Preparedness for when

GreyQueen

jk0 wrote: »

Yeah, awful.

Regarding the news about the locked door, isn't it a bit mad that the pilot didn't have a code to get in after visiting the loo?

The other guy could have fallen asleep, died, gone mad (as it sounds he did), and plane crashes regardless.

The co-pilot on the inside had disabled the device so that the code didn't work from the outside...... this was a carefully thought out act of mass murder.

I've downloaded that Kindle app and will try to get the kindle book and read it on my 'pooter. Does the free availability start or end on 28th (v. tired tonight)? Will be sure to leave a review afterwards, too.

Karmacat

It starts on 28th, GQ, I wanted to give a proper heads up to people Thanks for confirmation you'll leave a review

That plane crash is terrible, isn't it. Unimaginable. You try to imagine it, of course, but ...

moneyistooshorttomention

On that plane crash, I think it would almost be easier for those involved to accept what happened if it were a hijacker (which was the obvious first thought about it) than an acutely selfish person committing suicide.

I doubt he deliberately intended to "take everyone else with him" in a sense. He just wanted "out" that way himself and didn't actually stop to think it wouldn't be fair to involve other people like that imo. That is the biggest demonstration of selfishness I've seen for a very long time. If he wanted to commit suicide, then that's entirely up to him and we all have the right to do so if we choose - but to involve other people like that was acutely selfish and thoughtless.

He could have waited just a few hours until he was in a room on his own and then do what he personally chose to and no-one else would have suffered because of it.

VJsmum

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

He could have waited just a few hours until he was in a room on his own and then do what he personally chose to and no-one else would have suffered because of it.

Tell that to my MiL and my BiL's widow and children. I realise taking others with you is a different thing, but there is more than one life ruined when a suicide occurs.

moneyistooshorttomention

My apologies. I phrased that badly - as in "no-one else on that plane and their relatives and friends".

It is indeed difficult for the friends and relatives of the person themselves and this is a factor that needs taking into account by the person themselves as well.

Sorry for not adding that bit.

thriftwizard

I doubt I will ever get DD1 on a plane again. She's always been very nervous of flying, as well as having environmental objections to it, & this incident could well be the final straw.

* Sigh * it's a good job I'm looking at small vans now, she says, with visions of driving all over Europe... Mind you, I just discovered that her cousin has cycled from Edinburgh to Rome recently; maybe that'll inspire her to buy herself a bike?

GreyQueen

Karmacat wrote: »

I agree most people could ... but reading www.theplacewithnoname.com has really stuck with me, about evacuating ahead of Hurricane Katrina - and I'm sure there'd be something I'd forget anyway - I always forget something when I pack for a holiday, evacuating would be no different

I have come across the concept of high speed packing lists for use in an emergency. If we can forget important things when packing for a holiday, how much more likely is it that something critical be forgotten in an emergency?

Even if you have no intention of leaving your native soil, a passport can be a useful item. Last time I signed on briefly, the JobCentre wanted to see my passport and my present employer wanted to see it too, despite 20 years' residence in this city and being 20 miles from my birthplace, and having spent most of my life in the same English county as I was born in, and where my family have lived for centuries.

I read a memoir of one of the Katrina survivors. She, her husband and her old Mum had miscalculated the risk badly by declining to take up offered spaces in family cars heading out of the area before the hurricane hit. But she did have the wit to put personal ID documents in a plastic bag and tuck them into her undies, where they stayed with her despite wading through floodwaters and many hardships. They needed their ID to access certain kinds of official help once out of the disaster zone a week later.

If you are a one-person household, you could have a list which was a small amount of separate items to grab. Or have a 5 min, 10 min, 30 min. 1 hr or 1 day notice and what you would do then.

If you are a family unit, each person beyond the earliest childhood years could have their list, to get certain things from certain places into vehicles/ bags. All this is on top of grab bags for those 10 second emergency moments, of course.

If you think you might be separated from young children, you could look at writing their name and yours on their arm in biro or an indelible marker, perhaps with additional details such as a postcode and house number. It may seem ludicrous, but if your child is too young to relay these details, or may be old enough to speak but incapacitated, this could be a great help in reuniting them with family.

We have a few episodes each year when social services are called out as the public have alerted the police to toddlers straying around the highway in nothing but a nappy. Sometimes it was an accidental escape from home, a moment's inattention, sometimes its reflective of a serious child neglect issue. Pre-verbal lost children are very hard to identify.

moneyistooshorttomention

Its not just pre-verbal children that might struggle to communicate who they should be with.

If they don't speak English they would also struggle. I've encountered a lost little kid who could speak alright - but not in my language - before now. It was as well for that child that I have the confidence level I do (ie I expect to be believed/trusted/etc) as the thought literally didn't cross my mind that anyone would think "the worst" of me, as I promptly scooped up the child concerned and got working on reuniting them with their parents. It just didn't occur to me that anyone might think I was trying to abduct the child, as I was literally carrying the child around whilst looking for their parents. The only thing that did occur to me was being surprised the child quite happily accepted me doing so - as I thought they might have a tantrum about it - as I was determined they were going home and they might have had different ideas LOL.

I did duly find the parents/establish they really were = happy ending all round.

But it wasn't easy when I realised the child didn't understand a word I was saying to them:cool:

nuatha

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Personally, if I had the money, I'd get something like this, but a bit bigger. :cool:

There's a lot of twisty narrow roads that would cause you problems - I've thought long and hard about something similar and when I have the spare cash I will probably buy one but I've seen over a dozen jammed on roads that were only designed for horse and cart in various parts of the UK. One thought is a conversion based on a midi bus, though a Strauber incorporating its own car garage for a decent size MPV would be tempting (if I won the lottery)

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

I even apply the keeping one in reserve rule to socks, undies, trainers as I think life would be very uncomfortable without these things so, when I throw out worn out things and open the new pack that is waiting in the wardrobe I order in another pack to wait even though I've just started with new ones. Socks I buy by the dozen pairs from Fleabay and the new ones I ordered a couple of days ago are £13.99 for 12 pairs and no postage.

I hate shopping, when I find something that works for me I tend to buy 2-3 years supply. I generally wear simple black canvas slip on shoes, they should be appearing back in the shops in the next month or so, as I'm down to my last two pairs I will be buying half a dozen pair (more if the price is good). I'll never be a minimalist, but I'll never again be in the situation of spending days trailing round shops for clothes that function well for the way I live and work (my idea of hell)

Karmacat wrote: »

I've put it up on kindle for free from Saturday 28th for 3 days, hopefully thats enough notice for everyone who wants to download it. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Getting-Home-Emergency-Jay-Whiteley-ebook/dp/B00UNLDFJ4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1427374414&sr=1-1&keywords=getting+home+in+an+emergency

Is it available elsewhere? I spend too much time infront of computer screens to voluntarily read on them, but do use several ereaders but these work on the epub and pdb formats.

MiL update. She's doing well - its going to be a long haul and could still go either way. But was fairly chirpy and able to communicate yesterday. Despite damage to her left side including her mouth she's managed to pass swallow tests - and is allowed to drink and eat under supervision. Which is amazing progress.

[Deleted User]

Glad to hear MIL is holding her own NUATHA, long may it continue and improve for her until she is able to 'be' again, still keeping everything crossed for you all.

Re the shopping thing, I too hate shopping for 'frills' although I don't know what I detest would not necessarily stand as 'frills' for some. He Who Knows is totally allergic to any kind of shopping and does it all over the internet except shoes and boots as he has size 12 feet (12 and a half on a bad day). You are definately NOT alone!!!