Three Things I Learned from BBC Survivors Series One – Episode Three – Gone Away

1. Remember Pets and Livestock

“Gone Away” begins with Tom Price scavenging for food at an abandoned farm. Since the plague in “Survivors” appears to have only affected humans, it is likely that the pigs shown in the pin died of starvation. During Hurricane Katrina, an estimated 600,000 animals (this figure likely includes livestock) were left behind and died in the floods.1 In the event of a possible flash flood, move your animals to the highest ground on your property. Let pinned or chained dogs roam. If you decide or are ordered to evacuate your home, do not leave your pets behind! Have a plan in advance for a shelter or living arrangement conducive to pet care. Be sure to ensure all animals have some form of identification. Based on the weather situation, decide whether large animals, such as horses should be in sheltered or stay outside.

2. Drink Clean Water

In a survival situation, clean drinking water should be your number one priority. Water-borne diseases, primarily from sewage, account for 1.8 million deaths annually worldwide. 2 Ways to clean water include using a pump/gravity/electric purifier or filter that you can buy in a store, like REI or Wal-Mart. There are also tablets and solutions that purify water. A simple low-cost way to purify water is to boil it.If a hurricane or the like is headed to your area and you plan on bugging in, be sure to fill your bathtub with water in the event that town water lines fail.

Possible waterborne pathogens/diseases include:
Cryptosporidium
E. Coli
Shigella
Giardiasis
Botulism
Cholera
Dysentery
Legionellosis
Typhoid fever
Hepatitis A

3. Know How to Disarm a Threatening Person

When confronted with threatening men, both Abby and Jenny were able to grab shotguns from them. They attempted to negotiate with the men, but Rick was eventually able to intimidate the bad guys and had the skill to shoot out a tire on their vehicle. On a similar note, I always got a chuckle out of Abby wearing two rings on every finger, until I realized the brilliance of it. It is never referenced in the series, but a lithe woman like her would definitely benefit from having rings on during fisticuffs! Take a Krav Maga course to learn how to defend yourself without using metal knuckles and become proficient in weapon disarm techniques.

4. Rugged Vehicle

Rick abandoned his sports car and suggested the next vehicle they drive should be a jeep or Land Rover. In their particular situation the roads would not stay in good condition for very long without maintenance. You never know when going off road may come in handy. If you can, it is preferable to have an older mechanical vehicle as second car. For one thing, it becomes very easy to service your own vehicle and in the event of an Electromagnetic pulse (EMP), all computerized vehicles made after 1974 will not work.

Sources:
1 CBS News. “House Passes Pet Evacuation Bill”. May 2006.
2 World Health Organization. “Water Sanitation and Health”.


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