Provident Principles and Practices
© David Edwards, 2009
© David Edwards, 2009
PRINCIPLES: “Emergency Storage (Easily accessible and in a portable container)(See p. 7) . . . Bedding . . . Blanket, Cloth Sheet, Plastic Sheet.” – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Essentials of Home Production and Storage, 1978, p. 11.
“Bedding – Include . . . Blankets or sleeping bags . . . .” – The American Red Cross, Charter Oak Chapter Web site, 2009
PRACTICES: Few of us wish to be like those of whom it is said: “Out in the desert they wander, hungry and helpless and cold” (Mary Wingate). Stored in or near each disaster supply kit should thus be something comfortable and warm in which to sleep, something that you can take with you in an emergency. This can make life away from home more endurable and safe. Blankets, cloth sheets, plastic sheets, sleeping bags, and ground pads offer comfort, and they can help keep us from going into hypothermia when we sleep out in the cold.
Hypothermia. Exposure to cold air or rain may cause hypothermia. This can happen below 40 F, or even at higher temperatures if one is wet. At early stages, symptoms may include shivering, decreased motor abilities, poor judgment, and apathy. Late-stage hypothermia, resulting from more severe exposure, can result in stiff muscles, decreased heart rate, weakness, confusion, and even unconsciousness or death. Don’t risk it. Proper bedding, along with warm clothing, can help prevent hypothermia.
Blankets. Good quality thick wool blankets are often available through speciality catalogs at higher prices or through military surplus stores at more reasonable prices. Thick wool blankets can provide a great deal of protection from cold. They even provide some insulating value when wet. But some people prefer fleece blankets, with synthetic fiber.
Cotton sheets. Cotton sheets can line blankets or be placed atop open sleeping bags. They are easy to wash. Cotton sheets can be hung up to provide privacy barriers. If necessary, clean cotton sheets can be torn into pieces for bandages. They can also be used to prefilter turbid or dirty water.
Plastic sheets. Plastic sheets can be placed on muddy ground to protect blankets or sleeping bags. If large enough (e.g., 10’ x 12’), a plastic sheet can also be wrapped around a blanket or sleeping bag to provide protection from rain or sleet or snow. Generally, a 4-mil thickness is adequate.
Sleeping bags. Sleeping bags may come in rectangular or mummy configurations. Mummy bags are generally lighter and warmer than rectangular bags of the same length, but the latter allow for greater foot and leg freedom. Choose an appropriate size of sleeping bag for each user. Sleeping bags are rated for warmth. Generally, it is a good idea to get one for your kit that is rated for the coldest winter temperatures that you might expect for your place of refuge. Overbags or bag liners can increase warmth. Synthetic fiber bags generally are warmer than down bags when wet. Synthetic fiber bags can also be washed in commercial washing machines using mild detergent. A ground pad placed under a bag will provide needed comfort and protection from the cold ground.
More: http://charteroak.redcross.org/media/Your_Family_Disaster_Supplies_Kit.pdf; http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/pdf/cold_guide.pdf;
“Bedding – Include . . . Blankets or sleeping bags . . . .” – The American Red Cross, Charter Oak Chapter Web site, 2009
PRACTICES: Few of us wish to be like those of whom it is said: “Out in the desert they wander, hungry and helpless and cold” (Mary Wingate). Stored in or near each disaster supply kit should thus be something comfortable and warm in which to sleep, something that you can take with you in an emergency. This can make life away from home more endurable and safe. Blankets, cloth sheets, plastic sheets, sleeping bags, and ground pads offer comfort, and they can help keep us from going into hypothermia when we sleep out in the cold.
Hypothermia. Exposure to cold air or rain may cause hypothermia. This can happen below 40 F, or even at higher temperatures if one is wet. At early stages, symptoms may include shivering, decreased motor abilities, poor judgment, and apathy. Late-stage hypothermia, resulting from more severe exposure, can result in stiff muscles, decreased heart rate, weakness, confusion, and even unconsciousness or death. Don’t risk it. Proper bedding, along with warm clothing, can help prevent hypothermia.
Blankets. Good quality thick wool blankets are often available through speciality catalogs at higher prices or through military surplus stores at more reasonable prices. Thick wool blankets can provide a great deal of protection from cold. They even provide some insulating value when wet. But some people prefer fleece blankets, with synthetic fiber.Cotton sheets. Cotton sheets can line blankets or be placed atop open sleeping bags. They are easy to wash. Cotton sheets can be hung up to provide privacy barriers. If necessary, clean cotton sheets can be torn into pieces for bandages. They can also be used to prefilter turbid or dirty water.
Plastic sheets. Plastic sheets can be placed on muddy ground to protect blankets or sleeping bags. If large enough (e.g., 10’ x 12’), a plastic sheet can also be wrapped around a blanket or sleeping bag to provide protection from rain or sleet or snow. Generally, a 4-mil thickness is adequate.
Sleeping bags. Sleeping bags may come in rectangular or mummy configurations. Mummy bags are generally lighter and warmer than rectangular bags of the same length, but the latter allow for greater foot and leg freedom. Choose an appropriate size of sleeping bag for each user. Sleeping bags are rated for warmth. Generally, it is a good idea to get one for your kit that is rated for the coldest winter temperatures that you might expect for your place of refuge. Overbags or bag liners can increase warmth. Synthetic fiber bags generally are warmer than down bags when wet. Synthetic fiber bags can also be washed in commercial washing machines using mild detergent. A ground pad placed under a bag will provide needed comfort and protection from the cold ground.More: http://charteroak.redcross.org/media/Your_Family_Disaster_Supplies_Kit.pdf; http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/pdf/cold_guide.pdf;
Photo Credits:
Cold desert: http://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/images/pj_snow_2001.jpg
Extreme cold (modified in Paint to remove Download instructions): http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/images/extreme_cold_guide.jpg
Parent and child in blanket: http://www.usaid.gov/zm/population/images/tn_Staff_and_child_with_blanket.JPG
Sleeping bag: http://boxer.senate.gov/i/gr_sleeping%20bags.jpg
Parent and child in blanket: http://www.usaid.gov/zm/population/images/tn_Staff_and_child_with_blanket.JPG
Sleeping bag: http://boxer.senate.gov/i/gr_sleeping%20bags.jpg
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