Living in the midwestern US I grew up understanding that weather can at times be deadly and random. In my neck of the woods flooding and Tornado's can strike quickly and without warning.
Becasue of this and because of the recent news I thought it would interesing to see what kind of preprations people have made in case of emergency. What have you prepaired in case of a evac from your area? What kind of supplies have you stockpiled in case of such an event? Does anyone have evac plans or possible bug-out routes picked?
Becasue of this and because of the recent news I thought it would interesing to see what kind of preprations people have made in case of emergency. What have you prepaired in case of a evac from your area? What kind of supplies have you stockpiled in case of such an event? Does anyone have evac plans or possible bug-out routes picked?
Living, as you do, in Columbus Ohio, I believe we may be in the one city that you really don't need a contingency plan for. Well theoretically anyway. We don't see too many tornados. Hurricanes aren't a problem. Earthquakes are never powerful enough to feel most of the time. About as bad as it gets is flooding from the Scioto, and honstley ... I live on the second floor of Tommy's diner ... so unless it's the flood of the century I should be fine.
The only contingenct plan I value is my double barrel shotgun, and my big box of ammunition, that if you live in Columbus and have been in the bottoms of the westside, you know might be needed before all is said and done. Hopefully it never gets used.
As far as all the terrorist preperations, and what not ... I really don't think I'd be able to do much by taping plastic over my windows. Sides, if I get hungry, I'm one of the few with a key to the basement of where I live, and they have a lot of food down there
The only contingenct plan I value is my double barrel shotgun, and my big box of ammunition, that if you live in Columbus and have been in the bottoms of the westside, you know might be needed before all is said and done. Hopefully it never gets used.
As far as all the terrorist preperations, and what not ... I really don't think I'd be able to do much by taping plastic over my windows. Sides, if I get hungry, I'm one of the few with a key to the basement of where I live, and they have a lot of food down there
I'm not fat ... I'm festively plump.
To be honest you never know.....
I grew up in the southern portion of the state (along the ohio river) and flooding took place nearly on a monthly basis. Really bad flooding happend at least 1-2 times a year. And we had trouble with tornado's say once every 2 years or so. But the point was that it was common to see or hear about a whole group of homes or a small neighbood being destroyed due to water. So everyone experienced it and dealt with it. So perhaps that can explain better my thinking.
I dont know about you but if we faced some sort of problem that caused simlar issues (like in NO) then I want to be no where near Columbus when that happens. And just like you I have a shotgun (I live in Grove City) and several other guns.
But lets just pretend for a sec and say that either it was difficult to travel for an extended period of time or just impossible. Its actually not that hard to imagine if we had a terrible winter for instance. And either because of terrorist attacks or just plain terrible weather that either we could not get out or people could not get to us.
How would you survive? Where would you go? What kind of things would you need?
I grew up in the southern portion of the state (along the ohio river) and flooding took place nearly on a monthly basis. Really bad flooding happend at least 1-2 times a year. And we had trouble with tornado's say once every 2 years or so. But the point was that it was common to see or hear about a whole group of homes or a small neighbood being destroyed due to water. So everyone experienced it and dealt with it. So perhaps that can explain better my thinking.
I dont know about you but if we faced some sort of problem that caused simlar issues (like in NO) then I want to be no where near Columbus when that happens. And just like you I have a shotgun (I live in Grove City) and several other guns.
But lets just pretend for a sec and say that either it was difficult to travel for an extended period of time or just impossible. Its actually not that hard to imagine if we had a terrible winter for instance. And either because of terrorist attacks or just plain terrible weather that either we could not get out or people could not get to us.
How would you survive? Where would you go? What kind of things would you need?
Unfourtanetly, if it came down to circumastances like that, I'd be afraid that it would break down exactly the way New Orleans did. Living in the innercity, you kind of see that it isn't too far from it now, except there is an order to the chaos. The cops, at least the ones I've called to my house being burglarized, and the numerous altercations I had at my previous job, seriously only do what the bare minimum requires of them.
What would I do, where would I go? I don't know. A plan for that happening isn't something I really never thought of. If it happened right now, I'd find a few friends of mine, we'd stockpile what we have, and we'd travel away from what was going on, picking up any stranded survivors along the way. But ultimately you'd have to travel armed, and be prepared for altercations against people who don't care about anything but their own survival. I would love to think that it would wind up like "Day After Tomorrow", with all the comraderie, but this whole situation has proved to me ... its just a movie, and real life is a lot uglier.
What would I do, where would I go? I don't know. A plan for that happening isn't something I really never thought of. If it happened right now, I'd find a few friends of mine, we'd stockpile what we have, and we'd travel away from what was going on, picking up any stranded survivors along the way. But ultimately you'd have to travel armed, and be prepared for altercations against people who don't care about anything but their own survival. I would love to think that it would wind up like "Day After Tomorrow", with all the comraderie, but this whole situation has proved to me ... its just a movie, and real life is a lot uglier.
I'm not fat ... I'm festively plump.
Also a mid-westerner (Detroit area) I'm in a similar situation as you guys. We get the occasional tornado, and minor flooding. The most common problem is power outages that last for days.
LIke you guys, I rely on a shotgun for home defense. I also have a generator connected to the mains, so I can put the whole house on the generator. I also keep several days worth of canned and dry food, water and bottled drinks.
If evacuation was necessary, but travel difficult, my Jeep will go through almost anything. It's lifted with big tires and air-locking differentials front and rear. When I'm off-roading, I go through four-foot water routinely. I also off-road in the winter, through plenty of deep snow. The biggest problem is likely to be other people.
But it would require a real serious and eminent threat to make me evacuate.
LIke you guys, I rely on a shotgun for home defense. I also have a generator connected to the mains, so I can put the whole house on the generator. I also keep several days worth of canned and dry food, water and bottled drinks.
If evacuation was necessary, but travel difficult, my Jeep will go through almost anything. It's lifted with big tires and air-locking differentials front and rear. When I'm off-roading, I go through four-foot water routinely. I also off-road in the winter, through plenty of deep snow. The biggest problem is likely to be other people.
But it would require a real serious and eminent threat to make me evacuate.
Living in the Australian Bushlands area with a national park meters from our backyard, bushfires are a definite threat... and we have been threatened before to the point where we were battling off flames in our backyard with a garden hose from our roof. Every summer there are at least a few bushfires that spark up... with out wort being in 1991, and 1998. It is because the bush is so dry, and Eucalyptus Trees simply explode (literally).
Basically all we have do is keep the dry leaves out of our gutters, and in the case of a bushfire; clog them with rags, fill them with water, and have a good couple of garden hoses standing by ready to fight off any flames.
It is very scary, and everybody in this suburb knows at least one person who has lost their home to fires in the past.
Other than that, the only other natural disaster we have had here was a cyclone back in 1990. Which was terribly odd for tis part of the word, but you can imagine how it faired in a very bushy suburb. Many of our neighbours lost their homes thanks to falling Gum Trees which are huge, but have very weak roots. We were very lucky, although stranded for 5 days, and having the only underground phone line in the suburb we had a queue of folks getting in touch with loved ones.
But being Australians, you ask us "are we prepared"? ...your most likely answer will be "yeah she'll be right".
....funny but true lol.
-Cub. =o)
Basically all we have do is keep the dry leaves out of our gutters, and in the case of a bushfire; clog them with rags, fill them with water, and have a good couple of garden hoses standing by ready to fight off any flames.
It is very scary, and everybody in this suburb knows at least one person who has lost their home to fires in the past.
Other than that, the only other natural disaster we have had here was a cyclone back in 1990. Which was terribly odd for tis part of the word, but you can imagine how it faired in a very bushy suburb. Many of our neighbours lost their homes thanks to falling Gum Trees which are huge, but have very weak roots. We were very lucky, although stranded for 5 days, and having the only underground phone line in the suburb we had a queue of folks getting in touch with loved ones.
But being Australians, you ask us "are we prepared"? ...your most likely answer will be "yeah she'll be right".
....funny but true lol.-Cub. =o)
Myself I have one main bugout route picked that I know very very well and have several alternate routes available should main roads be down. I have (portable) something like 20-30 gallons of water, 6 days sealed rations basic survial gear packed in packs (with rations) and spare ammo for a sidearm for both myself and my wife. I also have one main long range weapon should that be needed. I also have an extensive med kit with a us army survival book on living off the land and basic wound treatments. Most importantly though I have all this equipment organized and reachable. If I have to flee in a hury I can still be very prepaired, even If I have to flee on foot.
Why do I go to all the trouble..... Frankly things like storms, riots, blackouts and terrorist attacks happen. Who the heck knows what challenge Me and my family will face. I just figure that I should be as basicly ready as I can for most if not all of them.
In times like this I dont think its absurd to have things like this ready. Most of it is of low cost and it doesnt take a ton of room to store. Frankly I dont see ever using my gear, but if worse comes to worse I know I at least tried.
Why do I go to all the trouble..... Frankly things like storms, riots, blackouts and terrorist attacks happen. Who the heck knows what challenge Me and my family will face. I just figure that I should be as basicly ready as I can for most if not all of them.
In times like this I dont think its absurd to have things like this ready. Most of it is of low cost and it doesnt take a ton of room to store. Frankly I dont see ever using my gear, but if worse comes to worse I know I at least tried.