Cholera Outbreak Hits Haiti, Nearly 200 Dead

[Matt In Oklahoma]

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2010/10/22/suspected-cholera-outbreak-kills-haiti/

I know alot of time is spent discussing food/water and storage and preparation but this is a good example of good food/water is life and bad food/water is death. There are questions it has caused me to ask myself.
How long will my supplies last after a disaster? Will my supplies be lost during the disaster? Do I have a backup plan or backup supply line from friends/family? How many days of water do I really have and for how many? How long would my backups take to reach me?
The second thing I began to question is how do I treat myself and others medically. The first thing it appears is fluids in an IV for this to treat the severe dehydration. Most soldiers know this treatment well wether it's from drunkeness or 3rd world water holes and weather.
Last week my son and his girlfriend contracted food poisoning and didnt call until advanced stages. They both ended up in the hospital. They are both fine however I was medically unable to stop them from flowing. Had this been post SHTF I failed.
In both cases fluids are needed thru an IV. I am perfectly capable of delivering it but then the meds for stopping uncontrollable vomiting and diarrhea were needed as well. The pills would not stay down and even suppositories were useless. What does one do post SHTF? I used to keep fluids and supplies back in the day with a combat lifesaver bag but I have let that slip.
Alot of Armies have been stopped by these effects. I am asking most of these questions for myself but ask yourself the same. Dieases seem to much harder to deal with than injuries medically when the chips are down.

[Rmplstlskn]

The sad reality is that MANY people would DIE from these things in a SHTF/disaster scenario... If you do not know how to or have access to the basic equipment for an IV, and you do not have certain meds... Prayer is the only option.

Having been to Haiti once, traveling all across that 1/2 of the island, I saw first hand how PRIMITIVE they live once you get outside PaP. Their drinking water is often the same water they bath in, wash clothes in, and the occasional animals get in to. A few places have artisian wells and are the cleanest source there. But in most places the rains wash the feces and wastes into their good water, along with muds, as Haiti has been greatly deforested for charcoal. I have even seen kids use their urine to wash their faces off in the morning as it is STERILE. That country was a VERY SAD place back in the 90's, I cannot imagine how bad it is after the QUAKE and all those people living outside the cities in rural areas... It is unfathomable...

Sadly, I think this cholera story is only going to get worse as those people spew infected waste from BOTH ENDS into who knows where, as there are no "bathrooms" in these rural areas. So in to the woods it spews, only to get washed into their streams and rivers after a good rain... Ugghhhh.

And those too sick to move when the body pushes out the vile waste, what do they do with their bedding and clothing? Yep, they have to wash them. Wash them where? With cold water too... And the cycle continues...

I can only hope that those here in the States would know how to keep waste from the potable water...

Rmpl

[610Alpha]

Most Americans would not know how to keep the waste from the potable water unfortunately. IMO. I could be wrong but I doubt it.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Yep urination and fecal material needs to be at least 50ft or more DOWHNILL from a water source. More is better and buried so that it is not being tracked into the water source. All dead animals/humans need to be removed. If you are using a well make sure not to bury it on top of the well source which may be a large area. Wash you hands, wash your hands. I have already stocked liquid and even some antibacterial soap. I hear ya on the cold water. I understand from numerous sources there is nothing to burn in Haiti. All wood, trees etc are gone, the isle is a desert.
My next medical purchase will be some IV equipment. The bags usually don't last to long and care has to be taken to keep them from freezing as cyrstals will form and stay in the fluid. I will have to check my local laws on carrying the needles/bags around.
I am also going to add into our plans in writing/drawing a layout of where an authorized fecal "mine field" will be if needed post SHTF.

[Klayton]

Matt, ever think of spare 55 gallon drums?
One of my back up plans is 55 gallon drums, add some saw dust (pine) for odor control. Once barrel is 3/4 full cap it (with screened vent), and move on to next barrel. Allow mother nature to "compost" the waste. This can be sped up by painting the outside of the barrel black to absorb more solar heat.

Just my two copper pieces...

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Yep I've even got some but I am in transition (LOL- read losing my house) and so our plan is to bug to a remote with little to nothing location if SHTF till we find a place to rent and settle. I have burned a few of them barrels while camping with the green machine mmm-mm brings back the memories, never tried your plan but it sounds feasible. I have also figured out recently that my friends are worthless and are still depending on me to rescue them, so I now know that I wont have supplies coming. So much for the backup plan.
Klayton I'm so glad to hear you have a good workable plan, it's more than most sheeple have and definitively the point of the post. I have the ole camping chemical toilet in the camper to get us going but even it will need burial or dumping somewhere once we settle. I'm hoping that this educates or makes folks think enough to find education on sanitization and waste disposal.
It's not what you see but what you don't that will do you in at the end.

[Lowdown3]

Chlorea, dysentry, typhoid, all seem to follow large natural or man made disasters. PLAN for it.

[alex john]

There are current do***ented cases of cholera in Iraq, among Iraqis not US servemembers. I wouldn't call it an outbreak though. Cholera is spread because of unsanitary conditions. We're trained on field sanitation. I don't think that there's a vaccination against it, but our meidcal staff doesn't seem worried about it. They want us to be informed.

[monkeybird]

Cholera has always broken out during periods of chaos. it's not us survivalist who will contaminate water supplies, it will be lazy, uncaring zombies.

FYI - cat litter in a 5 gallon pail makes an odor free sanitary disposal unit. They make these neat toilet seats that fits them perfectly.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/11/16/haiti.cholera/index.html?hpt=T2

900 plus dead and rising, riots and just a few weeks ago it was "stable" and "under control" now it's shtf and killing.

[Klayton]

It is frustrating when you see this. Victims are always the uneducated, elderly, children, and the comprimised. Cholera is after all only a disease caused by a bacteria. THAT IS THE KEY!! Bacteria, easily controlled through preventive measures... Read WASH YOUR HANDS!! Bring water to a boil if even a slight suggestion of contamination with fecal material. But the key AFTER you get hit with this nasty bug is HYDRATION!!! The moment you start the squirts, you need to double your water intake and electrolytes. If you are peeing dark yellow, ADD MORE WATER TO YOUR RATIONS!!

That being said, it is obviously fatal, but again a healthy adult who responds properly seldoms dies from this bacteria.

One "medicine man" was translated saying the cure was to starve yourself for 3 days... And they wonder why people were dropping like flies? YIKES!!

[Matt In Oklahoma]

as this simple disease from lack of fresh water (check Water again supply preps again) and clean sanitary conditions (check Sanitation preps again) begins to weave it's it's way thru the ever crumbling society of Haiti you begin to see the street gangs and outlaw bands form and become braver and take their anger out on the Authorities. (Check Weapons preps again) The locals are putting out misleading information about the disease (check Commo preps again). The doctors are overwhelmed (check Medical preps again) and they are trying to teach classes on clean water, washing hands and cleaning food (check Food preps again). The good news is the given the photographs it seems they have found stuff to burn once again! (check Alternate Energy Resource preps again)

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/11/19/haiti.cholera/index.html?hpt=T2

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40262671/ns/health-infectious_diseases/

[Klayton]

I think the last update said Cholera deaths topped 1,000!?!?!

Curious as to why they blame the UN as bringing in the Cholera?

I do NOT trust the UN at all, and they are a HUGE SHTF trigger if on US soil. perhaps that is it?

[Matt In Oklahoma]

The locals are blaming the UN soldiers for bringing the diease in which is possible however it was almost inevitable anyway I think.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Some new info from Patriot Nurse, this also covers some other topics we have covered such as antibiotics and rehydration

http://www.youtube.com/user/ThePatriotNurse