DU disaster preparedness

[BelgianMadCow]

Recent events and a discussion on DU made me wonder just how prepared I am.
This is also a poll, in a way, on how real the possibility of disaster is to you.

Answer for me : no excess food or bottled water outside of a one week supply. No vegetable garden (but possible). Lots of cats but don't want to eat them. A 1000 litres of oil for heating. Dependant on electricity for lighting and cooking, and on landline & mobile phones for communication.
No bicycles.

So I wonder, how prepared are YOU in the event of a disaster, be it manmade or natural?

Those who are prepared, please be so kind to include some details about your "kit" and what you see as must-haves.

[CrispyQ]

1. Not prepared at all.

I did purchase a couple of those battery-less flashlights, but that's about as far as I got on my extensive emergency list last year!

:shrug:

[BelgianMadCow]

2. Yesterday, I was thinking about at least stacking some corned beef and big

bottles of water in my cellar. I don't expect the roof to come crashing anytime soon here in belgium, but if oil prices skyrocket soon a lot of things will not be readily available or too expensive.

Flashlights or candles or petroleum lamps would be on the list too.

At least you got one item from your list - I don't even have a list :-)

[me b zola]

8. Check into a wood stove

We burn wood for heat and no longer use our heating unit at all. We collect (free)wood in the summer when people are cutting down trees for different reasons.

I checked moderately prepared because we only have some of the necessary items. We are trying to buy land in the country where we will have our own well and room for a garden large enough to sustain us and a few of our neighbors.

[BelgianMadCow]

18. Thanks for the tip about wood collection in summer time!

I have a stove in a small outhouse but it weighs a TON and is not connected at the moment. Got no wood either, but quite some cypresses that I'm not fond of.

[NoSheep]

74. Canned corned beef? I love that stuff!

:D

[CrispyQ]

110. Here are a couple of DU threads from last year after Katrina.

There are some links in both threads that are good & lot's of great suggestions from DUers. I like the response about enough single blend scotch to get through 3 weeks! :rofl: I became a little overwhelmed when I read my final list. This is a good reminder to get working on it again, starting with 3 weeks food & water. :thumbsup:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4752484

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4678233

[BelgianMadCow]

144. Excellent info in those threads, thank you!

[oc2002]

113. I have a shotgun and ammo..

I am stocked up for a few months with canned beans and dry provisions, I have a chimmeny for wood burning in case it gets too cold.

And containers for water can be made of simple plastic trash cans with covers.

But the most important item is a weapon to protect yourself, or all your provisions and preperations are for naught.

[Phredicles]

3. I am completely prepared to do a lot of crying and panicking,

especially if the disaster involves cable TV being out.

[BelgianMadCow]

5. you won't have the TV "news" to scare you though

[MercutioATC]

4. What do you consider "very well prepared"?

[BelgianMadCow]

10. I'll clarify :

With that option, I mean being able to sustain yourself and your family through various disasters

So of course water, maybe water purification possibilities,
food that conserves well without refrigeration and the possibility to grow your own (although that may not be possible in the place you live, after the disaster)

Means for heating that are not dependent on for example the functioning of a central heating system - so wood stove, or some fuel & portable burner

Shelter : tent, blankets, sleeping bags

Medicine for common problems : painkillers, diarrhea, ointment for burns, that kind of thing, plus good first aid kid (your kid is under the rubble so to speak). Iodine tablets against radiation damage. Gas masks in the event of heavy pollution.

A way to set up communication not dependent on some network : a transmitter of some sort plus batteries.

And all of this in a planned way so that for example the stuff you have is in a "safe" place where you'll be able to get at it, and your family knows how to act.


Uh oh, and of course an alternative way/site to contact DUers when DU itself is down.

[MercutioATC]

13. Then I guess I'm "very well prepared".

:)

[MercutioATC]

14. .

.

[BelgianMadCow]

17. any obvious things I missed in that list off the top of my head?

Did you happen to have all the stuff or did you actively plan for possible disaster?

Or are you just a safety first kind of person :-)

[MercutioATC]

19. Nope, you covered the basics.

I'd add some type of self-defense tools, but opinions on that vary.

It's active planning in my case. I'm a firm believer in the "It's not the odds that matter, but the stakes " philosophy. What are the odds that I'll need some of the things I've set aside? Slim. What are the stakes involved if they're not there when I need them? Damn high.

[BelgianMadCow]

21. I was thinking about "security" after I posted

not sure how to organise "security", guns and the like are very uncommon over here as is knowledge on how to use them.

If law and order breaks down, I would want some means to protect my family from harm.

Difficult question, that. I was inclined to say it won't break down unless in a war situation (which I don't expect over here) but am left wondering what I'd feel as needed had Katrina happened here...

[MercutioATC]

26. I'm not familiar with Belgian law...

...but owning a firearm and knowing how to use it aren't bad things.

I don't own an arsenal by any means, but I have a couple of firearms that I'm proficient with. If self-defense or hunting for food become issues, I'll be better-prepared than many.

[BelgianMadCow]

28. In belgium, you can own a gun or a rifle, but you have to register

with ID, not all that hard. Shotguns and machine guns are a lot harder/impossible to get I think.

A relative did have one for self defense - but tucked away out of sight, bullets separated, and he was not talking about it.

I respect your opinion and as said above, would want to not be caught emptyhanded should it all break down. But I am very glad Belgium doesn't nearly have the number of guns per capita as the US.

Over here, homicide is much less frequent (or at least, that's my perception - almost every one is reported in national media and it's not every week) and I tend to think that is related to the relative absence of guns.

Could be other factors too of course.

[MercutioATC]

31. Far be it from me to argue with a Belgian.

You don't seem to have nearly the problems we do here in the U.S.

If you're interested in preparedness ideas, PM me. I can point you toward a few sites that might prove of value.

:)

[BelgianMadCow]

37. Smart, too :-)

as Hagar once said.

[MrCoffee]

6. I could hold out for about an hour and a half

maybe.

[NoSheep]

52. Nice screen name. I have a coffee press and some cigarette lighters.

[flobee1]

7. West Virginian-

But not one of the rednecks, as I was born in Dayton, Ohio
plenty of deer for food, build a fire
Would probably head towards Dayton to be close to family and friends
Lots of deer there too! along with geese and ducks

Depending on the caliber of disaster-heating oil canned food and bottled water only last for so long
While others will be scavenging for canned food-I'll be grilling venison for friends and family






The way I see it, America will not be a superpower forever. Something drastic will happen eventually, and you can't live on Humvees and plasma TV's

[peacebird]

9. I am moderately well prepared

I have enough food for my family for probably almost a month. Also have several gallons of water in case the power goes out (we have well water) and a river on the property that I could get water from if needed. Lots of candles also. Have charcoal grill and a gas grill for cooking.... We can heat with wood (soapstone fireplace) and have plenty available - tho it needs to be split... Have a battery powered radio for news...

[BelgianMadCow]

15. Battery powered radio - multi-band (also long & short wave) - good one!

sounds like you have the resources to take care of yourself - I guess you could say you're well prepared but I wanted that end of the poll to be for those who actively plan for disaster - did you?

[peacebird]

22. no - but I live in the country so most of my supplies were in case of snow

last winter.... Figuring since I live too far to hike to the grocery I should have stuff on hand...


;hi:

[guinivere]

11. I'm totally unprepared.

I got nothin. I suppose I could hit a deer with my car. Of course, when you want the damn thing to run in front of you, they won't.

[BelgianMadCow]

12. That's supposing you have gas in your tank, the garage roof didn't cave

and there is still a road to drive on, that has deer.

Not to depress you or anything.

[guinivere]

44. If there are no roads, garage, car and house are mashed

and no deer. Then I guess I'll just croak. :shrug:

[MercutioATC]

16. EVERYBODY should be prepared for at least 2 weeks.

It's easy. It's inexpensive. It could save your life.

There's absolutely no excuse for being completely unprepared.

[etherealtruth]

29. I agree that if at all possible ...

... being prepared (food, water)is a smart idea.

We part on the "There's absolutely no excuse for being completely unprepared" part ... I think far too many people live week to week (day to day) and the idea of being able to stock food beyond that is not a possibility.

For those of us that are able, given our country's record (of late) on disaster response, it is foolish not to do so.

[MercutioATC]

34. Spaghettios are a buck a can.

They're good for at least 2 years on the shelf.

2-liter (or 20-oz) soda or water bottles are free once you've consumed the original contents.

Assuming a family of 4, who couldn't afford $14/week? That would get you 2 weeks of food and water over a period of three months.

Two weeks isn't a "do it if able" thing. EVERYBODY is able.

[guinivere]

59. The few "spare" canned goods I had I took over to the

food pantry today.

[MercutioATC]

62. Certainly a good deed. Preparing is also a good thing, though.

Most canned goods are fine well past their (usual) 2-year "best by" date. All you have to do is keep 20 cans around (plus some basics like rice or pasta) per person and you have the beginnings of preparedness.

[etherealtruth]

107. Sadly there are a number of families that can't afford $14

... if you fall financially short of meeting your immediate needs, $14 might as well be $1400 or $14,000.

Again we differ on the point of "EVERYBODY is able"
Everyone is not able to provide adequate/enough food today, much less tomorrow.

[butterfly77]

36. There is if you are homeless..

[MercutioATC]

40. Fine. Homelessness gets you a pass. Everybody else should be prepared.

The sad fact is that most people who are gainfully employed and own a house are only a little better prepared than the homeless.

[BelgianMadCow]

43. I prove your point

and think it is valid for a lot of people, especially those who have never known hardship. Over here, that means the children of the babyboomers.

We all go shopping once a week and buy a sixpack of this n that. Marketing is also focused on small individual size portions of everything.
Sometimes I'm sickened by the sheer waste in packaging material...

[MercutioATC]

48. But it's really easy to change...

If all you do is start filling your empty plastic soda bottles with water and pick up an extra few cans of canned goods every week, you're on your way. It doesn't require a major investment of money or time, just awareness.

Sent you a couple of links via PM...lemme know if you have any questions.

[BelgianMadCow]

145. paranoia kick

sorry about that

[Dead_Parrot]

61. Most homeless will be doing OK...

They tend be used to fending for themselves with no resources. If you can survive a cold night on a stale slice of pizza and four newspapers you're better prepared than some soft middle-class wimp (like me).

[MercutioATC]

70. I did have that thought....

...but though it too un-PC to mention.


It has some merit, however.

:hi:

[Doctor Venmkan]

38. You said it!!!

Not all of us can afford the stuff or manage to learn the things to do do be self-sufficient for years or longer...

But everybody NEEDS to at least put back some food, water, and basic medicines. Two weeks is a good benchmark, I **think** I have that covered. Three days should be a BARE minimum.

There are plenty of sites out there offering lists and advice on the subject. If in doubt, Google! ;) Eh...preferably multiple times, to make sure it's GOOD info!

People that just stick their heads in the sand and refuse to think about preparing...and thus don't DO any...must not like themselves very much. :shrug:

[pitohui]

46. everyone should be prepared for 72 hours

you can't carry much above that

i'm amazed that people can look stone cold in the face of recent disasters like katrina and rita, the florida hurricanes of 2004, the huge fires of san diego county of 2003, and others -- and still be living in a fantasy world where they imagine they will be able to shelter in place

probably the most important part of your disaster kit is your ability to evacuate quickly and immediately, without being dependent on a poor or nonexistent public transport system


better to have the extra money so you'll be that much less of a burden when you land on the door of relatives, colleagues, or former college roommates in that distant town

500 cans of tuna fish that you aren't allowed to fetch from your house, because it's in a mandatory evacuation zone, does nobody any good

[MercutioATC]

54. 72 hours portable. 2 weeks fixed.

If you don't plan to stay in your current location, stock 2 week's worth where you plan to evacuate to.

I only keep about two week's worth where I live. The rest is stored where I'll go if I need to leave my house.


If you can't do that, 72 hours' worth of stuff in a grab-n-go bag is certainly better than nothing.

[pitohui]

57. i agree -- that is ideal EOM

.

[pooja]

20. For those without a garden ready to eat...or perhaps may be wiped

out.. by canned food and remember the can opener. Also, invest in a charcoal grill...or at least one of those "ovens" they give to Africans to keep them from overforresting. Invest in a solar charger. and for heavens sake, learn how to use the bathroom outside (especially for women.. it would suck to piss yourself with no washer available.)

[thecrow]

30. I heard you should save up plastic grocery bags

for toilet purposes if you should be injured or not be able to go outside. I suppose it would stink for a while, but better that than going outside when there could be dangerous agents in the air....

[melnjones]

33. I'd prefer also stocking up on trash bags...

often the grocery bags have tiny rips and holes in them...not good if it's full of waste products.

[Sin]

23. Pretty well off.

Have 2 pantries of canned food/fruits and what not.
we burn wood as well did for 25+ years have oil lamps and watter purifier and what not
+ Plenty of guns and ammo for hunting (we just use them for target) and 2 bows as well.
and other camping equipment knives and if all else fails a sword or 2.

and other camping things but mainly this is just stuff collected and or had it for a long long time not bought for just the purpose of imminent danger or the like.

[BelgianMadCow]

24. Yes I guess the outdoor, hiking, camping people like you have both skills

and gear that would come in very handy.

A bunch of work colleagues got me a couple hundred dollars worth check for an outdoor shop, as a gift.

I bought a lot of cool short-sleeved shirts and sunglasses named "sinner"
:blush:

We have been thinking of starting outdoor holidays after the discussion mentioned in the OP though, so maybe we can pair useful & fun...

[elocs]

25. I am prepared for a couple of months or longer.

I have a good deal of food stockpiled--I store what I eat and eat what I store. I have water, but also live near a river and I have the ability to filter and purify the water. I have different ways to cook food and also have a solar oven that works like a million bucks even in winter. Speaking of winter, we do have those here in Wisconsin so I have a means of keeping warm enough to survive. I have tons of batteries, alkaline and rechargeable, and I have 2 solar battery rechargers. I have the crank radio and flashlights, plus the shake flashlights. So I am good for awhile.

My employment has been spotty lately, so my stockpiled food has come in handy. There have been weeks when I have used some of what I have stored and skipped grocery shopping except for a few fresh items. So being prepared has already helped me and I intend to keep preparing as I have been doing, but also to improve upon my situation.

[MercutioATC]

27. You have some experience with this...

"I store what I eat and eat what I store" is a dead give-away...

:)

[melnjones]

32. little by little,

I am making myself prepared. Slowly, because I can't afford to do it any other way...kinda broke. Reminder that on top of having a several week stockpile, it's good to have an emergency bag that you can take with you if you need to evacuate somewhere...it's good to have 3 days worth of supplies in it.

Some items that people don't think to stock up on include hygiene products (especially for women), toilet paper, trash bags, first aid, prescription and OTC meds, contact info, and financial info (having a list of credit cards, bank accounts, bills, with the customer service numbers on them, is soooo helpful if you have to evacuate or if your property is destroyed...doesn't hurt to add a prepaid calling card too.)

Also please remember to prepare for your PETS! They need food, water, possibly medicine, first aid supplies, crates and leashes (especially if you have to evacuate), sanitary supplies (litter, potty pads, bleach, baggies, etc.), and blankets or even clothing if you live in a cold area during the winter (my dog has a sweater and coat). Having an emergency bag for them too is a good idea, with 3 days of supplies.

On edit...keeping the tank of your car at least half full at all times is a good idea too...

[BelgianMadCow]

39. Emergency 3 day bag, hygiene products, pets, basic data

damn especially the last three I would have totally overlooked if I "shopped" all on my own.
I think for mst people it would be a little by little effort.

Thank you, very well prepared one!

[melnjones]

85. good websites...

www.ready.gov

http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/websites/www.ready.gov/www.ready.gov/eefak.pdf (emergency financial first aid kit, excellent pdf file!!!)

http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_3_,00.html

[wellstone dem]

35. I have actively planned

I have two sisters who are very well prepared, so I have moderately prepared, figuring that so long as I don't come completely empty handed, they'll take care of me. I hope.

[pitohui]

41. well prepared and have been disaster tested more than once

however if i've learned anything from my disasters (including katrina) it's that you can't count on being able to carry all that crap, so don't bother to "over" prepare, it's a waste of money

some of the suggestions here are hilarious, that wood stove will do fuck all when you're 8 feet underwater!

the BEST disaster prep is money and lots of, because you are never guaranteed to be able to stay in your home during a disaster and you are going to be limited in how much you can carry in your most fuel efficient automobile -- disasters by nature are unpredictable, who would have guessed that i could not buy gasoline anywhere between new orleans and tuscaloosa, alabama, the size of katrina was pretty unprecedented, i guess

[Auntie Bush]

84. "that wood stove will do fuck all when you're 8 feet underwater!"

True, but it sure will be nice when you're 8 feet under snow! Or, you have no fuel and it's 8 below zero or even 8 above.

[Dead_Parrot]

97. Depends on what's likely to hit you.

I live on the side of a mountain in NZ, so anything that puts my wood stove under 8 feet of water is going to be quite an eye-opener. On the other hand, My handy tips for surviving volcanoes and earthquakes aren't going to be really useful for anyone on the FL coast...

But the basics - water, food, medicine, shelter, getting the hell out of there - tend to be common. How you put them into practice just requires a bit of thought.

[DireStrike]

42. They say you need a gallon of water per person per day.

A week's supply would cause serious obstruction in my apartment. A month's supply, or 60 gallons... I can't imagine where I would put it.

I've got plenty of food, it could probably last for a month, but if the power was out I'd have to eat everything in the freezer and fridge pretty fast.

I've got a bike with a flat tire. No car. One cat. I just got a gigantic maglite flashlight, and have backup batteries and bulb! Woohoo!

It's really too hot to live in this apartment without air conditioning. I'd have to open my door or sit in the hallway.

Overall, I'd have to say I'm pretty screwed.

[BelgianMadCow]

45. Your point about storage space is valid, but think about cooperation

as well, maybe you can hook up with someone who (thinking out loud here) is elderly and has spare room but maybe is afraid to be left behind...

I imagine for a lot of people there will be financial & space restrictions on how much they can prepare.
But in a small group, that all gets easier.

I mentioned somewhere I have a garden but no vegetable garden - but a retired guy two doors don the road maintains his & my neighbours garden including a large vegetable garden...

[pitohui]

49. ok here's the thing about water, it's heavy

fortunately you have enough, fill your tub prior to the storm and maybe have a week's worth of bottled water for drinking, with 3 days worth in bottles that you can actually carry

if the disaster is a fire, you'll be moved out of the building anyway, so your water storage wouldn't have accomplished fuck-all

but for most people it's pointless to devote too much time, space, and $$$ to this

[MercutioATC]

60. The purification route doesn't have to be costly or difficult.

The method depends on how portable you need it to be but there are plenty of water purification devices out there...

[Dead_Parrot]

64. So long as there's a reliable source...

City dwellers and anyone out in the desert get hosed here. Even in themperate zones, it can be a long way to open water in summer.

[MercutioATC]

69. Agreed, but there's almost always SOME water source.

I have a Katadyn Hiker Pro filter and Katadyn water purification tabs. The first will filter everything but viruses (even from a mud puddle or standing brackish water). The second will kill viruses...after a 4-hour wait.

Unless one is stuck in the desert (in which case they'd have to make alternate preparations) there are ways to make almost ANY water safe to drink.

[Dead_Parrot]

90. I do like those filters...

I've also seen - I forget who makes it - a filter built into a long fat straw, so you can just poke it into unreachable corners and suck...

[MercutioATC]

91. Anything is preferable to nothing.

You probably saw something like this:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp;jsessionid=ES3CYGT4P0R1NTQSNOLSCO4OCJVYQIWE?id=0013055515228a&type=product&cmCat=froogle&cm_ven=data_feed&cm_cat=froogle&cm_pla=0470304&cm_ite=0013055515228a&_requestid=67850

Realizing that water, food and shelter are the big three, anything you can do to provide for them is a plus.

[Dead_Parrot]

102. That's the thing...

It was a different make, but the same idea. Looks like a handy thing to add (at least, add to my list of things I need to add).

(For anyone else - linking to the site is a pain, but do a search for "straw". And we're not talking about the hats. :D)

[pitohui]

135. i like the solar cooker idea

i'm surprised i didn't post it before, as i post about it pretty much obnoxiously and at every opportunity

even if you get separated from your supplies or even your money, once you have the knowledge of how to make a solar cooker from trash, you can pasteurize water at least on days w. decent sunlight

i also like the "tarp" idea for getting water, i need to link to that

quite often in disaster -- prob. more often than not -- we are NOT gonna be where our supplies are

therefore an investment in knowledge and "macgyverisms" may be a good thing to have

[meisje]

47. I have a half of a roll of duck tape

[MercutioATC]

51. You're on your way....

...just add a couple of week's worth of food and water and you're there!

:)

[NoSheep]

50. One of us can bike to work. Does that count?

[pitohui]

55. i don't see how

people who had no cars were a hindrance to themselves and to others during katrina, weren't they?

as i said upthread, the MOST important preparation is to have a reliable vehicle that you can use to conform with evacuation orders, the first rule of a disaster is not to be a nuisance if you can possibly help it, leave more resources for those who truly can't drive (elders in nursing homes, poorest of the poor who can't afford a car, etc.)


sheltering in place is a nice fantasy but it is rarely the reality these days -- be it san diego fires or gulf coast hurricanes, the best prep is a small fuel efficient car with its gas tank set on "F" -- when the authorities say "run for your life," they aren't usually joking around

a bicycle don't cut it this time of century

[BelgianMadCow]

56. Is that one good at hitting deer with the bike?

At least one of you will not get all fat from bunkering down and eating canned goods!

I thought about the bike as a no-oil period is easy to imagine.
Then at least I need to get to the train station.

[NoSheep]

65. What makes anyone think we'll have gas or trains?

If we have the kind of disaster I'm thinking is meant by the OP, gas pumps won't work. Ever had the power go out in your town as a result of an ice storm?

You think trains will be running? How will we buy a ticket? Without power, I'm not sure many of the things we think we can do will be possible.

:shrug:

[pitohui]

78. an ice storm no, but we did have a little thing called katrina

i think it's safe to say that people were out of their homes and without power for a lot longer than any silly ole ice storm

trains won't be running, since they don't run anyways around here -- i hear they do have these mythical things called trains in the northeast but for most of us the closest we'll ever get to a train is watching some john wayne western

you need to keep a fuel efficient car topped off w. gasoline during disaster time, such as "fire season" in socal or hurricane season on the gulf or the atlantic, you can't call yourself prepared if you haven't done this most basic step to remove yourself from the scene in advance of the disaster

[NoSheep]

92. you should write your story. you have a natural "voice" that I can hear.

Important for a writer. A gift.

[marions ghost]

146. ice storms are severe

we didn't have power for 10 days during one. Millions of homes were without power in freezing temperatures and people could not get out of their driveways. Trees down everywhere. Old people were found in their beds with all their clothes piled on them and no food. No well pumps meant no water in rural areas. Couldn't drive anywhere except with 4WD. People in nursing homes died. It was far from "silly." I've also been in major hurricanes. Very similar as far as degree of disaster.

[NoSheep]

58. Oh! We have one of those radios you crank. At least we'll know what the

weather MIGHT be.

I have a dog that is always 3 degrees warmer than I am. That would come in handy. He's only 14 inches long though, so we'd have to move him around alot.

I have 2 down comforters.

Good Credit.

I have a lot of rice.

A sense of humor.

I'm thinking......this is a good exercise.

[Dead_Parrot]

53. Here's a list...

Since I live in the middle of a agricultural district (Partly for this reason) I don't need to worry too much about long term stuff - I'm surrounded by assorted fruit, veg, chewable animals and freshwater in case anything biblical happens. Laid up in the garage I've got 10 day's worth of long life food, 3 days worth of water and 120 litres-worth of water treatment tablets (There's a small river 2 minutes walk away, so I'm not going overboard on bottled water. If it ever looks like drying up that will need fixing) plus sundry items as below...

What you put in your kit depends very much on where you are, what might happen and what you'll have to do about it: A three day hike from a CA valley after an earthquake has flattened your house is a bit different to hiding in a NY apartment because the power has gone out for three days. Again.

This is my basic list, assuming you're staying at home in a temperate climate, but add whatever you need from the options below.

Water: 3 litres per person per day. This should be enough for cooking some food like rice and drinking if you're not doing much. If you're planning on using a lot of water for cooking, go up to 4.
If you have a reliable supply of water, consider treating it via tablets or - especially if there are a lot of you - getting a good filter. There are reusable filters that will treat thousands of litres if you can afford them. Boiling may good enough but only if you are sure of the quality and have a strong stomach.

Food: Long life, 2000 calories per person per day. What you get in depends on how long you are planning for: under 10 days any old stodge will do so long as you can put up with it (the backbone of my supply is instant noodles) any longer than that and you have to make sure you're getting a balanced diet or you'll go peculiar. A pack or two of vitamin pills will stave off the worst, but if you're planning going for a month or more make sure you've got the RDA of protein, vitamins, minerals et al.
If you're likely to be feeding any babies, vegans, diabetics or anyone with a special requirement, make sure they are covered. (especially babies - if you're breastfeeding, assume the circumstances will make you dry up).
Don't forget any pet(s).
Edit: Do NOT forget a can opener!

Drink: If you think you can manage a month without coffee, good for you. I've got tons of the stuff, plus dried milk, powdered fruit juice, and of course several thousand tea-bags. I'm British, dammit.

Heat: A gas stove is useful, but make sure you over-estimate how much gas you'll need. If you've any fuel for heating you house, consider if you can use that as well/instead, but make sure you keep topped up.
Remember, if you're in an area that gets cold you should plan on keeping at least one room warm - think babies and the elderly.

(If you're feeling insanely rich, you can combine these by getting MREs, but there's cheaper and less wasteful options.)

Light: Candles last for ever, so a box or four - and lots of matches - are well worth getting. Torches are useful, but make sure you've got a huge supply of batteries: If they take standard sizes, consider investing in rechargables and a solar charger (a good thing to do anyway, IMHO). I've also got a head-torch for doing stuff hands free, which might be worth a look: Also, there are number of torches than work on a wind-up basis, which solves the battery problem totally.
Get some spare bulbs in or people will laugh at you.

Communication: A radio is essential for staying in touch with what's happening. Personally I've got a scanner, so I can earwig on everyone from the police to TV stations, but that might be overkill. You might also want to look at getting battery powered CBs if you are likely to split up. Assume your cell phone will be just a paperweight.
Again, make sure you've got spare batteries or the ability to recharge them.

Medical: If anyone is on prescription meds, get as much as possible. It's "easy" to improvise food, even if you end up running around Central Park with a homemade spear: Improvising uncle Walt's heart meds could be tricky.
A decent first aid kit, plus the usual paracetamol, should be OK for a minor emergency: If you're planning on fishing your family out from an earthquake-flattened house, something more serious is in order, but you can get get expedition/mountain kits that cover almost everything. If you want to cover a 'flu pandemic, lots of paracetamol, surgical masks and latex gloves might be an idea: BNC suits and Body-bags are probably over doing it, though.

Transport: Depends if you think it will be needed, but spare fuel, an extra spare wheel and a duplicate set of keys may come in handy. Or a bicycle, for that matter. And if all else fails, walking boots.

Hygiene: Toothbrushes & toothpaste, soap, toilet tissue, diapers (if you've got a baby, or frighten easily yourself), sanitary towels/tampons... A month's supply of everything in the bathroom. If you are planning on losing your house, your toilet will be in it - a good shovel will help here. A spare pair of glasses, if you wear them, plus batteries for grandma's deaf-aid.

Sanity: The longer it lasts, the odder you will become. A pack or two of cards, games, a book or two (The SAS survival handbook will get you in the right mood) will while away the cable-less evenings. If you're a smoker, a weeks supply will probably mysteriously vanish after 10 days, but have a go: A giant bag of mints might help here. I've also got a big bottle of brandy hidden away, but that's just me.

Sundry stuff: All those things that might come in useful. Good rope, string, a decent knife or two, pliers (or better, a small toolkit), needles and thread, more matches... Anything that somebody in the thread has listed and I've forgotten (I'd have to rummage through my kit to remember what's in it.) A rape alarm and/or pepper spray might be an idea: If the freeper next door doesn't have any supplies for an emergency, they might want yours. I've seen some people include a handgun and a few dozen rounds, but they must live in a rougher area than me.

Finally, a few adjustments depending on what might happen:

Earthquake: Assume everything in your house has gone, and include spare clothes, cooking equipment, some sort of shelter (tent/bivouac), sleeping bags. Don't store everything in your basement or you'll look a proper charlie. A separate garage - or better, a small shed - will be easier to get into when a big one hits. A couple of fire extinguishers would be smart, but keep them in order and make sure you don't need to read the instruction booklet at the time.

Volcanic eruption: (I live in NZ, you learn this stuff) Face-masks, solid clothing and a wide-brimmed hat. Add an extra couple of litres of water per person per day, the ash gets everywhere. Goggles if you're not afraid of people pointing at you.

Tsunami: You're probably stuffed unless you get a warning. keep any short-term essentials in the car and know where the keys are at all times: If you can go from watching TV to 60mph in the space of 2 minutes you've got a chance. Practice, and don't try and find the cat.

Pandemic: The masks and gloves mentioned above, and paracetamol does a good job of keeping a fever at bay.

If you live somewhere hot: Double the water
If you live somewhere cold: Double the calories
If you plan on hiking to safety: Double both water and calories (again, if you just have), although if you're out in the wilderness you probably have a good idea of this lot anyway.

If you're planning on WWIII/sudden oil crash/alien invasion/zombie attack, now would probably be a good time to check in for a bushlore/survival course in your area.

...You should learn first aid anyway.

:)

[BelgianMadCow]

63. Entertainment to keep from going insane - cards yes

And you only gave yourself "pretty well" with that list - which is funny too - has some great perspective besides being practical and detailed.

So you think WWIII and an oil crash are as unlikely as azombie attack - interesting :-)

[NoSheep]

66. Scrabble! And Skittles! I need to learn to brew beer.

[Dead_Parrot]

67. Well, you can gurantee...

When I do break into it, I'll have forgotten the one thing I really need. :D

A kit that enables me to survive the permanent collapse of civilization is beyond my resources, sadly. I'm hoping for the zombies, it might be over in a month or two. :D

[BelgianMadCow]

82. Yes just like leaving on holiday to a house or appartment

and having forgotten scissors or coffee filters.
So you can bite open the bottles once you get your eyes open :-)

The Civilisation Collapse Kit is kinda hard, yes. I guess my OP wasn't specific about the kind of disaster to be dealt with - I'd like to be prepared both to evacuate and to stay put & self-reliant to some degree.

If the zombies DO come, just hand over all your tuna and they'll say "so long, and thanks for all the fish" :-)

btw, your screen name : maybe this be the background? :

"Mr. Praline: I'm sorry, I have a cold. I wish to make a complaint!

Owner: We're closin' for lunch.

Mr. Praline: Never mind that, my lad. I wish to complain about this parrot what I purchased not half an hour ago from this very boutique.

Owner: Oh yes, the, uh, the Norwegian Blue...What's,uh...What's wrong with it?

Mr. Praline: I'll tell you what's wrong with it, my lad. 'E's dead, that's what's wrong with it!

Owner: No, no, 'e's uh,...he's resting.

Mr. Praline: Look, matey, I know a dead parrot when I see one, and I'm looking at one right now.

Owner: No no he's not dead, he's, he's restin'! Remarkable bird, the Norwegian Blue, idn'it, ay? Beautiful plumage! "


:rofl:

[NoSheep]

86. I'm reminded of "that penguin on top of your television set."

among others.
And now, for something COMPLETELY different!

[Dead_Parrot]

87. yeah, that's the sort of thing...

I once spend 12 hours in a powercut, surrounded by candles, books, a log fire, tinned food...

and an electric can-opener. Hmmm.

On the permanent side, I think skills & training will do more for term-term survival:
Up to a month: stock up.
One to six months: know how to live off the land and improvise.
Over six months: Personnel management and sociology will probably be the most useful. Anyone likely to snuff it will have done so, and societies will be re-forming based on whatever is left...

[NoSheep]

68. What about beer?

[Dead_Parrot]

72. I tried that...

The longest it's lasted is three days. That's why I got the brandy - I can't stand the stuff.
:toast:

[NoSheep]

75. That is BRILLIANT! Get something you hate! I may owe you my sanity one of

these days!

And chewing tobacco would sub for my cigarettes! I'm catching on!

:7

[Dead_Parrot]

81. Ah! Thank YOU!

I hadn't thought of chew-baccy. :dunce: I guess snuff would at a pinch, too (ahem).

[NoSheep]

71. But what about beer????

[BelgianMadCow]

76. I'd go for the stronger stuff

more bang for your carrying arm :-)

In all the tales about the age of sailing ships, whenever the going got tough, the liquor started going...
but then again I'm not that concerned about beer in Belgium as there would be so much of it to loot - I mean redistribute.

[NoSheep]

88. Expropriate, I believe, is the word.

:D :toast:

[NoSheep]

73. paracetamol? What's that?

[Dead_Parrot]

83. Headache pills...

Most of the stuff these days seems to based on ibuprofen (sp?), but ask the local pharmacist and should have a stock of cheap paracetamol tablets. As well as acting as painkillers, they'll also bring down a fever nicely. Massive doses of vit. C should help, too.

[NoSheep]

95. Acetaminophen? spelling? Tylenol. Don't take it if you drink. Asprin's my

choice. BC Powders to be exact. Caffeine and Asprin.
If you drink...regularly, do not take that acetaminophen stuff. BAD for your liver.

[Dead_Parrot]

79. I should add: A wedge of cash!

It's safe assume your ATM card will be a small beer-mat at this point, but if you've got a roll of 20's tucked away you can still negotiate for anything you find you need...

[Ilsa]

77. I think I voted wrong.

I have water filters, but getting even dirty water can be tricky in Texas. We have propane stoves and supplies. I might have to leave vegetarianism behind because we don't have a garden, but I have alot of dried beans, etc. There is no way we could manage for more than a few months on what we have in the house.

Too many "IFs" for this question for us.

[MrSlayer]

80. I'm not currently stocked for a disaster.

But I really don't expect one either. Call me an optimist. If things go bad I could go "Wild West" in a hurry. If I'm not immediately killed in the disaster I'm quite sure I can survive and keep my family alive.

[MercutioATC]

100. That's what most people think.

Wouldn't it be easier to just know that you're prepared for 2 weeks or more so you didn't have to "go "Wild West" in a hurry" ?

[MrSlayer]

105. Yes.

Of course you are right. Perhaps I should get a month's worth to save myself some trouble.

[Balderdash]

89. I live in Katrina land

Here's my list:

Portable tv/radio combo battery operated
At least 1 gallon of water per person
Canned foods (we have leftover MRE's also)
Flash lights and batteries for everything, lots of batteries
Cell phone and car charger
first aid kit
Can opener (Duh)
Change of clothes, at least one set
CASH!!!! Bank cards and credit cards may not be a viable option if electricty is down
check book
Important papers
Cooler
important phone numbers
soap, shampoo, tooth paste, ie...

That's the basics but after Katrina I bought a tent, sleeping bags, a couple of
propane lamps and a propane 2 burner stove. I also include playing cards and a couple
of board games. If you're going to ride out a disaster at home the list is pretty
long it includes stuff like tarps, generators and the like.

[MercutioATC]

93. You have a propane camp stove...

...if you have a propane grill, make sure you get an adaptor hose that'll let you use the 20# propane tanks with your camp stove.

[Balderdash]

96. Hey cool

Thanks I didn't know that you could do that but the larger tank
would sure make life a little easier. :thumbsup:

[MercutioATC]

99. Something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007LQ272/002-8016824-1813605?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=3375251

Or this, if you don't want the 8' hose:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007LQ268/ref=pd_sim_sg_2/002-8016824-1813605?ie=UTF8

[Balderdash]

103. Thank you again

Neither item is very expensive so I could easily go with the
larger tank. I appreciate the time you took to help me out.
DUers do indeed rock!

[MercutioATC]

104. Any time. Glad I could help.

:)

[kineneb]

94. moderately prepared

lots of candles, canned goods (free from the commodities give-away), we live next to a Big Lake (it would take some serious water filtration), lots of trees around for fuel, BBQ in back yard, small garden, and camping gear. We run into trouble because Hubby is on dialysis, and can only go three or four days without treatment. There is a whole separate list of what he is supposed to have for emergencies. Aaarrgh.

[NoSheep]

98. Best wishes to you two. I don't think the disaster is coming this year.

Where are you located? I don't know Big Lake. Minnesota?

[kineneb]

101. "Sunny" California

well, sunny half the year... last winter we got 41" of rain. The Big Lake is Clear Lake which is, ahem, anything but clear, mostly being a greenish color. On the other hand, our water now comes out of the lake, and is quite drinkable after processing by our water company and a jog through a Brita filter. It can get pretty funky smelling by the end of summer, being a large but shallow natural lake.

So if we have to, it is back to the lake for water. It does have fish, although there is a mercury contamination problem there (don't eat the bass or catfish). And of course, being way out in the hills, we have lots of wildlife. There are deer, turkeys, etc., many of whom can be found waltzing through people's front yards, noshing on the tender domestic plants. Our major road hazard is deer, followed by turkeys...more problems hitting them than cars. The Roadkill Cafe could do good business here, if Fish & Game didn't want the carcases for dissection.

There are lots of springs up in the hills, where folks used to go to "take the waters" at former resorts. But they are located in the back of beyond. I don't think they would be of much use, given the hardships to get to them.

[elocs]

106. Yes, knowing when the disaster is coming

would be a very handy and useful tidbit of information. I don't know if there is going to be "the" disaster, it will most likely be a different disaster for everyone. People need to prepare for the kind of disaster that might happen where they live. Where I live in Wisconsin I do not have to worry about hurricanes, earthquakes, forest fires or floods. Most likely due to a quirk of geography where I live, we have never had a tornado in my city. Although my power has not been out in many years, who knows what a winter storm may bring.

There are other kinds of disaster other than natural disasters. Let the semis stop rolling for a few days and you will see the magically filled store shelves become empty very quickly. Let's not fall into the trap that Democrats are accused of believing--that somebody will take care of us, will rescue us. Katrina clearly showed you cannot depend upon that. If there is anybody who is entirely capable of preparing for a disaster anywhere from 72 hours to 2 weeks or longer and chooses to do nothing, then maybe natural selection should take its course. We live in possibly the most over insured country in the history of the world, so I cannot understand why those who are able to prepare would not want to take out some insurance of their survival if not their comfort for awhile. Here's a good Democratic notion: if you are prepared you will be in a position to give aide to those who are desperately in need.

[blacksmith]

108. It's like I told my Wife before Y2k

Let the nieghbors stock up. I'v got plenty of ammo to take anything we might need.

[Nicole]

112. It's like I told my hubby before Y2K

Let the neighbors try to take our stuff. I've got plenty of ammo to send them "home" empty handed.

See how that will work? Your plan is no plan.

[zanne]

109. You should see my purse.

Emergency mylar blanket, Swiss Army knife, compass, monoscope, two tape measures (don't ask me why), matches and Tylenol. Actually, it's not a doomsday purse--just the result of an anxiety disorder.

[Nicole]

111. Very well prepared

I live in tornado alley & ice storm central. I've lost power for a week at a time due to one or the other over the years.

I have enough supplies to shelter in place for at least 6 months. I have a bug out location that is similarly stocked as well. We have a phone tree in place to get family members safely to their designated shelters. Or supplies to them if they can shelter in place.

It doesn't take much money to start stocking your basic supplies. It doesn't have to be done all at once. It can be done with one can of food or bag of beans or rice a week. That would give you 52 stocked items over a year.

You need to be aware of what you are preparing for though. If it's economic reasons, then the rice & beans are better to have than canned foods. If it's a disaster, where water will be in short supply, then canned foods that don't need water to prepare them is the better choice. They also take less fuel to prepare. My supplies are a combination of both because I'm preparing for both.

[BelgianMadCow]

116. What do you mean with a phone tree?

and is it not assuming the landlines / mobile network is still up?

[Nicole]

119. A phone tree is

a list of people, along with their phone numbers, arranged to facilitate a chain of calls in an emergency. The person who gets the first call will, in turn, contact a designated small group of people, who will then call other people and so on.

Now for my family & myself, we live in a some what rural area. So many of us have CB radios, in addition to landlines & mobile phones. Several are farmers and ranchers. They had CB radios mounted in their tractors, trucks and homes long before cell phones existed. My brother installed one in my first car in the 70's because he didn't want me broke down on the road & depending on strangers to stop to help me.

If the phones fail, we can contact each other via the CB. However we are spread out over 200 miles so it's unlikely that all phones will fail at the same time. So we will most likely use a combination of the 3 to touch base with each other.

[BelgianMadCow]

123. Thanks for the clarification. But what is the main purpose of the contact

to establish who is impacted and needs help, or to jointly evacuate, or...
What is the plan if someone can't be reached - and do the calls return back to the tree starter so that someone has an overview of sorts?

Maybe I'm being dense, obviously having a prearranged connection schedule is gonna spare you some confusion.

[Nicole]

133. The main purpose is

just exactly what you posted, to see who is impacted & needs help. It does cut down on the confusion. Just knowing everyone is safe & accounted for gives you peace of mind in a bad situation. The caller at the top of the list is called back often so each family can be checked off the "need to call" list.

If someone can't be reached by phone, then the person closest to them will try to physically make contact. So having alternate forms of communication avoids going to search for someone who has already left home. If a tornado has knocked down power lines, blocking the regular route of evacuation, a person can save time by avoiding that route and meeting elsewhere.

When the OKC bombing happened I couldn't call my family in OKC, all the circuits were busy. That was back before cell phones were as popular as they are now. Who knows, those circuits would probably have been busy too. As I posted above, most of us in rural areas have had CBs for years. After the OKC bombing my family members who live in the city decided to get them too.

[marions ghost]

148. this ability to network

seems very important.

Communication is often overlooked when people do disaster preparation. Typical of our society, it's everyone out for themselves. Actually a lot of people will need help, no matter how much water and canned food they stock up on. People in rural areas are used to looking out for each other, but this is not true in cities and suburbs. I call it "primitive in sububia."

We need some community-based disaster preparedness plans --to cover neighborhoods before larger agencies respond (as we saw in Katrina this was sadly lacking).

[Quantess]

114. Not to make light of this thread, as it is valuable.....

Remember when FEMA advised people to put cans of tuna under their bed? It was around January or February, when the bird flu was being hyped. Yes, that's right, store cans of tuna under your bed, to prepare for bird flu in the U.S.:crazy:

[Balderdash]

115. Don't get me started on FEMA

There are several versions of a t-shirt down here in Katrina Land
for FEMA, one of my favorites is: FEMA = Fix Everything My Ass

[laura888]

117. Can someone make some recommendations?

It's difficult to think of all possibilities...

Here are my concerns -

- Communication. All I have is a cell phone. When my battery runs down and I don't have access to electricity, I'll be out of luck. But what exactly are the alternatives if electricity goes down??

- Money. Is cash the best way, or should I consider investing in gold coins or something?

- Someone recommended a bicycle. Can you explain?


If anyone can recommend a book, that'd be fabulous.

thanks for any info!

[Nicole]

120. Don't you have a car charger

for your cell phone?

[laura888]

126. No. I should get one. But in many scenarios...

...a car will be a burden.

[BelgianMadCow]

124. I can try : for money, yes cash was suggested upthread.

Don't count on ATM, but don't spend all your money on supplies either, you can't carry that much if you have to flee.

The bicycle I started talking about - but it was slightly off topic - it would not be that useful to flee a disaster obviously.

I was thinking more about a prolonged period without gas, and how to deal with that, rather than deaming with a life-threatening disaster.

Regarding electricity, I noticed in this thread solar powered battery chargers are the thing for those needs. No idea what it costs though, gonna google.

[BelgianMadCow]

125. Solar powered battery charger : link

http://www.baproducts.com/asccustompages/products.asp?ProductID=2537

Not expensive, will not charge your mobile phone battery I think though.

[laura888]

127. Wonderful! thanks! n/t

[pitohui]

137. a debit card will be needed, not just cash

again, bear in mind we have real world experience of a large scale disaster now

after katrina, while fleeing rita, many gas stations were somehow set up so that people who had credit/debit cards could buy gas to fill their cars even tho the attendants had already evac'd

people who had only cash could not pay, because there was no person there to take their money, it was automated

some people charged not only their own gas but the gas of whoever was in line behind them, but if everybody has cash, could be a real mess

of course over a pretty wide area you couldn't buy gas at all, there was no supply, so all the gold coins in the world wouldn't help you, it would just make you a target for looters

[pitohui]

136. the cell phone won't work anyway, don't worry about it

all 504, 985, and at least one mississippi area code was out for WEEKS by cell phone

cell phones are fine for emergencies that only impact YOU such as your car breaks down

they were useless in katrina, not just for days, but for weeks

not that landlines were much better

[laura888]

141. Wow - good to know.

So forget about phone communication? What are the alternatives?

[Nevernose]

142. Hand-crank electrical appliances: radios, flashlights, battery chargers

In a serious collapse of society -- nuclear war, zombie holocaust, that sort of thing -- gold wouldn't be any more precious than paper money. Paper money might even be MORE precious, because you can not only write on it, you could wipe your butt with it. The solution? Barter goods, and the lighter weight the better. Fishing equipment, spare batteries, seeds, that sort of thing.

You can cook anything with a solar cooker. You can purify water with nothing but a clear plastic sheet and the sun, but boiling it is better, and a portable water purifier (backpackers and campers use them a lot nowadays) is best.

Learn how to start a fire without matches or a lighter, and learn how to start a fire without anything manmade at all.

A bicycle will work when the gasoline runs out, plus it's quiet, so bandits and scavengers will have less notice you're in the area, and, above all, a bicycle is simple and reliable. Plus they can go a lot of places where other vehicles can't (you could, e.g., throw one over a fence you want to cross) and they can navigate the roads/highways clogged with broken-down motor-vehicle traffic.

There's a good website for survivalists, too, with an excellent (if a little right wing) forum. I'll tell you when I think of the name, sorry :).

As far as books go, a couple I have on the shelves are
"98.6: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive"
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1586852345/sr=1-1/qid=1155083193/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-0190484-6670462?ie=UTF8&s=books

"SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea"
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060578793/sr=1-1/qid=1155083240/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-0190484-6670462?ie=UTF8&s=books

And the "Boy Scout Field Guide" and a couple of other Boy Scout publications are always great to have around.

And no, I'm not a psycho. Originally I was doing some research for another one of my many abortive novels. A buddy and I take our families camping together, we started talking about survival skills, and we decided to put together some supplies for different situations: what if we break down in the middle of the Mojave? What if we got lost in the Southern Utah mountains in the spring? What if we got lost while hiking, and are thgus carrying less, as opposed to haveing one of those old CCC bridges washout, leaving us stranded in the woods for a week or two? What if, god forbid, there really WAS a nucular war?

So we started playing around with this stuff when we went camping, starting fires and making snares and catching fish, stuff like that, and buying things off e-bay and generally collecting useless crap :). A hobby.

[Dead_Parrot]

143. Some suggestions

-Communication: Depends on your needs:
If the power is out, the cell phone masts will follow, so you won't have coverage anyway (how long depends on the mast - They normally have a battery back-up, but not more than 12 hours AFAIK. Not that a battery will help if a hurricane has dumped the mast in a tree 50 miles away...).
If you want to get information, a good radio will be best - But make sure you've spare batteries, the solar recharge option or a hand-crank.
If you want to stay in touch with someone locally, go for CBs - but again, check you got options for batteries.
If you want to able to phone your uncle in Scotland, you're down to a satellite phone - although if you're planning for an oil-crash-type scenario, they'll start to fail as well before long.

-Money: Definitely cash. If you're planning on a long/indefinite emergency, Something like Krugerrands might be worth looking at you can afford the investment.

-Bicycle: Fits in between a car and boots on the useful scale. Better than nothing if you're going for help and the fuel has gone, but it depends on your circumstances. I wouldn't fancy trying to out-run Katrina on one.

As for books:
I mentioned (slightly tongue-in-cheek) the "SAS Survival Handbook" by John Wiseman:
There's also "Eddie McGee's Complete Book of Survival" - by another ex-SAS guy whose name you can probably guess. :)
Some friends of mine have recommended preparedness now, but I've not read it yet, so don't blame me if it's rubbish :P

edited for slight readability. :)

[Catherine Vincent]

118. Kick!

(for reading later)

[readmoreoften]

121. I live in Manhattan in a 250sq foot apartment with no car.

Tell me how to prepare. I have a 15 minute supply oxygen mask to get my girlfriend and I out of the building if need be. That's if someone doesn't rip it off my head in the stairwell because they're suffocating. If there is a hurricane, I could barricade myself in the building if it wasn't seriously damaged, but my ability to protect myself from the other strangers in the 250 unit building might be difficult.

And then once you make it out into the streets, you're dependent on whatever martial law comes down. Whether or not the soldiers or FEMA let you pass to safety, etc.

S-I-T-T-I-N-G D-U-C-K

Oh, and talking about ducks. I really should buy duct tape.

[BelgianMadCow]

122. Tough one indeed - for me at least

I think being prepared in an urban environment is just more difficult in general.

Do you have at least 72 hours of food and water available? That should be feasible. Also, the emergency bag ready to go containing other supplies for a couple of days as described upthread.

You could try to set up a car pool for such an ocasion with someone in the building, a relative or a friend.

MercurioATC may have some other useful tips for you; I'm hoping he shows up again.

[readmoreoften]

139. He he no one has a car in Manhattan....

Even the few wealthy people I do know with cars (it costs abotu $700 a month in garage fees) live on the upper west side, which is a 20 minute drive without a disaster. The best way to get out of the city is by train. If the trains aren't running, I'm stuck. Period. As far as food goes. I tend to keep emergency energy bars in the house. I can't fit actual "food". I only have a "kitchenette" which means a minifridge and a sink. Every inch of space is occupied. There isn't even enough room for a spare gallon of water in my kitchen cabinet, although I might stash a few liters somewhere.

Basically, it's all a matter of getting out of the city early. After the trains stop running, under a lot of circumstances, NY would be like a death camp.

For instance, if a hurricane hits, I'll be okay because I'm not in a highrise. I'd just have to barricade myself in and wait until its safe to go in the streets.

The most likely scenario, though, is that I wouldn't do anything until my girlfriend and I found one another. Eh, gives new meaning to victim of love.

[pitohui]

138. in event of a hurricane you need to evac early if you're carless

since you have no car, you will be relying on public transport such as train out of the area

this means you will have to leave early, while it's still possible to get a seat -- however the great thing about hurricanes is that you DO see them coming

this means that you will sometimes have a storm headed your way, get off work, spend money to leave town -- and the storm turns and you're out the money it cost you to evacuate

it just sucks but the alternative -- being called an idiot by people sitting safely in the midwest because you got killed by flying debris is prob. a lot suckier

you are not allowed to own a gun in manhattan, are you? in that case, all of the bad guys would be aware that the good guys are weaponless, i don't see how you can reasonably plan on sheltering in place in such a scenario -- how would you protect yourself? how would you protect your girl?

i really think we need to get some tech to put a stop to these storms, i believe a hit on manhattan would pretty much destroy the usa if not the world economy, not to mention the horrific loss of life -- even a cat 2 hurricane is more powerful than any thermonuclear weapon -- i don't see how we can tolerate such storms threatening the northeast coast -- just look at what happened on the gulf coast with infinitely lower population densities -- it don't bear thinking about

[readmoreoften]

140. That's true, I forgot (duh) I'd have warning of a hurricane.

I'd get out of town and take my partner with me.

[hunter]

128. Some of my neighbors still support George W. Bush.

I wonder if they are good to eat? From what I've seen they sure as hell don't run very fast, and even though they have guns, I figure I'll get them when they are watching Dennis Miller on Fox News.

[BelgianMadCow]

129. You should be okay then, you have meat, water and a lot of hot air

so basics are covered :-)

(Your suggestion gave me a flashback to the "Dune" habit of recycling every droplet of water from their dead - in a ritual called preserving the water for the tribe)

Just throw a couple of those Purification tablets on 'em for good measure though.

On second thought : don't bank entirely on it, they may turn out to have been raptured.

[hunter]

134. If they are raptured I can take their stuff without any qualms at all.

Meanwhile, I'll encourage them to stockpile food, water, medicine, and toilet paper.

[BelgianMadCow]

130. Signing off for the night with this interesting gov site

Yesterday I streamed Mike Malloy's show from WhiteRoseSociety and heard no less than two ads by the DHS for disaster preparedness, plugging the site

www.ready.gov

It feels pretty strange to read the site knowing the heckuva nonjob they did regarding Katrina - but the Emergency Kit Checklist corresponds to suggestions in this thread, so it may be useful to people.

[TheWraith]

131. Not overly prepared.

Usually have a roughly one-week stock of food, and some bottled water. I have a well, so the latter isn't a big issue. Worst case scenario, my cats love to bring home mice and leave them on the floor for me. :P

Frankly, I don't see the need to prepare for a major disaster. My area isn't affected by hurricanes, or wildfires, or anything massive like that. We get bad storms now and then, but nothing we can't ride out, even in the winter. I don't think bird flu or the like is ever going to happen, and I doubt that any terrorist attack, even if it happened, would interfere with basic things like food. So I'm not really worried, save perhaps about losing power--when a tree branch took down lines in my front yard a week ago, it took the power company nearly two hours to show up. Admittedly, it did happen at 4 AM...

[Midlodemocrat]

132. We're pretty well prepared.

Several cases of bottled water. Generator. Ability to burn wood in the fireplace if that occurred.

Propane and gas grills. Lots of canned goods. Lots of stuff in the freezer that could be cooked.

[LWolf]

147. Prepared for what?

I have some fuel. I have a wood stove and a huge supply of wood. I have a well, but need electricity to run the pump. I have a large flock of chickens and some sheep. I also have a dog, a couple of cats, and some horses.

What, exactly, am I supposed to be prepared for?

[Doctor Venmkan]

149. To be "on your own."

The way I look at it. Assume that the grocery store, pharmacy, power plant, police departmen...all those great things we take for granted...just vanished.

Having enough "stuff" on hand and the skills to improvise what you may need, assuming that your resources are limited to what is in your home right now...

[LWolf]

150. Almost.

I need a windmill, cistern/watertanks, some grass seed and irrigation equipment, and to do some digging with a backhoe; then I'm fine.

Windmill to pump water into tanks, backhoe to dig under the bedrock to create a relatively temperature-controlled place for food storage, grass seed to improve pastures. I've got sheep for meat and milk, chickens for meat and eggs, horses to pull, haul, and tow things, a greenhouse, an orchard, a woodstove for heat AND a wood cookstove. A river 2 miles away to fish in, and deer all over the place.