Comments on: More Emergency Preparedness

By: Mapgirl’s Fiscal Challenge / Carnival of Personal Finance #87 is Up!

Mapgirl’s Fiscal Challenge / Carnival of Personal Finance #87 is Up! — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 16:04:42 +0000

[…] Ok, after writing that last paragraph, I’m extremely verklempt. I can’t write any further. I really stress for anybody reading this that you take a moment and think about what you want done with your life, body, children and finances should something dire occur to you. I’m talking about organ donation, burial or cremation, etc. Think about it now while you are healthy and not when you are sick. Talk to your family about it now while you are not in need of these things. Like I said before, < ahref=’http://www.mapgirl.net/mfc/2006/05/04/more-emergency-preparedness/’>the time to plan is when there is no emergency. Same thing here. […]

By: Mapgirl’s Fiscal Challenge / RIP: James Kim of CNet

Mapgirl’s Fiscal Challenge / RIP: James Kim of CNet — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 21:36:36 +0000

[…] I found out about this story last night and it kind of scares me. I drove to Yellowstone in late April 2001. Some of the roads were closed and I distinctly remember telling my friend I felt uncomfortable driving down some of these empty roads in WY because they were so desolate. We did turn back because as posted, the road was snowed in. Luckily for us it was a beautifully sunny, warm spring day. But what if it hadn’t been? What if a storm had been looming? Please heed the warnings about closed roads, carry emergency supplies in your car and flares, etc. Just as I urge you all to have emergency kits for home, please consider what you would keep in your car should you be in a freak snowstorm. I’ll probably have more to say on this later. Consider this article at CNet regarding cellphone signal tracking. It is really hard though in a remote area like that to get a tower to ping your phone. It’s kind of amazing at all that they were able to find Kati Kim based on the last ping to a tower. Usually I leave my phone in my car if I’m going on a hike, but now I might take it with me if I get enough coverage. Sometimes we carry Talkabout radios too. Please be safe everyone. Consider getting a personal beacon if you do any backcountry skiing or hiking. I know someone who was hiking alone and possibly killed by a falling rock at Yosemite. He died during the airlift out. NEVER GO ALONE on the trail. (Ack. It’s 6 years later and it still makes me cry thinking about it.) […]

By: mapgirl

mapgirl — Sun, 07 May 2006 04:57:00 +0000

Cards, games, books are a great idea. If you’re sheltering in place, you probably have those things. Thanks contrary1!

By: contrary1

contrary1 — Sun, 07 May 2006 04:24:00 +0000

being an old activity director, I have decks of cards and a couple other travel size games in my kit. In crisis situations, something normal like a game with others can do lots to calm things down.

By: mapgirl

mapgirl — Fri, 05 May 2006 08:38:00 +0000

I’ve never needed a gun and I’ve been influenced heavily by Quakers. But I think everyone makes their own choice on that, and it does have pluses with its minuses.

Washbasin. I still think you might consider one, for washing the baby, for washing something out like dishes, etc. Any bucket or pail will do.

I googled the knife. I’ve seen some good ones, but I just carry a Victorinox Climber. It’s the only model with scissors *AND* corkscrew for all my lovely wine. Plus I’m popular at parties since I usually have the knife on my keys when they can’t find the host’s corkscrew.

By: Miserly Bastard

Miserly Bastard — Fri, 05 May 2006 02:41:00 +0000

Really excellent comments, thanks.

1. Guns. I couldn’t agree with you more. Unless you’ve ever needed a gun, it is very easy to underestimate their usefulness in certain situations.

2. Cotton blankets. Spot on. We leave these in the car principally so the dog has something to lie on. But you’re right–from a winter survival POV, I should keep space blankets in the car too.

3. The can is stored dry in my apt. I keep it only in the event I need to siphon gas from other cars, or to gas it up at a fueling station to extend the mileage of the car.

4. Water. By potable aqua, I meant the purification tabs.

5. Washbowl = baby wipes.

6. I looked into those solar/hand crank gizmos, but decided that was too end-of-civilization thinking. No reasonable evac scenario has us getting so far out in the bush that I can’t scavenge AA batteries.

7. Good call on headlamps, esp. the point about being hands free. I thought about this but decided I’d go without to standardize the batteries. FWIW, I do keep a Petzl headlamp next to the bed for reading at night if my wife is asleep, but its not part of my emergency gear. Maybe I should reconsider.

8. I actually do have a rescue mirror. I must have left it off my inventory somehow. I also left off my two large Leathermans. (One in the car, one at home.) Maybe I should re-check the inventory since it is obviously incomplete for some reason.

9. Sleeping bags is another oversight. We have them, but we use them frequently enough that we dont keep them packed specifically with the emergency gear.

10. Good call on vaseline.

11. Im impressed you recognize the SRK. I love that knife.

12. Great point about knots. GREAT point.

Finally, I love the way you put it: The time to plan is when there is no emergency.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 05 May 2006 01:43:00 +0000

I saw his post too, and I hate to say it, but I think that for women, it’s probably a good idea to include BC or the morning after pill as part of the safety components in an emergency kit. If everything goes straight to hell, and you can’t depend on the police, it’s good to think of damage control. One of the things that always seems to get mentioned is the fact that rapes/assaults increase during any emergency that cracks the infrastructure of a community. I plan to include it in my e-kit.