Emergency Preparedness

[learnteach]

Ran 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....

Comments

[tugrik.livejournal.com]

*hides his precious satellite phone*

But yes, you speak much truth. I'm still working to get my mobility better online again, but it's a long road...

Har har har.

[learnteach.livejournal.com]

Yah, well, you know where your family is, how to contact them, and where to go--you're ahead of the game. You're certainly not the target of this thought; you could live a month in your dang car through whiteouts, and get around in style in a hungry hungry hippomobile. Your family is ready, and your friends are tough.

but do you have the will? Not the will power, unless it's the will and power of attorney? And do you have a picture of your sisters and kiddo and dad and mom and the Amazing Revar Codemaster?

Those kinda thoughts.

BTW, the van is dead (Donaey es requiem) so the table isn't going to get over to you under my power...perhaps I could could cook you a steak and you could grab it?

Re: Har har har.

[learnteach.livejournal.com]

Sorry: "I'm working on mobility, but it's a long road...." Good pun. Going to go sleep now. :)

Re: Har har har.

[tugrik.livejournal.com]

I'd love dinner, sure, but it's in no way required. I can come snag in the Element, sure. :)

Anything I can do to help with the lack-of-van issue?

Also, if your bike ever gives you woes, you can ride mine if you need. It could use a workout.

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

Good points.

Just the other day, I was talking with the hubby: "So, if there were an emergency, do you think we should stay at home, and wait for you to come to us?" (Yes.)

[marysdress.livejournal.com]

Putting a Go bag together for my tribe isn't easy, although after reading about how a woman packed up for her asthmatic kids when one of those California fires threatened her neighborhood I made a plan, laid in some dust masks and have the meds set out so we could toss them and go. It's transporting enough food that's safe for all of us that would be the hard part. My children laugh about my hording of food in the basement pantry, but in a New England winter with those three I consider it sane and besides I stock up during sales, which is a necessity with three boys. That said, it's been a long time since we reviewed where we'd meet and who would be the phone coordinator. Duh. Will fix that.

My Go-Bag WENT

[iisaw.livejournal.com]

Another thing to consider: disguising the bag as something not very valuable. My go-bag was stolen out of my jeep about six months ago. Maybe I should have wrapped it in a trash bag?

[martianfencer.livejournal.com]

Interesting thoughts.

Here in New England, widespread fire is unlikely, as is an earthquake, and our house is not in a position to be affected by any but a Noachian flood, although a hurricane once put a foot and a half of water into our cellar.

We do have emergencies that keep us house-bound on a regular basis, in the form of weather. These don't require a go-bag, but rather a stay-stash. A basic supply is firewood. (Our furnace suddenly quit about a week ago, when the temperature got down into the single digits. We had a repair guy here at $140/hour, till just after midnight. The heating system stlll hadn't caught up when we woke up in the morning!)

Soon after we moved to New England, I came up with a theory that local character is formed by the type of natural disaster that people expect. For instance, in CA, there are earthquakes. No one knows when one is coming, nor how big it will be, but they have a fairly good idea where they are most likely. People take basic precautions, like not installing bookshelves on the wall above their beds, but otherwise they develop a bit of a fatalistic attitude. And when the big one hits, it hits everyone, and they band together.

In New England, the weather is the hazard, and you know when it's coming, and about how bad it will be, though not exactly where it will hit. Our first year here, I listened in fascination to the radio and TV telling me that the Hurricane Gloria would hit our town at about 3 PM, and the winds would be a certain speed, and we should fill our bathtubs with water now. If you are out and about when the weather hits (whether hurricane, blizzard, or ice storm), it is because you are an ignorant fool, and should have been paying more attention.

[jesijoy.livejournal.com]

I keep a bag that is ready packed with random stuff for the kids and my self if any thing ever happens here.. mostly just weather foo.. my people have 4 wheel drive and can come and fetch us if it gets bad here..I also horde food stuff and I am teaching my self to make most all of the stuff we like to eat from scratch.. I try to keep all the supplies on hand just in case..because with the fun weather that Reno has sometimes it is hard to go out.. not this year so far but you never know..