Disaster Preparedness

[LaMemChose]

Originally Posted by Foolish Old

CASH - very important post disaster.

Yeppers and in an assortment of denominations because those who accept cash for whatever you wish to buy may not have smaller bills to make change. Some merchants may try to gouge anyway (hopefully not), but you don't want to give a reason to pay higher prices.

[adi chicago]

Originally Posted by Foolish Old

CASH - very important post disaster.

i agree ..........a gun as well to show respect to predators[humans and animals]

[betheny]

I keep wondering what it's like to NOT know that someplace near you will blow away each spring, that somebody near and dear won't lose electricity for 10 days each winter...LOL. Do you get bored?

[dan_nc]

I'm not in an area prone to natural disasters, but that does have me thinking about what supplies I ought to bank just-in-case things happen.

So, I'm listing catheters, surgilube, a week's worth of meds, flashlights, cash. I'll probably get some kind of hand-crank lights and radios too.

[Tom]

January has not been kind to us here in the Ozarks lately. First in Jan '07 we took a huge hit from this ice storm with power being out for as long as 15 days for some. I live along a medium sized street so I was only in the dark for 4 days, but I came to realize how ill-prepared I was. Not so much the cold, just burrow under some extra blankets, but no candles, nothing to pass for a lamp. I've got a 4D Maglite, and a SureFire 6P, both excellent and very bright, but neither are really that useful as long-term light source. So once the sun went down, you couldn't read and boredom would set in. My stove is gas, so I could still cook so long as I could see, but I scarcely had any food at the time.

What struck me the most over the course of those 2 weeks were the differences in who had money, and who did not. The haves managed to secure shelter in warm and comfortable hotel rooms, and ate out, the have-nots huddled in shelters throughout the city and struggled as public resources became strained. More than a few folks in the region gassed themselves to death by using generators and/or kerosene lamp heaters improperly.

So over the course of the summer I bought lots of tall candles at a local grocery store for about a dollar, each one should last for a couple days almost. Also got a couple multipurpose light/lamps that run on 4 D cells and can be adjusted. $4 at Walmart, plus lots of batteries. You can never have too many batteries for everything. I also got a small chest freezer. Overall I'm much better prepared for another long-term power outage, although again I'm behind the curve money wise.

Then THIS year, same day I lost my present job in fact (hopefully I'll get it back but that is another story), we were raked over by a huge tornado outbreak - Greene County had 7 separate tornado warnings between dinner time and about 3am when the last twister actually hit in town. It was surreal - I just kept my eyes on the TV (the local NBC affiliate had nonstop radar and weather coverage for 12 hours), poking my head out the door from time to time and waiting for that seemingly inevitable roaring sound, which thankfully never materialized. As for shelter my apartment is so small there's only one place to go, which is the shower stall. Apartment building used to be a middle school locker room, I think - all the walls are cinder block, even the shower with exposed plumbing (yeah its cheap all right!).

But the real problem would have been that 'self sufficient for 72 hours' thing - well, when a twister obliterates everything around you, that's pretty tough. I figure I'd have done what most folks would do - take out the cell phone and call a friend and see about staying there till I could pick up the pieces.

The news out of the South keeps getting more and more grim - I wonder abuout a lot of towns that got hit - I've got old classmates and other acquaintaces everywhere in Arkansas since I went to a boarding school down there, and more all across the South. Nothing I can do except pray for the best and hope I don't hear a name I know on the TV

Tom

[trainman]

I don't have much of a disaster plan, probably not good when living with a vent. However, I have my internal battery on the bed vent, chair vent that goes 12-14 hours. Then vehicles in the garage with batteries that can plug things in, as well as grandparents about 5 miles away with farm equipment with generators. So, I could make it work if it came to it.

Meds are usually in stock as well as supplies for cathing and everything. Now, if the house caught fire, I would be SOL, except for the hospital a few blocks away.

[sjean423]

BEtheny .... and I find it had to imagine the opposite. In Connecticut, the worst we get is the edge of a hurricane, occasional really BAD snowstorm or and ice storm. In all cases the typical consequences are power failure. Everything else is still there.

Good point on the cash! And the non electric cell phone charger.

Trainman ..... you are right about fire. It;s not like you can pick up a catheter at CVS, Let alone all the other equipment and supplies we need.


Thought provoking post JEn

[SCI-Nurse]

JenJen, if you live in CA at all, you live in a earthquake zone. Where were you during the Northridge earthquake (just a few short miles down the road from you in Burbank)????

From the standpoint of your SCI/disability, the things you should consider include the following:

Always have at least a week's worth (two is better) of your needed supplies and meds. If you keep them in a separate area from your usual supplies, be sure to rotate them to avoid getting anything outdated.

Consider keeping at least a couple day's worth of supplies and meds in your car in case you are prevented from returning to your home in the case of a disaster. Again, rotate these often as the heat in a car can cause faster deterioration.

Notify your local fire and police department that you have a mobility disability. See if they have special markings to put on your bedroom window or home, or other procedures to assure that you will be checked on in case of a disaster.

If you are dependent upon attendant care have a back-up plan. In a major disaster your PCA may not be able to get to you, and in reality, their priority with be their own safety and the safety of their own family.

Ask a neighbor to check on you in case of a disaster, even if it is just to be sure that you are OK (and to call for help otherwise).

Keep a list of doctors' names and contact information in your wallet, and post one on the frig so that any emergency responders can find it easily.

Have a phone you can use in all situations...in bed or in your chair. If you only have cordless phones remember they won't charge after a power loss, and if the base-station is dependent upon electricity, they may not work at all. Try to have at least one regular old-fashioned phone in your home someplace that you can use. Cell phone service may also be disrupted.

Don't put bookcases, etc. over your bed if you live anyplace where you could conceivably have an earthquake.

Try to keep at least a half-tank of gas in your car or van so that you can drive some time/distance without needing to refuel in an emergency.

Ideally, have two wheelchair accessible exits from your home in case one is blocked with debris or there is a fire blocking one exit.

Of course everyone should have an emergency kit that includes food and water, sun block, a hat, jacket, shoes, a flashlight, blanket and a radio that you can quickly grap or throw into the car. You can pack these into a back-pack or tote bag. I keep my camping gear in a couple boxes that I can throw into the car in case I have to evaucate too.

After our recent fires, the things people lost and regretted the most were family photos. Consider scanning your older photos and putting onto a CD-ROM or two that you keep in a safety deposit box. Update once a year. It can be a family project, and easily shared with others who treasure these items.

Here is a good resource: http://www.jik.com/disaster.html



(KLD)

[JenJen]

KLD,

I actually live in Arizona. Dot, the Animaniac lives in Burbank Sorry for the distraction.

As far as I can tell, my biggest danger would be a failure of my City's infrastructure -- a long-term blackout or loss of water. In the summer when our temps average 110 but often climb even higher, that could quickly be life-threatening for ABs; even sooner for me. The cause of such a failure could also impact shelters, etc.

In the event of something unforseen, I am not currently prepared. Time to think about it though. I've found a couple of sites that sell complete disaster kits. Anyone have one of these? Looks like it may be the easiest way to compile all the right stuff.

Poking around on these sites can make you a little paranoid though. LOL Until today I haven't put much thought into a pandemic or nuclear disaster.

Where do you get a hand-crank charger for your cell phone?

Betheny, when I lived in the Midwest, I dealt with blizzards, floods and tornadoes. I don't miss it at all.

[sjean423]

Jen, I was wondering myself. I've been poking around, These sites have some reviews, as well as links to places to purchase them. I found chargers using AAA batteries, the crank chargers and solar chargers. Pros and cons of all of them. It sounds like the crank charger won't work if your phone is TOTALLY DEAD. Obviously, the AAA charger isn;t a long term thing, eventually you will be out of AAAs too. And solar only works, if it is, well sunny. I haven;t really made any decisions .... I kinda figured I could depend on the car battery to charge mine if I had no power.


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