Massive earthquake rocks the US!
 

Obviously not today, but it could happen someday - just ask TDub.

I was talking to a friend about the consequences of a major disaster in the US. He talked on and on about the big picture items but seemed stumped when I pressed him on what he would do for himself and his family. He was stumped when he had to actually think about something immediate and personal.

My family has a basic plan for a couple different scenarios and some supplies for some possible needs. Maybe I'm insane or I watch read too many post-apocalyptic books but it is something we've talked about at length.

What is your "oh shit" plan?

What would you and your family do if a major earthquake hit your area and shut pretty much everything down? What if there was no expectation of outside help for a week? 4 weeks? 6 months? Ever?

I've thought about it and discussed with my kids. We have a very basic plan, but since we are spread out, it is more than difficult.

We have an agreed upon plan A and backup meeting place. I have weapons and water for a limited time. Thats about all we got.

we have food and water to last a reasonable time and serious camping gear, but it's all in the basement.

There's a river between where I work, and my family. If I'm at work and some bad shit takes out the bridges and collapses the metro tunnel, it will be bad. So bad, that I'll probably be buried in rubble.

But other than that, we have 2-3 weeks of food in the pantry. No weapons, except improvised ones.

Would you mind showing your list of what you think it is a good idea to have? I'd be curious.

I need to find more red barns to take pictures of... winning a case of meat is my emergency plan.

I plan NOT to survive any mega-disasters. We all gotta go sometime. Adios. :cool:

what about mini disasters?

we have a few cases of MREs , Ammo , guns,some water , camping gear and a few different places to go if need be , oh we also have Earth Quake Ins ( We Live near the new Madrid fault, and had to pay EXTRA for it )
Better safe than Sorry .

nothing special in our case. It varies from week to week -it's not a set emergency supply, just doubles as one. I hate shopping, shopping is easier when you only have to buy a few things, so I buy non-perishable items when they're on sale and I buy approximately a month's worth. So each shop I only have to buy a few things -just lots of them. We keep the excess in the basement until we need it.

Clearly some things are better in an emergency that other -for example we always have pasta in but that needs water and heat to cook, not necessarily abundant in times of emergency....

but beyond that we typically have 10-12 types of cereal, maybe 40 boxes total -great emergency food. canned tuna, canned soup, canned fruit, canned tomatos, canned beans, cookies, various beverages including water and gatorade, flour, sugar, rice, tea, coffee, spare tea kettle.... if we could get to our stuff, we'd be OK for a while.

oh yes, and we do have can openers down there too :lol:

If your hungry, raw pasta is better than pebbles to fill the gut.

true. and you can wipe your arse on the packaging.

Or burn it for heat/light... but I wouldn't do both.;)

I have some extra leaves, some nuts. The usual stuff.

My friend gave me this list:
From a Sarajevo War Survivor:
Experiencing horrible things that can happen in a war - death of parents and
friends, hunger and malnutrition, endless freezing cold, fear, sniper attacks.

1. Stockpiling helps. but you never no how long trouble will last, so locate
near renewable food sources.
2. Living near a well with a manual pump is like being in Eden.
3. After awhile, even gold can lose its luster. But there is no luxury in war
quite like toilet paper. Its surplus value is greater than gold's.
4. If you had to go without one utility, lose electricity - it's the easiest to
do without (unless you're in a very nice climate with no need for heat.)
5. Canned foods are awesome, especially if their contents are tasty without
heating. One of the best things to stockpile is canned gravy - it makes a lot of
the dry unappetizing things you find to eat in war somewhat edible. Only needs
enough heat to "warm", not to cook. It's cheap too, especially if you buy it in
bulk.
6. Bring some books - escapist ones like romance or mysteries become more
valuable as the war continues. Sure, it's great to have a lot of survival
guides, but you'll figure most of that out on your own anyway - trust me, you'll
have a lot of time on your hands.
7. The feeling that you're human can fade pretty fast. I can't tell you how many
people I knew who would have traded a much needed meal for just a little bit of
toothpaste, rouge, soap or cologne. Not much point in fighting if you have to
lose your humanity. These things are morale-builders like nothing else.
8. Slow burning candles and matches, matches, matches




100 Items to Disappear First

1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky. Noisy...target of thieves; maintenance etc.)
2. Water Filters/Purifiers
3. Portable Toilets
4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 - 12 months to become dried, for home uses.
5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!)
6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.
7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots.
8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.
9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar
10. Rice - Beans - Wheat
11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food burns/must be boiled etc.,)
12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid (Will become scarce suddenly)
13. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking.
14. Mini Heater head (Propane) (Without this item, propane won't heat a room.)
15. Grain Grinder (Non-electric)
16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.
17. Survival Guide Book.
18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.)
19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula. ointments/aspirin, etc.
20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)
21. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)
22. Vitamins
23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item)
24. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products.
25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)
26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges (also, honing oil)
27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter Item)
28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)
29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many).
30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels
31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months)
32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST)
33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)
34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit
35. Tuna Fish (in oil)
36. Fire Extinguishers (or..large box of Baking Soda in every room)
37. First aid kits
38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)
39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies
40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food)
41. Flour, yeast & salt
42. Matches. {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go first
43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators
44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime.)
45. Workboots, belts, Levis & durable shirts
46. Flashlights/LIGHTSTICKS & torches, "No. 76 Dietz" Lanterns
47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings, experience; Historic Times)
48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with wheels)
49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers, etc
50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)
51. Fishing supplies/tools
52. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams
53. Duct Tape
54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes
55. Candles
56. Laundry Detergent (liquid)
57. Backpacks, Duffel Bags
58. Garden tools & supplies
59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies
60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc.
61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)
62. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax)
63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel
64. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc
65. Sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats
66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)
67. Board Games, Cards, Dice
68. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer
69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets
70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)
71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water)
72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc.
73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)
74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)
75. Soysauce, vinegar, bullions/gravy/soupbase
76. Reading glasses
77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)
78. "Survival-in-a-Can"
79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens
80. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog
81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)
82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky
83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts
84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)
85. Lumber (all types)
86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)
87. Cots & Inflatable mattress's
88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.
89. Lantern Hangers
90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts
91. Teas
92. Coffee
93. Cigarettes
94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc,)
95. Paraffin wax
96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.
97. Chewing gum/candies
98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing)
99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs
100. Goats/chickens

Um, yeah this is the part where anyone who ever wondered if I was nuts will quit wondering.

*4 people x 2 gals water/day x 15 days + 12,000 gallon swimming pool and plenty of water purifaction options for 6 months.

*Enough MRE's for a week, Mountain House stuff for 60 days, lots of canned foods and other long shelf life foods

*A significant amount of first aid supplies and some basic medical stuff

*Months worth of toiletries

*Camping supplies

*Candles and more than a few windup flashlights

*a number of ways to cook without power

*2 way radios + 1 crank radio

*Firearms designed for different duties, plenty of ammunition for any situation

Each car and office have go bags with checklists and 3 day supplies and equipment.

Yeah, I probably am nuts but I doubt I'll ever regret having the stuff.

Tools, some lumber, a shitton of paracord, several pair of comfy boots and plenty of durable clothing, detailed maps, propane, plenty of alcohol, coffee + percolator, camelbaks, knives, hiking sticks, ... the list grows when I see something I think might be useful.

That's what dead neighbors are for.

I got water purification methods, and food for two for about a month. Cat food and litter, too. Essential drugs, basic antibiotics, first aid supplies. Hand-crank radio/cell phone charger. Chlorine bleach. Soap. Toilet paper. Solar cooker. Grill with extra propane. Camping gear.

Need cyanide pills.

But no soul. :headshake

About two weeks worth of canned food and camping gear. Cats to keep mice, rats and roaches at bay. A carton of cigarettes. Lots of matches. About 4 block walk to park which has a creek and large pond. Tons of pinon and cedar starting about a mile from my apartment. There's enough wood for the entire town, swear to God. Many candles. After that, I'm a statistic.

I don't think you're nuts. i forgot to mention the frst aid stuff. And the radios and walkie talkies. And batteries. We don't have shitloads of kleenex and bogroll,though -well we do, but they're stored upstairs. but we do have a huge stack of old towels. In the car we just have water, small medical supplies, several changes of clothes and blankets. this is nothing to do with armageddon, though, it's necessary for our overly-scheduled family survival :lol:

oh, don't forget the sunblock!

Plenty of sunblock.

kits for scorpion sting and snakebite too. This is Arizona and I'm north of the 5the largest city in the country. My plan if something really bad happens is to head up to a predetermined spot in northern AZ. If that isn't possible, I'm prepared to hole up in the house for months at a time and I'm fairly confident that we and a couple like minded neighbors would be able to deter anyone thinking about messing with us.

I have no firearms. but beest's paintball guns would fucking hurt...

I like guns. I put a couple hundred rounds through some zombies today while the family was at disney on ice.

Ooh, one of my favorite topics. If you wanna see how the serious preppers do it, visit http://www.timebomb2000.com/.

We do pretty much like monster. Got the stocked pantry, water, and camping gear. I need more in that pantry (actually I need a *pantry* - plans are in the works). We'd be OK as long as everyone was here and we could stay, at least for a few weeks.

Last year we had a little mini-emergency, when the big winds came through following hurricane Ike and knocked power out for a few days. Because we had some preps and a small generator, we were fine, still got to watch TV and didn't lose everything in the fridge/freezer. Hardest part was finding gas, both for the generator and for the car -- despite our situation, hubby still had work and I still had school! Dang WSU doesn't close for anything!

I almost got stranded up at school one day. Thought that if WSU was still open, they must have power up there so I'd be able to get gas at a station just like normal. Wrong! The one station that was open only took cash, I didn't have cash, nearest bank wouldn't cash my check. Finally found a functioning ATM. And the lines at the few stations in the area were really long, we had to go pretty far to get gas for the generator; the hunt took a lot of our time!

So, lessons: CASH is probably the most important prep item to have. And it's nice to at least have at least one full gas can at home, rotated out regularly.

We were lucky this happened during warm weather. You've got to think about what's the most likely emergency to hit where you live and plan accordingly. I worry about cold weather, a lot. We have a wood stove/fireplace insert but of course it needs electric for the fan to work, else it's not much better than a plain old fireplace.

Maybe ...only when you see the refugee line outside your door?

At least you'll have plenty of toilet paper to share.:p

YES! very important, cash. The people that live on plastic for everything, even a cup of coffee, are going to be screwed, in most cases with the power out. Bigger crisis's confusion, even cash might not help, but you can still start a fire or wipe your ass with it. ;)

Lately I've been thinking of buying gold as an investment but it less handy than paper money for wiping and useless for starting fires.

I guess you could clunk some beast over the head with a gold bar though.

Just watched "Little Dieter needs to fly" about an American pilot who was a POW in Laos for 6 months.

Great film.

He has an enormous stash of food in his house. After being starved to 85Lbs. he wants plenty of back up.

several thousand pounds of rice, flour, honey, etc.

Everyone who is stockpiling guns and ammunition, don't forget a basic bow and arrow, with lots of arrows. Cheaper, quieter and reusable projectiles.

SURVIVAL PROTIPS

A good 75 pounds of fat, stored on your body, will help get you through those periods of no available food.

During a disaster, your mobile phone network may not work and your phone's battery will eventually drain. Be sure to keep a printed copy of your contacts so you can manually enter them into a new phone.

In some areas, potable water falls from the sky as rain. Be sure to stock conical items, such as megaphones, so you can collect it easily.

Out of ammunition? Remember that sex, or the withholding of it, can be used as a weapon. If that doesn't work, try passive aggressive behavior, or the use of emotionally charged insults.

You don't have to run faster than the bears, just faster than your friends. As a part of your disaster preparation plans, make friends with a lot of gimpy people.

Tortillas are a great emergency pantry food and last a long time, but be sure to stock salsa or they will be boring.

If civil society fails, you will be able to drive at any speed on the highways, but driving fast wastes fuel. Your hideaway location will still be there. Slow down, relax and enjoy the drive.

Instead of matches, stock plain old Bic lighters, which are good for thousands of lights and will still work if they get wet and dry out. However, the red ones are considered unlucky. Discard them during preparation.

ATMs will not have any cash, but carbon credits are a valuable world currency that never expires. Plant those trees now!

Younger looters taste better. Older ones are tough and stringy.

If you load your own ammunition and cast your own bullets, you can cast them in gold rather than from molten lead. That way your gold makes the weight cut since it can also be used as ammo in defense of your own life; or, to put game on the table. Those who can't afford gold can go the Lone Ranger route. :rolleyes:

Beautiful!

I've been thinking about our water situation. A deep well hand pump might be in order since even a short hike for water is a pain.

I can't actually afford gold. :blush:

The things we think of when we are bored.

Couldn't you just keep a couple of tanks of hydrogen and a tank of oxygen around and brew your own?

Just wondering.

RE: the water issue, not the gold.

Ah, I thought you had some alchemy knowledge you were not sharing.

I agree with everything UT wrote except for one glaring inaccuracy: red Bic's aren't considered the unlucky ones. I know which color is and I'm withholding that information as part of my Survival Plan.

Also: I call dibs on Dwight Schrute as Apocolypse Buddy.

If I had money to burn, I'd install a big cistern in our back yard. We get plenty of rain it could gather, but the nearest water to our house is in a small polluted stream 8 blocks away. We have bleach to make it potable, if yucky tasting.

Bears always go for the people carrying 75lbs of extra fat on them and smell like tortillas...

Ha! We're lucky, we have a spring right in our basement...
:greenface

Don't forget the water stored in the toilet tanks (assuming they're not totally smashed in the disaster.) That's good drinking, right there.

My dogs agree.

A bucket of it will flush the toilet, however. ;)

I'm investing in still, it makes potable water and booze

I hope you survivalists are aware of the impact your plans and stockpiles can have on your children. I grew up in the 50's when everybody was terrified of the commies and the bomb. When I was 5 or 6 we got stationed over in Germany near the then E. German border. We had packed suitcases and an emergency escape plan should the commies invade over the border. At school we did all that duck and cover stuff and practiced running home as fast as we could (as if that would make a difference :right:). When I was small, all this stuff terrified me. As I grew older, I became fatalistic since we always lived near a military base that would have been ground zero in the event of a nuclear war. I remain fatalistic to this day. Any kind of catastrophe that you need to store month's worth of food for and ammo to stave off your neighbors probably is going to involve a long term if not permanent break down of society. If you are truely worried, move to the country where there is ample firewood, game, and fresh water. Get off the power grid. Grow a giant vegetable garden and make sure your root cellar is well stocked. Guns and ammo are all very well, but if the scenario is the "end of times," you are probably better off with bow and arrows and such. Above all, don't scare your little ones with all this stuff.

Basic distaste preparation shouldn't be equated doomsday fearmogering of the 50's. This level of preparation is more like buying insurance; just in case something happens or if something much less serious. Instance a strong thunderstorm knocks out power for a day or two, or your between jobs and need to cut cost. That stock pile of food will make sure you have the strength to find more work.

My brother and I are both into survivalism, so he and he wife and I and my wife better prepared than the average people. We both have stocks of food in our houses (enough for several weeks). I have a fire pit out back with a supply of wood so cooking won't be a problem if the power is out. We have some water stored, but can get plenty from a nearby stream and/or river and boil it as needed.

Both he and his wife and I and my wife have GHB (Get Home Bags) in our respective vehicles. These include things like a small amount of food (crackers, granola bars, etc), water, flashlight, chemical light stick, knife, multi-tool, compass, whistle, waterproof matches and petroleum jelly soaked cotton balls for fire starting, emergency thermal blanket, plastic rain poncho, chemical hand warmers, first aid/trauma kit, cordage, a pair of gloves and maybe a few other things...going from memory. The purpose of this is to keep you alive and get you home.

At home, we have a well stocked BoB (Bug out Bag) for use if we need to evacuate and have to be on our own for a few days. It has a lot of the same things as the GHB, only with more food and water, water purification tablets, a better first aid kit, a tarp, tent stakes and military sleeping pads for a makeshift shelter, a non-battery radio, mess kits, personal hygiene products, a hatchet and small folding saw, Leatherman, more fire starting supplies including magnesium flint stick and a few other things.

We have a plan to grab other essentials we will need on the way out the door (cash, 3 firearms and ammo and medications).

I plan to loot Walmart

oh shit. i lolled. do tacos smell like tortillas?

We have a cistern. It's not being used at the moment so it's probably pretty gross in there, but I guess it could be made operational again at least for non-drinking purposes.

We have 2 wells on our property too, also not in operation, but installing a hand pump is part of our "get a round tuit" plans.

I volunteer to help LJ take on Walmart.

I think you'll have more trouble with like minded people, than walmart management. ;)

I'd say he was a big dieter if he got down to 85lbs!

She shoots; SHE SCORES!!!111

Who's scared?

Take your pick:

"Dear Lil Lookout and 2.0, nothing bad will probably ever happen near us so don't worry about what would happen to you if any of the things you hear about on the news were to happen near us."

or

"Dear LL and 2.0, I don't expect anything like what we hear about on the news to happen here, but if it does I want you to know this is what your mom and I have done to prepare for it."

I grew up with plenty of drills underneath my desk and I'm just fine. Having the kids know I've given some thought to contingency plans is not something I'm worried about.

Teaching them to be prepared can ONLY be a good thing.


IMO

There are those here who would disagree.:D

But I agree with your explaining it the the shorties. They mostly want to know that you've got it all covered and you are the one that in control, not them.

I practically live like a survivalist. I guess I would have to learn to butcher my own beef ;)

Wipe it's ass and slap it on a plate. :haha: