I mention my concerns to two friends. I chose about five years ago to live near
them, so they are within walking distance (about a mile from me). Lorain is a single
mother with 13-year-old twins. Her son is living at home, and is a Boy Scout.
Her daughter is currently living with her sister-in-law in a rural town in
Washington. If her daughter is still in Washington, she will probably be fine with
some food set aside. We will plan to be able to support her here if she relocates
during the next eighteen months.
Lorain is a computer trainer, so she understands the situation. She comes from a
farm background, so she has experience living with less technological support. She
has a house with a yard that is partially planted and is a centered, practical woman.
Thomas, her son, is working on his emergency preparedness badge. He is rapidly
becoming a centered, practical young man. He will be a lot of help.
John is an electronic technician and understands combat and weapons. He can
repair things. John is very good at working in teams, and will have a lot of good
ideas.
The best part about Lorain and John (and even Thomas) is that they are science fiction
and Heinlein fans. They have a lot of hope but also a realistic view of society and
technology. They understand and agree with the need to be prepared. They are
also the sort of people who can sit around talking or playing Trivial Pursuit or
Scrabble. Without television or radio, and confined to the house, we won't be bored.
We discuss our plans. Lorain's house will be our base of operations. It is
larger than John's and better prepared for guests staying extended periods. I agree
to lay out the calendar.
Where will you be on 12/31/1999? Who will you be with?
Who can help you prepare?
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Our team meets over dinner to discuss details.
We decide to extend an invitation to some of our friends. Roberta is another
electronic technician and experienced in firearms. She and her mother live about
forty miles away. Gabe is a friend who lives alone. He has a lot of
organizational skills, good electronic skills, and a strong sense of hope and faith.
Besides the fact that these people are our friends, we know that in a pinch they will be
able to help out. When added to our team, they will make us stronger, not
weaker. We will offer these people the opportunity to come and stay with us, but I
think they would be okay staying where they are and using our place as a retreat.
Lorain's neighbor is a woman with canning experience. She can teach us to can and
store vegetables. Lorain reminds us that we live in a large LDS community.
"Saints" have a tradition of "planning and canning," and can teach us.
John agreed to take me and Cynthia to a gun range and help us learn to shoot.
Thomas volunteers, but Lorain and I discourage it. He is only thirteen, and
while I think he could be a good shot and a responsible gun owner, even armed, he is not
intimidating.
One of our "invited guests," people who will not be required to help us
prepare, but who will be told we preparing and invited to join us if need be, is informed
of our plans. He decides that we (or at least I) may be paranoid. I was
prepared for this, but I am concerned. He is interested in robotics, and should
therefore have some knowledge of computers, but the Year 2000 crisis does not concern him.
If we cannot convince him of even the possibility of problems, how will we fare
with those of our friends who are not computer savvy.
We plan to do the following:
- We will dig up the remaining portion of Lorain's yard and prepare it for planting
- Lorain's neighbor is building her some planting boxes
- We plan a full harvest next year and will can as much as possible
- We will also consider planting in John's yard
- problem, it has never been planted and is full of rocks
- also, he has a dog, and we would have to fence off the yard
- (maybe the front yard)
- Lorain and I will get our ham radio licenses this winter
- Lorain and I and possibly Cynthia will take up karate
- Lorain has some experience at this
- I see this more as a method of strengthening us and teaching us to be calm in the face
of danger
- We will clean out Lorain's garage and use it for storage.
- Lorain's fruit trees should be trimmed back so that next year's crop is larger and
healthier
- We need a lock box for prescriptions. Lorain, Thomas, and Cynthia are asthmatics.
Lorain, Thomas, and John are on anti-depressants. I also want to have
caffeine tablets or other stimulants and sleeping pills. When I first planned my
earthquake kit, I included these, reasoning that there would be times when we might have
to work longer than we could stand, digging people out of the rubble of collapsed
buildings, and times when we would have to rest, when nothing more could be done.
We discuss other people. Let's face it, if we didn't care about anyone else,
there'd be no point in this Website.
My father and step-mother live in a hundred-year-old farmhouse is the exurbs of
Chicago. They'll be safe, and they can store there. My sister and her husband
live in a rural community in Southern Illinois. I hope that if they aren't already
prepared (hard winters, etc.) that they can benefit from the advice of local farmers.
My mother and step-father live on Chicago's near north side. It is not that
distant from some of the most dangerous sections of the city. Her townhouse is in a
gated community, but she has a garage that exits onto an unguarded alley. I'm going
to recommend that they buy a padlock for the garage. Lorain and I agree that we
should invite my mother and step-father to stay with us. I agree, but I'm going to
wait. If the GPS Rollover and 9/9/99 cause sufficient
problems, we may hardly need to ask.
My Bubba lives in an apartment house near a hospital. She lives on the 23rd
floor. What would she do for food and water if there were no water pressure and no
electricity for the elevator? If my mom stays in Chicago, Bubba should be at her
house.
When I finish this Web site, I am going to print it out and take copies with me to a
family function I am attending next weekend. I am probably going to get a reputation
as being paranoid. Oh well, I can't save everyone, but I do have a responsibility to
suggest that everyone save themselves.
What does your team have? What does your team need?
What does your base need? Assess it in survival-mode.
What would you need here if you had no food for a week? What would you need
if there were riots nearby? (Lorain's house has large
windows and sliding glass doors. If there is civil unrest, we will want to cover the
windows with plywood.)
Begin stocking up tools and non-perishables like candles and
matches.
Assess your team's strengths and weaknesses. Pay special
attention to any special needs your team has. Lorain
has a physical disability. She is not as strong and does not have the endurance of
some other team members. We will have to plan to accommodate her.
Fortunately for us, Lorain has a garage in which we can store
things. If you don't have a garage, you can put a lot of emergency supplies in a
32-gallon trash can. Get the plastic type with the screw-on lid. I especially
recommend the trash can-storage solution for people preparing for earthquakes. You
can store it outside of the garage, so that it will be accessible if the garage collapses.
Note that any food stored outside should be in glass or metal
containers to prevent rodents from getting to it. Rats can chew through plastic.
But once you have your tins of crackers and jars of noodles, they store well in a
plastic trash barrel. Just don't set it too close to the curb. :-)
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