![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Emergency Preparedness
Jan. 21st, 2008 01:08 amRan across a number of posts on go-bags today. Fairly interesting in a rather clueless way, as people squabbled about what to put in an evac bag (emergency pack, etc.) but never really asked the relevant question that I believe you MUST answer before you put a bag together.
<lj-cut>
What sort of emergency would force you to be evacuated from your home/place of work/car? (The three locations where you might put a gobag.)
Secondarily, what role are you going to be playing in that emergency?
Where I live in Sunnyvale, I'd be evaced for a fire, or possibly a major flood. Doubtful on both of those; the only other probability is a major civil disaster (earthquake, uprising, Bush becoming mayor and declaring war on Cupertino, whatever.) In the first case I need to be able to walk out to the gather point. In the second case I need to survive long enough to gather the clan and do the next step.
So what do I really need?
I need to be able to travel to my Mother's place in Mountain View by a number of possible paths. If I'm at home, I've got the bike (motorcycle) and shank's mare. Can I get there at night if the power is gone? Do I know a safe route if major streets are down? Can I walk the 5 miles reasonably?
I need to be able to communicate, if at all possible. The cell system's fragile; the phone is better but not great on a floodplain in earthquake country. Odds are after an emergency, when you get access to communication services the local last mile will still be out. So, I'll call our a agreed upon emergency co-ordinator who everyone is supposed to call. Where's the number?
So, the upshot of all of this is: Take a long walk with a friend, it'll help in case of emergency. More than most anything else.
Serious emergencies--that's another matter. Yes, I can survive 3 days. Yes, I have a month's supply of food laid in (but not water...need to fix that. Although I do have purification methods and a local creek, but...this is a superfund cleanup valley.)
******
More to the point, the most likely emergencies aren't general at all. They are personal/family emergencies--accidents, illnesses, the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. I've seen a few of those (not like some) and my conclusion? A good will, some estate planning, and taking care of my health as much as possible.
Back to those long walks with friends. Hmmm.
There's a plan for next week....
<lj-cut>
What sort of emergency would force you to be evacuated from your home/place of work/car? (The three locations where you might put a gobag.)
Secondarily, what role are you going to be playing in that emergency?
Where I live in Sunnyvale, I'd be evaced for a fire, or possibly a major flood. Doubtful on both of those; the only other probability is a major civil disaster (earthquake, uprising, Bush becoming mayor and declaring war on Cupertino, whatever.) In the first case I need to be able to walk out to the gather point. In the second case I need to survive long enough to gather the clan and do the next step.
So what do I really need?
I need to be able to travel to my Mother's place in Mountain View by a number of possible paths. If I'm at home, I've got the bike (motorcycle) and shank's mare. Can I get there at night if the power is gone? Do I know a safe route if major streets are down? Can I walk the 5 miles reasonably?
I need to be able to communicate, if at all possible. The cell system's fragile; the phone is better but not great on a floodplain in earthquake country. Odds are after an emergency, when you get access to communication services the local last mile will still be out. So, I'll call our a agreed upon emergency co-ordinator who everyone is supposed to call. Where's the number?
So, the upshot of all of this is: Take a long walk with a friend, it'll help in case of emergency. More than most anything else.
Serious emergencies--that's another matter. Yes, I can survive 3 days. Yes, I have a month's supply of food laid in (but not water...need to fix that. Although I do have purification methods and a local creek, but...this is a superfund cleanup valley.)
******
More to the point, the most likely emergencies aren't general at all. They are personal/family emergencies--accidents, illnesses, the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. I've seen a few of those (not like some) and my conclusion? A good will, some estate planning, and taking care of my health as much as possible.
Back to those long walks with friends. Hmmm.
There's a plan for next week....
