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1. RE: Preps and Practice Part 2
   Unfortunately there is an additional problem to be considered with the municipal sewer system should there be an extended power outage. If you happen to be closer to the bottom of the hill near the lift station and you have neighbors up on the top of the hill merrily flushing away, “It ain’t going back from whence it came.” As a matter of fact, their waste is probably going to come back up in your bathtub. You need to have some method of blocking off the sewer line from the street. Something maybe like this. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000R80OCY/ref=sxbs_sxwds-stvp_2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=3341940462&pd_rd_wg=a4Zrr&pf_rd_r=WV9F9ECHT6S4HKES6HS1&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-bottom-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B000R80OCY&pd_rd_w=7ekDS&pf_rd_i=sewer+test+plug&pd_rd_r=44ac85a7-d45c-4200-a4b4-56913ec48c50&ie=UTF8&qid=1509616404&sr=2

   1. The above comment is very true and smart. Not only for neighborhoods, but for high rises or multi story condos as well. The sewage will back up eventually – esp if the uphill homes have access to water.
      For those who don’t want to spend 25 bucks for the above linked inflatable device, a small nerf football – available at walmart or the like for a few bucks, can be shoved down a homes’ main sewer line via the “cleanout” access. Best to properly wrap it in something that will allow it to be removed – even if it’s just an old synthetic t-shirt

2. I can tell you from experience having to use a bucket
   for a toilet is not very great. Two years ago before Christmas we had trouble with our septic tank line plugged up. I tried most of the after market remedies- none worked. I determined the line had a major blockage.My wife ask me what will we do? I when out to the garage and returned with a 5 gal. bucket with the snap on lid and seat. After the second day it got really bad.Three days later the plumber made it back home, as it was over Christmas. As we live in a small town 50 miles from a good size town. He fixed it in a couple of hours as we had a blockage.
   I have most everything on the farm in the way of equipment to do most jobs, but nothing to unplug a septic tank blockage.
   Mt wife and daughter told me no matter the cost get us something that is better than a “Bucket”.
   I found a composting toilet. Check out “Nature’s Head “. It’s great and there is no smell.
   Good Luck, – The Gman

3. you could save sawdust from your construction work to have a less offensive odor than cat litter and bleach.the pine odor should be more pleasant. toilet seats specifically for buckets are available. if you dispose of double bagged human waste in landfill you are taking something easily composted and encapsulating it for a long time. please dispose with this in mind. thanks for sharing your experience. i too need to educate others at home as some things are known only by myself. thanks again. this comment is only intended to help .

4. I ran across this awhile back, and thought it was something important enough to print out the brochure and give it to people I know want to be prepared. It’s easy, and works very very well:

   http://www.phlush.org/nine-actions-for-you-to-take/diy-christchurch-twin/

   Here’s the link to the print-out:

   http://www.phlush.org/nine-actions-for-you-to-take/print-the-twin-bucket-leaflet/

5. A good solution to the p & poo issue is a porta potty. We have been using them for years when camping. 2 reside in our basement at the moment with a dozen packets of chemicals for them. There is no smell to deal with and you only need to dig a hole to dump them in and bury the waste, if your sewer is working at all or you are on a septic just dump them down the old potty. It will bio degrade in time. The other thing is guys pee in the back yard or the woods.

   The Porta Potties use only a little water per use and are more comfortable than a bucket. I bought mine at garage sales and have about $20 each invested. I have seen them on sale for about $70, new. Being married I consider this a very good investment for the comfort of my wife, and a good solution for temporary needs.

6. Great plush link. Thanks Julie.

7. One other tip….pee tubes. Get a 4 to 8 inch diameter pipe, dig a hole the diameter of the pipe in a discrete location, insert pipe into hole. Pee into pipe. We did this quite a bit in Kunar province at our FOBs where water was limited. Second big tip….ALWAYS enforce hand washing/sanitizing. ..or else everyone with you will get the poo squirts and you get sanitation crises.

   One prep item for any groups is a couple boxes of food service gloves. Never allow anyone to touch your food between the stove and your mouth without them. Cooks should wash of course… but others who wipe, and then come to eat, are always present.

   And it’s sadly amazing at the number of men you see who never wash their hands before leaving the men’s room. It’s more than 50 percent.

   Think about your next lovely episode of stomach flu and it’s ‘pleasurable pains’ and you’ll understand how important it is to up your game.

   Some forms of cholera in Kansas in the late 1800s killed within 48 hours according to witnesses.

   Stay clean and God Bless.

8. Cut a hole in a folding metal chair, affix a toilet seat if you want for something a little familiar, and place over a cat hole or bucket

9. Concerning the use of “sports drinks;” they also contain a TON of salt.

   In my younger days, I engaged in “fast recreational cycling.” We carried several water bottles, and used Gatorade in powdered form. The first bottle was mixed full strength. The second was mixed half-strength, and the third, half that of the second. Any other bottles would be straight water. Which bottle was grabbed depended on what we thought was needed. It’s easy, actually. If you drink full strength sports drinks and they taste “heavy,” or don’t quench your thirst, it’s straight water that you actually need. If you go for straight water, and it doesn’t quench your thirst, the sports drink is what you need.

   By the way; powdered Gatorade stored indefinitely, and also stores “smaller…”

10. For water Emergency essentials sells 160 gallon water tanks that I’ve found to be pretty handy. I got two, which I figured was enough water for a month or so at 2.5 gallons a day per person at 4 people.

    Also, some 5 gallon stackables water jugs are handy.

11. Some years ago I purchased a honey bucket and installed a rv hose connection off the bottom of it. Mounted it on wheels for portability and i move it to the septic tank and hook it up. Do all the business you want and then flush into the tank when done. I spray painted mine in camo colors.

12. I enjoyed your article and learned some useful things. Always enjoy the actual experiences of trials. I would not recomend pickle juice for hydration except in very small amounts due to high amounts of salt. It will add to your thirst.

13. As a replacement for the “Kitty Litter” in the toilet solution, you might run a test using Equine Pine Bedding Pellets. Far less expensive and tends to absorb odor better than the kitty litter.

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