escape from NY

I live on Long Island outside NYC. LI is usually downwind of the city too. <br>They only way out is through the city or by water (Long Island sound to Conneticut). I'm trapped.<br><br>Even if I escape, I have no clue what I should have with me to survive or how to.<br>Can anyone suggest <br>1) What small boat I should buy that can safely cross the sound.<br>2) What I should have ready to grab in a moments notice to bring with me so that I can survive a week in the countryside before finding safe refuge.<br>3) What additional equipment to have ready for specific specific scenarios<br> (bio attack, nuclear, riots, quarantine, etc.).<br>3) What books I should have and learn for dealing with such an ordeal.<br>

Ed, What is your experience handling boats? How many people in your party? If you intend to cross in something along the lines of a Boston Whaler, your total equipment is allready heavily dictated by simple weight considerations. You are going from familiar terrain to unfamiliar terrain. this includes resources and people. I think you would do well to consider securing yourself where you are. to start, take an inventory of what you have;food,water,medical supplies,transport ,shelter.

No boating experience. I would like to think I can get across the sound in a small RIB. Navigation is not a concern as land is in sight or done by simply going North (and weather permitting). Perhaps that is over simplifying, but I would not foolishly attempt it without getting some education and training first. <br><br>I would only bring what I can carry, and what my partner could manage as extra. I am in good physical shape but an ubanite. <br><br>In a disaster, I feel that getting to the mainland would be of great importance. LI is basically an extension of NYC. If cut off, supplies will run out quick, and there are no natural resources to live off of.<br><br>While I do not plan to move, I just want to be prepared to be able to leave in an emergancy if I have to. Part of that plan is having an option available (the boat) if travel through the city is not possible.<br>I'm just trying to jumpstart my plan by contacting people of experience that can give me a chacklist of things to get and learn (at this site and a couple others I've posted to).<br>I just need some pointers as a starting point (per my previous message) so I can start getting the gear and training I will need.<br>

I think you fear "being cut off" because you are thinking one dimensionally. Even if land routes were completely impassable, there is still air, and your interest,sea transport. I still urge you to assemble basic supplies and prepare for a possible short period of self reliance. If you analyse most large disasters, emergency services, while initially overtaxed are quickly bolstered with National Guard, sister state services etc. Facing a disaster is just like getting lost. It is far better to stay put, make use of your preparations and wait for help. Emergency services won't be looking for a small boat in Connecticut if Long Island is in trouble.

I understand your concerns and they are justified. I'm sorrry I can't give you advice but you are on the right path finding out what you can. Your survival chances are greatly increased with each path considerd.

I have no experience with Long Island Sound, but plenty with a broadly similar body of water, the Santa Barbara Channel in Southern California. There are days when you can safely cross the SB Channel in a bathtub and days when you are at risk in a sixty foot power boat (true experience!). I imagine the same is true of your body of water as well. That is where experience is indispensable. Leaving Long Island to get to the mainland sounds to me like a classsic case of jumping from the frying pan into the fire. In a disaster, I would rather take my chances on the Channel Islands than on the mainland, so I think you are relatively better off on LI than trying to reach a doubtless already burdened mainland.<br><br>You ask about what boat to buy that will safey cross the Sound - it depends to a great deal upon the experience and judgment of the skipper, rather than size and number of gizmos. The money you might spend on a boat and related paraphernalia would probably be much more effectively spent on enhancing your home and surroundings. That way you will have home field advantage over the hordes from Connecticut who will be fleeing to Long Island.<br><br>I am glad you are planning through possible problems. Hope this helps.

<br>A two person folding kayak will hold more than a weeks worth of gear and two people. It's portable and light but you must be a skilled paddler.

I would recommend that you stay put and fortify your primary residence. Then start working on putting together a 72 hour kit containing water, shelter, food, first aid kit, knife. A common daypack is generally a good size container for a 72 hour kit. <br><br>Supplies can be brought to the the island in the same manner as you plan on leaving.

Living in NYC I understand your concern regarding getting to the mainland. Learning alternate travel routes is a good start as you can be assured that the LIE will be a parking lot. Learn side roads and don't forget the ferries. Paddling/boating should be a last resort.<br>As important as getting off the island is being prepaired at home should be the first thing. Check out the disaster / survival kits on this site first. Also check out<br><br>www.beprepared.com click on "Insight Articles"<br><br>Are you also worried about bio / chem / nuclear preparedness?

Stay there is my advice. Don't make things worse by getting into a boat that you admitted you don't know how to use, and add to the load of emergency personnel and/or get in thier way. <br><br>Especially if it is a quarntene (sp)!!! Three reasons:<br>1- If you have what ever is the cuase for the quarentene, aid will go you.<br>2- Quarentenes aren't put up for fun. Stay where you so you don't contaminate anyone else.<br>3- If it's a serious one, odds are, the perimeter will be blocked by armed gaurds, possibly with orders to shoot anyone trying to get out, and maybe to incinerate the bodies where they lay.<br><br>IT's safer to dig in than it is to run.

do remember the surviving #1 rule: DONT PANIC!<br>i see no reason to get paniced emidiatly out of a 1 to a milion chance somthing will happend. stay wher u r: stop, think, and only then act.<br>if u r generally fill threatened, i'd sudjest to priper after thinking, avalueting realistic threats, and defenision of needs.<br>first, get to the site and see about outdoors surviving kits and general info.<br>then, make your escape bagpack ready at home. all should be there for one person (or as meny as u r - each have it's own gear).<br>outdoors gear: sleepingbag or emergensy sleepingbag, escape blancket, one full water container (u can use empty coke bottels or a lickwipack cantin), raincoat, some close sealed in a plastic bag aginst water, seald ready - to - eat food and energy bars, a massive plastic or uhta sheet - about 3*3 meeters for shelter, about 15 meeters of string 0.4 mm, a map & campuss, water clearing tablets or eny other clearing mean, a lighter and some fire starters or seald waterproof maches or\and magnesiume fire pice, a swiss army knifewith a wood saw, a candel,led flashlight or a meglight or somthing alike, spar battaries, a hat.<br>first aid kit: some bandeges and plasters, one field dress, one scalptel blade, two medical triengels, pincett, iodine or somthing alike, some minor painkillers, some major painkillers (contact your doctor for those), bugs watterproof repplent, one elastic bandeg.<br>food: gloucose cristals, energy bars, dried food. keep some dried froots - dates etc'- and nuts in your house.<br>cooking: u can use open fire or use a commercial set - i sudjest Tarangia: aii is in it, works at any weather, and alchohol is easyer to get.<br><br>u can add a lot for this bag, depends how much u want to invest and how werry u r.<br><br>transport: i sudjest bike. if u feel you need a boat, get a cayack or a small zodiak with a leg pump. <br>in a city full - panic conditions, it is very likly someone would bomp u on the head and take it.... i do not think it's neccery - bike should do well with traffick jams and alternative routs.<br>refresh water once a month.<br>if u r werried of atom \ chimo \ bio:<br>- gas mask<br>- sealed cothing - buy the spicial ones or improove a full - sealed storm suite.<br>sealed surgers gloves.<br>seald shoes cover (as u use in deep snow or mud)<br>2*2 plastic sheet for cover ander in case of being uder direct chim matiriel.<br>- pads and drinking soda for clering infected skin spots.<br>go upwind! a car, bulding or anything alike gives u about 40 - 70% protection: the mask should do the rest.<br>bio: not my department, but i think the same + some wide - range antibiotics can do.<br>anyway, germs dont have long lifetime in fresh air, uv sun radiation during day time kills them, cold conditions are very limiting. stay away of containment point and go upwinds to an open aria.<br>atom: if it hits u - u dont nedd anything...<br>and again - i see no place for panic. i would sattel for an escap bag, gust for mental helth and stress realis: i see a very sleem chance using it.

Staying put may be best if it is possible. Sometimes you are told / forced to evacuate. (ie. everyone below 14th street on 9/11) <br>Fortunately at that time complete strangers with boats arived to ferry us away. I don't know if I should count on that in the future...