How many people here are prepared for an emergency?

[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!

 

[Hinotori]

If Cascadia goes, don't be in low lying river valleys with direct access to the ocean. The actual science from them studying sediments in the river beds shows the tsunami will come in a long ways. For example Aberdeen is hosed big time. Because of how the Sound is, Seattle will get a few feet and not much in Tacoma.

Earthquakewise, a 9 on the fault isn't a 9 at Olympia. Oh it will be strong and cause damage, but a lot of structures are built now to withstand quakes. A fault going in any one city is more of a risk to that city. News outlets sensationalize things and "omg we're gonna die" makes money.

A bigger threat is the dumbass developers who put in housing developments on the top or base of denuded hills. Then they are all "we didn't know that this area was mudslide prone in spring".

My house will probably fall off it's foundation and have damage if we get an earthquake. It's one of those small ancient (1900) logger houses that are common around here. You can't get earthquake insurance on houses built before a certain year, I think it was 1980s.

If Rainier starts bulging like St Helens did I'm packing up animals and heading to my great aunts to wait it out. The Hermiston area got very little ash. I just remember the sky getting dark while we were out in the garden.

Do not drive if ash is coming down. It will destroy your vehicle when it's suck in the air intake. I remember the complaining about all the dead vehicles on the news.

I love earth science, always have. I would have loved to go to college for it but our career councilor in school went to great lengths to convince everyone that there was no money and little jobs in any science or technology field.

 

[Miss Lydia]

We heat with wood, have a generator for back up power, an outhouse and a well for water. We used to keep a year or more worth of dried and canned goods in the house, not as much these days however. Several bales of Alfalfa hay in the barn to keep the chickens alive quite a long time should I be unable to buy feed. Guns and lots of ammo should we need to eat the wildlife if times got REALLY bad. I think we would do ok for a while should a disaster strike.

I think our main problems will be those who aren't prepared.

 

[Beekissed]

Times that by a million all over this land....

 

[sumi]

I've experienced this with family and strangers, sadly. I often think it's better to keep your head down and not look like you're doing well, at all. Spare you the having to say no, heaven forbid, if anyone comes asking. My ex-DH had a good response ready one day when someone on the street asked him for money (common practice amongst the "less fortunate" in S.A.) He said to the guy asking something along the lines off "I'm a bit skint myself. I was wondering if there is any chance YOU can help ME out with a bit of money?" The beggar's eyes went wide and he took off mumbling something. Didn't ask DH for money again.

 

[sumi]

I looked at the backyard and went hmmm… snow! Went and gathered up as much as my hands could stand, into a bucket, put it in a sunny spot and waited for it to melt. Unless it starts raining I'm going to have plenty water in snow form out the back here that I can use for things like flushing the loo and if needed, washing the dishes or us. And if it does rain, I'll just collect some rain water. This can work

 

[Britesea]

*sigh* it's against the law to collect rainwater here. Luckily it's a hard law to enforce unless your neighbors turn you in; I live in a village where it's well known that the inhabitants keep themselves to themselves. I don't have anything obvious though- in case officials start driving around. We are looking at drought again this year... the farmers will probably not get as much irrigation water as they need, so local food will become more expensive. It also means another year of extra high fire danger.

 

[sumi]

Unfortunately all the snow on the roofs have melted and what's left on the ground is disappearing very quickly now. Getting clean snow to melt for household use is difficult now, but I'm gathering what I can for the bathroom, chicken drink water, washing the floor, etc. We can drink and cook with bottled water for now.

When I took DS to school this morning I noticed a 1000 litre plastic tank with water sitting at the school gate.

Thankfully our local supermarket is absolutely awesome when it comes to situations like this. First the hurricane, then the snow last week, now this. They are doing their best to make sure we have we need. I'm going to start stocking up on a few emergency items anyway, starting with bottled water. This is the second time we lost water for some reason.

 

[Wannabefree]

Well I thought I was prepared, but unemployment just makes everything so much more complicated than you can even imagine...well unless you have been, or are going through it, which a lot of folks are. Thankfully we stay pretty stocked around here on food and necessities and it's never too bad off the front end...though we got caught with our pants down this time in the cash on hand department. Honestly, is anyone EVER truly completely prepared? I knew this would come, just didn't know when, and was busy lining up my ducks when the crapstorm blew in without so much as a hint of bad weather to come. So, no, I am not prepared for any emergency, but I think we are prepared enough for most emergencies.

 

[unclejoe]

Haven't been here for a couple years and in that time we've made significant progress in our emergency preparedness goals.

Acquired 2 generators and have a 35gal drum of treated gas. 300gal of diesel to run my truck.

Bartered for a small tractor to help with some of the chores around here.

Heat exclusively with wood and have a two year supply.

15 chickens for fresh eggs and breeding.

100lbs of propane for the stove. Would last a year or so including canning.

An entire basement wall lined with shelves of home canned food. Here's some of it.





A couple hundred gallons of water stored in barrels as well as a 1/4 acre pond and several filters for making it potable.

So in general, we're about as prepared as we can be for whatever comes our way.