Disaster Preparedness - Personal Plans/Ideas

We tried to have this discussion on another thread several months ago but it wasn't taken very seriously. Here's what I posted back then:



I have a small emergency survival kit in the trunk of my car and a larger one in a closet in my apartment.

Both contain emergency rations, water, a first aid kit, a flash light and transister radio, a sweater and a blanket. The one in my closet also has photos and important documents, extra set of car keys, address book, disposable camera, extra socks and one of those disposable beach barbecue grills with charcoal, a can opener and some canned goods, a hammer, wrench and paper air filter masks.


And from another thread, here's what I've done to preserve photographs and important documents:


I've done two things to guard against data loss of precious digital photos, as well as irreplacible paper photos.

For the paper photos, I've scanned them all onto my computer's hard drive. This way I can grab the PC on the way out the door if there is time to do so in a situation like a fire or earthquake. Much easier than trying to carry 20-30 photo albums.

For the digital photos as well as those scanned paper photos, I've done two things.

First, I put copies of the photo image files onto CDs and store them in my bank deposit box.

Second, I've made a couple of personal websites and store the photos there on the internet so that in the case of an earthquake where there will be regional damage and a local bank's deposit box vault might suffer damage, I have website hosts that are located outside the region for my web pages.

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As far as planning goes, have several plans.

You need several evacuation plans for if you need to leave your home or area. How would you get out of the area if you didn't have a car available? What route would you take, where would you head towards? Who outside your area needs to know of this plan so they'll know to expect you and start looking for you if you don't arrive? If you can drive, where will you get gas? What route will you take? How will you meet up with other family members?

If you need to hunker down in place at home or work, how will you provide food, first aid and comfort for yourself and family for several days? How will you protect your location from looters? How will you buy emergency supplies if there is no electricity and you need cash?



When I worked for a title company in the Bay Area I was responsible for organizing distaster planning info and supplies, and drills for all the branch offices after the Loma Prieta earthquake. Learned a lot. You can get very good info and advice from your local county emergency services offices. They will gladly assist you with info. Use that important resource.

Thanks Butrflynet for the info and good ideas.

I've been looking online and attached is a link that has some pretty good ideas.

http://www.secretsofsurvival.com/emergency_supplies.html

Let me add that if you start checking out the rest of this site the guy who runs it is a complete whack-job...talking about the end times as foretold in the bible and such.

I just thought his emergency survival kit advice was decent....not endorsing the rest of the site.

Interesting ideas -- bookmarking -- certainly even if a disaster never comes it's a good idea to have things stored intelligently.

Right now we have a safe deposit box (stocks are in there, mainly, but also some jewelry). Media storage could be a lot better. I think, also, I'm the only person in my work department who regularly carries a flashlight.

The only safe deposit boxes I consider to be safe, are those located in the deep basements of grade A banks.

Several years ago a bank in Medford Mass had it's safe deposit boxes raided. The crooks went up to the roof and drilled straight down into the safe (!) and stole many valuables and cash.

An inexpensive item which is also cool to have is a self hand cranking, rechargeable flashlight. Never need batteries. Radios are also available in this form.

Be sure to have a good pair of hiking boots available and several pairs of warm socks to wear.

Thought I'd bump this back up.....you know, given the current economy.

We survived the big ice storm of '98 in eastern Ontario quite comfortably because we are campers -- warm sleeping bags, Coleman camp stove, Coleman lanterns, lots of wood for the fireplace. Our next place will have a wood stove and we've purchased a special ceramic filter for "iffy" water. Some good points have been made about data storage -- that's something I have to work on.