WrightwoodCalif.com Forum
Public Forums => Disaster Awareness & CERT => Topic started by: Wrightwood on Mar 11, 11, 07:09:15 PM
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One of my biggest fears is that it will hit in the middle of the night in the dead of winter--I think we ought to consider keeping 0* rated sleeping bags and tents (or store our camping gear) with our earthquake supplies.
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:thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs:
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In August 1976, the Tokai Earthquake theory
was presented.
http://www.wrightwoodfsc.com/documents/TokaiEarthquakeTheory.guidebook_english.pdf
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We have very dear friends that live West of Hiroshima. I'm sure they are fine but we have not been able to contact them via the web. As I watched the "LIVE" video of what was happening I could not help to rethink whether weve done all we can to be prepared.
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I agree RW. I don't feel prepared for a big quake at all. I've lived through three really big ones too.
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We have been half-way prepared for years, but I never felt fully prepared. I went shopping yesterday and bought many more itemes to complete our needs if disaster were to strike.
This is what I'll have when I'm done putting it all together this weekend:
- CERT bag in each car with emergency supplies, food, water
- Grab 'n Go bag under my bed for each of us, including shoes, spare glasses and medication, water, snacks, ID, small amount of cash, etc
These are for our home if we are able to "shelter in place":
- Sanitation Supplies: I have a 5 gallon bucket with toilet seat lid (ewwww, I know), trash bags, wipes, personal care such as toothbrushes, mirror, and other non-medical supplies.
- Food: Canned goods, water, paper plates, cups, plastic tableware, can opener, etc
- 5 Gallon Water container with purification tablets (I know I need one of those large water barrels; hope to get it at our local Disaster Prep Day in May)
- Medical Supplies: This is in a medium rubbermaid tote and includes bandages, medication, tweazers, medical guide, etc
- Miscellaneous Supplies: Flashlights, batteries, fire lighters, lantern, tent, foil blankets and sleeping bags, gloves, etc.
My question to those in the know: Where is the best place to store items in your home? I can't put it all in one place, so are there places that will be easier to access after a disaster? Interior closets? Closets on exterior walls? Under the stairs?
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http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/12/japan.quake.scene/index.html?hpt=T1
Concern about food, fuel shortages in wake of Japan disasters
Tokyo (CNN) -- Nicky Washida scoured her central Tokyo neighborhood looking for food Saturday, but was unsuccessful.
The convenience stores had already been stripped of food, batteries and most supplies when she visited in the wake of the previous day's massive 8.9-magnitude earthquake. She was hoping they had been able to restock, she wrote in a CNN iReport.
But on Saturday, the local shopping center was closed. And at the convenience stories, only alcohol-free beer and green tea-flavored candy remained.
"The one supermarket that is still open is so packed I couldn't even get through the doors," said Washida, a British woman who lives in Tokyo with her Japanese husband and their three children, ages 6, 4 and 1. "People in Tokyo seem to be panic-buying under the assumption that food will not be getting through to Tokyo for the next few days."
Stores across the city were mostly sold out of bread Saturday, said iReporter David Powell, who sent in photos of shelves bare but for a few rolls. While some loaves and rolls were available, he said, they were selling fast, as were dairy products.
Long lines persisted at food stores and at the pump as concern grew in Tokyo that food and fuel shortages may arise in the aftermath of the earthquake, which spawned a tsunami that devastated coastal areas of northeastern Japan.
Gas sales were being limited to 20 liters (5.3 gallons) per car, Powell said.
Thomas Nixon snapped a picture of empty shelves at a convenience store in the Tokyo suburb of Harajuku. He and his family stopped in because his wife and daughters wanted to get something to drink before walking to another family member's home. "I had a feeling the shelves would be bare," he said.
"The biggest problem we have right now is, there's no food anywhere," Ryan McDonald told CNN. "... All the convenience stores are closed. Grocery stores are closed. Everyone is on the road trying to find something open, and it's just gridlock everywhere."
Meanwhile, the threat of aftershocks persisted. Powell sent a photograph of a family shopping at the National Market in Tokyo with helmets on. Washida said her family slept together Friday night "to comfort the kids and just in case there were any more major aftershocks."
She said her daughter is worried about the aftershocks, but her 4-year-old son "thought it was cool, of course."
The aftershocks are coming regularly, at roughly three-hour intervals, said CNN iReporter Aaron Lace. "It's something that you would not wish upon your worst enemy," he said.
But, he said, some semblance of normalcy was returning to Tokyo, and while some "panic buying" did take place, there is food available.
Stores are out of baked goods and prepared lunches, or bento boxes, and juice, he said. But meat is available and rice is "in abundance. Nobody's starving."
Still, he said, "it's really quiet. It's unnervingly quiet."
"All stores are out of flashlights, are running low on batteries and are out of bread and water or are running low," iReporter Jessica Tekawa said. The bento boxes also are gone, she said, which is unusual for Japan.
Still, those in Tokyo know that their experiences pale next to those living in the hard-hit areas of northeastern Japan.
"Tokyo was bad, but we really had no idea until the news this morning just how bad it has been north of here," Washida said. "We have friends up near Sendai we are unable to contact, so we are worried about them."
In the hard-hit area of Sendai, CNN's Paula Hancocks reported long lines for food and fuel as well.
Janie Eudy of Pineville, Louisiana, told CNN that her husband, Danny Joe, was on the move south Saturday. He and other workers had been inside the Fukushima Daini nuclear plant when the quake struck.
She said he and others, driving rental cars, went to a nearby town in hopes of finding a hotel room, but the town was gone. They continue heading south trying to find shelter and food, Eudy said. Her husband told her a Japanese man was able to find enough food to make soup for 40 people on Friday.
Meanwhile, those in Tokyo appeared shell-shocked Saturday, Washida said. "People are walking around quietly, going about their business, but there is a strong sense that this is not just another ordinary Saturday. 'Dazed' is probably the best way to describe most of the faces I have seen today."
Evidence of the quake can be seen everywhere, she said -- "torn up paving stones, pieces fallen from buildings."
She has been focused on cleaning up her 17th-floor apartment. Every room suffered damage from the quake, she said. Asked if anything of value was lost, she said, "No, not really. We had some smashed photo frames, but the only thing of value to me is the family. Anything else can be replaced."
Lace, a Canadian, is allowing strangers to stay in his home because they have nowhere else to go, he told CNN. He was attending a college graduation at a Tokyo theater Friday when the roof collapsed because of the quake. He said he stayed at the scene and tried to help dig out survivors.
"It's really bad, it is," he said, adding the Japanese "are in a very gloomy mood."
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My question to those in the know: Where is the best place to store items in your home? I can't put it all in one place, so are there places that will be easier to access after a disaster? Interior closets? Closets on exterior walls? Under the stairs?
I'm not exactly "in the know," even remotely :-\ , but I'm thinking of worst case scenarios--meaning once we're out of our house, we can't get back in. We have a shed in the backyard, which is just about under electrical lines. . . So, we're considering some sort of "shed" to incorporate into the landscape in the safest part of our property. Closed with a combo lock w/an easy set of numbers for us to remember.
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Thinking after seeing the traffic mess in Japan that I may pickup a small motorcycle not a big one but one that could use to get around if driving comes to a stand still
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What I do with the canned food that is getting w/in a couple of months of the "best used by" date is donate it to our local food pantry and then go out and buy new. I'm blessed that I can afford to do this and keep both my pantry shelves and the food pantry shelves up to date. NM is such a poor place that it doesn't last long on the shelves at the food pantry.
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. . . What I mean by that is only this; I think people should only purchase what they know they'll consune in the very near future...and stop playing with emotions.
I don't think I understand what you're saying, particularly about playing with emotions--the consumers', by offering a "best buy" date instead of an expiration, or the whole concept of stockpiling for disaster, or cycling through your stockpile once a year and giving it away/repurchasing to ensure freshness and thereby doing a good deed?
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Oops! I mean "best by," not "best buy!"
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I don't think I understand what you're saying, particularly about playing with emotions--the consumers', by offering a "best buy" date instead of an expiration, or the whole concept of stockpiling for disaster, or cycling through your stockpile once a year and giving it away/repurchasing to ensure freshness and thereby doing a good deed?
the "emotions" comment was said in the best Groucho Marx voice I've got....now carry on.... ;)
All I mean is what I do to prepare ... is nothing. We consume what we have on the shelf... more or less... it isn't a perfect science.... and like most people.... we give away what we don't use...or want.
I wish I could say really cool stuff about canned goods... freshness labels or stamps...rotation of cans...who gets what...where I buy...how I do it... "stockpiling"....who I "help"... etc., etc.,
but I truly cannot.
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http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/guide/do-food-expiration-dates-matter
"Best if used by (or before)" date. This refers strictly to quality, not safety. This date is recommended for best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date. Sour cream, for instance, is already sour, but can have a zippier, fresh taste when freshly sour (if that's not an oxymoron!)
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http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/video/home-ready-japan-style-earthquake-13138885
5 minute ABC video
Is Your Home Ready for Japan-Style Earthquake?
Dr. Richard Besser explains what families should do in the event of a disaster.
We had to laugh that the lady couldn't find but a pint of water yet found a bottle of wine!
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Well! Re canned food--when we moved in, there was an exploded can of pears in the cabinet, (as well as a perfect container of Morton's Salt with a coupon for more salt , exp in 1976), a can of beer in the fridge from the 1984 Olympics. . .
I can see myself (Johnny-on-the-spot, on top of things ::) ) with a case of toxic, exploded cans. I would have to come up with a plan to rotate them out lest we die from botulism. . .
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A friend put cans of pineapple in their 55 gallon barrel of emergency supplies and was that ever a mistake! The cans exploded and made a huge mess.
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Jirka, is a little distress better than no anxiety? I'm honest about my not being prepared. I have a philosophy regarding survival. I have it because, I've managed to survive situations I am aware most people have never been through. I don't brag about any experience I happen to own. I agree, having canned items is good. We have sardine cans.... which I'm not bragging about...
but they have tomato sauce and taste great with crackers.... even if outdated. I'd suggest we never allow ourselves to become distressed...even if only a little bit.... over how or what other people do, live, or exist. The reason for that is because it is better for our own personal wellbeing and mental health not to live as if others will suffer a worse fate than those who manage to rotate canned goods or give them away.
Iodine tablets and not having them on hand? Now that is a concern considering what I've been hearing regarding whether or not radiation from Japan's damaged nuclear energy facility. Some say the crisis is deepening...others say it isn't as bad as it seems.
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I make wine every now and then and have discovered most fruit ferments even in cans...the explosion is a cause of trapped and expanding CO2. Therefore...I would not use cans for survival that have "pull open" tabs. The ones I'd use would require the inconvenience of a can opener. When "surviving;" the fun part for mind and body is to get that can open, without a can opener.
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"On a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the most prepared and zero being the worst-prepared ever, you can put Haiti at zero, you can put Japan at eight and you can put the U.S. at five," said Erwann Michel-Kerjan, managing director of the Risk Management and Decision Processes Center at the Wharton School.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/15/disaster.preps/index.html?hpt=C1
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The one thing that stands out is the absence of looting. Instead of looting, they are helping one another. Being prepared here in the US, also means being able to protect your family, food, water, and such, from others that decide they should have it. This is a sad truth. I stand amazed on how the Japanese are handing this horrible tragedy....
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Aargh! The Japanese are on the front line so I understand them wanting to take it. But when did Americans turn into such "Chicken Littles?" Give me a break.
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We have very dear friends that live West of Hiroshima. I'm sure they are fine but we have not been able to contact them via the web. As I watched the "LIVE" video of what was happening I could not help to rethink whether weve done all we can to be prepared.
:2thumbsup: We've heard from our friends, Hiroki and Izumi. They are fine. They say that what makes it even worse for the survivors is the bitter COLD. It is still winter in Japan and snow is predicted for today and tomorrow and so many have no homes to go to and are out on the streets.
Looks like a Parka and blankets should be apart of my Earthquake kit, just in case I can't back into the main building.
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I wonder where all of the runoff from the water applied to the reactors is going.
Also, in wildland firefighting, lots of the water from helicopter drops is lost in the wind before it has a chance to reach the fire. I wonder about the effectiveness of this method for the reactors.
Here is a link (via the New York Times) to an interactive United Nations projection of plume movement. Note that the forecast does NOT show actual levels of radiation.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/16/science/plume-graphic.html?ref=science
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UN: Radioactive Plume Could Come to SoCal By Friday
The plume will lose radioactive force as it travels.
Watch Cheryl Getuiza's report.
KTLA News
4:18 a.m. PDT, March 17, 2011
LOS ANGELES (KTLA) -- The United Nations projected Wednesday that the radioactive plume coming from failed Japanese reactors could come to across the Pacific by the end of the week.
The forecast explained that the plume will lose radioactive force as it travels and may not even be detectable by the time it reaches Southern California.
The projection, made by the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization in Vienna, is based on patterns of Pacific winds and gives no information about actual radiation levels. It is likely to change if the weather shifts over the next few days.
The Chernobyl disaster in 1986 also made its way to the West Coast in 10 days, but radiation levels were too low to register.
In the case that the plumes do make it ashore, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has said it will deploy additional electronic monitors to measure radiation levels in the air.
The monitors, which detect gamma radiation and radioactive particles, will be set up in "parts of the Western U.S. and U.S. territories," the agency said in a statement.
Sign up for KTLA 5 Breaking News Email Alerts
But the agency is refusing to say exactly where those monitors will be placed.
The EPA has 124 air monitors, which provide hourly readings, already in place in its "Rad-Net" system to measure radiation.
There are already 12 stationed across California, including Los Angeles, Riverside, Anaheim, San Bernardino and San Diego.
Many of these sampling stations have been in place since the 1950s.
The monitoring system was upgraded in the wake of 9/11.
For a live look at a radiation monitor at the offices of Enviroreporter.com in Santa Monica log into http://www.enviroreporter.com/
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-local-radiation-monitors,0,2685193.story
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Frankly I don't think you can rely on the government protecting you from something like this. I can only imagine how those poor people in Japan feel being told to stay inside and shut off their ventilation systems - reminds me of the bomb drills we had in elementary school ducking under the desk and covering our head.
I'm going to assume we are far enough away that anything will be diluted sufficiently. If they tell us to stay inside I think I will want to start driving east.
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Frankly I don't think you can rely on the government protecting you from something like this. I can only imagine how those poor people in Japan feel being told to stay inside and shut off their ventilation systems - reminds me of the bomb drills we had in elementary school ducking under the desk and covering our head.
I'm going to assume we are far enough away that anything will be diluted sufficiently. If they tell us to stay inside I think I will want to start driving east.
I think I will head south ;) ... radiation looks like it will keep blowing east.
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Better plan. Of course I don't really want to go to Mexico right now. So I guess it's San Diego
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I think I was drinking radioactive beer last night. It was all green. ;)
Just kidding folks... I have to go to school today. No time for anxiety right now... maybe tonight. Know that my wife and I love you guys. Peace!
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I followed a link from one of the links someone posted on here and thought I would share it http://georneys.blogspot.com/2011/03/conversation-with-my-dad-nuclear.html (http://georneys.blogspot.com/2011/03/conversation-with-my-dad-nuclear.html)
This is a blog run by a Geology student and she has interviewed her father several times - he is a nuclear engineer - about his perception of what is occuring in Japan.
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KathySC thanks for a very interesting blog
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Retired Commander Mark Mervine is the man! I read and listened to the wealth of knowledge. :2thumbsup:
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Family Preparedness can't be over emphasized.
Having emergency water stored is critical during disasters.
2:59 a.m. Thursday in Tokyo
Despite being urged not to hoard bottled water, residents of Japan's capital snapped it up after tests showed radioactive iodine in tap water at levels unsafe for infants. The city's water agency said the spike was likely caused by problems at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, located 240 kilometers (150 miles) away. Tokyo officials earlier advised against giving tap water to infants. Grocery store owner Seiji Sasaki said he noted a sudden increase of customers. He had 40 cases of water in his store, but they were gone quickly.
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/23/japan-quake-live-blog-tap-water-in-tokyo-unsafe-for-infants/?hpt=T2
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/23/japan.nuclear.crisis/index.html?hpt=T2
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