I'm such an idiot. Please, take my hindsight for your own future safety!

Originally posted by intuitive
does anybody know the news on the tornado?, if its hit yet or not? I hope all those in the line are fine.

click the overlay for more options..

cheers

New poster here, emerging from lurkdom.

I've recently moved into a tornado-prone area, in the mountains of southeastern Oklahoma. We live in a mobile home on a ridgeline, but there is a shelter built into the hill less than 50 yards from the house.

First off, how far away are the storms? Obviously, you have internet service; use your phone or computer to watch the radar and see what is happening. If you have a smart phone, download the "scanner radio" app and tune into either your local sheriff and/or an amateur radio repeater. If you live in a metro area, there will be a repeater with skywarn spotters. They are a rich source of information as to where the storms are and how they are moving. In the future, go buy a scanner just for that purpose. You can get one on ebay very cheaply.

Do you have a family? Right now, before the storm hits, sit down with your family and detail what the response will be if you only have a minute of warning or less. As soon as a storm gets near you, get everybody dressed, shoes and all. Have your wallet, phone (with car charger), knife, and anything else you deem necessary. If there are kids in the home, decide NOW who gets which child. In our case, my wife will get our two youngest (she can carry both) and run for the shelter. I will get the older, and carry/drag him. I will also grab two small portable safes that are kept near the door that have vital papers in one and loaded firearms in the other. That way, should the trailer be transported into the next state, I would have documents necessary to restart life.

Also, look around outside your home. Are there any bridges, culverts, ditches, etc? Those are potential places to run. Don't wait until the storm is over your head to know where to go. Use your brain now before adrenalin kicks in and addles you.

It isn't too late. As others have mentioned, most tornadoes are local events. if you have a small backpack, see what foods you have in the house. Get a few bottles of water, some snacks, especially if you wind up at a shelter for a night.

You don't want to "bug out" during a snowstorm. Stay indoors.

You are in good hands with the guardian prayers going up for you from ATS. You have been told several times and one time more is not too many. Shake the panic. Just focus on your family and you will do what is needed to pull through anything. Regardless how well prepared you are, life has a way of throwing a monkey wrench into the game. Something unexpected will always raise its head so your best shtf tool is like has been said, is your brain.
Improvise. We are so used to having prefab, shake and bake items at our finger tips. In a crisis nothing is neat, clean or easy. Survival is key and the only goal. The rest is just filler for tales around the tap.

As far as water goes, the straight pure stuff can't be beat, but in a pinch anything that will hydrate will do. Just stay away for the salty and thrist producing stuff. Sounds crazy but a small stone in the mouth does help if things get desperate.

For those rural folks with wells if you don't have a guzzler, get one. They are dirt cheap and works like charm. It can even be hooked up to a battery if you are disabled and can't pump for too long.

I am sure you will be just fine, and thanks for thinking of your ATS family at this harrowing time. We can always learn something from each other, and the prayer warriors are on the job.

I hope you are ok!

reply to post by sarra1833


Something like this will do you. I got something similar but also as a tv.

link

reply to post by sarra1833

Has anyone heard back from Sarra? I was looking into that area and see there was some huge horrible death and damage in the wake of the tornado(s)...

I presume there's no electricity so I'll not think the worst but lets make sure we send all our prayers and love and light to Sarra and her family!

peace

To get a BOB together ask yourself these questions:
Do you have:
sleeping bags and ground pads? - wool blankets, tarp
Rain ponchos? good ones make shelter halfs, 2 makes a tent.
Water purification - filter is best, tabs cheaper
a Good fixed blade knife? swedish mora - $12
Basic medications and extra prescriptions of anything you might be on?
warm clothing. extra socks. hat
comfortable boots?
Flashlights with extra bulbs and batteries
Food
Camelback or canteen
Weatherproof matches

multitool (leatherman can run you $50+ but there's cheapies out there for $15, you'll want it for all the little tools not the blades as they are usually very poor and don't lock in place.

Important papers, cards. cash

That's the critical list unless you wish to carry a weapon.

Here's a link to my BOB thread but I also give the prices on items and where you can find them, might be worth a few minutes to look over. www.abovetopsecret.com...

Stay safe and may your BOB gather dust eternally.

reply to post by silo13


Was just about to ask if anyone had heard anything, hopefully she's out of the path or safe. Haven't heard many reports hitting IL at the moment. Hope your safe Sarra, wherever you may be...

Just went outside and saw this after I had posted hoping everyone was ok.

Having a sunshower here too, a sign of good luck so I'm told.

Be not alarmed, be not scared.

Be alert, be prepared.

reply to post by Asktheanimals


Gotta love the Leatherman.

Ive been in your situation, i hope you read this Sarra1833, ill give you some ideas i had, tried MRE's for the family not economical or satisfying and if you have kids and clearly you do, buy what they will like and eat no not junk but food they will like eating, work out of your budget, if you say you cant afford it now, then get what you can on your budget, here are some inexpensive options that are easy to get and go a long way.

I bought a lot of canned ham, nonrefrigerated canned ham called DAK at Walmart, its a pound of precooked ham thats good for 4 1/2 years, at $3.89 a can its a good deal, also it is so yummy it is a huge hit in our home, we make it for breakfast, put it in eggs and potatoes, it really is good stuff.

I also have bought many cans of Pineapple as sweet and tastey as it is my kids love it, its also super nutricious and is good for 2 years, at $5.66 for 6 cans its a good deal at Sams, we rotate thru ours making it into a treat also we use some to add a pineapple flavor to our DAK.

I have also bought 10Packs of Tuna, the old reliable Tuna, Good for years and cheap, A 10PK costs from $6-$8 depending on where you buy it if it isnt as popular as it is in our home its so easy to disguise into a Tuna helper or a casarole but great to have around, Uber nutricious.

I have bought 2 cheap radios at the dollar store it is a battery radio but its small portable and a long life and althought it isnt a NOAA radio i think its good enough for a short time period and weather reports, and a couple packs of batterys will extend its usefullness. I would say it costed $5.00 in total 2 radios 3 4pk dollar store AAA batterys.

Last but not least Water Jugs, or bottled water, you must have water, water is life. The tablets are a good idea also but make the water taste like S***, when you have the money get a portable purifier with extra filters.

I suggest these items because with $30.00 you can make it for days in your current location with proper preperation, if you must Bug Out having some of these couldnt hurt for either surviving or barter. Good Luck.

Here are some videos i found informative and very instructional.
Canned food shelf life www.youtube.com...
Long term Food items www.youtube.com...
After Armageddon TV series www.youtube.com...

We aren't so much in a natural disaster area where I live in the UK. That said, I thought we were going to have a gas alert evacuation recently. No doubt shelter would have been provided but it struck me that I didn't have even the basics - and should our homes disappear in an explosion I didn't even have a spare set of financial and legal details. Sometimes it takes a prompt like this - though of course all the preps in the world won't help if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time etc. Hope you are ok OP.

Really hope everyone is ok... hate seeing headlines like this:www.cbc.ca... rss
While I do not live in a storm prone area.. it does make me sit up and take note that mother nature can devastating and we all need to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

This thread is beginning to become rather gloomy,

surely Sarra has more things to worry about than making sure ATS is in the loop.

I do wish she would just sign on and say hey im okay, though.

reply to post by sarra1833


Well just make sure you go buy a lot of water, first aid and batteries. Get with your neighbors and find out who has a storm cellar or basement at least if you don't.

My best friend lives in Southern Illinois and that F-4 tornado touched down for the first time a quarter mile away from his house. They have no basement or storm cellar so thankfully it spared them. His town is destroyed, he works for the phone company there and they cant work until they get permission to go work like hell to get service restored.

My aunt lived in Alabama where just about everyone who lives in the country has a storm cellar. They did not so she made good friends with her neighbor who come to find out had a bunker that could fit everyone in there little community if need be. She had to make a dash for that bunker more than once.

I wish Sarra would log on and say she's ok too.
I live in SW Ohio and it was scary yesterday. Thankfully I received no damage but I also realized how unprepared I am. I do have a cellar which I should have at the ready, but I don't. I managed to gather some water and lawn chairs and my pc & cell phone down there yesterday but it made me realize how totally unprepared I am.
Oh, and I grabbed a bag of popcorn too, gee that will get me far...

Time to make a list and get it together.

reply to post by horseplay


Glad to hear you are alright. Things like this really make you sit back and think...

a good reminder thread........how many of us have a BOB? its nothing we really want to think about, having to leave your home on a few minutes notice with the possibility that it wont be there when you get back.

im an avid backpacker with alot of gear around but no BOB i dont live in a disaster prone area but.....as i sit back and think 'if i had to leave now what would i be able to grab in under 10minutes?' answer---alot of nothing. the thought ' i can just throw some..stuff..in a bag and get the heck out' doesnt work...you will not find what you need fast enuff and you will waste time searching for things, even if you know where they are.

on that note..a BOB should be stuff that you dont need to use..ie dont think that the only flashlight in your house that sits in a kitchen draw will be a candidate for your BOB, same with the sleeping bag that you normally use for hiking, better have a separate one already in a stuff sack packed away, separate bag as well, not your backpack you normaly use for trips....you just dont have enuff time to pack everything.

then there is a 'waste' issue...not poop but the fact that you have 'x' amount of dollars in equipment and food just sitting there....waiting patiently..hopeing never to be used.

moral of the story; be 'pre' pared, when the S.H.T.F. you need to act not get ready to act......