If there is a natural or man made disaster, do you think you are prepared right now?

Question

I was pretty well prepared for the recent storms in chicago but many of my friends for themselves scrounging for candles and had no battery operated radio or tv's, did not know where the nearest shelters were etc... I wonder just how many people ARE prepared for a real large scale disaster? Natural or otherwise.

Answer 1

We're pretty well prepared for any disaster. We have the farm, food, water, fuel, generators, clothing, battery operated radio, ham radio, cb radio, several vehicles, gasoline, horses, emergency supplies, guns & ammo, archery bows & arrows, etc...

Answer 2

After living through the direct hit of Hurricane Ivan which to Pensacola, FL was completely like Katrina on a smaller scale. but just as devastating for those involved...I can tell you, you are never ready for a true "natural disaster." I have lived through countless regular hurricanes as a Pensacola native for 33 years, but there is a difference in a regular hurricane, tornado, mudslide, fire and true natural disaster in my opinion. When lots of people are killed, electricity is out for weeks on end, phone service is gone for 45 days+, there is very limited water for weeks, cell phone towers are destroyed, 20,000 buildings are destroyed, your medium size church has 1/2 a million dollars damage and like most churches they can't have services for a while, everyone has trees down in their yard or their house, all modern forms of communication are unavailable for weeks, roads are closed, bridges are washed away, everyone is depressed, the mental hospitals are full, more people commit suicide in the 2 years following Ivan than in Pensacola's history, you could once buy a home for $60,000 then two weeks later that house is $135,000 minimum, most peoples jobs have been affected for weeks or completely lost because the building is destroyed, you fight with insurance companies for months...this is a natural disaster. You are never prepared for it.

However, I do now own a generator and keep boards ready to board up. If one gets in the gulf, my cars and tanks will be full of gas and we will have plenty of ice, batteries and food. We will be among the first at the stores.

Answer 3

No, and I don't think anyone can be prepared for a natural disaster. Recent examples Katrina and the massive Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. Not supplies wise or shelter wise. These natural disasters destroy everything in their path, including the survival supplies, emergency shelters and even much of the emergency services equipment in place by governments and other organizations. But survival instincts, staying calm and being able to adapt to the conditions have proofed to be the best resources in time of such catastrophic events.

Answer 4

Im not prepared at all. Disaster to the extreme anrent something we have to deal with often! Its a good point though we should all be a little prepared, just in case!

Answer 5

I live in Florida and this is hurricane season. Yes, I am prepared for a disaster. We got hit by 5 hurricanes in 2004.

Answer 6

We don't get natural disasters where I live; closest thing I've ever seen would be a power outage. I think I can survive a day or two without central air conditioning...

Answer 7

In the first or second year of the Bushies, VP Cheney, the mighty hunter, recommended you have a gallon of water and a roll of duct tape on hand. Good advice I guess from the elitist perspective. I really hurried my a*r*s*e out and bought those two items right away which as it turned out were of no use at all when the hurricane blew a tree down on my house. I'm waiting for his next advisory.

kja63: Can I join your tribe?

Answer 8

Not really ready for a natural disaster but I do have a shotgun ready for zombie invasion

Answer 9

Not as well as I should be. It's about time for annual storm season, so I really need to stock up on batteries and bottled water.

Answer 10

Not as well as I'd like to be. I do have water and food for a few days, but there are other things I need to do to prepare as well. Thanks for the reminder :-)