[jeffreyamanning]

I got the idea for this thread after viewing some of the recent posts about Hurricane Irene.

The general public takes a lot of things for granted: electricity, the ability to travel without disruption, being able to use cell phones/credit and debit cards, etc. What lessons have you learned about disaster preparedness from being in and around natural disasters? Would you change your approach to preparedness knowing what you know now?

 

[kev]

I think there also might be a loss of compassion from the people outside the affected areas. Once the news stops reporting, it seems that things are forgotten about.

Only if you have been through something, can you start to understand what others are going through.

Once you have been through it, then you know that the tragedy is still ongoing even after the cameras leave.

Property is just that, property, and it can be replaced. Lives can never be replaced.

 

[oxi]

I have not learned much of anything just justified some of my positions about massive storms like staying away from the coasts and at or below sea level and avoid living near rivers/streams especially near large hills or mountains...

Have a solid 4x4 with good approach/departure/break-over angles to get out of situations post-storm. I say this while watching one of the MSM, CNN to be exact showing a ireport of a lady that could not get out because the road washed out in front of her house and it was like a foot or so of an edge because parts of the road were washed away...

I blame her for not having a proper vehicle to get out of simple situations like this. We all have to make choices and if you do not have at least a vehicle that can overcome simple obstacles like this, you will remain stranded for sometime!

It's a tactical situation in my book, so I would help her if she was living near me and needed assistance but you get the idea of the poor choices society makes all of the time that puts others at risk!

 

[Rascals]

I can remember after hurricane Andrew watching people stand in line for 4 hours to get water and ice. After a women who if I remember was 80 got hit and mugged in front of hundreds of people the jerk took off. Well some us who were a ways away saw this we were to far away to do anything but the idiot ran right at us. That first punch was one of the most satisfying things I have ever done. We beat him a little because he was trying to get away and held him for the cops. It took like 25 min and it sucked for him. After all is said and done he got his but it really upset me all the people around here that watched and did nothing to help. After that I vowed to never be without better training and better weapons then those around me. Lesson there will always be scum out to take advantage of people. Make sure you have the means to help others who need it. But not the ones who demand it.

 

[Woodswalker]

I was prepared for the hurricane and things went as I expected .
I lost power about 10am sunday . It came back late tuesday night .

The thing I learned is that I waste too much time on the computer and watching tv . Many chores I've been putting off got done and I worked out/exercised more because I wasn't distracted by tv and internet .

It was interesting to see how many kids actually live in my neighborhood . They were all out playing and riding bikes = no computer , video games and tv to keep them indoors .

 

[bighanded]

have lived through many hurricanes and ice storms, etc.

I've learned:

1) The weather channel are a bunch of geeks
2) The govt will urge folks to be prepared and evac so the govt doesn't have to actually be held responsible when they are unable to get water/fuel, etc into an area within a week and the helpless are crying about it to the media who are somehow able to get helicopters, trucks full of cameras and studio gear, etc into that same location.
3) People in general don't prepare and will panic buy at the last minute.
4) Stores do not stock beyond normal expectations so panic buying depletes their inventory and post storm restoration can take much longer.
5) Banking, ATM, electronic retail , can not be depended to work post storm..have cash..better yet, have what you need in advance so you don't need to shop at all.
6) Hurricanes can shut down pipeline distribution of fuel - leaving stations out of gas for as much as a week post storm..even if the area is not the impacted storm area, the distribution can effect cities hours away.
7) Local authorities will urge folks not to "top off" gas tanks, etc..and as a result, folks will rush out to top-off and this will extend the week to 3 weeks of fuel shortages.
8) Local authorities will exaggerate or under play situations to help control their constituents. You must assess situations for yourself and determine your own course of action. You will be mislead by the govt as badly as the weather channel.
9) never ever let the media put your child on TV for a sound bite.
10) expect storm effects long after the storm - these are not a 1 day thing. It can impact your ability to go to work , earn a paycheck, etc.

 

[Timmee]

I got the idea for this thread after viewing some of the recent posts about Hurricane Irene.

The general public takes a lot of things for granted: electricity, the ability to travel without disruption, being able to use cell phones/credit and debit cards, etc. What lessons have you learned about disaster preparedness from being in and around natural disasters? Would you change your approach to preparedness knowing what you know now?

Well, the lesson "2 is 1 and 1 is none" was re-proven to me. Basically, my soda can alcohol stove is acting up (the bottom split at the seam, so there's no pressure building up, and it won't stay lit). Luckily, I've got tea lights I can use to cook, my neighbor offered the use of his gas grill, and some friends (who have power) are going to be loaning my roommate and I their Coleman propane camp stove.

The second lesson I've learned is, I don't know my neighbors as well as I should. If I did, I might have heard about the resources the community had put into place for this event a little earlier (showering facilities at the local senior center and gyms, free wifi/cell phone and laptop charging at the library, etc).

Also, I need to test my preps before I need them. When they're needed is no time to be attempting to learn how they work/if they're adequate for my needs/if they function/etc.

 

[delta88]

1. Stored food is king. Food that you can cook with no public utilities.
2. Cash is king post storm
3. Don't go to Wal-mart for items. Go to staples. You can get snacks, coffee/creamer paper towels and TP there with no line.

 

[Kansas Terri]

Candles in the wintertime do NOT put out enough light! I now have battery lights.

Winter nights here are 16 hours long and candles are not light enough for board games or steady enough for reading. I don't care how many candles you have burning next to you it is not enough.

 

[AKpredator]

Disasters are almost always about water. Earthquakes cause tsunamis. Volcanoes have mud slides that flood rivers. Hurricanes have copious amounts of rain to go with the winds. Flash floods, rain storms, tornadoes etc. Additionally, one needs a good way to filter water clean to keep themselves hydrated for at least 3 days in the event of a natural disaster.

Having an alternative way to navigate water is a good thing. A small boat with an efficient motor is invaluable.

 

[Moccasin]

2) The govt will urge folks to be prepared and evac so the govt doesn't have to actually be held responsible when they are unable to get water/fuel, etc into an area within a week and the helpless are crying about it to the media who are somehow able to get helicopters, trucks full of cameras and studio gear, etc into that same location.

Keep in mind, it's one thing to move a few hundred pounds of reporters and equipment into an area; it's another to move several thousand tons of bulky food, water, and supplies there. People always seem to confuse the two and think that because people can get in, that means it should be business as usual even if the highways are destroyed and airfields unusable.