Semper paratus

Posted July 12, 2009 at 8:13 PM

http://exurbanleague.com/2009/07/12/semper-paratus.aspx?ref=rss

• The New York Times runs an article on "Liberal Survivalists".

• The Discovery Channel has a new series about a small group of people rebuilding their lives after the collapse of civilization.

• And then there's 72hours.org, a disaster preparedness website from deep in the heart of San Francisco.

Survivalism: It's the new black.

Even before the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, there's been an increasing awareness that government may not be here to help you when you need it. So what disasters threaten us in the Pheonix area, and what easy steps can you take you keep you and your family out of danger?

First off, I may be Exurbanleague's resident gun nut shooting sports enthusiast, but I am not a survivalist. I like civilization and all the luxuries it provides: I want to enjoy the world around me, not hole up in a cave somewheres, scanning the skies for black helicopters. I'm also not one of those hyper-prepared "Type A" go-getter types and I'm definitely not planning on TEOTWAWKI, but having a disaster plan just makes sense for any number of reasons. I'm also not going to talk about guns and personal security: If your disaster plan is a .45 and a bad attitude, you've got more problems than I can deal with.

Keep in mind that what Houston was to New Orleans with Katrina, Phoenix will be to L.A. if and when "the big one" hits the west coast. We probably won't be directly affected by a West Coast earthquake, but we will have thousands of refugees to deal with as well as infrastructure problems of our own.

The good news is, the Phoenix area doesn't have a lot to worry about when it comes to natural disasters. We're not on any major fault lines, there's no brush fire danger to burn us up or hurricanes to sweep us away. The bad news is, if something does happen to severely break the infrastructure here, we're toast: If there's no water, there's no people, and the water supply is Phoenix is our weak spot, so don't plan on surviving any length of time in situ in Phoenix, plan on getting out of town instead.

And then there's Palo Verde. I think nuclear power is safe, cheap and reliable, but when things go wrong with a nuclear plant the consequences can be rather dire.

So what can you do?

*Have a plan, and have a backup *
In case of a major disaster, assume that will you and your family will have no food, water or power for 3 days. 72hours.org is great resource to help you prepare for such an emergency. And if you need to leave town, have your trip route and destination planned out in advance: Google Maps will NOT be there when you need it.

Know your house and it's weaknesses
Where is the gas shutoff valve or water shut-off on your house? Are the batteries in your smoke detectors current? Do you have a fire extinguisher and first-aid kit? Do you have a fire escape plan? Answer these questions now so you won't have to come up with answers in the midst of a disaster.

Build up your supplies
3 days of non-perishable food and water is cheap: You can get everything you need for a family of four at the local Wal-Mart for under $25 (a little more if you need a camp stove or other heat source). And to make sure your supplies are up-to-date, take them with you and use them on your next camping trip, but be sure to buy more when you return.
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Get to know your neighbors*
If the worst happens and the the police or National Guard ask you "Who lives in that house there?" can you tell them? If you can't answer, chances are your neighbors can't say the same about you. Having a block party now and getting to know who's around you could come in mighty handy when you need to rely on the people in your neighborhood for mutual support.

Train for the worst, hope for the best
The Mesa Fire Department (and others) offer free CPR training and free C.E.R.T. disaster-preparedness training. Go on a day-trip to learn the back routes to a safer place out-of-town. Keep a gallon of water, a dust mask and a pair of work gloves in your car.

*Have fun *
The world probably won't end on your watch. Don't get paranoid about this: We've been blessed to live our lives at the absolute peak of human civilization so far, so live your life to it's fullest. But remember to have a little ant time as well.