Thursday, July 23, 2009

Emergency Preparedness--Equipment for the Home

Here we go again. It is time for FEAR MONGERING!

No really folks, a few dollars spent and a small amount of time might save you a lot of headaches.
(or save your life)

To review, you do not have to believe that the UN black helicopters will descend on your compound after Nancy Pelosi tells them your address to have a need for an Emergency Plan.

To get right down to it, water, money, and guns (and lawyers)are probably the most important things.
But the list of things that may be very helpful is quite long.

Equipment for the Home

The most important thing to have is water. In any kind of emergency, having a adequate supply of clean water is essential. How much is enough? Well, you can never have enough. It is recommended by faceless authorities (like myself?) to have 3 gallons, per person, per day. Suffice to say, start picking up some water, 2 gallons a time, at the store.

Canned and dried foods, enough for about 2 weeks. This is really not all that much, you can probably buy all you need for $50, depending on how many mouths you have to feed. Buy the things you actually eat and use a Last in, First out (thanks for nothing Business School!) system to keep it from going bad. Don't forget to keep some extra food for your animals, too. Or the cat is gonna get pretty smacky when you won' t share the SPAM.

It is always important to keep some cash around the house. One day the ATMs and credit cards might not work. It would likely only be for a few days or weeks, but you would feel pretty stupid with a bank account full of money and no way to get any. How much money? Well, that depends more on your financial well being than anything else. But with the market how it is today, you would not be losing anything to keep a few hundred dollars in a safe place in case you need it.

As for weapons , I am of the opinion that if you care at all about your personal safety, you should own a gun. More than one, ideally. What kind of gun? Well, if you are only gonna have one, I would choose a 12 gauge pump-action shotgun. The reason? Versatility. No other firearm in the world as many different types of ammunition for as wide a variety of uses. 00 buckshot, slugs, birdshot, bean bag rounds, rubber rockets, Taser even makes a 12 gauge "shock the crap out of you" round. Also, you can keep a shotgun in most areas of the country. (except places like D.C. and Chicago, where the Constitution is apparently not in force)
And for those who think that pumping a shotgun will scare off intruders--- that might work.
( it would certainly scare the crap out of ME)
But I bet the ferocious roar of a slug approaching them at 1000 feet per second would do the job even better and should you happen to not miss, it would solve the problem as well.

Other things you should probably have:
  1. Flashlights. More than one. With extra batteries. Maybe one that doesn't need batteries. LED lights are where it is at. I have several that I got out of a cereal box that are even pretty good up close.
  2. First aid kit. I would go further and recommend that you step it up to a trauma kit, with extra gauze, bandages, a tourniquet, pressure bandages and quick clot.
  3. NOAA weather radio with a hand crank. Many of these also have lights, compasses and other junk.
  4. Duct tape, rope, electrical tape, etc.
  5. Bleach
  6. Candles, matches, Lanterns, firewood if applicable. (you people in Michigan could be in for some long, dark, cold nights otherwise)
  7. Fire extinguishers- One for every room with a major appliance or electronics, especially the dryer.
  8. Basic tools-- hammer, screwdrivers, wrenches, crowbar, bow and hack saw, etc.
  9. Tarps or plastic sheeting for covering windows, etc.
  10. Toilet paper and buckets.
Well, I am bored of writing this post, so you most likely stopped reading it 10 minutes ago. Just in case you are still here, please review the list of bad things that could happen where you live and take some appropriate action.

(terrorist attack, riot, hurricane, earthquake, wildfire, virulent pandemic, flood, zombies, global economic meltdown, tornado, solar flares, zombies, meteorite strike, cat uprising, nuclear war, conventional war, civil war and zombies.)

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