Using Snow to Make Emergency Housing
THE SNOW CAN BE YOUR BEST FRIEND–USE IT TO MAKE YOUR OWN EMERGENCY HOUSING. DON’T RISK PNUEMONIA!
http://www.pakquake.com/relief-work/igloos-can-save-lives/
Please see the above Internet reference of mine (please print and translate) about traditional igloos of packed snow to make temporary housing. An igloo is a traditional snow dome made by traditional arctic tribal peoples, i.e. Eskimos and Inuits.
With a tiny flame, it provides a warm, snug inside temperature of from 0-20’s C. or from 33 degrees F. to upper fifties. It can be adapted to combine several 11-foot domes to make a community structure for 15-20 people.
Igloos cost nothing and one can be built in a couple of hours with three people working together, two shoveling and packing snow and the other assembling the blocks together. I have built them using just a 24-inch by 14-inch by 12-inch high (or roughly, 62 cm. long by 35 cm. wide by 31 centimeters high) wide common plastic storage bin* (with slightly sloping sides).
Just wipe grease or oil on the inside walls and thoroughly pack the snow into the bin. Out will pop a strong, lightweight building block. You must mark a perfect circle in the ground and place the blocks following the circular line. You place the smaller wall of the block on the inside.
It may take about 12 blocks for the first course, 11 for the 2nd, 10 for the 3rd, 8 for the 4th, 6 for the 5th, 5 for the 5th course, and finally, another 5 for the last course. For the last course, place the blocks on their ends, instead of laying them flat. It will result in a more conical top that will provide more headroom. Be sure to pack snow deeply into all the triangular holes between the blocks.
*If you have a knife or saw, you can construct your own rectangular bin with scrap sheet metal or plywood. Make the top of all four sides about 1-inch or 2.5 cm. wider than the bottom. The bottom piece will be 62 cm. by 35 centimeters. Simply drill or punch two holes at all eight connecting corners of the sides and bottom of the bin.
Make your holes with an old nail, spike, or sharp bone or rock just one finger’s distance from each corner.
Use cord, wire, leather, or animal gut to tie the corners together. Make sure the result is tight so that the snow can be packed tightly. This is important! Grease up the inside walls with oil and begin your igloo-making. One well-made snow bin can be used by six workers to make a new igloo every single hour. The process should go on night and day until every family in the village has their own igloo to protect them against the next snowstorm!
Your village can become the model for self-sustainable igloo-making throughout all the earthquake-affected areas and your efforts can be personally responsible for saving thousands of other lives in the Himalayan Mountains.
Please feel free to e-mail or telephone me to answer any questions that you may have concerning the making of igloos. My group is available to do any outreach that we can to promote this technique in order to provide temporary winter shelter for everyone possible!
Warmest Regards,
James Peck & Co.
Email: caferush2@yahoo.com
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