Stuck in traffic for 7 hours

Thousands Sat In Their Cars For 7 Hours Tuesday As Police Played Blame Game

On July 24, an shut down County Road 39 and Sunrise Highway in Southampton creating "sheer agony, bedlam and confusion" for hours for trapped motorists.  "I feel trapped,” one woman said. Another motorist said,
“I have children that are hungry, thirsty; 95 degrees in the car, and we have no gas and nowhere to go.”

Authorities passed the buck as Village police blamed the state police who in turn blamed the town police for closing the highway to clean oil and clear debris from a collision between a car and a garbage truck. Motorists were left in the dark and waiting, and waiting.

Nearly seven hours after the roads were closed, traffic began to ease.

When a reporter (who was stuck in the jam) questioned officials, would traffic be like this during a hurricane evacuation, the Suffolk County’s Office of Emergency Management responded, No way, in case of a real emergency "a coordinated effort would take place bringing all the response agencies together operating on one specific plan.”

[Now think back to Hurricane Katrina and the "coordinated" effort in Louisiana. If police cannot handle normal events, don't expect better performance during a crisis. ]

The Red Cross recommends that everyone be prepared for traffic events like this by having a go bag with you in your car. Keep snacks, water and a working phone in the car at all times and try to keep the gas tank near full.

Manly uses for Tampons

Website "The Art of Manliness" features 10 Survival Uses for Tampons, originally titled Yes, That’s a Tampon in My Mouth: The Swiss Army Survival Tampon — 10 Survival Uses

The site recommends men put out of mind the feminine uses that might them squeamish and think instead of a tampon as the "Tactical Adventure Medical Preparedness Outdoors Necessity". The tampon is actually regulated in the US by the Food & Drug Administration as a Class II Medical Device.

1. Medical Bandage
   Tampons are sterile and ultra-absorbent making them the perfect first aid bandage for heavy bleeding.
2. Crude Water Filter
   Won't work on chemicals or bacteria but can filter out grit and sediment from water
3. Survival Drinking Straw
   Suck dirty water through a tampon if there's no other way to purify the water.
4. Fire Tinder
5. Tampon string can be used as a candle wick
   Make an emergency oil candle with rendered animal fat and string
6. Use Tampon string directly
   It's not much of a string but could be used to make a deadfall trap or tie things together
7. Use cotton as fletching for blow-dart
8. Blow tube to heat up coals
9. Waterproof case for matches
10. Use packaging to make bobber for fishing line

Can you think of other survival uses for a tampon?

There's no place like home

Preparedness sites often speak of GOOD (Get Out of Dodge), meaning an escape plan for fleeing the house and reaching a remote safe location in case of hurricane or other mass evacuation. The problem with such plans is the "mass evacuation" part; roads become quickly clogged and a single accident can stop hundreds of thousands of people from going anywhere.

Few sites ever mention the reverse problem - going home during a crisis. Unless your home is in the immediate path of danger, like a fire or beach house in a hurricane, experts agree that it's the best place to be for the average person during an emergency. Hopefully your home is supplied with tools, food, warm clothes, etc that you'll need. It's a place you're familiar with and are comfortable with. [There are very few with a well-stocked retreat cabin in the country with running water and game to hunt, etc]

Take a look at Your Get Home Plan, by J.A.F., a typical urban commuter for Washington DC who every day must drive, take a train and ride the subway. Not unlike many workers in NYC.  Ideas include:
1. Have a good pair of walking shoes at your office. I got horrible blisters once walking a distance in my dress shoes in DC.
2. Have a go-kit with food & water for the trip home, along with a hat, suntan lotion, etc in case you have to walk when the train or subway is not working.
3. Learn alternate routes.  Can you use a bus or taxi? Do you know which neighborhoods are safe to walk in and which are not?
4. Find a place to stay. Is there a friend who lives near the office that you can stay overnight with?  Do you have a change of clothes if forced to sleep at the office because you have no-where else?

During the North East power black-out a decade ago or so, there was no commuting (no trains, no subways) and no hotels (electric key cards on most doors). Most shops with electric cash registers could not sell food or were forced to toss food with no refrigeration. I had no evacuation plan at the time but I did have a go kit (this was after 9-11).  So I slept at the office in Manhattan and ate my power bars.

Emergency Kits

While many preparedness sites emphasize 72-hour kits, I don't. I've seen too many people make a kit in a can, which is then placed in the basement and forgotten. When you think about it, a 72-kit makes no sense for emergencies at home if you have food and water storage. Are you truly going to leave your cupboards bare before the storm and live solely off your kit?

I like the term "go-kit". Some use GOOD-kit (Get out of Dodge) as a reminder that what you really need is an evacuation kit, something to sustain you for 3 to 5 days when not at home. Good go-kits are stored in backpacks and keep near the front door (or garage?) so you can grab and go when evacuating the house.

While a go-kit in a backpack is superior to a 72-kit in a can, it still has one drawback. If your house catches fire you might not have access to the front door and your kit burns with the house. So I prefer to keep my go-kit in the trunk of my car. This has the added benefit of giving me some protection if an accident happens while driving.

Bottom Line

Focus on building a great car kit for the family or commuter. See The importance of car survival kits for some great ideas of what to include and how to customize it for your family.

Daylight Savings Time this Weekend!

This weekend, Saturday night/Sunday morning at 2 am is Daylight Savings Time when we "Spring forward" and set the clocks ahead by one hour. Daylight Savings Time is also a great time to replace the batteries in your smoke alarms and refresh the contents of Go-Kits.

Bottom Line

My wife & I were checking out our smoke alarms last weekend. A cake had spilled in the oven, onto the heating elements, and the kitchen became slightly smoky. But no alarm sounded. So we put in a new battery and tested the alarm - no sound. We tested the battery - it was still good.  We tried the battery in another smoke alarm - no sound. At this point we were quite puzzled. What was going on? Then my wife figured it out - just pressing the test button was not enough, we had to press and hold the test button to trigger the alarm. Ah! Mystery solved.

Is your car ready for Winter?

I had to stop driving my car for a while...
the tires got dizzy.
- Steven Wright

Winter is a bad time for cars. Once I skidded into snow on the shoulder of a road and could not get my car free. A policeman stopped to watch but said he was not allowed to help push the car. (He could call a tow truck for me if I wanted.) Fortunately I was across the street from a Fire department and the firemen were willing to push the car free.

If I were not so lucky that day, I could have been stuck in my car for hours. Perhaps I was just driving to the corner grocery and didn't bother to wear a coat for so short a trip. It happens and that's a very cold mistake to make. Recently a trained professional in Alaska nearly died from exposure in his car. He drove off in a huff to escape wife/in-laws for a bit; he did not wear a coat or pack any supplies. His car slid off the road some 30 miles north of town and it was 3 days before he was found. He survied on frozen beer and ran the car just an hour or so a day to keep from freezing but not run out of gas.

In case you are stranded, keep a kit of emergency supplies in your car. This kit should include:

• Jumper cables
• Flashlights and extra batteries
• First aid kit and necessary medications in case you are away from home for a prolonged time
• Food items containing protein such as nuts and energy bars; canned fruit and a portable can opener
• Water for each person and pet in your car
• AM/FM radio to listen to traffic reports and emergency messages
• Cat litter or sand for better tire traction
• Shovel
• Ice scraper
• Warm clothes, gloves, hat, sturdy boots, jacket and an extra change of clothes
• Blankets or sleeping bags

Also consider:

• A fully-charged cell phone and phone charger
• Flares or reflective triangle
• Baby formula and diapers if you have a small child

Bottom Line

Be prepared for an emergency by keeping your gas tank full and if you find yourself stranded, be safe and stay in your car, put on your flashers, call for help and wait until it arrives.

Fiat Lux LED

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
-Genesis 1:3

I've been very impressed lately with LED flashlights. We have two giant incandescent flashlights that use multiple D-cell batteries and recently, when I needed them at night, the output was useless as the batteries were old (not dead, just old). I got better light from the LED I keep on my keyring. The old flashlights are more useful as a weapon than for lighting the dark.

According to Wikipedia,  in 1999, Lumileds Corporation introduced the Luxeon LED, a high-power white-light emitter which was used in the first LED flashlight, the Arc LS, in 2001. LEDs can be significantly more efficient than incandescent lamps. An LED flashlight will have a longer battery life than a comparable incandescent flashlight and LEDs are also less fragile than conventional glass lamps.

Our two D-cell flashlight produces on the order of 15 to 20 lumens of light. A small LED flashlight operating on an AA cell can emit 100 lumens. 5 times brighter with less power!

Bottom Line

LED flashlights would be a great holiday gift. We saw a gift box of 4 for $20 at Sears. My wife says she'll buy when they are discounted 50%. She got lucky once with a LED flashlight at a Dollar store but has not seen them there since. On Amazon.com there are many LED flashlights for under $20 and some under $10. I don't yet see the value in LEDs selling for $100 or more.

P.S.
Fiat Lux in the blog title is the Latin often used for Let there be Light, perhaps the most well-known phrase from the Bible. [Wikipedia says Fiat Lux actually means "let light be made" and that "Lux Sit" is a better translation in Latin but C'est la vie.]

γενηθήτω φῶς (or genēthētō phōs) - Greek
יְהִי אוֹר (yehiy 'or) - Hebrew

What's on your Keychain?

What's in your Wallet?
- BankOne comercial

There's a great article at Survival Gear Guru titled Choosing The Gear for Your EDC Keyring. (EDC I learned stands for Every Day Carry). Take advantage of holiday sales on any of the following:

Small multi-tools  (the Leatherman Squirt is a good example).

Corsair Padlock Secure 8 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive to keep your important documents secure.

A small lighter such as a split pea lighter.

A magnesium fire starter.

A seat belt/strap cutter.

A small flashlight like the Photon Micro-Light.

A small pocket knife such as the Victorinox Swiss Army MiniChamp

A can opener like the P-38.

A Bison container with water purification tablets.

A small pry bar such as the Widgy Bar.

A True Utility Cashstash Cash Capsule for emergency cash.

A SERE Pocket Saw

A pen like the True Utility Telepen Telescopic Pen

A whistle

Fingernail clippers.

A compass

Bottom Line

If your keyring looks like the one above you'll have one full pocket or purse. The article suggests wearing it around your neck. Personally I'd attach it to a backpack or similar travel gear. I keep a micro-flashlight on my pocket keyring and use it frequently.

Without power for over a week

"That's the night the lights went out in Georgia"
-lyrics in song of the same name

The day before Halloween, a freak snowstorm dump inches of wet heavy snow on New York, New Jersery, and New England states. Because the trees still had leaves attached, hundreds of thousands of braches became too heavy and broke. Now this does not sound like a big deal, certainly not as flashy a disaster as a hurricane or earthquake, and yet the consequences have been extreme. The Halloween nor'easter knocked out power to over 3 million homes. Connecticut was hit especially hard and over 100,000 residents of Connecticut are without power a week after the storm and they are NOT happy about it.  See Tempers flare over 6 days of Conn. power outages written on Nov 4.

“Angry residents left without heat as temperatures drop to near freezing overnight have been lashing out at Connecticut Light & Power: accosting repair crews, making profane criticisms online and suing. In Simsbury, a hard-hit suburban town of about 25,000 residents, National Guard troops deployed to clear debris have been providing security outside a utility office building.”

Abusing the work crews is a VERY bad idea. Some of these repairmen have left their familes in mid-west states to work here around the clock.  (A loose wire at our house was fixed at 3:30 in the morning.)

What went wrong? One reader of Instapundit, surmises,

Not sure what goes wrong, but it sounds like greed in not wanting to hire enough workers, failure to pay out of state crews that came up to help with Irene, incompetence, and poor character.

It's possible that Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) underestimated the massive scope of the damage and was slow to mobilize outside help. Regional disasters like this are particuallarly hard to solve because you cannot just call in workmen from neighboring states. Instead those states are desparate for extra repairmen also and everyone is competing for workers from outside the disaster area. And this is a repeat from just months ago during "hurricane" Irene so "favors" used up, emergency funds spent, emergency workers burnt out.

Bottom Line

It's events like this that show why you must be able to take care of yourself and your family. Can you supply your own heat, light and food for two weeks? If not, why not?

Emergency Food Cache

“Mosquitoes remind us that we are not as high up on the food chain as we think”
-Tom Wilson

Go-kits are limited in size to what you can comfortable carry and/or fit into a car. They are often called 72-hour kits since their goal is survival for the first three days. But as the US painfully learned with Hurricane Katrina, recovery from some disasters takes more than three days. For the really big events you need stockpiles of two weeks of food and water. Keep one at home for when you shelter in place. If you have a cabin, second home, or a "safe-house" keep a stockpile there too.

Here's a short list of supplies for 2 weeks:

Water—Too little can be fatal.

• At least 14 gallons per person and pet (a 2 weeks supply at a gallon a day) 
• Fill water containers and the bath tub before power is lost
• Local stores will be cleaned out quickly
• It generally takes the government 1 week to supply fresh water after a hurricane

Food-- Have two-weeks of non-perishable, ready-to-eat cans of food. 

• Bottles and jars may break if stored on high shelves, so keep them low
• Don't store items directly on the floor. If flooded you'll have to toss most anything the flood water touches.

Medicines

• 2 weeks' worth of your prescriptions and OTC medicines on hand at all times

Flashlights with extra batteries.

Additional Cash

Large bags for garbage and ziploc bags for human waste

Bottom Line

A two-week cache of food gives peace of mind during any emergency. You'll know that your family won't starve.

Hurricane Go-Kit

“There isn't much wrong with most of those summerhouses that a really good hurricane wouldn't cure [and] when it comes it may do for the Hamptons what Mrs O'Leary's cow did for Chicago.”
- Peter Blake

One way to prepare for Hurricane Season is to make or update your go-kits. This is a 3-day supply of food, water, clothing and more that you can grab as you leave the house and flee a disaster.

Here’s a short list of basic recommended items for a go-kit:

• Contact information; and important documents http://www.ready.gov/america/_downloads/familyemergencyplan.pdf
• Water--at least one gallon per person per day for at least three days.
• Food--at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food.
• Can-opener.
• Cash--ATMs and credit card readers might be out. Have small bills to make change.
• Prescription medications and glasses.
• Radio: battery-powered or hand crank.
• Flashlight: battery-powered or hand crank.
• Extra batteries.
• First aid kit
• Charged cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger.
• Moist towelettes, toothbrush for hygeine
• Garbage/ziploc bags personal sanitation.
• Local maps.

Bottom Line

Here are some recommended sites for go-kits

http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/assemble_disaster_supplies_kit.shtm

http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.53fabf6cc033f17a2b1ecfbf43181aa0/?vgnextoid=537b218c37752210VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&currPage=e507d7aada352210VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD

http://www.redcrossstore.org/Shopper/Product.aspx?UniqueItemId=36

http://www.co.colfax.nm.us/download/fire/PREPARING%20A%2072%20HOUR.pdf

Pet Go-Kits

The difference between friends and pets is that friends we allow into our company, pets we allow into our solitude. 
~Robert Brault

When forced to evacuate your home what will you do with your pets? Most people will want to bring the pets with them which causes two problems:

1. Most emergency shelters will not allow pets. So where will you stay?
2. Do you have emergency supplies for your pets?

Problem 2 is easy to solve - make a go-kit for your animals. Here are some ideas from the ASPCA:

• Pet first-aid kit and guide book
• 3-7 days' worth of canned (pop-top) or dry food (be sure to rotate every two months)
• Disposable litter trays (aluminum roasting pans are perfect)
• Litter or paper toweling
• Liquid dish soap and disinfectant
• Disposable garbage bags for clean-up
• Pet feeding dishes
• Extra harness and leash (Note: if you do find a pet friendly shelter, harnesses will be required.)
• Photocopies of medical records including recent rabies shot and distemper. (very important for pet shelters - they want to know your pet is safe. Otherwise it will be quarantined with other "sick" animals)
• Waterproof container with a two-week supply of any medicine your pet requires
• Bottled water, at least 7 days' worth for each person and pet (store in a cool, dry place and replace every two months)
• A traveling bag, crate or sturdy carrier, ideally one for each pet
• Flashlight
• Blanket (for scooping up a fearful pet)
• Recent photos of your pets (in case you are separated and need to make "Lost" posters)
• Especially for cats: Pillowcase or EvackSack, toys, scoopable litter
• Especially for dogs: Long leash and yard stake, toys and chew toys, a week's worth of cage liner.

Bottom Line

Remember, food and medications need to be rotated out of your emergency kit—otherwise they may go bad or become useless.

Why Food Storage is Important

‘You never want a serious crisis to go to waste’ -  Rahm Emanuel

The tragic events in Japan show why Food Storage is so important. Everyone needs to be able to care for their own family's needs for at least one week. And longer is better. See my post from last year for recommendations on a 3-month supply.

Despite being one of the best prepared nations on Earth, the AP reports That there are millions of persons in their fourth day without electricity or power. The government is overwhelmed and can not take care of everyone days after the event.

No nation can support millions of survivors overnight. In Westchester county with a population of nearly 1 million we would be lucky to find 3000 cots for the Red Cross to shelter families. It takes a lot of time to fly or ship supplies on this scale. And the conditions are less than favorable with local roads, bridges, airports & ports damaged or destroyed.

Japan is demonstrating every possible disaster scenario.

1. Those on the coast have suffered total devastation and loss. Their entire house may be gone, washed away. They must rely on the government, International Red Cross, or friends/family/church for food and shelter. Families who live on higher ground with more than a week supply will have something to share with those who have nothing.

2.  185,000 persons living near the Fukushima nuclear reactors have been ordered to evacuate. Did they have go-kits to grab? How much time did they have to pack? If a plant melts down, will they ever be allowed to return?

3. Persons within 12 miles of the nuclear plants (but outside the evac zone) have been ordered to stay inside their homes. This is where you absolutely need a week supply of food for the family. Do you really want to risk exposure to radiation because your cupboards are bare?

4. Families further away must repair earthquake damage and get by without water & power. Again a small food store will be a major blessing because local stores are quickly emptied and may be slow to restock after a disaster. See my post, Out of Stock.

Bottom Line

There are claims of 10,000 dead in Japan. This could have been tens times worse but for the earthquake drills and preparedness of the residents.

Our prayers go out to all the families affected.

Did you turn back your clock?

I don't mind going back to daylight saving time. With inflation, the hour will be the only thing I've saved all year. - Victor Borge

Daylight Savings Time ended this weekend, Sunday morning at 2am. So if you arrived at work an hour early, then you forgot to "Fall back" your clocks. Now if I could set the clock back one day, then I could have sent you this message from FEMA on time.

FEMA Encourages Americans to be Prepared as They Turn Their Clocks Back

With Daylight Saving Time coming to an end, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is encouraging Americans to take advantage of the November 7 time change as a reminder to make sure their families are prepared for a possible emergency. A few simple steps like checking smoke alarms, developing a family communications plan, and putting an emergency kit together can go a long way toward keeping families safe.

"As a nation, we can only be as prepared as our public - the most important member of our emergency management team.", says FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "I encourage everyone, as we fall back an hour, to also take a few simple steps to prepare their homes and loved ones for emergencies, including checking their smoke alarms and putting together an emergency kit."

Information on preparing for emergencies can be found at http://www.ready.gov/. Steps include developing a communications plan to ensure family members know how to get in touch with each other during an emergency, putting together an emergency kit, and staying informed of potential risks. It's important to remember that an emergency could be a large-scale catastrophic disaster, or a smaller-scale event like a car accident or house fire.

In addition to visiting Ready.gov, the United States Fire Administration is encouraging families to ensure their homes are equipped with working smoke alarms. A working smoke alarm significantly increases your chances of surviving a deadly home fire so it's important to test alarms regularly and keep them properly maintained. This includes checking the manufacture/expiration date on the label, replacing the batteries, and cleaning dust away from the slots so that smoke can enter freely.

For more information about home smoke alarms and fire sprinklers, please visit: www.usfa.dhs.gov/smokealarms.

FEMA's mission is to support our first responders and ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Bottom Line

Did you notice that "make a kit" was included multiple times in the FEMA announcement. Hopefully you already have a well stocked house for emergencies and a kit for every car and work office. If that's the case then use the Daylight Saving Time changes as a reminder to refresh your kits. Who wants to eat a 10-year old snack bar or drink an ancient bottled water? Batteries lose charge if not replaced, or worse yet, corrode and leak acid. The spare underwear you packed may have rotted or the clothes you packed for kids no longer fit. Any financial and personal information you duplicated for your kit may be out of date.

Making a List

He's got 'em on the list — he's got 'em on the list;
And they'll none of 'em be missed
— they'll none of 'em be missed.

- operetta Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan

When discussing Emergency Planning, everyone wants a list. For surely if I buy everything on the list I'll be safe, right? Wrong. Every family will have unique needs depending on children and their ages, pets, elderly, medical conditions etc. Instead of a list of things I present a list of questions to help you plan on what you'll need if you must shelter in place or evacuate.

Bodily needs

   What will I drink?

   What will I eat?

   How will I stay clean?  Toilet & toiletries

   How will I handle medical emergencies/first aid?

Mental/Social needs

   How will I stay sane and reduce stress?  Toys for kids, Scriptures, puzzle books, ...

   How will I stay informed? Emergency Radio

   How will I communicate to others for help?  cell phone, whistle, fire

Environmental needs

   How will I breathe?  Face mask?

   How will I see in the dark?  Matches, flashlights, etc.

   How will I stay warm? Heat, fire, blankets, spare socks, coats, etc

   How will I avoid heat exposure in summer? Hat, sunscreen. sunglasses, water

   How will I stay dry?  Shelter, rain gear

   How will I sleep?

Bottom Line

The list should be fairly obvious but for one. Everyone overlooks the "How will I breathe" topic.

The idea of sealing yourself in a room with plastic and duct tape against a chemical spill or terrorist attack is great, until you run out of air and die. With 9/11 the air was thick with dust and asbestos so covering your face was essential. During blackouts people die from using a gas powered generators inside their homes and experiencing carbon-monoxide poisoning. So don't forget air.

Is a 72-hr kit sufficient?

"I mean, you have people who don't heed those warnings and then put people at risk as a result of not heeding those warnings. There may be a need to look at tougher penalties on those who decide to ride it out and understand that there are consequences to not leaving." –Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), Sept. 6, 2005, after Hurricane Katrina

Survivalblog.com has published an interesting article entitled, Transitioning to Seven Day Bug-Out Bags, by Firefighter Charles. Since Hurricane Katrina the American Red Cross and FEMA have urged families to extend their "72-hr" kit from 3 days to 5 days or even 7 days. Because of this the name "72-hr" kit is now a misnomer and "Go" kit is used instead.

With the success of the 9-1-1 emergency phone system, people have come to expect a quick response to any emergency. But during a disaster, there may be tens of thousands of people trying to reach a very small police/fire department. Of course the local police/fire may itself be destroyed by the disaster (or as in New Orleans, local emergency services fled the town to safety along with the residents.)
with local resources overwhelmed you'll have to wait for outside resources to come to the rescue. Firefighter Charles accurately describes what happen and how long it takes...

Now FEMA’s response times as we all know is pitiful. FEMA’s response time also varies from situation to situation. But for our purposes, let's give FEMA the benefit of doubt. [Imagine] an unlikely yet devastating 7.5 earthquake in New York City (Manhattan). I’ll play with the numbers in their favor. It might take them 8 to 12 hours to figure out logistics and if the area is safe. It may take them another 10 to 12 hours to mobilize and get to the disaster area. Then once there, they set up outside of the disaster area, which might take another 8 to 12 hours. Also having engineers come in to analyze the tunnels and bridges, will further delay the rescue. Depending on the bridge or tunnel they decide analyze, that only can take up to another 12 hours. That would be an estimated FEMA’s response time. You've now exhausted your 72-hour bag. ... The total estimated time would be 62 to 84 hours. ...

Now once FEMA has established itself in, near, and or around the disaster area. It could take another 12-24 hours to receive one-on-one assistance. Considering that thousands to hundreds of thousands will also be on line waiting for “help”. Now, picture yourself being on line for your favorite band and waiting 10-24 hours to get their tickets. Now translate that to a disaster relief line. You exhausted your 72-hour bag and now have to wait in a line for hours maybe even days to be sheltered and fed. You will be beyond hungry, thirsty and tired. Knowing that you are so close yet have to wait for hours more, will really agitate you. Note: That waiting for FEMA support on a line of hundreds of thousands will bring out the good, the bad, and the worst.

Bottom Line

Everything moves slowly after a large-scale emergency. You're mostly on your own and need to be part of the solution and not part of the problem with proper training and food/water storage.

The return of 72-hour kits

"By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail."- Ben Franklin

I received a comment on my 72-hr kit posting two days ago. Thank you! It's great to know there are readers out there.

While I think there is more agreement than disagreement in the comment, it's also apparent that my main point was not clear enough.

I'm completely in favor of stocking up and preparing supplies for emergencies at home, in your car, and at home. My concern is that the concept of a "72-hr kit" is an oversimplification to preparedness that misleads the average person into thinking they are prepared when they are not. Even the name is bad as emergency home supplies need to last more than 72 hours.

My objections reflect the common person who buys or makes a simple kit, loses track of it in the basement for years, and THINKS they are prepared. It's treated like a lucky rabbit's foot for protection. "I own one, therefore I'm safe." But when push comes to shove the 72-hr kit is not used, unusable or inadequate. Real disaster kits must be customized to personal needs and available at all times and resupplied.

I can't even say a 72-hr kit is "better than nothing" because it may amount to nothing when needed (not found or expired). It can give a false sense of security. It's like having a smoke alarm, never changing the batteries, and then leaving candles lit everywhere because the alarm will keep you safe.

When I wrote my first post, my wife & I had just met with local church leaders whose primary idea of preparedness was to make sure everyone had a 72-hr kit. At the same time they admitted they had lost track of and never refreshed the kits made at church years previous for their families. Another admitted that the amount of food in his kit (as specified by the official kit list) would never last him 3 days. There was much less interest in skill training - the kit would suffice for the welfare and protection of members.

Bottom Line

72-hour kits are only a first step towards preparedness, not the end of the journey. For kits to be useful I again recommend:

1. "72-hour" kits are for the car and office (not the home). I can only think of one use at home - when you have to shelter in place inside one room for gas/bio attack or tornado. If that room is your supply depot - all's well. If not, grab a kit from your car.

2. Customize your kits for your appetites and needs like medicines and diapers.

3. Include copies of important documents in the kit. Include some money.

4. Stock your home with 3 months of food, water and first aid supplies. A "72-hr" kit is for when you are stranded away from home base. It should not be your primary supplies.

5. Supplies must be backed up with skills. I own a chainsaw but fear to use it. It's dangerous and I'm not skilled in its use.

72-hour kits

“Want of foresight, unwillingness to act when action would be simple and effective, lack of clear thinking, confusion of counsel until the emergency comes, until self-preservation strikes its jarring gong, these are the features which constitute the endless repetition of history.”-Churchill, Winston

I’ve come to the conclusion that 72-hour kits are a bad idea. There are many reasons for this.

1. It promotes the idea that safety can be easily purchased. “I’ve bought (or made) a kit so now I’m prepared.” Real preparedness requires skills, planning and practice drills.

2. Kits are easily set aside and forgotten. “I’ve have six 72-hour kits somewhere in the basement for my family”

3. They are left behind when needed. “Honey, grab the kids”. Whoever says, “Honey, the grab the 72-hours kits”, as they flee a burning house”

4. You won’t have them when you need them – stranded in your car or at the office.

5. They are typically inadequate. No water, no cash, no toilet paper, no ID/financial records/insurance/etc to aid recovery.

6. Kits don’t get used and the contents (food, batteries) expire.

7. They don’t last 72-hours. “You mean this is all the food I get for 3 days? I could eat this in one sitting!”

8. Your kit needs to last for more than 72-hours. Since Katrina, FEMA and the American Red Cross now recommend a week of supplies.

So what should you do instead?

1. Maintain a well stocked home with a week of canned food that won’t require electricity to cook. Keep a week’s worth of water in storage for the entire family. Use and rotate these supplies.

2. Create useful first aid kits for your home, each car and office.

3. Make copies of important documents and store these outside the home.

4. Hide some cash outside the home for emergencies. Not your life savings but say $100 to tide things over until you have access to a bank again. Suppose you flee your burning house in your underwear – you’ll have no ID or ATM card to acquire cash! And you'll have no car keys.

5. Stock your cars with supplies suitable to the season – lots of water in summer, gloves & blankets in the winter.

6. Have comfort supplies at your office should you have to sleep there. Include a pair of old walking shoes if you evacuate and the roads/trains are shut down.

Bottom Line

Yes my six steps take more work and effort. But they will be more effective than a “kit” in a bag or can that is lost in the back of a closet somewhere.

A kit for all occasions

“Failing to plan is planning to fail”

My wife and I are reconsidering the value of the traditional 72-hour kit. The problem is that they so rarely get used and the contents are wasted or forgotten or out-of-date. In case of fire will you remember to grab your kit and will you be able to access it?

Instead we favor a decentralized collection of emergency stashes.

• A well stocked home with First Aid supplies, food storage for at least three months, at least one week of water, and an alternative fuel for warmth in winter.


• A mini-kit for your purse or briefcase or backpack that you regularly carry. This should include some aspirin, Band-Aids, cell phone, emergency cash and flash drive with copies of all your important documents. I’d also include a power bar and bottled water.


• A go-kit for your car. The contents may be quite similar to a 72-hour kit (or this could be your 72-hour kit). You’re most likely to need the contents of a kit when away from home. Or if you’re fleeing home, the kit is already in the car.


• If you have a go-kit in your car and the mini-kit in a briefcase you won’t need anything extra for the office. But if you’re a train commuter, consider storing extra supplies kept at the office – like good walking shoes. During 9-11 a lot of people were forced to walk in uncomfortable dress shoes. The office is also a good back-up location for important photos and personal documents.


• A remote stash. If a hurricane or terrorist attack disables one or more states, you and your office will likely both be in the danger zone. Have a friend or family member keep an emergency packet for you containing photos, documents, and anything else you want to ensure is never lost.

Bottom Line

In mid-December 2000 people were stranded for up to 16 hours inside the Chunnel when the Eurostar train broke down. The train broke down again Jan 6. The riders were trapped in a dark, 24-mile long tunnel with no food, no water, and little help. It is cases like this were your go-kit at home or in the car won’t help you and when your really, really want it. Hence a mini-kit of power bar, water and other basics that you carry with you always.

Winterize Your Car 2

“Did you ever notice when you blow in a dog's face he gets mad at you? But when you take him in a car he sticks his head out the window”- Steve Bluestone

In the first year of this blog I wrote extensively about preparedness. I recommend starting at the very beginning with the Rule of Threes if you're looking for the fundamentals of preparedness.

I've also written on many specific topics and recommend the topical key words on the right side of the blog to find posts on go-kits, car safety, winter driving and so on.

Today I'll encourage you check out two of my earlier posts that are important as Winter approaches.

Winterize Your Car

Stocking your car for Winter

Bottom Line

My brother-in-law in Winnipeg was amazed that he did not yet have snow on the ground for Thanksgiving. Winter comes early for some people.