Info on "preparedness"

Emergency preparedness tends to be a very broad subject, starting with what the emergency happens to be. It can be nothing more than an ice storm that results in a power outage of intermediate duration. The last time there was a major ice storm here was in 1990, and we were without power for 9 days.

In this case, once the facts are known, the steps taken to prepare for such conditions can be discussed, usually in the form of questions:

1. What is available for emergency light & heat?

2. What is the cost of an emergency power system?

A. Size & cost of unit.

B. Cost & types of installation

.......etc.

For more long-term scenarios, topics can verge into much more in-depth areas such as growing your own food. For this, there is an education to be had out there, and probably a good idea. I found a copy of the original Rodale Organic Gardening Encyclopædia as a remainder for $5. The book is very thick, very detailed, and if all the topics are followed up, probably constitutes a Master's Degree in gardening. But, of course, this book or the knowledge you may gain on the subject will do little good if you don't have the ground to establish a garden. Many persons who have only known an urban environment and pursuits typical to it all their lives will find this to be a whole new world......

And I take the Home town or Hillbilly approach to being ready when bad things happen...

A corner of the basement or a 'Storm' or 'Root' cellar is my idea of 'Preparedness'.

Most of the 'End Of The World' kooks will store bibles, ammo and staples, like water and flour.
So then they are stuck burning bibles for heat/light, and eating flour wall paper paste seasoned with gun powder!

Shelving containing a well stocked pantry with everything you use now on them is the way to go.
Make sure you have canned meat there also, the 'Just In Case' purchase.
I eat what I normally eat! No "Shortages", no wondering if the 'Government' is going to shovel out handouts or not...

Also a good idea to have a CHEST TYPE freezer on/with an emergency circuit to your generator. Freezers that are run even two or three times a day will keep your extra food cold, and will provide minimum heat for the room.

Picking a part of your basement where the water line comes in will allow you to install a couple of barrels in the line it's self.
This keeps a minimum of 120 Gallon of fresh water in your system no matter what.
People say that isn't enough, but at a gallon a day for most people, that's 60 days for a couple,
30 days for a family of 4...
And that is just with two simple barrels!

Remember to include a window and/or vents in your design so you will have ventlation.

When the river gets out about twice a year,
Or storms blow through and knock out the power for hours or days, we never have to wonder where the next meal or drink is coming from.

If you don't have a basement, and are living where a 'Storm Cellar' would be impractical to build,
Reinforce one of your smaller rooms in the home with lot's of extra wall studs, ceiling joists, use metal strap hangers and screws instead of nails so a tornado won't blow it apart as easily as the rest of the house.
Use 3/4" plywood on both sides of the walls, and you could even fill the walls with bricks to keep flying debris/shrapnel from coming ahead through in the event of a serious storm...
Bricks in the walls will become 'Passive Solar Mass' helping to regulate the temprature in that room if the rest of the house is destroyed.
Use a good steel door that has a steel casement so it doesn't get punched through easily.

I don't believe in 'Panic Rooms', but I'm a FIRM believer in 'Safe Rooms' and 'Storm Shelters'!

What I consider being prepared will differ from what another person would consider being prepared. For me, living in Canada, I deal with cold and snow - and - with that it means power outages due to snow collecting on the lines and causing them to drop. I deal with hypothermia and frost-bite, not alligators and diamond-back snakes.

With winter showing its face again tonight, I have my gear ready - sleeping bags rated for -20, full-body snow-mobile suit, gloves, toque, heavy socks, thick boots, tire-chains, tow-straps, blankets, high-sugar foods, starches, meats and frozen and canned vegies.

My pantry is setup with enough dried and canned food to keep us fed for several weeks. My backyard has 3 BBQ's ready to cook my food in case the electric stove will not work. I have my generator and UPS rigged so that my fish-tank stays active. I have my solar panels connected to my battery packs so that they can be used to power my slew of 12-volt devices.

Am I prepared for a terrorist attack - probably not. But, I think that I am prepared to handle what winter has in store for me.

NaeKid said:

Am I prepared for a terrorist attack - probably not. But, I think that I am prepared to handle what winter has in store for me.

Click to expand...

AMEN BROTHER!

We aren't used to -20°F (-28 or -29°C) around here, or really deep snow fall.
SO,
If we get 4 feet of snow like we did back in '78, then we will be paralyzed for 6 weeks again like we were then...

If we get -10°F for daily HIGHS like we did in '77 and again in '83, then we are going to have problems again like we did in those years.

OR the tornadoes that just carried off neighboring towns in '71 & '90,
OR the floods that swamped most places around here in '89 and again this year...

That's the stuff I plan for!
And as the last flood highlighted, I'm pretty well prepared for what gets thrown my way!

If a tornado doesn't remove my home/garage completely, I'm pretty well prepared for dealing with it!