How many people here are prepared for an emergency?

[sumi]

Here it is completely acceptable to go to the shops in whatever you happen to be wearing at the time, without anyone batting an eye. Especially if you're a farmer! I remember queuing in a shop once behind a woman that looked like she slept in a stable. Hair all over the place, overalls smeared with dung and heaven knows what else… My guess is she spent part of the night pulling calves and didn't stop to think about her hair.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

That's the way I often look... It doesn't seem to matter if I brush my hair or not anyway...

And @Mini Horses, I went to church last night and had chicken poo on my shoes from closing the gates just before getting in the car. Phew! Guilty!

I was just catching up on this thread. I'm prepared for most emergencies. I think preparedness is more a frame of mind than what things you have on hand. It's a way of THINKING. But aside from that, I'm prepared for most of what life throws our way. But I just looked at the mail and my son's current issue of Popular Mechanic just came. On the front page is a picture of a house with water to the rafters and a big headline: HOW TO SURVIVE THE NEXT DISASTER, The Knowledge, Equipment, and Inspiration You Need...
I didn't read it yet, but thought I'd throw that out there...

 

[baymule]

Disasters here generally are tornados. There is usually nothing left, so preparations need to be good insurance and a bank account to start over.

 

[Calista]

Article I came across earlier today.

https://slate.com/technology/2018/0...-or-fresh-water-is-medically-unnecessary.html

Now that's interesting! Even in my backpacking days, I was religious about filtering all water sources on the trail, even though I drank from our freshwater spring on the farm without giving it a second thought.

Nowadays, the risk is just too great -- better safe than sorry with giardia or some other affliction.

 

[Calista]

Disasters here generally are tornados. There is usually nothing left, so preparations need to be good insurance and a bank account to start over.

Baymule, I've always wondered about housing construction alternatives in tornado areas -- do you know of anyone who has a bermed or even partially underground residence?

I'd never been in a tornado before I was sent to Kansas City in July one year long ago to start training for a new job, and sirens blared that first week. People headed downstairs to get to safety and I was going, what, you're going to let a little wind get to you?

Found out how uninformed I was when I went outside and looked at the damage after the tornado passed by. It was sobering, to say the least.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

I read that article too, Calista. I think it depends on where the water is coming from. Many places that people hike offer fresh water sources.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

Calista, in the North, almost all the houses have basements. Not so where I live now. In places where I lived in GA, AL, WA, and TX, the houses rarely had basements, but were instead built on concrete slabs. Not much left after a tornado. One plan here is to dig an old style storm shelter into our hill.

 

[Calista]

Calista, in the North, almost all the houses have basements. Not so where I live now. In places where I lived in GA, AL, WA, and TX, the houses rarely had basements, but were instead built on concrete slabs. Not much left after a tornado. One plan here is to dig an old style storm shelter into our hill.

I hope you will! (I've seen "Twister.")

 

[sumi]

I've always taken for granted that we won't get hit by a natural disaster where we lived. Then the second tornado in S.A. in more than 30 years passed right over our farm. Thankfully it was tiny and the damage minimal. Moved here and had a hurricane hit a few months ago. Unheard off in this country, though we get fierce storms. Bottom line is never say never and be prepared anyway, because you never know!

 

[Mini Horses]

Not much left after a tornado. One plan here is to dig an old style storm shelter into our hill.

You have a hill? My grandparents had a "hill" behind their house & dug a "cellar" into it for canned goods & winter veg storage. I loved going in & seeing the shelves of colorful jars of food! OH, they lived in WV, in a holler, so a little more than a hill -- mountain foothill. But, it would make a great shelter as well as food storage. They framed sides & top with timber from the woods, added much of the dirt back onto top & it had been there for years. Temps & humidity seemed ideal for food as surrounding bare earth did it's magic. Dirt floor. "Watch for snakes" was always a warning as I opened the door. Yes, could happen.