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HOUSE PREPPING 101 - part 1

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    Posted: May 21 2009 at 4:30pm

House Prepping 101

Much attention has been paid to ensuring you have enough food, water, PPE and personal protection to allow you to Shelter in Place (SIP) for an extended period.

Little attention has been paid to prepping your house to ensure as much of the virus stays outside as possible. The object of this essay is to provide some information on this subject.

The information contained herein is based largely on my own prepping experience, it is in fact part of my personal family pandemic plan. I have a wife and 3 young children that are my priority to protect.

The information herein seems heavily weighted towards several product brands. This is not because I am promoting these products in an advertising sense, it is simply because I have tried and tested almost everything that is available and have decided that these products provide me with the best solution. It is up to you to decide whether they are right for you and your family.

I have gained knowledge of infection control through my experience in business importing, manufacturing and retailing specialized personnel protection, including biological, chemical and nuclear protection.

In the interests of complete transperency, I divulge that I am the CEO of ExitKits Australia Pty Ltd, a company mentioned in this essay

I have made the following assumptions in creating this essay:

1. The virus will be airbourne

2. Leaving the safety of your SIP potentially exposes you to the virus

3. There may be extended periods when it is unsafe to venture outside without adequate protection

The overall aim is to make your house as virus proof as possible and to ensure virus is not bought into the house by family members coming and going.

The areas I am going to cover are:

- Making your home as airtight as possible while allowing control over the air movements into the home.

- Creating your own decontamination zone

- The importance of PPE

- Decontaminating your home

- Handling biohazard waste

You are going to need the following items which can be purchased from hardware stores,

Masking tape - 2 inch wide - good quality (I have a 4brm home and with all the windows and doors that potentially leaked air I worked out 5 rolls would be enough) .... I bought 10

Gaffa tape - 2 inch wide - good quality - at least 5 rolls ( I bought 10)

Plastic Drop Sheets (commonly used as ground sheets for painting or covering furniture) Size 10 foot x 12 foot.They are cheap so buy a couple of dozen.

Thicker plastic sheeting (Thick garbage bags will do)

Silicon sealer - 3-4 tubes should be enough

Oil Drip Tray (the type you put under your car to stop oil from soiling your driveway) x 2

Before you go and buy anything go outside and have a look at your house. How does air currently get in and out of your home? Do you leave windows open to air out rooms or do you leave the back door open? Maybe you don’t do either of those things. Are there air vents inserted in the walls? Or does your home rely on air conditioning to circulate the air around?

You need to establish how air flow works in your situation. For me, it was relatively simple. We have a sliding door we often leave open, plus each room has air vents built into the walls. Additionally, I often leave a bedroom window open. We also have air conditioning which can either recirculate the existing air or draw in air from outside. I also observed air could get in under the front and rear doors and there was a couple of suspect fitting windows that could allow air in.

Do the same for your situation. That will help establish how much stuff you need to buy to make your home airtight.

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HOUSE PREPPING PART 2
 

MAKING YOUR HOME AS AIRTIGHTAS POSSIBLE.

Purpose: To give you control over airflow into and out of your home, allowing you to decontaminate air before it circulates inside.

Aim: To block off as many of the ways air enters your home as possible.

Method:

FOR AIR VENTS: Using the thicker plastic sheeting cut out a piece of plastic larger than your air vent.Using the silicon sealer, spread a thin bead around the outside of the entire air ventand cover with the plastic sheet effectively blocking it off. Repeat on all external vents. Do the same on any interior air vents using the plastic sheeting and masking tape (no need to silicon the internal walls)

DOORS  Decide which external doors are going to be used during your SIP. Make your choice based on doors that have a hallway attached (preferred). Doors that lead directly into living spaces should be avoided where possible. For me it was easy. Both our front and rear doors have short hallways attached.

Gaffa tape around the door seal of all other external doors. They will not be used for entry or exit during your SIP.

WINDOWS  Most windows provide an adequate seal but for those that have gaping holes, seal them with plastic sheeting and gaffa tape

WASTE DRAINS  Cover with masking tape if non essential ( you would not cover the waste drain in the shower but you would cover the one in the laundry floor)

There are other ways air gets into your home that I cannot possibly hope to cover here, mainly because I do not have any experience with them but some that occur to me are:

- Through cracks in the floorboards

- Chimneys and Fireplaces

- Exhaust fans.

- Skylights

If these are present you need to solve the blocking off issues yourself.

You have now effectively sealed your home. You can control the airflow in and out of your home. Obviously you cannot live for long periods without fresh air coming in but I will cover how to circulate air soon.

For now we are going to construct at least one air lock or decontamination chamber that will allow you to:

1. Safely enter and exit your home without bringing virus in

2. Give you a safe place to decontaminate every person entering your home.

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HOUSE PREPPING 101 - PART 3
 

CREATING A DECONTAMINATION ZONE (DZ)

Viruses enter your home through a variety of means. One way they are bought inside is by members of your family on their clothing, shoes, hair, hands and skin. Having the ability to stop viruses entering the home at this point is highly desirable and relatively easy to achieve. Skipping this step or the following topic on the importance of PPE will compromise your ability to control infection in your home. It is vital you understand the links between decontamination and infection control.

You have to treat your home as an isolation ward - nothing comes in or out without you knowing about it. The only way in or out is though the decontamination zone. During a pandemic you have to assume that each time you leave your home, you are potentially exposing yourself to the virus. Subsequently, each time you return you are potentially bringing the virus in on your shoes, clothes, hair, face, hands as well as any PPE you may be wearing.

Important Note: Like anything in this world sooner or later viruses are subject to the laws of gravity. They settle on hard surfaces, on the ground, and on you, where they can live up to 48 hours (I have read reports that say H5N1 can live in bird faeces for up to144 days and in landfill for 2 years +)

Purpose: To create at least one safe place where entry, exit and decontamination can take place in your home.

Aim: To construct a makeshift cublicle or zone within the immediate proximity of your chosen entry / exit door to allow this to occur

Method: Using two (or more) plastic drop sheets and masking tape to create an overlapping wall that has an entry point you can slip through sideways but seals immediately afterwards. (see drawing on downloadable pdf at end of essay)

Attach the sheeting at both ceiling and floor with masking or gaffa tape. Remember this is going to get a fair bit of use so  make it as sturdy as possible and be prepared to replace it a number of times.

Attach firmly along both sides to the walls.

Make this area as big as you comfortably can because you will be changing there, decontaminating there and will have your decontamination supplies in there as well as gloves, masks, coveralls and possibly waste bags

I have an area about 10 foot wide by 12’ foot long inside my front door. I will place a bookshelf along the wall to hold my decontamination supplies and a bin for the waste. I’ll also put a shoe rack in there because no shoes come inside!

I will repeat this step for my rear door which has a similar hall attached.

I must admit I haven not thought through any alternatives for those who have an entry door that opens directly into a living area without a hall or vestible area. If this is your situation, its time to get creative. You need to create an area that is sealed off from the rest of the house.

Now, go and move your door mat and replace it with the oil drip tray. (Keep your door mat, its handy for wiping off mud or dirt first) Fill the drip tray with disinfectant. Every shoe that enters your home first gets a bath. No shoes that are worn outside are permitted to be worn inside....disinfected or not.

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HOUSE PREPPING 101 - PART 4

THE IMPORTANCE OF PPE (personal protective equipment)

PPE provides an effective barrier between you and the virus. To leave your home or SIP without it is like playing russian roulette. Airborne viruses settle in your hair, on your clothing, shoes, hands and skin. The chances of you bringing something home is extremely high. Unless you decontaminate properly the first child you hug or person you kiss can transfer virus from you to them.

Think back to SARS or more recently to Bird Flu or even the picture below that was splashed around the world lastweek when Hong Kong authorities quarantined that hotel. All of the medical personnel were wearing head to toe PPE. Why you may ask?

Simply because it protects you and makes it safer and easier to decontaminate after potential exposure.

The industry standard coverall for SARS, Avian Flu, Swine flu or in fact any flu is Tyvek. Made by DuPont, Tyvek has been tested as an effective barrier to H5N1, Swine Flu and a whole range of other nasties.

FACT: Only Dupont have invested in this testing. No other coverall has been tested against these pathogens. That is why Tyvek is used by those who mitigate H5N1. See the updated pdf at the end of this essay for the latest statement from DuPont regarding H1N1

You will need similar protection if you plan to leave your SIP or home during the peak pandemic phase.

Your PPE kit should include:

- Tyvek coveralls with hood

-  Good Quality N-95 or P2 Masks

- Nitrile Medical Examination Gloves

- Non vented goggles

I will store some of my PPE in the DZ ready for use when I leave the house. A waste bin is also there to receive it all when I come home. During a peak pandemic phase nothing I will wear outside the home comes back inside.

Disposable PPE makes good sense, it lessens the risk of bringing viruses into your home. It saves having to strip off and decontaminate your clothes, and lessens the likelehood of spreading the virus around as you strip off. Disposable PPE is just that....disposable. ..it goes in the waste bin and is treated as contaminated hazardous waste.

The only item you may consider reusing are the goggles. It you do decide to reuse them have a container with either a bleach solution or Rely-On (Virkon) solution to soak them in set up inside your decontamination zone.

In my opinion, a decision not to use PPE when leaving your home during a level 6 pandemic compromises any good work you have done in infection control.

How much PPE do I need?

Simply speaking you can never have enough. Are you planning on going to work during a phase 6 pandemic? If you are then you are going to need a lot more PPE than someone who decides to stay put and not venture outside.

For those who plan to go to work, you will need a new coverall, at least 2 pr gloves, up to 6 masks and goggles each day you go to work. You can figure our how much you need based on this guide.

I recommend double gloving (wearing 2 sets of gloves) This is for several reasons:

1. If your gloves become heavily soiled or damaged you can discard 1pr and still have another pair on.

2. When removing your PPE, I like to firstly discard the gloves I have been wearing before I touch any other PPE or remove my mask. Having a clean 2nd set on allows you to do this without spreadng germs from your fingers everywhere.

Putting on PPE

This is the order I recommend to put on your PPE

1. Wash your hands with alcohol based gel

2. Coverall - ensure your hair is tucked inside the coverall and hood.

3. Mask - ensure you have correct fitting masks. Guys....get rid of beards and facial hair - it makes achieving a good facial seal almost impossible. Fit test your mask (see mask safety for more info)

4. Goggles

5. Gloves - double glove.

Taking off your PPE

1. Before entering your home via the decontamination zone ensure you dip your shoes in the antiseptic bath. Re move shoes inside and spray with Rely-On (Virkon) solution..

2. Discard the outer gloves into your waste bag

3. Remove your goggles and either dispose of them, or place in a solution of Virkon or weak bleach - be careful not to touch your face. Do not rub your eyes.

5. Carefully remove your mask ensuring you do not push the breathing chamber against your face. Do not touch your face. Dispose of mask in the waste bag.

6. Remove your coveralls and dispose in the waste bag

7. Remove your 2nd set of gloves and discard into the waste bag

8. Spray the interior of your waste bin with a couple of squirts of Virkon

8. Wash your hands with an alcohol based gel.

You are now safe to enter your home. I would strongly suggest showering or at least washing your face before you greet or touch any family member

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HOUSE PREPPING 101 - PART 5

Masks

A lot has been written about the effectiveness of wearing masks to prevent infection. There is evidence both for and against the effctiveness of masks. To me it boils down to mask choice.

Masks are effective if chosen correctly, worn correctly and changed often.

When I say masks I do not mean your average dust mask or surgical mask. I’m talking about NIOSH approved N-95 masks that have qualative fit testing instructions and have been approved for use in medical environments such as TB control. There are masks that have been tried and tested in the field against SARS and H5N1. These masks do provide a high degree of protection if worn correctly and changed often.

I only recommend the following N-95 masks because they have NIOSH approval for use in medical environments.

  • Alpha ProTech 695 N-95
  • Inovel 1500 series healthcare N-95
  • Kimberley Clark PFR-95 Technol Fluid Shield
  • Littman surgical N95
  • 3M 1800 series N95

There is another style of mask that is as effective (and cheaper) than a N-95 medical quality mask. These masks are categorized as P2 masks. The main difference between N95 and P2 is related to facial fit requirements. P2 mask are required to provide an airtight facial fit where N-95’s are not. Both deliver similar filtration levels.

The USA is governed by NIOSH regulations while Australia and New Zealand have P2 standards and much of Asia and Europe are governed by EN standards.

I recommend the use of P2 masks where possible simply because the facial fit requirements of a P2 mask are better than those for an N-95 mask.

MASK SAFETY

Masks that have ear loop straps are not suitable at all - they do not provide any facial seal

- Surgical masks or procedure masks are not suitable at all - they do not provide a facial seal or adequate filtration levels.

NEVER PUT A MASK ON A BABY - Infants lungs are not developed enough to deal with the breathing resistance encountered when wearing a mask

- Only use a valved P2 masks for the elderly or those with chronic respiratory conditions - the breathing resistance is less.

- Ensure your mask fits you correctly - Some people who died during the SARS epidemic were wearing respirators. It was discovered later that many wore ill-fitting respirators, did not change them regularly and worst of all, upon taking them off, immediately rubbed their hands over their faces.

- If you have to remove your mask without gloved hands, immediately wash your hands with an alcohol based gel before you touch anything else.

- All masks have a weakness. They are susceptible to moisture intrusion and must be changed regularly. When we breathe our exhalation contains an amount of water vapour. Over time, this builds up on the interior surface of the mask and compromises the ability of the mask to filter particles.

Viruses need a carrier, in other words they usually do not float around as free agents. Most commonly, they travel on vapour droplets, expelled when we sneeze or cough. The outer surface of an N-95 or P2 captures the vapour droplet, limiting the viruses ability to penetrate the mask. However, when the mask has moisture present on the inside, it draws moisture in from the outside and can potentially draw the virus through the mask.
 
The Golden Rule....... Change masks regularly

A word on Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology in masks has been around for 3-4 years now. It remains a relatively unproven technology I have trialed a brand of mask that uses nanotechology in the filtration material and make the following observations:

1. It was almost impossible for me to achieve a positive facial seal because of the hard plastic used in the construction of the mask frame..

2. It was somewhat uncomfortable to wear for extended periods and required constant attention to keep it in place.

3. The filters need to be changed every couple of hours or so. To do this you must take off the mask, dis-assemble it and then fit the new filter. To me, taking off your mask or touching the filtration material compromises the wearing of a mask. The chances of infecting youself with virus on the filter or mask frame is extremely high.

4. There have been no tests done to determine if the nano-coating, which is sprayed onto the filtration material, sloughs off during normal use and whether it can be inhaled.

Choosing a mask

You may have discovered by now that its hard to find supplies of good quality masks. Many companies have delays in shipping and waiting lists. My advice is to find a large distributor who offers a good range of quality masks. Before placing an order ask if you can fit test a mask first to see if it’s suitable for your facial shape and size. The better quality masks from companies like those listed on the previous page have fit test kits available. I recommend fit testing any mask you intend to use for pandemic protection.

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HOUSE PREPPING 101 - PART 6
 

Now we have covered the setting up of your home as an isolation ward, preparing a decontamination zone within your home, setting you up with the necessary PPE to allow you to safely come and go and now we are ready to deal with issues of decontamination.

DECONTAMINATING YOUR HOME

Purpose: To create a safe living environment for you and your family during a level 6 pandemic

Aim To provide adequate instructions on how to properly decontaminate your home and how to keep it virus free.

You will need the following products:

- Rely-On (Virkon) 5gr tablets - sold in bottles of 10 tablets - Each tablet makes 500ml working solution

- Several 500ml trigger spray bottles

-Rely-On (Virkon) 50gr sachets - sold in boxes of 50 sachets - each sachet makes 5 litres working solution

- 5lt mixing jug

- 15lt Backpack Spray unit with fine misting capabilities (this is imperative)

- Bucket and mop

- Disposable paper towels (lots of) - nothing reusable!!!

Virkon (sold as Rely-On) in the USA is a hospital grade disinfectant / cleaner that is used by hospitals, aged care facilities, child care facilities, prisons, customs and border control as well as police and ambulance services, to name a few, for controlling human infections and body fluid spills. .

Virkon kills the majority of pathogens including HIV, Hepatitis, MRSA, VRE and all influenza strains. It contains no chlorines, ammonia’s or other corrosive chemicals and most importantly is completely safe to use around humans.

VIRKON POSSESSES THE WIDEST PROVEN SPECTRUM OF ANY

DISINFECTANT CLEANER AVAILABLE.

- Unique, synergised oxidising system based on potassium monopersulphate - works by the physical destruction of pathogens.Unrivalled spectrum - formulated to meet all pathogenic challenges

- Efficacy proven by worldwide independent testing program.

- Unparalleled spectrum of activity, proven effective against

- 300 strains/clinical isolates from 76 bacteria

- 47 strains/clinical isolates from 35 viruses

- 45 strains/clinical isolates from 17 fungi

- Proven effective against all major pathogens known to man.

- Contains a surfactant - combines cleaning and disinfection in one operation.

- Avoids the problems of pre-cleaning which spreads infection on cleaning materials and utensils.

In a level 6 pandemic Virkon is going to be your new best friend. You can use it as a hard surface disinfectant / cleaner for all surfaces including carpets and floors. You can put some in the washing to disinfect your clothes and bedding. You can disinfect your shoes and goggles.

Most importantly, you can mist it into the air as an aerosol via a backpack spray unit to decontaminate the air. 

Virkon is colour-indicated, meaning it retains its clinical strength for between 7-10 days, gradually fading in colour over that period as a reminder to discard the old and to make up a new batch.

I am a big believer in using disposable paper towels to clean with. There is much evidence to suggest that viruses and bacteria are spread around the home by using and reusing sponges, cleaning cloths and the like. In effect you are spreading germs every time us reuse a sponge or dishcloth. As your home is going to be an infection control zone get into the habit of using disposable paper towels.

Once you home is clean you will find that you do not use mountains of paper towels in maintaining it and it is certainly safer than using an old sponge.

For example: To clean a benchtop I first spot spray with Virkon and remove any obvious solids with 1 paper towel.. Then I spray the entire benchtop, leave it for 10 minutes then wipe clean using 1 or 2 paper towels.

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HOUSE PREPPING 101 - PART 7
 

Cleaning your decontamination zone (DZ).

This is the most important area of your home to keep clean and virus free. After you have constructed your DZ mix up 5 lt of virkon and fill your backpack spray unit. Spray all surfaces with Virkon, wait 10 minutes and wipe clean. This includes the walls, ceiling and floor as well as any other hard surfaces present, pay particular attention to door knobs.

In your DZ always have on hand a 500ml trigger bottle of Virkon and plenty of paper towels. If you plan to resuse goggles, have a container full of Virkon there to soak them in. Also remember to have a bottle of alcohol-based hand gel there as well for hand washing after touching the goggles.

At least once a day and every time a person enters the home use the backpack sprayer to spray the air in the DZ as well as the floor and hard surfaces with Virkon after they have first decontaminated themselves by removing soiled PPE and left the DZ.

Virkon can be left to air dry and does not require wiping up when misted. Misting should be done by pointing the wand at the ceiling not the floor. Allow gravity to do its job. Virkon leaves very little residue.

Always wear a mask, goggles and gloves when cleaning your DZ. (I plan to use a water-resistant Tychem C coverall for this job.)

Empty your hazardous waste bin daily.

Renew the antiseptic solution in the oil drip tray weekly or when contaminated with solids.

Cleaning your house

Virkon replaces virtually every other cleaner you have in the house. I do keep a cleaner with superior grease cutting power around for the stove top and oven. I have personally used Virkon for well over a year now and find it is a very good cleaner plus it provides superior disinfecting qualities. I use it in the kitchen, bathroom, toilet, laundry on hard floors, in the washing and even in my carpet shampooer

Any surface you use a cleaner on can be sprayed with Virkon. Keep the second 500ml trigger spray handy for all your small cleaning requirements. Mix up a 5lt batch which you can decant from to mop hard floors (do this daily). Spot test Virkon on an inconspicuous area of carpet if you have carpet. As I said I use it in my carpet shampoo machine with no ill-effects or discolouration to the carpet.

During a level 6 pandemic phase you will be doing a lot of repetitive daily cleaning to maintain your infection control zone.

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HOUSE PREPPING 101 -PART 8
 

Decontaminating the air in your home

Since we have sealed your home and made it virtually airtight, it is important to now control air movements in your home. It is obviously unhealthy to have no air circulation in a room and with air vents sealed and windows shut, there is a very real possibility of a room becoming oxygen deficient over time.

Healthy air contains a minimum 19.8% oxygen / volume and we need to maintain this in order to survive.

There is no textbook for the following, and what I offer here is my own procedure. It is based on information I have gleaned from hospital infection control specialists, military personnel involved in decontamination and online decontamination information.

You will need a towel, your backpack spray unit loaded with Virkon, some paper towels and a waste bag.

To protect yourself you will need to be wearing full PPE consisting of Tyvek coverall with hood, goggles, mask and gloves.

Procedure

You will be doing 1 room at a time. This is a daily procedure if that room is occupied

Clear the room of family members. Remove objects from the floor, make beds and tidy up. We want as little clutter as possible. Open all curtains or blinds.

Close the door to that room and place a rolled towel along the bottom of the door to effectively seal that room. Now open the window in that room allowing an air exchange to take place. A fan may aid in moving air around quickly. Between 5-10 minutes airing out is adequate.

Close the window and mist Virkon into the air ensuring the wand is pointed towards the ceiling. You do not need to saturate the air or pump litres of Virkon into the air. It much like you would use a fly spray or a room deodorizer, Half a dozen, 2-3 second burst strategically covering the whole room is adequate. Now let gravity do its job.
 
Providing you have not saturated the air, Virkon will soon settle, evaporate and dry without any further intervention from you. You may wish to use your trigger bottle to spray and wipe over any flat surfaces or door handles.

Your room is now recharged with fresh virus-free air. As a precaution, I would not let family members back into that room until it had completely dried out which could take 30 minutes or more..

Collect your towel and move on to the next room, remembering to remove and bag any hazardous waste.

You will find some rooms are easier to clean that others just as some houses are easier to clean than others. For instance, an older style dwelling with defined separate rooms is far easier to clean and decontaminate than a newer open plan style of home. In fact, if you have an open plan style home where all the living areas are connected then the above procedure would need to be adapted for your situation. Being able to segregate rooms is vitally important in controlling air flow.

The procedure outlined above is time consuming and labour intensive. Involving family members to help tidy rooms first will take some pressure off as will a roster for doing the decontamination if there is more than 1 adult in the home.

During a level 6 pandemic when there is active virus around, decontamination needs to be done daily and merticulously without cutting corners. The reward for you is a home that is as clean and sterile as a hospital infection control ward.

If you have a car you plan on using ensure you carry out this procedure regularly on the interior of the car.

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HOUSE PREPPING 101 - PART 8
 

HANDLING HAZARDOUS WASTE

So far we have set up an infection control zone in our home, installed a decontamination zone and have learned to control air flow in and out of the house.

All of this effort is worthless if we don’t control the hazardous waste we generate by decontaminating our environment.

For the purpose of this essay, hazardous waste is defined as any item that has potentially been exposed to virus.

During a level 6 pandemic, you are your family are going to generate a significant amount of hazardouse waste, especially if you are using a lot of PPE.

The following is a list of hazardous waste items that need special care when disposing of them.

- Paper towels used for cleaning

- Tissues

- Disposable gloves

- Antibacterial wipes

- Masks

- Old sponges used for cleaning

- Coveralls

- Old dishcloths used for cleaning

- Plastic sheeting used for sealing your home

- Anything exposed or potentially exposed to virus

There is only 1 hazardous waste bin and it should be stored either in your DZ or outside your entry/exit door.

Nothing apart from hazardous waste goes into that bin. The bin should be lined with an oversize bin liner. It should be washed and disinfected regularly with Virkon.

Rules for handling hazardous waste

1. Never handle hazardous waste without full PPE on - especially gloves and mask

2. Never leave hazardous waste laying around for later disposal.

3. Decontaminate yourself after handling any hazardous waste.

4. Get into the habit of spraying a little Virkon into the bin after you have added hazardous waste to it. I intend to spray down each layer I put in...just to be sure.

5. Empty your hazardous waste bin often

6. Wash your hands after handling any waste.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rickster58 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 21 2009 at 5:11pm
HOUSE PREPPING 101 - PART 9
 

IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER

1. Once you have set your home up as an infection control zone

- no-one goes in or out without the proper PPE;

- no-one goes in or out except through the decontamination zone

- no shoes that are worn outside are worn inside

- every person re-entering the home must decontaminate first

2. PPE is a vital part of infection control - have lots of it on hand for all family members who plan on going outside during a level 6 pandemic.

3. Virkon is your new best friend. Buy lots of it. In the USA you can only purchase it from medical supply companies and some pharmacies. In Australia, you can only purchase it from medical supply companies.

Here are some contacts:

USA - Alliance Medical ... http://www.allmed.net/ Ph: 888-633-6908

AUSTRALIA - ExitKits Australia ... http://www.exitkits.com.au Ph: 1300 384 854

4. Use disposable paper towels to clean with

5. Teach you family about handwashing and insist they do it regularly

6. Teach your family about social distancing

7. Learn about patient care and infection control when caring for a sick family member

8. Be smart, do not let your guard down....in every situation ask yourself :

"Could this action potentially expose me or compromise my infection control protocols"

There are current MSDS sheets for Virkon as well as a Guide for using Virkon, at the conclusion of this essay.

Good luck and see you on the other side of the pandemic.

 

C 2009 Rickster58

 

Disclaimer: The author has no formal training in infection control and is not a medically qualified expert. The information contained herein is for informational purposes only and should be discussed with relevant experts prior to implementation. There are no guarantees or warranties, expressed or implied in any information given in this document.

Tyvek r is a registered trade mark of DuPont

Virkon r is a registered trade mark of Antec International

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Technologist Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 21 2009 at 8:13pm
Great Information.

One $20 Item to add if you have central Air or Heating. Replace your cheap filter with a Filtrete Maximum Allergen 1700 Filter for your central Air filter. These filters remove over 93% of Particles of .3 microns and larger per pass. You can run them in just fan mode (no air or heat) and most central air units will do several passes per hour. End result is closer to N95 results on very small airborne particles.

Filtrete Maximum Allergen


In the sick room you can run a 99.97% HEPA Filter 24-7. One in each bedroom if you have them.

Tyvek suits are awesome. $4-$6 each, strong, breathable (like gore-tex) yet they block H1N1, and even washable. Much cheaper then normal clothing.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rickster58 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 21 2009 at 9:55pm
HOUSE PREPPING 101 - FINAL PART
 
ATTACHMENTS.
 
I have uploaded the entire document "House Prepping 101" in pdf format if you would like to have an easy-to-print copy including diagrams and pictures. It is available at:
 
Virkon MSDS  is available at:
 
Virkon guide for disinfection is available at:
 
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rickster58 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 13 2009 at 3:48am
I recently had a mock run of making my decontamination zone using the method I described in part 3. It was simple to make and quite effective. The main issue was getting the gaffa tape to stick onto the roof. I solved it by creating a crisscross pattern, which spreads the load somewhat.
 
I'm keen to hear any other ideas
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mary008 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 13 2009 at 8:26pm
I thought parts 8 and 9 were very interesting. 
 
 
Unless people stay in... and DO NOT go out.
 
 
They will get the flu.   The mail man brings it... no mail. no newspaper.  People have to go to work.
 
A lot of the info I would want to  use for a Bioterror attack.  it is too much on families to expect they can do all that.   I can stay at home and not go out for a few months in winter... after that I may run screaming down the street :)

We will be ok... and will all recover...we need to remember about 98% of the people LIVED after the 1918 Pandemic.
 
I will print out some of this godd info...thanks for the time you took.
 
 
.........................
 
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rickster58 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 30 2009 at 4:54am

Thank you Mary.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Technologist Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 30 2009 at 7:16am


One important note:
Don't just seal off all the air cracks in your home with tape.
If you actually seal everything off IT COULD EVENTUALLY KILL YOU!!!


It's just like a kid climbing into an old refrigerator but the effects take many hours or even days instead of minutes. This depends on how many people are in a sealed off room and how old the house is. Newer homes are usually much more air tight.

Your house will build up Carbon Dioxide and Oxygen will slowly deplete, not to mention radon and other fun toxins. If you run a gas stove or oven it will increase the oxygen consumption dramatically and you risk asphyxiation.

I would not totally seal off your house unless the swine flu turns much more deadly. The risk of killing yourself or your kids is too great without a very good knowledge base and proper precautions. Most people will have a difficult time sealing their home so tightly that it could cause oxygen depletion and carbon dioxide increases but it has happened before. People sealing their home for the swine flu could be in their sealed off homes for many months at a time.

Unintentional carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning causes approximately 2100 deaths in the United States per year, but the use of CO detectors could potentially prevent many of these deaths.

Example: Bringing a charcoal barbecue inside your home to cook or heat your house will kill you.

The information I'm writing below is for "reducing" and attempting to block Nuclear, Biological and Chemical agents(dust, particles, vapors) from entering your home. I'm a retired Nuclear Fireman (Red Badge Clearance) and I carry and own Oxygen Concentration measuring equipment. Geiger Counters, SP02 Meters and Dosimeters.

The way to seal your house and substantially "reduce" biological, viral and chemical agents is to cut a common house hold cotton sheet lengthwise in 4 inch strips. Instead of taping the doors and windows shut you place the doubled up cotton sheet strips over the cracks. You then you tape it with duct tape to make the seal. The gap where there is no tape should be about one inch wide. The sheet will filter the air while allowing oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange. Remember you are not trying to seal your house off from air. You are trying to make a filter so your house can still breath via the cotton sheets (air filter) over the cracks.

You can make your house too air tight if many people are in a tightly sealed small room. In some homes painted walls and sealed wood alone will not pass enough oxygen to let you breath long term.

Using a "damp" towel under your doors will work to help filter the air as rickster58 said. It's only effective for a few hours as it dries out it creates air gaps and openings. Once dry a small breeze or pressure change will move it out of the way causing air gaps. That's why taping is more effective.

If you seal your house you must also open at least two windows on opposite ends of your house on each floor 1 inch. You can also open every window 1/4 to 1/2 inch. You then tape the sheets in the same fashion with the part not taped over along the opening of the window.

All electrical outlets can be taped shut as they leak air. Your garage has 1-2 vents close to the floor that need doubled up sheets over them and taped securely sealed.

Your fireplace Flu needs to be closed unless it's being operated. Your Bathroom Fans need to be cotton sheet and taped over. So do your laundry room and the vent above your stoves.

Your gas water heater is fine the way it is as it will draw fresh air into your home when it's on by the Flu effect.

All air central air ducts need to be double sheeted over and taped to filtrate each room to avoid cross contamination. If cooling is inadequate or your air conditioner freezes over (You'll know when your air starts to warm up in the vents) in the evaporator you then drop to one thickness of sheet. If that is not sufficient then you make a bag like shape for the cotton sheet (For Visualization picture a 33 gallon trash bag filled with air taped sealed to each vent in each room) This will increase the surface area of the filtration of each vent several fold. Vacuum bags will also work.

If you tape your house up (even with sheet filtering) you cannot heat it with a propane heater or natural gas heater. The oxygen will deplete too quickly. A wood burning fireplace will actually be ok as the rising heat up the flu or chimney will create a partial vacuum within the home drawing air through the 1 inch openings in the sheeted windows.

You can use your Central Air but you cannot use the Heat portion.

Electric heaters are fine as they do not consume oxygen.

Also a Battery backed up Carbon Monoxide monitor is a must if you seal your house.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Technologist Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 30 2009 at 7:39am
Duct tape can pull paint off walls if left on for more then 2-3 weeks but masking tape will pull off the cotton sheets. Some stores sell a version of duct tape that never hardens and can be removed after many months. It's not cheap. It could be costly if you seal off your home. Goo Gone will remove most duct tape residue.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Technologist Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 30 2009 at 4:24pm
Here are three snapshots from a video sold by shelteringinplace.com The Video is about $20 and is only about 30 minutes long. It covers how to seal your house from biological, chemical and nuclear fallout. It mentions nothing on how to protect your family from Gamma Rays or making a bomb shelter. So you will still be exposed during a nuclear strike.

Examples on how to use doubled up cotton on your windows and doors.
Note the window is slightly open to allow filtered air flow.





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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Technologist Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 30 2009 at 4:37pm
Here is a free few minute video from the City of Fargo, ND Fire Department showing how to seal off your house during a chemical / hazmat type spill.

This is not the same as a swine flu SIP but it's still valuable on how to protect your family.
Towels, duct tape and damp towels are discussed,

This would be for a short duration of just a few hours but doing the door seals and windows as above would allow long term SIP.

VIDEO LINK


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rickster58 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 24 2012 at 9:09pm
Good info Technologist
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