Speaking of preparing for disasters, and in light of the recent floods here in Texas, I happened across these and wanted to share. http://www.cabelas.com/product/Sea-...=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=50024417&rid=20 There are all sizes and different materials, so this is just an example. Every time I hear about Hurricane Katrina, I flash on the people carrying their belongings in trash bags. Granted, trash bags can hold a lot, so if you were trying to evacuate a lot of items that still might work, but these are waterproof, and more durable than trash bags, as well as being more attractive. If you plan in advance, and are in a potential flood area, why not pick up a few, at least for your cell phone and other devices? You can buy them at Amazon, eBay, sporting goods stores, etc., and maybe even Walmart.
If a big disaster happens don't worry about getting a water prof bag for your cell phone because the cell system will probably be down too. A cell phone is useless if you can't charge it. All these conveniences will probably be useless. Even a flash light is only as good as the battery supply unless you have a recharging system. First think of water can you get a good supply second food where are you going to find it lastly lodging can you find a place warm enough or have you a way of heating it. My father [the joke-steer] would say when the electricity went out turn on the radio and find out what happened.
Yes, I agree with you to a point, Martin, but I would still want a bag for the cell phone (if I had a cell phone) in case contact could be re-established. There are solar chargers, but I don't know how effective they are, as well as solar cookers, and I'm interested in both. If I had the money, I would have many things, but that's not possible right now. However, hopefully over time, I can collect some items that could prove useful. I do totally agree about the water and non-perishables, as well as shelter, those are definitely most important.
In my part of the country, unless you live in a small house, you don't really have anything to worry about. Earthquakes are pretty much nonexistent in this part of the country, and the only bad weather you can possibly get is a bit of rain. Sure, there was a flood a few years ago, but I mentioned that you only have to care about that if you live in a small house.
I agree that people have become soft here in the US. Working in a condominium community it never ceases to amaze me the things that people feel are emergency or priority. These types of people will need serious help if things ever did go real bad because they lack any sort of ability to survive, much less problem solve. When I bought my home my first priority was finding one that could stay heated if for some reason we did not have natural gas, and I found that. In fact we had a terrible storm called the October surprise the one year, it took the electric out for days and we were fine. We had heat even though the furnace could not go on, and we had water. Hardest part was keeping my fish warm in the aquarium and I even figured that out, It might sound sort of funny but I actually liked it, things were quiet and so much simpler, about the fourth day we had to take a long walk to find some additional things for food, more of the perishable stuff and some 9 volt batteries to keep the transistor radio going. Other then that we were set. I do think there are areas where people would start to revolt if things were to hard for to long of a period. I am grateful I live in a community with many volunteer fireman and their families, they have a better community mindset and I doubt that it would get violent, more likely we would be made to congregate at the school or something like that, just to be safe.