Emergency Disaster Kits (Non-Zombie Apocalypse)

[davenlei]

So I was just wondering how many of you have actually put together your earthquake kits and what you have put in them?  Because I have kids, this was a must have and I had to make a bigger kit than I would have if I did not have kids.

So in my E-kit I have:

Large first aid kit from Target
25 ft. rope
100 ft. twine
Thick plastic tarp
small hatchet
pry bar
butane
lighter
matches
spark maker (for starting fires)
Emergency (foil material) blankets
sleeping bags for everyone in family
6 person tent
flashlights (with SOS and beacon flash ability)
3200 lumen HID spotlight
two 14 mile walkie talkies
toilet paper
paper towels
$100 in one dollar bills
emergency whistles with built in compass
hand crank radio
laser pointer
glass breaker tool
50 gallons water
330 serving (20 year shelf life) emergency food (from Costco)
4000 watt gas generator (keep lights, refrigerator, microwave and heating going)
10 gallons stabilized gasoline
Sig Sauer P228 9MM semi-auto w/4 magazines
>1000 rounds ammunition

I know there is more but I can't remember everything I put in the emergency containers.

So did I go a little extreme? 

 

[WoodburyDad]

So I was just wondering how many of you have actually put together your earthquake kits and what you have put in them?  Because I have kids, this was a must have and I had to make a bigger kit than I would have if I did not have kids.

So in my E-kit I have:

Large first aid kit from Target
25 ft. rope
100 ft. twine
Thick plastic tarp
small hatchet
pry bar
butane
lighter
matches
spark maker (for starting fires)
Emergency (foil material) blankets
sleeping bags for everyone in family
6 person tent
flashlights (with SOS and beacon flash ability)
3200 lumen HID spotlight
two 14 mile walkie talkies
toilet paper
paper towels
$100 in one dollar bills
emergency whistles with built in compass
hand crank radio
laser pointer
glass breaker tool
50 gallons water
330 serving (20 year shelf life) emergency food (from Costco)
4000 watt gas generator (keep lights, refrigerator, microwave and central heating going)
10 gallons stabilized gasoline
Sig Sauer P228 9MM semi-auto w/4 magazines
>1000 rounds ammunition

I know there is more but I can't remember everything I put in the emergency containers.

So did I go a little extreme? 

You may want to stack as much gold and silver as possible
I didn?t see it on the list.

 

[davenlei]

You may want to stack as much gold and silver as possible
I didn?t see it on the list.

I plan on trading food rations, water or per minute rates plugged into the generator for gold, silver, precious stones and automobile/watercraft pink slips.  When push comes to shove, basic needs become more valuable than luxury items.  That is what the store fronts during the California gold rush discovered...

 

[ps99472]

Add a couple shotguns to that to protect your collection. 

 

[davenlei]

Add a couple shotguns to that to protect your collection. 

Funny you should say that.  I was thinking about getting one.

If need be I can trade goods to the Police Officer, Deputy Sheriff and DHS guys that live in my neighborhood for protection.   

Wow, I think this is starting to sound a little zombie apocalypse at this point even though originally I was being serious about just having an emergency kit.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Add a couple shotguns to that to protect your collection. 

I think that's covered by:

Sig Sauer P228 9MM semi-auto w/4 magazines
>1000 rounds ammunition

Shotguns are nice and showy... but for multiple enemies and portability... I'll go with the Sig (if it were Zombie Apoc... maybe the shotgun).

 

[irvinehusky]

Just curious but where do you keep all these emergency supplies?  When I used to live north of Seattle, WA we had much bigger lots.  Lot of people, including myself, had real sheds to store things.  My brother-in-law used to have a nice, locked shed where they stored all the emergency supplies. 

I imagine when the "Big One" hits us, our garages would be one of the first things to go?  And, the emergency supplies with it?

 

[irvinehomeshopper]

In that third car garage of course.

 

[ps99472]

Unless you're good at pistol shooting, a boomstick is more useful in a home defense situation.  Most people don't aim well in tense situations unless they are trained well.  An irvinehomeinvader will be hard to stop with a Sig.  A bunch of them coming after your supplies will be even harder (zombie or not)

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Unless you're good at pistol shooting, a boomstick is more useful in a home defense situation.  Most people don't aim well in tense situations unless they are trained well.  An irvinehomeinvader will be hard to stop with a Sig.  A bunch of them coming after your supplies will be even harder (zombie or not)

Hold.

A broomstick? You must know some good kung-fu if you think that's gonna hold off a crowd that a Sig can't.

At least with a Sig after you shoot one or two maybe the rest will back off.

 

[davenlei]

Just curious but where do you keep all these emergency supplies?  When I used to live north of Seattle, WA we had much bigger lots.  Lot of people, including myself, had real sheds to store things.  My brother-in-law used to have a nice, locked shed where they stored all the emergency supplies. 

I imagine when the "Big One" hits us, our garages would be one of the first things to go?  And, the emergency supplies with it?

I keep most of it in a storage space under the staircase (The Sig and ammo is in a fire safe) which one side of it abuts an exterior wall.  Looking at the beams and other bracing under the stairs, I think it is pretty strong.  Hmm...  Maybe I should put up some extra 4x4 bracing.  LOL.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

I remember reading somewhere that the most important thing to have is drinkable water.

Maybe you should add those water purifying kits to your list because you never know.

 

[davenlei]

Unless you're good at pistol shooting, a boomstick is more useful in a home defense situation.  Most people don't aim well in tense situations unless they are trained well.  An irvinehomeinvader will be hard to stop with a Sig.  A bunch of them coming after your supplies will be even harder (zombie or not)

I am a pretty good shot but my intention is to never have to shoot anyone.  I would think that the sound of a gun going off would cause the once civil neighbors to scatter and find an easier victim to pillage. 

 

[davenlei]

I remember reading somewhere that the most important thing to have is drinkable water.

Maybe you should add those water purifying kits to your list because you never know.

Most people don't realize they have 40-50 gallons of drinkable water storage already.  It is called their water heater.  If a damaging earthquake hits, turn off your gas main (have a gas wrench strapped to your meter) and turn off the water line to your water heater.  If not damaged, you have adequate clean drinking water for quite a while until FEMA gets their act together and comes to the rescue.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Toilet tanks are supposed to be a source of water too... but if the Big Quake hits...those and that water heater may be inaccessible or crunched.

That's why it's good to live near the beach... although... a tsunami will wreck you (which reminds me... when is that Foreclosure Tidal Wave supposed to hit Irvine again?).

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Oh... and I guess new TIC owners need to make some water contingency plans... most of them have tankless water heaters.

 

[davenlei]

Oh... and I guess new TIC owners need to make some water contingency plans... most of them have tankless water heaters.

That makes me wonder about that big white water tank in WB East.

Let's say an earthquake destroys the water pipes but the tank is still intact. Is that a high-end water tank with control panels where you can reroute the water traffic and dispense water at the tank directly? Or is it a dumb water tank where you have to drill holes in it (carefully, don't flood the neighborhood!) to get water out?

I would like to check it out but there is a huge fence surrounding it.

A flashlight and some bolt cutters should provide access.   J/K


Hmmm.  thinking about your description reminds me of the movie Rango.  We would be the critters standing in line waiting for Bren to dole out the water rations to us.  I wonder if he would make us do a water dance too?

 

[rkp]

we definitely need to beef up our earthquake kit.  my friend is a man vs wild kind of guy and has everything we could possibly need to shoot our way out of LA/OC replicated in 3 spots.  each has a massive safe and i added some cash, coins, and copies of important docs to each

how many of you fill up your gas tanks at the half way point?  having the ability to get 200 miles out of the area would be a massive boost.  and how many folks have any emergency supplies in the car?

 

[davenlei]

we definitely need to beef up our earthquake kit.  my friend is a man vs wild kind of guy and has everything we could possibly need to shoot our way out of LA/OC replicated in 3 spots.  each has a massive safe and i added some cash, coins, and copies of important docs to each

how many of you fill up your gas tanks at the half way point?  having the ability to get 200 miles out of the area would be a massive boost.  and how many folks have any emergency supplies in the car?

After the 'big one' hits, I think the roads would be the last place anyone would want to be.  There would probably be several bridge collapses making roads un-useable and you would be stuck with the tens of thousands of other people in stopped traffic who thought they could drive out of the area.  Probably better to have bikes and a backpack of supplies.

 

[rkp]

good point.  i guess i am not only thinking earthquake but riots, terrorist attack, or any other disaster situation where roads are still working.