How prepared for disaster are you?

[LordRaiden]

Today's storm brought an interesting thought to me. If a storm hit or some kind of natural disaster and trashed your house and everything around you, how prepared are you to survive this? Growing up in the country on a farm we learned very quickly to have a lot of emergency supplies just in case something happened, especially considering the closest neighbor was over a mile away and any kind of help from the nearest town was at least a good 20 miles away. So to this day I always make sure I've got plenty of disaster gear (aka candles, cooking stove, distilled water, canned food, blankets, etc) just in case something weird happens.

How prepared for disaster are you?

 

[Regs]

Let me put it to you this way.... If my uncle comes over and farts , my house blows down.

 

[Electric Amish]

There's a store 2 blocks from my house.

 

[LordRaiden]

Ok, what if the whole town was leveled, including the store? Or you were snowed in for 2 weeks with no way to get out? I had that happen to us in like I believe February of 1978. Man, that was one HECK of a blizzard. Freaking snowdrifts were 6-8 feet tall. Shut the whole state down.

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: LordRaiden
Ok, what if the whole town was leveled, including the store? Or you were snowed in for 2 weeks with no way to get out? I had that happen to us in like I believe February of 1978. Man, that was one HECK of a blizzard. Freaking snowdrifts were 6-8 feet tall. Shut the whole state down.

It's only 2 blocks. I can walk.

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: LordRaiden
Ok, what if the whole town was leveled, including the store? Or you were snowed in for 2 weeks with no way to get out? I had that happen to us in like I believe February of 1978. Man, that was one HECK of a blizzard. Freaking snowdrifts were 6-8 feet tall. Shut the whole state down.

I live in Manhattan. If anything happens that shuts everything down, I can always loot.

 

[LordRaiden]

Originally posted by: werk

Originally posted by: LordRaiden
Ok, what if the whole town was leveled, including the store? Or you were snowed in for 2 weeks with no way to get out? I had that happen to us in like I believe February of 1978. Man, that was one HECK of a blizzard. Freaking snowdrifts were 6-8 feet tall. Shut the whole state down.

I live in Manhattan. If anything happens that shuts everything down, I can always loot.

LOL

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: LordRaiden
Ok, what if the whole town was leveled, including the store? Or you were snowed in for 2 weeks with no way to get out? I had that happen to us in like I believe February of 1978. Man, that was one HECK of a blizzard. Freaking snowdrifts were 6-8 feet tall. Shut the whole state down.

If the entirety of Sacramento was leveled, I'd be dead. I would never be snowed in for two weeks. I live in Sacramento.

 

[Bryophyte]

Much better prepared than most of the people in this country, but not quite as prepared as I want to be. Where I live, I can get stranded with no electricity for a few days at a time, with over 3 feet of snow on the ground. But I have 1500 gallons of potable water at all times, a wood stove for heat and cooking (and several cords of firewood I'm almost done splitting and stacking), hens for eggs, cows we could slaughter if we really needed to, 25 lbs of flour, 25 lbs rice, canned goods, freezer full of produce (from garden) and meat. What I want when we build our house (living temporarily in a mobile home), is to have propane for cooking and hot water, and will have a generator hooked up to the propane system so we don't run out of electricity (automatically switches on when power goes out.) Living out in the sticks is great.

 

[rayma2]

not at all prepared

 

[Thegonagle]

I'm perfectly prepared.

If my place burned down, I'd book a room at the Holiday Express 4 blocks away, and then from there, I'd call my insurance agent.

If a tornado took out my building, and then headed straight for the Holiday Express, I'd book a room at the Best Western, then the Embassy Suites, then the Doubletree, etc.

If I was snowed in, I'd start shoveling.

If a skyscraper was knocked down by Osama, I'd walk in the opposite direction from the smoke.

If my city was nuked by N. Korea, I'd be dead.

 

[lowtech1]

Not very.

However, I know the owner of the corner store near my place quite well. I also have bandages, batteries, blankets, flashlights, and bleach for disinfect water. Another thing is that I have a 60 gallon hotwater tank that can be drain for emergency use.

 

[lowtech1]

Originally posted by: LordRaiden
Ok, what if the whole town was leveled, including the store? Or you were snowed in for 2 weeks with no way to get out? I had that happen to us in like I believe February of 1978. Man, that was one HECK of a blizzard. Freaking snowdrifts were 6-8 feet tall. Shut the whole state down.

2 weeks is not thing because you can get water from the snow & you can survive with out food for weeks (and am sure that most people have enought dry food to last them several weeks if need). Water is very important, most can't function with out water for 4 days.

 

[gururu]

Not much one can do when snowed in or bunkered down during a tornado or storm. In these cases, all the local businesses shut down so that the employees can tend to their own. So hotels, motels, stores, are out of the question. No water, no electricity, no gas. At that point one is only as good as the amount of bottled water and non-perishables one has with them. I think, like nearly everyone else in my community, I'd have to resort to looting within 3-4 days. Probably have to eat the family and neighborhood pets within a week or two. Then of course, one can always go fishing. I am a great fisherman.

 

[LordRaiden]

Originally posted by: BigDan
Much better prepared than most of the people in this country, but not quite as prepared as I want to be. Where I live, I can get stranded with no electricity for a few days at a time, with over 3 feet of snow on the ground. But I have 1500 gallons of potable water at all times, a wood stove for heat and cooking (and several cords of firewood I'm almost done splitting and stacking), hens for eggs, cows we could slaughter if we really needed to, 25 lbs of flour, 25 lbs rice, canned goods, freezer full of produce (from garden) and meat. What I want when we build our house (living temporarily in a mobile home), is to have propane for cooking and hot water, and will have a generator hooked up to the propane system so we don't run out of electricity (automatically switches on when power goes out.) Living out in the sticks is great.

Wow, I'm jealous. I may live in the city, but my house is old enough (75+ years) that I've got my own well and septic tank. The only thing I rely on is city power. But I may consider doing what you're doing. Sounds like a good idea.

 

[440sixpack]

Okay, so if society broke down/was wiped out by a disaster, natural or otherwise, I'm doing what all the fools in every movie seem not to do - hit the nearest abandoned police station/military base and get me some automatic weapons!

 

[Soybomb]

I think I have a half of jar of peanut butter and some vodka at my place. In case of an extended emergency I'll eat my neighbors. They're annoying.

 

[Joony]

Originally posted by: 440sixpack
Okay, so if society broke down/was wiped out by a disaster, natural or otherwise, I'm doing what all the fools in every movie seem not to do - hit the nearest abandoned police station/military base and get me some automatic weapons!

YES! no movies ever do that...exactly what I would do if anything like this (god forbid) happens...

 

[Electric Amish]

I do have the basic neccessities....

12ga + 50 rounds
16ga + 50 rounds
22 rifle & pistol + 500 rounds

 

i have guns and bullets...if need be, i will hunt the neighbors i hate, eat them, and eat their food. I would use their house for heat.

 

[lowtech1]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish
I do have the basic neccessities....

12ga + 50 rounds
16ga + 50 rounds
22 rifle & pistol + 500 rounds

Good thing the Russian is not coming for diner.

 

[Jugernot]

Originally posted by: LordRaiden
Ok, what if the whole town was leveled, including the store? Or you were snowed in for 2 weeks with no way to get out? I had that happen to us in like I believe February of 1978. Man, that was one HECK of a blizzard. Freaking snowdrifts were 6-8 feet tall. Shut the whole state down.

If the whole town is leveled and it's to the point that you couldn't get under the rubble to get supplies... well... you are f$cked. Something larger than a hurricane of tornado has happened. Plus, if the whole town was like that... how would you be able to get your supplies from your house?

Don't get me wrong, I understand what you are saying.... just most people aren't going to be prepared for the worst. It's a fact...

 

[LordRaiden]

Geez. All you guys keep picking the wimpy weapons. I don't actually own these, but if I could, this is what I'd have in my "self preservation and protection" arsenal.

4 x M14 + 15000 rounds of ammo.
1 x 50cal + 5000 rounds of ammo.
4 x M16A2 + 125,000 rounds of ammo. (workhorse weapon)
4 x 44cal S&W + 30000 rounds of ammo.

That would be just the warmup too.