In reference to your preparedness post:
Things I learned from Hurricane Isabel ( or lessons for living in style in a disaster):
1) Keep a battery powered television in your house, and batteries. Radio stations have a three day attention span in an emergency, we were without power for 11 days.
2) Keep a couple of oil "hurricane lamps" around too. Candles burn down after the 5th day or so, and they dont give off enough light to really help in a long stretch. Place a mirror behind the oil lamp to relect the light around the room.
3) If someone in the family has a critical job, expect them to be gone. I was mobilized for active duty and sent halfway across the state to support Humanitarian Operations and had to leave my family home in a damaged house.
4) keep a few toys for the kids tucked away so when they get stressed out from no electricity and bad water, they can be distracted with the toys and not become angry and fight.
5) Buy a box of MRE entree's-72 packages of main course MRE meals-and keep them at home. They will feed a family of four for about a week, but it is no frills eating.
6) Buy a propane grill and about 5 bottles- keep them tucked away safe for use during an emergency. Charcoal flies off the shelf and the prices go sky high.
7) Keep a lot of canned food. It doesnt spoil as quickly and is easy to cook with limited resouorces.
>>>>If someone in the family has a critical job, expect them to be gone.
Excellent point.
During the week of 9/11, a bus came for my husband and neighbors.
They were a former Marine, EMT, Police, nurses and a doctor.
I honestly don't remember how long they were gone. That week is still a blur.