Be prepared

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | 9/10/05 | Gery Steighner

[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.

[TheClintons-STILLAnti-American]

"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."

Best tip of them all.

[Xenophobic Alien]

I have a fully stocked bar, 5 cases of beer, a 45 and a 9mm. I think I'm prepared :)

[TalBlack]

"And if do have a gun, the Nazis will just steal it from you."

I don't get how this works. I have a gun. Someone says 'give me your gun'. I say 'no'. How then do they get the gun away from me without a gunfight?

[Farmer Dean]

The problem is there are 4 of them armed with M4 full autos.What do you do then?

[Kozak]

If you live in the middle of bowl surrounded by water, put an axe and a boat in your attic, too.

Laugh, but an inflatable raft in the attic might actually be a good idea.

[RKBA Democrat]

I don't take quite as pessimistic an outlook.

I think the advice can be summarized succinctly by remembering that in the short term, You Are On Your Own. The people you can rely on are yourself and your immediate family. If you're lucky, your friends and neighbors and church.

Plan and react accordingly and you'll survive. Trust politicians to do it for you, and you'll either be dead or be spending your time in someplace like the RapeDome.

[Kozak]

I don't get how this works. I have a gun. Someone says 'give me your gun'. I say 'no'. How then do they get the gun away from me without a gunfight?

Guess you haven't been paying attention lately. The Police and some Guard units are going house to house and searching, then confiscating all weapons. I saw them take a revolver from an old lady who didn't want to leave her dog.

[Mulder]

I don't get how this works. I have a gun. Someone says 'give me your gun'. I say 'no'. How then do they get the gun away from me without a gunfight?

It's happening right now in New Orleans. Nobody is saying "no".

[mom3boys]

In addition to emergency supplies in the house, I've decided to have backpacks with basic supplies for each member of the family to keep in their room. That way, if we have to evacuate in a big hurry, each person can grab their evac backpack and go.

[CBart95]

All this junior Boy Scout stuff about being prepared and having full stocks of food ,water,Evian, guns and ammo and how tough everyone is probably serves some kind of group psychological need. You guys must think you are somehow better people for advising the unfortunates who "stayed behind" and were victimized by alleged roving bands of criminals.
As the truth slowly unwinds, the "unfotunates" are people you may have never encountered, who are truly without resources of practically any kind. The truly hopeless, down and out as well as mentally challenged without so much as bus fare are the types being described. People without jobs,money,or means to the point that advising them to have a months worth of food is utterly ridiculous. These are the pitifully "without" underclass who may eventually recieve pity from caring adults.
Brutal reality will make your little "helpful hints" shake and bake seem even more silly than it already is to begin with.

[LZ_Bayonet]

If you are going to fill up your car with neighbors, this should probably be amended to: "Take 3 days of supplies for the number of people your vehicle can hold."

[Kozak]

Bullshit. Prepared can mean as little as a 25 lb sack of rice ( about 4 bucks at Sam's club ) and a sack of beans, and 4 or 5 gallon jugs of water. Toss in a radio a flashlight and a couple of batteries to get fancy.

Are there people who can't get that together ? Sure, a few. And as a matter of fact I deal with them all the time in the ER. But the vast majority COULD have done some basic preparation, they just can't be bothered. I see them in the ER too. They are the ones who can't buy their kids tylenol, while they come in with a big sack full of Burger King. They can't get their prescription filled, but manage to buy their cigarettes and beer just fine. They need a cab ride home, but managed to get to the bar just fine. They live perpetually in a state of infancy, demanding someone else take responcibility for every one of their needs. And when the nanny state fails, they are conditioned to remain helpless. Spare me your asinine lecture.

[CBart95]

Speak that we may know you.

You can be our Poster Boy.

[MarkL]

WITHOUT A GUN, you'll either have all your food stolen from you, or you'll be murdered trying to keep it.

And if do have a gun, the Nazis will just steal it from you.

Well, you could always share your ammunition with them, one round at a time...

Mark

[Kozak]

No point in debate with you, in a battle of wits you take the field unarmed.

[Jet Jaguar]

"You have only one ally in such a disaster: YOU. You are responsible for the health and safety of your family. "

Well said.

[ventana]

Ummm, I think he just did. And quite articulately, at that! V's wife

[CBart95]

He's just not practising today's Daily Word about Harmony and being harmonius with all people.
Sitting around in his scivies on a Saturday morning chiming in on how superior he is to the unfortunate fellow citizens in New Orleans because he has 25 lbs. of red beans in a sack is sort of hypocritical.
Claims to work in ER.
Doing what exactly?
Hope it's not lecturing patients on how to avoid ER by being prepared.
Hmm! Maybe I ought to be more harnonius.

[Kozak]

I'm sitting at work in the ER, not jacking off to myself about what a Superior Caring Person I am. Aren't you needed to work the fryer or mop the floor?

[CBart95]

Harmony Mr. K
Harmony.