Preparedness for when

thriftwizard

jk0 wrote: »

This is scarey:

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/09/us/west-virginia-contaminated-water/index.html

Thanks, Jk0; certainly makes you think. I've been quite lax about water, reasoning that I'm only a couple of hundred yards from a river & we could easily take & sterilise river water if the mains went off for a while. We also have rainwater barrels in several places round the garden, although I do have a strange tendency to stuff fleeces into them - cleaning them via a fermented suint, for anyone who knows what I mean - and you really wouldn't want to drink that… :eek:

But I'd always assumed that if the mains water went off, it'd be back fairly quickly & that at least the stuff in the river (closest bit is a chalk stream tributary, clean & fast-running) would be usable after boiling or sterilising. But in the case of something like that - you just don't know what might be in it, or for how long - we'd be stuffed, with just a few bottles of potable stuff lurking under the stairs.

Speaking of water, we're moving DS2 and the trainee-daughter-in-law out to a house shared with friends today, only a couple of miles away, on the other side of the water-meadows. And today, they are lush green pastureland, if rather devoid of sheep, with just the odd baffled albatross sitting on the one or two fenceposts that are still upright. Apart from the mess under the hedges, which you need to look closely to see, you'd never know that even yesterday, they were submerged under a raging torrent. Just goes to show how deceptive appearances can be.

Pollyjuice

This is my first posting this year so a Happy New Year to one and all.

I was sorting some paperwork out today and found a letter from our Parish Council from September. There were asking residents for help putting together an emergency plan for the area. They asked for information such as if you had any medical training, if we had any equipment which may be useful e.g. 4x4 vehicles/diggers/lifting equipment/chain saws etc. Also would we be able/willing to look after individuals/pets should the need arise. Did we have the ability to drive and would be be willing/able to transport people/pets in the event of emergency. All this information was to be gathered to help the local residents in line with Harrogate's own emergency plans. I did consider filling this in but in the back of my mind I'm a bit worried of letting the local council know what I have/have not in the way of prepping. Also I don't know who would have access to this information. I have not heard anything further so I don't know how many people in the village responded or what happened to that information. Has anyone else had requestes for similar information?

jk0

maryb wrote: »

Anyone know if a Big Berkey type filter would deal with that? Or if you had a reverse osmosis system fitted? Because the water hasn't been shut off they have just been told not to use it

Not sure I would want to risk it with either method, if it's not even safe to wash in at the moment. I heard the other day that people are still suffering ill effects from the Camelford water poisoning 25 years ago.

[Deleted User]

I'm with you Pollyjuice.

By law, they're not allowed to discuss/share information about you, without your permission, but in a really serious situation, I would imagine the DPA would be way down their list of concerns.

Plus, who's to say they won't just check their records, to see who has what, then roll up mob handed, and confiscate your equipment and supplies?

[Deleted User]

jk0 wrote: »

Not sure I would want to risk it with either method, if it's not even safe to wash in at the moment.

I agree.

Many chemicals are atomically no larger than water, so filtering is going to be unreliable, to say the least.

[Deleted User]

The sky round here is filling up with dark storm clouds - heavy, black, and pendulous.

It's true also, that the spare tyre they were carrying was badly in need of some air.

Sorry, got a bit carried away there.

herbily

Pollyjuice wrote: »

This is my first posting this year so a Happy New Year to one and all.

I was sorting some paperwork out today and found a letter from our Parish Council from September. There were asking residents for help putting together an emergency plan for the area. They asked for information such as if you had any medical training, if we had any equipment which may be useful e.g. 4x4 vehicles/diggers/lifting equipment/chain saws etc. Also would we be able/willing to look after individuals/pets should the need arise. Did we have the ability to drive and would be be willing/able to transport people/pets in the event of emergency. All this information was to be gathered to help the local residents in line with Harrogate's own emergency plans. I did consider filling this in but in the back of my mind I'm a bit worried of letting the local council know what I have/have not in the way of prepping. Also I don't know who would have access to this information. I have not heard anything further so I don't know how many people in the village responded or what happened to that information. Has anyone else had requestes for similar information?

Hi Pollyjuice, I haven't had anything like this, but I have to say I wish my own parish was as clued-up. I know in practice if there's any kind of trouble people rally round, but it's not always organised to optimum efficiency. If it was me, I'd probably admit to driving, and being prepared to drive, and if I had medical training I'd admit to that, but I probably wouldn't own up about supplies. Though if you've got a 4x4, your neighbours have probably noticed by now!

That said, I do think local authorities are becoming a bit more aware on the emergency planning front that people need to do a bit for themselves, the emergency services can't do everything. Last year for the first time in York we were sent a map showing how the city centre had been divided into zones, so that if there was trouble, the city could be evacuated zone by zone. It provoked a lot of discussion in the office about what if your bus-stop was in the evacuation zone, and I've ended up working out I'd have to walk a mile and a half to pick up a bus out of the main evacuation zones. It was interesting, because none of us had ever considered what we'd do - they were putting in new gas mains down some of the main streets, and we wondered if they were anticipating something going wrong... (Am pleased to report the city is still there:))

Frugalsod

JayneC wrote: »

I once cooked by lamplight for about a year as the whole fluorescent fitting was b*ggered, had to get a new light fitting evetually - was(am) poor so took a while:o

Sometimes it is simply a matter of changing the choke. That is the round object that sticks out of the length of the box. You can unscrew it and take it to an electrical shop. It might only be a few quid and that is a lot less than a new tube or light fitting.

Butterfly_Brain

We have light DH bought a whole new unit and it is now installed and working:D

[Deleted User]

I'd admit to being able to drive (bit pointless denying it, as they've seen me drive away from Council and Area Board meetings), and to my 1st Aid Training, but not to my prepping life.

BTW. Could I ask, if any of the FMs who clicked to thank me for post 17757, understood what I was on about?