To clarify further, I absolutely would put getting to work in the priority list because I honor the oath that I took. The taxpayers also pay my salary, but they also fund, shall I say, "people that have no honor" who could care less about assisting others. In fact, some in that group may look at a disaster as an opportunity.

A wise co-worker once told me, "You can love the job, but the job doesn't love you." And I know I love my family and they love me. That's still not to say that I would abandon my job. It would take take something of epic proportion for that. Like Clint said, "A man's gotta know his limitations." I think that's why I'm on this board; prepare for situations to lessen the disasterous effects. Now if the rest of my family had that way of thinking...

That's a good observation about ETS and a fair question. I doubt that any of us who are not connected to some public safety organization has thought much about getting to work in some major disaster. I know I haven't. I might rank a small business owner up there with public safety in terms of determination to get somewhere, but like the rest of us, probably doesn't have explicit plans or preps on getting to person's business.

Most of us probably approach the GTW issue on an ad hoc basis. For example, last week here in the San Francisco Bay Area, an early morning structure fire next to the elevated tracks of the BART train system knocked out all service between the East Bay and San Francisco before the morning rush hour. The last major disruption like this was probably when the Bay Bridge was damaged in the Loma Prieta quake in '89. Probably the majority of my coworkers live in the East Bay, and that's probably true of many employers here.

We're lucky because our employer already invested the money in an IT infrastructure that has enough capacity and functionality so that almost all of us can work from home, so many folks stayed home. But for many others, they just figure things out as they went along and figured out some alternate method or combination of methods to get into San Francisco, like hopping in the car, taking a bus, riding a ferry, etc. I suspect that it will be the same way in a major disaster (with many fewer options to move around), and any sort of GTW kit will be simiarly thrown together as needed, or just using a Get Home Bag, if a person already has one ready.

I re-read my earlier post and I really hope it didn't come out as accusing or self righteous. Wasn't my intent and I should have noted I haven't read about it on any site not just this one. I just found it odd no one ever mentioned it before or that it is very seldom talked about at least.

I must admit there is a large part of me that morbidly needs to be in the middle of all that stuff. A few years back when we deployed to BC to assist with the fires we pulled into this one town where there was a line of cars as far as the eyes could see leaving the town. The wind shifted suddenly and a lot of people were surprized at just how fast a forest fire travels. Anyway, as all these folks we were leaving in mass panic we were heading into the town with only a handful of trucks as houses were literly burning all over the place. It was a very odd but good feeling to be one of those guys if it makes any sense. I did know my family was safe and sound in a different province as well, so that takes most of the stress away.

I guess that's another reason for my get to work bag. When the world does end I don't want to be hunkered down in a hole in the ground wearing a tin foil hat eating a cold mainstay bar, I want front row seats.

I have more faith in the volunteers than the paid emergency workers in urban areas.

I would point out there are a ton of people who have to get to work in bad weather when others don't. A lot of maint guys have to show up to plow snow. Gas station attendents show up to keep the gas pumps running. Security guards show up to work. There are an amazing number of people who just have to show up at a lot of places when there is bad weather. They will likely be there when the SHTF too.

A lot of those kind of people are not well paid yet feel an obligation to get to work under some pretty rotten conditions that would have the rest of us just going back to bed for the day.

I actually had to do so two years ago for the bus accident (March 2011) in the Bronx which killed 15.

In the Bronx, there are two major highways between my house and the hospital, the Merritt Parkway and I95. The accident happened on I95. Soon afterwards, all adjacent highways were clogged. No traffic moved all day.

Fortunately, I got called in before the traffic built up and got past the accident. The accident also happened during a change of shift so that there were TWO shifts of personnel around. Physicians, upon hearing of the accident came in of their own accord from all directions. Otherwise, things would have gotten very interesting.

"No battle plan survives contact with the enemy."

In reality, the likelihood is high that getting to work in an emergency will be problematic and work will simply have to make do with on-site personnel.

Conway Yee

First, a hearty "Thank You" (I can't ever say it enough) to all the first responders, and others who put themselves in harms way every day.

Second, this is certainly a fair question. For me it's a no brainer though, as I am lucky enough (I think) to work in a family owned insurance business/office, where safety and family ALWAYS come first, so a GHB is the only real concern I have. DW on the other hand works at the local hospital as a Social Worker, and COULD be considered essential personnel in the right emergency. Though she works on the physical rehabilitation floor, I have no doubt she could be sent to the ER or other area of the hospital and would gladly go if needed (she is VERY special that way). One of the hospital's contingency plans in the case of closed or bad roads is that those who are at the hospital already STAY until the danger/emergency is over. In the event they need to call in additional personnel, National Guard Hummer's are usually available, depending on the type of disaster/emergency. Our biggest concerns here are flooding, snowy roads (it doesn't take much to make things slippery and dangerous and we occasionally get unusually LARGE amounts of snow that result in road closings, tho that hasn't happened in a LONG time), or other natural disasters (this spring, we narrowly escaped the damaging tornadoes that struck our neighboring counties).

Finally, thinking through it, I agree that a properly equipped GHB would have MOST of the items a GTW bag would have (other than, as you mentioned, the appropriate ID and job-related items). I am guessing most are counting on that but thinking in the opposite direction (i.e. GTW bag) is certainly a worthwhile exercise.

Yeah, I wish I could post it up but this move is killer. A lot of my stuff is packed in boxes and I don't even know where my camera is. Off the top of my head from memory I have:

- Extra uniform (I would rather not travel in uniform, especially during and emergency)
- Lightweight raingear (MEC hydrofoil) top and bottom
- 3 l camelback bladder, filled
- Heavy duty work gloves
- Ballistic eyewear kit
- FA kit, well stocked
- Multi-tool (Leatherman surge) with bit kit/bit driver
- Fenix LD 15 AA flashlight (love this thing)
- LED headlamp
- Spare batteries
- write in the rain notebook and pen
- Iphone 4/Mophie case
- Pelican case for phone
- Brunton storm lighter
- Snow peak titanium cup with lid
- Cliff bars (x 8)
- Camelback electrolyte replacement tabs, 1 tube
- MP1 water purification tablets (x12)
- Road maps of my area
- Magellan Triton GPS (provincial maps loaded)
- Spare dry socks (2 pairs)
- Small hygiene kit, enough for about 4-5 days
- Jet scream whistle
- Starflash signal mirror
- Heat sheets 2 person emergency blanket (orange and silver one)
- Special ID card, Specialized drivers license, passport, immunization booklet
- Special issued tools of the trade

I know there are a few other things, but I can't think of them at the moment. If traffic is thick/blocked and I couldn't take the 4x4 a lot of this could be packed in the pouches of the mountain bike.(35-40 minutes on bike) The goal is to make it to my locker where most of my work goodies are, but there is a possibility of having to report to an alternate location (thus the spare uniform) in the event I could not make it to the one in my locker.

Agreed.


Anyway, I've seen what happens at my work at an asphalt plant/diesel fuel terminal when the snow snarls things. The office personnel take a day off and the plant goons all show up.
We have to because it's manned 24/7 and if you don't go in, someone can't leave.

But it depends on the emergency.
Snow storm? I'll be there. Just drive in with my go-bag behind the seat of the truck. Tire chains, a flat-nose shovel, etc.
TEOTWAWKI? Not so much.

"When everyone else is hightailing it for the safety of home I will be fighting the crowds in the opposite direction to get to work, gear up and deploy"

I'm staying home.
If there's still electricity - I'm putting on a movie.
If the electricity is down - I'm opening the freezer, getting out all the frozen meat, firing up the BBQ, and inviting the neighbors over for a block party. Hopefully the beer is still cold. Hahahahaha!

The best way to defeat fear - is to enjoy yourself :-)

But I will drink a toast to those guys who fought their way to the workplace.
Hahahahaha!

Pete2