Tornado season is underway. This year has been full of disasters, some preventable, some caused by nature, and all of them have affected our lifestyle and pocketbooks.
Some solutions will take time and money to bring about. Some will take time and effort, but not so much money. And all will take planning and work. So, what can we, as individuals, do?
Most readers are city folk, so let’s look at what city people would face in the event of a disaster and during its aftermath.
Surviving the disaster itself is a combination of chance and luck, with only a bit of knowledge and skill to sway the balance in one’s favor. Those of us who live in Tornado Alley know much of what we need to know about surviving tornadoes and the proof is that we lose so few people to tornadoes anymore. The death counts have fallen dramatically.
Forest fires also claim fewer lives – those who die in them anymore are more likely to be the ones fighting to contain them. Even there, our fire-fighting technology has developed so those deaths are far fewer than they otherwise could be.
Weathermen can predict hurricane strength and landfall sometimes days before they happen, giving coastal residents plenty of time to prepare or flee – assuming the cities’ infrastructures and evacuation plans hold up.
Few people are caught unprepared in volcanic eruptions.
Flooding can occasionally take people unawares, but mostly it’s because they don’t always realize just how deadly that slow rise of water can be. Sure, you can slog your way through 3" or 4″ of running water, but a mere 6″ of running water can be powerful enough to sweep a small car off the road and more will overwhelm a hulking SUV.
Even earthquakes are becoming moderately predictable and the science for that is improving even as I type this. More people die in earthquakes and floods than any other natural disaster - one from too short an advance warning and the other from some misplaced trust in man-made devices.
No, in the city, the problem isn’t going to be dealing with natural disasters, but with deprivation disasters – power outages, flood damage, water shortages, wind damage, tree limbs in the streets and crushing roofs, frightened pets, sudden water main breaks that blow up portions of the street, collapsing buildings, downed live wires, wild people (and sadly, law enforcement are now among the people to fear after a disaster), unreasonable government agencies, electrical fires, arson, food and necessity shortages, gasoline shortages, and improvising shelter.
In the city, the biggest problems will arrive after the disaster is over. To that end, having a “Post Disaster Kit” might be useful. The disaster struck, now you have to clean up, fix up, and get your life back to normal. We know from experience we can’t depend on the government or outside forces to arrive and rescue us and restore everything back to the way it was. Mucking out a flooded basement is not a pleasant task, but guess what? It’s your basement and it needs to be cleaned up – by you, most likely.
What would you put in your “Post Disaster Kit”?
Me, I built a few solar chargers over the space of several years and rigged them so I could use them with my major appliances – the refrigerator, the freezer, a space heater, one window air conditioner (depending upon the time of year…), and small cooking appliances. A solar charger is easy to build and costs less than $150.00. Because it doesn’t depend upon traditional power sources (for most of us, that’s electricity, for those generators, that’s gasoline or propane), it can be used anywhere, anytime. Consider using it for picnics and camping trips when it’s not needed for disasters – it’s quieter and cheaper than a generator and you can use it for a cooling fan or small fridge or space heater when things get chilly.
For long term power needs, you may want a power generator, and here are some tips on how to safely install one.
Did you know you can tap the waterin your hot water heater? The average bathtub holds 36 gallons of water, and most hot water heaters will hold another 30 – 120 gallons of water depending on their size (unless you have a tankless water heater). Your Post Disaster Kit should have tools allowing you access to this water.
Home Tips has some solid information on repairs that you might need to undertake on your own after a disaster because the professionals will be busy and may not get to you as quickly as you need them to.
My Post Disaster Kit contains tools I can run off my solar charger as well as hand tools including wire strippers and cutters, vise grips, locking pliers, staplers, hammers, pipe cutter, pocket knives, hand drill, mallet, levels, bolt cutters, pry bar, measuring tape, nail cutters, hand saws, assorted nails, screws, and bolts, gloves (I have a pair of vibration reducing gloves – worth the price!), replacement parts for most of my necessary appliances, repair manuals for practically everything I have, sand paper, drill bits, pipe and drain augers, respirators and safety goggles, a number of tarps, tie downs and rope, and copies of Virginia Tech’s After a Disaster series of pamphlets. The one on structural repairs is essential for anyone, even those who live in apartments because the landlord may not get to your place quick enough for safety and comfort. I also happen to have some stills for making my own biofuels, food flavorings, and medicines, but y’all don’t have to go as far as I do. The pamphlets from Virginia Tech, a few good hand tools and accessories like sandpaper and nails, and a good working knowledge of your neighborhood and city resources should get you over the roughest spots. You’ve got to be prepared to deal with these things yourself because you know the government can’t manage it. You’ve got yourself, your neighbors, friends, and family to help, and ultimately, that’s where the hard work begins.
I looked at our government sites on what to do after a disaster, and most of them dealt with safe food and water issues and how to hire contractors. Well, that’s all well and good, but if the contractors can’t get to you for weeks, what are you going to do? What if the damage isn't covered by insurance, or you have no insurance? You'll have to figure out a way to get it done yourself - with family, friends, and your network and community to help as well.
Something that is both fun and can keep your survival skills honed without foregoing your normal, hi-tech daily life or taking up extra time in your already over-loaded day is to plan your holidays and vacations as very low- or no-tech vacations. Instead of a luxury cruise to the Bahamas (assuming you can afford a luxury cruise to the Bahamas), take workshops in survival skills. Once you have the skills, trot them out for vacations where you’ll need them. Maybe even do volunteer work that would put your new skills to use, like search and rescue - they always need more help, or your local CERT. Build your hobbies around survival skills – basic carpentry, electrical work, plumbing, gardening, cooking, basic home repairs, basic car repairs, and so on.
Consider making a solar oven, or tornado-proofing your home to reduce post disaster work - or just read this whole survival seriesfrom Popular Mechanics.
The more prepared you are in advance, the easier the post-disaster work will seem. You won't be panicked, you'll know what to do and who to contact, and you'll have the skills to help make it happen.
Whether you live in a high-rise urban apartment or a suburban house with yard, you’ll be confident and ready to handle what life throws at you.