Posted on 07/11/2006 5:24:44 AM PDT by Curlyhead
Have you ever considered what you would do if you or one of your family were caught up in a large scale disaster such as a major terrorist attack or record-breaking storm? Even if you have, I encourage you to update your plans every two years or so, discuss them with your family, and made sure that everyone knows what to do.
(Excerpt) Read more at familysecuritymatters.org ...
Good point. And, I believe, water-pumping facilities would be the first to go if there were a massive power outage. Thanks for posting.
Guns, ammo, water, food.
With the first two you can get the second two. (I live in the boonies.)
Clothing and shelter, matches, lanterns, cooking oil, knives and pans. Maybe maps/handheld GPS and plastic garbage bags. First aid kit. Heat if you might need it. More water.
Oh, and ground coffee.
I have a trailer with full camping gear. I think we could bug out in about 15 minutes if really necessary. Cycling out is an option. All my kids are avid cyclists and could easily ride as far as necessary.
I also have a few cottages in mind that friends own and would not mind if I beat them there and kicked in the door.
Oh, and ground coffee.
You need that stuff in your 'bug-out' kit. I live where bug-outs would head (the boonies) so I have that all stuff right here.
mark
Let the lesson of Katrina take root. When the public authorties tell you to get out, then get out!
Water, then more water, then more water.
Food,
Water, water, water.
COld climate gear if necessary.
Water, water, water.
Shoes.
I live where bug-outs would head, too--not the deep boonies like the Rockies or Alleghenies, but out beyond the real suburbs. Hence the need for lots and lots of ammunition to hold onto what's mine.
And if things really get bad, we can throw packs on the horses and head for deeper country. This is something people don't think about when they consider bugging out: the roads are going to be useless. You're going to need some way to go cross-country. ATVs and motorcycles eventually require gasoline, which may be in short supply; horses can eat what grass they may find. And eventually they may be eaten themselves (though God forbid it; I couldn't do that to my horse unless my child was starving to death). They're also useful for following or carrying any game that one shoots.
If you have no car, start walking. you can walk out of the the flood zone of a hurricane faster than you think. How far is 10 miles? 20 miles? For some, a lot. But ten miles distance would take you out of New Orleans' flood zone.
Gas stations will close because the owners will leave and lock the pumps.
Bikes are good to carry until you run out of gas.
If you have ten gallons of gas and get thirty miles per gallon, you will not go 300 miles. You must prepare for your car to idle for a long time in traffic while you maybe go ten miles. If it is very slow bumper to bumper, consider pushing it. But you will still get stuck in the traffic jam.
In short, start walking every day to build you and your family up. You will receive many benefits now, and it may save your life later.
I hope common sense is part of this kit. It seems to be quite lacking in most situations.
The hand crank radios are something I'd be interested in. I'm a mess when it comes to things like disaster prepardness. I think the biggest problem for many people is to have an extra month of meds on hand. I don't think the doctor would write an extra prescription. Heck, it's probably illegal in most cases. Does anyone have any info about that?
Having lived through some pretty good earthquakes, a good disaster kit has always been on my list, but no one else takes it seriously :( I can't do it all by myself.
All the smart people leave after a disaster or before a disaster if they can see one heading their way. It doesn't matter how well armed you are or how much gas or water or food you have on hand, you won't want to stay if you get hit with the worst and lose your house or bunker to wind, flooding, radiation, or whatever. If you're smart you're going to pack up your disposable wealth and get out and then assess the situation from a distance to see when the anarchy subsides. Possessions can be replaced. Your life, health, and comfort suddenly mean more than anything you own. So unless you are talking about a global disaster with no where else to run to, all those guns and ammo you stocked up on are only going to slow you down during an evac or have to be left behind for the looters who are too stupid to leave.
" think the biggest problem for many people is to have an extra month of meds on hand. I don't think the doctor would write an extra prescription. Heck, it's probably illegal in most cases. Does anyone have any info about that? "
You need to register your meds at a national or regional pharmacy like CVS or Walgreens. You can then get your meds filled anywhere. One of the biggest lessons learned in Katrina-Rita-Wilma was that people who used local banks, insurance agents, pharmacies, etc were unable to access their records after evacuating and went through unnecessary hardship. Of course it is a good idea to record the numbers of your prescriptions and bank accounts etc and put them in your evac bag just in case.
"Unless you live in the heart of the beast, you should prepare to stay, not go...."
Worst advice ever posted on FR.
The horses have saddle holsters to hold the long guns and I have a waist holster for my sidearm so in the extremely unlikely event that I would have to leave, they aren't going to slow me down at all.
A few hundred bucks in small bills is a good idea to have on hand 24/7/365. A major power outage in your area will close every bank and ATM.
Checked out the site, but I don't have a spare 150 clams laying around right now. Costco wouldn't be a good choice, because there are only two of us. I didn't see the free report or planning guide on the link.
If you bought Rawles guide, did he mention diaper wipes for personal cleansing? I'd also go with compressing those plastic grocery store bags for waste disposal, as well. You know, just stuff stored in a backpack, just in case.
I've just starting rolling my own smokes, and I think I'm getting half way decent results. Field strip your butts, if you are having to hike out. Thieves and tweekers will kill you for alcohol and tobacco(anything actually), so bury your trash well.
Even if there are no women in your group, carry tampons. Speaking of thieves, if you get shot, shoving a tampon in the wound could help you from bleeding to death. Read it here about a GI who accidently got a care package meant for a female. It saved his life.
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