Disaster worker survival issues

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by flunky, May 3, 2008.


  1. flunky

    flunky Monkey++

    This might be an interesting exercise for some.

    I'm a Health Dept. field worker, so in a SHTF scenario - esp. one involving disease - I'd be part of the Gov't. coming by and sticking my nose into your business and whatnot.

    Sorry in advance taser1 Actually, I'm a decent guy and agree with most of you about the role and limitations of Gov't.

    Most preparedness scenarios imagine you'll be surviving on your own - but what preparations, equipment, etc would you recommend if your job was to run a shelter, decontaminate an area or prevent the spread of a plague?

    Remember that you'd have limitations - no unauthorized firearms, for example - but you'd have a panicked population to deal with, face to face.

    -Mark
     
  2. ColtCarbine

    ColtCarbine Monkey+++ Founding Member

    Please explain no unauthorized firearms, what would be considered an authorized firearm, anything purchased legally, somebody with a CCW permit? [dunno]
     
  3. flunky

    flunky Monkey++

    Sure, CC.

    What I meant is that I'd be part of a team, thus I couldn't bring along my AK or anything not issued. Believe it or not, I'd prob'ly go to jail for that. This would likely include CCWs, and other legal arms.

    Of course, I do have things like an all-plastic knife, but wonder about other items, if anybody has suggestions.

    Issues for me currently are things like: Transport to rally points [and surviving getting there, if required], riots, contagion, etc., and what to do if I can't fulfill my duties [cut off, complete collapse of order, etc].

    It puts a slightly different spin on the usual survival scenario.
     
  4. ColtCarbine

    ColtCarbine Monkey+++ Founding Member

    I'm a little slow this morning thanks for the clarification [peep]
     
  5. flunky

    flunky Monkey++

    Also, I should add that in part my curiosity is getting the POV from persons NOT working the disaster - how would they see the role I'd play as a disaster worker.

    Like if you're holed up in your house and seeing me come up your driveway. Anything I should do or not do?
     
  6. sheen_estevez

    sheen_estevez Monkey+++

    First thing I would do is turn around you don't want to come up my driveway. No offense
     
  7. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Don't even think about coming up my driveway without calling ahead. You might be welcome, then again, maybe not. A very high risk occupation, I think, that you are in. I should think that approaching any dwelling in dire times just about requires advance notice for the safety of all involved. With infectious disease, you could well bring it in with you, no point to that I can see.

    Another thing just popped into my head: Somehow, I do not think that the dot gov is going to have time to decontaminate my house. Meaning I'll get transported if I offer no resistance, and maybe even if I do. Not my cuppa, druther croak on my own then among more of the afflicted, not to mention leaving my castle open for other depredations by other dot gov groups. I would not trust someone telling me that all they want to do is check for contamination, just about certain to translate as transport. Please correct me if I'm wrong about that. Mistrust, or paranoia, makes no difference to me, the net is guests are welcome, intruders are not.

    So far as what you might do in the way of preps, I'd recommend a fully equipped BOB in whatever vehicle you arrived at your duty station in, and keep something with you even when "serving" the sheep. If, as you mention, it comes time to leave in rapid form, grab and go. I'd also recommend a cache (or three) someplace convenient.
     
  8. flunky

    flunky Monkey++

    ghrit-
    good advice.
    Insofar as checking contaminations, I'm pretty much the guy in the yellow canary suit when it comes to that. Its not my normal, day to day thing, but thats what they'd have me do.

    Mostly its checking water and soils, taking samples back for NBC or blood samples for medical emergencies. I've some experience from the military in it, so no big deal there.

    If I had to go to your house, I figure I'd keep my hands empty and up, then yell for you and provide information, like the water's bad here, etc. Or say I need blood samples and show the kit.

    Not saying its easy. LOL I do the blood samples now for stuff like HIV from some of the worst street types you can think of. But I get 'em. Nice guy, like I said. ;)

    ON edit:
    For the Gov't., the idea is to restore order and services as quickly as possible. Services = money flows, sometimes, and transfer of goods other times. I wouldn't be concerned with removing someone from their house, but in a larger sense the Gov't. might.
    What you might consider, then, is where you're located vis. transportation routes. If they need you out of the way, they'll come to move you. As for order, I know most of you just want to be left alone, so if you don't cause trouble there's no need. HTH
     
  9. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Don't misunderstand me, I have no great problem with the idea of permitting samples to be taken from whatever or wherever for good cause. The problem dot gov has is establishing in MY mind that these things are necessary. That, so far, is a serious failure with governmental reasoning. My idea of good cause varies greatly from some of the blanket rules that are popular these days.
     
  10. flunky

    flunky Monkey++

    Ghrit-
    Ah. Got it.
    Yeah, I think most people are reasonable when you're clear about why you're doing things, and if you're respectful about asking to do it. Trouble mostly comes when you can't share a bit of info that that person knows you have, like with privacy matters.

    In epidemics, the first priority is control of spread and secondary is finding the cause or original carrier. That typically means to control access to and egress from the region involved. So again, having you in your house is good. Having you leave to go to a hideaway outside of the region isn't, sorry to say. But a lot of that depends on how the bug is spread.
    Other than that, it isn't going to be like the movies or anything.

    CAVEAT: Having you in your house is good unless its the kind of epidemic that results in bodies piled up in those houses. To some extent, an epidemic has to burn out. But having bodies in houses brings vermin and a host of other problems that compound the emergency.
     
  11. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    My sister is in a similar situation - she is a pathology lab tech at a local hospital, and is on their 'disaster' team - she would wear the moonsuit too.
    Too bad - if TSHTF in a big way - I figure she's toast.
    I too would be leary of 'official types' coming onto my property unannounced and unbidden. Not a smart thing to do, especially on the west side of town here - we are "Bubbaville"! [ROFL]
     
  12. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    What preps has she in place, just in case getting lost quickly becomes desirable? (Sorta what flunky is asking.) I observe with no great pleasure that those who might be called on to serve may decide the personal risk is too great to do so. Can't say I blame them at all. Those high risk occupations are filled by the dedicated and motivated, but who is to say that the motivation to serve won't be displaced by panic motivation? Ask her to think along those lines, if self preservation takes over (for family reasons or something else) makes her change her mind about the service. This is a question that many LEOs in New Orleans answered --

    Panic is almost inevitable, just some folks are far more resistant to it, either by training, confidence, knowledge, or plain uncommon mental configurations. But it does happen; about the time bravado disappears, the feet start moving away from the problem. Not everyone can face up under all circumstances, and having Plan B in place is of utmost importance, even for the dedicated.
     
  13. flunky

    flunky Monkey++

    Some might. But that wasn't exactly what I was asking.

    Sometimes you just can't report, so plan B is getting to your own family until you can. So I guess I'd just need options, differing ways to think about it all.

    I'm new for the position so its a new dimension to think about.
     
  14. Tango3

    Tango3 Aimless wanderer

    [rnt]This may be outta line and off topic ;but after seeing the katrina vid of the little old lady showing the police her stocked pantry, full water jugs and pets and explaining she did not want to leave; was safe, warm dry and fed, even safely showing she had a legal firearm(at which point she was assaulted and dragged out(?)

    (And) then there's those pesky executive orders seizing all stocks of food/water and transportation.(everything in the country) for "redistribution (out right theft!) "We're from the gov and we're here to help " is just about certain to get an unpopular response.How can a citizen trust you guys ??? (I don't want to be stuck in some camp under an incredible beauracracy Where somebody else determines when, where and what I'm gonna eat and sleep.) Perhaps a transfer to the post office might be in order.???.[rnt][gun][peep][sawgunner][flag]
     
  15. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member


    You have postulated two (or three) scenarios, if I understand the question. First is if you can and do answer the call to duty. What do you need for the eventuality if you have to get gone with support of the organization? A different situation occurs if your organization abandons you, just simply releases you. (I would NOT rule that out unless you are connected to the military.) A third case arises if you can't, for whatever reason, answer the call to duty.

    From this chair, your question appears to pertain to the first two scenarios, which pretty quickly looks like what you need to escape from an office environment and reach home. In both of the two cases where you can and do answer the call, I'll assume that you can have personal equipment, a bag full of spare clothes and the like to get into after you get the yellow suit off, so you can tuck in a few things, like --

    First aid kit
    Water
    Chow, amount depending on how long the walk will be.
    Boots
    Something for defense, no matter what the rules say.

    And so forth. Your "office" may be way different than those that go to the same place every day, so it would be hard to predict the obstacles you'll face getting home. For that, I'll defer. But I do not see that your case is all that different from any other where you are at work or in the event you can't get to work. If you can and do answer, I have no clue what resources you may have at your work place, you may well be able to snag a few items on the way out the door to supplement what you bring with you.

    You say you are new to the thought process, so I'd suggest some reading in the back to basics forum, see if there isn't some focus to be gained there. Some of the folks here have posted some real insights.

    [beer]
     
  16. flunky

    flunky Monkey++

    Tango3 -
    Sing it, brother! :) No, I'm not taking offense at all. Too much that comes from above is much too coercive for my tastes, and I say variations of "I'm for the Gov't. and I'm here to help" all day long.

    Hear me out on a small part, though: I think epidemics fall under the category of things, like railroads, postal services and the military, that simply can't get solved by the 'as local as possible' principle.

    Everything I've read from Katrina set my blood to boil. It was mismanaged a decade before it happened.

    Some planners still make it out like it was FEMAs fault, but I just ask them "where was the water the city was supposed to have stocked up?" It wasn't there and nothing much was. Somebody pocketed the cash.
     
  17. flunky

    flunky Monkey++

    ghrit, thanks for clarifying.

    The weapons thing is probably my least favorite part. Not b/c I'm adverse to it, but b/c its freighted by laws I can't agree with but must abide by.

    One possible idea I'm still weighing for my BOB is that perhaps I'm in one of the few situations where having my .44 BP hogleg makes a degree of sense.

    I think "disposable firearm" is a mutual contradiction in terms, but it is a type of gun thats much harder for the unfamiliar to use after its used up. The stopping power would, I think, be sufficient to get me out of many tight spots [surrounding my car, maybe] until I get to my post.

    My "office" is, often as not, my car. I'm typically within the inner city, and yes it can be hostile. It pays best for me not to fit in, carrying my clipboard and badge.

    My post would be a high school. "Gun free zone", so of course I'm safe. LOL.
     
  18. flunky

    flunky Monkey++

    Sort of a larger answer to Tango3 and others:
    I kind of wish that more of you, the survivalists and gun-rights proponents, were involved in disaster planning. I know you guys have expertise and the willingness to do it honestly and thoroughly, and you would account for people just like yourselves within your plans for every conceivable emergency. Right now, its being left to the pinheads.
     
  19. Tango3

    Tango3 Aimless wanderer

    Flunky
    Glad I didn't offend you with my rant , one more of those posts you regret later. I know gov has a place whether I have authority issues or not. (Larger issues I couldn't deal with i.e..Ebola) would require gov health involvement and;probably scare me enough to "get on the bus without too much resistance

    My pointbeing:"main "lesson" here: if the gov "pinheads" go"authoratative"; because "we're the gov" gawdammnit. Considering thew previous examples I mentioned; we the citizenry consider ourselves fighting for our freedom. you guys are doing your gov job,
    analogy:
    " You see a fox chasing a rabbit and I ask you sir" which will win?"
    And I say with perfect confidence: the rabbit!
    for the rabbit is running for his life;
    While the fox is merely chasing his supper...
     
  20. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    Ghrit, unfortunately, Little Sis is pretty much a Sheeple. I gave her a good First Aid Kit for her car - a Subaru Forester with 'all wheel drive' (not a real 4X4, but more capable than most small cars).
    I made her a mini-BOB. She lives about 8 miles from her hospital, so could hoof it home if needs be.
    She and Hubby gave up the country life, complete with enough land and livestock to get by - they got tired of the muddy roads.
    They are NOT preppers - though I send them literature and lists of basics every so often.
    I'm just afraid that her job would keep her 'in the trenches' til it's too late. I very much doubt she has given thought to just how to be able to hike back home if the worst happened.
    Fortunately, flooding isn't an issue here. The DotGuv is a much bigger threat, depending on circumstances.
     
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