Preparedness for when

valk_scot

My sixteen year old DS was on a school trip in New York City two weeks ago. The trip normally goes later, around Halloween, but it was changed this year due to teacher committments. I am so very glad that the worst worry he's caused me this morning is that he's lost his school tie.

craigywv

God help all those people in USA just watched sharks swimming in their gardens ! so sad so many have lost their lives my prayers are sent to you xxx

GreyQueen

in event of civil emergency with flying bullets, the bathtub is the safest place to be, and one filled with water is even safer. Just thought we might someday need to know that.[/QUOTE]

OK, I must be have a menopausal moment but how would being in a bath full of water be safer with bullets flying around?[/QUOTE]:) We can have a menopausal moment together, then.

It's a piece of gen gathered from a book chttp://www.amazon.com/Everything-Follows-Recent-Real-Life-Experience/dp/0307886328/ref=la_B004FKZDVC_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351589594&sr=1-1

The author is a professional disaster-risk manager specialising in working with aid workers in troubled spots where bullets fly. He's been saved by a bathtub stopping a bullet. A tub with water in it has even more stopping ability than an empty one, apparently. It's to do with the strength of the steel being backed by the mass of the water.

I've just found out he has his own website which I shall peruse over the coming days.

I assume that there would be very little point in hiding in a fibreglass tub rather than a steel one, but I regard glass-fibre bath tubs as the work of the Devil (lived with one in a ghastly rented place back in the day. It was also ORANGE).

Was reading the lastest on the disaster before coming onto MSE. Those poor people over there. And although the headline figure says 6 million without electricity, a Con-Edison spokesperson said that they count a meter as one customer, so unless everyone in that part of the world lives alone, there is a darn sight more than 6 million affected.

Bringing home the critical importance of having shelf-stable stored food, not just a freezer.

Given the amount of people who don't own cars in areas like NYC, the damage to the mass transit systems is going to have a long-lasting impact on their ability to get to jobs, schools, hospitals etc.

Comments in the media about people being told to stay put when evacuation would have been more prudent, and then the window of opportunity closing and them having to stay put, are chilling.

It brings home that you may have a very small amount of time (hours, minutes or even seconds) to make that crucial shall I stay or shall I go call.

If you have a bugout bag and a plan, you can make the decision based on the facts, not on the OMG-I-haven't-got-a-clue-where-shall-I-go-what-should-I-take level of panic.

I've had personal experience of having someone threaten me with flamegun outside the only door of my home and I can tell you this; something like that throws you into an animal level of panic. You think you will die. I didn't think rationally; that I'm on the ground floor and could easily climb out of the windows on the opposite side. I thought I would be trapped and burn to death, I was instantly in near-hysteria and was crying with shock afterwards.

And I'm a pretty tough cookie, btw, and not easy to rattle.

Fortunately for me, it was intended to intimidate me out of my home, not to actually kill me, and the Police were here in less than 2 mins. The attacker got away but it was the second attack in 5 days and they and I know who it was but there's nothing which would ever stand up in court.

So, I hope never to be in such a position again and I hope no one reading this will every be, but I will say to you; you will panic. You need to have a plan, you need it to be idiot-level such as I-grab-this-bag-and-I-RUN. You won't have the ability to do an elabourate gathering of supplies at the last minute, you will be terrified and you will possibly only have seconds to get out.

Thoughts and prayers with those in the USA, Canada and the Caribbean right now.

BessieBooBoo

dundeedoll wrote: »

A shame C couldn't have stood for compassion

Hello dundeedoll

That's a good idea.

I did kind of think compassion was implied via the teaching/sharing knowledge with others bit, and lots of members here do check their nearest neighbours/family are ok too (and share stocks/store cupboard stuff), so I hope the 'P.R.O.T.E.C.T.' thing didn't cause any offence.

And I am concerned about what is actually happening to people out there in R.L. actually going through SHTF at the moment - US, Canada, Greece & Shetland Islands too.....

Guess we are more the lookers on to these poor devils...

Kind wishes to all and keeping everything crossed.


BBB

2tonsils

Still watching the news on the sites and on tv. I am still wondering what happened to the people in the school near to the rising waters, haven't been able to find out yet. My storm chasing friend is currently stuck in a blizzard..they have had 17 inches of snow since last night and its blowing into deep drifts.

Just seen this link...scary stuff
http://enenews.com/breaking-emergency-at-nj-nuclear-plant-from-hurricane-sandy-alert-as-ocean-water-rises-power-lost-concern-about-cooling-of-reactor-and-spent-fuel-pool

Obviously they are still flooded this morning and have no normal power.

Still hope the people stay safe..it is still causing huge blizzards and high winds with floods in many areas. There is also a strong chance of tornadoes around the Boston area.

Here in Greece things are quiet...they are still trying to find out which documents Anonymous downloaded from the government data base. The storms have left Corfu for now but many of the ferries in other parts of Greece are not operating. Its definitely colder here today, the sun is out, its windy, but there are some heavy clouds building up again.

Nothing is being said about the austerity measures and the crucial meetings this week...its unnervingly quiet in fact........

lyrolee

Hi,

some pictures following the storm including the HMS Bounty taken by the coast guard. Scroll along via the pictures below the main picture.

http://www.businessinsider.com/at-least-16-dead-75-million-without-power--heres-what-hurricane-sandys-destruction-looks-like-photos-2012-10#a-lone-pedestrian-stand-with-his-scooter-near-a-message-about-superstorm-sandy-in-new-yorks-times-square-early-tuesday-1


Some more pictures here. Scroll through them using the thumbnails on top.

http://twitpic.com/b8n92x


My thoughts and prayers go out to them all.

mardatha

I've got a problem .. I got a load of veg, the RV shoved it through the Kenwood, grated and shredded it all. I put it in nice tidy freezer bags and into the freezer.
Now every time I open the freezer door the whole kitchen ponks of leeks & cabbage. It's double bagged. Is there a way around this? I thought it wouldn't smell once frozen
If I can't think of something we will just have to eat it and buy dried veg instead which is dear.

greenbee

Two of my immediate team mates at work are without power, one in Pennsylvania, and one just outside NY. The latter has just emailed a picture of curry cooking on her BBQ...

Cheapskate

Hello all

Been trying to read over the last couple of weeks, still some to catch up on - what a chatty bunch!

I'd planned to do some SHTF/winter/toughie prep this half term, but am sadly behind, as ever. We've swapped energy firms, but they're making a b$llocks of it, as they'd provided us with leccy before, so need to have stern words.

DH finally woken up to rising food prices and the need for preparation of various kinds, and has stopped laughing at my little coin tins! The freezer's full now, so think I need to use some stuff, then replace now we've got a decent level.

GQ - Glad you lived to tell the tale, but what an horrific experience!

Mar - sorry, can't help, my leeks and cabbage stunk out the freezer, so I only did it the once! Would love to know how others solved this, too, though.

A xo

lally666young

FEEMA have got their hands full, at least it is a state of emergency now. I was so shocked to see a building with its front all gone!!!
And why dont people just leave when they are told to leave, you cannot take it all with you when you go!!!
My DH'S family dont even know were they are and they said that it is awful and people are off their heads. But at least they are safe and away from danger.