Comments on: Disaster Planning

By: Adam

Adam — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 23:36:32 +0000

I was discussing this with someone, and mentioned my frustration at the cost of a camp stove, or other heat source. They mentioned using a grill to heat water. Brilliant! I thought I’d share that. I forget who it was that suggested it. Speak up if you’re here?

By: Ed

Ed — Wed, 05 Oct 2005 12:41:17 +0000

How much you think bird-flu vaccine costs? Wanna pool resources and get some of “life-juice” for us all to share?

By: izar

izar — Mon, 03 Oct 2005 15:03:41 +0000

Very commendable, planning for disaster.
I’ve been entertaining the idea of acquiring a gun. A civilian version of a short M16 would suffice, given that the dear wife is skilled in its use. Perhaps given the mob character of these occurences, a Mossberg would be more indicated, although i don’t think i can keep one disassembled and still put it together in time to be of any use.
Not that I plan to stand in front of the property and defend what’s mine, but to be able to reach a safe harbor and stay safe once I’m there.
But, on the other hand, how do the authorities here view the common citizen that holds a gun in the middle of a (probably panicky) evacuation?

By: starat

starat — Mon, 03 Oct 2005 03:54:10 +0000

Hudson Trail Outfitters makes a spiffy plastic mug with a travel top and french press filter built right into the top. I swear by it when camping.
The other must-have, assuming you have a source of fire, is a stovetop espresso maker. You can go for the Moka Express percolator-eqsue type, or you can find what I just bought on eBay for under $20 – a Benjamin and Medwin stove top, complete with mike foaming nozzle. It’s like a little pressure cooker with an espresso spout and a foaming arm.
Who said low tech == uncivilized?

By: stephie

stephie — Mon, 03 Oct 2005 02:57:17 +0000

you should make some of those pizzas we used to make and freeze them. Even if the power goes out for awhile, you can eat them. And they are so much fun to make……if you have a recipe to make the crust by hand I’d be really interested to get my hands on that. And we could make them next time you are up since my jetlag is gone and i do enjoy taking over the kitchen in my apartment to piss off my roommates….I always clean up after and they seem super confused that i managed to cook and clean up in such a short period of time (less than 6 hours)…boys….go figure.

By: David Brodbeck

David Brodbeck — Sun, 02 Oct 2005 15:31:06 +0000

A note about water storage — if you’re like me, and you don’t keep a lot of stuff in your freezer, consider putting a gallon or two of water in there. (Use plastic containers, and don’t fill the jugs all the way, of course, or they’ll burst.) The added thermal mass will help keep your freezer and refrigerator cold if the power goes out.

By: David Brodbeck

David Brodbeck — Sun, 02 Oct 2005 15:24:04 +0000

Sorry, but I can’t agree. Money spent on ensuring you survive a natural disaster is money well spent — especially if you live in a hurricane, earthquake, or ice storm zone. While this government is worse than most, you can rarely rely on the government to help you in the first 24 hours of a major disaster. Besides, if you die, you’re not going to have much influence in the next election (unless you live in Chicago.)

By: beri

beri — Sun, 02 Oct 2005 13:40:56 +0000

Spend that $25 on electing representatives who will overturn the dangerous and intrusive laws that undermine our freedom. That’s the trouble with people today; they think about themselves too much. Worrying about coffee, indeed. As my grandmother used to say, “that should be the worst thing you ever have to worry about.”

By: Len

Len — Sun, 02 Oct 2005 12:46:26 +0000

For the caffeine issue, why complicate things? A package of Vivarin would do the trick. (Each pill contains 200mg of caffeine, which is a little more than two cups of coffee, and there’s no preparation issue.)

By: Zooko

Zooko — Sun, 02 Oct 2005 12:37:56 +0000

I like french press coffee, and Turkish-style (which is almost like “camp coffee” — boil and serve — but subtly different). I also like munching on dark-roasted coffee beans.
So I guess if I ever get stuck in a disaster I’ll be one lucky coffee addict.