Preparedness/Survival Ping!
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Bookmarked. Thank you for posting.
Of the 4 potential outcomes, number 1 is the most efficient. The problem is, sometimes number one doesn’t happen.
As one who lived through the Northridge quake just down the street from the building her friend was in, I concur on the shoes under the bed. For me that was the biggest thing — I nearly lost a toe. Having a warm car for my wife and newborn baby was critical too. It was 4:31am in January, and even in LA that can be cold.
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Don’t forget to account for the celebratory bottle of alcohol for having survived.
Add a seismic natural gas shut-off valve. They close your gas line automatically in an earthquake. They don’t cost much and add a lot of peace of mind. If your water heater or other gas line breaks before you can get to the meter with your wrench, your house will go up. The seismic valve will shut the gas off before a fire can get started.
Excellent! Thank you...
BFLR
All well and good, but in reading this list I kept thinking the bed and room have to remain intacvt around you long enough to get the glasses, shoes, water, keys, flashlight etc.
Seems to me this stuff better be tied arund your ankle if you want o be sure of retrieving them after all hell breaks loose.
Also, if trapped in that garage I don’t recommend using the car engine for heat unless there’s a nice air hole somewhere.
Pinging myself for printing out tomorrow... Excellent article - thanks for posting!
Also, people should just LOOK at what CAN fall down inside their living and sleeping areas, and move those items as necessary.
Maybe that heavy jade statue should not be positioned on a narrow shelf five feet above the head of the bed.
Some great ideas in there. I have lots of supplies, but over time they end up getting scattered (Oh I know, that old pair of tennis shoes under the bed! I can use those for painting, etc.)
All I could think of while reading this was “I’m going to need a bigger bed post!”
I was in the San Fernando Earthquake of 1971.
My list is different.
We were out of running water for a week. No natural gas for a week and a half. The electricity was back on in a day. I didn’t need to get out of a collapsed building, either though.
Water for cooking and drinking. A way to stay, odor free without a shower, and a way to cook with no stove. And some food. The majority of our food in the refrigerator fell out and was on the floor of the kitchen. I remembering mom shoveling the broken dishware mixed with food into a trash can. And we used the neighbors swimming pool water to be able to flush the toilets in the house.
It will all depend on what kind of earthquake your in. How much and what kind of damage you will be dealing with.
My first question after feeling one is, where was it located? I still remember my dad turning on the radio to get news, they didn’t even have a clue what had happened. No emergency info at all. I will never forget that.
There’s a 3rd choice: live somewhere nasty stuff doesn’t happen. That’s what I do.
The best method of course is to not live near earthquake prone zones.
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I wondered why this lady didn't buy insulated coveralls. Easy to slip on over sleeping apparel. Pockets to stuff all kind of small articles.
I keep my purse near me at all times- it has my keys, cell phone, and wallet in it. Shoes are also next to the bed when I sleep. After the Nisqually Quake (Ash Wednesday, 2001), I also took my purse with me to the bathroom at work for about 6 months. I no longer do that, but if I go much further than that, I bring it with me. I can do a lot more than that, and should, but I like to be able to make a quick escape.