Reply With QuoteFor inplace emergencies I ordered one of these stoves for backup. You can cook on it, and it has a 4 gallon water tank that heats up...
http://fourdog.com/
No problem. I just do not want to get into tin-foil hat crap. Issues that are real and that we may find ourselves actually involved in. For me, the worse has been snowed in and no electrical power for 1 week.Originally Posted by comet
For inplace emergencies I ordered one of these stoves for backup. You can cook on it, and it has a 4 gallon water tank that heats up...
http://fourdog.com/
True
summs it up i think,
on a personal note :
Dont by cheap, !!! Sure you can by Stuff on Sale an so on , but dont cut corners,
(Spezial on PV equipment, the pannels are not so problematic, but the Controll equipment is.)
(I put the Links for SMA and Latento in , because they are the top of the Class German companies.)
There is no use buying Chinese nok off Gear and save a hundred bucks , there is a Reason for the difference in Price. Its the quality of Production and quality controls after assembeling.
When we Talk emergency, lets do it right, we not talking Wal mart multitool vs Letherman , we talk ( in the Worst Case ) keeping people alive and well. So the Gear you buy have to work , no exception .
SO. If you buy cheap, you buy twice . but in this Case ... you may not get the Cance..
For me each year it's cyclone prep. Oct to April and I usually prep for 5-7 days.
At the start of the season;
Buy a few cans food each shopping trip and turn over the old stocks.
Buy dry pasta and other packet food stuff.
Fill the camping stove gas bottle and get a spare BBQ bottle.
Service and test run a small generator (this will run the food freezer)
Plug the portable car fridge in to mains power and keep on freeze (This can be run off 12 volt in the car as back up in an emergency)
Start making ice in an old freezer (This will keep the food and drinks cold in an esky)
Check and top up the first aid kit. (including meds etc)
Change the batteries in 2 portable radios with last years new batteries and buy spares. Same with water proof torches and place in emergency kit
Emergency kit consists of: first aid kit, waterproof matches/cig lighter, candles, cyclone plotting map, pens, deck of cards, torches, radios, rechargeable camping lantern, work gloves, spare batteries, passports, wallets, phones and chargers.
Red alert -12hrs with impact imminent
Check the emergency kit again and add personal items. (phones and wallets etc)
Pack food kit and ready the camping cooking box
Fill the bath with water and any other containers that are on hand. I have swmming pool that can be used for bathing if needed
Refuel both vehicles and 2 spare jerry cans (1 in each veh)
Put emergency kit and food kit in a large eskys or water proof containers and store along with bedding where we will shelter if it gets bad.
Place a water container, tarps, ropes, swags, camping equipment, a bag of clothes each and a selection of tools (shovel, crowbar, recovery equipment etc)in one of the vehicles in case we have to evacuate.
Place all valuable documents in heavy duty plastic bags and place in shelter area.
Secure vehicle in the carport. Don't reverse it in so as to protect the windscreen.
Don't forget toys, milk formula and nappies for junior.
Dress for the outdoors, boots and long trousers.
And my favorite part...put beer on ice.
I base this on the a cat 5 cyclone scenario causing severe damage or loss of dwelling, especially loss of roof and a possible tidal surge. Shelter is always in opposite side of the house that the wind is coming from and in the smallest room and by opening a window slightly on the lee side relieves any pressure build up. Every door in the house is then closed to create compartments in case a window lets go.
Living in a town of around 11000 people and with a sizeable emergency service dept I imagine we would only have to go it alone for about 2-3 days and the worst we have faced so far is a 2 day power outage and flood isolation for a week. Pre prepping in this town is essential as everyone panic shops in the day leading up to a possible red alert and the shops are cleaned out. But I suppose that happens everywhere. The important thing to remember is don't get complacent and think 'it won't hit us or it won't happen to me'.
Were you up there for George? I was due to go to Rail Camp Two, which didn't happen, then the place got torn apart so it was another 6 weeks before I got there.
Appropriate clothing is something a lot of people forget. Sunscreen is very important if you live somewhere hot. Clothes that keep you warm or cool depending on your needs. Good shoes. Remember even if its hot - keep your shirt on - sunstroke is a killer.
I picked up a little butane powered cooker and 6 cartridges last week for under 50 bucks. Something that might come in handy if the power goes out.
When we had the quake last May, I packed a sort of BOB.
I was in a big city, so no need of extended outdoor gear. I packed my sleeping bag, hot/cold clothes (a lot of thermal excursion these days), biscuits, chocolate, small FAK (band aids, aspirine and such), water (1l + 0,6l alu bottles), camera (the most valuable thing i had at the time), a book, phones, chargers, and my edc stuff.
Every night I put the 28l Deuter pack near the door with some clothes stuffed in the straps so i could leave in moments and then dress myself if needed.
I Also had fueled the car and put there some "longish term" food (pasta, canned food, more water and such).
We had no power shortage and being in a city determined what i need or not. If in a small town I think my gear would have been very different.
Just my experience
Metros, some good points. One that people do forget about and is very critical, Medication. If a person is on special medications, they need to consider the quantity on hand and be sure to take it with them, if they leave.
A bug out bag, maybe just those things you need to relocate to a friends or family home until the dishwater subsides and people can return.
Another aspect, if you need to abandon your home, think about securing those things you don't want lost. If flooding, move valuables to the second floor and hope the water does not get that high. If you have a safe, be sure to use it for valuables and important documents.
On important documents, make a copy of them and take them with you. Placing them in a brown envelop and sealing them is a good way not to loose something.
I know some people who are in emergency services, will keep a kit in their car. The kit is based on needs as a emergency service provided or as a bug out need.
Nice advice Hollis regarding the papers. I have a relative who secures the most important papers ( insurance policies, marriage contract, birth certificates, etc ) in a bank vault and only photocopied papers in her home vault. When a fire hit her neighbor's house a few years back, she didn't panic evacuating her home with papers knowing the originals were safe in the bank.
Regarding food, no one wants to stock up on MRE rather than canned foods? I mean it'll take out the need for heating equipment right?
Lastly, I think health/body fitness should be in consideration. Probably time for everyone to be physically fit to survive any natural disasters.
Last edited by comet; 12-30-2012 at 05:48 PM. Reason: ...
I was. Glad it didn't come our way and it crossed at Hedland. Unfortunate for Hedland. Was that the camp that had the fatality?
Btw, great idea for a thread Hollis. Some handy tips in here. Thanks
Yeah, there and about 20km North at Indee Station there was another.
Well having gone through the same events as Flagg in the last couple of years, i'd say his lists are pretty comprehensive.
For me the lessons went a bit like this:
1) Have at least one torch handy and make sure you have spare batteries. (You can find a doorway to shelter in in the dark, its a bit harder to find your underwear and warm clothesA head torch is best because it leaves both hands free.)
2) Have a battery/ or hand cranked powered radio, cause when its dark and all you can hear are house alarms going off its nice to have some outside info coming in to help you know if you need to evacuate str8 away.
3)Have water stored away, even if its gone a bit funky you can use one of the various methods of purifying to make it drinkable.
4)Always have a few cans of food in the cupboard, keeps for ages, and be cooked in the can ova a fire if you have to, and mice can't eat through cans. Make sure you include some canned fruit as well.
But i think the most important thing to have is the right attitude, just remember you can make it through, you are human being, you are adaptable.
Iīm using a vacuum machine (donīt get the wrong idea) for some years now. Should be known among hunters. And not just for meat, but also e.g. noodles, oat meal, rice. And you can secure important papers, a second set of keys etc.
While thinking about 2012, I recalled some pics posted in the daily photo thread, about Sandy. IIRC some camera crew allowed people half-charge their phones batteries on the generator while not transmitting news. Well, today most phones (or smartphones) can run about a day with a full charge. An item that could be handy would be a low-tech phone (I have a Nokia c1-02) that can run about 5 days with a full recharge.
again, just my 0.2..
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