Disaster preparation.

[RICHARD]

What plans do you have in case of a disaster?

What kits do you have handy?

Do you have medicine, money, water put away?

Do you have a car that you can depend on?

Where are your papers? Birth certificates. licenses?

Do you have a place to meet the people in your household should you cannot go home?

What have you done to prepare for a natural diasater?

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Oh gosh, I have NOTHING ready :eek: :rolleyes: . I have a car I can rely on, and there is a candle plus matches under the sink. But that is it!!:o :(

[JenBKR]

I am not prepared either :eek: I do have a red cross first aid kit, but that's about it.

[PJ's Mom]

I don't really have a plan.

I had a sticker on the front door telling the fire dept/police dept that we had pets inside, but hubby said it looked ugly and took it down. :(

Guess I should make some sort of emergency plan.

[furrykidsmother]

We live in NH so we aren't in an area with a high risk, but after 9/11 we did do some preperation. We bought a generator, lots more flashlights and candles, have gallons and gallons of water put aside, have stocked up on things that don't go bad (toilet paper, paper towels, batteries etc.), have more food around that doesn't require any prep such as snack bars, nuts etc., keep more in the car gas tanks then we used to, but still it isn't enough. We have talked more in the past few days though of what we would do and should do to be prepared.

[elizabethann]

We live in NH so we aren't in an area with a high risk,

Hello fellow NH pet person. I used to think they same thing but then I remembered the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant. But then again, if that blows....we ALL go (no matter where we live).

Don't mean to scare you, but you just never know.

Now with that said, am I prepared? No (and I live 35 minutes away from the thing).

I put a thread on Dog General and Cat General about pet preparedness and got some good ideas as to how I should prepare if anything bad happens. Let's hope I'll never have to use any of those ideas.

[Lady's Human]

Seabrook CAN'T "blow", but that's another thread entirely.

As far as emergency prep, we haven't done much, but we're off in the boonies. We have fireplaces in the house which would be fine for cooking and heating, we have wood stockpiled, and we normally shop for a month at a time, so food isn't a problem.

[elizabethann]

Seabrook CAN'T "blow", but that's another thread entirely

I didn't mean that literally

[furrykidsmother]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by elizabethann

[B]Hello fellow NH pet person. I used to think they same thing but then I remembered the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant. But then again, if that blows....we ALL go (no matter where we live).[quote]


Hi back! You are right, I don't know how I overlooked that risk. I have no idea how to prepare for a situation like that. We are also only about 1/2 an hour away.

[jackie]

The only things I have in the house for an emergency is bottled water and candles. :(

[popcornbird]

Honestly? NOTHING! Yes we do have three reliable cars, and we do know where our papers and everything are in case we need them, but anything else? Nope. Funny too, because we live in California, land of the earthquakes, and from the very beginning of life, they've ALWAYS taught us at school to keep emergency stuff in an accessible place. But do we? Nope. We should...definitely.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

One thing's for sure, we are learning from the hurricane Katrina disaster, we are going to have no help from the government if we need it.

I do have water on hand. I also have extra batteries and a radio that cranks up and doesn't need batteries and one flashlight like that too. I try to keep extra food on hand also.

I need two more kitty carriers but could make do if needed with what I have.

My papers are all in a portable fire proof safe that I can load in the car fast.

[elizabethann]

radio that cranks up and doesn't need batteries

Those hand-cranked radio's are pretty cool and great to have around when you lose electricity and don't have batteries. I'd like to get one of those.

[Lady's Human]

One serious issue that has come to light in this and many other disasters is the fact that the Federal Government is by law hamstrung when it comes to disaster relief. They can't do anything until after the fact. They can plan and prepare for disasters, but when it comes to the actual disaster they can't DO anything until the disaster has happened. For instance, one of the best assets we have for evacuation WOULD be the military, however, the federal military cannot act within the US as a police force. The National Guard can, however most Governors wait until after the fact to call them out. A governor must request assistance from the US before the US can help.

One serious question:

New Orleans is on average 5'-10' below sea level in an area that is prone to hurricanes. Why rebuild it?

[smokey the elder]

That's a very good question. I think the jury is very much out on whether it ought to be rebuilt, at least in that site. Perhaps they can site a "New" New Orleans in a less vulnerable place. Either that or they need to build the Rotterdam Gates, giant movable gates that are a second layer of protection. Unfortunately, it took like a generation to build these.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I don't think they should rebuild unless they can find a way from keeping something like this from happening again.
Such a sad sad thing! :(

[LorraineO]

I dont think the ppl who live in N O would care too much for your comments on why should it be built again,,,,, I think they would say because its our home???

NO has a rich history and has been around for a very long time.....

Lets face it,,, the whole Florida and gulf coasts are prone to hurricanes,,,, did anyone ask why rebuild after all the other devastating hurricanes?? Of course not....its obvious,,,, because its thier home!

We can expect storme like Katrina to increase in the future... and thats a fact. So will be rebuilding entire communities and cities... Its the price we pay for living on the coasts.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Originally posted by LorraineO
I dont think the ppl who live in N O would care too much for your comments on why should it be built again,,,,, I think they would say because its our home???

NO has a rich history and has been around for a very long time.....

Lets face it,,, the whole Florida and gulf coasts are prone to hurricanes,,,, did anyone ask why rebuild after all the other devastating hurricanes?? Of course not....its obvious,,,, because its thier home!

We can expect storme like Katrina to increase in the future... and thats a fact. So will be rebuilding entire communities and cities... Its the price we pay for living on the coasts. I'm sorry, I don't mean they should NOT rebuild, I just think when they do, they should try to put a plan in to keep this from happening again. I should have said they shouldn't rebuild UNTIL they have a plan in effect. Maybe some type of back up plan to keep the pumps working if the power goes out or reenforcing the levees or something. It would be easier to do it when the city is rebuilding than after it's rebuilt

The entire country would do well to look into a back up communication system to use in disasters. And also for getting everyone out and what to do with them if they have to be removed.

Let's face it, no one wants to go through this again. There just has to be a better way.

[LorraineO]

According to CNN... the levees were built to sustain against cat 3 hurricanes,,, perhaps in the future,, they will make them stronger in accordance to the growing intensity of the weather and higher as well.
Its obvious that the Govt underestimated the devastation Kastrina would inflict on the surrounding areas and hence,, the slow and almost utter lack of support and rescue ppl for those who were forced to stay behind. Its a shame as its costing entire families and pets thier lives. Help is coming too little and defiantly too late.

[cali]

absolutly nothing, while we do gets tornados and plow winds, this house has been standing since '44 without a lick of damage from storms, its litterlly impossable to get an earthquake here(the entire provence is on a tetonic plate so movements dont effect us) and we dont get ropical storms cuz well we dont have water unless you count wascana creek

[catland]

We're in a fairly low-risk area. We're inland, so even if a mega-tsunami were to hit the Oregon coast, it would have to come 70 miles upstream before getting to Portand and the surrounding areas. We also don't have major earthquakes (although we need to remember that the devistating quake in Kobe, Japan, was not on a known major fault-line.)

It is my belief that anyone who has a "lets wait for the government to save me" is asking for trouble. That is a dangerous mentality to encourage.

Ok, well, let me digress - some years back Chicago had an overwheming snow storm. Everyone waited for the government to fix things. Cars were on the streets and in the way of plows. It was a nightmare. The mayor didn't "rescue" enough - and he lost his re-election bid. Sure enough, the new mayor eventually faced the same type of storm. What did she do? She told the people to get their cars out of the streets, to check on their neighbors, to actively take part in getting the city out of the predicament that it was in.

She showed leadership.

Now I can't begin to guess how horrible conditions are down there right now - but if I was running a town that was below sea-level and surrounded on three sides by water - I would have had a pretty good disaster plan ready to go.

[RICHARD]

hey, Y'all!

Remember, Natural Disasters only happen when you are at home....wink, wink....:eek:

Your car.

Take a duffle bag or a back pack and put 20 bucks and a handful of change in it. Find some old underwear, t shirts, sweats and pants stuff them in.

Old sturdy shoes.

LARGE PLASTIC BAGS, 5 or six..

Why? Use is as a poncho, carrying sack, a place to sleep in, inflate and use it to get across a river or stream, a place to put your gear in to keep it dry....

A few cans of sardines, Spam and all the crap you wouldn't
normally eat goes in next. Some hard candy and gum.

Cigarettes, matches, a disposable lighter. pocket knife, wire and nylon string.

Cigarettes?? To trade or to make friends with....trust me...

a few bottles of water and what ever else you can think of.

First aid kit. Go to Target and get small bottles of shampoo, baby powder, chap stick, vaseline...


Batteries and a flashlight, small hand cranked radio.

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This is California Crazy but you can put together a small, light pack together and if the fit hits the shan you are ready to get on the road or get home....


Next?

The Home Edition of 'Save yer Butt!!'

;)

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by RICHARD
Cigarettes, matches, a disposable lighter. pocket knife, wire and nylon string.

Cigarettes?? To trade or to make friends with....trust me...




Just saw the picture of the man that was beaten to a pulp for asking for a cigarette..


Holy shiat...

----------------------------------

The Home Edition of "Save Yer Butt"


A small tool box,
Pliers, hammer screwdrivers, wire, rope, screws..

DUCT TAPE, plenty of duct tape

Plastic tarps, plastic bags, water jugs that can be collapsed.

A few gallons of bleach

old cooking pots. plastic spoons, forks and knifes. paper towels
TOILET PAPER

a cheap propane camping stove, extra propane

lighter, matches, candles. propane lantern, more tanks of propane.

[slick]

Richard, thanks for this thread. Although in my 53 years living here, there have been no major earthquakes, no hurricanes, no tornadoes.....no horrific disasters whatsoever, but that doesn't mean that it won't happen.

No, I'm not prepared at all. I'm on the 14th floor of a highrise apartment....if there was a major earthquake and I was home, I'm sure that me and my furbabies would all meet our maker at the same time.

That being said, I do vow to become more prepared by taking your advice (Wow, when was the last time I said that??:eek: :D ) and start preparing an emergency kit.

[RICHARD]

Part II

Old clothes, underwear

Money and change.
Copy all your records and keep them in a box you can take in a moments notice.


First aid kit. Some of those mylar/aluminum blankets

batteries, flashlight. hand cranked, solar powered radio

Food....

Here's a hint.

POWDERED EVERYTHING.

You can boil water to get it safe and put 8 drops of bleach into each gallon of water to really make it safe..

Powdered coffee, soft drink mix, soup, chocolate. Bullion cubes.
sugar, powdered milk.

You'll be sick of powdered food but it sure beats starving plus you are getting water out of it.

Hard candy. tropical chocolate...

Here's two items that will make you laugh, but when you open up the box you will be glad you have them.........


Tampons and kotex.....

Tampons for the women and Kotex for dressing in cases some one gets really hurt....

You will not laugh when you have a huge wound and someone saves your life with a sanitary pad.

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You can fit all the stuff you need into a small plastic box.



You do not have to spend a million dollars getting a 'professional'
survival kit put one together yourself and be prepared.

During the 1994 earthquake I was 40 miles away.

I drove home with a lump in my throat and a heavy heart.

I pulled into the driveway to find my family in the backyard, eating and drinking, safe and shaken.......

My mom looked at me and apologized for 'breaking into the stuff'


When you have no electricity and the gas is shut off to the house a good cup of hot coffee, some hot chow, prepared on a camping stove will make you feel alot better.



Remember, it will never happen to you where you live.


But if it does, come on over, I'll have a cup of coffee for you.:eek: :rolleyes: :confused: