Disaster prep Poll

[ABQ2015]

That disaster would be wildfire in my area and would likely just impact a few homes near the river where there is a lot of dry brush and trees - basically where I live. So it is mainly a matter of evacuating and taking as many important items as you can pack. No, I am not prepared.

We had a situation like that several years ago where a fire near the river started in early afternoon. These fires start unexpectedly (e.g., sometimes deliberately due to homeless people or juveniles) in very dry conditions and spread fast. One of the women at work lived near the fire but did not know about it until her sister found out at her workplace and called her - but this was a couple of hours after the fire onset. My co-worker rushed home where she also had a dog. Neighbors were watering down their lawns and roofs. The Fire Department was able to put the fire out but it came close to the neighborhood.

 

[Chuckanut]

One thing we learned from Katrina is that in the case of a very serious disaster help will be at least a week away for many of us. Maybe even longer. So have water, food, batteries, cooking gear, meds, etc. to last at least a week.

It would also be good to have a plan for an emergency potty.

 

[Winemaker]

A whole house NG generator, a portable gasoline 12kW generator, 400 g water, 1 +.5 +.5 freezers of beef, poultry, pork, seafood and veggies, 1 pantry the size of the front porch of assorted can goods and foodstuffs, 1 closet pantry, 40 gallons gasoline, 1 20'x 40' garden in various stages through out year, some ammo and various "ammo accelerators", and about 1500 bottles of wine. The neighbors all have their assignments and duties.

 

[W2R]

One thing we learned from Katrina is that in the case of a very serious disaster help will be at least a week away for many of us. Maybe even longer. So have water, food, batteries, cooking gear, meds, etc. to last at least a week.

It would also be good to have a plan for an emergency potty.

Lots of cash (greenbacks), a reliable vehicle, and a full tank of gas. Why? Because you don't want to return to the stone age if it isn't just for fun, and if it turns out that you don't have to.

It's amazing how many people actually didn't decide to evacuate until a week or two after Katrina, when they had "had enough".

 

[Blueskies123]

One thing we learned from Katrina is that in the case of a very serious disaster help will be at least a week away for many of us. Maybe even longer. So have water, food, batteries, cooking gear, meds, etc. to last at least a week.

It would also be good to have a plan for an emergency potty.

What would you suggest, other than a bucket?

 

[meierlde]

What would you suggest, other than a bucket?

If you happen to live in the country with a septic tank, and it did not flood, then you just need water and a bucket could be used to flush the toilet.

 

[ls99]

IIRC a few cans of SPAM, some cans of tuna, A bottle of Brandy.
Have stream and spring for water, Mr Walther along with Mr Ruger 44 mag fills the rest of the needs. Solar power works well. Prolly 3 cords of wood. Plus maybe 30 or 40 70+ feet tall standing dead trees, no need to cut, will fall by themselves. Oh yeah this is all at the mancave on 14 acres in the boonies.

This area had no natural disasters in a very long time. Altitude at house 1300, at mancave 2200+.

So the poll answer is NO.

 

[NW-Bound]

One thing we learned from Katrina is that in the case of a very serious disaster help will be at least a week away for many of us. Maybe even longer. So have water, food, batteries, cooking gear, meds, etc. to last at least a week.

It would also be good to have a plan for an emergency potty.

Katrina is tough. When one is up to his eyebrows in water, all those provisions are [-]toast[/-] soggy.

If you have a two-story home, maybe, just maybe, you can survive after hauling everything upstairs. But are there not some areas so badly flooded that even the 2nd story of some homes got water?

 

[brewer12345]

What would you suggest, other than a bucket?

I keep a packet of these along with a toilet seat that is made to fit on a 5 gallon bucket: https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/...duct_PageElement_product_rr_1_3140_&rrec=true

I have also read that in a pinch you can put clumping cat litter in a bucket.

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

I voted no because we haven't done enough.
We're in an earthquake zone and apparently we have a 1 in 10 chance of "the big one" happening in the next 50 years.
Beside a natural disaster, I think we'd be in a world of hurt if the electrical grid went down for a few days like it did during the winter storm back east a few years ago.

We do buy earthquake insurance.
We store flats of water and beverages in the detached garage and rotate through using them. We need to store more supplies out there.
Food is hit and miss. We typically don't have a lot of canned foods. I'd consider buying emergency food kits.
We've got some crank flashlights.
I'd love to eventually get a small generator.

Our city stores caches of emergency supply around the city. There's a cargo container at the park down our street.

Side comment: Hearing all of the talk about drinking from these "alternate" water sources grosses the hell out of me. But I know you got to do, what you got to do sometimes. I might have to get a mini-water purifier.

 

[Sirka]

Wild fire evacuations

We deal with wild fire evacuations often. We pack up our motor-home & the car, get our 2 cats and go to Red Cross center that is open. Last year was tough, because they had to evacuate the evacuation center couple of times.
So it isn't just a threat of big earthquake, that made us prep. We also carry get home bags - roads can be closed anytime & for any reason.

 

[devans0]

Ten years ago we were flooded. Some shocks to our nonexistent plan was that our banks, credit cards, bank cards were knocked out too. We rebuilt, but the area no longer felt safe. Now we are on high ground. Our whole state is under water if we are flooded again.

We live in a tornado prone area, and have hardened an area of our home as tornado resistant. Our real preps are in tools. I've built and rebuilt two homes and have a stock of tools, generators, and materials to build a basic shelter in a day or two with heat, potable water, sewer, sanitation, first aid and electricity. The most useful guns are nail guns and screw guns, with their ammo is my experience.

Now, it is natural to plan for self sufficiency. Our next vehicle will be a van and have added extended camping features added to boondock camp for a few days to a month at a time. I'm waiting for the next tax year to buy and outfit. We love travel and nature. I can hardly wait.