Planning for Disasters - Should we be stockpiling stuff?

[SuzeOFan]

I was reading someone's post about being prepared for the bird flu.
Great subject. And one I felt needed expanding on in it's own thread.

Outbreaks of bird flu, west nile virus, mad cow, pandemics, natural and (unatural) disasters, Y2K, blackouts, shortages of all kinds ....etc etc. Is this a wake up call? Or are they just a bunch of annoying chicken little reports?

Living in post 911 has made us a bit jumpy.
One thing is for certain:

There is no shortage of is doomsayers!

Should we be concerned?

Next question: Should we be disaster planning and stockpiling?
And if so, how can you prepare without breaking the bank?

[Haku]

I believe in realistically assessing everything, not just what any one person or group says.

Y2K, for example, was something that we examined very closely, and ultimately concluded the danger was largely not there. This, despite the fact that many IT administrators were coming out of the woodwork saying that many companies simply weren't ready.

To put this into context, I also had a friend back then whose entire family was fully convinced that a breakdown akin to Stephen King's book, "The Stand" was about to happen. The Apocalypse realized. Being close friends, it was very difficult for me to disagree with them, but I stuck by what I believe in. I lost them as friends, which was really sad for me, but life did go on.

However, I did make some preparations anyway, in particular, stocking up a small supply of bottled water and canned foods; things that would be usable even if nothing were to happen. It made sense for me to play it safe but realistic.

Post 9/11, however, has made everyone jumpy. Everyone. And for good reasons. I've always thought our ports are wide-open. It still is. Just look at our southern borders with Mexico. If impoverished illegal immigrants can easily cross, just think how easily it can be for even semi-organized terrorist cells.

Still, what does it mean to prepare post 9/11? For me, believe it or not, it meant an opportunity to sell my entire gun collection. Yes, roughly 2 weeks after 9/11, I knew everyone and their auntie would be buying guns, and I knew that I could make a killing (even though I didn't really want to sell my gun collection).

Thing is, people at the time felt that they needed firearms to fight off terrorist cells, but that's not a realistic reponse. Yes, terrorism is very real. However, the usual MOs for terrorists involve methods that simply can not be countered with conventional firearms. Sad, but true. (I have to be careful because if I said that to the gun crowd I usually hang out with, they would brand me as a heathen. I might as well be coming here and telling people that hybrid cars are not any better. Oh wait.... )

Rather, it will involve things that is a bit more esoteric. In my humble opinion, it means having to go to foreign soils and provide economic assistance; to show the world that America is a country of loving people who wants everyone to prosper. In short, foreign countries need to understand that WE are not the threat, that we are not the enemy, and that we are not Satan's nation (which is realistically how we are perceived elsewhere).

I'm afraid simply stocking up on bullets and cans won't be enough (although I also do that to some extent).

But don't worry though. Such a scenario is not only extremely unlikely, but there is much we can do to curb terrorism in general. For one thing, we should keep such issues in mind when we vote. We should get actively involved with others in our neighborhood through informal meetings and neighborhood watch programs. We should show and continue to show support for our law enforcement officers and members of the military. Let them know that we will not forget.

In short, NO, I do not believe we should be concerned. We should be continually involved, however, watching the trends closely. Stay informed. Stay connected. Sure, if you want to stock up a little bit for general short-term emergencies that includes but is not exclusive to terrorism, that's fine too.

I'm really rambling, but I hope some of this made sense.

[34saving]

I think disaster planning and stockpiling is just part of being frugal. When gas is $4-$5 a gallon(let's face it, at least for part of the summer it probably will be) do you want to HAVE to go anywhere to buy anything? Probably not. So, what do you do? Stock up on your everyday stuff when it is on sale. Stock up on a few "I might need this" when it's free after rebate or on clearance. (For example Walgreens will often have over the counter reliefs of different kinds free after rebate. Why not pick them up? Do you really want to have to go to the drugstore when an outbreak of x is happening? Probably not.) Then, have a few more "disaster related" things around just in case. For me this means having a bunch of bottled water ($5 for a 48 pack at Sam's), at least one car with a full tank, and lots of batteries.

Also, have a plan. My "back ups" are my parents' house and my in-laws house -- both of them are easily within one tank of gas and both have "off grid" utilities of one type or another. Luckily here in MN we're not at risk for wildfires, hurricanes, or earthquakes. I think planning for planning for those is another task all together.

[Fern]

I am afraid that the dangers we face will be difficult to protect against. It may just come down to being in the right place (or wrong place) at the right (or wrong) time. I'm talking about airborne toxic chemicals, for example. And i've long wondered if the right choice in a situation like that would be to hole up in my basement, not airtight by any means, or attempt to flee the area. I even researched cheap hotels upstate that accepted small pets and printed out the direcitons to get there.

But what's the point, i've often asked myself, becus with everyone else in the northeast area doing the same thing, the roads will soon be clogged, and we'd all be sitting ducks.

A year or two as a Xmas present i bought every member of my extended family those iodine pills that protect your thryroid in case of nuclear accident They provide limited protection to adults, but it's better than nothing. I carry packs around with me in my purse, in glove box of my car and in the bathroom at home.

I really don't think any of these measures, the pills, the directions to a hotel, or the duct tape will be of much use in case of disaster. A bit of extra food and water might help. It's so difficult to make contingency plans for more than one scenario which might suggest multiple responses.

[billybob]

I say live your life and don't worry about it. Unless you're in an area prone to natural disasters (hurricanes, floods, tornadoes), I dont think its necessary to stockpile anything. If terrorists set off a nuclear bomb in my city... so be it I suppose. But if we all live in fear, then they are already winning.

[JBinKC]

Yes its smart to stockpile because higher inflation probably will be the norm in the future and it is obvious the government isn't there to help. Make sure when you stockpile you have this cache hidden in case of martial law becoming reality (New Orleans was an example) as you know then it becomes the property of the state.

[SuzeOFan]

Fern: >>>"A year or two as a Xmas present i bought every member of my extended family those iodine pills that protect your thryroid in case of nuclear accident They provide limited protection to adults, but it's better than nothing."<<<


LOL! I thought I gave strange Christmas presents...like phones to all my relations...

Iodine pills? Gee, glad I'm not on your Christmas List! hehe.

[sweeps]

I don't know about stockpiling it, but everyone should keep several gallons of drinking water on hand.

[Ima saver]

I make up my own water and I always have 10-12 gallons on hand.

[SuzeOFan]

When I was a girl working as a home health aide, I visited alot of elderly people in their homes and many of them stockpiled cans and preserves and other things in bulk. (especially the italians) Maybe it was a WW1 & 2 thing I don't know. The victory gardens and all that...of course they also had bomb shelters too! But I respect that and think there's got to be some wisdom in preparedness planning.

You know, hope for the best, but prepare for the worst sort of idea.

Let's put it this way. You won't ever regret having a little extra stockpile of non-perishables, necessities and water.

But you might regret it if you didn't.

[katwoman]

As an avid couponer, of course I'm going to say stockpile. Life is so much easier when you don't have to run out for any reason.

[eisor]

I believe in having enough food and water to last your family 4-7 days. I just think it is wise. Not neccessarily because of terrorism or anything like that. More because of natural disasters. My family lives in an area with A LOT of trees. Every time we have a thunderstorm, power lines are down, phone is out, internet is out, and often, the only TWO ways out of the neighborhood are blocked. Plus, the lake we live on floods. Just last year it was within an inch or two of going over the road. Last year there was a time when we couldn't get out of our neighborhood for like 36 hours. Because of this, we have stuff on hand.

Also, I don't let my gas tank get below 1/2 a tank. Just in case. If gas increases rapidly...I'll be able to go without filling up for a few days.

[contrary1]

I have a well stocked pantry & freezer............and regarding water, we have some set aside to drink....but, more importantly, we have extra so we can flush toilets. If the power goes out, the pump won't work, so there is no water coming into the house.

I've also got a rain barrel set up, so we've got gallons of water for cooking or washing if necessary.

I too haven't really had to use mine for much of an emergency, but when I do, it is fantastic not to have to worry about the little things. Power outages and freak snow are just about all I've had to deal with here.

[starving_student]

no, but I agree with Katwoman

[rob62521]

I am keeping some canned goods on hand as well as extra water. I figure it's better to be prepared. It's stuff we can use whether or not there is a disaster and since I'm buying it on sale, it's not breaking the bank.

[tgavin71]

I have a smallish stockpile of food and drinking water just in case. A few years ago I lived thru my first mini disaster. When I lived in Melbourne.Well more of an inconvience than anything.
There was an explosion at our local natural gas plant. This meant no natural gas. Gas in Melbourne is used by the majority for cooking, heating and hot water. There gas was off for about 3 weeks. Luckily it was october so I didn't need the heater. It meant doing things differently. Some people bought solar showers and placed them on the roof with a hose going down through the ceiling into the shower recess. I lived in a rental. Doubt my landlord would appreciate this!
Instead I would boil the jug and add this to cold water in a watering can. We all took turns in holding it up for each other to stand under. My then 2 year old loved it. Even now at 9 he sometimes asks for a "special shower for a special boy" as that is what we called it back then.
As for cooking we ate a lot of 2 min noodles, sandwiches, salads, cold meats. About 95% of the restaurants, take away food shops were affected as well so this limited the availability of take out.
Anyway we got through it. It was a bit of a wake up call.

[Bluezy]

Many elder Americans remember WWII, the Depression, and otherw who lived through sad times in US history, are the best prepared people in the country. They often speak of how times have been too good for Americans and that one cannot learn to survive the good times without the bad to keep focus.

Americans, being the good people they are, will survive and adjust to hard times with insulting ease to those who are not fond of the American people.

God bless America.

[CRFSaver]

I live in earthquake country and they tell you you shoudl have an earthquake kit with water, flashlight, shortwave radio etc. I think it is a good idea depending on where you live. When I used to drive a lot in Chicago I used to carry a blanket, flashlight and protein bars in case I ever drove off the road in the middle of winter.

[tgavin71]

Originally Posted by CRFSaver

I used to carry a blanket, flashlight and protein bars in case I ever drove off the road in the middle of winter.

This is great advice. I always carry water, food and a blanket if I am driving anyway more than walking distance from home or shops. I used to get a bit of light natured teasing from hubby until the day we got stuck in traffic on a major highway for 5 hours due to a car accident up ahead. The food and water were a godsend. Especially with a 1 yr old and 3 yr old in the car. Going to the toilet was a bit of a problem though.

[alanaj]

Remember how many people stockpiled stuff for the impending "2YK disaster"?