[doremi]

Do you guys have them at your house? One of the things we have to do for Josiah prior to the start of preschool is put together a disaster kit to leave at his school. It has to have some non-perishable snacks, a space blanket, flashlight, letter from mom and dad, and a few other things in it. It got me thinking again about how we really should have a "disaster preparedness" bin at our house with bottled water, non-perishables, copies of important documents, etc. I've been meaning to do it for awhile, but just haven't gotten around to it. What about the rest of you?

[Effervescence]

I used to keep one. It had a couple small flashlights, a handcrank radio, some water, MREs (my ex was military so they were easy for us to get) a first aid kit, and some pocket hand warmers. I had never thought about including important documents; that is a great idea!

It has been on my to do list for quite some time, to get together a new kit. Especially after my friends were involved in that tornado in Joplin MO. You never know when something is going to happen. Thanks for the reminder that I need to get it done!

[kallie74]

Nope, we have nothing of the sort...

I suppose a tornado might be the only thing I could think of that would necessitate something like that... ? I don't see my little far-reaching suburb as a terrorist target... Not to sound like a total ignorant idiot, but what type of 'disaster' is this sort of thing intended for? Just storms?

[Twhylite21]

We have disaster kits - we live in an earthquake prone area (Bay Area, CA) and with all the faults around here, it's important to have some provisions. The last major quake really disrupted things and that was years and years ago, the area is "due" for a big quake. Plus, DH works under the sheriff's office, so he could get called in for emergency help, which would leave me on my own with the kids, so I want to make sure we have provisions in case the water is out, electricity is out, etc. Plus, our house backs up to hills and there have been fires up there before and there's always the chance of an evacuation.

Anyway, we have a Rubbermaid type bin with 2 days of clothes for all of us, toiletries, MREs and some other foods, first aid kit, flashlights, copies of important documents (all the originals are in safety deposit boxes at the bank), and some other things, and then we have a bin with just jugs of water (which we change out every few months). We also have some water straw thing that filters any water you suck into it (in case we ran out of fresh water and had to use a puddle or something), hand warmers, those metallic looking sleeping sheet/bag things, and some other things that DH was given from work. We keep them in bins, so we can just toss them in the car and go if we had to evacuate for whatever reason.

Oh, and the Bay Area is also one of the top places that people predict will come under terrorist attack, so that's another reason for us to have kits ready.

[kalis]

Don't laugh,..... but I think Justin might qualify for the title of 'doomsday prepper'. Ok - you can laugh
We have bulk food in airtight storage containers (50 lbs rice, salt, beans etc.), non-perisible food, lanterns and fuel for them, flashlights, hand/foot warmers, tent, military issue wool blankets, hazmat suits, gas masks(yes, even a child sized one) and extra filters, iodine tablets, water, water filtration, vegetable seeds, canteens, first aid kits, guns and ammo, body armor, knives, different backpacks/packs, knives, rudimentary tools. That is probably not all, but that is all I can remember right now and all I saw when I went out to the garage to look at all his collection of stuff. There are probably some things I forgot, or don't know that he has.
In our defense, I am not adament about having all that like Justin is. And he hasn't done this for a specific disaster or because he believes the world is imminentally coming to an end, but he simply told me one day when I was giving him a hard time about buying all that "Just in case anything ever does happen, I want the chance to be okay and and for you and Thea to be ok with me." I stopped bugging him after he said that. And he, thankfully, is happy with his stockpile now so it is not something he is continually spending money on.
Does that count as a disaster kit?

[doremi]

Dude, if the world ends, I'm hightailing it to Kristi's house in Illinois Kallie, like Shelley, people here in the Seattle area are living in a quake zone. Our last large earthquake (7 something on the scale) was when I was in college, and it was powerful enough that it knocked my friend's upright piano over. We are also close enough to Mt. Rainier that if it were to have another volcanic explosion (like it did in the 80's), we would be in it's pathway. So yeah... I think I should probably add disaster kit preparedness to my list of things to do! Oh yeah, and we're 4 blocks from the beach, so flooding or tsunami are always a slim possibility if something were to happen in the Pacific ocean.

[Kierasmom]

I keep a few things in my car, but otherwise we don't have anything like that. It's a good idea.

[RainyDay]

We don't have anything. It's been in the back of my mind for a while to get a fire proof safe for important documents. I don't live in a disaster area--we get very minor earthquakes that you don't even feel most of the time, and once in a while we have a tornado come close. But that's it--no floods or hurricanes or anything like that. But it's nice to be prepared--I remember the blackout in Aug 2003, so if something like that happened again, it would be good to have some supplies readily available.

[Effervescence]

My concern is tornadoes or blizzards. But also, like that blackout of 2003 (coincidentally I was in Chicago at the time, but all the lines were flooded so I couldn't even call my family to see what the heck was going on!) you never know when something is going to happen.. Lake Erie might flood! Those earthquakes from Youngstown might get stronger! LOL Just kidding, but you never know.

Kristi, my husband wants to be a prepper. He wants me to learn how to mill our own grains and slaughter chickens and milk a goat... notice I said that he wants ME to do those things. The truth is, he is too lazy ROFL. But he does think that someday our government will fail, society will come crashing down around us, and he "at least wants to teach the kids so they can teach their kids, because even if it doesn't happen in our life time...." Yes, I roll my eyes at him ALL THE TIME. But you should see his mom's basement. The problem is, she forgets to rotate her "prepper" food stock. She has canned goods down there that expired when I graduated from high school. I'd take my chances with the mass chaotic anarchy before I eat her stewed tomatoes (stewed in botulism, I'm sure) So just make sure Justin is paying attention to the dates on the food stores

[kallie74]

Originally Posted by Effervescence

But you should see his mom's basement. The problem is, she forgets to rotate her "prepper" food stock. She has canned goods down there that expired when I graduated from high school. I'd take my chances with the mass chaotic anarchy before I eat her stewed tomatoes (stewed in botulism, I'm sure) ...

That is too funny!

[~*Kixs*~]

We don't have one but I AM going to make one. Tornado's are a common thing in North Texas.

Originally Posted by Effervescence

But he does think that someday our government will fail, society will come crashing down around us, and he

My DH has been on this kick for a while too. I had never even given it a thought. Maybe I am naive. But now that I hear more people talking about it I am scared. A guy DH works with pulled all his money out of his 401k and bought gold coins with it since money will have no value when society fails but gold will still be in demand.

[alicia1984]

No, but I have an emergency kit in my car if we were to ever break down or something. My husband thinks I'm crazy, but it has come in handy sometimes.

[Effervescence]

Originally Posted by ~*Kixs*~

A guy DH works with pulled all his money out of his 401k and bought gold coins with it since money will have no value when society fails but gold will still be in demand.

Daryl invests in gold too, pretty much for the same reason. Honestly though it has been a good investment. He recently sold some of his gold and I think he told me he paid $250 for all of what he sold and he got $3000 for it in the market at that time. He held onto it for a very long time though, it's not like it made that much in just a couple days or even a couple years. I think he got the idea from that mad money guy (don't remember his name- he is so freaking annoying LOL)

We have a kit in the car too. It has a blanket, jumper cables, a large bottle of water, flares, and a first aid kit. I have been thinking maybe I should put something like a calling card to make a collect phone call or something in case all we have access to is a pay phone. I also keep a bag with a couple diapers, small container of wipes, and extra clothes for the kids that I rotate as they grow, and some small snacks in the glove compartment. You never know when you might be stuck on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck! When I was in high school, my mom always made me keep three dollars in the change drawer/ash tray, in case I ran out of gas. That makes me laugh so hard today! I suppose if I am not very far from home, $3 might get me back safely LOL