Do you have a contingency plan?

Steinhauer said:
That is very good advice. My dad is 64 but he still has a lot of his youth in him. His mom (grandma) is 81 and she still has her youth too - most people think she is 60. She is a RN and has veteran status.

My dad also talked about helping his mom make preservatives. This has been lost in the modern era. A great way to preserve food ;) I remember being a little boy and helping my grandma shell beans on her front porch.

Its making me think about asking my neighbors to contribute to a shared "food plot". Something we can all take care of and grow vegetables. I mean, in these hard economic times, I believe it would be resourceful. If the SHTF, it would be even more important to have something like that.
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try not to make them laugh when explaining situation to them :) it's best to leave out a certain SHTF situation like EMP, nuclear bomb, etc. Assuming they're older people.... they will lecture to you that they can manage since they survived WW2/Korean War/Vietnam War.

It would make your idea much more welcoming if you explained that the preparation for SHTF situation is necessary due to uncertain future of this country with bad economy, deep debt, more frequent natural disaster, etc. I think that's a good way to convince them in order to get the ball start rolling.
 
Steinhauer said:
That is very good advice. My dad is 64 but he still has a lot of his youth in him. His mom (grandma) is 81 and she still has her youth too - most people think she is 60. She is a RN and has veteran status.
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Your dad is five years older than me. :giggle:

Your parents sound like they are strong, and probably more resourceful than you think. Your dad lived thru the Cold War, and your grandma lived thru WWII, so they remember the threats of those times.

My dad also talked about helping his mom make preservatives. This has been lost in the modern era. A great way to preserve food ;) I remember being a little boy and helping my grandma shell beans on her front porch.

Its making me think about asking my neighbors to contribute to a shared "food plot". Something we can all take care of and grow vegetables. I mean, in these hard economic times, I believe it would be resourceful. If the SHTF, it would be even more important to have something like that.

edit: We did talk about a meeting point. Somewhere each member of my family could meet in the vent something bad were to happen and we could not communicate with each other.
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Good ideas.

My dad lives in a high populated area. I do not. His area has had a population explosion over the past few years, with an explosion in violent crime. He would need to get out. He lives with my brother and sister in law. My brother can take care of business - he has a good calm head on his shoulders.
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Oh, he's not alone. I didn't know that. That's better. :)
 
Jiro said:
try not to make them laugh when explaining situation to them :) it's best to leave out a certain SHTF situation like EMP, nuclear bomb, etc. Assuming they're older people.... they will lecture to you that they can manage since they survived WW2/Korean War/Vietnam War.

It would make your idea much more welcoming if you explained that the preparation for SHTF situation is necessary due to uncertain future of this country with bad economy, deep debt, more frequent natural disaster, etc. I think that's a good way to convince them in order to get the ball start rolling.
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Naw. all I had to tell him was Newt Gingrich felt it was an important enough threat to be credible. We both can tell the nutbags from the real deal ;)

Newt is a local here.

Also, my dad worked as an electrician for years, he knows how devastating a simple surge can be. He even asked ... "well, wouldn't there be transformers sitting in a warehouse somewhere .... wait .... how would they be replaced if the vehicles needed to replace them would not start ?"

So he gets it ;)
 
Steinhauer said:
edit: We did talk about a meeting point. Somewhere each member of my family could meet in the event something bad were to happen and we could not communicate with each other.
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yep. I agree. very important.

Steinhauer said:
My dad lives in a high populated area. I do not. His area has had a population explosion over the past few years, with an explosion in violent crime. He would need to get out. He lives with my brother and sister in law. My brother can take care of business - he has a good calm head on his shoulders.
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sorry to hear about your father's neighborhood going foul. Something to consider - living in an area with high population may be difficult to leave. High traffic volume. People all over the street. Since you mentioned that your father's neighborhood has an explosion in violent crime... there is a high risk of carjacking out of panic by people who don't have a car.

When 9/11 happened... it was nearly impossible to leave NYC because NYC was under total lock down - tunnels & bridges & subways were shut down. It took my dad over 6 hours to get home and we live in NJ right next to NYC. Direct Route is approximately 12 miles along Hudson Parkway. Normally takes 20 min. My dad was escorted by company limo driver. He drove him to NY state (past White Plain area) to cross the bridge that was open. His work was just 10 min from WTC

also - take a look at New Orleans evacuation as well. It was terribly gridlocked. Several major interstate highways were bogged down for hours... miles and miles...
 
Jiro said:
yep. I agree. very important.



sorry to hear about your father's neighborhood going foul. Something to consider - living in an area with high population may be difficult to leave. High traffic volume. People all over the street. Since you mentioned that your father's neighborhood has an explosion in violent crime... there is a high risk of carjacking out of panic by people who don't have a car.

When 9/11 happened... it was nearly impossible to leave NYC because NYC was under total lock down - tunnels & bridges & subways were shut down. It took my dad over 6 hours to get home and we live in NJ right next to NYC. Direct Route is approximately 12 miles along Hudson Parkway. Normally takes 20 min. My dad was escorted by company limo driver. He drove him to NY state (past White Plain area) to cross the bridge that was open. His work was just 10 min from WTC

also - take a look at New Orleans evacuation as well. It was terribly gridlocked. Several major interstate highways were bogged down for hours... miles and miles...
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I remember 9/11 well, I was in DC attending Gallaudet. I saw Pentagon from 8th floor dorm window (Carlin Hall).

Me and a small group of friends stayed in a hotel in Delaware (my uncle's advice - said to leave and to do so quickly until CDC gave green light).

We were able to get out before traffic locked.
 
Jiro said:
take a look at New Orleans evacuation as well. It was terribly gridlocked. Several major interstate highways were bogged down for hours... miles and miles...
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I assume you mean post Katrina......Much of that was due to the fact that people didn't heed the warnings and leave prior to landfall. There was plenty of warning prior to Katrina, but people didn't listen
 
A little review of previous reality:

events{1965 (Great Northeast Blackout) || Blackout History Project

I remember when it happened. It was pretty scary at first.

We were at home. First, our house lights went out. We thought it was maybe a fuse. I looked outside. The whole street was dark. OK, maybe a transformer is out. Turned on the battery radio. No local stations on the air. Hmm...no power in our southeastern Connecticut area, or NYC (usually we could get NYC radio stations). What's up? It's getting serious. Eventually could tune in some distant radio stations because there was no interference from local stations. All power out in New England and NY. Uh, oh. Everyone knows NYC is always a prime target. Wait a minute, power out in Canada, too?! Whoa!

Scary but no panic in the streets.
 
Reba said:
A little review of previous reality:

events{1965 (Great Northeast Blackout) || Blackout History Project

I remember when it happened. It was pretty scary at first.

We were at home. First, our house lights went out. We thought it was maybe a fuse. I looked outside. The whole street was dark. OK, maybe a transformer is out. Turned on the battery radio. No local stations on the air. Hmm...no power in our southeastern Connecticut area, or NYC (usually we could get NYC radio stations). What's up? It's getting serious. Eventually could tune in some distant radio stations because there was no interference from local stations. All power out in New England and NY. Uh, oh. Everyone knows NYC is always a prime target. Wait a minute, power out in Canada, too?! Whoa!

Scary but no panic in the streets.
Click to expand...


How long was the blackout?

Also, I was thinking ... would ham radios be any use if an EMP, solar storm hit?

I am asking because I simply don't know - how would people communicate?

Is there a way to communicate?
 
Steinhauer said:
I remember 9/11 well, I was in DC attending Gallaudet. I saw Pentagon from 8th floor dorm window (Carlin Hall).

Me and a small group of friends stayed in a hotel in Delaware (my uncle's advice - said to leave and to do so quickly until CDC gave green light).

We were able to get out before traffic locked.
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a very smart advice! I was in Virginia (Virginia Tech) when it happened. VT has Corps of Cadets and they were later mobilized.

It was pretty scary because the communication was sketchy since it was overloaded. My mom and I were not able to get in touch with my dad reliably. Lot of busy signals. Pager message doesn't get thru. We were very stressed out.

now my dad has a tshirt saying "I survived 2 WTC attacks." (not literally)
 
Steinhauer said:
How long was the blackout?

Also, I was thinking ... would ham radios be any use if an EMP, solar storm hit?

I am asking because I simply don't know - how would people communicate?

Is there a way to communicate?
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Yup. There are some ham radios that are fine with EMP hits.

This is actually a part of my plan. My mother has all sorts of ham radios. I'm saying ALL sorts.

Also, the other part of awesomeness: We also have solar panels, and tons of batteries. We'll be able to fire up the radios and talk to people in other countries if we need to.

I asked my mom about this, she said this and that will not be working but we have this and that that will work. She lives 3 miles from me. Easy bike ride..
 
Jiro said:
a very smart advice! I was in Virginia (Virginia Tech) when it happened. VT has Corps of Cadets and they were later mobilized.
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Isn't that the same school where that guy shot and killed at least 20 people?
 
Reba said:
A little review of previous reality:

events{1965 (Great Northeast Blackout) || Blackout History Project

I remember when it happened. It was pretty scary at first.

We were at home. First, our house lights went out. We thought it was maybe a fuse. I looked outside. The whole street was dark. OK, maybe a transformer is out. Turned on the battery radio. No local stations on the air. Hmm...no power in our southeastern Connecticut area, or NYC (usually we could get NYC radio stations). What's up? It's getting serious. Eventually could tune in some distant radio stations because there was no interference from local stations. All power out in New England and NY. Uh, oh. Everyone knows NYC is always a prime target. Wait a minute, power out in Canada, too?! Whoa!

Scary but no panic in the streets.
Click to expand...

Made me think of this

Grand Prairie, TX Navy Jet Hits Homes, July 1968 | GenDisasters ... Genealogy in Tragedy, Disasters, Fires, Floods

It happened on my street. I was only three but I remember it like it was yesterday. We thought the world was coming to an end. I can remember my Dad and grandfather loading the rifles
 
Banjo said:
Isn't that the same school where that guy shot and killed at least 20 people?
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yep..... :(

and also a grad student decapitating a girl at our newly-built Alumni facility.... :(
 
Jiro said:
I'm confused. why did your dad and grandfather think the world is coming to end with just 1 fighter jet crashing down the street?
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Maybe they thought it was the commies coming to get them.
 
Jiro said:
I'm confused. why did your dad and grandfather think the world is coming to end with just 1 fighter jet crashing down the street?
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It was 1968....Vietnam .....cold war.....FEAR
 
Steinhauer said:
How long was the blackout?

Also, I was thinking ... would ham radios be any use if an EMP, solar storm hit?

I am asking because I simply don't know - how would people communicate?

Is there a way to communicate?
Click to expand...

smoke-signal_~S_Sign_C.jpg


if your ham radios are protected from EMP, it should work. You most likely will experience interference for a bit while but it'll work. A common HAM radio's range is about 15 miles. my friend and I have discussed last month about getting ham radio to communicate with each other (well I'll have to borrow my family member's ear). My location is pretty nice because it's built on top of mountain cliff and I can go to condo rooftop to extend the signal range to about 50 miles PERHAPS....

If I recall correctly - we have an ADer purplecatty playing with HAM radio. I think he modified it for deafie to communicate with. I believe you can simply modify the HAM radio as morse code transmitter or something. My memory's very fuzzy in this part.
 
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