Way Outback
by Bill Rosoman
Copyright 2011 Bill Rosoman
All Rights Reserved,
No reproduction in any form without
the permission of the Author,
Copies of this ebook can be ordered from
www.smashwords.com/profile/view/leftfieldnz
http://stores.lulu.com/leftfieldnz
ISBN 978-1-927157-21-3
Smashwords Edition
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/leftfieldnz and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author
Preface
www.smashwords.com/profile/view/leftfieldnz
http://stores.lulu.com/leftfieldnz
Pictures at
Videos at
My Blog is at
I am a Baby Boomer (born 1948), I am 63 in 2011. I have been chugging along in life but trying to improve my lot as best I can
I worked as a Public Servant from 1965 to 1988 (New Zealand Post Office then Telecom when Privatised, as a Lineman, installing/fixing Telephones).
Up until 1984 New Zealand had a closed economy with import tariffs, price controls, a fixed currency and large subsidies for farmers etc. mostly under Prime Minister Muldoon. We were living in lala land and going broke.
Rogernomics was a complete change to a modern economy were a lot of Government Enterprises were flogged off to private enterprise and the exchange rate was floated under the Lange Labour Government.
I always say that we needed to change but it is the way they went about it and the speed of change. All the workers got screwed and the rich got much richer.
We were told to accept the pain as there would some gain done the track. Well 25 years on I am still feeling the pain.
I have lived a pretty simple non-extravagant lifestyle and have not gambled much, taken drugs or drunk much, but the money has just disappeared!
I sold my house in Tokomaru Bay on the East Coast in 1999 as there was just no employment. I moved to Gisborne and had some employment there but that dried up in 2002. I then moved to Hamilton and in the last 10 years have had some employment but have also had long periods of unemployment. I did spend a year and got my Diploma in Computing (not that it has helped in the way of employment)
At this time (September 2011) I am working 12 hour night shifts as a security guard on a bridge building site on the minimum wage of $13 an hour.
I am also concerned about the current World Economic melt down (see next Chapter)
I started looking around for property in the region of Huntly in the Waikato were I have been living on and off for the last few years.
BTW I should mention I live in a Mobile Home (RV).
Anyway all the above led me to buy a section in Glen Afton which is 15 minutes from Huntly, which is 30 minutes from Hamilton City.
Partly I have brought the section to hunker down if I loose my job and or the world economic crisis is going to bite harder.
So this book is about my adventure at going bush or frugal living or fringe dweller or survivalist or prepper or off-grid or homesteader or downsizer or when the SHTF.
Disclaimer
This book is not anti American, it is anti greed, anti multinational corporations, anti banksters.
Mind you I am reminded of Churchill, who said, “the Americans always do the right thing, when they have tried everything else”.
I think all western countries and the OECD, World Bank, IMF, the Fed Reserve all need to kick in the pants and need to rain in the banking and corporate thieves.
It is time for a sea change in the way we do business, the way we share resources and look after the poor and vulnerable.
The Status Quo is not an Option.
It is time for a change.
As mentioned in this book, one Ron Paul is standing for the Republicans as a potential US President http://www.ronpaul2012.com/the-issues/ron-paul-plan-to-restore-america/
SYNOPSIS:
America is the greatest nation in human history. Our respect for individual liberty, free markets, and limited constitutional government produced the strongest, most prosperous country in the world. But, we have drifted far from our founding principles, and America is in crisis. Ron Paul’s “Restore America” plan slams on the brakes and puts America on a return to constitutional government. It is bold but achievable. Through the bully pulpit of the presidency, the power of the Veto, and, most importantly, the united voice of freedom-loving Americans, we can implement fundamental reforms.
SPENDING:
Cuts $1 trillion in spending during the first year of Ron Paul’s presidency, eliminating five cabinet departments (Energy, HUD, Commerce, Interior, and Education), abolishing the Transportation Security Administration and returning responsibility for security to private property owners, abolishing corporate subsidies, stopping foreign aid, ending foreign wars, and returning most other spending to 2006 levels.
But he wants to severely curtail government spending and business restraints and we would be left with economic and social anarchy.
He also wants to completely abandon foreign policy and foreign aid.
Sometimes I think some Americans are a bit deluded and are very slow learners.
Mission on, TSHTF
Well after months of preparing and writing this book finally TSHTF.
It was not as I had expected but still it was going to happen. For the first time in my life I got fired from my Security Guard job.
I made a small error of judgement and paid a large price. It could have been handled very differently by the company, but that's life.
I had been working extra time of a few weeks, so one morning I decided to leave early from my job at a mined shaft drilling site. That started a whole chain of events that I had not expected.
I thought if I got caught I would get told off and warned but not sacked. They are an areshole company, they are part of Tyco International, a very mean company.
The job I was doing was going to run out in mid-January 2012 anyway, so it is no great loss.
But you know how bad luck runs in threes!
Well in the past week, I have been fired and lost my job, I finally went to an optician with my worsening eyesight and was told I have cataracts, if I am lucky I will get on the public hospital waiting list, wait six months or more and then maybe get one eye fixed for free. The third disaster was a large truck clipping my parked van in a compound were I was picking up some of my stuff to move to my new place. The damage was not too much just another pain in life.
Oh well, "today is beginning of the rest of my life".
Now it is time to practice what I preached in this book, LOL.
I am fairly well prepared and have most things I need for now.
I sold my old large mobile home for $9,000,I have paid off my credit card and have ordered a solar panel and regulator and will have a large tree felled on my property.
That will set me up for the next year or two till I see which way the wind blows.
I have a meeting to see if I can get a benefit, probably a sickness benefit to see me through till I retire on nation superannuation at 65 in eighteen months time. Then I will get $350 per week and a few other perks and that will be plenty for me.
Reminds me of my Dad who died a year ago, he t=retired at 62 and died at 97, a long retirement. He lost his driver licence at 93 when he ran a red light and hit a ladies car side on. A pretty good innings.
So
I am sitting at my new outdoor table I built recently, planning the
rest of my life.
I need to get this book finished and up online. and then get stuck into my other crafts.
I have plenty of food and am eating produce from my garden. I go to town 14km away now and then for food, water and to empty my porta-potti.
It is summer and life is great!
Kia Kaha, Be Strong, Every day is a good day,
World Financial Meltdown
At the present time (2011) we are in the middle of a an Economic Meltdown, which they say will probably get worse and taken one to two decades to ride out. The so called GFC, Global Financial Crisis.
Late-2000s financial crisis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The late-2000s financial crisis (often called the Credit Crunch or the Global Financial Crisis) is considered by many economists to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s.[1] It was triggered by a liquidity shortfall in the United States banking system[2] and has resulted in the collapse of large financial institutions, the bailout of banks by national governments, and downturns in stock markets around the world. In many areas, the housing market has also suffered, resulting in numerous evictions, foreclosures and prolonged vacancies. It contributed to the failure of key businesses, declines in consumer wealth estimated in the trillions of U.S. dollars, and a significant decline in economic activity, leading to a severe global economic recession in 2008.[3]
The collapse of the U.S. housing bubble, which peaked in 2006, caused the values of securities tied to U.S. real estate pricing to plummet, damaging financial institutions globally.[4] Questions regarding bank solvency, declines in credit availability and damaged investor confidence had an impact on global stock markets, where securities suffered large losses during 2008 and early 2009. Economies worldwide slowed during this period, as credit tightened and international trade declined.[5] Critics argued that credit rating agencies and investors failed to accurately price the risk involved with mortgage-related financial products, and that governments did not adjust their regulatory practices to address 21st-century financial markets.[6] Governments and central banks responded with unprecedented fiscal stimulus, monetary policy expansion and institutional bailouts.
On Radio New Zealand National they have just had a three part series from the BBC on the Commodity Bubble that is looming.
Are we headed for a crash in commodities like the one in 1987 in equities? I doubt it. But, I am concerned that the commodities bubble is getting well out of hand. Certainly, the rationale for commodities as an inflation hedge and in a world of scarce resources is well-founded. However, the rise of late is downright frightening.
Soros says commodity bubble echoes '87 climate
George Soros agrees. He went before the U.S. senate and testified that he believes the commodities bubble has hallmarks of 1987 written all over it. Now, that's frightening.
MarketWatch has an article prefaced with this summary:
The investment flood into commodity indexes bears eerie similarities to the craze for portfolio insurance that led to the stock-market crash of 1987, according to hedge-fund investor George Soros, who warned that the rush into oil has created a "bubble."
Later the article spells it out. Financial institutions like mutual and hedge funds are going crazy.
Lured by cheaper prices in longer-dated futures contracts, financial institutions continued to pile into the asset class as that initial opportunity disappeared. That's because commodities turned out to be more profitable than other assets -- a "classic case of misconception that is liable to be self-reinforcing in both directions," he commented.
MarketWatch, 3 June 2008
Stay tuned. This is a story whose ending you will be interested in.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/5120593/US-debt-default-seen-as-big-global-risk
Forget reverberations of Japan's quake, high oil prices and Europe's debt crisis. The biggest risk to the world economy currently is the US government defaulting on its debt.
At least that's how St Louis Federal Reserve Bank President James Bullard sees it.
"The US fiscal situation, if not handled correctly, could turn into a global macro shock," Bullard said in an interview on Wednesday. "The idea that the US could threaten to default is a dangerous one."
It's a hotly debated issue: Some Republican lawmakers think a brief US default is acceptable if it forces the White House to deal with large budget deficits. Few Wall Street analysts believe it will come to that.
Bullard worries about reaction overseas if the US government would technically default -- basically delaying interest payments for a couple of days. That could happen in the absence of a political compromise on this year's budget.
"If it were just US markets, it might not cause too many problems, but we've got people participating in foreign markets who are probably not as tuned in to the US political situation," Bullard said. "The reverberations in those global markets would be very severe. That's where the real risk comes in."
The USA debt is now $US15 Trillion and there are 24 million unemployed.
As a guy said on the radio today (about current politics) if you are not scared about some of this stuff you are not paying attention.
It is becoming like a perfect storm with a batch of economic disasters all coming together.
So with these batch of problems, my own job insecurity and my lack of cash I have taken the plunge and brought a cheap section and am going bush way out back.
These world banksters just can not be trusted.
I read today that there are 39 million Americans living in poverty. That is a sad fact and means 10% of the US population is living in poverty.
Source Reuters.
http://www.john-f-kennedy.net/thefederalreserve.htm
This was on the JFK website, they were talking about the US Federal Reserve and what it gets up to and how it is a Private Company and not part of the US Government. JFK signed an order to bypass the FED but was assassinated several months later.
The following is a list of 10 things that you can do if you really want life and liberty:
1.Inform yourself. You have already taken the first an most important step, now don't stop. Do research on your own and watch videos. You can be consummately filled with information. Also, read, understand, and KNOW YOU RIGHTS – before you lose them. First, I suggest you get a copy of the Bill of Rights and memorize them and then the Constitution. If you don't know your rights, then you do not have any. The people taking them away from you or who are ignoring and/or attacking them are not going to let you know what they are.
2.Once you have your positions and ideas (whatever they may be) formed firmly in your mind and can explain how all of this is connected, then use this information to educate others. Use informational sources to help convince them. Try to avoid telling people exactly what to do, they will find their own path.
3.If you can, move out of the larger cities. We are much easier to control and/or exterminated if we are gathered in the big cities and they are implementing devious and incremental ways to herd us into them.
4.Invest as much as you can afford (preferably in this order) in water, food, weapons, survival tools, and gold/silver/copper/palladium/platinum/rhodium. Pre-1964 U.S. Dimes, quarters, halves, and silver dollars contain 90% silver. Also, pre-1982 pennies contain the most copper. Knowledge of self-defence wouldn't be a bad thing to invest in either.
5.Make amends with friends and family. Stick together and spread out throughout the U.S. in lesser populated areas in smallish groups.
6.Vote conscientiously. I will not tell you how to vote. What I will say is that if Ron Paul is not elected the next president then I, personally, will certainly step-up my preparations for a coming apocalypse.
7.When you recognize an instance where you know your rights and liberties are being taken away, attacked or challenged, stand against the opposition and say ”NO! I KNOW MY RIGHTS!” and seek help and/or legal representation and do your best to expose and publicize it.
8.Whenever you have the privilege of speaking with an armed official (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine, ROTC, National Guard, policeman, FBI, Border Patrol, U.S. Customs, CIA) and feel comfortable with them, seize the opportunity to ask them this question: “In what situation would you take up arms against an innocent and unarmed U.S. Citizen?” Answers you will not want to hear will include “When I am told to.”, “When I feel it is my duty.”, and “(blah, blah) Martial Law (blah, blah)” but, at the very least, it may give them pause to think about it (possibly for the first time since their initiation). You must understand that in most cases they have been chosen for their positions with specific regard for their disposition and have been specially conditioned for the coming attractions, whether or not they consciously realize it.
9.Be creative. Use your ingenuity and special/unique talents to do what you can.
10.When the scales begin to tip in our favor then I think you will know when to jump on for the final blow to the NWO and the Federal Reserve. But, there is no time like the present.
PLEASE WAKE UP, AMERICA!
This information was via the Occupy New Zealand site on Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-New-Zealand/229645187093918
The federal reserve system creates all of our money AS DEBT in the first place, it is where our money comes from, and the money is not given to our government, it is LOANED with INTEREST from the very beginning, meaning that ALL US DOLLARS THAT ARE EVER CREATED ARE LOANED AT INTEREST LIKE A CREDIT CARD, which creates the inevitable situation that THERE IS NEVER ENOUGH CURRENCY IN CIRCULATION TO PAY OFF THE DEBT, just like if you borrowed from a credit card, and then tried to pay off the credit card with more credit from the card, it makes no sense whatsoever. This means that our money system is A SCAM from the very beginning, the problem in our country is not simply that a few greedy people on Wall Street are stealing the money, it is that THE MONEY BY ITS VERY CREATION IS STEALING FROM THE PEOPLE IN THE FIRST PLACE, because when the banks come to collect on the phony debt they created, they get our ACTUAL WEALTH which is our houses, our cars, our land, etc etc etc, they create fake imaginary digits out of thin air with built-in interest, then collect our real wealth because there aren't enough units in circulation to pay off the interest.
As more and more people discover the emptiness of affluence and seek a meaningful life, growth and consumerism will fade in importance.
Happiness is less a matter of getting what we want, than of wanting what we have.
John Elliot 2011.
Climate
Change and Global Warming
There is no debate in my book that the world faces unprecedented challenges as far as Climate Change and Global Warming goes, some or most of which can be blamed on human activity.
There has been some publicity mainly from oil companies trying to muddy the waters as far as climate change goes. But the evidence is overwhelming in the camp that we have to do something soon to save ourselves and planet Earth.
There was an interview on the radio this morning about the current situation (October 2011) being a perfect storm of events. On one hand we have floods, fires, earthquakes (Japan and Christchurch New Zealand), oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico and an oil spill currently in Tauranga New Zealand. Then we have the Global Financial Crisis and the lack of answers from the politicians and bankers. We also have the Arab Spring across the Middle East and protests around the world at grass root levels, protesting the greed of the rich and lack of employment especially for young people. There is melting of the ice caps at the polar regions and all in all it is not a great time for many people.
All these have come together as the world faces some stark choices about the future of Mankind and the Planet.
The interview also said that we mankind are very slow to adapt sometimes, but that the current situation as described may force a crisis that will spur Mankind into action. I sincerely hope it is sooner rather than later. The interview said that sometimes mankind only reacts when there is a major crisis. Perhaps that time is coming soon.
In America there are now 39 million people living in poverty, some have lost jobs, their superannuation nest eggs, their homes, their health care plans and their dignity. This situation can not continue, but then we have the Republicans and the Tea Party wanting no taxes, no government, no health care, no environmental rules and no banking rules. Also in America 1% of the population control 33% of the national wealth. Americans are 2% of the worlds population but they consume 25% of the worlds resources. But it is not just America it is all the countries of the world and now also China that faces major problems. We want a Rolls Royce lifestyle on a Mini-Minor income.
What sort of insane answer is that to what has happened in the last few years were liaise faire economics have been thoroughly discredited. Mr Warren Buffett says that taxes on the rich have to increase or there will be problems.
We need some sensible answers to the global problems we face, like a much more fairer distribution of wealth, employment and much tighter rules for banks and for protecting the environment. Short term ideas like bailing out banks and quantitative easing (burning money), as well as cutting wages, pensions and government services, and selling off state owned assets, are not an answer in the long term.
Also our environmental practices have to adapt to the new realities facing us. The idea of unending growth and consumption and the bad environmental practices like relying on more and more chemicals and more and more the use of fossil fuels can not continue. The status quo is not an option.
The news now is full of doom on the horizon if we do not tackle these issues with some long term sustainable solutions.
All these things that are happening around the globe are another reason why we should be prepared for tough times ahead.
“Infinite growth not feasible on a finite planet”, Mike Ruppert.
OK, But What Do I Prepare For?
Before you can prepare, you must determine what you are preparing to survive and how each disaster threatens you, your safety and survival. That will give you the parameters necessary for the following steps.
This initial exercise isn’t tough, it only takes a few minutes of thought. We suggest you jot notes or switch into your word processor while you work.
But first, it’s important to realize that you cannot prepare for everything - only the army tries to do that, and we’ve yet to meet anyone with their resources. Captain Dave suggests you prepare only for those potential disasters that are likely to occur within the next five years. Sure, you may wait seven years for the next earthquake, but remember the survivalists creed: better safe than sorry.
What’s going to happen in the next five years? If we knew, our web page would look different. You’ll have to extrapolate, evaluate trends, read the newspaper, conduct your own research. At the very least, take a few minutes and consider your location. Pull out a map and look what’s within a two-mile, five-mile 10-mile and 25-mile radius of your home and place of work. Put on your pessimist hat and consider what might go wrong that could directly impact you. Decide if that’s something you want to prepare for (see questions one and two, below).
For example, if you live a “safe” distance outside of a flood plain, your house might still gets flooded in the 100-year flood, should you prepare for it? We would, but it’s your call. It’s your ass on the line, so you have to decide.
That nuclear plant 20 miles away has an excellent safety record. Should a nuclear disaster be on your list? Again, you make the call.
Are you worried about a meteorite crashing into your house? Well, it has happened, but it’s probably not worth preparing for.
Finally, if you’ve been afraid of something since you were a child - whether it’s a raging fire or nuclear war - prepare for it. At the very least, you’ll sleep better at nights knowing you have done all you can.
Here are some questions to ask yourself:
What natural disasters or extreme conditions am I (we) l likely to face in the next five years?
Make a list and rank them in order of most to least likely to impact you. Your list might look like this:
Natural Disasters
Weather-related
Hurricanes Tornadoes Heavy thunder storms
Flash flooding Flooding Mud/rock slides
High winds Hail Severe winter weather
Avalanche Extreme high heat Drought
Wildfire
Non Weather-related
Earthquake Volcano eruption Tidal wave/Tsunami
Man-made Disasters
War (conventional, biological, chemical or nuclear)
Toxic material emission or spill (from a train, semi-truck or nearby plant)
Riot or other civil disorder Nuclear plant melt down or other nuclear disaster
Terrorism Fire Government action against you
Stock market crash Sever depression
Other
Plague or disease outbreak Comet strike or giant meteor
Personal Emergencies
Kidnapping Mugging, robbery or other criminal attack
Unemployment financial disaster
Death in family Home destroyed by fire
Random acts of violence
What are the ramifications of each item on my list?
Now, take your list and create a second column. Put the ramifications of each disaster in the second
column. What do we mean by ramification? How the disaster or emergency situation could affect
you. Think this one through very carefully, as everyone’s situation is different. For example, families with children have different concerns than those without or singles.
Potential Disaster Ramifications
Thunder storm with electrical outage for 2 (average) to 48 hours (severe)
Food spoilage possible
Lack of air conditioning/furnace
Damage to house or car from nearby trees
Possible local flooding (see below)
Local transportation impaired by fallen trees, wires
Lightning damage/fire potential
Severe winter weather, Electrical power outage for 4hrs (average) to 72 hours (severe)
Would affect furnace operation.
Exposure problems
Frozen pipes
Disruption of travel, transportation
Self or family members possibly stranded away from home
Possible food shortages and empty shelves at local markets
Nearby flash flooding Local transportation disrupted
Danger while travelling in car or by foot
Possible loss of some utilities
Nearby train derailment Possible leak or spill of chemicals
Short-term exposure problem
Long-term cancer concerns
Evacuation may be necessary
Riot or other civil disorder Disruption of commute (ala Los Angeles)
Stranded in car or office while family is at home and/or school
Danger of riot spreading to my neighborhood
Danger of local kids/low lives taking advantage of situation
Attack or threat to personal safet.
Looting and rampaging by otherwise lawful citizens
Fire with potentially no response by authorities
Police are overwhelmed, cannot protect law-abiding citizens
Nuclear plant problems
Reactor vessel damage could result in release of radioactive chemicals to atmosphere
Evacuation necessary
Terrorism Threat to safety at work and during business travel
Disruption of commerce, travel
Less personal freedom, privacy as a result of government reaction to terrorism
Once you've created a chart like the one above, you know what situations you are most likely to face and can prepare your survival plan.
Copyright 2005, Capt. Dave
Disaster Plan
Plan to look after yourself and your loved ones for at least 3 day or more.
People do not plan to fail,
they just fail to plan.
Many disasters will affect essential services and possibly disrupt your ability to travel or communicate with each other. You may be confined to your home, or forced to evacuate your neighbourhood. In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, emergency services will not be able to get help to everyone as quickly as needed.
This is when you are likely to be most vulnerable. So it is important to plan to look after yourself and your loved ones for at least three days or more in the event of a disaster.
Get your family or household together and agree on a plan. A functional emergency plan helps alleviate fears about potential disasters, and can help you respond safely and quickly when a disaster happens. You can get a copy of a household emergency plan and check list from your local council, or download your printable Household Emergency Plan template
A household emergency plan will help you work out:
What you will each do in the event of disasters such as an earthquake, tsunami, volcanic eruption, flood or storm.
How and where you will meet up during and after a disaster.
Where to store emergency survival items and who will be responsible for maintaining supplies.
What you will each need to have in your getaway kits and where to keep them.
What you need to do for members of the household, family or community with a disability or special requirement.
What you will need to do for your pets, domestic animals or livestock.
How and when to turn off the water, electricity and gas at the main switches in your home or business.
Turn off gas only if you suspect a leak, or if you are instructed to do so by authorities. If you turn the gas off you will need a professional to turn it back on and it may take them weeks to respond after an event.
What local radio stations to tune in to for civil defence information during an event.
How to contact your local council’s civil defence emergency management office for assistance during an emergency.
If life or property is threatened, always dial 111.
Ask the emergency management staff at your local council about your community’s civil defence warning system, and the location of civil defence or public shelters. Check your council website for information on local civil defence arrangements.
It is also useful to learn first aid and how to deal with small fires.
TALKING TO CHILDREN ABOUT DISASTERS
Parents and caregivers should consider talking to children about the disasters that could happen in your community and what to do to keep safe. This can help to reduce fear and anxiety and helps everyone know how to respond.
INSURANCE
Make sure your insurance cover is adequate and up to date and that important documents can easily be gathered if you have to evacuate.
In most emergencies you should be able to stay in your home. Plan to be able to look after yourself and your household for at least three days or more. Assemble and maintain your emergency survival items for your home as well as a portable getaway kit in case you have to leave in a hurry. You should also have essential emergency items in your workplace and in your car.
EMERGENCY SURVIVAL ITEMS
Torch with spare batteries or a self-charging torch
Radio with spare batteries
Wind and waterproof clothing, sun hats, and strong outdoor shoes.
First aid kit and essential medicines
Blankets or sleeping bags
Pet supplies
Toilet paper and large rubbish bags for your emergency toilet
Face and dust masks
Check all batteries every three months. Battery powered lighting is the safest and easiest. Do not use candles as they can tip over in earthquake aftershocks or in a gust of wind. Do not use kerosene lamps, which require a great deal of ventilation and are not designed for indoor use.
Food and water for at least three days
Non-perishable food (canned or dried food)
Food, formula and drinks for babies and small children
Water for drinking. At least 3 litres per person, per day
Water for washing and cooking
A primus or gas barbeque to cook on
A can opener
Check and replace food and water every twelve months. Consider stocking a two-week supply of food and water for prolonged emergencies such as a pandemic.
GETAWAY KITS
In some emergencies you may need to evacuate in a hurry. Everyone should have a packed getaway kit in an easily accessible place at home and at work which includes:
Torch and radio with spare batteries
Any special needs such as hearing aids and spare batteries, glasses or mobility aids
Emergency water and easy-to-carry food rations such as energy bars and dried foods in case there are delays in reaching a welfare centre or a place where you might find support. If you have any special dietary requirements, ensure you have extra supplies
First aid kit and essential medicines
Essential items for infants or young children such as formula and food, nappies and a favourite toy
Change of clothes (wind/waterproof clothing and strong outdoor shoes)
Toiletries – towel, soap, toothbrush, sanitary items, toilet paper
Blankets or sleeping bags
Face and dust masks
Pet supplies
Include important documents in your getaway kit: identification (birth and marriage certificates, driver’s licences and passports), financial documents (e.g. insurance policies and mortgage information), and precious family photos.
FIRST AID
If someone you care for is injured in a disaster, your knowledge of first aid will be invaluable. Many organisations provide first aid training courses. Consider taking a first aid course, followed by regular refresher sessions. You can buy ready-made first aid kits or make up your own.
For a list of providers for first aid courses and kits. Click here.
First Aid Kit
You can buy First Aid Kits ready made. If you are making your own, these items are recommended by St. John as the minimum required for families.
Triangular bandages (2)
Roller bandages- 50mm (1 roll) and 75 mm (1 roll)
Sterile gauze- 7.5 x 7.5 (2)
Adhesive wound dressing- 6 cm wide x 1 metre long (1 strip)
Plaster strip dressings (1 packet)
Adhesive tape- 25mm hypoallergenic (1 roll)
Sterile non-adhesive pads- small (2) and large (3)
Sterile eye pad
Eye wash container
Eye wash solution- Saline Steritube 30ml (1)
Antiseptic solution- Chlorhexidine Steritube 30ml (4)
Safety pins (1 card)
Scissors (1 pair)
Splinter forceps (1 pair)
Disposable gloves (2 pairs)
Accident register and pencil
First Aid Manual
Card listing local emergency numbers
HOW TO GET READY
1.Learn about the disasters that can affect you
2.Create and practice a household emergency plan
3.Assemble and maintain emergency survival items
4.Have a getaway kit in case you have to leave in a hurry
GET READY NOW SO YOU CAN GET THROUGH
Disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, floods and storms can strike at any time, sometimes without warning. All disasters have the potential to cause disruption, damage property and take lives.
Get ready now to protect yourself, your family, home, business and community.
How To Get Ready
Household Emergency Plan
Emergency Survival Items and Getaway Kits
Evacuation
People with disabilities or special requirements
Pets and livestock
Storing water
Emergency sanitation
Get your car ready
Get your business ready
Who to contact
Radio Stations to listen to
Earthquake
Tsunami
Volcano
Flood
Storms
Landslide
HOUSEHOLD EMERGENCY PLAN
Plan to look after yourself and your loved ones for at least 3 days or more
Many disasters will affect essential services and possibly disrupt your ability to travel or communicate with each other. You may be confined to your home, or forced to evacuate your neighbourhood. In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, emergency services will not be able to get help to everyone as quickly as needed.
This is when you are likely to be most vulnerable. So it is important to plan to look after yourself and your loved ones for at least three days or more in the event of a disaster.
Get your family or household together and agree on a plan. A functional emergency plan helps alleviate fears about potential disasters, and can help you respond safely and quickly when a disaster happens. Make a start on your plan today. Use the plan template on page 18. Or get a copy of a household emergency plan and checklist from your local council, or download a copy from www.getthru.govt.nz
A household emergency plan will help you work out:
What you will each do in the event of disasters such as an earthquake, tsunami, volcanic eruption, flood or storm.
How and where you will meet up during and after a disaster.
Where to store emergency survival items and who will be responsible for maintaining supplies.
What you will each need to have in your getaway kits and where to keep them.
What you need to do for members of the household, family or community with a disability or special requirement.
What you will need to do for your pets, domestic animals or livestock.
How and when to turn off the water, electricity and gas at the main switches in your home or business. Turn off gas only if you suspect a leak, or if you are instructed to do so by authorities. If you turn the gas off, you will need a professional to turn it back on and it may take them weeks to respond after an event.
What local radio stations to tune in to for civil defence information during an event.
How to contact your local council’s civil defence emergency management office for assistance during an emergency. If life or property is threatened, always dial 111.
Ask the civil defence emergency management staff at your local council about your community’s civil defence warning system, and the location of civil defence or public shelters. It is also useful to learn first aid and how to deal with small fires.
Talking to children about disasters
Parents and caregivers should consider talking to children about the disasters that could happen in your community and what to do to keep safe. This can help to reduce fear and anxiety and helps everyone know how to respond.
Insurance
Make sure your insurance cover is adequate and up to date and that important documents can easily be gathered if you have to evacuate.
EMERGENCY SURVIVAL ITEMS AND GETAWAY KITS
In most emergencies you should be able to stay in your home. Plan to be able to look after yourself and your household for at least three days or more. Assemble and maintain your emergency survival items for your home as well as a portable getaway kit in case you have to leave in a hurry. You should also have essential emergency items in your workplace and in your car.
Emergency Survival items
Torch with spare batteries or a self charging torch
Radio with spare batteries
Wind and waterproof clothing, sun hats, and strong outdoor shoes.
First aid kit and essential medicines
Blankets or sleeping bags
Pet supplies
Toilet paper and large rubbish bags for your emergency toilet
Face and dust masks
Check all batteries every three months. Battery powered lighting is the safest and easiest. Do not use candles as they can tip over in earthquake aftershocks or in a gust of wind. Do not use kerosene lamps, which require a great deal of ventilation and are not designed for indoor use.
Food and water for at least three days
Non-perishable food (canned or dried food)
Food, formula and drinks for babies and small children
Water (at least 3 litres per person per day) for drinking
Water for washing and cooking
A primus or gas barbeque to cook on
A can opener
Check and replace food and water every twelve months. Consider stocking a two-week supply of food and water for prolonged emergencies such as a pandemic.
Getaway Kits
In some emergencies you may need to evacuate in a hurry. Everyone should have a packed getaway kit in an easily accessible place at home and at work which includes:
Torch and radio with spare batteries
Any special needs such as hearing aids and spare batteries, glasses or mobility aids
Emergency water and easy-to-carry food rations such as energy bars and dried foods in case there are delays in reaching a welfare centre or a place where you might find support. If you have any special dietary requirements, ensure you have extra supplies
First aid kit and essential medicines
Essential items for infants or young children such as formula and food, nappies and a favourite toy
Change of clothes (wind/waterproof clothing and strong outdoor shoes)
Toiletries – towel, soap, toothbrush, sanitary items, toilet paper
Blankets or sleeping bags
Face and dust masks
Pet supplies
Include important documents in your kit: identification (birth and marriage certificates, driver’s licences and passports), financial documents (e.g. insurance policies and mortgage information), and precious family photos.
First Aid
If someone you care for is injured in a disaster, your knowledge of first aid will be invaluable. Many organisations provide first aid training courses. Consider taking a first aid course, followed by regular refresher sessions.
You can buy ready-made first aid kits or make up your own. A list of the minimum recommended items for first aid kits can be downloaded from www.getthru.govt.nz
EVACUATION
In some situations you may be forced to evacuate your home, office, school or neighbourhood at short notice.
Before an evacuation
Find out about your community’s warning systems and evacuation routes from civil defence emergency management staff at your local council.
Consider your transportation options in case you have to evacuate. If you do not own or drive a car, ask emergency management staff about plans for people without private vehicles.
Know which local radio stations to listen to during an event for announcements from your local emergency management officials.
Discuss and practice your evacuation plans with everyone in the household.
Make in-case-of-evacuation arrangements with friends or relatives in your neighbourhood as well as outside the area you are in.
Know the evacuation routes you could take and plan several evacuation routes in case roads are damaged or blocked.
Know where the emergency or welfare shelter locations are in your community
If you have pets, domestic animals or livestock, include them in your emergency plans.
If there is a possibility of an evacuation, fill your car’s fuel tank. Keep in mind that if there are power cuts in an event, fuel stations may not be able to operate pumps.
If you are in an area that is being evacuated
Listen to your local radio stations as emergency management officials will be broadcasting the most appropriate advice for your community and situation.
Evacuate quickly if told to do so by authorities. Take your getaway kit with you. If you are outside the evacuation zone when a warning is issued, do not go into an at-risk area to collect your belongings.
If there is time, secure your home as you normally would when leaving for an extended period.
Turn off electricity and water at the mains if there is time. Do not turn off natural gas unless you smell a leak or hear a blowing or hissing sound, or are advised to do so by the authorities.
Take your pets with you when you leave if you can safely do so.
If you have livestock, evacuate your family and staff first. If there is time, move livestock and domestic animals to a safer area.
In some emergency situations such as a tsunami or wildfire it is better to leave by foot than to drive or wait for transportation.
Use travel routes specified by local authorities. Some areas may be impassable or dangerous so avoid shortcuts. Do not drive through moving water. If you come upon a barrier, follow posted detour signs.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OR SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
If you, or a member of your household or community has a disability or any special requirement that may affect the ability to cope in a disaster, make arrangements now to get the support needed.
Build a Personal Support Network
Organise a personal support network of a minimum of three people to alert you to civil defence warnings, or to help if you need to be evacuated. This could be family members, carers, friends, neighbours or co-workers.
Ensure you have an emergency plan before a disaster happens and practice it with your support network. Plan for various disasters and situations you could encounter.
Discuss your needs with the support network and make sure everyone knows how to operate necessary equipment.
Inform your support team if you are travelling or away from home.
Consider also
Ensuring you have emergency survival items, including any specialised items you need, and a getaway kit in case of evacuation.
Keeping at least seven days’ supply of your essential medications and make provisions for those that require refrigeration.
Wearing a medical alert tag or bracelet to identify your disability or health condition.
When travelling, let a hotel or motel manager know of your requirements in case of an emergency.
Knowing where to go for assistance if you are dependent on a dialysis machine or other life-sustaining equipment or treatment.
Hearing impairment
Radio and television stations will broadcast civil defence information and advice before and during a disaster. Ask your support network to alert you to warnings and keep you informed. Contact the emergency management staff at your local council to find out what local warning systems are in place in your community.
Consider installing a system appropriate to your needs such as an alarm with flashing strobe lights to get your attention. Replace the batteries once a year. You may want to consider giving a key to a neighbour so they can alert you to a warning. Keep a writing pad and pencils and a torch in your getaway kit so you can communicate with others.
Sight impairment
People who are blind or partially sighted may have to depend on others if they have to evacuate or go to an unfamiliar Civil Defence Centre. If you have a guide dog, make sure you have a getaway kit for your dog with food, medications, vaccination records, identification and harnesses to take with you. Keep extra canes at home and in the workplace even if you use a guide dog. Be aware that animals may become confused or disoriented in an emergency. Trained service animals will be allowed to stay in emergency shelters with their owners. Check with your local council for more information.
Physical disability or mobility impairment
If you or someone you are caring for has a physical disability or difficulty with mobility, include mobility aids in the emergency getaway kit. This will help in the event of an evacuation.
In a major earthquake the ground-shaking will make it difficult or impossible for you to move any distance. If you cannot safely get under a table, move near an inside wall of the building away from windows and tall items that can fall on you, and cover your head and neck as best you can. Lock your wheels if you are in a wheelchair. In bed, pull the sheets and blankets over you and use your pillow to protect your head and neck.
Asthma and respiratory problems
People with asthma or a respiratory disorder will be more susceptible to dust, volcanic ash, or the stress of an emergency. Make sure you have dust masks at home and in your emergency getaway kit and sufficient medicines for at least seven days.
Special food requirements
If you, or someone you are caring for, have special dietary needs, make sure there is sufficient stock of these food items for at least seven days at home, and in the emergency getaway kit. If you have to be evacuated, emergency shelters are unlikely to have the special food items you may need.
PETS AND LIVESTOCK
If you have pets, domestic animals or livestock, include them in your emergency planning.
Attach a permanent disc to your pet’s collar that clearly states your phone number, name and address. Microchip your pets.
Ensure you have a carry box, towel or blanket, emergency food, and a lead and muzzle as part of your pet’s emergency getaway kit. Put your name, phone number and address on the box.
In the event of an evacuation take your pets with you if you can safely do so. Take their vaccination records and essential medications with you as this will help your pet be re-housed if necessary.
Welfare or civil defence centres generally will not accept pets except for service animals such as guide dogs. Some communities have established sheltering options for pets.
Make in-case-of-evacuation arrangements with friends or relatives outside your neighbourhood or area.
Keep a list of “pet-friendly” hotels and motels and their contact details in case you have to evacuate your home or neighbourhood.
If you have domestic animals (such as horses, pigs or poultry) or livestock, know which paddocks are safe to move livestock away from floodwaters, landslides and power lines. In the event of an evacuation, ensure you have a plan in place so that they will be secure and have food, water and shelter. The responsibility for animal welfare remains with the owner.
Check with your council about local arrangements for assisting with domestic animal issues.
STORING WATER
Household water supplies, including drinking water, could be affected in a disaster so having a supply of stored water is absolutely essential. You need at least three litres of drinking water for each person each day. You will also need water for washing and cooking.
You can purchase bottled water or prepare your own containers of water. Purchase food-grade water storage containers from camping or hardware stores or recycle plastic soft drink bottles. Do not use milk containers as protein cannot be adequately removed with washing, and may harbour bacteria.
Instructions for safely storing water
Wash bottles thoroughly in hot water.
Fill each bottle with tap water until it overflows.
Add five drops of household bleach per litre of water (or half a teaspoon for 10 litres) and put in storage. Do not drink for at least 30 minutes after disinfecting.
Label each bottle with dates showing when the bottles were filled and when they need to be refilled.
Check the bottles every 12 months. If the water is not clear, throw it out and refill clean bottles with clean water and bleach.
Store bottles away from direct sunlight in a cool dark place. Keep them in two separate places and where there is not likely to be flooding.
You can also fill plastic ice cream containers with water, cover, label and keep in the freezer. These can help keep food cool if the power is off and can also be used for drinking.
Your hot water cylinder and toilet cistern are valuable sources of water. Check that your hot water cylinder and header tank are well secured. Do not put chemical cleaners in the cistern if you want to use the water. If you use collected rain water make sure that you disinfect it with household bleach. If you are uncertain about the quality of water, e.g. from a well that has been flooded, or if it might have been contaminated by smoke or volcanic ash, do not drink it.
EMERGENCY SANITATION
In some emergency situations the water supply may be cut off, or water and sewage lines may be damaged, and you may need to use improvised emergency toilets.
How to make an emergency toilet
Use watertight containers such as a rubbish bin or bucket, with a snug-fitting cover.
If the container is small, keep a large container with a snug-fitting cover available for waste disposal.
Line bins with plastic bags if possible.
Pour or sprinkle a small amount of regular household disinfectant such as chlorine bleach into the container each time the toilet is used to reduce odour and germs. Keep the toilet covered.
GET YOUR CAR READY
Plan ahead for what you will do if you are in your car when a disaster strikes. In some emergencies you may be stranded in your vehicle for some time. A flood, snow storm or major traffic accident could make it impossible to proceed.
Consider having essential emergency survival items in your car. If you are driving in extreme winter conditions, add windshield scrapers, brush, shovel, tire chains and warm clothing to your emergency kit.
Store a pair of walking shoes, waterproof jacket, essential medicines, snack food, water and a torch in your car.
When planning travel, keep up-to-date with weather and roading information
GET YOUR BUSINESS READY
Under the Health and Safety in Employment Act, businesses have an obligation to be prepared for an emergency. Put together a Workplace Emergency Plan for your business.
Get your staff ready. Encourage staff to keep essential items they may need at work, including sturdy walking shoes, waterproof jacket, torch, snack food and water.
Get involved in business continuity and emergency plans at industry level. Your plans should cover these areas:
How to protect your business assets: staff, equipment, facilities, IT systems, reputation, market share, liquidity, etc.
How to protect external service, particularly in support of civil defence emergency management critical activities, such as emergency services and medical facilities.
Forecasting and prioritising external demand for your services before an emergency occurs.
Cooperative planning with those you depend on so that responsibilities and roles are clearly understood.
There is more information on Workplace Emergency Planning at www.civildefence.govt.nz
WHO TO CONTACT
The primary responsibility for civil defence emergency management (CDEM) at a local level rests with your local council. Local and regional councils work with emergency services (Police, Fire, Ambulance) and other relevant agencies to plan for, and respond to disaster events.
CDEM Groups are the consortium of local councils and agencies in each region and they have a responsibility to plan for, and manage regional hazards and risks.
Contact the civil defence emergency management office at your nearest local council for information on local hazards and community response arrangements.
During a disaster event telephone lines need to be kept clear for emergency calls to get through so please avoid making calls unless absolutely urgent.
If life or property is threatened always dial 111 for Police, Fire or Ambulance.
RADIO STATIONS TO LISTEN TO
The following radio networks work collaboratively with civil defence emergency management authorities to broadcast important information and advice in an emergency.
National Radio
Newstalk ZB
Classic Hits
More FM
Radio Live
IWI Radio
Ensure you have a battery operated radio. In an emergency find, and tune in to, your local radio station as they will broadcast official civil defence information that is appropriate for your community and situation. Record the bandwidth for your local stations in your Emergency Plan.
EARTHQUAKE
New Zealand lies on the boundary of the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates. Most earthquakes occur at faults, which are breaks extending deep within the earth, caused by movements of these plates. There are thousands of earthquakes in New Zealand every year, but most of them are not felt because they are either small, or very deep within the earth. Each year there are about 150 – 200 quakes that are big enough to be felt. A large, damaging earthquake could occur at any time, and can be followed by aftershocks that continue for days or weeks.
Most earthquake-related injuries and deaths result from falling debris, flying glass and collapsing structures such as buildings and bridges. Earthquakes can also trigger landslides, avalanches, flash floods, fires and tsunami.
Before an earthquake
Develop a Household Emergency Plan. Assemble and maintain your emergency survival Items for your home and workplace, as well as a portable getaway kit.
Practice Drop, Cover and Hold.
Identify safe places within your home, school or workplace. A safe place is:
somewhere close to you, no more than a few steps or less than three metres away, to avoid injury from flying debris.
under a strong table (hold on to the table legs to keep it from moving away from you).
next to an interior wall, away from windows and tall furniture that can fall on you (protect your head and neck with your arms).
Keep in mind that in modern homes, doorways are no stronger than any other part of the structure and usually have doors that can swing and injure you.
Check your household insurance policy for cover and amount.