What do you prepare for and not prepare for?

I was talking with a friend today while eating at Taco Bell (we sat there drinking pop for a few hours talking & watching people coming in & out “mostly watching the cute womenfolk”.)

And the talk turned to what to prepare for and not to prepare for. Living in Toledo Ohio there is not a lot of natural disaster situations that are likely to happen. Tornados are about it for mother nature, a lot of man-made disasters could come about like a tanker truck or rail accident involving hazardous material.

Tornados really seem to scare people that have not been around them, I don’t think much about them as they are very selective in what damage they do and cut a narrow path and can go through the area and only hit a few houses. They bounce and seem to skip over most areas in their path. At least the ones in this area act like this.

The truck or rail accident seems like the most likely problem, and a simple bug out kit and awareness of the event so you know what way to run seems like the best answer.

I suppose a terrorist event is a concern, but not a high one like it would be in a larger city.

We also have a few refineries (one of them I could hit with a stone from a slingshot) but these places are not really dangerous more then ¼ mile away from them, and probably not even then. There have been a few large fires that burn very furiously, but not really the dangerous thing they look to be. My dad was a fireman for 41-years and now my brother is one (coming on 20-years) and the joke is that when the Sun refinery needs to be updated or rebuilt they have a fire so they have to rebuild & update it.


There is a nuke plant 30-miles away, but a terrorist would be very hard pressed to do much to it. I use to work there and it’s a well protected place.


I was just wondering about other parts of the country (world) and what you plan for and what you don’t plan for or feel the need to not plan for.


Looking at past history of my area of the country, I don’t worry about tidal waves, earth quakes, forest fires, large scale flooding. These are things that just don’t happen here. I know someone will post that an earth quake (insert your favorite disaster here) could happen tomorrow, but being realistic it’s not going to happen.

I was having a talk with my girlfriend at lunch yesterday and she pulled out the stash of cash she feels she still must have on hand all the time. She tells me that in her early days, when she was involved with a man she wasn't always comfortable with, she prepared for the day when the relationship would go very bad. She always made sure she enough cash to get to the next state. I'm sure a lot of women see a few more hazards around the house than men might.

This raised the exact same question in my mind that you asked. I live where I have already seen a 100 year storm and came through unscathed, where there is relatively little risk of quakes, 0% chance of hurricanes, extremely small to zero chance of a tornado, brush fire, and so on. A dam burst up river could wipe out much of the local infrastructure but I would be safe where I live at least in the short term.

I believe my biggest risk in the desert Southwest is a long-term failure of electricity or of the water utilities -- especially during the summer. I have some water stored away now but will probably increase that before next summer. I'm not really that worried about it though.

Of course there is always the random act of crime or a lightning strike....

A good question. Living in the great State of Lousy-anna (we've got the best politicians and Police that $$$$ can buy), my preparations are geared towards:

Highly Possible:
Hurricanes; Hazardous Materials Incident (from Railroad or Interstates); National Financial Meltdown*1; Martial Law*2; High Criminal Activity*3; Supply Shortages**1; Food Shortages**1;

Possible:
Tornadoes; Nuclear Incident of any kind; Civil Unrest*3; Flooding; Local Financial Meltdown; Foreign Invasion; Home Fire; Major Medical Emergency***1; Other Severe Wind/Electrical Weather; Being recalled to Active Duty****1; Ice Storm; Yellowstone Cauldera Eruption; West Coast Volcanic eruption causing a disruption;

Unlikely Possibility:
Tsunami; Terrorist Incident;

Not on the RADAR Scope at all:
Earthquakes; ExtraTerrestrial Invasion; Zombie Uprising; Local Volcano Eruption;

* 1) In the process of occurring, 2) Currently being used as a threat, 3) Logical result of *1.

** 1) Beginning stage currently being observed in stores;

*** 1) Currently have 1 elderly and 1 severely handicapped, adults living in my home;

**** 1) Would result in Family Financial Crisis;

This question has proven much more worthy of the time I've spent answering it than I first thought!! It has helped get the STOBAR in a different light. This list could/does change day by day as current events evolve and dissolve.

I don't have a plan for a Yellowstone eruption - I figure I'm close enough that it won't matter too much.
But tornadoes, severe snow/rain, some flooding, ice, power outage, things of that nature.
Also hazmat as we have lots of trains and I-80, one of the main east/west interstates, is about 5 miles south of here. You can see everything get hauled down that way.
I've somewhat prepared for civil unrest, but mostly because it's one of the more fun things to prepare for since it involves firearms (and lots of them).

The one that I missed was the possibility of a home fire.

According to the USFA there were over 400,000 residential fires in the US in 2007.

http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/statistics/national/residential.shtm

Fire and Long-term loss of electricity/water due to weather related events seem to be the most probable events to prepare for.

IMHO if lives in an area relativly free from natural disasters, and not a likely terrorist target, then the main risks come from natural disasters and terrorism in distant places.

An area not prone to hurricanes could still suffer fuel shortages due to a bad hurricane destroying oil industry assets thousands of miles away.

An area not at real risk of terrorism could still suffer the effects of terrorism thousands of miles away, resulting in oil or food shortages.

A bad ice storm in Canada could disrupt power supplies in the Southern states.

The main preps would appear to be stockpiles of food,fuel and other supplies, growing your own and not being over grid reliant.

My concerns are:
1. hurricanes
2. power outages
3. flooding
4. hazmat incident on railroad tracks or freeway near our house
5. house fire
6. car accident
7. accident while outdoors (hiking/paddling/etc)
8. disruption of fuel shipments (and associated issues)
9. being stranded away from home
10. inflation and other economic issues
11. job loss
12. being directly in the path of Houston evacuations
13. potential for an ice age due to naturally occuring solar cycles
14. bad dogs (and one bad cat)

-Blast

mine is wilderness emergencys--dumping the canoe with the loss of all the gear is the big one followed by falling and busting something with a long wait untill someone else passes thru and might be able to help.i say might, because what could they do outside of paddle for a few days to find help..i was at a local outdoor gear shop and the price of the SPOT has come down and i was told by spring will be down more and the month at a time payment program is avalable..so that would solve the canoe trip problems by quite a bit---
this is a "safe" part of the world..about the only thing nature could throw our way could be a tornado and thats very unlikely..
a generator is the only bit of gear that i don't have that would make me feel more prepared..a winter ice storm that brought down power lines over a wide area would be a hard one to deal with if i could not power up the gas furnace..
but i don't have a BOB or feel i need one but could fill up the car with camping gear and what food we have around and be on the road in half an hour..but thats also so unlikely thats its not something i even think about unless i'm reading this fourm..

I am with CANOEDOGS, my emergency troubles will proabably arise of some outdoor adventure going wrong, either at work or on leisure time (e.g. sink boat, crash snowmobile, get lost, truck accident, ditch plane, violent confrontation, etc).

I live in a very stable, safe place; the most common thing that happens at home is power outages due to winter storms or high winds. Other things to consider would be a house fire or toxic spill on the nearby highway/railroad.

Mike

I live along the Alaska Highway in the Yukon. A major earthquake (we have 4 faults) could make food delivery difficult either by road or by air since the airport could also be closed for a while.

1. Fire, both house and forest. Forest is less than a mile away.
2. Long term power cut.
3. Long term gas shortage.
4. Nice young RAF chap dropping his Tornado in my back garden.
5. Accident while away training.
6. Maniac farmer with muck spreader.
7. Terrorist attack.
8. War

I'm less but still noticeably concerned with random crime and suitably versed with WMD's to take them quite seriously.

Following suite, and now that I am once again a Colorado resident:

1. Fire, especially now that I have gas utilities again. The house is equipped with CO monitors, smoke detectors, and I have 4 fire extinguishers, and I know where the gas shutoff valve is.

2. Snowstorm, for which I am buying a gasoline powered snowblower, I am filling all my oil lamps again, and I am rigging a 24v control circuit for the fireplace gas system (in case the power also goes out). I am also getting 4 studded snow tires and chains for each vehicle, and have added a 0 degree sleeping bag to each vehicle's kit. I have enough foul weather gear etc for a platoon.

3. Gas shortage, I commute, no longer a problem.

4. Commodity shortage (groceries, sundries), my pantry is overstocked, my refrigerator is stuffed, and I am about to replace the deep freeze I got rid of in the move from Orlando with an even bigger one, which I intend to fill with deer and elk meat soon.

5. Terrorist attack/natural disaster/act of God, I pray everyday. It can't hurt, and who's to say that wasn't what kept me alive in Baghdad?

6. Violent crime, Browning BPS with extended mag in 12 gauge with 20" barrel while at home. Glock 21 with extra magazine loaded with 200 gr. hydrashoks. Maintain situational awareness.

I never worry about power outages much, they generally don’t last that long and with a gas range and a kero heater I can easily provide heat. The garage also has a wood stove in it and I could move out there if I had to for heat. The last big power outage that killed power to 50-million homes all over the north eastern seaboard originated with my electric company (Toledo Edison) but even when many were without power for days, we were only without it for a few hours (I think it was 3-hrs)


A home fire is a concern, but with care and fire extinguishers at the ready it’s a minimal concern.


Gasoline shortage is not something I worry about or plan for too much other then a tank of gas in the van and an extra 5-gal can. I don’t want to store more then a few gallons for emergency use. I think it’s best to prepare for this by having enough supplies to weather short term shortages. Long term fuel shortages would probably mean a much more drastic economic collapse. This could lead to a loss of all the supplies we use as a society. I think having supplies of food, a way to make drinkable water and a way to cook on hand can really give a comfort zone for this. I suppose hunting could supplement your food supplies, but a lot of people will think this and the woods may not be a safe place with large numbers of hungry people with little firearm experience wanting to shoot everything that moves. Probably better to stay out of any woods.



A riot is a possibility, we had a small one a few years ago when the Nazi party came to Toledo and had a march in an inter-city neighborhood. My brother is a county sheriff and was on-scene during the riots. They were told to stay on the perimeter and keep out of the rioters way, let them do what they want to do in their own neighborhoods. Don’t shoot anyone and cause an incident. The Nazi demonstrators were not the ones rioting, but more the ones stirring the pot.





Violent crime.
I try to avoid areas where it generally happens. But a firearm is the answer to this in an extreme case, but it’s always better to walk away then to shoot. Many times just allowing a gun to be seen can defuse a situation. I agree with being aware of your surroundings can be the most important thing here.

>I was just wondering about other parts of the country (world) and what you plan for and what you don’t plan for or feel the need to not plan for.

1. Home Invasion
2. Burglary

I guess the only real difference to the victim is whether or not you are home. A true home invasion usually involves significant violence. Many burglaries only result in property theft or damage.

A few weeks ago we had break-in attempts two nights in a row. We were home. Flash lights, screens removed, etc, etc. They did not get in. No one is dead, critical or in jail.

We considered the attempt a worthy test. A scenario plan was written. The plan was passed by interested parties that would be involved if a real entry and conflict played out.

If you are a potential victim give it some thought. A good source of information is -

GOOGLE SEARCH -
Results of about 1,380,000 for "home invasion" [definition].

I go with a ten year rule - if it hasn't happened her in ten years, I don't put it on my worry list. Also, what is likely to happen every year?

So for Chicago ( or any part of the mid west) expectations go like this;

1. Blizzard / extreme cold
2. Power loss
3. extreme heat
4. tornado / thunderstorm
5. Other ( mostly concerning loss of provided services for a time or gridlock)


Teacher

( +1 above to a whole different list for outdoor / wilderness activities)

I think the one natural disaster I try to keep in mind when I prepare a BOB or kit is a tsunami, the one forecast to occur when half of a volcano falls off one of the Canary Islands. It's not something I want to occur or even entirely believe will as a worse case scenario, but if that is the standard I am working toward, then my preparations should be able to handle many less impressive events. My thinking is that if you prepare for the worst, you'll be prepared for a lot.

I gear my stuff toward having and being able to acquire food, water, clothing, shelter, fire, first aid, and perhaps a few other things.

My first aid kit is geared towards things I think I can or mght be able to use. No stitches for example, but lots of gauze, tape, an eyewash, disinfectants and some medications for simple things like mild pain relievers (aspirin, tylenol, etc.), immodium, decongestants and antihistamines.

I think you also need to think about lesser and more local events, to see if there are holes in your plans. Preparing for a tsunami may leave you not having considered the ways in which you might deal with things like a fire. Perhaps, you might overlook having a fire extinguisher.

The other ones I tend to think about include storms (hurricanes, blizzards, etc.), terror attacks, blackouts, fire, civil unrest, etc. Each may or may not have me adding things to what I have as gear, but what I want DW and myself thinking about is how do we react and react quickly. NYC is not a place I want to be stuck in for all that long.

I prepare for social/general. By social I mean the infrastructure of society breaking down to a degree. By general I mean that my basic strategy is to shelter in place, and that works against a wide variety of outside disasters, including nuclear, epidemic, and zombies (if they are the slow sort that are stymied by door-knobs, otherwise I'm a bit stuffed).

So for example, although the supermarkets seem to have lots of stuff on their shelves, I know they are serving a wide area and they probably operate a "just in time" stocking policy which means they are liable to run out quite quickly (especially if there is panic buying). I witnessed this a few years ago, when lorry drivers went on strike over fuel prices, and after just a week there were some shortages in supermarket bread. My preparations involve stock-piling food and other consumables (eg toilet paper).

Mains supplies of gas, electricity and water can be interrupted by a variety of things, including the supply company getting into difficulties. I try to diversify in the hope that not all suppliers are affected at once. I can cook with gas or electricity, and I also have an open coal fireplace with a stockpile of coal so I can keep warm. I stockpile drinking water and batteries and have plans for replenishing them.

I don't prepare for the end of civilisation as we know it. That would probably involve finding a career that would be more useful in such circumstances. I don't much prepare for natural disasters because in the UK we don't really have many. Earthquakes are rarely severe, hurricanes and volcanoes unknown. Tornadoes happen but are extremely local so I figure if my house is hit I'll just check into a hotel or something.

My preps for living in Colorado, suburban area, in no particular order:

(1) Emergencies during hiking/outdoors activities (PSK, extra gear - I carry a heavier pack, definitely not an "ultralight" hiker!)

(2) House fire (tons of smoke detectors, CO detectors)

(3) Personal assault (CCW, training, practice)

(4) Snowstorm while at home (extra food, extra 20lb propane tanks plus adapter for Coleman stove, enough LED flashlights to light the entire metro area)

(5) Blizzard on the road (extra clothing, sleeping bags, food)

(6) Computer disaster (frequent backups to external removable harddrives, and DVDs/CDs stored in a safe deposit box)

1. The impending Zombie menace
2. Hurricanes
3. Fires, house and wildland
4. Home invasion robbery, Burglary
5. Temporary disruption of essential utilities & services
6. Temporary disruptions to commerce & the economy
7. Temporary disruptions to civil order & law enforcement
8. Industrial and environmental accidents
9. Anything unforeseen and unpleasant

In addition to being prepared for the sorts of "big" disasters that could befall my community, I consider having food, etc. stored to be an affordable and convenient form of personal, short-term unemployment and disability insurance.

Anyone with three to six months of groceries on hand is certainly better able to cope with a sudden job loss than anyone without.

Jeff

the zombie menace is top priority. But as Shaun of the dead has shown, the army will arrive just in time. I read World War Z and find it very disturbing today that it was announced Kim Jong Ill has become sick. No one saw the crafty North Koreans by the end of the book. Are they hidden safely underground or did they become infected and millions of zombies are waiting to be relaesed? I need to know!

We all know that The Umbrella Corpoaration from from Resident Evil is based on a cabal of microsoft and google run by haliburton.

buy bullets!

My Top 10 Events to Prepare For in order of most likely to occur, and how I expect (am trained) to help:

1. Medical assistance - multiple times a year, ranging from cuts/bruises to broken bones. Keep current on FA/CPR.
2. Winter storms - lose power, heat: general preparedness. Assist with clearing downed trees for emergency vehicle access.
3. Household fires - get everyone OUT, stay OUT. Beyond that first few minutes of chaos, if this goes right, life is gravy.
4. Floods - to others below the flood line. I'll fill sand bags and possibly shelter folks via Red Cross. Post event, help with clean up, they can sure use it.
5. Earthquakes - small. Help self, family, coworkers, neighborhood, community via Red Cross shelter team. Make myself available to turn off gas, fight small fires, light search and rescue (in team), medical triage and assist the injured in my immediate area.
6. Pandemic - help self, family, community volunteer (body disposal) via Red Cross. Try not to become a victim.
7. Earthquakes - large, Seattle Fault or subduction zone. Ditto, except I may be dead or injured, or my assistance is likely to stop at neighborhood unless/until I can help my community via Red Cross.
8. Crime / burglary - at the moment my neighborhood's crime rate is abysmally low. Car prowls at the nearby park and ride. That can change obviously, so would my preps.
9. Zombie Apocalypse - slow shambler zombies. We know its coming, be prepared for it. Shovel, baseball bat, and other brain crushing weapons designed to stay out of reach.
10. Zombie Apocalypse - fast running zombies, infect on blood/sputum contact. Hope to be out on a hike with every one of my loved ones, at elevation. Or a fast car, with a full tank of gas. No plans for this. Dig a hole. Get in. Cower. Die. Then live again, sorta...

I'm considering responding with my Red Cross shelter team to some hurricanes and earthquakes elsewhere in the US, to get some experience for when something strikes the Pacific Northwest.

I try to prepare for the worse case my can come up with!

not prepare? how can I?

SaucyRose

We're pretty prepared for a most things. Our biggest threats, historically, are a peanut allergy reaction, job loss, car accident, or other medical emergency.

We should be more prepared for a house fire. My extinguishers are old, but still have good pressure and the powder sounds nice and loose. The kids know what to do in a fire but we don't drill them. I work hard to reduce fire threats around the house.

We're less prepared than we could be for a hurricane but our house is in an excellent location and has survived undamaged when others in the neighborhood lost shingles and had tree collapses. It would take an incredible storm surge to even get our carpet wet. We keep enough food and water for a week, important documents and a few hundred bucks of cash are in waterproof bags in a fire safe, and have plenty of flashlights, knives, tarps, tents, etc.

After a pandemic flu exercise, I did add some new supplies just for flu: hand sanitizer and alcohol, gloves and N95 masks, Gatorade mix and Immodium AD. I figure we'd ride it out at home and stay as isolated as possible. Anyone that does get sick mostly needs to stay hydrated and rest and wait it out.

I really don't make any specific preparations for most other natural or man-made hazards. Hurricane prep pretty much covers most of those for us. We can pretty much sit in our house for a week without outside power or water. In 30 minutes we can load up the car and be on the road to go stay with friends or family almost anywhere in the U.S.

I don't plan for the really catastrophic societal collapse anymore. I understand people that have 5 years of nitro-packed food and seeds, but I'm just not spending time worrying about that anymore.