Sleeping in your car

Part of my bug out kit includes the family tent, it is a 8 person tent that is hanging in the garage next to the vehicles. Not that I don't trust .gov but I don't trust .gov! I'll take my changes on my own with my family. Katrina is an example of .gov shelters gone bad in an area, but you have to also look at the "clients" that were going to the shelters in the city area, or at least the ones that made the news, these were people that really didn't want to help themselves for one reason or another, also many criminal type people. I find it hard to believe that when you have days warning to evacuate an area you have a problem getting out, tells me you don't want to leave. KC5FM makes a good point that in other area's the shelters were set up and ready to accept and help anyone needing it. You have to make the decision before a disaster of what your course of action will be, can I get out by vehicle? Do I sit tight and wait it out? Do I have the supplies to last? FEMA suggest a 72 hour kit, I suggest much more, I want to be able to last weeks/months on my supplies if I decide to stick it out at my current location, but my current location is different than yours for the most part I can wait something out, for me snow is the biggest disaster we have to deal with, tornado's every now and then but nothing near what the gulf cost people deal with when a hurricane comes ashore

If you visit this site or sites like these you are either prepared for disasters or are in the works of being prepared for disasters, you are on the right track and if you continue you will find that in a disaster you don't have to rely on a shelter, you will have the means to get by on your own in comfort with everything you need even sleeping in a vehicle, until you can return to normal life.

If you haven't camped I would suggest learning the skills and having some equipment, you can set a tent any month of the year, they make heaters for them for people like me in the cold climates. I have camping cook stoves both for backpacking (jetboil type) and larger 2 burner stoves with fuel, dutch ovens for making stews and baking. The car, or in my case the car and van, would become a harder shelter to go to if conditions around me got bad and I didn't feel comfortable in a tent.

The last thing to think about is the cause that would make you want to leave, is it natural like storms? is it man made, terrorist attack? For me each has a different reaction, a bad storm for me would not be so wide spread that it would destroy the area, again snow is my biggest issue, for that I sit tight, a tornado is also pretty localized so family across town would be my course of action, a terrorist attack is a completely different animal, although we hope that something is local in nature it might be local to a city, for example the things going on in India over the past couple of days, 9/11 in our country, which took place in 2 cities and brought our air transportation to a standstill, I had people working in NYC during 9/11 and also spread out across the country, I spent the day trying to get my crew out of New York, realizing that they didn't have any supplies with them, not even a good map, cell phones were spotty and hotels in the city were not going to be an option as we didn't know how things were going to unfold during that day, the best action was to bug out and do it as quickly as possible. I spent the day on the phone with them and a map up on my computer giving them directions until they got far enough out of the city to then be on there own safely.

No one plans on sleeping in the car, but you better have that plan in your head or when it happens the stress of that situation can be overwhelming and limit your ability to get through the situation at hand.

Sorry for rambling on here

I have a full sized ford van with four captains chairs and a sofa in the back that folds into a bed. We have spent many nights sleeping in it by choice It is big enough for me and my wife to use. The stepdaughter would be at home sleeping on the floor. She does this by choice rather than using the sofa bed when we travel. I have discussed sleeping in it with both of them and the step daughter said would still prefer the floor .
I have a portapotty for use as well as food and water. Also tents sleeping bags coleman stove and several ice chests which also double for storage if needed. All can be packed in under ten minutes. We load and go and organize under way. We do this for practise in case of the ned to leave in a hurry. The heater has kept us warm in temps under zero.
It has tinted windows as well as privacy curtains. so seeing inside is not possible. Keys are left in the ignition for runing the engine for heat or in case of the need to leave in a hurry if need be.
I have two gas tanks with locking gas caps. I can get 425 to 450 miles before needing more gas.
As for motels it is a crapshoot. You may get a nice one with a good working heater or A/C. but not always. Some will let you cook in your room others won't.
As for the Red Cross shelters I will pass. Just not for me, I value my privacy too much. After 22 years with the Red Cross I have seen my share of shelters the good the bad as well as the people some good some bad. I would just rather sleep in my van as would the family. We have discussed this and they are with me.
I am in no way knocking a Red Cross shelter. The are necessary and a Godsend for many. It is a personal choice. I have talked with a lot of people over the years and some would prefer thier vehicle or a motel. Some would prefer a Red Cross shelter. I advise them to utilize what ever the feel the most comfort with.
We sleep in the van when visiting her mother. It is by choice. She has extra beds and plenty of room but we still prefer the van. Again it is for the privacy.
We have slept in the van many times and have never been disturbed by any one. But then again we try not to be noticed.
It is a personal choice to use a shelter, motel or vehicle.
Talk it over with your family and decide what you want to do.
In the van we have our choice of music and have two portable dvd players if we choose. I have professional cameras that I will take. Also cells phones an emergency scanner to keep up with what is going on.

Gasoline

RedRocker said:

+1 I remember the gas shortages in Houston when they tried to evacuate.
Might not be able to get to a shelter or family member.

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Does not this speak to planning?

Personally, I do not drive a car that has less than a 1/2 tank of gas in it. That is sufficient fuel to get me over two hours away from where I am. With Tom-Tom, I can drive section roads, if I must, to bug out. Tom-Tom will help me find a gas station within range when the low gas light glows.

Except for Come Quickly, Lord Jesus, there's not going to be a natural disaster that two hours of fuel won't get me out. Living through two Federally-declared winter storms and driving through one of them proved this right.

Breaking down in a third winter storm proved the value in a membership in GM Motor Club . There's also AAA. Many cellphone carriers offer roadside assistance as well.

The only way one can not get to relatives and friends is one does (1) does not have a car or (2) lacks the financial resources to make the trek.

The government's answer to both of those is to provide a ride to a shelter. That ride may be on a bus from NOLA to OK. The passengers that came to Oklahoma from Katrina were on a bus that rarely stopped. When it did stop, those on board had very little money. One store's shelves were emptied. I assume the Government paid for that.

The passengers that came this year saw the trip a little better organized. I did not hear of many difficulties.

The shelter will be a managed shelter complete with three meals, a cot, and rules. Some people can't take all three at once. People got arrested for breaking the law, just like they would get arrested for breaking the law back home. Through all that Oklahoma tends to get more compliments than complaints.

Some people don't like the ride or the hospitality. I am truly sorry for that.

The discomfort can be minimized by planning now what one will do when (not IF) an emergency or disaster strikes.

In the Come Quickly, Lord Jesus event, my ride and shelter is assured, but not by the Government.

Lloyd, KC5FM

Views expressed in this note are personal thoughts, not reflective of any employer, volunteer group, or other organization with which I have a relationship.

Planning

Tex said:

KC5FM - In Red Rocker's defense, some people leaving Houston from Hurricane Rita were stuck in traffic for 10-12 hours and only covered a few dozen miles. Many burned a whole tank of gas idling. It still comes down to planning, when you consider that they should have left earlier, but hundreds of people ran out of gas along I45 and made traffic worse. An important tip might be to have an out of the way escape route if you live in an area like that.

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Thank you. You are correct in your recollection of the Hurricane Rita experience.

That is why it has been pointed out, in another post, that one should have a route planned and a way of determining an alternate route, just as you have reinforced so well now.

Also, if memory serves, from this same experience, the Government developed plans to help stranded motorists who may have run out of gas.

As for defending Red Rocker, I apologize for anything in my post that would be considered attacking. It is not my intent to offend anyone.

My goal here is to present a reasonable response to emergency and disaster situations. As one emergency manager put it, "We go crazy so you don't have to".

Have a Blessed Week!