Preparing for Disaster

[Vettezuki]

Don't want to spend too much time on this, but as you know, there was a series of eathquakes in Japan, ending up at a 9.0 with Tsunamis, grid and infrastructure shutdowns etc. Here in CA we are due for a major eathquake. It's not IF but WHEN. If you think everything is just "gonna work out somewhow" or there is going to be some agency right there to help you when the shit hits the fan, you may be in for some seriously rude awakenings.

Hopefully none of us will have to live through things like this, but they are very real. See in the following vide the people, including cameraman, on high ground watching what's going on? That's because the Japanese spend a huge amount of time and effort preparing for disasters. The result is that in Japan, while the death toll will still be in the thousands, won't be the near quarter million(!!) toll from not long ago in Thailand, etc.

BTW, not only are we due for an major quake, we are (though not quite like Japan) susceptible to tidal waves along the coast. Unlike Japan, we have large stretches of coast that are NOT mountainous . . waves could role in for miles. Guess where all those people will be fleeing to and where the stress will be?

My personal opinion is that if you don't have at least three days of EVERYTHING you need to live, you're just an idiot. You really ought to have a couple weeks on hand and it's really not that hard.


YouTube - Fresh footage of huge tsunami waves smashing town in Japan


Imagine this happening around Huntington, Newport, etc.

YouTube - Japan Tsunami - Video Collab of catastrophe - Amazing Footage - March 11

[injdinjn]

While having disaster supplies can be a good idea, but if one of these disasters hits you, you probably won't be able to get to them. If the house is still standing afterward most people normally have enough supplies, inc overpriced bottled water, to last 3-4 days anyway.

FYI Fountain Valley was previously known as Gospel Swamp, and like Japan the tsunami would go right up the santa ana river.

Anyone want to bet that Japan has recovered from this before New Orleans is repaired?

Before and after aerials, move your mouse to move the overlay
http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/japan-quake-2011/beforeafter.htm

[10yearrx7]

I was at the dollar tree and an older Asian coulpe were in front of me in line buying about 30 of each item that they had. When I got to the register the woman told me they come in a few times a week and buy loads of food and drinks. She also said they told her they have a bomb shelter type thing at their house that they are stocking up for 2012. It sounds crazy but I guess better safe than sorry.

[Vettezuki]

While having disaster supplies can be a good idea, but if one of these disasters hits you, you probably won't be able to get to them. If the house is still standing afterward most people normally have enough supplies, inc overpriced bottled water, to last 3-4 days anyway.

FYI Fountain Valley was previously known as Gospel Swamp, and like Japan the tsunami would go right up the santa ana river.

Anyone want to bet that Japan has recovered from this before New Orleans is repaired?

Before and after aerials, move your mouse to move the overlay
http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/japan-quake-2011/beforeafter.htm


You definitely don't want to put all your stuff just in a pantry in the house. If you have a little shed or something like that would be a good additional place. You should have a little in your car, etc. You should also always have a buffer of your meds if you need any on a regular basis.

[Shaolin Crane]

I have jetski's at the house, a truck, guns, a dirtbike. Various bludgeoning devices and many pounds of whey protein powder. After the powder runs out i'll hop on the ski to the store and pillage whatever I need, problem solved.

[jedhead]

Good idea to keep some emergency supplies. Since major fault lines that are able to product 7+ on the Richter scale down here in SoCal are inland unlike Japan so the tsunami threat is low. But here in the US unlike Japan, when the big one hits, you can count on looting and mass hysteria.

Bob

[Vettezuki]

Good idea to keep some emergency supplies. Since major fault lines that are able to product 7+ on the Richter scale down here in SoCal are inland unlike Japan so the tsunami threat is low. But here in the US unlike Japan, when the big one hits, you can count on looting and mass hysteria.

Bob


The potential for man made stupidity is remarkably high here and depending on where you live, security concerns should be high on your list of considerations.

[Vettezuki]

. . . most people normally have enough supplies, inc overpriced bottled water, to last 3-4 days anyway.

You might be surprised. I've been at friend's houses sometimes and seen remarkably empty fridges (which anyway will hold perishables maybe 24 hours at best) and empty pantries.

I think 72 hours of supplies is the you're insane if you don't have squared away pretty solid. Serious prepper would say the entry level is more like 30 days. Again, it's not just about the big super disaster, this covers a lot of things. Lose a job and short on cash, having some buffer of at least food can lower your stress level a lot. Even if you're not in an area of destruction, panic can empty store shelves in hours. This is happening even in Japan well away from the disaster areas, and they're about 100x more calm than Americans on the whole. My in-laws in Tokyo can't get Kerosine for the heaters (it's like the East coast here) and it's pretty damned cold still.

When (not if) we get the big bitch slap quake here, you can bet you won't be going down to your local store to pick up din din. We get hungry fast and that's not a pleasant feeling. Have kids, elderly, sick around? They suffer quite a bit more without a continuous stream of what they need to live. Have pets? I have rabbits and chinchillas, they can easily die if they don't eat within just 24 hours.

If you store what you eat and eat what you store, you can't really lose having a fair rotating "stock pile" of food and water. The better way to think about these things is "preparing for life, not events."

This is not about tinfoil hat end of the world stuff, it's about the basic fact every one of us will likely go through some hardships and some preparation can make it less hard.

[Shaolin Crane]

I'll admit I have slacked when it comes to emergency perparedness, I use to have a case of MRE's under my bed, but I guess im the only person who likes them cause I ate them all when I was bored or spent too much cash on car parts.

[injdinjn]

If you have too much stuff and the wrong roving gang finds out you might not have enough guns/ammo to hold them off.

re: Lack of food. One morning the single guy I worked with came kinda moaning. Seems all he had in the house for breakfast was a can of Chili con Carne and his stomach was retaliating. LOL

A family lost their house across the street so I was nosing around and found a box labeled "disaster" on it. Contained 2 collapsible water jugs, mag light, some misc items and $40. If I had any idea where they went I would have sent them the money but better in my pocket then the trash.

[Vettezuki]

If you have too much stuff and the wrong roving gang finds out you might not have enough guns/ammo to hold them off.


A you don't advertise and B you have family and friends on board and armed/trained to the teeth. From a security POV, the only thing you have to do is make yourself a hard enough target to make them look elsewhere. Remember the Korean shop keepers during the LA ritos. Not many of them were looted . . . the shotguns were probably why. The only roving gang I'm genuinely worried about is the government. In Katrina some people were holding their own just fine until those POS bastards (illegally and immorally) disarmed them. The government can shoot your wife and burn your children and not a thing will happen to them. A couple teenage hooligans don't worry me.


re: Lack of food. One morning the single guy I worked with came kinda moaning. Seems all he had in the house for breakfast was a can of Chili con Carne and his stomach was retaliating. LOL

I just had an image of 10s of thousands of people having eaten chilli for breakfast. Yikes.

A family lost their house across the street so I was nosing around and found a box labeled "disaster" on it. Contained 2 collapsible water jugs, mag light, some misc items and $40. If I had any idea where they went I would have sent them the money but better in my pocket then the trash.

Legit. They abandoned it.

It's also not like I'm anywhere near great on these issues, I'm tell myself to step it up as much as telling others. It's also not like anyone has to do it overnight, just consider the issues and make a commitment to work on them over time.

[Shaolin Crane]

I'm genuinely worried about is the government. In Katrina some people were holding their own just fine until those POS bastards (illegally and immorally) disarmed them. The government can shoot your wife and burn your children and not a thing will happen to them. A couple teenage hooligans don't worry me

I'd have no issue dropping anyone (gobernment or other) if some one tried to take a weapon of mine from me

[Vettezuki]

I'd have no issue dropping anyone (gobernment or other) if some one tried to take a weapon of mine from me

The difference is a fight with government means you will die. Maybe it'll be a good and noble death, but you aren't going to out-violence them. It's the one thing they are actually very good at.

[Shaolin Crane]

Taking my weapon means i'll die either way, this way I take some one with me.

[Vettezuki]

Taking my weapon means i'll die either way, this way I take some one with me.

In a Mad Max scenario, you're probably right. Let's hope nothing ever gets that gnarly and honestly it probably won't. But an Earthquake in SoCal that wreaks enough havoc to be out of power and water, with food shortages for a week or two is very possible. Most people would survive, but the experience will likely be miserable. With preparation, it'll be more like an impromptu vacation. A couple weeks ago, my brother was coming over to my home wood working shop to finish up a his senior design project. A local transformer had blown and the power was out. First time in ten years. Failure was not an option . . period. So we sat around waiting for the power to go back on . We had to work til 6:00 am the next morning . . then go to work school. If I had a generator or battery backup (both on my list), we would have just motored right on through.

Beyond this, things like getting hurt/sick, losing a job, etc., are actually relatively high in probability (compared to major disaster.) These too require preparation.