Author Topic: How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?  (Read 7693 times)

jengod

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How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?
« on: May 08, 2016, 05:44:18 PM »
I live in SoCal and we are forever being told to prepare for the "Big One." I know other communities have other regional dangers, and I think some Mormons stockpile for hard times as a part of their religious practice. I'd love to discuss what different folks are doing with an eye to disaster preparedness.

Today I added three pairs of leather-palmed gloves and two handkerchiefs to our stash, in case we need to do any heavy lifting or clearing of debris following a quake.

What have you done recently to prepare for an emergency?

bobechs

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Re: How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2016, 06:05:25 PM »
I watched an episode of Walking Dead.

JAYSLOL

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Re: How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2016, 06:25:14 PM »
I watched an episode of Walking Dead.

Lol.

I used to live on the coast where theres always a chance of the big quake.  Where i live now, there is really only risk of forest fires, or maybe a flash flood.  I'm not too worried about either, but as far as being prepared for those it's usually the everyday things that make the most difference like
- making sure you have enough gas in your car to get a couple towns away incase you need to evacuate quickly
- making sure you carry you wallet, keys, a bottle of water, and fully charged phone on your person all the time (add a pocket knive, multi-tool and flashlight if you really want to get fancy)
- Be physically and mentally fit and healthy enough to get through any situation that arrises
- Plan ahead with family and friends about what to do in the event of a big disaster - where to meet and where to go from there.  Especially helpful if a disaster has knocked out communications and you are all spread out to know in advance how and where to go

The typical "prepper" type usually worries way too much about storing food, guns and ammo, generators and gas, wilderness survival gear etc.  If there was ever "the big one" on the west coast, yeah it would suck, but it ain't going to be The Walking Dead. 

meerkat

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Re: How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2016, 06:40:23 PM »
- making sure you have enough gas in your car to get a couple towns away incase you need to evacuate quickly

I heard an emergency preparedness professional speak (I forget his official title but he consults with major companies he was not permitted to name due to NDAs) and during the Q&A portion someone asked "If I only do one thing to be more prepared for a disaster, what would it be?" and he said to never let your gas tank get below the halfway mark. Half a tank of gas can get you a long ways.

KMMK

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Re: How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2016, 06:43:28 PM »
I learned which gun is the shotgun and what the shells look like.

Rezdent

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Re: How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2016, 06:44:02 PM »
Checked my air mattresses.  During Hurricane Ike, we had 15 extra people in our house, who spent hours on the clogged roads to get here.  And we had no electricity, but we did okay.  Prep needs to include those we love, too.
In general a bug out bag needs to be re-checked at least every six months. I keep climate-appropriate clothes in mine.  I won't check that until next month.

ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Re: How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?
« Reply #6 on: May 09, 2016, 07:54:54 AM »
There's something to be said for living someplace with an extraordinarily low risk of disaster. A few days without power are certainly possible from snow or a hurricane. Anything beyond that seems very unlikely. I live over 400 feet above sea level, so sea level rise isn't a concern. The local terrain makes a flood affecting my house a virtual impossibility. A nearby forest fire would impact air quality so we'd want to leave town while it was going, but even flying embers would have a very hard time setting my house on fire.

Probably the biggest risk at my house is that a train carrying crude oil derails and lights on fire. My house is far enough away that we could simply drive away and be fine. My family knows to get out if a train derails.

Tanor85

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Re: How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?
« Reply #7 on: May 09, 2016, 08:09:01 AM »
Interestingly, there is a 1950's nuclear bomb shelter somewhat close to where I live. It's been turned to a museum but is still functional. All the furniture and vehicles are from the '50s. If a disaster happens, my plan is to pack my 4 boxes of army rations and head straight to the bomb shelter.

Retire-Canada

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Re: How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?
« Reply #8 on: May 09, 2016, 09:00:09 AM »
What have you done recently to prepare for an emergency?

I spent 12hrs last week doing strenuous exercise. Whether it's zombies, the BIG QUAKE or the stockmarket-pocaylpse the one for sure amazingly helpful tool to have is a healthy strong body.

meandmyfamily

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Re: How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2016, 09:10:45 AM »
With 6 people in our family, I always keep several days of fresh water in our house.  We also went with some Mormon friends to their cannery 5 years ago and I bought some basics for long term storage.  I also keep my pantry stocked with non-perishables and I try to keep an extra large bag of dog food on hand as well. 
« Last Edit: May 09, 2016, 02:52:37 PM by meandmyfamily »

Helvegen

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Re: How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?
« Reply #10 on: May 09, 2016, 11:02:29 AM »
Given that it incredibly likely that both my husband and I will be at work and daughter at school in the case of the Big Quake, I really don't know how to prepare beyond keeping a small bugout bag at the desk and staying in shape for the 11-13 mile hike and swim back to our daughter and eventually the house. Assuming we get out un or mildly injured, of course. I have to assume the roads will be undriveable (either because of damage or extreme traffic), bridges out, cell phones useless. Our rental units are heated with propane. There is a good chance that they might be on fire or in smoldering ashes by the time we get back. That's something I don't like to consider because our cat would die. In a better case scenario, the house would be flooded due to water pipe breakage. No power for sure, our power is out for days already because our neighborhood is the lowest residential priority. 

It isn't anything I like to dwell on, but it probably the reality when the SHTF here like geologists have been predicting forever.

We are better prepared for smaller emergencies like long power outages. For the quake though, a lot is up to fate, no matter how well we think we have prepared.

 


Fishinshawn

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Re: How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?
« Reply #11 on: May 09, 2016, 11:15:27 AM »
I live in oregon, on the coast, we are always preparing for the big quake and tsunami . We try to keep a decent supply of non perishable food on hand, sealed bags of rice(which can be cooked in salt water if need be) oatmeal, canned goods, water, home canned and dehydrated supplies. The biggest thing to is keeping in shape, I ran 5 miles this morning while pushing a stroller. If we are alive when the big one hits I figure we will have about 20 minutes to grab children and make it to our rally point before the wall of water arrives.

little_brown_dog

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Re: How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?
« Reply #12 on: May 09, 2016, 11:41:55 AM »
Daily preparedness (things I do daily or have on me regularly):

Exercise – regardless of your preferred apocalyptic scenario (zombie, EMP, etc) there’s no getting around it –the healthier, fitter people will probably live longer. What’s rule #1 in zombieland? CARDIO. I try to get about 45 min of power walking in 5x a week.

Food management – I keep our dry goods well stocked, mainly because I’m a sucker for the awesome sales on staples like pasta, lentils, rice, and beans. Probably have 1-2 months of dry goods. I also keep at least 4-6 weeks of formula on hand at any given time for our daughter. We have our own layers that provide us with eggs, and we stockpile their food.

General preparedness when out and about – I keep a small kit in my car that has a knife, cord, bandaids, petroleum jelly, feminine pads for larger wounds, baby wipes, and lighters. Jumper cables in the back. I try to keep the tank pretty full, which isn’t hard since I don’t drive far being a SAHM.

Safety – Made a habit of always locking doors even during the day. I carry spiked brass knuckles with me as a keychain (I don’t feel comfortable carrying a weapon that could be easily knocked from my hand and used against me). Trying to get into the habit of knowing the exits of the most common places I go to, like the grocery store or Target.  I also stopped wearing high heels unless necessary for the occasion – much easier, less painful, and a lot safer/faster if I ever need to move quickly. I know women who always keep a pair of sneakers in their cars if they regularly wear heels.

One of my husband's favorite things to do while we are out running errands is to randomly quiz me:

Middle of grocery store:

Him: Okay the lights just flicker and you see a zombie at the end of the aisle, what do you do?"

Me (holding box of cereal) - Uhhhhh....

Him: You grab that huge glass bottle immediately your right and use it as a weapon until you get get something better, while simultaneously moving towards the back of the store where there are probably fewer people and an exit through the storage area...

Me: Crap, I'm totally screwed, you take the baby - save yourselves.
« Last Edit: May 09, 2016, 11:48:53 AM by little_brown_dog »

Capsu78

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Re: How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?
« Reply #13 on: May 09, 2016, 12:05:06 PM »
Even though this is over a decade old, I found many useful tips about what the days after a SHTF scenario occurs:

http://www.theplacewithnoname.com/blogs/klessons/index.html

SKL-HOU

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Re: How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?
« Reply #14 on: May 09, 2016, 02:46:44 PM »
This is a depressing thread.

I am curious, do you live with these scenarios in the back of your head all the time, or is this simply a matter of you prepared for it one time and now you are sharing what you've done?

Now I need to go prepare for all the disasters that may happen in my area... :(

Retire-Canada

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Re: How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?
« Reply #15 on: May 09, 2016, 03:24:54 PM »
This is a depressing thread.

When the zombies are outside eating your neighbours' brains you'll be glad you read this thread and stocked up on machetes and 12 gauge shells! ;)

Capsu78

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Re: How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?
« Reply #16 on: May 09, 2016, 03:56:34 PM »
Disaster readiness doesn't need to be depressing but it can grow tedious.  I am not waiting on the next raincloud over my head, but I do rationally think about the "what ifs" associated with the threats in my daily life.  What I can tell you is, here in the USA anyway, the planned "government response" in a regional event usually takes the first 24 hours to mobilize and 48 hours until help is close by- assuming you can benefit from standard response- water, a place to stay dry etc- however if you have any special needs- dialysis for a loved one, special meds, lots of pets or big ones, you better plan to be self reliant for 72 hours minimum.

As for OP, So Cal earthquake prep is its own specialty- most large employers calculate that a major quake that takes down a major bridge will mean you will be having a corporate campout for all employees who can't walk to their homes during a single day.  Things that are "free" that you can do is figure out a worst case scenario if you and SO were separated with no communication. My wife works at urban mega corp and I spoke to some inside crisis managers that told me where she would probably have to evacuate to in the event of a major "Shelter in place" order.  Once in LA for business at the Bonaventure, I asked the security guy what happens if we get a big shake... he said "get ready to get kicked out of the hotel- it is a designated crisis management site that would house multiple emergency service responders.  I felt better after my flight was wheels up! 

little_brown_dog

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Re: How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?
« Reply #17 on: May 09, 2016, 04:00:05 PM »
This is a depressing thread.

I am curious, do you live with these scenarios in the back of your head all the time, or is this simply a matter of you prepared for it one time and now you are sharing what you've done?

Now I need to go prepare for all the disasters that may happen in my area... :(

I definitely do not obsess over this stuff, but just like with my finances I like to have a little bit of a plan in place. In this case its usually for common scenarios like weather events, not the end of the world. Sadly I did start thinking of the safety stuff (exits, footware, etc) more as the random shooting sprees started becoming more frequent. I once read that there were piles of abandoned high heels in the world trade tower staircases....that image really impacted me for some reason. I exercise because its good for me but my fitness level is also a perk if the world goes to hell a la The Walking Dead ;)
« Last Edit: May 09, 2016, 04:04:41 PM by little_brown_dog »

Kwill

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Re: How did you prepare for an emergency or crisis today?
« Reply #18 on: May 09, 2016, 04:08:29 PM »
Goodness. I've no idea what I'd do in a major disaster here.

Usually I try to keep at least one credit card and one form of ID separate from my wallet in case I lose my wallet and have to cancel everything. This thread reminded me to locate the spares, which involved fishing them out of the bag I took on my last trip and putting them away properly. So that's what I did to prepare today. Maybe I'll go fill a water bottle or something.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!