nyt article:https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/06/01/business/survival-kit-tools.html

[First time I've seen someone mention coffee. A survival situation is not the time to be having caffeine withdrawal - qjs]

“This is a way of life for us, defending against storms. Come June, we all get in the mode. What are you going to do when someone says “Storm’s in the Gulf”? When you lose electricity, the refrigerator leaks. We all eat seafood, so you have nasty seafood juice all over your floor. We prep our freezers and put everything in plastic garbage bags so if it gets liquified, it’s contained. We learned that after Katrina.”
Cynthia Lee Sheng, 56, President of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana


“I have a kit, or a go bag, but I also keep things in the shelter during tornado season, so we don’t have to move them. We have a case of water, rain boots, extra outfits. And we have a hand winch that my dad always referred to as a “come-along.” It’s essentially a hand-jack so if the shelter door gets stuck, we can put the hand winch in there and crank it open.”
Ashleigh Gibson, 37, Oklahoma City

“Just imagine what it would be like to have no coffee for 11 days. And you’re in a disaster zone with your family. You want the coffee. So I’ve got cold-brew instant coffee. After Hurricane Ian, I thought, ‘Do I like it here enough to live through this again?’ But there are really no disaster-free areas now.”
Kelli Harris, 47, Venice, Fla.

“I have $100 in singles because I was told if we’re in an emergency and everyone’s got very little cash and the ATMs don’t work, we should always have ones to buy what we need. We have a deck of cards in the kit and because I have a toddler we have a stuffed animal (a little kitty) that makes my kid feel happy and safe.”
Damaris Dragonas, 45, Nevada City, Calif.

“Boots are really important. Cut feet are one of the biggest injuries in earthquakes. But the most valuable thing in terms of emergencies is knowing your neighbors. I got these signs – one side is red and says ‘Help,’ and the other side is green and says ‘OK.’ If you need help, you put ‘Help’ in your window. I got them for everyone on the block.”
Lynda Bishop, 72, Portland, Ore.

“I recommend making sure you have stuff you actually want to eat. Like junk food. We have Pringles in our kit. We throw an earthquake-themed dinner party every year as a way to teach friends and family about earthquake preparedness. The whole party is candlelit, we do quizzes about what you need to know. We have all the kids go under the table and we shake the table. It’s a fun thing, but hopefully when the next big earthquake comes, our friends are ready.”
Emily F. Peters, 43, San Francisco


“What pushed me to get an emergency kit was the big winter storm Uri in 2021. That was pretty dramatic here. I bought a kit from JUDY. It’s a highly designed kit. The whole kit and kaboodle comes in a waterproof bag. The list of what it had matched what I was looking for.”
Natalie Davis, 42, Austin, Texas


“It’s important to have flip-flops in times of flood. You don’t want to be in shoes. Your shoes will always be wet.
Since 1989 I have been helping people in times of disaster. You have to be compassionate with people. Recently at a shelter I was passing around toothbrushes. I was going to give this person a pink toothbrush and he said, “Can I have a blue one?” At first I thought, ‘Oh this is a person who is being picky.’ But then I remembered he just lost everything. If that blue toothbrush is going to make him happy, he can have it.”
Ayenza Matthews, 54, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Good post!

Note the empasis on tiny creature comforts as well as "all the big stuff." Small things, to boost morale.

Not sure about flip flops, even crocs seem like a better option if wading through muddy water.

While Judy's fashionable survival kits are certainly unique and may be useful in certain situations, it's important to note that they may not offer the same level of comprehensive preparation as other pre-made survival kits on the market.

Jeanette Isabelle

I thought the dinner party themed for whatever disasters are most common in your area was a good idea.

You know, that is a very good idea. Sort of like fasting to focus the body and mnind.

Just for laughs, we agree to be completely off-grid for 24 hours, over a weekend. No power, no water, no phone, no data services, it's all off limits, just to see what it looks like. Neighbours are of course welcome, and maybe fires and BBQ, and help to anyone who needs it. And it's fun, and it plants a seed.

Does anyone have a solid idea of what they're talking about? It seems like a crowbar would be more direct and easier to use. I'm guessing the winch would have to be anchored somewhere. It might be a mess trying to set it up. Then the mechanical advantage of the winch would hardly be greater than a long crowbar.

A "come along" is one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/TR-Industrial-Portable-4-Ton-Puller/dp/B074986SW9/

Amazingly useful. Without knowing the problem I was addressing I'm more likely to have a crowbar than a come along, but both are great.

You're right -- the come-along (winch) would need anchor points. That could be built into the shelter design, and I assume it would be.

A crowbar is much handier, but it can't provide anywhere near the brute force of a come-along (4 tons of direct pull on some models).

I'd guess their shelter door must open inward so they can anchor the come-a-long to the door and something else inside?
Anyway, I keep one in the truck. If you ever get stuck somewhere you can usually find an anchor point to pull yourself out with.