Are you prepared for a disaster?

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2005-09-02 12:22am

Katrina has reminded me its time to check on my supplies for a possible earthquake or some other disaster. I had an okay supply of water and gatorade but was pretty low on dried or canned goods. So today I picked up another case of gatorage and will get more water and food this weekend.

Various agencies used to say you need enough food and water to last 3 days in the event of a big quake but I think 3 weeks is more prudent. At least in terms of water.

Post by **Kuja** » 2005-09-02 12:27am

Yes. Here in Buffalo it's snowstorms we need to worry about. We keep a good four days' worth in our house as long as the weather's cold, and I've got a pair of roadside supply kits in my car, including a coffee can with a candle and matchbook in it.

Captain tycho · Post by **Captain tycho** » 2005-09-02 12:46am

In a few words, quite well.

aerius · Post by **aerius** » 2005-09-02 12:46am

We keep enough bottle water on hand to last about 10-15 days, and we also have hand-pumped water purifiers for hiking & camping with extra cartridges. They're good for several hundred litres of water. There's enough canned food to last a month, won't be the most balanced diet but good enough to maintain a decent level of health. There's a couple first aid kits to treat injuries with, and we know how to use them. A campstove with extra fuel for boiling water or cooking food, and a barbecue as well. Also have extra tanks of gas for the cars stored at my parents' shed in case of shortages. And a ton of tools and other stuff which will find a way to come in handy.

Academia Nut · Post by **Academia Nut** » 2005-09-02 12:46am

Thankful I live in a part of the world where the worst disasters we get are tornados, and I live in a large city so there is little worry that no one will get to us within three days. Still, since we live in Canada my family always has several days worth of canned food on hand just in case we get a bad snow storm, although considering that the Rockies suck most of the moisture out of the air before it hits Alberta, we don't get snow like down east. Oh, and my dad is an outdoorsman and a paramedic so in the event of disaster he's the guy to follow.

So yeah, my family is pretty prepared for major disaster, should it strike. Although considering where I live that precludes everything but snowstorms (most likely scenario), tornados (has happened before), flooding (it'll drain fairly quickly, but it can still cause damage) a major metropolitan fire (unlikely, I think Edmonton is the most spread out city on the planet and I live in the suburbs... not that there really are 'urbs' to speak of), Day After Tomorrow-level glaciation (again, unlikely), nuclear war, or asteroid impact.

So yeah, prepared for everything nature can throw at a landlocked city far from any fault-lines with no major bodies of water nearby. Hell, if there's a zombie invasion tomorrow my family can probably run for the hills and wait it out.

Faram · Post by **Faram** » 2005-09-02 12:56am

I am not so prepeared as I shold be.

But I am going to buy a new stove Primus today.

I have canned food that lasts about 4 days and two first aid kits.

No bottled water but a lot of beer.

I also have 20bars of soap, some knives and axes and a complete camping gear that was more than enuff to last me a week in the wilderness.

Mlenk · Post by **Mlenk** » 2005-09-02 12:57am

Here in Vegas we don't get things like hurricanes, tornadoes, and snowstorms/blizzards. We've gotten minor aftershocks from earthquakes that happen in California (though the last time that happened was in the mid-90's I think) and we also get the occasinoal minor flash flooding. But other than that we here in Vegas don't really have any concept of preparing for disasters or for extreme weather conditions.

Dangermouse · Post by **Dangermouse** » 2005-09-02 12:58am

Here's a question: Besides supplies, do people have contact plans or areas to meet up with family or friends in the event of a major disaster? Reading through the Katrina blogs and all the posts from people asking about their family / friends has made me think a lot more about having a contact plan / area to meet up.

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2005-09-02 12:59am

Mlenk wrote:Here in Vegas we don't get things like hurricanes, tornadoes, and snowstorms/blizzards. We've gotten minor aftershocks from earthquakes that happen in California (though the last time that happened was in the mid-90's I think) and we also get the occasinoal minor flash flooding. But other than that we here in Vegas don't really have any concept of preparing for disasters or for extreme weather conditions.

You could have a man made disaster like terrorism or riots.
Reading the other posts I just realized I dont have much in the way of medical supplies expect for vitamins and neosporin. Time to add some more to the survival kit.

Ma Deuce · Post by **Ma Deuce** » 2005-09-02 01:04am

Ever since the Ice Storm of '98 (which shut off our power for nearly a week in the dead of winter) we've hept more than a week's worth of non-perishable food in the house, plus we always have working flashlights on hand plus a few kerosene lanterns and a small kerosene stove. We have a water cooler for our drinking water, which feeds from 5 gallon bottles, and we usually keep at least 5 or 6 of these full at all times. We also have some first-aid supplies handy.

In our old house (where we lived during the ice storm), we had a woodstove in the middle of the ground floor, plus a convinient shed to store several tons of firewood (which we had bought every winter even before the ice storm, to save on natural gas), so heating the house was not a problem. We only have a decorative fireplace in our new house, and it's located at the side wall, so we won't be able to rely on that for heating more than a single room, in addition we don't have room to store much firewood. I suppose if worse comes to worse I could break out the old axe and bowsaw and "harvest" some of the smaller trees in the ravine behind the house.

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2005-09-02 01:26am

Dangermouse wrote:Here's a question: Besides supplies, do people have contact plans or areas to meet up with family or friends in the event of a major disaster? Reading through the Katrina blogs and all the posts from people asking about their family / friends has made me think a lot more about having a contact plan / area to meet up.

Thats a good point. I don't have a plan. My family has all but moved out of California. I have no plan to meet up or contact my friends or their kids.

Elheru Aran · Post by **Elheru Aran** » 2005-09-02 01:29am

Er. Tornadoes are about all we have to worry about here, and they happen about once every few years or so. The dorms I live in are very well built, though. My parents' double-wide is anchored securely to its foundation as well, so they should be okay-- probably will lose their carport and the shed, though. But really, the worst we ever have to worry about out here is slight flooding... we seriously don't have much in the way of disasters.

Though I will admit that NOLA probably felt much the same way....

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2005-09-02 01:31am

I only keep about four or five days' worth of water on-hand, but I have enough calories that I think I could last for a reasonable length of time (a couple of weeks at least). Water would be a problem in an emergency, but there are some nearby sources which would probably survive even a fairly serious earthquake and which would be good, at least when boiled.

Quadlok · Post by **Quadlok** » 2005-09-02 01:47am

Yes and no. I don't have a supply of bottled water or canned food or medical supplies. I do however, have about two dozen cattle, a gas stove, a well that is easily accessible by a rope and bucket, and plenty of bandaids and topical antibiotics scattered around the house. I'd have to walk up to my cousin's house to get a gun, but its just a short jaunt across open ground. I guess I just don't feel it pays to be very prepared; for years, my school told me to have an earthquake kit with me, but I never got around to it.

The Grim Squeaker · Post by **The Grim Squeaker** » 2005-09-02 02:42am

Yes.
We have our own generator (Which were going to shut down, it tends to be erratic during powercuts), as well as a few dozen bottled water bottles, large amounts of fruit & vegetables in our huge garden (we also have a large supply of food ready at any time even without using our garden).
We also have a a nuclear grade "safe room" in our cellar that can hold nearly all our family with beds and lights as well as mechanical handdriven flashlights.
We're mainly ready for bombings, although were much less equipped for natural disasters (although it would take a hell of an earthquake to damage our house).

SpacedTeddyBear · Post by **SpacedTeddyBear** » 2005-09-02 02:51am

We have a pretty decent first aid kit at home. Standard bandages, gauze pads, adominal bandage, athletic tape, a lot of pain killers, disinfectant wipes. I'm planning to get another kit. If Top Ramen counts as emergency food, then we have plenty of it. We also keep a few gallons of water in the house. The only thing that troubles me is the lack of working flashlights.

Thunderfire · Post by **Thunderfire** » 2005-09-02 02:56am

I am living in a pretty save area of germany. The most likely disaster would be human made or exaterristical. Getting out of the affected area is the only possible solution when the shit is hitting the fan.

Tinkerbell · Post by **Tinkerbell** » 2005-09-02 03:14am

I have a first aid kit from when I got the certification, and a bunch of CPR stuff from when I did guard. If I had an AED I'd be impressed with myself...

More seriously though we aren't prepared at all. I live in NorthWest Jersey. Nothing really happens here. Not that's a good mentality to have... if anything happened we'd all be fucked.

Glocksman · Post by **Glocksman** » 2005-09-02 03:22am

I'm ready.

AK-47 and SKS rifles-check
1500 rounds for said rifles-check
Various handguns and ammo-check
.
.
.

Just kidding about that being disaster prep, though I really do have the guns and ammo.

When winter hits I generally stock up on canned goods and bottled water.
Good thing I did last winter, as I was socked in for a few days during that big storm we had over the holidays and had to live off of ramen noodles, tuna, canned vegies, and vitamin supplements.

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2005-09-02 03:29am

I am partialy prepared right now. I have clothing to survive cold weather and I have plenty of top ramen. If warned of an upcoming disaster (say something other then an instant problem) I can stock water for upwards of a week without problem. I also have several firearms at my disposal for self defense.

El Moose Monstero · Post by **El Moose Monstero** » 2005-09-02 03:29am

No, short of meteor impact, bizarre tsunami in the North Sea or some sort of virulent plague outbreak, I think that the North East coast of England is pretty safe from impending doom. Got a good first aid kit though, but that's about it.

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2005-09-02 06:27am

Usually I have around 15-30 liters of water on hand, a few days of canned food, but my main escape plan in disasters where I have warning is an open ticket to Switzerland. Of course, that dosn't help me in suprise events.

Post by **Coyote** » 2005-09-02 10:13am

I have not been so good about keeping bottled water around, but I have a few days worth of supplies, mostly MREs. And, of course, firearms. Plenty of rifle ammo, not enough pistol or shotgun... Rugged clothing, cold-weather gear, some level-II bulletproof vests, and fortunately I have no medical conditions that need constant supplies.

Our mostl likely major naturalal disaster scenario here would be tectonic/volcanic activity.

Alferd Packer · Post by **Alferd Packer** » 2005-09-02 10:59am

Canned food, yes, and we always have a case of bottled water available, as well as vitamins. 30 of each would last two people a week, assuming two cans/bottles per person per day, and we could certainly stretch that. Hell, we could drink soda or beer in a pinch, and I'm sure there's dry stuff in the cupboard which would also do. My largest concern would be gas in case we needed to bug out (say, in the event of a hurricane or really, really bad blizzard); since we live in an apartment, there's no place to store it except in the tank of my truck.

Akaramu Shinja · Post by **Akaramu Shinja** » 2005-09-02 12:12pm

Not much happens in Northern England...