There is a poll on www.cnn.com today asking if you've "made preparations in case of a natural disaster". Here are the results as of 9:30 this morning:

Quick Vote
Have you made preparations in case of a natural disaster?
Yes 24% 11389
No 76% 36676
Total Votes: 48065

Abysmal.

Yes 23% 13022
No 77% 42573
Total Votes: 55595

Abysmal and going the wrong way

Yes 23% 13269
No 77% 43480
Total Votes: 56749

Yes 23% 13972
No 77% 45963
Total Votes: 59935

"...Yes 24% 11389
No 76% 36676..."


Typical. Which is why we always see the run on plywood, water, flashlights, etc, every time a hurricane is coming...

All the more reason to be prepared to guard your stash during and after an event.

I hang around survival sites hoping someone near me starts bragging about their stash. Then I know where to go when something happens.



(that's a joke)

I'm surprised that as many as 24% say yes, but I wonder what that means? The have a flashlight and radio (both with three year old batteries) or they can survive in their homes for a week without outside assistance? Or presumably somewhere between those extremes?

My guess, personally embarrassing as it is, is that I EDC more "junk" than most people keep on hand for home emergencies. (Okay, I don't carry candles, but I certainly have an EDC kit that I've spent far too much time thinking about. ) However, there is nothing in my EDC kit that I haven't used except the pepper spray. (One day, the sole fell off my very expensive Asolo mountain boots. My tiny role of duct tape saved the day and perhaps a toe; I think it was -20F that day w/o windchill.)

Edit: In Asolo's defense, I should say these boots had been heavily used and abused but I grow bizarrely attached to broken-in footwear. And these boots took a loong time to break in.

One guy I know jokingly claimed his survival plan involved an assault rifle and a list of all the Mormons in town.

Jeff

I'd say in most cases you will find a large part of the 24% who are closer to just having a flashlight and radio than being able to survive in their home for a week without outside support.

As for my millions of fellow New Yorkers, I think very, very few would be able to last that week, if for no other reason than a lack of water. I don't know of many New Yorkers that have even a few gallons of water stored in their home. I feel unprepared because I don't think I have enoughw ater stored, but I probably have more than 95% of New Yorkers.

I was with a few New Yorkers and former New Yorkers last night who were surprised I had tool in the car to cut a seat belt and break a window, if it was needed. For having it, I was called a "survivalist." It would have been much worse had I pulled out the stuff I EDC, even my SAK would have made them flip.

LOL...that's funny, and actually kinda clever, but he'd want to ween out all the Mormons with guns from the list.

"...ween out all the Mormons with guns from the list..."

For sure. My brother-in-law has become a Mormon, and you do not want to try to raid his place!!

Dan,
I store water, but not as much as I should, I have 4 gallons of "do not touch this" water, and usually have between 1 case, and 2 cases of bottled water - when I get down to approximately a case, I hit Costco. Add in the fact that every Saturday I tend to pick up 3-4 gallons of Fruit juice, and around 8 2L bottles of my favorite diet fizzy stuff...

One GOOD thing about NYC, the water supply (unlike many cities) does NOT rely on power, so it will be very hard to take out (amend that - if you are above about the 5th floor, you need power to pump the water up)

Unlike Manhattan, I know where there is a local spring - I would NOT want to drink it long term, but I have seen the water quality reports, and I would drink it if desperate, and with a good filter....

Manhattan Island never had much in the way of a water supply, which is why you will find they were one of the first cities in the US to put in a serious municipal water system. Once the link of Bad water/cholera was made, NYC spent a LOT of Money a good history is here - note the first resevoir - 1776!! http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/drinking_water/history.shtml The Croton system goes back to 1842! (and is still in use!)

If it's going to be a water problem for more than 2-3 days, I'm bugging out, and I know where I'm going - LOTS and LOTS of fresh water

kc2ixe, I'd expect you to have some water, after seeing your posts for a while.

You're right about a water problem. A few days of one for the whole city would be mayhem. I've got a few gallons each for DW and myself. That's probably relatively a whole lot.

Doesn't surpise me a bit.
Though it might represent the internet city types more accurately than the average populace across the country.
Of course, then again some folks don't consider that they have food and water stored in the house all the time are really "prepared".
One would need to define what qualified as "prepared". Because those that have BOB's, long term storage food and water in drums is gonna be a smaller percentage than 24%.
Its a sad commentary on our society.