My parents and younger siblings moved to New York recently, about a half hour from the "Big Apple" itself. I live in Indiana and have some preps and SHTF plans but I am still a novice. How do I talk to my parents about having evacuation routes in case of a disaster? NYC is the LAST place you should want to be for any disaster. My parents don't think much about prepping but I am sure I could at least convince them to have a few Evac routes. We have some family in PA and OH so I would base the routes around their locations. I have already mentioned to my mother that, in case of a regional disaster the relative in PA could be our contact point since they are far enough away from both of our homes. Thoughts? Tips?
How to discuss evac/prepping with family
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Very thoughtful. I would just start a conversation around being prepared for a communications/ power disaster. Let them know that you don't want to worry about them and if they could get a hold of your relatives in Pennsylvania that would be a relief.
Are any of your family members ham radio operators? If so and if you don't have a license you should get one and start preparing your own communication plans with your family.
Other than having them keep a week supply of emergency food that would be my starting point.
Are any of your family members ham radio operators? If so and if you don't have a license you should get one and start preparing your own communication plans with your family.
Other than having them keep a week supply of emergency food that would be my starting point.
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Google Earth. You fly or drive right from their house to your places. Print out a map with check points so the they can make sure they are following the route(s). Note hazards and choke points like bridges and tunnels plus rest areas and resupply places open like 24/7.
Make sure the BOV has good tires and chains. A winter kit in the trunk with stuff like clothes, sleeping bag/blankets, emergency food/water like Datrex products, candles, toilet paper, batteries for a radio and flashlight,...
Maybe a small trailer to haul extra treated gas that they store along with the rest of the kit.
Make sure the BOV has good tires and chains. A winter kit in the trunk with stuff like clothes, sleeping bag/blankets, emergency food/water like Datrex products, candles, toilet paper, batteries for a radio and flashlight,...
Maybe a small trailer to haul extra treated gas that they store along with the rest of the kit.
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Don't leap in with evac routes and the like. If you are new to prepping, and your family apparently does not think about it much, start off by showing them examples of the importance of being prepared.
There are tons of examples to draw from: The 1996 winter storm, Hurricane Sandy, 9/11.
Any refugee and fleeing citizen can follow a route of evacuation. Knowing the best route, what to do during, and where they are heading are the elements that make the difference and are all part of a well thought out plan.
Do some research and then talk to them about what you have been thinking about and what sorts of preparations you are making. Tell them one big worry you have is what they would do and ask if they have ever thought about it...
Come at it from a place of care and consideration, not fear.
There are tons of examples to draw from: The 1996 winter storm, Hurricane Sandy, 9/11.
Any refugee and fleeing citizen can follow a route of evacuation. Knowing the best route, what to do during, and where they are heading are the elements that make the difference and are all part of a well thought out plan.
Do some research and then talk to them about what you have been thinking about and what sorts of preparations you are making. Tell them one big worry you have is what they would do and ask if they have ever thought about it...
Come at it from a place of care and consideration, not fear.
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This made me chuckle.
Well, the first step to discussing something is to mention it.
Now dude, why don't you think up some plans and share it with them.
It is not like you are gay in an orthodox Jewish family.
Seriously when you sort out some working plans be sure to post them up to my mailbox here too.
Also, you might want to draw up some contingency plans for if they get tied up for a while for yourself.
Share your thoughts on it.
Personally just looking at a MAP of New York and considering various SHTF type situations, I would think you would either need protective gear and plan to swim and walk out or get a boat and motor of some sort depending on where in NYC they are.
I would think most bridges would get clogged so a huge chunk of the city would be isolated.
boats might get to be a death warrant if the crisis was riot stage.
Overall, though. Just bring it up. In fact, they may not want to do anything at all, maybe they will. It normally comes down to cost and time commitment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eagGeflUSGI
Also, any planned state or terrorist SHTF situation would exercise to also cause traffic blockage if the desire was to have greatest disorder.
What would be real life (possible) reasons why they would need to evacuate?
After that, what are few good routes ver your place?
I would keep things casually without sounding crazy prepper. Here we have power outages and cold winters, time to time house fires and tilted hazard truck and so on...
I would say something like "If your house catch a fire or powers goes out, you are always welcome to my place... There is this and that good roads with couple of smaller roads here and there what myself like to use time to time because beautiful views and less traffic." and that it would be... No discussions of choke points, or possible looters if they don't talk about them first.
If they would know that they have place to go, it could plant seed in their thoughts that it really is an option. :thumb:
I have couple of this kind of place for myself And I could be that kind of place for couple others and nobody of us are preppers...
After that, what are few good routes ver your place?
I would keep things casually without sounding crazy prepper. Here we have power outages and cold winters, time to time house fires and tilted hazard truck and so on...
I would say something like "If your house catch a fire or powers goes out, you are always welcome to my place... There is this and that good roads with couple of smaller roads here and there what myself like to use time to time because beautiful views and less traffic." and that it would be... No discussions of choke points, or possible looters if they don't talk about them first.
If they would know that they have place to go, it could plant seed in their thoughts that it really is an option. :thumb:
I have couple of this kind of place for myself And I could be that kind of place for couple others and nobody of us are preppers...
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Any time that you have something that may be distasteful or unpopular to say to a loved one(s), I have found that if you start with the words, "You know I love you. If there was something that I felt was important for you to know, would you want me to tell you?"
Wait for the answer which is invariably, "Yes."
Then start into the info. you wish to impart and when interrupted, remind them that they asked you to tell them. Then be straightforward about your concerns and don't be derailed until you have finished your piece.
Wait for the answer which is invariably, "Yes."
Then start into the info. you wish to impart and when interrupted, remind them that they asked you to tell them. Then be straightforward about your concerns and don't be derailed until you have finished your piece.
First, no evac plans, that just seems crazy from a nonprepper view. Bring up the storms, winter and summer. In '77, lightning hit a substation in upstate NY that took out power for the entire state for 25 hours in July. Might not seem like much, but looting happened in 3 hours. By 12, entire neighborhoods were war zones.
Snowmadgeddon, Sandy, anything weather related is a good starting point.
Snowmadgeddon, Sandy, anything weather related is a good starting point.
tough crowd around here huh... 
my mom and her husband for many years living on the southeast coast would refuse to leave in advance of a hurricane threat...
my standing rule was that I would come get them well in advance and have them just enjoy a week visiting with us..but that after AFTER it hit that I was not going to leave my wife/kids to try and get down there through all that mess to get them out then.
now I'm older, the husband is deceased and I don't give my mom and option..if a major storm is coming.. i just call and tell her to pack her bag..it's a quick 4 hrs down and then back again to retreive her.
all my adult children know that their best plan is to get to my house out in the country where we have resources.
my son has done the google earth thing and even mapped out a foot route via utility easments etc and has go bags packed for him, wife, daughter.
the other 3 daughters and their families...not so much...a bit of prep in the pantry but it'd be a challenge for them if they had to scoot with nowhere close to go.. I preached to them all years ago when I got into the prepping hobby...then wrote em all one last love letter promising that I wouldn't evangelize any more..they know I prep, they know about much of our preps...but they make their own life choices...they know i will not leave my wife nor endanger myself risking that i can't get back to my wife, by trying to recon others...if a bad day hits... my job will be to secure and prepare our home and property and wait for the kids to arrive.
as for bugging out..evac?... we purposely do not live in town and are 10s of miles from a city....we also are frequent campers...so we have a lot of experience packing out..and many things prepared in advance.
I just can't seem to motivate others..many friends and family seem to want to talk about it..but then i'll see them months or years later and they've done nothing...
my mom and her husband for many years living on the southeast coast would refuse to leave in advance of a hurricane threat...
my standing rule was that I would come get them well in advance and have them just enjoy a week visiting with us..but that after AFTER it hit that I was not going to leave my wife/kids to try and get down there through all that mess to get them out then.
now I'm older, the husband is deceased and I don't give my mom and option..if a major storm is coming.. i just call and tell her to pack her bag..it's a quick 4 hrs down and then back again to retreive her.
all my adult children know that their best plan is to get to my house out in the country where we have resources.
my son has done the google earth thing and even mapped out a foot route via utility easments etc and has go bags packed for him, wife, daughter.
the other 3 daughters and their families...not so much...a bit of prep in the pantry but it'd be a challenge for them if they had to scoot with nowhere close to go.. I preached to them all years ago when I got into the prepping hobby...then wrote em all one last love letter promising that I wouldn't evangelize any more..they know I prep, they know about much of our preps...but they make their own life choices...they know i will not leave my wife nor endanger myself risking that i can't get back to my wife, by trying to recon others...if a bad day hits... my job will be to secure and prepare our home and property and wait for the kids to arrive.
as for bugging out..evac?... we purposely do not live in town and are 10s of miles from a city....we also are frequent campers...so we have a lot of experience packing out..and many things prepared in advance.
I just can't seem to motivate others..many friends and family seem to want to talk about it..but then i'll see them months or years later and they've done nothing...
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Hi, NYC resident here, I live in Manhattan.
If your family is on Long Island, forget evacuating. Traffic on a good day. If they are north on NYC, 1/2 hour would put them in Westchester/Rockland area. If that is where they are, and you have family in Pa, tell them to head to Route 84 West and head straight in to PA. That road is usually in pretty good condition.
Good Luck
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