting help.
Griffin continues, “Help from others may
make the critical difference between coping and
suffering from a worse disaster.”
Another important coping strategy is taking
care of your physical and emotional needs. Eat a
balanced diet to fuel your energy. As much as
possible, get enough sleep. Fatigue will slow you
down during an emergency. As you prepare, pack,
sandbag or check your crops, talk with others
about your feelings. Listen to theirs. Together, look
for the positives in the situation.
A Flood...
Of Emotions
How Family Members Can Be More
Supportive of One Another

• Tell family members when they have
done a good job.

• Laugh! Laughter can help relieve
tension.

• Be considerate of other family members.

• Express love and concern often.
Helping Others
1 As much as possible, provide practical
help during the flooding. Help friends or
family pack. Furnish meals. Store their belongings;
provide them with a place to stay. Parents may be
very busy; offer to spend some time with children
to play and to listen to their concerns.
2 Listen. When others talk about their
experiences and feelings, their emotional
load seems lighter to bear. One of the best ways
you can help is to just listen. You don’t have to
come up with solutions or answers. It’s okay if
your neighbor needs to break down and cry. Others
will ask ‘Why me?” They are not really looking
for an answer but expressing their hurt.
3 Show by words and actions that you care.
A friendly arm around troubled shoulders
or a few words of support and encouragement can
help in times of crisis. Small, kind deeds and
sincere expressions of affection or admiration also
will mean a lot.
About Children
Flooding or water damage to crops brings
stress to the whole family-including the children.
Such crises can be extremely threatening for them.
These tips can help you help your child cope
during disaster.

• Heed public safety warnings. Quick actions may
avert many difficulties for the whole family.

• Tell children what’s going on simply and matterof-
factly. This helps avoid the fear of the unknown.

• Listen. Answer their questions as much as you
can.

• Reassure them. Use statements like “It’s scary
right now, but we’ll always take care of you.”

• Involve children. Let them help pack or fill their
own sandbag. This helps them feel a part of the
family and prepares them for later situations.

• As much as possible, keep routines. They help
children feel secure.
• Show love and support.

• Make sure children know the family’s difficulties
are not their fault. Children tend to blame
themselves for problems.

• Keep your sense of humor and enjoy a good
laugh together frequently.

• Take care of your own emotions and stress.
Children will reflect your anxiety or your calm.
During crises, children may act younger than
they are. A child may be irritable or misbehave.
This is normal for a child who is scared and
doesn’t understand a situation as serious as flooding
or crop loss. Children need your extra patience
at this time and small actions they can take to help
the family.

Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service
MF1127 7-30-93
It is the policy of Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service that all persons shall have equal opportunity
and access to its educational programs, services, activities, and materials without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age or disability.
Kansas State University is an equal opportunity organization. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, as
amended. Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts, and United States Department of Agriculture Cooperating, Marc A.
Johnson, Director.
“Neighboring” In Times of Trouble
1. Offer specific types of help or ask how you
can help.

2. Go ahead and act. Don’t be afraid of
saying or doing the wrong thing.

3. Go ahead and help. Your friend won’t
resent you if you aren’t facing flood
danger yourself.

4. Keep helping. The danger may continue
for some time. Recovering may take even
longer. Your friends or family members
will need regular, small acts of kindness to
maintain their morale and to put their
lives back together.
Joyce Powell
Extension Assistant, Rural Mental Health Project

Survival at Sea

2008-06-17T11:06:00.000-07:00

Survival at Sea

http://www.caske2000.org/survival/survivesea.htm#Hypothermia

You survived the wreckage, you were able to stay afloat and stay warm to prevent hypothermia (or even better climb in your raft and stay dry). Now you have to be ready to survive at sea for an unknown period of time. Like on land, the basic survival rules apply. You must first protect yourself from the elements, then find water, and food. In addition preparing yourself to signal for help might increase your chances to be found by potential rescuers of passing ships and crafts.

Protecting yourself from the elements

After drowning, the highest danger comes from exposure (cold, wind, heat, sun, salt).

The resistance to the elements is also weakened by fear, stress, and the energy spent during the wreckage.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia is the main cause of death resulting from exposure to the elements. The body heat loss is 25 times greater in the water than in the air. Even in tropical water, a man immersed (without protection) for an extended period of time will die from hypothermia. (In the 80s a dive boat sunk in the warm water of the Sea of Cortez. The only people who survived were the ones who were able to grab their wetsuits. Survivors still suffered from hypothermia). In cold water, dying from hypothermia might be a matter of minutes.

In the heat of the moment

If you can, grab as much clothing as possible. Polypropylene will protect you even wet. Rain gear will protect you in the raft.

In the water

Try to get off the water as soon as possible. If you can’t, save your energy. Avoid all movements that will increase your blood circulation as it will also increase your body heat loss (it is wrong to believe that moving quickly in very cold water will help you to warm up. It only exhausts you). The original pain you feel in the extremities will quickly disappear, frostbite in the water doesn’t happen before hypothermia, so save your energy (On land in cold climates and mountains, frostbites can often happen before or even without hypothermia).

In a survival raft

Protect your self from the wind. Windchill can very quickly increase the risk of hypothermia. Use clothing, a sail or tarp made from any fabric available. Stay as dry as possible. Avoid drinking alcohol, coffee and smoking tobacco (those have a vasoconstrictor effect). Once on the raft, exercise might warm up cold extremities (and overall body). Covering yourself with grease or fat might help you preserve your body heat, especially if you need to dive back in the water. (people swimming across the Channel spray themselves with grease). For more information read our section on Land Survival.

Important note about rescuing people suffering from hypothermia

During rescue operations, people have lost their lives after surviving the initial hypothermia. It is essential to know (both for rescuers and victims) that the internal temperature can drop 4 to 5 degrees (Centigrade) at the time of rescue. This temperature drop might last 20 minutes.

When people suffer from hypothermia, the extremities are sacrificed to preserve the internal organs. The blood circulation then stops in the extremities where the blood becomes much colder. When rescued, the peripheral circulation (from the extremities) is re-activated. The previously stagnant cold blood goes back to the vital organs and provokes this last dramatic temperature drop which is often fatal. So it is essential to take this phenomena into account while warming up a victim of hypothermia.

Warming up technique

The best way to safely warm up victims is to immerse them in a hot bath (45-50 degrees) for a period of 10 minutes (the contact with warm water might be very painful to the extremities (if the victim is conscious), but it is very important to keep the victim submerged in the bath.

This technique was successfully used on victims who seemed to have died (very stiff body, and no apparent pulse.

If bath tubs aren’t available, but hot water is. A shower (with enough water pressure) or hose spraying water at 60 degrees could be used instead.

If hot water isn’t available in large quantity (if it needs to be boiled), hot pads can be made.

Hot pads aren’t as efficient as hot baths but they represent the next best alternative.

Hot pads should be used as follows:

The most important pad (the first one) should be placed under the neck. If other pads are available, they should be placed under the arm pits and between the legs (groin area).

Making Hot Pads

There are some special rubber containers made for this use. They were used in the past to warm up beds during winter nights in Europe. To make a pad, you can use any thin, flexible waterproof containers that will not melt (the MSR Dromadery water bags we use during our expedition would be great), skin gourds, inflatable life jackets, scuba diving BCs, drysuits, car tubes, or even condoms could be used to make those pads. Water can be heated (stove, fire, microwave, etc.) and placed in those pads.

If hot water isn’t available, use chemical warming pads (sold in sports stores). To make hot pads without any hot water, you could heat rocks (fire) and wrap them in clothing. If on a sand beach and no rocks are available, you might need to make a fire in a pit (the size of the victim). When the fire is made place the victim next to it while preparing a second fire. As soon as the fire has produced some red coils, cover it with sand and place the victim in the hot pit. Make sure there is enough sand not to cause burns. Cover the victim with hot sand from the second pit and you can add red coals from the second fire on top of the sand. While the fire is still lit, you can wet some cloth and put them very close to the flames. They won’t catch on fire but will get hot quickly. You can use those as pads while waiting for your fire to produce red coals

(Note that in hospitals, hypothermia patients are treated with combination of bath and IVs (intravenous fluids) to slowly warm up the full blood system).

Sun exposure

The main problem is dehydration which is reinforced by skin burns. On a raft freshwater is probably your most valuable thing. A way to reduce your necessary consumption is to reduce your body fluid loss. To do so you have to reduce exercise and sun exposure. Make a sun shade with any type of fabric available. Sails and tarps work best. If possible set them to shade the maximum surface on the raft while preserving the maximum airflow. When you get too hot, swimming (always tie yourself to the raft) or splashing your body will cool you off. Wearing wet clothing will also keep you cooler than bare skin (it will also protect you from burns)

Sunstroke

To avoid sunstroke cover your head and neck (with wet clothing) and minimize your movements during the day.

Skin

The salt water takes away the skin's natural moisture and sunburns accelerate dehydration. The skin can quickly dry and chap, crack and swell. Protect your skin with light clothing. Water might help you cool off, but the constant rubbing with salt might irritate your skin even more (don’t apply anymore salt to broken skin areas). Also make sure you let your clothing dry before night. Even in the tropics, nights can be cold. If you don’t have any sun protective ointments, any type of grease or fat might also help protect your skin. (Fat can be found in sea birds and other various animals).

Eyes

On the ocean the sun is reflected by the sea and can cause partial or permanent blindness. Sunglasses (100% UV protection, polarized glasses are best) are a must for all watersport activities. If you don’t have any sunglasses, you should improvise some. Indigenous people from the Arctic circle used leather bands in which they cut two narrow slit for the eyes. Those narrow slits minimize the contact with sun rays. You could use any type of fabric to make such eye protection.

If your eyes are swollen or burning you can apply wet bandage with light pressure. It is better to use freshwater if you can spare it. Don’t apply the bandage for too long.

Salt exposure

Extended salt exposure will irritate the skin and might burn, produce rashes, sores and boils. If you can, rinse with fresh (rain) water, and keep the affected area dry. Avoid any additional contact with salt (seawater). In the case of infected pus filled sores,. do not break it as they might spread infections.

Long immersion

Castaways who have parts of their bodies immersed for a long period of time might suffer from swelling and tenderness at the tip of their fingers and toe. It is painful and is best treated with sunscreen oil (coconut oil). Other types of rashes and boils might also result. The most affected areas are ones most frequently in contact with water: hands, elbows, buttocks. These can spread over other body parts. Healing takes a long time and requires a period of time without any additional salt exposure. Protect all affected areas from further contact with sea water.

Water

Prevent dehydration (body fluid loss due to perspiration) and motion sickness (also leading to dehydration. (sleep or rest as much as possible).

Protect yourself from the sun (see section on "Exposure – Sun")

Protect yourself against motion sickness. (use pills before getting sick; try applying pressure on your wrist (accu-pressure point); look at the horizon; often change your head’s position; avoid eating when you are sick or susceptible to be). In the first storm on a raft, even experienced sailors get motion sickness. There isn’t much to do to avoid it, but it usually goes away after 3 days (or earlier if the sea conditions improve). The danger is vomiting leading to dehydration and exhaustion.

H20 Consumption: Healthy VS. Necessary to survive

The minimum amount of water considered necessary to stay in good shape is 1.3/4 pts (1 litre) per day. It is possible to survive with 2 to 5 oz (55 to 220 centiliters) per day.

When you will be surviving at sea for an unknown duration of time, it is necessary to ration the water to the minimum needed to survive.

On the first day, your body still contains much water, so you don’t need to drink. It is recommended to decrease your water ration progressively. The first 2 to 4 days you should drink 14oz (400cc). After you should reduce to 2 to 8 oz daily. This will of course vary with the conditions. (no protection from the sun in a tropical area will require more water than in the shade in temperate climate.

During such rationing, symptoms such as discomfort, absence of saliva, cracking of lips and weakness are normal. If delirium starts, the victim needs more water. (This rationing might not be healthy for a period of over a week, but unless you find alternative source of water you might have to follow it to survive).

Make good use of your fresh water

When drinking moisten the lips tongue and throat (gurgle lightly) before swallowing.

Use Lightly salted water (first rain) to wash wounds, and rinse face

Food and Water Needs

Digestion requires a lot of water. So if you are low in water and rationing yourself (adrift in an area without much rain), you should avoid eating. It is possible to survive much longer without food than without water.

Proteins requires much more water than carbohydrates. So if you need to eat, you should first eat your carbohydrate food (sugar and starches). The main food you will gather from the ocean (fish, sea turtles and seaweed) are rich in proteins and should be avoided if you don’t have enough water. Do not eat any dehydrated (dried) food if short on water (all dried food also requires much water to be digested). Over a long period, you should eat so as not to suffer from additional weakness and health problems due to starvation. Fish and other marine animals contain a little amount of water, but only when they are eaten immediately (fresh and preferably raw – (sashimi)).

Reverse osmosis hand pump

Some of these water desalination pumps are manually operated and can allow you to filter from 1 to 3.5 liters per hour. They are one of the most valuable pieces of equipment you could possibly store in a survival raft. We used one in our Baja leg and in spite of the time it takes to pump, we were happy to use it for island hopping in the sea of Cortez (see photo).

Drinking sea water

Everybody who has accidentally swallowed a bit of sea water knows that drinking a glass of it isn’t possible. Drinking sea water is dangerous and will result kidney failure. This is what everybody thought until Dr. Bombard proved that people could survive on sea water (we are talking about staying alive, not healthy). Many experts still disagree with Bombard’s theory, but the fact that he has survived 63 days on drifting raft without any other food and water than what the ocean could provide him gives a lot of credit to his research on sea survival. Bombard doesn’t disregard the danger of drinking sea water. During his testing periods he got sick when he tried to drink more than 32oz of sea water per day for more than five days. After numerous tests and various castaway experimentation (drifting at sea for weeks), he came to the conclusion that people could safely drink sea water in quantities not exceeding 32oz per day. Safely here doesn’t imply healthy, it is rather the maximum amount of sea water a man could drink without experiencing major health complication or life threatening conditions. Of course all his tests were limited on himself (although many other people like the crew of La Balsa expedition and the Incas themselves were known to regularly drink sea water). If you must drink sea water, follow Dr. Bombard ‘s advice.

DRINK MAXIMUM 32oz PER DAY and start as soon as possible (don’t wait to be dehydrated). Of course adding fresh water would improve your physical condition.

Collecting rain water

Depending on your location, it might rain daily or very sporadically. In the tropics, one short rain storm could dump much water. Often the unprepared castaways have not been able to take advantage of those strong sporadic rain storms (if it rains daily you don’t need to be too concerned). Many have died of dehydration in areas of heavy rains. Don’t wait for the rain to be prepared.

How to collect rain water

Over time much salt will crystallize over all the fabrics you could use to collect rain (especially sails and plastic tarps). When you expect rain make sure you wash your fabrics in the sea. (although the sea is salty, it will remove all the layers of salt crystals. The little salt left from rinsing in the sea will be minimal (otherwise, the rain water you will collect will be very salty). You should also keep all your equipment to catch rainwater set up at night when you sleep (by the time you wake up and are ready to set up in the dark, you might have lost a chance to collect most of the water).

What to use, how?

Any large surface of fabrics such as canvas or plastic are great to catch rain water. If you have sails, make a giant bowl with them (make sure you rinse them before). In heavy sea make sure you protect your water collection plant from the waves. You don’t want the ocean to spoil your precious drinking water. If you don’t have any sails or not enough tarps, use anything from rain jackets and pants to garbage bags, wetsuits, life jackets, etc. Cans and bottles make great containers to store water but are not very efficient to collect it. You might also collect water from the gutters of your dinghy. Pockets of rain water might also form in various places (which you can lap if difficult to transfer into a receptacle).

How to store rain water

Drink all you need from the rain, but if you have been on a rationed diet, drink very slowly as to not vomit (a normal reaction after forced drinking following dehydration).

Store as much rain water as possible. The first water collected might still contain a bit of salt (save it separately. You can use it to wash wounds and moisten lips and eyes. When you run out of containers, think of anything that can be made into a container (plan this beforehand). To not mention the obvious, fill up your diving BC, and everything that is inflatable. If you are on a raft. You can partially fill up the tubes of your raft. It won’t sink (rafts are extremely buoyant) but it will even stabilize it more in heavy seas (you can then pipe the water out when needed (for example with a snorkel or diving hose)). Even condoms (never leave home without them!) can be thoroughly rinsed and after fully inflated, they can contain and preserve much water.

Using saline and foul water

When the water is first collected it might contain too much salt to be drinkable, but it could still be used to clean wounds, humidify lips and rinse the skin (especially where rashes, dryness and soreness have developed).

Foul water collected on a raft is usually safe to drink but because of the taste it might cause vomiting. To avoid vomiting is can be absorbed rectally by means of a water retention enema!

Another beneficial use of water enema: After a long period of dehydration (and diet)the stomach shrinks and can’t hold much water. During a strong rain storm, if you don’t have much container to store water, you want to fill yourself up. You can absorb up to one pint rectally.

In case of severe dehydration the body will more quickly be hydrated with an enema. It is a method that has saved knowledgeable survivors. But careful not to use salt water (sea water is as dangerous absorbed rectally as it is orally).

Finding fresh water in the ocean

Ice

In polar regions, ice is easily collected from icebergs. The surface of the ocean might also freeze and provide ice. If the ice is old enough (a year old. It is usually blue-gray like on glaciers), it will have lost its salt concentration. You can melt it to drink, or just suck it. Be sure to taste it first to make sure it isn’t salty.

You might also be able to collect ice on the surface of various equipment. It is frozen air humidity and can be used.

When very cold, you might also be able to freeze sea water in containers. The salt will freeze last and concentrate in the middle. You can then break the side and separate it from the center to get low saline water.

Fish

In the tropics dehydration can happen quickly. During the dry season, rains might be very sporadic (but strong so be ready!). The tropical waters are usually rich in marine life which can be used not only as a source of food but water as well.

Fish (and other marine animals) contain liquid in their flesh, but remember that if you are very low in water, digesting proteins will require more than you might be able to spare (it means eating flesh or drinking blood).

Fish can also provide a source of water. You can drink the aqueous liquid found in the eyes and spine bones. Those are almost free of salt and a good source of drinking water (especially if you catch large fish or in large quantities).

To extract the liquid, cut the freshly caught fish in half. Break the vertebras apart and suck them (no water in shark spines). Also suck the eyes.

You can also suck on barnacles and similar shellfish which are often found on hulls, ropes (or even whales). Taste first to make sure it isn’t too salty. If it taste too bitter you might want to discard it as well.

The Incas were believed to chew on fish to obtain water. Later, members of La Balsa expedition also survived by twisting pieces of fish in clothing to extract the moisture (after removing all the blood). They also suck on the waters from the eyes and bones. Dr. Bombard even made a machine to press fish and extract the precious fluid they contain.

Solar Stills and Condensation

Modern equipment has come a long way and some new survival raft come equipped with solar stills and chemical desalination tablets. If so, the solar stills should be set up as soon as possible (don’t wait to be low in water, it is slow process).

To make your own solar still, read our Survival Page on beach surviving.

Condensation

In some dry places (little to no rain), nights might bring much condensation (a good example is Baja in Mexico). You can collect the drops of condensation with a canvas or plastic tarp (or sail) set as a bowl (to cover the maximum surface area, make sure the water collected gets funneled the proper way to be stored. (don’t forget to rinse the fabrics. See collecting rain water).

Food

Saving energy

The more active you are the more energy you use, the more food (and water) you need. Relax as much as possible and try to lay down to save as much energy as possible.

Food and Water. Should you really eat?

Before eating any food, be aware that digestion (especially of proteins and dried food) requires much water. If you are very short on water don’t eat. If you have food but no water, wait until you can collect enough water (rain or other means) to eat. You can survive much longer without food than without water. If you really need to eat (after a long period, don’t let yourself starve), you should choose the carbohydrates first (sugar and starches often contained in survival rations). Proteins (fish, turtles, birds and algae) although probably your main source of food, should be eaten last is you are low on fresh water.

Does the sea contain enough food to remain healthy?

Sailors in the past believed that the sea could not provide them enough vitamins. To avoid suffering from scurvy, they stored fruits and vegetables. Onions have always been a favorite among sailors. They contain the more vitamins than any other vegetables and if kept in a dry area, they can be kept for a long period of time.

Dr. Bombard proved his theory. The sea can provide enough food (including the right vitamins) to men for a long period of time. Fish flesh contains proteins and vitamin A (and D). Often livers from fish also contain other vitamins like B1 and B2 (be careful that some fish contains poison in their liver, others contain a very high concentration of vitamin A which can also be toxic). Vitamin C and sugar can be found in plankton.

Surviving castaways have often use much ingenuity to catch food. Most of what you find around you can be converted and use to catch, attract or find food.

Fish

Fish are plentiful in most oceans and they might be the easiest to catch if you have a minimum of material to make some basic equipment. Don’t worry about eating raw fish. In many countries raw fish is considered a delicacy. The most famous are Japan (sushi and sashimi) and Latin American countries (ceviche). (Note: cooking will kill potential parasites, but healthy fish are safe to be eaten raw).

Fishing lines, nets, spears, etc.

There are many known fishing methods used all around the world. Lines can be made from any types of ropes or strings (found from various clothing, fabrics, and other equipment), hooks can be made from metal, plastic, bones, etc.

Fishing at night

Often night time provides the best fishing. This is why many fishermen work at night. Spearfishing (freediving) at night is also much easier than during day time. Many fish are attracted by light. Use any possible source of light (electrical or fire) to attract fish. If not available you might even be able to reflect the light from the moon (full moon) to attract your preys.

Some fish (especially small sharks because their skin is rough) can even be caught by hand once attracted close to your raft (bait or light). For more information on fishing techniques, read our website on Survival

Flying fish

Sailors are familiar with those, they often find them lying on the deck of their boat in the morning.

Flying fish are found in schools. If you cross their path, you might be able to catch many at once. They are attracted by bright light. Use anything to that order (see fishing at night). Use white canvas or tarps (even during the day). The fish will fly over your raft and hit the tarp you set. They will fall stoned in your raft.

A note about poisonous fish

The castaways are usually far enough from shore that they don’t need to worry much about poisonous fish. Most fish found in open ocean are edible. Poisonous fish are usually found in coastal areas, particularly reefs. Even some poisonous fish might be edible if you carefully discard the liver and other internal organs in which the poison or toxins are usually contained. (often the flesh contains no or much less toxins). When in doubt only eat fish you know. If you can’t be selective, only eat flesh that has not been in contact with organs. Eat only a small quantity first, wait a few hours checking for symptoms before eating more. For more information read our homepage on "Dangerous Sea Life".

Organs you don’t eat can be used. Some contain oil you can squeeze and rub on dry skin. Most can be use to bait other fish.

Note: cooking will not decrease the amount of poison or toxins in the fish.

Note: don’t forget that fish in the tropics can spoil very quickly (unless dried properly), discard any fish with you might believe unsafe. You don’t want to risk fish poisoning or even vomiting (loss of energy and water).

Drying fish (or meat)

If you catch more fish than you can eat (or than you should eat if you’re short on water), you should start drying it right away. In the tropics, fish can spoil very quickly.

Fish fillets are usually dried by being hanged in the sun. A quicker process (but which might not retain as much water) is to cut very thin slices of fish and spread them on any dry fabrics (canvas and plastics) exposed to the sun. (Meat (turtle) can be dried in the same way, but meat with high content of fat might spoil before being dried). Remember that dried food will require more water to digest.

Birds

Castaways rarely think about eating birds, but all sea birds are edible (some might be very chewy though). Their meat can be eaten cooked, raw, or dried.

Birds might land on your raft to rest or circle you hoping for food. They can be caught by hand, knocked with an oar, speared, caught with a net, snared, or even hook like a fish (using various baits or lure in the water or thrown in the air).

If you can’t cook the bird, skin it and eat it raw. In cold weather you can use the feather to make some insulation under your cloth (down sleeping bags!). Feathers could even be used as fishing bait. You can use the fat to lubricate the skin. In the arctic regions, people chew on fat (seals and sea lions). In very cold situation you might want to chew on the fat of birds (and sea turtles). Bones contain marrow. If you can’t chew on the bone, break it and extract the marrow with something long and thin. The best way to kill a bird by hand is to hold both wings in one hand (from the origin of insertion) and with the other hand grab the neck and quickly pull it down (and up if it doesn’t work on first try). The neck will break.

Sea Turtles

Sea turtle meat is very nutritious and still many indigenous people feed on them in Central America. Their eggs are also very good (found buried on the beach, or inside female turtles).

When killed the turtle should be bled as soon as possible to preserve its meat. (Not bled, the meat will spoil faster and won’t be as easy to dry). With the exception of the heart, organs might be best discarded. To remove the meat from the turtle, you will need a knife (improvised with metal or plastic if necessary (Tin cans make good blades). Start by cutting the head off to bleed the turtle. Then insert your blade in the crack between the top and lower shell from the head. Move your blade in a sawing motion to cut all around. If you can’t open the shell, cut all legs and dig your hands inside to grab the meat. Don’t forget the eggs if it’s a female. Don’t forget that the bones contain marrow. In cold climate the fat can also be chewed on. Otherwise it can be use for skin lubrication (or to bait fish or birds).

Plankton

Plankton is very nutritious and is a also essential to prevent scurvy for long time castaways. It isn’t found in every waters, but as whales (whale sharks and manta rays) feed on large quantities of plankton, all areas hosting those marine animals will be rich in plankton. Plankton will often be found on the surface at night (during the day it might only be found deeper). Any type of net with very small holes dragged behind a raft will work well. Mosquito nets, cotton fabrics from a tent will also work great. Any type of clothing trailed in the water will also work. Sea anchors are ready made natural plankton nets.

Don’t let the smell throw you off, plankton doesn’t smell good but it doesn’t taste bad.

Seaweed

Seaweed (or algae) of various types are found on most oceans. They are used in many Japanese dishes. In addition to being very tasty, they are rich in proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Most seaweeds are edible, however some green or blue algae found in freshwater pools can be highly poisonous. Most type of seaweeds are found in coastal areas either drifting or still attached to rocks. (Don’t collect dried seaweed washed out on beaches). A few types of seaweed can also be found far offshore. In the Sargasso sea and North Atlantic, the sargassum species are commonly found floating on the surface. You can drag a net (see plankton) or any type of homemade hook or rake to collect seaweed. There are many types of seaweed, but the ones usually found offshore are tough and might be hard to eat raw. You can dry them in the sun (or with fire), then chew on them (if you have a lot of rainwater, you might want to rinse them too). Some thick seaweed will require boiling to remove some natural glue (used a lot in the paper industry).

Don’t forget that seaweed requires a lot of fresh water to be digested. Do not eat seaweed unless you have sufficient drinking water. For more information bout seaweed, see our Survival Homepage.

Sea Cucumbers

They might be the least appealing form of food found in the ocean, but they are edible and even prized by Chinese and Japanese. They cover the bottom of most sandy oceans and are the easiest animals to catch in shallow water. Some species secrete a mucous from their skins that can be irritating (especially avoid contact with sensitive skin areas and eyes). They must be well gutted and cleaned (the skin must be cleaned numerous times to remove the sticky mucous) before being eaten. Depending on where they are prepared, they can be smoked, cooked, or marinated raw. For more information about sea cucumbers see our Survival Homepage.

Signaling devices

The most useful is an EPIRB. The smallest and easiest to carry are a signaling mirror and a whistle. Those three represent my first choice because of their efficiency (whistles and mirrors are so small you can always keep them attached to your life jacket and they nearly never fail even over a long period of time). The EPIRB is an emitter that emits international distress signals messages and indicates your position. Other useful signaling devices are flares, water dye, strobe lights, red and reflective fabrics, VHF radios (and GPS to give an exact position to rescuers), etc.

All signaling devices are important, but the best equipped people aren’t always the better prepared. In a survival situation it is essential to think and act according to the situation. Dr. Bombard proved that castaways could survive 63 days drifting at sea with nothing. When asked, Vital Arsal, the captain of La Balsa said that survival depends on the total cooperation of all men. If Ed Gillet had lost faith and stopped paddling when he ran out of food after 60 days in a kayak, he would have never reached Hawaii. Survival is about fighting and believing in life.

Reaching shore

Some castaways are found at sea, others reach nearby or distant coasts. If you are in a situation where you intentionally or accidentally reach a coastline, you might need to be careful with your landing. All sailors know that the greatest danger isn’t on open ocean, but near rocky or coral-lined shores. (you might find many stories of bad kayak landings in our journals. The book "we survived yesterday" is also full of tales of dangerous landings). If possible avoid shores with high cliffs. Lookout for breaking surf and coral reefs. Choose sandy beaches over rocks and coral. If you are on the windward side of the island, try to paddle around it (to the leeward side) to find a more protected place (or look for a small bay that will shelter you from waves). A flat sloping beach might be a better choice than a steep beach (on which big surf could break violently). If you can wait, don’t land at night. If you can’t choose your landing and will arrive in a coral or rocky area, wear protecting clothing if available (shoes, life jacket, wetsuit, etc). Waves arrive in sets (often of 7), make sure you time your landing to deal with the smallest waves. If pushed toward rocks, swim feet first. If high swell threatens to break on you, don’t surf it, dive into it (going in the opposite direction) and once it passes over you resume swimming toward the beach. If you are in a raft or canoe, the main surf landing technique would be very similar to kayaking. Paddle hard toward the beach between the waves and back paddle as hard as you can when the next breaking wave is catching you (avoid surfing, you might capsize). If you have a sea anchor, let it drag behind you. It will keep your craft oriented in the waves and will prevent you from surfing (and maybe capsizing). Don’t jump in the water, stay in your raft (or dinghy) until you touch the beach. If you seem to be drifting away from shore, you most likely are in a rip current (or possibly in an outflowing river estuary). Don’t fight it. Those are usually not very wide, paddle or swim parallel to shore until you come out of the rip current.

Once on the beach if no human signs are evident, you are now in a coastal survival situation (much more favorable than a sea survival situation). Note: It is easier to look for landmarks when you are still on the water than after you’ve landed on the beach. Please refer to our Survival Home Page for information on coastal survival.

Note: If you are wearing a life jacket, it might be easier to swim on your back. It is easier to cover distance with a partially deflated jacket.

Indications to the proximity of land

Drifting vegetation or wood might indicate proximity of land.

Birds often fly to sea in the morning and return toward the land at night (some birds can fly far out to sea).

Birds usually indicates proximity of land.

Wind generally blows toward land during the day and toward sea at night.

Shallow water is clear (in tropics). It might indicate proximity of land.

Silt or murky water probably comes from a river and indicates proximity of land (the amazon produces murky ocean for hundreds of miles)

In the tropics coral reefs or lagoons often reflect themselves in the clouds (greenish color).

Cumulus clouds are usually formed over land.

Clouds often gather themselves over corals islands and reefs.

A change of pattern in the swell might indicate a change of tide around an island.

If the swell is decreasing but the wind remains constant, it indicates an island windward (which is protecting the sea).

Be Prepared!

2008-06-17T11:01:00.000-07:00

Be Prepared!
Create an all-purpose survival kit to keep in your family car or at home.

http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/newton/jungle.html

What situations might leave you and your family temporarily stranded without electricity, food, and shelter? How would you survive if you were stranded outdoors? In this activity, you'll decide what you'd need in a survival kit to help you stay safe and healthy.

Materials

waterproof container(backpack or plastic box)
chart paper
markers
scale

1. Make a chart with columns for water, food, shelter, fire, and other needs.
2. Break up into small groups. Choose a season of the year. Then brainstorm with your group to list whatever each person thinks you might need in each column to survive for at least a week in the outdoors during that season. (Remember that a brainstorming session is not the time to criticize ideas-just write them down.)
3. For each item in your list, assign a number to indicate its priority. For example, "1" could mean that the item is essential on a scale of 1 to 5, with a "5" meaning that the item is probably not important. Allow time for discussion.
4. Decide on the volume and weight of the survival kit. Estimate the weight of each item that you want to include in your kit, and decide whether you can include it. Would several people have to share carrying the weight?
5. Make a list of items to include in the kit.
6. If possible, gather or purchase the materials you selected, and make a sample survival kit. Weigh the kit and make a note of how much space the kit will take up. Where will you store it?
7. If you live where severe weather (hurricanes, snowstorms, flooding) could cut you off from electricity, water, and food, put together a list of basic supplies to keep on hand in case of emergency. Think about the little things, too, such as a can opener and a good supply of batteries for your radio and flashlight.

Collect water by building a simple solar still. Dig a hole about 1/2 meter (20") deep and 1 meter (40") wide. Place a clean cup at the bottom of the hole. Sprinkle grass clippings or leaves on the side of the hole. Cover the hole with plastic wrap (you may have to tape several lengths together to cover the hole completely). Use rocks or sticks to hold the plastic wrap in place. Place a marble-sized stone on top of the plastic. It should be heavy enough to create a point where the condensation can collect and drip into the cup. Now let the sun do its work. How long does it take to form condensation on the plastic? Where is the water coming from? How long does it take to get 2 cm (3/4") of water?

Humans develop survival skills for different environments. List the skills needed by the following: a baby, a soldier, a person in a wheelchair, a person who is blind, a person who can't read, a prisoner of war, a person who is homeless, a person living near the Arctic Circle, members of a tribe living in the Amazon jungle, a member of that tribe forced to move to the city, a person forced to move to a new country. Choose one of these people and write a story about survival from that person's perspective. Read the story to your class.

Any sailor, backpacker, or person who spends time outdoors will attest to the importance of knowing how to tie different kinds of knots. Find a book on knots. Get a meter of thin and thick rope for each person in the group. Practice making at least five different knots. What is each one used for? Which one should you use to tie two different kinds of rope together? Which is easiest to pull apart? Which would you use to build a rope bridge?

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