preparedness

How To Prepare For And Survive A Tornado

They can flip cars, rip the roofs from homes, and hurl swirls of debris — including tree trunks and pieces of buildings — with incredible force. Tornadoes are vertical funnels of spinning, rotating air. Their powerful winds can exceed 250 miles per hour, and they can wreak swaths of havoc up to one mile wide and 50 miles long.

With an average of 1,000 storms per year, the United States has the world’s most tornadoes, and tornadoes cause an estimated 80 fatalities and 1,500 injuries annually. Tornadoes are more likely to occur in the spring and summer, but they can happen anywhere and at any time of year under the proper conditions.

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The region that includes South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, eastern Colorado, and northern Texas — called Tornado Alley — has the most powerful of these storms.

A tornado’s distinctive funnel cloud consists of water droplets and swirling dust and debris. Although some tornadoes can move at an astonishing 70 miles per hour, most move at 10 to 20 miles per hour and rarely travel more than six miles in distance.

Tornadoes are classified as violent, strong, or weak storms. As you might expect, it is the violent storms that are the deadliest. Although they include only two percent of all twisters, violent tornadoes last the longest and cause 70 percent of all tornado deaths. Most deaths occur from injuries caused by flying debris.

As spring approaches, it is important to know the warning signs of tornadoes. Most municipal warning systems can alert residents within 13 minutes that a storm is in the vicinity. There are two types of alerts:

A “Tornado Watch” means that conditions are right for a tornado.
A “Tornado Warning” means a tornado has been sighted in the area.

Be sure to register for your community’s warning system and become familiar with the sirens your community may use to alert residents to storm danger. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Emergency Alert System (EAS) also offer tornado alerts.

Natural warning signs include a dark greenish sky; a large, dark, low-lying cloud; a hailstorm; and approaching winds that many people describe as sounding like a freight train.

If you see the warning signs or hear a “Tornado Warning” alert, it is critical that you and your family seek shelter immediately. Contrary to myth, do not open windows before a tornado. This practice will not prevent damage to your home and may contribute to injuries from flying glass and debris.

Massive Tornado

How To Find Shelter

Find a basement, storm cellar, or interior room on the lowest floor that has no windows. A bathroom, closet, or center hallway will work. For added protection, you can get beneath something sturdy such as a heavy table or a workbench. Cover your body with a sleeping bag, mattress, or blanket and protect your head with your hands, a blanket and anything else that is available.
If you are in a tall building, you may not have enough time to go to the lowest floor. Instead, choose a hallway in the center of the building.
Mobile homes are not safe during a tornado. You must seek shelter in a sturdy building.
If you cannot quickly walk to a shelter, drive to the closest sturdy structure, staying away from bridges and highway overpasses.
If you encounter strong winds or flying debris while you are driving, pull over in a flat location and park. Do not try to outrun the storm! Keep your seat belt on and the engine running. Lower your head down below window level and cover it with your hands and a blanket. Listen to local news or NOAA Weather Radio for information and instructions.

Making Your Home Safer

Although advertisements for some windows and doors boast that they are “tornado-proof,” be wary of the claims. For a home to be tornado-proof, it must be missile-proof, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). That is because projected debris is the deadliest aspect of the storm.

The weakest parts of your home are its doors and windows. Garage doors, in particular, are especially vulnerable. Most garage doors are weak enough that a large rush of wind can enter your home easily, causing intense pressure that can literally bring down the walls and even the ceiling.

No one wants to have a windowless, door-less home, but there is something you can do. If you want to offer your family better protection during a violent tornado or hurricane, you may want to consider adding a safe room in your home.

When built to standards set by FEMA, a safe room offers “near-absolute” protection in extreme weather events. Residential safe rooms must be accessed through a door or other opening. The strength of the doorway is critical to the integrity of the safe room.

Even though they appear strong, the types of steel doors often used in residential and commercial buildings will not withstand the impact of the propelled debris in a violent tornado. Only door and hinge assemblies that have been designed and tested to withstand extreme pressure and impact qualify for FEMA approval for safe rooms.

To earn this approval, doors and door assemblies must meet or exceed current standards set by the International Code Council of the National Storm Shelter Association. Visit the FEMA website for more information.

If it is impractical to build a safe room in your home, it is possible to convert an interior room in your home to meet the criteria, according to FEMA. Internal (meaning no windows) bathrooms or large closets are examples of rooms you might consider modifying for this purpose.

After The Tornado

If you have a safe room or a basement or cellar designated as an emergency storm shelter, here is a list of items to put in there:

Sturdy shoes and socks for each family member.
Long sleeve shirts, long pants, and work gloves for each family member.
Flashlights with fresh batteries. If you use candles for lighting, be careful to place them in sturdy holders away from any flammable items. Do not leave a candle burning when you are out of the room.
Battery powered or hand crank radio.
Battery powered phone charger.
Water, snacks, and non-perishable food.
One blanket for each family member and sleeping bags.
Coloring books, cards, games, and puzzles.
First aid kit.
Tool box with basic hand tools (hammer, handsaw, pliers, screwdriver, utility knife) for use after the storm.
Portable generator (to be operated in the open at a safe distance from home after the storm has passed).
Roof repair items such as tarps, plastic sheeting, duct tape, and felt nails).
Cash.
Copies of insurance documents and a home inventory.
Pet leashes, pet carriers, pet food.
Medicines and prescriptions.

After The Tornado

When you hear the all-clear after a tornado, you never know what you may encounter. Use extreme caution as you explore your home and property for damages.

A study after a tornado in Marion, Illinois revealed that 50 percent of storm-related injuries were suffered after the storm during rescue attempts and cleanup activities. Nearly one-third of the injuries came from people stepping on nails. Wear sturdy shoes, long sleeves, long pants, and gloves when moving through storm debris.

Other common post-tornado injuries are caused by falling objects or from lifting heavy objects. Avoid any areas that may have downed electrical wires or damaged gas lines.

Tornadoes heighten the risk of electrocution, fire or explosion. If you suspect any damage to your home, turn off electrical power, natural gas, and propane tanks. Notify the gas company, the police or fire departments, or State Fire Marshal’s office. If you smell any suspicious fumes or odors, do not turn on the lights, light matches or candles, or do anything that could ignite a fire.

If you smell gas, turn off the main gas valve, leave the house immediately, and notify the gas company as well as the police or fire departments.

Talk About Tornadoes

Educate your children about tornadoes so they will be better prepared to follow emergency procedures if the time comes. Hold mock storm drills during which you visit your designated shelter and discuss the steps you all need to follow.

Watch a video or read a book about tornadoes with your children and ask them if they have any questions. Answer their concerns as best you can and assure them that the storm will not last long and that you will be together. Include children in clean-up activities after the storm, assigning them age-appropriate jobs.

Although you cannot predict or prevent tornadoes, there is much you can do in advance to protect your family.

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preparedness

4 No Cook Meals For Surviving The Pandemic And Food Supply Shortages

When it comes to your food supply, you just can’t risk not having enough. These no cook meals will be a great addition to your food supply planning. Check out the recipes below!

No Cook Meals to Help You Through the Pandemic

As of the writing of this article, there are 20 meat processing plants that have been shut down due to COVID-19 infections. We have been worrying about these types of effects on our food supply for months now, and this is the first real sign of how infections can affect the food supply.

When you walk into a supermarket, you might not see all the choices you had in the past. An empty meat case is a humbling thing for your eyes to fall upon. It’s the shocking realization that the seemingly infinite supply of chickens, pigs, and cows that are butchered for us has begun to run dry!

To deal with this issue, we are going to present four no cook meals that will help you create dinners at home that will feed your family without worrying so much about what’s available, or unavailable, in the meat case.

1. Smashed White Bean, Avocado and Salted Pork Sandwiches

Smashed White Bean, Avocado and Salted Pork Sandwiches | No Cook Meals for Surviving the Pandemic and Food Supply Shortages

As preppers we get beans. There are a bunch of ways to use beans and this a great example of how you can pack a sandwich with great nutrition and protein.

Serving: Makes 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:

Can of White Beans
Olive Oil
1 Avocado
8 Slices of Whole Grain Bread
8 Slices of Salted Pork (Prosciutto, Ham, Virginia Ham)

Instructions:

Begin by draining your beans in a colander then smashing them up in a bowl add a few glugs of olive oil, salt, pepper. This little mix is delicious. If you add some minced rosemary, you can even turn this into a delicious dip.
Pit your avocado and cut it in half and then quarters lengthwise. Leave the skin on.
Lay the bread out on a clean work surface for assembling the sandwiches.
Spread your mashed bean mix onto one side of the bread.
Peel your avocados and slice 1 quarter for each sandwich. Spread slices over the bean spread.
Add a few slices of your pork to over the top of the avocado.
You can finish this sandwich with some lettuces, fresh sprouts, or just eat it as is.

2. Delicious Crab Salad

Canned crab is a protein option that will likely be around through much of this meat crisis. It does have to be kept in refrigeration, but it’s delicious and this chipotle mayo salad is great in the spring and summer.

Ingredients:

1 Can of Crab Meat
1 Bunch of Asparagus
Chipotle Mayo
1 Bunch of Green Onions
1 Bunch of Cilantro

Instructions:

Drain your crab in a colander and set it in the sink.
Slice your asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Throw them into a bowl.
Thinly slice your onions and your cilantro and throw that into the bowl, as well.
Gently toss in the crab meat.
Squirt on enough Chipotle mayo to coat everything and toss gently not to break up the crab meat.
Chill in the fridge and serve.

3. Simple Greek Salad

Simple Greek Salad | No Cook Meals for Surviving the Pandemic and Food Supply Shortages

The combination of simple summer ingredients makes for an incredible quick salad that you could add other proteins, too, if you wanted. These could be canned meats.

Ingredients:

2 Large Tomatoes
1 Cucumber
1 Red Onion
¼ Cup of Feta Cheese
A Few Sprigs of Fresh Mint
½ Cup of Kalamata Olives
Balsamic Dressing

Instructions:

I like to cut the tomatoes in large chunks and have them kind of be the main course in this salad. Peel and slice your cucumber in half. Remove the seeds and either dice or slice in half-moons.
Peel and slice your red onion in half. Julienne your, or thinly slice, your half onion.
Add all these ingredients to a bowl. Finely slice your mint.
Add your olives, crumbled feta, and mint to the bowl and add enough dressing to coat everything.
Stir it up and allow this to chill for at least an hour for the flavors to really blend.

4. Mediterranean Tuna Lettuce Wraps

Mediterranean Tuna Lettuce Wraps | No Cook Meals for Surviving the Pandemic and Food Supply Shortages

Using some similar ingredients and adding a protein like tuna, you can create some delicious lettuce wraps. The key to a good lettuce wrap is to have most of the items around the same size. So, consider that when you are preparing this dish.

Ingredients:

Iceberg or Butter Lettuce
Canned Artichokes
Canned roasted Red peppers
Fresh Cucumber
Feta Cheese
Minced Olives ¼ Cup
2 Cans of Tuna
Green Onions
Basil

Instructions:

Start by peeling all the full leaves from your lettuce. Set them on a plate either cover them with a wet paper towel or put them back into the fridge.
Dice the peppers, artichokes, and cucumbers into cubes. Go no larger than ½ an inch.
Thinly slice your green onions and basil and add them to a bowl with your diced vegetables. Add your loves to this bowl and mix them thoroughly.
Crumble your feta cheese over the mixture.
Drain your tuna thoroughly and then add that to the bowl, as well.
Gently toss this mixture. Try not to break up the tuna and the cheese too much but incorporate it thoroughly.
If you want, you can add some olive oil to the mix or a few glugs of balsamic vinegar. It’s also delicious just how it is.
Scoop a few tablespoons into a lettuce leaf, wrap it up and eat up!

These no cook meals should help lessen the stress you feel when thinking of what to feed your family. If you don’t have the specific ingredients, use your creativity, and use what you have. You might discover a new recipe while you’re at it!

What’s your favorite no cook meal recipe? Please share it with us in the comments section!

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This Article Was First Found at survivallife.com Read The Original Article Here

preparedness

Billionaire Whistle Blower: Wuhan Coronavirus Death Toll Is Over 50,000

Exiled Chinese businessman Guo Wengui recently revealed leaks from Wuhan crematoriums. He claims based on the number of bodies their furnaces are burning, the death toll could be as high as 50,000.

A Chinese billionaire and whistleblower who lives in U.S. exile says Wuhan crematoriums have burned 50,000 coronavirus victims. | Credit: Chinatopix via AP

The official coronavirus death toll in China is a little over 800. But an exiled Chinese businessman says crematoriums are leaking the real figure.
A billionaire whistleblower alleges Wuhan has crematoriums working 24/7. He claims they’ve cremated some 50,000 coronavirus victims.
Guo Wengui is a Chinese billionaire living in exile in the United States.

The official coronavirus death toll is some 800 people in China. The current official death toll worldwide, outside of China, is 774. But a Chinese billionaire with a history of blowing the whistle on his former government says the real figure is much higher.

Exiled Chinese businessman Guo Wengui recently revealed leaks from Wuhan crematoriums. He claims based on the number of bodies their furnaces are burning, the death toll could be as high as 50,000. Wengui made the bombshell allegations in an interview with former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.

Whistleblower: 1.5 Million Coronavirus Cases In China, 50,000 Coronavirus Deaths In Wuhan

He also claims to have inside information that there are 1.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases in China. Wengui is emphatic that these are not merely quarantined or “under observation” but confirmed cases of coronavirus infection:

China has struggled to contain the coronavirus. But it has also struggled to contain public outcry against censorship and tight control of information. Dr. Li Wenliang, who sounded the alarm about the disease, succumbed to an infection and died this week. The Chinese government arrested him for blowing the whistle.

Then officials tried to suppress news of his death. Afterwards, millions of Chinese citizens saw the hashtag #IWantFreedomOfSpeech on Mandarin language social media. But the Chinese government censored that too.

Are Wengui’s Crematorium Claims Credible?

Watch VICE’s 2017 profile on Guo Wengui. At the time, he published bombshell documents alleging corruption in the Chinese government. He got the attention of the media and reportedly the U.S. State Department.

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