Disaster Preparedness -- How ready are you?

[mikephoen]

Between wildfires, hurricanes, earth quakes and other natural disasters (not to mention the most unstable governments of major powers in decades), it seems like a good time to talk about disaster preparedness.

I would currently rank my preparedness level as... pathetic. But I'm hoping to do something about that and I've started doing some research and I aim to raise my level to at least somewhat prepared soon.

What about the rest of CP? Do you guys have a supply of bottled water always on hand? What about first aid kits, solar powered lights, or freeze dried food?

Anyone here a true prepper with a real EDC bag and a bugout property?

Feel free to drop any recommendations in the thread for good products or recommended readings. I'm betting that some people here have some good knowledge and are well prepared. Silver probably has a fully stocked bunker build under is garage.

[topfiverecords]

Flames > Hurricanes so I'll be hunkering down in the Saddledome.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Thankfully none of those really apply to us in Calgary so I think my total unpreparedness is somewhat warranted.

Edit: wait, don't you live here too? Should I be prepared? What am I even preparing for? Omg the panic is setting in!

[nik-]

I'll definitely be one of the people dehydrated, starving and needing rescuing.

[skudr248]

I'd die real quick

[photon]

I know where my neighbour keeps their stuff.

[RW99]

In my car I have a bag of clothes, water and granola bars. Does that count? Living in the middle of a city if anything that bad actually happened, we'd all be screwed regardless of what we have in a bugout bag

[Wood]

I'm unprepared, but one thing I recently did is make a seed bank

Seeds will last, if something goes down a mix of certain seeds will be extremely valuable. There's a lot of info online and I'm fairly uneducated but I wanted to get a start

[indes]

This is a pretty cool topic and one that I've been looking into recently. It is pretty eye opening to look up some of the possible disasters and their effects, such as power loss over a large section of the continent. Living in a big city I think you're pretty much ####ed if anything happens.

I started looking at wood gasification last year and hope to have time to make a gasifier one of these years. It would be the ultimate 'survive in comfort' tool to have 'unlimited' power. I figure if you wanted to be totally sufficient you would need to invest 20,000 into equipment for gasification and wood gathering/chopping/splitting.

As for right now,

Our water at home is gravity fed from a creek and we keep a few 40lb bags of rice in the basement.

We have a root cellar full of heirloom carrots, potatoes, squash, canned tomatoes, salsa, canned fruit, pickles, pickled beans.

We have a full garden that covers all our vegetables for the summer, and all heirloom seeds. (Heirloom is important as you can keep gathering seeds and planting year after year. If you buy hybrid seeds they are a one off.)

Along with guns, wood and woodstoves, chainsaws and a couple freezers of meat I think we are at a pretty decent level of preparedness.

Other things would be;
First aid kits
Booze
Usually only around 100L of gas

As for a wildfire...all that stuff is gone.

In case of an apocalypse you are more than welcome to come over! Just ensure you bring proof of your CP Membership.

[Baron von Kriterium]

Oh, man, I have a lot of gear I have accumulated over the years. I do have food/water for three days for two people and two dogs. I always have an extra month of my prescription. I have extra eye glasses. I have a bag in each car containing first aid kit, tool kit and other supplies.

My preferences for packs/bags are 5.11 Tactical and Hazard 4. My EDC is the 5.11 Rush 24 but I also own a 5.11 Rush 72 and the Hazard 4 Patrol. The loadout varies.

Daily, I carry a Leatherman MUT, Victorinox Swiss Tools multi-tool, Topeak Rocket Ratchet, 6" Knipex Pliers Wrench, 6" Knipex Cobra and LED Lenser flashlight (with spare batteries). I load these in two Skinth pouches. I attach one to my belt and I attach the other to my pack.

[mikephoen]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Thankfully none of those really apply to us in Calgary so I think my total unpreparedness is somewhat warranted.

Edit: wait, don't you live here too? Should I be prepared? What am I even preparing for? Omg the panic is setting in!

I think the most likely major disaster that could affect us here in Calgary is a major disruption to the power grid. Something like a big ice storm could be pretty disruptive.

[mikephoen]

Originally Posted by Baron von Kriterium

Oh, man, I have a lot of gear I have accumulated over the years. I do have food/water for three days for two people and two dogs. I always have an extra month of my prescription. I have extra eye glasses. I have a bag in each car containing first aid kit, tool kit and other supplies.

My preferences for packs/bags are 5.11 Tactical and Hazard 4. My EDC is the 5.11 Rush 24 but I also own a 5.11 Rush 72 and the Hazard 4 Patrol. The loadout varies.

Daily, I carry a Leatherman MUT, Victorinox Swiss Tools multi-tool, Topeak Rocket Ratchet, 6" Knipex Pliers Wrench, 6" Knipex Cobra and LED Lenser flashlight (with spare batteries). I load these in two Skinth pouches. I attach one to my belt and I attach the other to my pack.

I don't know what half the things in your post even are! Looks like more research for me!

[Dion]

[Otto-matic]

I have zero disaster prep at all outside of a first aid kit. I might get lucky and have a bottle of water in my fridge and some granola.

[Johnny199r]

I have lots of jackets to stay warm in winter. I would have no other necessities whatsoever.

[CaptainCrunch]

My plan

Murder people for their food and water.

Rinse and repeat.

[skudr248]

^ savage

[Redliner]

Interesting topic. It's always an eye opener to see what others consider to be "prepared", and it really does range from "I have a solar panel to charge my phone" all the way to the guy who has ham radios and a full year's supply of food in his garage.

My experience is that the people who are really into this stuff (and generally the most truly prepared) don't like to talk about what they have. As a few of you have already stated, if you live in a big city your challenges will be multiplied in the event of a catastrophe and nobody wants to make themselves a target. History has shown us time and time again that in times of crisis people will do what they have to do to survive, and it's very possible that a neighbor who helps build fences and shovels your snow when you're gone for the weekend may turn into someone completely different if his wife and kids are starving.

It's actually pretty sobering to think about, but "civilized" society is often only one major disaster or prolonged food shortage away from complete breakdown, and it's alarming how quickly it can all come apart.

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by Redliner

Interesting topic. It's always an eye opener to see what others consider to be "prepared", and it really does range from "I have a solar panel to charge my phone" all the way to the guy who has ham radios and a full year's supply of food in his garage.

My experience is that the people who are really into this stuff (and generally the most truly prepared) don't like to talk about what they have. As a few of you have already stated, if you live in a big city your challenges will be multiplied in the event of a catastrophe and nobody wants to make themselves a target. History has shown us time and time again that in times of crisis people will do what they have to do to survive, and it's very possible that a neighbor who helps build fences and shovels your snow when you're gone for the weekend may turn into someone completely different if his wife and kids are starving.

It's actually pretty sobering to think about, but "civilized" society is often only one major disaster or prolonged food shortage away from complete breakdown, and it's alarming how quickly it can all come apart.

Timely posting between this and photon's post over in the hurricane thread.

[csnarpy]

I bought my Mormon father in-law's house.... I have everything!

Very prepared.