tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10755833.post115384513871356019..comments2024-01-17T15:05:50.120-06:00Comments on AngryBlackBitch: Pondering coverage without substance...Shark-Fuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03323962708956637012noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10755833.post-1153928186953456352006-07-26T10:36:00.000-05:002006-07-26T10:36:00.000-05:00Emily, as a fellow Urbanite, I store 12 gallons of...Emily, as a fellow Urbanite, I store 12 gallons of bottled water; safety matches and candles; battery-powered flashlight and radio (with extra batteries); cans of food for my family and animals; shrink-wrapped peanut butter crackers; my camping gear (sleeping bags, cots, propane lantern, etc.); all necessary meds; plus assorted arsenal in a nice dry spot in my basement, which happens to also serve as my wine cellar (whee! bring on Armaggedon!) <BR/><BR/>If all power is lost several things should still work in the city, including water pressure for at least a while - fill up tub, sinks, pots etc. for bathing, cooling, and "flushing" purposes. If you have a gas grill you can heat water in a pan on your grill as well as cook food. An option to boiling water is purification tabs, part of my camping gear. <BR/><BR/>Worst case scenario is losing power and therefore heat in the winter - even for those with gas boilers who can light by hand if need be the burn ratio is tricky without a functional thermostat. If it's a true blizzrd and you're stuck where you are with no heat for an extended period of time go either into your basement (below ground the temp is more stable) or find an interior room with few or no windows (walk-in closet?), and insulate that to the best of your ability. Plastic sheeting (even garbage bags duct-taped together) and lots of blankets, even a mattress against the coldest outside wall... do NOT burn anything to stay warm as the CO will kill you.<BR/><BR/>I've never planned for disasters, have I? ;-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10755833.post-1153895808076930682006-07-26T01:36:00.000-05:002006-07-26T01:36:00.000-05:00In times like these you realize just how important...In times like these you realize just how important being prepared can really be. There's nothing like being under a boil water order when you have no electricity to boil water and the stores are either closed or out of water altogether. Lucky for me, I had been storing an Oh-Shit-The-Avian-Flu-Is-A-Coming case of water for about six months.<BR/><BR/>Glad you're okay.elizahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08665022756313094810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10755833.post-1153853608627779262006-07-25T13:53:00.000-05:002006-07-25T13:53:00.000-05:00Hang in there from one ex smoker to another. Its a...Hang in there from one ex smoker to another. Its all downhill from here.Avinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03193159508888571441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10755833.post-1153849016608366022006-07-25T12:36:00.000-05:002006-07-25T12:36:00.000-05:00As an NYC resident, I could use an Its Me Against ...As an NYC resident, I could use an Its Me Against the World Disaster Preparedness Box of Needed Things. Could you give us a list of Needed Things?? <BR/>Besides a bottle of vodka and some cran, of course. <BR/>And congrats on 32 days of not suffocating your lungs!emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03117601969739980131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10755833.post-1153847969171369872006-07-25T12:19:00.000-05:002006-07-25T12:19:00.000-05:00Preparedness...I live in Earthquake Country (South...Preparedness...I live in Earthquake Country (Southern California) and we are drilled in Preparedness. Does that mean we are? Nope. The stats are something like 8 outta 10 folks are NOT prepared in any way for a disaster. From my earthquake experience, I advise 1/ water (rotate at least monthly, because even if it is still "good" it tastes nasty) 2/cash, because if the power is out, you can't get money out of atms, and credit cards don't work-small bills are best 3/toilet paper and some sort of porta-potti type thang. Other plus items are batteries, battery operated radio and flashlights. Food, matches, and maybe something to cook on, like a camp stove. First aid kit. But the big problem is if you are living hand to mouth and day to day already, how can you keep "back up supplies"? Sigh.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com