Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.
Warnings – There were several days warnings. Given the choice of whether to leave or stay, I cant say what I'd have done. I need more information to make an informed decision. If I was certain that my house was going to be flooded out, I'd probably pack as much gear as possible and head for a friends or alternate location. But, I'd have done it at least 24 hrs beforehand
Police – These guys were more dangerous than the looters. I'd have avoided them and stayed out of their way. However, if one came to my doorstep demanding gasoline for his police car and wouldnt take 'no' for an answer…well, theres going to be alot of unsolved shootings down there I suspect. This confirmed my belief that while the cops and other government officals may mean well, the individual officers/agents can have their own ideas. Avoid these people if at all possible. Low profile would seem best. I was wary of these people before all of this, after reading how things have just spun out of control down there Im even more convinced that, if they arent your enemy, cops certainly arent your friends.
Power – No intelligent human could have figured the power was goingt o stay on or even be back on within a few days once the storm hit. Flashlights are great but for hot water, heat and area lighting you need something more substantial. Right now just about anything would work..Coleman propane stove, Volcano charcoal stove, kerosene heater and lamps, Coleman lanterns, etc, etc. For running electrical devices a small generator would sure be nice if you could keep it quiet and hidden. And for crying out loud, get something with good fuel possibilities….a gas or diesel generator would probably work best since your 500-gallon propane tank is probably floating adown the street.
Food – Portable. Long term. Single serving. Reasonably nutritious. In this situation I think the MRE is top of the heap. Freeze drieds would be nice but require clean water. Canned food would work but its heavy and you may have to beat feet in a hurry. A case of MRE's holds 12 meals. At two per day per person you could go almost a week on a case of MRE's. If youre house didnt get destroyed, staying put would be alot easier with food on hand. This supports my belief that you should spread your egss into several baskets….canned (for static positions), MRE (for mobility and minimal prep), freeze-drieds (for extended long term and mobility).
Refrigeration – No power means no fridge unless you have a kerosene or propane powered fridge. While I keep alot of stuff in the freezer, I am quite aware that as far as my disaster planning is concerened it may as well not exist since once the power goes out its pretty much garbage after a couple days. Thus, my emphasis on long-term, shelf-stable foods. A generator would be great for keeping the freezer going if youre going to remain in place.
Sanitation – Dysentary is already suspected at one refugee center. I know the hows and whys of dysentary, cholera and typhoid and universally they are 100% avoidable if you'll just wash your hands, keep yourself clean, keep your food and eating utensils clean, and exercise good toilet management. Having a small kit of toiletries to last a week or two makes an immeasurabel difference in morale and hygiene. It probably also helps to keep you from being shot as a looter if you look presentable.
Evacuating – If theres ever been an example of planning your escape and being ready for it, this is it. Bridges down, roads impassable and gas unavailable. Knowing where the bridges are, where the chokepoints are, the range of your vehicles gas tank in relation to safe areas…this is all stuff you need to know. Gear has to be in man-portable, watertight containers so you can grab it and go, go , go.
Firearms – Only an idiot would have chosen to sit this one out without a gun. I'd go with the handgun and a good military rifle. Some would go with the shorgun and thats a good choice, but I can carry more ammo for a rifle and I want the high-cpactiy and the car-punching ability of a rifle caliber. Im leaning towards the .223 for a couple reasons…if I have to go mobile, ammo is alot lighter. Also the profile of an AR might be a little less intimidating to a triggerhappy cop than an AK….he might think Im 'one of them' or something. For a static position (like staying home) I like the AK. For handguns, the Glock 9mm seems the way to go. i want capacity over caliber in this situation.
Ammo – Lots of it in portable containers. Ammo cans work well. I'd probably keep my .223 in bandoleers in an ammo can. If I had to leave in a hurry I'd try to grab 2 boxes (100 rds) of 9mm, some shotgun shells, and at least 300 rounds for my AR. This is where the lighter weight of the .223 comes in handy. This event shows the obvious reason to store plenty of ammo and store it in watertight containers.
Communication – If there was ever a reason to learn ham radio this is it. Short range communications like FRS radios or CB's woud be handy. Especailly if, like , youre trying to run an office building. Cellphone towers are without power so theyre pretty useless until someone sets up some mobile towers.
Mobility – A decent vehicle would have made the difference for alot of people in New Orleans. Even if they didnt have a car, a fella on a bicycle with a backpack probably could have gotten to safety in a day. Maybe two.
Fuel – What I read said that if you had gasoline you could name your price on anything you wanted in the disaster area. This is so true that Im formulating a fuel storage plan and rotation schedule. Fuel for generators, fuel for vehicles, fuel for cooking, fuel for lighting. Diesel or gasoline would do all that.
Commerce – Gasoline and cigarettes are the big barter items in New Orleans, I read. It made me think that maybe a couple of those small 1 and 2 gallon plastic gas cans at WalMart might be a good idea for when you need small change (1 – 2 gallons) and all you have are large bills (5-gallon jugs). It wasnt mentioned, but Id bet a pistol and 50 rounds of ammo would go pretty far as well. Gold coins are handy, but sometimes its the goods that deliver.
Planning – More than anyting else, this event shows that you must plan for these sorts of things and follow your plan. Make a list of gear, and get it. Make a list of skills, and learn them. Make a list of routes out of the area and drive them.
looters – Reports were of looted Kmart gun counters providing arms for gangs of looters. Police looted gun safes. The idea that you may someday have to face an armed group of a half dozen men isnt as far-fetched as people might think. The news reported a couple of guys with knives and machetes appeared at a citizens property and demanded his generator. He loosed a couple rounds from a pistol over their head and they ran. Good for him. I'd probably have done the same but I might just as easily have shot them both where they stood once they made clear their intentions. This event shows beyond a doubt that a firearm has a place in disaster planning. Given the numbers involved in this event, a high-capacity semi-auto seems the way to go.
Water – This situation proves that once municipal supplies are contaminated, the average citizen is screwed. For static use, stored water in 5-gallon (or bigger) containers makes sense. The 5-gallon ones are the upper limit of portability. As we can see on the news, the ubiquitous plastic water bottle is everywhere and theyre a great thing…theyre incredibly tough and very handy if you have a couple cases of them. They can be distributed in gear, pockets, vehicles, etc. A good quality water filter would be incredibly useful down there right now too. I'd leave the water filter in my bag so I can have it handy if I had to evacuate. All the troops and alot of the rescue personnel showing up on the news have Camelbak-type hydration packs. Great for roaming around. Some people, it seems, still havent learned that you can tap the water in your hot water heater and you can drain the standing water in your plumbing by opening the tap at the highest point in the building and then opening the tap at the lowest.
First aid – I bet anti-diarheal meds are a hot commodity right now. Antiobiotics are going to be pretty important what with all that conatminated water and filth going around. Lesson learned: first aid gear, stored in waterproof containers.
Man, theres so much to think about and to weigh my current preperations against………..
