Writer's Block: Be Prepared
Dec. 3rd, 2008 09:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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I don't usually answer these, but I'm surprised how few answers included a plan. Well, okay, I can see why so many jumped on the "zombies" part. But after the last few years, I'm surprised at all the "pray" and "panic" answers. Emergency preparedness isn't rocket science; it's like healing the party and gearing up if it looks like you're about to hit a boss battle. Yes, I'm a geek. So anyway, here's my plan:
Earthquake:
1. Drop, cover, and hang on. In the recent Big Shakeout drill, the Red Cross said getting in a doorway makes no difference unless you live in an adobe house, and moving across the room increases the chance of falling or being hit by something. Running outside means having glass/masonry fall on your head. Instead, get down, cover your head. Preferably hide under a desk or table, grab one of its legs and hang on. Or, in bed, pull a pillow over your head.
2a. Not serious? Call Mom and tell her not to panic when she sees California's had another 5+ earthquake.
2b. Serious? Shut off the gas. Break out the camping gear and earthquake kit and camp on the patio, or, if it's REALLY bad, collect lock box with important docs, cat, photo album, laptop, hard drive, change of clothes, and drive to a) Westminster, CA where friends live or b) St. George, Utah where parents have condo. (Call ahead when I get to San Bernadino).
Fire:
1. Get cat.
2. If there's time, get lockbox, laptop, inhaler, hard drive.
3. If there's an evacuation warning and more time, go down the "things to bring" list in my lockbox and get all my treasures, depending on whether I have 15 minutes, half an hour, or a couple hours.
4. I have registered with AlertOC for evacuation calls.
5. I'm not going to stay and risk being toasted and/or having asthma. Why? Either the house will be there, or it won't be. Enjoy a few nights of room service in a Best Western (which allows pets).
Hurricane:
Not bally likely, but stay in the living room where there's not likely to be glass flying in.
All:
Maintain a quarter of a tank of gas in the car (yeah, I forget sometimes). That's 100 miles of driving. The best part about a hybrid? If you get stuck in traffic, you don't burn gas while idling.
Unforeseen:
1. Do the camping stuff mentioned in 2b. I've got food/water/kittygrit/kittyfood for a week or so, plus good neighbors.
Or
2. If SoCal is a total mess, go to St. George, Utah.
Although I do need to get my butt over to REI and add some camp stove fuel, and I should replace the water, which is ancient.
As for the zombies, I guess that's what the holy water from the Kastalian Spring is for. I'm sure Athena can handle 'em.
I don't usually answer these, but I'm surprised how few answers included a plan. Well, okay, I can see why so many jumped on the "zombies" part. But after the last few years, I'm surprised at all the "pray" and "panic" answers. Emergency preparedness isn't rocket science; it's like healing the party and gearing up if it looks like you're about to hit a boss battle. Yes, I'm a geek. So anyway, here's my plan:
Earthquake:
1. Drop, cover, and hang on. In the recent Big Shakeout drill, the Red Cross said getting in a doorway makes no difference unless you live in an adobe house, and moving across the room increases the chance of falling or being hit by something. Running outside means having glass/masonry fall on your head. Instead, get down, cover your head. Preferably hide under a desk or table, grab one of its legs and hang on. Or, in bed, pull a pillow over your head.
2a. Not serious? Call Mom and tell her not to panic when she sees California's had another 5+ earthquake.
2b. Serious? Shut off the gas. Break out the camping gear and earthquake kit and camp on the patio, or, if it's REALLY bad, collect lock box with important docs, cat, photo album, laptop, hard drive, change of clothes, and drive to a) Westminster, CA where friends live or b) St. George, Utah where parents have condo. (Call ahead when I get to San Bernadino).
Fire:
1. Get cat.
2. If there's time, get lockbox, laptop, inhaler, hard drive.
3. If there's an evacuation warning and more time, go down the "things to bring" list in my lockbox and get all my treasures, depending on whether I have 15 minutes, half an hour, or a couple hours.
4. I have registered with AlertOC for evacuation calls.
5. I'm not going to stay and risk being toasted and/or having asthma. Why? Either the house will be there, or it won't be. Enjoy a few nights of room service in a Best Western (which allows pets).
Hurricane:
Not bally likely, but stay in the living room where there's not likely to be glass flying in.
All:
Maintain a quarter of a tank of gas in the car (yeah, I forget sometimes). That's 100 miles of driving. The best part about a hybrid? If you get stuck in traffic, you don't burn gas while idling.
Unforeseen:
1. Do the camping stuff mentioned in 2b. I've got food/water/kittygrit/kittyfood for a week or so, plus good neighbors.
Or
2. If SoCal is a total mess, go to St. George, Utah.
Although I do need to get my butt over to REI and add some camp stove fuel, and I should replace the water, which is ancient.
As for the zombies, I guess that's what the holy water from the Kastalian Spring is for. I'm sure Athena can handle 'em.
