by Pat Riot
He walked into the kitchen where he found Rachel and Carlos sitting at the large oak dining table talking quietly and sipping coffee. “Good morning,” Rob said by way of greeting with a smile.
“Good afternoon,” Carlos replied chuckling. “Coffee?”
“I would do just about anything for a cup of that right now, but first, where can I relieve myself?” Rob asked.
Carlos pointed at a French door at the other end of the kitchen, “That goes into the backyard, I’ve been using the corner off to the right.”
“I’ll be right back.” Rob walked out, found the correct corner, and did his business. As he walked back to the house he took a better look at the backyard. It was surrounded by a six foot block wall with a wood pedestrian that let out to an open area behind the house. It was several thousand square feet, most of it grass, and had a built in bar-b-que and fire pit with a large Jacuzzi on a concrete slab next to the house.
When Rob walked back into the house Rachel had a cup of coffee ready for him. He noticed they were using a Coleman camp stove powered by small propane bottles and an old school percolator to make their coffee. He was pleased to see they had the stove set up on a table directly under an open window as it would allow any fumes to vent outside while they used it.
“All we have is black, no cream or sugar,” she said apologetically.
“That’s good by me, beggars can’t be choosers.” With a smile he took the offered coffee cup and savored the first sip. “Oh man that’s good.”
“How’d you sleep?” Rachel asked.
“Like a rock. I feel almost normal. You get any sleep?”
“I just got up about an hour ago. I slept hard.” A small girl sauntered into the kitchen from the direction of the living room. “Samantha, this is Rob,” Rachel introduced her daughter.
Rob got down on one knee so that he was on Samantha’s level and put his hand out, “Hi Samantha, it’s very nice to meet you. You’re even prettier than your momma said you were.” Samantha just giggled as she shook his hand.
“Hey Rob,” Carlos said as Rob stood back up. “Rachel has been telling me about how you guys made it here from the dispatch center. She told me you went out of your way to walk with her here, and how you handled those guys at the school,” he got up from the table and held out his hand. “Thanks for getting her home safe bro, I could never repay you for what you did.” Rob could hear the emotion in Carlos’ voice and Rob knew he would feel the same way if it was Carlos getting Monica home safe.
“Hey no problem man,” Rob replied, shaking Carlos’ hand. “If I had known this coffee was waiting for me I would have ran the whole way,” he joked to lighten the mood. It had the desired effect as Rachel and Carlos both laughed. “Besides, it was probably better to come this way. It was nice to have someone to make the trip with. I’m sure it’s going to be lonely trying to make it to Yucaipa by myself. Plus, I got to sleep in a real bed and not under the stars. Or under the aurora I guess,” Rob added.
“Well I’m glad you decided to as well,” Rachel said. “That was a crazy night.”
“Yes, it was,” Rob said quietly as he thought about everything they experienced the night before, then changed the conversation. “Hey, I don’t want to impose or sound like a know-it-all or sound like I’m talking down to you guys, so just tell me if you don’t want my advice and I’ll shut up, but I’ve thought about a scenario like what’s going on for a long time and I have some ideas about how to make your situation here a little safer and more sustainable. I’m more than happy to tell you guys what I think about your setup here and give you some tips if you want me to.”
“Yeah man I would appreciate that,” Carlos said. “I’ve thought about protecting my family, but more for a ‘bump in the night’ type situation, not like what we have going on now. Rachel also told me about the hospital. Unbelievable,” Carlos was shaking his head.
“And it’s going to get worse, I can just about guarantee that. It’s only a matter of time before some mob or gang comes here looking for stuff. Especially since this is one of the nicer neighborhoods on this side of the city. Everyone that has nothing will think all the nicer areas have what they need and will start looting them after the stores are all empty,” Rob said while shaking his head. “My plan is to leave around sunset so that gives us a couple hours to go over stuff. Give me a minute and let me grab something to eat from my backpack and we’ll get started,” Rob replied.
“No need for that Rob,” Rachel interrupted. “Here you go.” She handed him a plate full of cheese, crackers and slices of salami.”
“Are you sure?” Rob asked. “I don’t want to cut into your food supplies here. You might need to ration it and I can eat what I have in my bag.”
“It’s the least we can do,” Rachel replied. “Eat up and I’ll refill your coffee.”
“Thanks guys,” Rob said as he sat at the large wood dinner table. “We can actually get started while I eat. I’m sure you both know the standard stuff of power outages, don’t open the refrigerator unless you have to, keep the candles handy, stuff like that?” They both nodded in the affirmative as Rob kept putting food into his mouth. He knew it was rude, and his wife wouldn’t approve, but he talked between bites. He had bigger fish to fry than worry about his manners and he was sure Carlos and Rachel wouldn’t care, especially as he was going over stuff that might help them survive.
“This situation is pretty similar," Rob continued. "The difference being nothing electronic works of course, and the power outage isn’t going to last just a few hours or days. It’s going to go on for a long time, probably for years. So, one of the most important things is for you guys to think with a more long-term mindset in terms of food and water, and a security mindset in terms of your house and neighborhood here. The good news is your house is set next to a storm drain and I noticed the large jacuzzi in the back when I went out there. You also have cinder block wall surrounding the entire backyard except for the little gate in the back that lets out to the wash area. The bad news is that it’s the first house set off the main road, so security will be a little more difficult because your house could very well be the first targeted by anyone trying to score supplies for themselves. In terms of your food, you want to eat what’s in the refrigerator first, then work on the freezer second, before you really get into anything that's in your pantry. With any canned goods you have…”
“We have quite a bit. I do some couponing on my days off,” Rachel interjected.
Rob nodded and continued, “… you want to save that for last. The canned food will be good for quite a while, even after the expiration date. Do you guys have any water stored?” Rob asked as he finished the food on the plate in front of him.
“I have about twenty cases of bottled water in the garage. I keep it on hand for my work crews during the summer. We also have nine or ten 5-gallon water jugs for the water dispenser on the wall next to you. Those are all full, I filled them a couple days ago,” Carlos paused for a moment and Rob could see him thinking. “We also have the jacuzzi you mentioned. It’s a large one, I think it holds something like 500 gallons. I just refilled it too because the weather was finally warming up enough to enjoy it again. I think that’s all we have.”
“That’s pretty good. That’s more than most of your neighbors are going to have. Do you guys still have water pressure in the lines?”
Rachel reached over and quickly pushed up then back down on the kitchen sink faucet handle. The water came out at less than half its normal pressure.
“Okay, first things first,” Rob said with urgency in his voice. “As fast as you guys can get any containers you have. Even your trash can, put a new bag in it and use it. Plastic storage bins, empty water bottles, anything, and start filling them up. That pressure isn’t going to last long. Even your bath tubs. Use your stoppers and fill them up. Hurry!”
Both Carlos and Rachel sprang into action. Carlos took the trash can, pulled the half full bag and put it next to the back
door, got a new bag and put it inside, then put the can on the floor in front of the sink. Their sink had a pull-out faucet that could be used like a hose, so he pulled it out all the way and turned on the water. Rob walked over, “Let me hold this. Get out your bowls and storage containers.”
Rachel was already in the guest bathroom in the hallway. She quickly plugged the drain with the rubber stopper and turned the water on all the way then moved upstairs to the master bath and did the same. The third bathroom, the one attached to the room Rob had slept in, only had a walk-in shower stall, no tub. On her way out of the master bath she picked up the small trash can from the bathroom and took it downstairs. On her way past the guest bathroom she grabbed the small trash can out of there as well. She came into the kitchen, took the used bags out of the small cans, and set the cans on the counter next to the sink. “I think we are out of bags for these ones.”
“That’s fine,” Rob said. “Still use them. The water can be used for a lot of things even if you can’t drink it.” By this time the large trash can was almost full, so he started filling the plastic storage containers Carlos had pulled from the cupboards. Rachel went back to the bathrooms to check the status of the tubs and while Carlos disappeared into the backyard.
Rob finished filling the storage containers and small trash cans then turned off the water. While he was thinking of anything else they could use to store water Carlos came walking in from the back yard. “I have a large forty-five-gallon trash can I use for my yard work. I put a new bag in it and started filling it using the hose out there.”
“Good thinking,” replied Rob. “Between the tubs and everything here, and that trashcan out there, you guys might get another one or two hundred gallons.”
Rachel came back into the kitchen. “Both tubs are full and there is still a little bit of pressure in the lines. Not much but it’s there.”
“With any luck it will hold and fill up the trashcan out back,” Carlos said before he walked back out to check the trash can.
Rob followed him out and checked the can. It was about half full and the water from the hose had slowed to almost nothing. “Just let it keep going. Every little bit will help in the long run.”
It was another five minutes before the water pressure completely gave out, leaving the trash can about three quarters full. “Let’s head back inside and go over things with Rachel,” Rob said as he walked back towards the house.
Before he reached the backdoor Carlos stopped him, “Hey hold up, do you hear that?”
Rob stopped and listened, but all was quiet. “What’s up?” He asked as he started looking around the backyard, checking to make sure whatever Carlos was hearing wasn’t someone trying prowl around the house. He noticed Carlos looking into the sky, searching back and forth. What the heck is he doing?
Carlos walked to the back wooden gate in the middle of the block wall and looked over and to the east, still looking into the sky. Finally, Rob heard it. It was faint, but unmistakably the whoop-whoop-whoop sound of a helicopter. Rob started searching the sky as well. It was another minute, with the sound growing louder and louder, before the helicopter suddenly appeared from behind the hills that were at the eastern end of the neighborhood. It was flying in a westerly direction and moving fast.
“That’s a Blackhawk. Army I think,” Carlos commented. Rob didn’t know much about military aircraft but knew what a Blackhawk looked like from his younger days playing video games and watching military movies. “Probably going to March,” Carlos continued. “Wonder how the chopper still works when nothing else does. The Army typically doesn’t have stuff hardened against EMP’s.”
Rachel suddenly burst out of the backdoor of the house. “Was that a helicopter I heard?”
“Yeah, Blackhawk heading west,” Carlos confirmed. At this point the helicopter was out of view but was still faintly audible.
“I thought nothing worked though? Helicopters have computers and electronics. How is it flying?” Rachel asked, confusion in her voice.
“I don’t know,” Carlos answered. “I was just telling Rob the same thing; the Army doesn’t typically have stuff hardened against EMP’s. I have no clue. At least the military might still be functioning a little. That’s good news.”
Once the sound of the chopper completely faded away, and after another minute of all three looking into the sky hoping to spot another one, Rob interrupted the silence. “Let’s head inside and go over some more stuff,” he said.
They walked back into the kitchen where Rachel quickly cleaned up Rob’s lunch plate and empty coffee cup then joined Rob and Carlos at the dinner table.
Rob began, “If your tubs are standard size they probably hold around eighty gallons each. By my estimate you guys were able to get another two hundred or more gallons of water before the water pressure ran out. Besides the five hundred or so gallons in the hot tub, you guys also have the water tanks on the backs of the toilets and the hot water heater you can get water from. To make the water safe to drink, you need to bring it to a boil before drinking it. You don’t need to let it boil for a long time or anything, just bring it to a rolling boil then let it cool. That will kill any bacteria in the water. If you guys are unable to boil it, you can use bleach as long as its regular unscented bleach. It takes about eight drops per gallon of water. Put in the bleach, give the water a little stir, then wait for thirty minutes to an hour for it to be drinkable. If you taste a little bit of chlorine, it’s okay to drink. The other thing with water, no amount of boiling or bleach will remove chemicals. That’s good for germs only. You can use charcoal to help you filter out some chemicals but if you aren’t sure I would just use any water with chemicals for hygiene purposes and use your clean water to drink and cook food. You might want to think of a way to capture rain water as well since it’s almost April and there might be a few more storms before summer really arrives.”
Rob paused for a minute when Rachel pulled out a notebook and a pen from a drawer. He smiled as she made notes of the information he was relaying. She’s taking it seriously. They might have a chance. Once she was finished writing Rob asked, “You both ready to talk security?”
“Yeah,” they both said at the same time. “Samantha just went down for her nap, so we have a little time,” Rachel continued.
“You guys have any weapons?” Rob asked. Carlos stood up and waved for Rob to follow. He led Rob out to the garage, with Rachel following, and up to a good size safe.
Carlos tried to punch in the code on the electronic keypad but got no response. “Ah hell, the EMP killed the keypad too. Damn! Good thing I have a backup key.” Carlos walked over to the washer and dryer next to the door that led into the house. He reached around the back of the washer and pulled off a key he had taped to the back when he first had the safe installed. He came back over to the safe, removed the round keypad by turning the entire electronic assembly counter clockwise and pulling out, then inserted the key into a slot behind the keypad and turned. Rob heard a click and watched as Carlos turned the handle on the front door to release the security pins holding the door closed. When the door opened Rob looked inside and was impressed with what he saw. Just from his initial look he could see two AR-15 rifles, a Mini-14 rifle, three shotguns, and several handguns in holders on the inside panel of the door. On the bottom left side of the safe were several ammo cans that he assumed stored ammo.
“Dude you got some fire power,” Rob said. “And I see your AR’s aren’t the neutered ‘California-Compliant’ bullshit models.”
Carlos responded, “They do have bullet buttons, but I have regular mag releases that I can swap out. Takes about five minutes. I grew up in Texas, my whole family hunts and shoots regularly. I settled down here after getting out of the Army. Served for six years.”
“A soldier?” Rob laughed. “You should be teaching me about security, not the other way around.”
Carlos laughed with Rob, “Yeah, but I’ve never thought about having to fortify my own house before and you
said you have thought about it, so I figured you could show me a few things. And besides, I wasn’t infantry, I was a communications specialist assigned to a headquarters unit. Even during my two tours in Afghanistan I never saw any combat.”
“That’s how you knew about the chopper,” Rob said as Carlos nodded. “Well I’ll do my best, but no promises. First, I suggest you both start wearing sidearms at all times and keep one of the long guns nearby, but that of course is up to you. Rachel saw first-hand what’s going on out there, and that’s just the beginning. If you guys have any reservations about using these guns to protect yourselves you need to get it into your head, and fast, that you might have to pull the trigger first and ask questions later. This situation is going downhill and downhill fast, and it’s going to be awhile before it starts going back the other way. There’s no help coming now, no cops rolling code three to your 9-1-1 call, no firefighters coming to put out your house fire, no paramedics coming to swoop you up and take you to the nearest trauma center.” Carlos was nodding and had a sober look on his face.
“Second, there is safety in numbers as the old saying goes. If you guys know your neighbors, you might want to set up a neighborhood watch type program and set up twenty-four-hour patrols that can watch the street. You can use some of the cars that no longer run to set up a roadblock where your street meets Moreno Beach. And think about setting up an early warning system of some sort. If you can get your neighbors to participate in manning the roadblock, whoever is there can sound a warning of some sort and let the neighborhood know something is going on. Could be something simple like a large drum or loud bell or airhorn or something. Carlos, you have any construction supplies?”