It's disaster preparedness month - how prepared are you?

You can eventually run out of matches, but there's an alternative called "fire steel" or "strikers" that was commonly used around the 1700s and 1800s. The striker is a piece of steel against which you strike a piece of flint to make a spark, and these are available from Crazy Crow Trading Post at www.crazycrow.com or 1-800-786-6210.

Luckily, the worst thing that ever happens in my area is the electricity on just MY street will go out. I'm scrambling around then searching for candles. I would say I'm very unprepared for anything larger.

Arannas thanks for 11 tips-I'm printing up for daughter who plans on returning to N.O. someday. I'm afraid way too many people there indeed do have all this and for that reason decided to stay. I know that last year when Ivan headed that way my daughter told me how prepared they where to "waite" it out. So The best advice on there was the full tank of gas, She had to waite hrs to luckly get gas & get out town this time.Maybe the best thing is to belive it when told to leave & assume you may not be back many months. My girls left,but thought they'd be back in 3 days. So that's what they brought with them, as if for a 3 day vacation with thier pets along.
Both where lucky enough to have thier bills in thier cars to proove where they are from. I'd like to add to the "perfect prepare" list having any ongoing doctor-health records, med records,diagnostic records. Who would have thought of your doctors not having backup elsewhere. Her new OBYN wants new expensive diagnostics- even though she knows what the results where, yet his secratary told me that if thier office burned down,they had no backup records.
No matter how prepared ,shock and disbelief set in. I was amazed at what they did & didn't (Though they had it) bring.Luckly we live in North La., only a rare tornado passes through- so I have water,food,candles,flashlight, wish I had a generator. It's weird-I live in the country, yet we get our power back quicker than we ever did in town.------Ginger

The country power is often a priority due to the isolated state of the houses and many of the houses having things like wells that run off electricity, that are needed in order for the houses to be occupied. The last time I had to relocate, it was because the power was out for a week and we were on well water, without a generator.

We frequently have power outages and winter storms. So we have a backup generator in order to keep the well pump running and watering bowls heated so that we can keep the livestock watered in the event that the power goes out during the winter. Beyond that - we heat with wood, and normally have about a couple months' supply in the house and a few years' supply in the yard. We always have a lot of food in the house - we live quite a ways from town and gas is expensive, so we buy enough to last for a while to cut down on trips to town. And of course we could always eat the livestock if worst came to worst. Or the pesky deer that always seem to get into the feed... We have some water in jugs, and again, there's the generator to keep the well pump going. We have farm fuel in tanks - gravity fed - so the generator could go for quite some time. None of that is emergency preparation though - it's all just standard stuff.

I don't see much in the voting list about plans for families or communication. My family knows that if our house is destroyed or inaccessible, which hotel to go to, and a second one if that one is not accessible. They also know that if a tornado is coming, son tries to call from cell phone and then gets to nearest/lowest place to shelter; husband is allowed to drive to get son if he is still at school; I have to agree to stay put (I get lost easily & my office is a storm shelter); at home we have a storm shelter - we keep a change of clothes, copies of birth certificates, credit cards and drivers licenses; hand-cranked flashlight and battery weather radio. We got hit by a big tornado once - I strongly recommend you put safety helmets on kids during weather emergencies, and durable clothing (we used a bycycle helmet & a big blanket to protect our son). My heart goes out to anyone separated from their family because of a natural disaster - you really want to plan for that possibility.

I didn't vote because the poll assumed that everyone drives.
I'm an environmentalist and the best choice I've ever made was to join the ranks of the carfree.
You could mention the fact that you'd be faster leaving an urban area on a bicycle than stuck in a traffic jam in the event of a real disaster.
Frankly, I'm a little dissapointed that people who would seem to love nature need to have this pointed out to them.

A lot of people here don't live in urban areas and there are not viable transportation options besides owning a car. I don't think it's fair to criticize people who enjoy gardening and drive a car as "seeming" to love nature. There are many things people do that hurt the environment and in effort to help the environment. Let's not judge people on just one action (that frankly is often more determined by our society than by individual choice).

Thanks for all the info everyone. I am completely unprepared to deal with an emergency I see. I am going to make some changes asap. After working in the shelter this past week, I realize how important it is to have some sort of a plan as well as some preparation. I rarely every purchase can goods because I only "like" fresh, I have important papers in different locations, I don't always keep the gas tank half full let alone full, because I always think, there's always tomorrow to do some things. Thanks for opening my eyes.

kanita

Agreed danak.... hoa_rd, this is the 2nd thread that I've been on that you've made the same comments. Like I said before, not everyone can live blocks from where they work or want to go. I live in a state that could hold several other states inside it. There is no way to for me to walk anywhere, especially when it's miles in our heat! I love nature and my garden but there was never a clause when I started doing this that said I had to turn in my car keys. And you have no idea what other kinds of things that I DO to help besides walking. You can see what kind of trouble that actually was in NO for those without cars.

I think camping in my car would beat camping in my bicycle, and driving my car the 30 miles to the store is better than walking also, I also don't know how I would get all my extra food and supplies on a bicycle with my kids and wife, --even if I did, -- the state Bird , -the'Mosquito" would suck us dry, on the way to a worse situation in town where everyone is more upset, and less prepared.

I lived in England until I was 30 - and didn't even learn to drive until I came to Oklahoma, which has next to no public transport, and is very spread out. I live on 5 acres 15 minute drive from work - I wouldn't give that up easily. I do have some coworkers that live close enough to the office to walk, most of them don't, a couple ride a bike. Some live 30-60 miles away, on land they inherited but couldn't afford to hang on to without a regular job. Unfortunately, many have to drive trucks or SUVs so they can navigate the dirt roads in winter, and they are very worried about how to manage rising gas prices - and not having a vehicle at all is not an option for these guys if they have kids (need to get them to school & hospital). I offer schedule adjustments to allow for sharing a ride, and 4 day weeks (cuts gas consumptiuon by 20%) to people on my teams.

To top off the comments that appeared more accusatory than suggestion, I wouldn't have wanted to be stuck in New Orleans with no mode of transportation - those poor guys got hit the worst. I'd face a tornado again rather than live through a flood or hurricane of those proportions. I certainly keep in mind that disaster preparation includes thinking about what the heck you would do if you couldn't go home.

Ok, I think I do want to throw my two cents in here, even though this is way off the subject of Disaster preparedness. I hate blatant generalities.

I don't drive, but I still require a car now and then (large shopping trips, the occasional trip out of town, vet appointments, emergencies) and I am considering learning to drive, because I'm going to be living by myself with two cats, and I want to be able to take them to the vet if something happens.

My father works at a local bike shop and builds custom bicycles for a living, is well known in the bike industry, is a lifetime member of the local bike club (voted on by the members for his service to the local biking community), and has been the president of the local bike club at least half a dozen times. I've been around bicyclist my entire life. The only people I know that don't own a car either live with someone who does, or can't afford one. Just because you own a car doesn't mean you have to drive it everywhere. I know at least a handful of people that don't drive more than once a week. The US just doesn't have decent enough public transportation to not have a car, except for maybe in a big city like New York or Chicago, but not LA or several others I can think of. If we had something like the UK public transportation (that for one things allows pets on the trains as long as they're controlled), you might not need one. Though many of the people I know in the UK also have cars that they may only drive a couple times a week, if that, and those are the ones in the city. There are still places in the UK that are farther than most people would want to ride a bicycle from the nearest train or bus, or have limited run times. I ran into this several times when I was in the UK, especially in Wales, Scotland, and the peak district.

But, also, driving a car is not in itself evil, not even driving an SUV or truck (I've heard this said before). All I ask is that you try not to drive if you don't need to. I’m not talking about one being able to ride a bicycle to commute 60 miles most days (though I do know a couple people who do this, and personally think they’re a bit crazy), I talking about walking a couple blocks to the store to get a gallon of milk on a nice day. Try to carpool when it's reasonable to do so. Also, hopefully one would get the most environmentally friendly car that fits their needs (and pocket book), but especially if you run a farm, or have other reasons to require lots of messy cargo space, you’re going to have to buy something that is not the most gas efficient.

edited for spelling mistakes


This message was edited Sep 12, 2005 5:15 AM

It all sounds good when you say it, but it's just not at all feasable in real life. Mine or Michaelp's (..state bird, mosquito...LOL) I live in a small but growing town and the nearest store is Wal-Mart and it's about 5 miles away. I can't walk there with my 6 yr old to get just a gallon of milk when it's over 90 degrees and 80% humidity. If I'm going to the store, I get more than one thing, which requires space, that like MP said, is not on a bicycle, even if it's a 2 seater. If I pulled my son in one of those things behind me, then maybe I could put the milk in it with him, but that's all. Not to mention the fact that he'd be in the back with hot air and bugs hitting him and that I'd surely pass out from trying to pull the extra weight in this heat.

I do not want to ride on public transportation either! I don't want to be on a bus with someone and their dog or their germs. It's bad enough what comes home from school. I don't plan on my child ever riding the school bus either since all ages are put on the same bus together. I know everyone has seen those shows about the horrors that happen on school buses. adding... I know they happen because I know other parents who've experienced it, and I know the teenagers across the street that ride the bus. Not the place for children.

I drive a V6 SUV that does use more gas than that bicycle, but this is not some new invention. It uses less gas than an old V8 station wagon or Cadillac that people used to drive. Everyone has forgotten that big cars with big engines existed before compact cars were invented. My neighbor was out in his backyard recently complaining that everyone who drives a large car should be taxed more. Excuse me, but I can't fit my family of 4 and our groceries etc. in the small box that he drives, alone. His children are grown and gone so he's forgotten what it's like.

This message was edited Sep 12, 2005 10:48 PM

konkreteblond - That what I was saying about need. You need drive to the store. I take a car to go to the Costco that's about 5 miles from my house when I go too. But, I don't drive to the store that is less than two blocks away to pick up a two-liter of cola, or a cube of butter. I do know people who do. As for school buses, I hated taking them, and I didn't more than a couple times. If there are other kids that you would like your child to spend time with that live around you offering to drive them as well would be a good thing. But, I'm not going to yell at someone for taking their kid to school and back.

In general, buses or other public transit isn't that bad, depending on where it is. Most of my transportation is by bus. Where I live it runs from 6 am to 11:30 pm, is safe, clean, and the people on the bus are no worse than you would run into anywhere in town. But, I would never ride the bus in LA.

Since I've always lived here and never travel, I don't know what it's like in other places. We don't have small stores anywhere in the midst of the housing areas. Older areas of town are of course closer to the center of town so those homes are within walking distance, sometimes, of a few things. I grew up in the town next to here and as a kid we would walk across town to the store. It was safer then tho.

We don't have any type of public transportation in my town. (We do have some ride sharing thing tho) That played a part in whether any of the LA evacuees were sent to our town and the ones close to us. People with no cars can't function here.

But you (and others) will be glad to know that I do make a plan when I run errands. I won't drive into the next town (20+miles) until I have more than one thing to do there. I run all my errands in town in order of how the stores are placed. It saves me time and gas.

...back to the preparedness...I still don't have but a couple of candles and my flashlights are dim.

Great comments about communication plans!! Need to go over them again as kids get older and more independent.

I think it's simplistic to think gardening and car driving are mutually exclusive. I grow a large part of my vegetables, can freeze and dry foods. This saves a lot of energy as opposed to driving to air conditioned stores and buying stuff that's been trucked in. But it's possible because I live in a rural area. The rural area that can hit 30- below zero in winter makes a car a necessity.

Guess what? I also have horses and sleighs! I wouldn't want to have to rely on them to get to the hospital!!

Oh my! I can't imagine living in that temperature! You would have to be prepared for all kinds of situations. We get threatened with snow and we panic and raid Wal-Mart. It's not like the snow or ice is going to last more than a day either.


The horses and sleighs sound fun tho! Do you have them just to enjoy or do you use them for something else? Any chance you have a picture of them in the snow?

Here we are SAVING GAS!! I think I get 10 miles per bale of hay, although I haven't really checked lately!! right now it's all for fun. the might pay for themsleves with these gas prices!

I grew up in the northeast, so although i will be quite depressed by MARCH with it's dark and gray, I've learned to like the climate. I don't do well in extreme heat. But we do keep supplies for emergencies, as I think everyone should.

Among other wakeups, we lived in SF with the earthquakes, and then NJ when my husband worked for years in the World Trade Center. There's always something, and I'm more comfortable knowing I did the best I could to be ready.

How pretty! That looks like such fun! (except there's that white stuff in the back) I guess I've learned to survive in the extreme heat. Here my emergency supplies consist of sunscreen and my bathing suit. Thanks for the pic!

Ohhh how cool DMCdevitt! It takes me back to my CT/NY days ... I loved that weather! ... but I am talking 25 or 30 years ago...I wonder if I can handle that much cold now?.....sometimes these hot flashes make wish I was still there. lol
Sylvia

Sometimes I miss my Mountians out west, --and the picture reminds me of the good things about snow, --Thanks