Dealing with bodies post collapse

[Scythe13]

This has come up in another thread, so I thought I'd add what little knowledge I have on the subject, from reading about serial killers, cannibals, spontaneous combustion, and other similar situations, as well as various survival books and advice.

First up, bodies are not going to be fun to deal with. Disease, stink, blood, and the alike. It's not going to be a delicious treat to work on. First up, I'd make sure I had loads of sanitation products to clean myself and the area the bodies are removed from.

Okay, so, disposable gloves and another set that will become disposed of. Think blood dealing surgical gloves on your hands, and gardening gloves over the top of them. Reason being, the surgical gloves could get damaged easily enough. You only need them as protection from the blood. But even protective gloves need protecting haha. Don't use your best gloves! The outer gloves will NEED to be removed and destroyed, in all likelihood.

Next up, face mask to protect from the smell and inhaling any nasty bugs/flies. To double up the smell solutions, I would opt for a dab of Vics Vapour rub under each nostril. Some forensic guys use similar when dealing with badly decayed bodies. If it works for the pros, I'm happy with it.

Lastly, covering the eyes. No point getting infected blood in your eyes. This will probably be a stupid thing, but it's worth considering. Maybe something like ballistic glasses, science goggles, or even snorkelling goggles. You'll look an idiot, but you won't have flies or anything like that getting in your eyes. If the SHTF event is a chemical or biological agent, you'll be glad you have some scuba gear laying about haha.

I know it doesn't need mentioning, but it's best to fully cover up your skin where possible.

Next up we need to look at moving the bodies. Wheel barrows, and the alike are going to be key here! Even those little red kid's wagons will be worth using. Shopping trollies too, but some would be totally useless, so be careful with them. Also, don't expect to maintain great opsec when using a trolley. Those things make crazy noise!!!

Continuing with the 'moving' of the bodies, comes the challenge of how to get them onto the wheelbarrow. Think serial killer here. Roll of carpet, shower curtain, suit bag or wedding dress bag wrapped in gaffa tape. You could even tape/tie them to sticks to make their bodies rigid to be easier to move. Tape is your friend in this situation.

Okay, so now you've just piled up 4 bodies, wrapped in shower curtains, on your wheel barrow, and are carting them down the road. Where are they going?

There has been much conjecture about the best course of action. The issue is, none of us have had to dispose of masses of bodies. So our knowledge is not based on experience. To the best of my knowledge and understanding, this is my personal take on options available, including pros and cons of the various techniques. But before we go into that, I'll drop in a quick nugget of beautiful information.

Nugget: Store bodies in an underground carpark to keep them cool and delay/slow the rotting process. This is going to be very helpful for those urban preppers. A basement is an option for the more rural, but not your own basement. That would be too serial killerish.

Disposal of bodies:

You need to consider the distance you're willing to move them. The effort you're willing to put into them. The problems that disposal technique may have, and so much more.

First off, fire. This is an obvious choice. Low effort, quick, simple, adds warmth. Problem, fire is dangerous, will be smelly, needs monitoring to begin with, produces highly visible smoke, removed resources you may not have much of. Leaves the bones to be dealt with.

Spontaneous combustion style. This is where the clothing causes the body to burn like an externally wicked candle. Look it up if you're curious. Personally, of the fire techniques, this is the most sensible, in my opinion. Does not leave bones, except from below the knee. Means you have a shin+foot to deal with. Not idea!

Acid bath. Very serial killer. Highly effective, odourless, does not take supervising. The problem is, it's not easy to set up. Nor is it a hugely safe option. When dealing with massed corpses, it's very much limited in it's capabilities.

Float off down stream. This is a low effort technique. Tie to a branch, set off down stream. The problems are huge and very numerous!!!

Feed to pigs. This is common knowledge thanks to the film Snatch. Problem is, if you're feeding bodies to pigs, you've got to be carting them a hell of a distance! Bring the pigs to the cities....sure, let me know how that one works out haha.

House fire. (It's late and I'm being lazy, so am going to stop on this one. Massed graves can be done by someone else. Too much digging for my liking). House fire sounds ideal. But the fire could easily spread, will stink, cause attention from everywhere, and if found, it will be a huge issue for other people to deal with. It does not destroy the skeleton or hair. So you'd be in a tricky situation trying to explain it?

Canibalism...that's a lot of effort, and you're risking AIDs. Very uncool!!!

[Grumpy Grandpa]

What the hell size is your wheelbarrow?

[River Song]

Our County Resilience plans to bury mass bodies in a park in the county town.
It maybe they are underestimating.

Depends on circumstances. If it is a single body that I am responsible for
then I would firstly note any ID for future use. Then probably cart it out to
a field beyond me, away from the water, and dig a shallow grave and cover with lime.

If we are talking about several, then pile them into an empty house, and torch it.

[Binnie]

Effluent treatment plants use Sodium Hydroxide (caustic soda), usually around the 32% mark

if you can break a pipeline and fill the bulk tank bund with caustic, throw the bodies in, within a day or so all you'll be left with is calcium deposits from the bones. very effective.

Caustic will dissolve you, contact of about 30second will dissolve the hairs on your arm, it's wicked stuff.

Also great for making soap!

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also effluent treatment plants turn up in the oddest of places, not just local water authorities

food processors, paper mills, most places that use a lot of water in the processes more often than not have effulent plants on site.

[bigpaul]

(11 September 2013, 08:12)River Song Wrote: Our County Resilience plans to bury mass bodies in a park in the county town.
It maybe they are underestimating.

Depends on circumstances. If it is a single body that I am responsible for
then I would firstly note any ID for future use. Then probably cart it out to
a field beyond me, away from the water, and dig a shallow grave and cover with lime.

If we are talking about several, then pile them into an empty house, and torch it.

I agree, in case of disease, try to handle it as least as possible, drag it to the required place if possible, if my whole area is affected i'll bug out and leave the corpses where they lie!

[Prepper1]

Have a look at this reply and tell me you'll be doing ANYTHING with bodies afterwards......


Body stain



Livor mortis when the blood begins to pool to the lowest part of the body. Since the body no longer combats gravity by pushing the blood around, the blood just resorts to falling down to the lowest level. This is not a pretty sight, as one can see here.





Feel free to be moving this about...




The body farm...

look at the two week old body and think about moving that.... pop!!!!
maggots after 24 hours....






the body farm and beyond





For mor details on stages of death etc... visit this site if these pics havent already put you off even thinking about handling bodies post shtf....

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/che...on?image=0

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Stages of Decomposition, dont worry its only a pig....

http://australianmuseum.net.au/Stages-of-Decomposition

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I think when all said and done unless there very fresh, I aint touching nothing.....

I think I'll let nature take its course.

The old medieval doctors wore the masks you know the ones with the beaks...


and heres how to make one... apparently they filled the nose with nice smelling stuff to cover the stench....

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http://tombanwell.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11...-mask.html

[Scythe13]

Not too bothered mate. The rotting stain thing is a bit minging. Just glad people have mostly wooden floors now haha.

[Sunna]

wow the nuts and bolts of a mass die off , a very strong stomach is needed yuck not for me , if i can help it .

[River Song]

Seriously - thanks for that. It reminds us of what it could be like.
A small tube of Savlon or bottle of TCP just won't do the job.

Come on down Arthur Brown ...... Fire

[Barneyboy]

nice one P1 the risk of disease will be to much