(Originally posted in early 2004. Like Marc says, seemed relevant again. Speaking as a Canadian, there's a lot to be said for keeping a Canoe, Sea Kayak, or inflatable boat handy in flood-prone areas. Kim du Toit's firearm inclusions, below, may also make more sense to folks as they watch New Orleans on TV these days.)
I know at least 5 bloggers that have full emergency kits ready to go in case of earthquake, flood, fire, major terrorist attack, etc. Not to mention beefed-up first aid kits for general use. They're great ideas, and they can and do save lives - but what should go in them?
You have questions, Winds of Change.NET has answers - plus some real people you can talk to for clarifying information, if you wish:
- Marc "Armed Liberal" Danziger's Super First-Aid Kit is useful in so many situations. If you stock only one of these kits, this is the one most likely to be used.
- Speaking of medical info. and preparations, some thoughts re: people on prescription meds or who need medical devices. People died in New Orleans because they screwed this up. More re: the equally necessary paperwork (which applies equally to people NOT on meds) can be found...
- Here. Don't forget your critical papers, especially if you need to get out of Dodge. Take a look at the list and the reasons you'll need them; they can save you from danger and massive loss, as well as future hassles.
Now, in terms of other disaster-related supplies:
- Blaster's Bug-Out Box. "Remember, it isn't being paranoid, it is being prepared. And, from a practical standpoint, if you keep some stuff like this around, you won't be standing in line at the grocery store before the next snowstorm or hurricane or whatever other emergency might come."
- Marc "Armed Liberal" Danziger has one, too... but it's a "Get Home Kit," and he explains the difference. This is a small, cheap day pack that you can leave in the car or at the office, and a set of supplies at home once you get there.
- Kim du Toit is another member of the Bug-Out Box brigade, which he describes as a "Grab-and-Go" - complete with details and even pictures. Mr. du Toit, who grew up as an anti-apartheid activist in South Africa, also has a grab-and-go kit for his family's emergency guns. Your Mileage May Vary.
- Got pets? Read Robin. Otherwise, the fates this FOX News article describes from New Orleans describes could befall your pets, as well (Hat Tip: Mike Daley).
- Higher still on the threat meter, Jane at Armies of Liberation details her family's preparations for dealing with the possibility of a "dirty bomb" radioactive attack.
Sorting through these lists is fast and useful - but if that gives you headaches, go over to Blake at LaughingWolf.NET and he'll walk you through the most important aspect of these kits: how to make sense of it all via the right thought process, why certain things are included, and some official sources of free information.
"They all boil down to five basic types of damage: personal injury, structural damage, consumables, wire systems, and infrastructure. Five things that are relatively easy to cope with, especially since many of them call for the same basic supplies."
IF you're prepared, of course. Be prepared!
Glad to know I'm not the only one.
Hmmmph. And you don't link to my stuff. :)
Try including a link to your post, Blake, and see what happens...
Okay, it gave me a good post for today to pull all of the posts into one place, which is here (http://laughingwolf.net/archives/001128.html). Thanks for getting me up off my duff to pull those together!
Thanks Dad!
If you have pets, you should also consider how you'll care for them - or if you are willing to abandon them (not a course I suggest, but you need to consider your own choice and prepare for it).
We usually have 4-5 dogs here at any given time and my Jeep is space-limited, so I really have to plan ahead for taking them all with me. My pets are (also) show / competition dogs with long coats, so YMMV on some of this stuff, but here are the items I keep ready (and use on trips regularly):
I keep all the above, except for the food, water and crates, in 2 Tupperware tubs which can be piled into the Jeep on top of crates very quickly. I also have a standard way of packing the Jeep, including my clothes and supplies, so I can get it all crammed in in just a few minutes.
Also, I keep a pretty full set of maps for my region in the car.
Umm... I'm sure you guys would find it soon enough but just in case... entries #7 and #8 are comment spam...
I'll add:
A wonderbar (pry bar) in the bedroom closet, in case we have to pry open jammed doors
Also, be sure to check: does said bedroom or closet have doors that might be jammed?
You might also want TWO of the FRS radios. They come in both license-required and no-license variations; the latter is typically less than $25 and the former occasionally so. (There is a range/power difference and some reserved frequencies for the former.) They are amazingly popular, so other folks in whatever ad hoc group you end up in are likely to have them as well, as are neighboring groups.
Andy -
Yes on the closet doors (shutters in our case) and the FRS radios. I think we have about six of them...I think they breed when left to themselves...
A.L.
My earthquake kit (L.A. area resident) has about 35,000 calories of canned food, 16 gallons of water, blankets, crank-operated radio and two crank-operated flashlights. I have three large commercial first aid kits; two in the house and one in the car.
A generator and supply of fuel is next on the list, but I don't have it yet. In an emergency, my car + inverter can fill that role.
A pair of firearms is on the list to acquire eventually but is lower priority; I only figure I need them if services disintegrate entirely long enough that the city riots and the riots reach out to the most distant suburbs. If I lived closer to downtown they'd be higher priority.
I've always assumed that in a severe loss of power, food, and water, emergency services can get to los angeles within ten days, and based my planning on that.
Small tornadoes have walked over the roof of my house in tornado alley - we keep five day's worth of nonperishable food, water, first aid essentials, batteries and candles, charcoal with starter, plastic wrapped clothes, and travellers' checks all the time.
"in case of earthquake, flood, fire, major terrorist attack, etc."
... not to mention volcanoes ...
Its worth noting the hand-dynamo flashlights and radios. The battery crunch is a lot less if you can use calories instead.
Here:
https://www.snapware.com//product_buy.asp?pf%5Fid=60012&dept%5Fid=6001
is a company whose containers use an actual, separable O-ring for a tight seal. (And it is both water- and air-tight.)