Surviving a natural disaster.

[Kobuk]

Hurricane Florence is barreling down on the East coast of the U.S.. Specifically the South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland areas. This is reported to be one of, or perhaps the, most damaging hurricanes to hit the East coast in a long time. It's a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 130mph or more. 

This got me to thinking:

What would you do in a natural disaster, whether it be flood, wildfire, hurricane, or something else?
Are you prepared?
Would you stay or go?
What would you take with you if you had to leave?

[Varg the wanderer]

What would you do in a natural disaster, whether it be flood, wildfire, hurricane, or something else?
-Get out of dodge if I could. I see no point in staying unless someone I knew was there and couldn't leave (as opposed to wouldn't leave). 

Are you prepared?


Would you stay or go?
Darling you've got to let me know.... As stated before, I'd beat feet if I could.

What would you take with you if you had to leave?
Food for myself and party for at least 3 days, water for just as long. Water purification methods (bring more than one, like pump filter, pot and stove, purification tablets, etc), shelter/sleeping system, rain gear, clothes for cooler weather (because let's face it, you don't know where you might end up, despite where you're going), a good first aid kit, fire starting methods that don't rely on a fluid or gas (matches, magnesium, fire piston, whatever), knife, backup knife, flashlight, headlamp.

That doesn't count the stuff I'd take with for the car, either.

[Firelight]

1. Get the hell out of there! If we can.
2. Yep
3. Yep
4. Enough food and water to last us a while. A cooler, our dogs of course, weather/season appropriate clothes and the dogs clothes too. Food for dogs, leashes, collars, harnesses, vet records just in case, dog toys, blankets, anything we might really.   

[Kobuk]

In almost any natural disaster, credit/debit cards and any other form of "electronic currency" is useless, especially if there's no electricity and data systems running. Better to stick with good old fashioned cash.   $$$

[Jade Sinapu]

I am a little bit of a prepper, so I am ready to go now.  I am prepaired.
I would leave in a flash and be delighted if my crappy town was burned down. I would be content to start anew somewhere else.

Bring all medicines, even OTC, they double as currency.
Bring jewelry, coins, small valuables
Bring  gas cans  (24 gal)!
Documents of I.D., ownership, etc...
Computer backup HardDrive
All that the others said before me.
Communications (ham radio), solar charger, battery, generator. Cb radio, Frs/Gmrs radio.
Toiletries, soap esp.
Dog/cat, they are companion, watch dog, heat source.
Non perishable foods, and a can opener to.
Story book, beliefs system book if applicable, sun glasses, hat, (during survival times people need to escape and a story book would help, so does singing)
Yes most of this is ready now at my house. I live like a paranoid freak. 

Ahh a good topic...
And folks, don't forget to make a plan, and practice it!
In a past life I must have been on the TV show of MASH 4077; always bugging out.

Can't think of much more now.

I hope the people effected fare well.

[Varg the wanderer]

In almost any natural disaster, credit/debit cards and any other form of "electronic currency" is useless, especially if there's no electricity and data systems running. Better to stick with good old fashioned cash.   $$$

You can't eat cash. You can drink beer though. I imagine if things really go to hell where you are (thing Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Houston flooding, etc.) You'd be better off with a large stash of booze and comfort food than anything else.

[Jade Sinapu]

And bring your survival attitude!
 

[Kobuk]

When it comes to food during a natural disaster, don't buy anything that needs refrigeration if the electricity goes out. Stick to non-perishable items that don't need refrigeration or a lot of water, propane, etc. to make. And if you buy any canned items, then always make sure you have a can opener with you.

[DutchWolf]

i myself would just get out, Get my 120 Liter millitary backpack from the attic and pack it with the following.

Besides the obvious personal documents like driver's licenses, passport. etc.

1. replacement clothes and at least 3 pairs of socks and underpants.

2. rainclothing and snugpack jacket, scarf, gloves, wool hat.

3. sleepingbag with rainproof goretex shell.

4.Peak One burner, it takes pretty much any liquid fuel. i got a foldable aluminium cup that covers it.

4B. SPORK! .

5. Leatherman, do not go anywhere without that either!.

5B. Petzl Headlight, you would not be the first stumbling in the dark in some god-forsaken forest with no light from a nearby city or the moon trying to get your sleeping arrangement in order. Try to get one in red, in night-time conditions it does not take's a toll on your night-eye adaptation as regular light would. also it is not as visible as regular light is to observers.

6. Take out my PC's SSD, put it in an watertight sealed bag and tuck it inside the sleepingbag.

7. Rainproof tarp, some elastic spinners, rope and my pocket hammock.

8. solar charger, Phone, Garmin, Battery bank and radiation meter/geiger counter. small travel wind-up/battery FM radio.

9. the millitary gas mask with the war-filter still placed i received for an deployment...but never bothered to return.

10. 3 Litre Camelbag with water, also hopefully additional bottles of water if space and the situation permits it.

11. i considered for a while a portable RT radio, but my experience with portable FM RT-radio's is that they got rather big limitations. at least so much that i rather save the power, weight and hassle of them for other more rewarding gear. Also when there is panic with an disaster with the airwaves full of traffic your limited signal will most likely not get picked up. there are better ways to draw attention for help.

12. smaller survival gear like a pio-shovel, magnesium block, compass, chem-lights. and especially a few dry rolls of toilet paper and vitamin tablets.

13. food, Packs of noodle soup are excellent. they (almost) do not expire, are lightweight and high in colories and require just a bit of water and a cooker. throw a few packs of bisquits in there and you also have something to eat without the need to cook. Altough it is where the vitamin pills are needed to compensate for mineral/vitamin loss.

it would really depend on the type of disaster what my goals would be. I feel lucky i live alone for that matter, no pets, fammily or anything else to care about. i just can grab my stuff without looking back. I just hope it never has to happen.

[Jade Sinapu]

Gee, I guess I'm not the only one with a Geiger counter (Inspector Alert by International MedCom).... 

Did any one mention electrolyte drink powder?

Yes, plan for the disaster pertinent to your area.
I guess where I live, that would be zombies, or maybe high cost of living.
Oh wait, those are human-made disasters.

[DutchWolf]

Gee, I guess I'm not the only one with a Geiger counter (Inspector Alert by International MedCom).... 

Did any one mention electrolyte drink powder?

Yes, plan for the disaster pertinent to your area.
I guess where I live, that would be zombies, or maybe high cost of living.
Oh wait, those are human-made disasters.

1. lol no. Radiation is undetectable for one.

2. Europe got them EVERYWHERE .

3. it is by far one of the most horrible way to die.

[Varg the wanderer]

2. Europe got them EVERYWHERE .

3. it is by far one of the most horrible way to die.

Are referring to electrolyte power, or Geiger counters?

[Rocket T. Coyote]

I had Radiological Defense training in CAP, also training in radio procedures and First Aid/CPR/First Responder. A stash of MREs that are probably past due and just got a 72-hour grab-and-go survival food kit. Camping equipment, tools, firearms, ammunition, and fishing tackle. Need to make up a bugout bag though. Also planing to get a good used bike. Good to have if an EMP attack renders motor transport useless.

[Jade Sinapu]

That sounds like some specialized training if ever I heard it.  Is that for the case of nuclear fallout due to bomb or reactor meltdown etc...?
I sincerely hope your job is not to deal directly with highly contaminated materials.

My Geiger counter is for my radioactive rocks and minerals, to be sure I didn't contaminate myself or items.  And to help locate new mineral deposits. It's also to freak people out  .

A survival book is also helpful.  Not an e- book, a printed book.  Tells you things like what we all have been saying.
My dad gave me one when I turned 16, along with a trusty Buck knife.

One last thing, watch the wildlife during disasters, they may know/ sense things we don't.

[Kay Alett]

I used to live in a town called Santa Fe near Galveston in Texas. We used to get hurricanes a lot around this time of year. We didn't really worry. Heck I once spent the night outside in the front yard in a pup tent. I was awoken to the fabric of the tent flapping and making noise. I woke up, heard wind, thought nothing of it and rolled over.
Then I got a mouthful of water and woke up realizing I was half submerged in rain as our property flooded.

I got out of the tent, pulled it up out of the ground and balled it up with my soaked bedding and waded in ankle deep waters up to the porch of house, built on stilts because it flooded there frequently, and I walked inside to mom and dad laughing at me and wondering when I was going to come inside.


So yeah... I'm kinda chill about storms.

[Old Rabbit]

Trouble is most people don't keep enough food and water to last more than a few days. Even lass with
some. They run to the supermarket at the last minute and fight for a loaf of bread.

Some disasters can't be planned for . fast moving fires don't give any time to pack or even run in some cases.

In areas where flodding is possible, people should keep water proof bags they can pack and put in the
attic or even a closet so they won't float away.

People are reactive not proactive so disaster catches most where they loose most that they own.

We don't like to think about such things. So we just forget about it.

[Varg the wanderer]

In areas where flodding is possible, people should keep water proof bags they can pack and put in the
attic or even a closet so they won't float away.

In New Orleans many people in flood prone areas keep and ax in the attic in case the levy gave. 'least that's what they said. I stayed in an apartment near a pump house. I stayed up a level, higher than the water on the other side :p

[Old Rabbit]

In areas where flodding is possible, people should keep water proof bags they can pack and put in the
attic or even a closet so they won't float away.

In New Orleans many people in flood prone areas keep and ax in the attic in case the levy gave. 'least that's what they said. I stayed in an apartment near a pump house. I stayed up a level, higher than the water on the other side :p

An axe in the attic is a good idea, but when they build new homes they should design the roof with a panel that could
be pushed out from the attic. It could have fasteners to keep people from breaking inn that way.

I always felt people should check to see how high water can get before building in a flood plain. Building a
garage level under the house would give another 10 or 12 ft of security.  In many cases this would prevent
most of the the damage most people suffer with a flood.

[Jade Sinapu]

In areas where flodding is possible, people should keep water proof bags they can pack and put in the
attic or even a closet so they won't float away.

In New Orleans many people in flood prone areas keep and ax in the attic in case the levy gave. 'least that's what they said. I stayed in an apartment near a pump house. I stayed up a level, higher than the water on the other side :p

An axe in the attic is a good idea, but when they build new homes they should design the roof with a panel that could
be pushed out from the attic. It could have fasteners to keep people from breaking inn that way.

I always felt people should check to see how high water can get before building in a flood plain. Building a
garage level under the house would give another 10 or 12 ft of security.  In many cases this would prevent
most of the the damage most people suffer with a flood.

Yes, and if people who insist upon living in forest fire areas had a house that had 3/4 underground , 1/4 above ground it would help too.
The upper 1/4 could be expendable, and only contain the day time living area with many windows (with external metal shutters).  The upper 1/4 could also be made of stone and the roof of metal. 

but no, they make fully wood cabins all above ground.  and use wood that is full of pine pitch.  With a shake shingle roof.  And a propane tank smack next to it.

Many animals are living in burrows, which can resist fire, snow, sun, etc. 
I honestly feel more cozy in the lower level of a house if its a finished basement type situation.  Also safe from a drive by shooting.  (Yes, had to worry about that once, bad area.)

I know that in some areas water table is an issue, but in other areas it is not.  So in those cases an underground section may not be best.

Also for tornado alley, what about houses which have an expendable top section.  Should reduce all of our insurance costs.

Animals live with the ravages of nature, why can't we do more of that?
Oh yeah, adapt?

( I live in a place that will burn easy, and with a large tree to blow down on me, so I am asking for it)

[Rocket T. Coyote]

That sounds like some specialized training if ever I heard it.  Is that for the case of nuclear fallout due to bomb or reactor meltdown etc...?
I sincerely hope your job is not to deal directly with highly contaminated materials.

My Geiger counter is for my radioactive rocks and minerals, to be sure I didn't contaminate myself or items.  And to help locate new mineral deposits. It's also to freak people out  .

A survival book is also helpful.  Not an e- book, a printed book.  Tells you things like what we all have been saying.
My dad gave me one when I turned 16, along with a trusty Buck knife.

One last thing, watch the wildlife during disasters, they may know/ sense things we don't.

During RADEF exercises, we would scan returning aircrew and ground teams for "fallout"--which was usually a Coleman lantern mantel secreted in a pocket. Other good books to have, besides military survival field manuals are the Boy Scout Field Book and Scout Manual--especially those published before the 1980s. The Backwoodsman Magazine can also be a good resource. I like to view Survival Lilly on YouTube also.