Best materials for home when disaster strikes?

[Guest walkingdeadman]

List your materials, I am building a kit myself soon...

[midtennchip]

Little more specific? Are you talking materials for working on the house, medical supplies, food/water, or something else?

[nightrunner]

be more specific. but i assume you are talking about a stay-in bag in case of hurricane katrina in TN?

in that case, i say just keep stocked up on canned or non-perishable foods, a few gllons of water, have a electric generator, about 10-15 gallons of gas on hand at all times, 1 sidearm w/ ammo, 1 HDR (home defense rifle) w/ ammo.

[Guest Tiny G]

This is kind of a big topic in my church . . I personally think that a "disaster kit" can encompass a lot of things but as far as having a few supplies around. .

Here's a basic list:

Preparing for Home Emergencies and Natural Disasters

Edited July 19, 2009 by Tiny G

[Garufa]

What type of disaster?

[Guest SUNTZU]

Ze Germans!

[Spiffy]

Plywood and Nails

[Guest 3pugguy]

some of my ideas/prep:

Fuel up all vehicles (see note below on generator fuel), Another good reason to fuel up if running low on the way home from work/evening rather than thinking, oh, I'll get it done tomorrow (Navy ships refuel prior to port calls for a reason).

Water - gallon per person per day (Cheaper than Dirt has some good kits for water purification; about 20 bucks for device that will handle 50 gallons). Bathtub is a good storage and there are "bladders" on the market (or a big old trash can - used only for that purpose of course, filled before the projected tornado, etc)

Canned food for 3 days minimum

Flashlight(s)/spare batteries

First aid kit

medicine supply for Rx - good idea to not wait until last mintue to refill just for that reason

Matches and candles

Generator (I have an 8KW stand alone; might get a transfer switch at some point) and fuel for 2-3 days (remember to put in Stabil or something in either gas or diesel) and to keep your generator battery if electric start on trickle or charged up

Personal records kept in fire/water proof safe

Radio with wx band, spare batteries and/or hand crank or solar power

Go bag with clothers for a couple of days, Cash and or credit card, and for personal papers mentioned above, the absolute must haves in a portable firebox to take along

Rally point for family members, at least 50 (best if 100) miles from home in case of evac. Can be used for family outside area to find/check on you if comm is out

Cell phone with spare battery

Regular old plug in telephone, i.e. not a cordless, to plug in and use when power is out

just a few ideas and there is a good section on this topic in the current issue of Popular Mechanics

Edited July 20, 2009 by 3pugguy
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[Guest walkingdeadman]

earthquakes....tornados......come on seriously.

[BigPoppa]

earthquakes....tornados......come on seriously.

?

[Wingshooter]

In my area, I think a flood could be a real threat. That water gets mighty high sometimes. Glad I have a boat....

[Guest walkingdeadman]

?

obviously I am only worried about the disasters that can happen in my area, suh der da der.

[nightrunner]

tornados arent that uncommon around here

[Fadex]

FEMA has a good list on their website. Of course any kit/bag/whatever you want to call it should be tailored to you own area and family needs.

[Guest TurboniumOxide]

Waters gonna have to get pretty high to get me. I guess your bag depends on what you are doing that you might need a Bug out Bag.

Are you

1) Hiding from your ex-wife.

2) On the run from the man.

3) Someone is holding your wife hostage and only you can rescue her.

4) Throw in some kids to scenario #3

5) Godzilla learned to swim.

6) Zombies moved into your neighborhood and the pipe organ music just has to go.

7) Fire.

8) Gunfire.

The others will never happen, so I am going to focus on #6.

First on my list is brain deodorant. Self Explanatory. Ham transceiver stored in an aluminum sleeve. MRE. Water filtration device. iPhone. Solar Cell charger. Socks. Gum. Cash. 2 .45 handguns 6 magazines. Flashlight with red blue, Flint, Knife, reflector, chainsaw, thinsulate bag, multitool. AR-15 8 mags. Mini binocs. and my butler.

Edited August 12, 2009 by TurboniumOxide

[crashgordan]

in addition to the above mentioned,

*plastic sheeting (clear and black) and aluminum clad duct tape/or gorilla tape. good for sealing windows/doors, light discipline,

sure i'll think of other things, but that's it for now...

[enfield]

That cell phone will make a dandy paperweight during a natural disaster. I can barely get a Verizon signal now and I ain't that far from civilization and I don't live in a hole.

[Guest SUNTZU]

You're saying Athens isn't a hole?

[enfield]

It ain't Camelot, but then it ain't Memphis either.

[bukowski548]

earthquakes....tornados......come on seriously.

Yeah guys come on! Everyone knows that Tennessee has never had a tornado!!! And I'm sure that fault line underneath Realfoot Lake should be fine for the next hundred thousand years or so.

Now those damn zombies, they'll be here any minute now!

Buk

[Guest 22-rimfire]

In the Memphis area, I would be seriously concerned about ice storms, tornados, earthquakes, and potentially flooding.

[Guest H0TSH0T]

Yeah guys come on! Everyone knows that Tennessee has never had a tornado!!! And I'm sure that fault line underneath Realfoot Lake should be fine for the next hundred thousand years or so.

Now those damn zombies, they'll be here any minute now!

Buk

sorry by we do one hit Kimble TN last year if flooded there the two years before that, so we do have Tennessee Trailer Park Twisters.

I did some work on a damaged home down the road after the storm went through.

http://www.wdef.com/blog/photographs_from_kimball_tn_tornado/11/2007_0

Edited September 7, 2009 by H0TSH0T

[memphismason]

Hey Hotshot.....Uh....I believe bukowski548 was being sarcastic.

[Guest H0TSH0T]

Hey Hotshot.....Uh....I believe bukowski548 was being sarcastic.

i am just worried about the mindless zombies.

[Guest 22-rimfire]

In the Memphis area, you also need to be concerned about the two-legged zombies. Two of the top ten worst neighborhoods for crime in the country are in Memphis.