Disaster Discussion

[Asiel]

In the case of a wildfire I would leave and no one would have to tell me-- but for anything else I would stay put in my home-- no one tells me when to leave, I control my own destiny and that of any pets that are with me at the time.

[Alysser]

You can't expect me to leave my dog to save my sorry butt. In CERTAIN situations, like fires or bad hurricanes, I'd leave. But floods, tropical storms, etc...I'd choose my own route. I'd probably wind up leaving before it got too bad anyway, and find a safe place for me and MY DOG. You couldn't ask me to leave my dog behind to burn in a fire or drown, sorry. I wouldn't be able to live with myself.

[Karen]

When they issue a "mandatory evacuation" order, Alysser, they don't tell you how you have to go or anything! They just care that you get yourself and your pets/family safely away.

It's funny, because there are signs left over from I guess the Cold War around the Boston area directing people along an "evacuation route," and I have seen them on Cape Cod as well. But here in the Boston area, there are bigger, better roads that have been built since these signs were up, and on Cape Cod, there are limited choices how you're gonna get off the Cape anyway - there are just two big bridges that cross the Cape Cod canal, so unless your car floats, you've only got two choices anyway!

[chocolatepuppy]

My most likely disaster is tornadoes and there is no evacuating from them! Just hit the basement! I do worry about train derailments though. I live between two tracks. I would evacuate if needed, with furkids. The problem is, what if I'm not home? I've seen two trains derail in the 18 years I lived here. One was right on my street. Last year a train derailed up in town and they did evacuate but not as far as my street. I had already gone to work. I would leave work in a heartbeat to come back and get my furkids, but what if they wouldn't let me back in?

[RICHARD]

Moving from CA to KY, the state not the jelly, I am more aware of the weather than I am of the world moving under my feet.

Earthquakes are pretty bad. You do not know when they will hit (I was on the can once when an aftershock shook the building I was in) and being prepared is quite a bit different than waiting for a storm to come thru.

I was on the 10th floor of a hospital when the storm sirens went off (we have talked about them before and us 'old folks' know the fear of hearing one of those in the late 60's/early eighties)

The nurse comes in and pulls the curtains closed, the bed curtain closed and walks out the door.

Not a good feeling when you really don't know what is going to come down.

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

Bascially?

I have my BC, school diploma and all my other certs and papers in a binder, those and the cat's carrier are ready to roll, after that?

I don't have alot, so whatever a storm, hurricane, tornado doesn't take? I'll be happy with that.

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

9/10ths of surviving a disaster happens afterwards, if you do not prepare beforehand and survive?

Good luck with trying to make it past the first 72 hours.

Back in 1971 Sylmar earthquake, we were huddled in the driveway when I asked my mom to call the police.

She looked at me and said, "The police have bigger things to worry about."

And to this day, I refuse to think that any emergency service will drop everything to come to my house.

You have to learn to sink or swim.