How many here are prepared?

[Taoist81]

Inspired by another thread:

 

No, this is not a thread about the government taking over or a nuclear holocaust, but, just out of curiosity in respect to natural disasters. Especially since hurricane season is nearing for those of us in the south of N. America. As Lao Tzu reminds us, "Heaven and earth are impartial", so, why not prepare for the possibilities of Nature b!#chslapping us.

 

Who here has, for example, a BOB (Bug Out Bag)? What types of preparations have you made for "garden variety" natural disasters? Here, in Houston (hurricane prone), we have been building our survival kit/BOB since before Ike last year. We have a decent supply of water, high calorie bars to supplement our canned food etc. supplies as well as your basic survival supplies (wind up flashlight, lighters, camping stove, handsaw, compass, knives and sharpener, first aid supplies, battery powered radio, maps of the local and regional areas). The former are stored with other food so it can be rotated, but separate for easy grabbing, the latter are in a bag near enough to grab at a moments notice. There is more in the bag, but going off memory alone some is missed.

 

What about other bums? What preparations do you make? Do you not make any? Why, why not?

[bailey]

Go read Lucifer's Hammer and then see if you still think you're ready enough.

 

The only thing you cant lose is your skills; first of which should be the ability to keep cool, travel light, stay low. Very taoist.

[Taoist81]

Go read Lucifer's Hammer and then see if you still think you're ready enough.

 

The only thing you cant lose is your skills; first of which should be the ability to keep cool, travel light, stay low. Very taoist.

 

One doesn't need to read Lucifer's Hammer to get the idea, just one episode of the History Channels coverage of Apophis (the 2036 pass) shows how little would survive if we had a direct hit.

 

But, again, this is just a thread about "regular" disasters. Like what happened during Ike last year. We rode it out fine, but had we been in Galveston, would have needed to leave. The preparedness in question works either way.

[bailey]

One doesn't need to read Lucifer's Hammer to get the idea, just one episode of the History Channels coverage of Apophis (the 2036 pass) shows how little would survive if we had a direct hit.

 

But, again, this is just a thread about "regular" disasters. Like what happened during Ike last year. We rode it out fine, but had we been in Galveston, would have needed to leave. The preparedness in question works either way.

 

Works either way? It works only if everybody does it. Otherwise - it works only as long as someone bigger/stronger/well-armed doesn't come along and take your preparations from you for their own survival. And it works as long as you can turn away hungry people to keep feeding only your own family.

 

Maybe your idea of a "regular" disaster, though, is something small - you know - small enough that there will always be govt or someone willing to come to your rescue.

 

That book, Lucifer's Hammer, was written in the 70's and is pretty much the father of the survivalist movement. Ask anyone who read it back then if it didn't impact on them. Some more than others. No need for you to read it though cause it sounds like you've got all your bases covered!

 

Good luck

[bailey]

Actually, Taoist81, apologies.

 

My comments would have been better in River Gazer's apocalyptic thread. Your topic is about something else entirely. Sorry.

 

We do have a small Bug Out Bag - but of a different nature. It's lightweight and holds all our treasures: Photo's of and letters from loved ones, a bit of cash, passports, and a few vital documents that would be hell to replace. We keep it out of sight by the door - and always have it with us on our travels.

 

More of a "if your house was on fire and you had 10 seconds to grab something - what would it be?" I'm glad that the only "things" important to us can fit in a small pouch. Anything else we need we'll find on the way. But that's (again) different than the "stocking up for emergencies" your topic is about - so now I'll hush.

[DaoChild]

Good question actually, and a very important one.

 

I guess since I live up in CT the biggest worry for me would be a freak snowstorm or water levels rising (I live within 2 miles of about 3 beaches). I suppose neither would be an immediate threat, since we don't have earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc. or really anything that can come up abruptly.

 

So, no - truthfully I'm not prepared for any freak changes.

[Taoist81]

Actually, Taoist81, apologies.

 

My comments would have been better in River Gazer's apocalyptic thread. Your topic is about something else entirely. Sorry.

 

We do have a small Bug Out Bag - but of a different nature. It's lightweight and holds all our treasures: Photo's of and letters from loved ones, a bit of cash, passports, and a few vital documents that would be hell to replace. We keep it out of sight by the door - and always have it with us on our travels.

 

More of a "if your house was on fire and you had 10 seconds to grab something - what would it be?" I'm glad that the only "things" important to us can fit in a small pouch. Anything else we need we'll find on the way. But that's (again) different than the "stocking up for emergencies" your topic is about - so now I'll hush.

 

No apology necessary, and the above post was in no way intended to discount Lucifer's Hammer, just sort of a cross reference with the future possibility of Apophis. The "grab in 10 seconds" type of BOB was more the intent of this thread, with a bit of stocking up for emergencies (short term emergencies like hurricanes for example than for long term like nuclear winter). The "either way" comment was specifically referencing escape tactics from hurricane Ike last year. Basically, if we had needed to get out, we would have been fine, but we were just fine staying in, and didn't have to depend on FEMA or the like.

 

Going for more of a survivalist outlook would entail knowledge of hunting and/or foraging at least in case a stockpile of food were contaminated or ruined. For the purposes of this thread, just short term, local emergency type BOB's are in question.

 

Thanks for all of your points, by the by. And the "better armed" comment opens a great point of discussion....what type of firearms, if any, one may keep on them or include in a BOB.

 

Good question actually, and a very important one.

 

I guess since I live up in CT the biggest worry for me would be a freak snowstorm or water levels rising (I live within 2 miles of about 3 beaches). I suppose neither would be an immediate threat, since we don't have earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc. or really anything that can come up abruptly.

 

So, no - truthfully I'm not prepared for any freak changes.

 

Even in "safe" areas, something like a massive solar flare (as may arise with the next sunspot cycle) or riots could take out the power grid long enough to be trouble. It was interesting to hear Michio Kaku on Explorations today talking about the potential of solar storms affecting our ability to function now.

Edited May 21, 2009 by Taoist81

[karen]

If anyone's interested in a really thorough manual for preparedness, check out Holly Deyo's book Dare to Prepare.

[Mal]

[Seth Ananda]

Not particularly worried as I grew up hunting and trapping and can pretty much survive with a small knife, a plastic bag and some string.

I also know which directions to head in a disaster far enough away where nature is still alive and teeming. Yummy.

[Encephalon]

This is important subject matter down here in Los Angeles. Perhaps some of you have read "Emergency: This Book Can SAve Your Life", the tale of a metrosexual editor and self-confessed outdoors incompetent who decided to take a couple of years off and learn as much as he could about surviving: firemarms, hand to hand, EMT, you name it. It was one hell of an entertaining and informative story. Anyone familiar with the website "Life After the Oil Crash" probably knows more about bug-out bags and emergency preparedness just by following the links.

 

Anyone who owns a copy of "365 Tao" by Deng Ming-Dao knows that the ancients placed a premium on pragmatism and preparedness, so it is a subject that Taoists of all stripes would be wise to consider. We have our bug-out bag in the car - emergency food, extra clothes, medical supplies, water - but to get out of LA, our only recourse is to drive up to my mother's mountain property in Northern CA, which is about 450 miles north of here. She has five acres, deer proof fence, two wells, generator, barn, and some arable land. We have concluded that riding out a financial meltdown in the middle of San Fernando Valley makes about as much sense as asking violent and desperate people to be kind and generous to strangers. I don't own any weapons but the hard-core types recommend a sidearm with three extra clips, cell phone, atm card and cash, and a really good pair of shoes/boots.

 

It's hard to know when to beat the rush if we had to escape LA, but an Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities is a really good time to go visit mom. I would also recommend reading "The Long Emergency" by Howard Kunstler and his weekly essay at Kunstler.com. TLE profiles the post-oil scenario in America by region, and LA does not fare well at all - an extremely violent and unhygenic environment to find yourself in when the electricity and water and food stops flowing.

 

As someone with a masters in geography, my guess is that all those Chinese Taoists that emigrated to British Columbia will have descendents that will see the 22nd century because they are such a resourceful crowd. It's going to be too unbearably hot anywhere south of Canada 100 years from now, and BC is so resource rich that the main concern of its citizens will be how to deal with a wave of psychopathic Americans.

 

Cheery, eh?

[froggie]

Uh, (though), if they are building one for a few "elite", why not campaign for anyone who really wants to to have one?

 

Inspired by another thread:

 

No, this is not a thread about the government taking over or a nuclear holocaust, but,

<snips>

 

 

[Unconditioned]

If it happens, it happens. I'm not going to resist it, or expend my energy trying to do so. That may seem disrespectful towards my own life and it even may be but I'm betting on my lack of ability to stop nature from taking it's course. So it would be a waste of my (lack of) time.

 

I can see why others would be prepared though and am not judging either way.

 

Now, talk to me if I see a big asteroid, or tidal wave approaching and I might have a different story