Here is a real life challenge that I personally experienced and what started me prepping:
There is construction going on in your neighborhood. You are woken up in the middle of the night by a loud bang and the house shakes. Within a few minutes you hear sirens approaching.
Then a loud banging on your door and you are told to evacuate NOW. And asked where the natural gas shut off to your house is.
What do you do?
When this happened, my husband was out of town with our one credit card. I had the grand kids overnight and was going to take them to school in the morning.
I didn’t know where the gas shut off was on the house.
It was so rushed that all I had on was my cotton nightgown, robe and slippers and the kids only had their PJ’s with no footwear. I couldn’t find the cat and the dog just jumped into the car.
I had my purse and a couple of dollars. The checkbook we keep in the office drawer. And only a quarter tank of gas, not enough to get me 120 miles to my sister’s place. I don’t have the keys to my son’s house and they were out of town. And no cell phone as we share one and my husband had it.
I remembered the policeman saying that the community center would probably be opened for evacuees.
I can’t tell you how scared and confused I was, it was like a nightmare. I drove to the community center and waited until the Red Cross came and opened it all the while trying to calm the grand kids.
There was confusion at the community center as they had to turn the heat up to warm it. We sat huddled on chairs with blankets around us when they finally brought them. The whole neighborhood had been evacuated, but only some neighbors were at the center.
Mid-afternoon, still in our night clothes we were allowed to go back home. The grand kids missed school. I had no leash in the car and the dog couldn’t hold it that long, so it was a smelly ride back home and a lot of scrubbing to clean up the car.
Everything turned out fine and they contained the natural gas leak and no one was hurt. But I vowed never to be that unprepared again, so that is why I’m now a prepper.
Okay folks! How would you have fared if that had happened to you last night?
- Do you know where your natural gas shutoff is on the outside of your home?
- Do you have adequate gas in your car to reach a safe location?
- Do you have a bug out bag with extra clothes, cash, and medications (don’t forget about alternative medications like Fish Mox that you can stockpile without a prescription)?
- What about the grand kids, do you have extras for them if you ever babysit?
- Do you have pets with provisions for them?
I am lacking in the good BOB set up. I can’t carry a back pack because of back issues. Has anyone set up a rolling carry on? I do have a bagallini – across the body large pocketed purse I set up when I travel but I need more space. Anyone else solved this?
The BOB I set up for the grand kids is a rolling suitcase I had bought at a rummage sale and was using for scrapbooking supplies. I like all the pockets. I, personally, like those rolling suitcases as the handle goes down and you can carry it too.
I’m not a big backpack fan, but I do have small backpacks for BOBs in the vehicles. But I don’t keep extra cash in them, or checks, and maybe I should – just thought about it.
I’m not capable of hiking 30 miles anywhere with or without a backpack, so that is why I’m not a fan of them for me. They are handy to keep supplies in though. I get them used from rummage sales and secondhand stores.
We both have rolling luggage bags and a wire rolling grocery cart in back of van to hold what I “throw” into it. Usually keep at least 1/4 tank so we can get to our travel trailer’s location (which is our BOV) and hunker down…even though we did remove our liquids (protect from freezing) & put them into two manageable boxes that can be loaded quickly into the back of the van, but need to put some bottled water into those boxes! Yes on the location of our gas meter. Yes on cash, insurance cards, credit cards, etc. Yes on our lab-brat…we’d have a terrible time trying to go anywhere without her! She wears a command collar so I’d grab the remote with it’s whistle that stays on my livingroom end table. Wifey admits to not having her one and only medical prescription in her purse and/or BOB. We admit we’ll need to add more clothing to our BOV too. Perhaps a C (because we removed the water from our BOV and drained it’s fresh water tank)? Great mind jingler!
Thanks Wyz…I’ll be putting some wahwah in the frig of our BOV! Just didn’t think of it. We do have several bottles in a neoprene, zipper bag in the van, but had removed the water from the BOV. Guess we move up to a B+? LOL
Thanks. I always keep a case of bottled water in the car in summer and now will have a few gallons to put in and rotate so they dont freeze, power bars in my purse always and a gas tank fill of cash in the car and winter gear in car. I actually have more concern being out and about with an issue happening in the city and being stuck where I am in my car than concern having to leave home quickly.
“I actually have more concern being out and about with an issue happening in the city and being stuck where I am in my car…”
I hear that! Especially in Minnesota in the winter.
I’ve been stuck in my car more than a few times myself. Finally bought a cell phone just to take with me in case. We have AAA, pricey if you don’t use it, but a Godsend if you need it. And I have needed it more than a few times.
A trick that works down here (VA, so it almost never gets much below zero, unlike MN :) ) is to open the bottles of water and pour off about a half inch or so of water into another container, and re-seal tight. (Don’t just take a slug from each bottle, backwash can make the water go bad faster). Even if they do freeze, they usually don’t split open.
If I had to pick only 1 “winter prep in the car” it would still be taking a trip to walmart, etc. the day after deer hunting season ends where you are, and pick up a set or 2 of insulated hunting coveralls (preferably with a hood) on sale. Get ’em BIG – you don’t really want to take your pants and boots off in a snowstorm.
These can save your butt – they have definitely saved mine.
I have so much stuff in my car that Hubby chuckles, “if it’s stolen the stuff is worth more than the car.” Clothes, food, water, tools, money, encripted-thumbdrive-documents, everything is there. Plus, individual Go-Bags in the closet next to the garage offer redundancy and 2 5-gal gasoline tanks are filled and ready to grab. That gives me an extra 300 miles in addition to what’s in the tank. The dog and the kids respond on command thanks to occassional late night drills. The cat would be my problem. I would leave the cat. Mine is capable of hunting and can sniff out problems. She’d be OK on her own, outside, for a few nights. Great scenario. Thanks for sharing. I’ll have to surprise the family with this when they least expect it.
Wyz – what a great idea – now why didn’t I think of that?????
GrammaMary – the key to success is a great pair of broken-in, comfortable hiking boots and thick wool socks. Them babies can take you anyplace you want to go.
Yeppers…we both have drawers full of woolen socks and a excellent quality hiking boots and very warm snow boots.
GrammaMary – As for the roll bag … At Home Depot, they have a hard plastic tool box on wheels. It’s actually 2 boxes that stack. It’s rugged and built to carry a load. As I recall it was about $30 anyway it holds a bunch of stuff and has held up well for me. Look for something that can take a beating. Your average suitcase won’t hold up for very long.
Wonderful tips MsKYprepper! I’m going to have to step up my game!
I do that with my water bottles already Wyzyrd. Being in Minnesota, I guess I thought everyone knows that, obviously not, so wonderful that you brought it up.
I always have a stocking cap in the car because you lose 90% of your body heat through your head. And bread bags to slip your feet into and then into the boots. Keeps your feet warmer. Thermostat stuck one time in the winter and it was a very cold ride home! Better with the bread bags, at least I could still feel my feet. :)
I’ll check this out later today. I’ve had a busy day so far what with one thing or another. The third burglar alarm in the street has just gone off this morning and its only 8.30 am. I’m a little bothered about leaving the house as they could try getting in here as well. The alarm went off at my daughter’s next door but when I checked the house out I couldn’t find anyone inside – all looked OK.
Great ideas. Will check out Home Depot.
Won’t post the link here, because WP seems to being picky.
for “drag-along” carry, check Forum for the “Not my Idea, but could be good backup” thread.
A prepper-blogger had the (IMHO good) idea of turning a hardware-store garden cart into a last-ditch bugout w/kids device that could carry a smaller kid, too. Rolling suitcase on steroids :)
Wow, this is timely…this past summer, we had to evacuate as someone found some old ordinance at a home several doors away. It was brief, but we were NOT at all prepared, much like Veronica! We are MORE prepared, but still nowhere near enough. I have always prepared to bug in, not bug out, and that experience showed me I need to be prepared for both options, just like Veronica. Great tips from all. We have blankets in the vehicles, and I keep a bag with hats/gloves/snacks/water, but we too have the issue of freezing temps. Keep the bag in the truck in summer, but in car in winter. I try to keep the gas tank close to full, but as we currently only have one vehicle, stepdaughter does most of the driving and often lets it run way too low for my comfort. With winter upon us, I am again stressing the need to keep the tank on the fuller side.
*oops, meant TRUNK in summer and car in winter*
Wyzyrd, we got one of those garden carts when I had a 90+ grandmother to worry about. All 4 sides can fold down if necessary, and it was roomy enough that it would have also held supplies. Like GrammaMary, I don’t know how far I could walk if I was carrying a pack, so we’ve practiced with the wagon, just in case. Our BOB’s are always packed and stored near the front door, and we keep emergency packs in the cars, but cash is scarce and I have a tendency to let the gas tank get too empty!
I don’t have one of the carts yet, but also thinking about one of the 2-wheel “deer hauling carts” from sportsman’s guide. Might be easier to haul behind my backup scooter, (illegally) if necessary.
I forgot to add that my chronically-ill daughter uses a small totebag instead of a purse. It hangs beside the door, always has several days’ worth of medical supplies and snack foods, and she never goes farther than the yard without grabbing it. Unfortunately, this preparedness on her part only came about because she wound up stuck somewhere with a now-ex-friend who didn’t take her illness seriously. We had a 50/50 chance of losing her that day, and she’s discovered that she has an enormous will to live and that grabbing the bag is only a small annoyance when compared to the other option!