Preparedness for when

1Tonsil

http://news.sky.com/story/1398669/passengers-plead-to-be-saved-from-burning-ferry

We have storms now and hail and its getting colder, those poor folks

1Tonsil

jk0 wrote: »

Crikey. Poor devils.

I have to say I was always a little dubious about the rescue plan for fires on modern ferries. The idea is that if fire breaks out on the car deck, rather than fight the fire, the area is just sealed off, and the ferry becomes its own lifeboat. (Makes for the nearest port and summons the fire brigade.)

I wonder if they even have CO2 supplies which they could fill the car deck with?

The ferry I was on yesterday had sprinkler systems on the garage deck. The fire on this one spread quickly and the vehicles started exploding. The engines cut out with the fire so she is drifting in the very heavy seas. The weather is worsening now

Mojoworking

I thought at first glimpse the ferry was near land and then realised it was just thick thick thick smoke those poor people. I am confused that if the weather is so bad for rescuing why was the ferry sailing at all. Are we just more cautious over here? I'm being curious not horrible btw 1tonsil. (Sometimes tone is lost in writing so just clarifying x) Please keep us informed and hope all those people get home safely.

1Tonsil

The weather is getting colder and we have hail storms now as well as very high seas and winds. The waves are at 7 meters close to the ship. The fire is raging out of control and the other ships cannot get near due to the weather.

The helicopters are flying when they can, but can only take off two at a time. They are taking sick passengers and mothers with babies. They say 111 are safely off the ship, with 317 still on board plus forty crew.

1Tonsil

When the ferry sailed the bad weather had not started. It has moved down Italy very fast. We have an arctic blast coming that will last a week. I was going to go shopping but I am not going anywhere in that weather, we keep getting sudden hail storms and lightning. We can always use our prepping stores then renew them later. Have just flicked the heating on as well as the log fire....its freezing cold now

Karmacat

The ferry disaster is still ongoing though the Beeb and the Guardian are only reporting one death ... it sounds terrible, its horrendous to even try to imagine what those people are going through.

As far as prepping is concerned, I've been sorting out how many tins I actually need to make a solar panel to stick under my home made dehydrator (no idea if it'll work, but the only expense will have been a can of metal paint, so might as well). I'd overcatered by about 100% :rotfl: so I now have *lots* of cans to go in the recycling.

maryb

Interesting article in the Sunday Times yesterday by, of all people, Jeremy Clarkson. The bottom line was "the sort of preparations you actually need to make to survive aren’t interesting or manly and don’t involve anything made by Glock. He’ll die. But, weirdly, a little old lady in a cottage in Devon who has spent her life making do and mending — she’ll be fine".

How you need practical skills rather than a whole load of testosterone.

Thought of you Mrs Lurcherwalker! (Even though you live in Hampshire not Devon, but I know you can make string)

And then thought how weird that he of all people could actually say something halfway sensible.

And then thought how even weirder to associate Mrs L with Jeremy Clarkson:rotfl:

Frugalsod

Karmacat wrote: »

The ferry disaster is still ongoing though the Beeb and the Guardian are only reporting one death ... it sounds terrible, its horrendous to even try to imagine what those people are going through.

As far as prepping is concerned, I've been sorting out how many tins I actually need to make a solar panel to stick under my home made dehydrator (no idea if it'll work, but the only expense will have been a can of metal paint, so might as well). I'd overcatered by about 100% :rotfl: so I now have *lots* of cans to go in the recycling.

You could make it bigger?

Re the ferry disaster it is a shame for all concerned. I wish everyone gets off alive.

One prep I would add for a ferry journey would be head torches or every member of your party. If the engine floods then the ships lighting may fail completely and if you are unable to see where you are going your odds of dying increase. So with head torches they can at least read any wall maps to increase their chances of getting to the lifeboats, and leaves your hands free to grab railings if the boat starts to tilt.

nuatha

jk0 wrote: »

I have the opportunity to purchase another car battery online for about half what I just paid. I'm not thinking of keeping it for a spare for the car. My thinking is that if SHTF, I could use one to power the house, then swap it with the one in the car to recharge it.

Any thoughts?

Apologies for the delay in responding. Back in the 80's a friend of mine was a caravanner, he kept a spare battery in the car for powering the 'van's 12V system, this was charged by a split charge relay. Later he redid the wiring so that he could effectively jump start his car from the spare battery if need be.
The problem with swapping it being you need to start the car - you could end up back to square one with only one part charged battery very easily.
Though I agree that a Lesuire type battery is likely to be better for running appliances, there is a lot that could be done from a standard car battery.

maryb wrote: »

Interesting article in the Sunday Times yesterday by, of all people, Jeremy Clarkson. The bottom line was "the sort of preparations you actually need to make to survive aren’t interesting or manly and don’t involve anything made by Glock. He’ll die. But, weirdly, a little old lady in a cottage in Devon who has spent her life making do and mending — she’ll be fine".

How you need practical skills rather than a whole load of testosterone.

Thought of you Mrs Lurcherwalker! (Even though you live in Hampshire not Devon, but I know you can make string)

And then thought how weird that he of all people could actually say something halfway sensible.

And then thought how even weirder to associate Mrs L with Jeremy Clarkson:rotfl:

Jeremy is blessed by the comparison.
He manages to talk a fair amount of sense when he isn't trying to grab headlines or promote his own brand. But that is probably the most sensible thing he's said yet.
The best prepping has always been learning, building and using the skills needed, its fine having a pile of books, its better to have read them and far better to have tried the ideas. (As for a folder full of websites - 'nuff said)

There's quite a few folk who don't generally thing of themselves as preppers who are fairly well equipped to survive a lot of SHTF scenarios, re-enactors (and I'm not referring to swords and bows).

jk0

nuatha wrote: »

Apologies for the delay in responding. Back in the 80's a friend of mine was a caravanner, he kept a spare battery in the car for powering the 'van's 12V system, this was charged by a split charge relay. Later he redid the wiring so that he could effectively jump start his car from the spare battery if need be.
The problem with swapping it being you need to start the car - you could end up back to square one with only one part charged battery very easily.
Though I agree that a Lesuire type battery is likely to be better for running appliances, there is a lot that could be done from a standard car battery.

Thanks Nuatha,

My dad & I also used to be motor caravanners about 30 years ago. The nightmares we had with the split charging system!

On one occasion, this failed, so I put my Dad's Avometer set to 12 Amp range between the two front seats, with the negative lead on the positive terminal of the spare battery. (Main & spare battery were under front seats.) As soon as we got started, I put the positive croc clip on the main battery, and as soon as we stopped, I yanked it off again. This was the only way to ensure we had any lighting in the evening.

Regarding starting the car if SHTF, I would put the discharged battery in place in the car, but just connect the positive lead. Then the good battery I just removed would be connected to the car leads with jump leads. As soon as the car started, I would put the negative lead on the dead battery, and immediately disconnect the good one. Then hopefully some driving around, or even idling should recharge the dead one.