How Prepared Are You?

[hashbrown]

I figure we are about as ready as we will ever be. We have family and friends all over these hills. I’d hate to have to leave our place but I know exactly where I would go.

 

[angie_nrs]

Well the video said 8 minutes, and I got the impression staying was not an option. I don't know why, maybe because it was California

Yeah, I was just thinking about different types of situations. I would think there would always be an option.....I can't think of any authority here that would demand us leaving, but I don't live in California either. 'They' might demand that I leave, but I fail to see how they could make me stay away, especially if I have other plans.....which I do.

Still, there are circumstances that I would agree that leaving would be the best course of action to take. So, in that regard, this is a very good exercise. I don't think I have a '10 minutes' list, but I do have a 12 hour notice list. There would be some similarities, but these would be 2 differnt scenarios. One would be a bug-out situation and the other more of a bug-in situation. Thanks to your post Morgan, I'm going to be building another list.
https://www.homesteadingforum.org/threads/you-have-12-hours-notice.11498/

 

[Aerindel]

This summer, when I actually was facing a real bug out, I realized that at least for me, its almost completely impractical to actually take anything that matters, in a way, for it to matter.

And this is mostly, a by-product of my lifestyle.

I'm still trying to figure out what to do abut this.

 

[Hardcalibres]

The premise of the video has a big problem.............

"You have ten minutes to evacuate....."

If that is because the fire is ten minutes away then..........you should not evacuate.

More people die from forest fires on the roads trying to evacuate too late, than die in their homes.

In any forest fire emergency, there should be a decision point, after which, "it is now too late to leave".

From that time on, you are better off staying, fighting the fire around your home and doing the best you can.

Most homes that burn in an adjacent forest fire, do so at least 15 minutes after the worst of the forest fire has past. Many burn down hours later. In that time window between the fire front passing and your house actually burning down, you should try to save your house.

1. Actively prepare in the minutes before the fire front arrives - wet down things that will burn with your water hoses
2. Get pets inside and under control independent of you......you are going to be busy
3. Fill buckets with water, wet a bunch of towels
4. Spray water into your gutters and eaves - this is the weak point of most houses
5. Fight, wet down and extinguish the embers that will be in advance of the main fire burn (especially in a high wind)
6. Close windows and curtains (if they are nonflammable material like cotton)
7. Close windows and doors but don't lock them - you are going to need to use them in a hurry
8. When the main fire front arrives, take cover from radiant heat inside the house or at least on the side of the house away from the fire front
9. When the worst of the fire front has passed, wet yourself down and get out there. While you are fighting the fire, wet each other down. Put out spot fires starting with those on the house, then those touching the house and then working your way to your outbuildings
10. If you can put out the fires then continue to stay and do that work, if you can't then now is the time to get clear of the house and head for somewhere already burned that is not putting out much radiant heat
11. Do not drive back into anywhere not yet burned - that will just put you back into harms way

The main reason the fire department has given the dolts in the video ten minutes, is that is how long they have before they need to to do the same with the neighbors family.

The sad thing is that, if you knock on their door, give them the ten minute evac order and then leave them to it, they will still be there muddling around the house an hour later.......or they will evac 30 minutes later straight into the fire.

All the above is why people in fire prone places should do a lot of preparation to fight the fire and to be able to evacuate - depending upon when within and what sort of fire emergency they are facing.

Those preparations need to be about material, capabilities, procedural and mental preparedness.

 

[Aerindel]

The premise of the video has a big problem.............

"You have ten minutes to evacuate....."

If that is because the fire is ten minutes away then..........you should not evacuate.

More people die from forest fires on the roads trying to evacuate too late, than die in their homes.

In any forest fire emergency, there should be a decision point, after which, "it is now too late to leave".

From that time on, you are better off staying, fighting the fire around your home and doing the best you can.

Most homes that burn in an adjacent forest fire, do so at least 15 minutes after the worst of the forest fire has past. Many burn down hours later. In that time window between the fire front passing and your house actually burning down, you should try to save your house.

1. Actively prepare in the minutes before the fire front arrives - wet down things that will burn with your water hoses
2. Get pets inside and under control independent of you......you are going to be busy
3. Fill buckets with water, wet a bunch of towels
4. Spray water into your gutters and eaves - this is the weak point of most houses
5. Fight, wet down and extinguish the embers that will be in advance of the main fire burn (especially in a high wind)
6. Close windows and curtains (if they are nonflammable material like cotton)
7. Close windows and doors but don't lock them - you are going to need to use them in a hurry
8. When the main fire front arrives, take cover from radiant heat inside the house or at least on the side of the house away from the fire front
9. When the worst of the fire front has passed, wet yourself down and get out there. While you are fighting the fire, wet each other down. Put out spot fires starting with those on the house, then those touching the house and then working your way to your outbuildings
10. If you can put out the fires then continue to stay and do that work, if you can't then now is the time to get clear of the house and head for somewhere already burned that is not putting out much radiant heat
11. Do not drive back into anywhere not yet burned - that will just put you back into harms way

The main reason the fire department has given the dolts in the video ten minutes, is that is how long they have before they need to to do the same with the neighbors family.

The sad thing is that, if you knock on their door, give them the ten minute evac order and then leave them to it, they will still be there muddling around the house an hour later.......or they will evac 30 minutes later straight into the fire.

All the above is why people in fire prone places should do a lot of preparation to fight the fire and to be able to evacuate - depending upon when within and what sort of fire emergency they are facing.

Those preparations need to be about material, capabilities, procedural and mental preparedness.

This is all true.

But I ran into a huge, life evaluating problem when I faced it for real.

Fires are unpredictable.

This summer I faced a massive forest fire, started about a mile from my place (I saw it only minutes after it started)

For about 50 days, I was threatened by it. On four separate days, the fire made runs, that had they been in my direction, would have reached me in about 30 minutes if they had been in my direction. One occasion, was in my direction, but was stopped by the firefighters fire line, about half a mile away.

What I have been struggling with ever since, is trying to rework my plans for a long term, but unstable threat. Which I realize is really important, because even if its not a fire, it will probably true, of most SHTFs.


Actually, I'm going to make another thread on this. Think about the problem and then meet me over there.

 

[Morgan101]

I can't think of any authority here that would demand us leaving,

I agree. I don't know if legally they can force you. They can "recommend" or "strongly urge" you, but I wouldn't think they could force you to leave.

 

[Caribou]

I agree. I don't know if legally they can force you. They can "recommend" or "strongly urge" you, but I wouldn't think they could force you to leave.

Alaska Statutes specifically state, police are allowed to lie. It is black and white law. If they want you to evacuate they can choose to tell you whatever they desire. I believe they would do so with best intentions, in this scenario.

 

[ClemKadiddlehopper]

Here, evacuation is something they don't really give a choice over. It's quite the fight to stay and requires some subterfuge. They have been known to kick your door in and search for dangerous items that you will never get back, while you are gone. If you stay, they will block any attempts at re-supply even if there is no imminent danger. Believing what they tell you is a dangerous game these days.

 

[Sourdough]

Alaska Statutes specifically state, police are allowed to lie. It is black and white law.

WOW.......I did not know that. For me that is "reality" shifting information.

 

[Aerindel]

WOW.......I did not know that. For me that is "reality" shifting information.

Does it matter if someone is allowed to lie or not, if they want to lie?

That's kinda the problem with liars...

I never assumed any cop anywhere was required to tell the truth outside of a courtroom.

When the fire was coming, one of the very first things my wife and I did, was strap on OPEN pistols in case someone tried to evacuate us.

 

[sonya123]

I don' really see us evacuating. The most likely fire scenario here is that we catch our own house on fire with the wood stove or propane heaters or some wire shorting out or neighbor's trash fire sending sparks our way or something. In that case we just get out of the house with the dogs

 

[Sourdough]

Does it matter if someone is allowed to lie or not, if they want to lie?

Yes, it matters to me that they can "Legally" lie to me.

It is against the law for me to lie to LEO.

 

[Aerindel]

Yes, it matters to me that they can "Legally" lie to me.

It is against the law for me to lie to LEO.

I....don't know what to tell you.

Welcome to the real world? It's never been fair. LEOs are part of our rulling class. They have different laws and privileges than us.

 

[dademoss]

COPS LIE. Ask any cop, never answer anything without a lawyer. NEVER consent to a search. Exceptions are a self defense shooting. "he attacked me, there is the gun, there is brass , I will talk with you after my lawyer and I consult."

NOTHING requires you to answer the door.

They wanna bust it down? Game on, Time to nut up or shut up.

 

[SoJer]

...Could you do it?

Yes. And I know, because we've Practiced, back when still in CA.. (at least for a 'Go, Now!!' Quake-Damage / Fire / Gas-Leak scenario, etc - the 'INCH' pack-test was at least 'timed', but Was open-ended, to eval for improvements, etc..) I invested a LOT of time / money into Crafting practical-methods of 'GTFO, Fast' pack-up scenarios, and I think we've ended up with a decent 'methodology' / system in place.

First, we invested in a 'Very-capable Conestoga-Wagon', ie:

(..except it's an Older Freightliner-branded one. I purposely got a 'Pre Everything-Electronic' model.. ) Made some Mods (Roof-rack / PVC 'water-heaters' / Mounts for Solar-Panels, etc, etc) to Expand hauling-capacity, for an 'INCH' situation, but - More-importantly - it's just a Reliable, Diesel, veritable 'rolling House / Battle-wagon' if you will. It can 'be Everything to us', all in One 'Motel'.

Second, while we Do have 'BOBs' - Those are only good for like 'Roadtrips thru isolated-areas', 5 Days' Emergency-skak, Max - eComms / Hi-density Sustenance-Foods / Water-purification / Shelters (SOL-bivvys, etc) and Basic cooking / functioning supplies (tiny butane stove / nesting 'camp' cups / bowls, etc) - All good for a 'Temp Emergency Camping'-type stint - Not-intended for 'Maybe-INCH' situs like in the OP-vid, and we All know "72 hrs till rescue" is rediculously naive to buy into..

For THAT (maybe an INCH-situ) we put together 8x Pelican 1660s, Each with 'categories', stuffed with Stuff across a decent-spectrum of Capabilities: Food (and Cooking it) Shelter / Camp (and means to 'Prep a Site') Layered / Warm Clothing / Spare Boots, etc, Water / couple-means to Purify what we can glean / store, etc.. Med / Dental, Self-Defense / Hunting / Fishing, etc... Literally - and without exaggeration - All we have to Do is roll those 8x Cases OUT - and we could do Very-Well, Living, for a good 4-6 Months, if we Had to. We would Do Alright, and could Definitely GTFO in 10 mins, or less.

This was 1/2 of 'em, a few years back..

..Just Tip, Yank and Roll, adios.

'Course, for Months 5-6 - 12+, yeah, we'd have to pack Everything Else (which is, also All 'boxed' (cartons / pails / other Pelicans, etc) all Ready to Go, which - for Sure - would eclipse "10 mins", but.. Last time I did a 'timed Full-Pack' (when we Moved - I dedicated One Run to be composed of Nothing-but the 'INCH-Load'..) and it was Done / All-In, in about an Hour, but.. That Should-be plenty of time for a more 'typical SHTF situ', but.. if ALL we can Get Out are the 8x 'Primary' Peli's.. We'll Be OK for a good-while.

Now - None of this is 'flexing' or bragging or anything, but simply to demo that.. IT TAKES A LOT OF PREPARATION - 'Self-Preservation will NOT begotten on Auto-Pilot', and all That takes Forethought / Sacrifice / Saving / Testing / Breaking (finding out what Doesn't Work, etc) and 'Betterizing'. It simply Must become a 'way of Life' / mindset...

ie: Even our 'Primary Fam / Biz Computer' - All Laptops, and/or Removable Drives, No 'internal HDs' - Instant shutdown / Pull the Drive off the cable, and Jet.. Absolutely NO spending time 'packing up Giant-screen Macs / PC-towers', etc.. Just Grab the little Drive and Go.. (and Yes - regular Backups are Already-stashed in the Go-cases..)

..EVERYTHING has to be 'segregated' into 'What MUST Go, and what can get Left' - Separate Wants from True-Needs, and then Pre-Plan for HOW those Needs Can 'make it Out' (ie: the Above-plans..)

But, for those who just Insist / Love living in the 'warm bath of "Normalcy", well.. As the People in the OP-video demo: 'Something's Gotta Give' - Best figure that out Ahead of time.

jd

 

[Sourdough]

Yes. And I know, because we've Practiced, back when still in CA.. (at least for a 'Go, Now!!' Quake-Damage / Fire / Gas-Leak scenario, etc - the 'INCH' pack-test was at least 'timed', but Was open-ended, to eval for improvements, etc..) I invested a LOT of time / money into Crafting practical-methods of 'GTFO, Fast' pack-up scenarios, and I think we've ended up with a decent 'methodology' / system in place.

First, we invested in a 'Very-capable Conestoga-Wagon', ie:

(..except it's an Older Freightliner-branded one. I purposely got a 'Pre Everything-Electronic' model.. ) Made some Mods (Roof-rack / PVC 'water-heaters' / Mounts for Solar-Panels, etc, etc) to Expand hauling-capacity, for an 'INCH' situation, but - More-importantly - it's just a Reliable, Diesel, veritable 'rolling House / Battle-wagon' if you will. It can 'be Everything to us', all in One 'Motel'.

Second, while we Do have 'BOBs' - Those are only good for like 'Roadtrips thru isolated-areas', 5 Days' Emergency-skak, Max - eComms / Hi-density Sustenance-Foods / Water-purification / Shelters (SOL-bivvys, etc) and Basic cooking / functioning supplies (tiny butane stove / nesting 'camp' cups / bowls, etc) - All good for a 'Temp Emergency Camping'-type stint - Not-intended for 'Maybe-INCH' situs like in the OP-vid, and we All know "72 hrs till rescue" is rediculously naive to buy into..

For THAT (maybe an INCH-situ) we put together 8x Pelican 1660s, Each with 'categories', stuffed with Stuff across a decent-spectrum of Capabilities: Food (and Cooking it) Shelter / Camp (and means to 'Prep a Site') Layered / Warm Clothing / Spare Boots, etc, Water / couple-means to Purify what we can glean / store, etc.. Med / Dental, Self-Defense / Hunting / Fishing, etc... Literally - and without exaggeration - All we have to Do is roll those 8x Cases OUT - and we could do Very-Well, Living, for a good 4-6 Months, if we Had to. We would Do Alright, and could Definitely GTFO in 10 mins, or less.

This was 1/2 of 'em, a few years back..

..Just Tip, Yank and Roll, adios.

'Course, for Months 5-6 - 12+, yeah, we'd have to pack Everything Else (which is, also All 'boxed' (cartons / pails / other Pelicans, etc) all Ready to Go, which - for Sure - would eclipse "10 mins", but.. Last time I did a 'timed Full-Pack' (when we Moved - I dedicated One Run to be composed of Nothing-but the 'INCH-Load'..) and it was Done / All-In, in about an Hour, but.. That Should-be plenty of time for a more 'typical SHTF situ', but.. if ALL we can Get Out are the 8x 'Primary' Peli's.. We'll Be OK for a good-while.

Now - None of this is 'flexing' or bragging or anything, but simply to demo that.. IT TAKES A LOT OF PREPARATION - 'Self-Preservation will NOT begotten on Auto-Pilot', and all That takes Forethought / Sacrifice / Saving / Testing / Breaking (finding out what Doesn't Work, etc) and 'Betterizing'. It simply Must become a 'way of Life' / mindset...

ie: Even our 'Primary Fam / Biz Computer' - All Laptops, and/or Removable Drives, No 'internal HDs' - Instant shutdown / Pull the Drive off the cable, and Jet.. Absolutely NO spending time 'packing up Giant-screen Macs / PC-towers', etc.. Just Grab the little Drive and Go.. (and Yes - regular Backups are Already-stashed in the Go-cases..)

..EVERYTHING has to be 'segregated' into 'What MUST Go, and what can get Left' - Separate Wants from True-Needs, and then Pre-Plan for HOW those Needs Can 'make it Out' (ie: the Above-plans..)

But, for those who just Insist / Love living in the 'warm bath of "Normalcy", well.. As the People in the OP-video demo: 'Something's Gotta Give' - Best figure that out Ahead of time.

jd

Great "educational" and inspiring post. Thanks. So "glad" you escaped "S".......hole California.

 

[DrJenner]

Frivolous purchase, but I believe in having some comforts, no reason to be miserable (there are worse things than death).
Got a Hass avocado and cold hardy avocado tree (cross pollinators) and a coffee bean plant...we already hand grind our own coffee, might as well try our hand at growing it too. These will go in the greenhouse.

I have a list of fruit trees to get in the spring but need to get the orchard area cleared out first.

 

[Neb]

Frivolous purchase, but I believe in having some comforts, no reason to be miserable (there are worse things than death).
Got a Hass avocado and cold hardy avocado tree (cross pollinators) and a coffee bean plant...we already hand grind our own coffee, might as well try our hand at growing it too. These will go in the greenhouse.

I have a list of fruit trees to get in the spring but need to get the orchard area cleared out first.

We are on our second coffee tree. Temp in greenhouse dropped below freezing one night and killed the first one. Lesson learned.

If outside temp is predicted to drop into the teens, I will have to drag the coffee tree inside the house.

Ben

 

[DrJenner]

We are on our second coffee tree. Temp in greenhouse dropped below freezing one night and killed the first one. Lesson learned.

If outside temp is predicted to drop into the teens, I will have to drag the coffee tree inside the house.

Ben

We are planning to insulate the outside with clear plastic and set up the buddy heater inside with the pilot light on. I may be dragging the coffee plant (and the lemon tree) in the RV though, hopefully it will be ok because we don't have a lot of room in here!

 

[Neb]

We are planning to insulate the outside with clear plastic and set up the buddy heater inside with the pilot light on. I may be dragging the coffee plant (and the lemon tree) in the RV though, hopefully it will be ok because we don't have a lot of room in here!

Our orange tree lives in the heated front porch over winter.

It has given us oranges in February the past two years. The scent when it is in bloom is amazing.

Ben

 

[sonya123]

Frivolous purchase, but I believe in having some comforts, no reason to be miserable (there are worse things than death).
Got a Hass avocado and cold hardy avocado tree (cross pollinators) and a coffee bean plant...we already hand grind our own coffee, might as well try our hand at growing it too. These will go in the greenhouse.

I have a list of fruit trees to get in the spring but need to get the orchard area cleared out first.

Do you have a heated greenhouse, or how will you keep those things warm when it is below freezing? I have a few citrus trees that are not going so great here ( a Myer lemon and a tangerine tree). I put them under a grow light in the house because our greenhouse has no way of heating it
So far no fruit and they are not growing much at all

 

[dademoss]

Not prepared enough, 2 locations . Eventually , we will see what what we will see.

I will feel better at the the new place, and even more so once everything is in place and active.

 

[DrJenner]

Do you have a heated greenhouse, or how will you keep those things warm when it is below freezing? I have a few citrus trees that are not going so great here ( a Myer lemon and a tangerine tree). I put them under a grow light in the house because our greenhouse has no way of heating it
So far no fruit and they are not growing much at all

going to heat with a mr. buddy heater for now. Once we get the cabin built, we will move the pots indoors for the winter

 

[Sourdough]

I am going to start prepping the very first thing next year.

 

[Magus]

Better start now while preps are still available.

 

[Cascadian]

For forest fire they cut the power around here. One year it was for a week and a half. We had a small genny for the fridge and freezer. It didn't have 220 to run the well. Now we have a bigger generator and no one is shutting off my water.

 

[Aerindel]

For forest fire they cut the power around here. One year it was for a week and a half. We had a small genny for the fridge and freezer. It didn't have 220 to run the well. Now we have a bigger generator and no one is shutting off my water.

Yep. Its SOP in fires.

 

[SoJer]

Great "educational" and inspiring post... So "glad" you escaped "S".......hole California.

Thanks, and Yep - US TOO! There was just a 'palpable tension', there, all the time (and - it wasn't just Me being 'survivalist paranoid'.. Besides, When Everybody's out to getcha.. Paranoia is just Good Policy..

..But, Srsly, I recognize that - even with All those 'preps' / tactics / plans, etc - Anything Can - and Might - still go Totally-sideways with it all, so.. We're realistic about 'reality' / don't think 'Ok, we've got "Stuff", we're Saved! etc.. The #1 'Prep' / Weapon / Tool ANYONE can have, is a Sharp Mind - for How to 'shift' when it all goes sideways (and it Always does / can / will..)

..and, while it's Most of what we've prepped, in-total, 'With Us', we Do have a small cache of stuff, in storage, still Up in NorCal, not to far from our BOL-property, but.. I Wish we Could have gotten That place all Set / Done (the onset of Covid - Totally - wiped out Our plan-start (Summer 2020 was to be 'the Push'.. ) and Since then, this Life-shifting-but-Necessary-Move has certainly not brought that 'Dream home' (a DIY Strawbale-House) any closer, but..

..Survivalism is All About 'Living in Plan B'.. (and C and D and... etc) Is what it Is: Life.

jd

 

[Amish Heart]

Our post office in New Mexico was strawbale. Interesting design.

 

[Aerindel]