Are you SURE you're ready?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Tracy, Dec 5, 2007.


  1. Tracy

    Tracy Insatiably Curious Moderator Founding Member

    With the serious local flooding, our news stations are reminding everyone to have their "kits" ready. Flashlights, batteries, water, food, etc. I think it's awesome that they're using their air time to help remind people to be prepared.

    There are some things that most people just aren't prepared for.

    I talked to a family member that's been flooded out of her house. Her description of the rising waters, and the speed that it happened brought goosebumps. "The fire hydrant at the corner went from dry to completely covered in fifteen minutes." When she evacuated, the waters were 6" from her back door, 15" from the front. She gathered her mom, dogs and a bag of belongings and fled (Saturday). The water was still 10 hours from cresting. Yesterday, with a 4-wheel drive, she tried to get back home. The roads that aren't blocked by trees have part of the river running over them. There is no way home, no way to see what's left of her home (the one we helped with just 2 summers ago). She's devastated. Her Mom is going to an adult care center, as she's not well enough to go back to a clean-up-site after the waters recede.

    The folks that lived on the lake, proper, were rescued from their rooftops. They didn't have the "luxury" of gathering belongings and driving away.

    In comparison to the "big flood of '96", the waters were 6" higher than they were then. This wasn't anything that anyone predicted or expected. 'Twas "just another heavy rain" and preps were planned accordingly. However, extra batteries, flashlights and food isn't doing them a lick of good now.

    Anyway; just thought I'd put out a little "Prepare for the worst" reminder to you monkeys. You might not always get to use your vehicle to escape. Nature has a power, speed and flow that cannot be predicted. Make sure that you have a safe, alternate means of shelter - and see if you can store some belongings (food, meds, money) there.

    You just never really know.
     
  2. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    One more "vote" for caching.
     
  3. hartage

    hartage Monkey+++

    Heh, my shtf stuff are in easy bundles. Starting with an internal frame backpack with essentials and a shotgun for bare nececity. If just on foot. If there is time for the vehicle then things already in bins just gets thrown in and those include a bigger tent as opposed to the on-foot only tiny backpacking tent. Easy to scale up or down depending on the situation.

    All my stuff that cannot get wet are in those yellow drybags. Dessicant thrown in to fight moisture during storage. Bought those drybags for $5 each..... (clearance sale) better than paying the original $24 each. I try to hit the clearance sales as much as possible to bring costs down.

    I might not be completely prepared but should have enough stuff to get me to help or at least a safer place.

    Did everyone make sure your extra shtf carry ammo cannot get wet ? Have you submerge tested it just in case ? Bad to find out the ammo is unreliable because of moisture AFTER you evacuated.
     
  4. ozarkgoatman

    ozarkgoatman Resident goat herder

    Tracy

    Best wishs to your family members. But what you say is true it can happen very quickly and you can never be to prepared.

    OGM
     
  5. ColtCarbine

    ColtCarbine Monkey+++ Founding Member

    Still no word on whether the house was devastated or not. Hopefully, we'll be able to get in touch and see if we're needed in helping with the clean-up. Vernonia which isn't very far away is devasted and the pile of people's belongings in town is very sad, entire households in a pile. Not on the scale of Katrina but then this area is a rural community, not as large of a population.
     
  6. hartage

    hartage Monkey+++

    Yeah, sorry to hear about all the flooding up in the PNW. I wish I were closer I would volunteer time to the victims. I did volunteer with the fire victims down here in San Diego. I wish I had the time to make the 1000 mile drive to help up there. Good luck and my prayers to everyone up there.
     
  7. Tango3

    Tango3 Aimless wanderer

    volunteering, very admirable[beer][applaud][applaud]
     
  8. hartage

    hartage Monkey+++

    Thanks, I've been volunteering since highschool for one place or another. From animal care center to the big brother program to the minutemen on the border. What can I say ? Despite all the survivalist talk I'm just a big sissy.
     
  9. ColtCarbine

    ColtCarbine Monkey+++ Founding Member

    Thank you for the condolences, it's my stepmothers house.

    Some areas around were hit harder than others, especially the coastal communities. Unfortunately, if your house is too close to water you are taking a risk and might want to consider flood insurance. I'm guessing some areas probably couldn't get flood insurance.

    Thank you
     
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