posted on September 20, 2004 02:33:29 PM new
We talk about a lot of different topics on this board and blame our president with everything that don't suit us,but let me ask you this...if a major disaster comes to your town what even it may be....storm terrorist attack...how well prepared are you? How far could you go with the groceries,supplies and money that you have on hand? For me groceries..no problem,money its mostly in the bank.Water...plenty of drinking water but thats it. Gas...some extra not a lot.
posted on September 20, 2004 02:50:36 PM new
We've thought about things here like .....what if there is a major earthquake, or lately, what if its a really bad winter, and in Seattle, if we get 4 inches of snow they virtually close the city!
So, we are glad we have a woodstove downstairs, we probably will 'stock' up on pantry food stuff (can use that anyway) we would like to get a generator, we ARE buying another 4x4 this week. About money, I think you should, if you can, keep some cash stashed away at home, if things fail, like in a major disaster, ATM's might not work. How much, I don't know, just depends on how much you can afford 'keep under the mattress' Not too much, and not everything you have in the bank. Oh and I do have a huge plastic water 'tank' that should be refilled.
posted on September 20, 2004 03:41:18 PM new
Your post makes me think. I doubt it depends on anymore where someone lives where diseaster will strike. Now with all the modern conveniences that are run off electricity I think a back up generator would be one of the first priorities, then groceries, then money. I guess if you are near a nuclear power plant disaster gas would be a first priority and an evacuation route. But NTS said that some cash kept on hand would be a good thing. So I guess it all depends alot on where you live.
posted on September 20, 2004 04:48:36 PM new
Hi all,
I'm pretty close to a nuclear power plant. Doesn't concern me at all. I used to work there and I know how it's built and what it would take for anyone to cause a problem.
My gas tank is usually fairly full and there's enough non-perishable food around here I could go for weeks, as long as I had water. My water heater holds 50 gallons. Shutting it off to prevent any more coming in would provide a decent emergency supply.
My stove is an old gas range that doesn't need electricity to operate. Gas service is seldom interrupted unless it's a major earthquake. My forced air does need electric to turn on, so I guess I'd have to bundle up if it were winter. Not that it gets very cold here. There's been below freezing temps just seven times in the last 40 years.
But, without electricity it's not only ATM's that don't work. Neither do cash registers in stores, gas pumps, etc. I read somewhere there were some Pensacola merchants who were open but couldn't use their registers. They were using hand calculators to figure out how much money customers needed to pay.
I keep a pretty decent stash-o-cash on hand but it's in big bills. Maybe I should change some of them down to $20's, $10's, etc.?
Lucy
[ edited by OhMsLucy on Sep 20, 2004 04:49 PM ]
posted on September 20, 2004 06:16:03 PM newBut, without electricity it's not only ATM's that don't work. Neither do cash registers in stores, gas pumps, etc. I read somewhere there were some Pensacola merchants who were open but couldn't use their registers. They were using hand calculators to figure out how much money customers needed to pay.
That's a very important thing to consider. We have lot's of gas along with a generator that we've found very useful...especially during winter storms when the power goes out.
posted on September 20, 2004 06:16:47 PM new
I've been prepared for years. After all I was a Cub Scout den leader for years. Their motto is 'Be Prepared'.
But seriously this is a very important thing for everyone to at least think about doing in these times. Living for years in CA one quickly becomes prepared in the event of an earthquake. We always were and I am here too.
They say we should all strive for being self-sufficient in an emergency situation for at least 3 - 7 days following the crisis.
posted on September 20, 2004 06:35:14 PM new
We have forced-air heat, but primarily use the wood stove to keep the gas bills under $100 in the winter. Our power usually goes out in the winter, so the freezer items go in coolers outside. We keep the pantry stocked with about 4-6 months of food for winter (down to my pay check all winter). We also keep a couple 5 gallon gas cans full at all times and could go to the 4 wheeler in a pinch, if we had to, to check on his mom and my parents. Also keep some cash in the house. We have already hit "preparing for winter" mode, so if it happened tonight, we'd be better off than alot of people. We are on town water and sewer, but could "unhook" if we had to and just boil water from the well and go to an "outhouse" situation. We had this all planned for Y2K and kept it up after 9/11.
posted on September 20, 2004 06:37:31 PM new
Same here, Linda. Den Mother for most of recorded history...
One big difference living in California is our "main" disasters are earthquakes. The last big one, in Paso Robles, was only 30 miles north of me. My house shaked, rattled and rolled but no damage whatsoever, no power outage, nothing.
There's no advance warning of an earthquake the way there is with hurricanes. Even forest fires sometimes have some warning time.
Which is why I think all of us here in the Golden State need to Be Prepared!
posted on September 20, 2004 06:40:55 PM new
We could live without a change in lifestyle for at least a year. After that, we'd have to drive less, but food would not be a problem, neither would power. In the words of our President, "Bring 'em on.."
posted on September 21, 2004 09:53:44 AM new
Yeah, I forgot the extra gas for a generator. I know they tell you to be prepared for 3-10 days, but I think it would be smart to be prepared for longer.
Lucy, we have earthquakes up here too, and volcanos that like to go off!
posted on September 21, 2004 10:15:50 AM new
well,it is time to write checks,rubber checks which bounce and bounce.
when my care was in the shop,i did not leave the house for 10 days and i have enough food to last me more than 10 days.
-sig file -------Life is one big happy 'All You Can Eat' buffet .
posted on September 21, 2004 10:42:43 AM new
OhMsLucy - Well...you hold a special appreciation in my heart for going though all that too. I loved it. Also we have racing buddies who live right outside Paseo Robles too. No earthquake damage to them either. One of my girlfriends cars was smashed by a roof of a business in town that fell on it. And she, herself had just about gone into the jewlry store to purchase a gift when it struck.
Small world.
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Yes, NearTheSea - the longer the better.
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profe, question please. Do you have on stock that little bottle of water purifier [can't remember it's name] that's added to long standing water or do you/would you just boil the water that's been in storage for months?
