Posted on 09/09/2005 10:24:57 PM PDT by Crackingham
Well-stocked kits of supplies would not have helped tens of thousands hit squarely by Hurricane Katrina and the levee breaches -- where destruction was utter and irresistible. Nonetheless, have a personal survival plan.
This isn't about survivalist obsessions with Armageddon. This is about just-in-time America's apathy and procrastination -- the expectation you can hop in the car and go to the store anytime you need something.
And if disaster occurs, the government will be Johnny-on-the-spot. After all, that's what you pay taxes for, right?
But the government's best-kept yet most obvious secret is this: If it fouls up (and it will), it doesn't lose business as punishment for its failures. It raises taxes or takes on debt.
Against the backdrop of life as it really is -- as Katrina reminds us -- prepare a disaster plan.
Establish a pantry of staples: canned foods, crackers, dried milk and so forth.
Maintain a supply of potable water. Batteries for flashlights, fuel for kerosene lamps and heaters. A battery-operated radio. A generator if you can afford it -- for the refrigerator, at least.
Have basic medicines, vitamins and first-aid supplies. Clothing for inclement weather. Rotate your stash to keep things fresh.
Give thought to an evacuation route and what you would take along.
Bad things do happen to good people. Worse things may happen to those unprepared.
(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburghlive.com ...
If you live in the middle of bowl surrounded by water, put an axe and a boat in your attic, too.
Never hurts to be prepared.
If you live in a town dominated by Rat voters, have plenty of guns and ammo for when they try and take their "fair" share of your stuff.
WITHOUT A GUN, you'll either have all your food stolen from you, or you'll be murdered trying to keep it.
I received the following in an email and it was un-attributed. I have no idea whom the author is, I would love to have attributed it to them with praise. I have found it so point on, I felt it needed to be dispersed widely and here on FR is a good start.
One man's opinion...
School of Hard Knocks
If people haven't been learning the lessons from Katrina that they
absolutely need to learn, then they haven't been paying attention.
1. On Friday evening the National Weather Service predicted the path of the storm heading towards New Orleans. By Saturday morning, it was clear that the storm was growing in strength and it was suggested that people begin evacuating.
2. By Saturday afternoon it was clear that Katrina was growing in strength. The Mayor of New Orleans appeared on TV weepy and sad, expressing concern about what could happen in New Orleans.
3. Sunday morning it was obvious that the storm would hit as a Category 4 or 5.
4. On Sunday the Governor of Louisiana was crying and worried about the state and asked the rest of us to pray for Louisiana.
5. Sunday at 2:00 pm a mandatory evacuation was ordered.
Now let's look at what has happened so far and what we know after the fact:
1. 10% of New Orleans was below the poverty level. It would have been obvious (and was obvious) that these people had no means to leave the city by themselves.
2. Not a single hospital, faced with mandatory evacuation orders, was moved. We've not heard of a SINGLE airlift of patients out of hospitals in the direct path of the storm, moved to areas outside of the impact zone.
3. Not a single school, public, or charter bus left the city carrying people unable to find the means of leaving on their own.
What should happen now:
1. There are hundreds of buses and cars under water in New Orleans and elsewhere in the regions. The Mayor of New Orleans should be brought up on criminal negligence charges for failing to act and refusing assistance until literally after the storm passed and the levees failed.
2. The people should understand that you NEVER elect a sympathetic social worker type to public office. If an individual hasn't served in the military or in an equivalent capacity of managing huge infrastructures and people, they have no business running a government.
3. The Governor of Louisiana should be brought up on criminal negligence charges--she did not call up the National Guard, order a single evacuation plan, or organize shelters until AFTER the disaster hit. She, a babbling idiot, should spend the rest of her days behind bars, watching the death and destruction on a continuous loop in her jail cell.
What people should have learned by now:
When the government says "leave" you LEAVE! You have ready: 3 days of water and food, a "grab and go" bag that contains clothing, toiletries, and cash to get you where you will be safe. If it takes you more than 15 minutes to evacuate, you're doing it wrong and are not sufficiently prepared. If you have more time, you should be able to evacuate with three weeks of supplies.
Every person in your family over the age of about 12 should be trained in the use of firearms. If you live in an area that doesn't allow you to own firearms, MOVE. You should have in your possession a weapon for every member of the family. That includes arming your 12 year old daughter. Because SHE may become separated from you and will need the means of defending herself.
You must have an evacuation plan. Discuss with family every possible need to evacuate--what conditions might require you to leave. Plan the routes, what you'll take, a location to meet up if you are separated, etc. etc.
Do not leave your neighborhood with an empty seat in your car or truck. Make sure you have filled that seat with one of your neighbors. Be prepared to take care of yourself for AT LEAST 3 days.
Expect civil unrest and looting. If you value your property more than the lives of your family, YOU WILL DIE. I repeat: IF YOU VALUE YOUR PROPERTY AND POSSESSIONS MORE THAN YOUR LIFE OR THE LIFE OF YOUR LOVED ONES, YOU WILL DIE.
The Federal Government is not going to be able to help you. As with ALL law enforcement matters and catastrophes, they only come for the clean up. They are not going to help you until AFTER the catastrophe has occurred.
If I hear one more person making a statement that begins with "The President of the United States should..." I am going to punch him in the nose, kick him where it hurts, or knock them over the head with a mallet. This is NOT a Federal matter. There is no way that anyone is capable of doing anything for AT LEAST three days, more likely three weeks.
The Federal Government is not the authority in charge here. The STATE and LOCAL governments are in charge. If the people you've been electing to PROTECT AND SERVE you in your local and state are bureaucrats with no leadership, management, or disaster experience, knowing how to do nothing more than write welfare checks, you are seriously screwed. MOVE.
Looters or anyone stepping outside of civilized behavior should be shot on site--no malice, no concern. You're eradicating pests. Society will be better off without them and the neighborhoods and decent people of the world safer. I'm not talking about someone who is only stealing food or clothing. I'm talking about those taking TVs and other nonessentials. This looting didn't occur when the Mississippi Valley flooded. Civilized people, without prodding and babysitting from government, form distribution networks to equitably distribute food and clothing from the remaining supplies. Civilized human beings DO NOT loot.
You have only one ally in such a disaster: YOU. You are responsible for the health and safety of your family. The looters and thugs of the world WILL crawl from the cracks of society and will prey on you and your neighbors.
This has happened in EVERY SINGLE catastrophe. If you are not prepared! for this, YOU WILL DIE.
Not a single event of this catastrophe is a surprise, with the exception of the extent of the incompetence of the local leadership.
Mormons are told to have a year's supply for their families and a 72-hour emergency pack in case you have to head out in a hurry.
EXCELLENT.
Except for the last sentence.
I wasn't surprised.
And if do have a gun, the Nazis will just steal it from you.
Wow, this writer can't even make it past the first line without either lying or showing himself to be incredibly stupid.
I would say 'unbelievable', but it's all to believable these days.
L
I agree. But me buying a gun and living in NY is not a choice. I'd go to jail for 10 years with my luck.
Actually you are not correct !
The VA Hospital moved 1200 patients out of NO and I think 900 were bed ridden and none died. How did they do it ?
Buses and vans !
Most excellent advice
Concur.
The VA did not wait to get on Nagin's buss, they also most likely knew it would be late, nor did they need an advisory from the simpleton to evacuate.
What took him so long to get there?? S\
"If you live in the middle of bowl surrounded by water, put an axe and a boat in your attic, too."
One guy was saying that his mom went through some earlier hurricane and remembered the stories of people trapped in the attics. He had an old axe in his attic. He made it sound like lots of the people that had memories or heard the stories also did.
A lot of trouble can be avoided by simply getting your fat butt up off the couch and start walking toward higher ground. It's an amazing concept.
I have not read this thread, so I'm sure there's been about 3,000 previous posts regarding.... you need some weapons. If you need to chose 'tween batteries and the shotgun, well think about it...
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