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What I learn by living Superstorm Sandy

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posted on Nov, 5 2012 @ 10:58 PM
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Well, it has been a week and I learned a lot about survival in this storm and how to survive a bigger Apocalypse.

1) Fuel is paramount. As a result of this storm, there has been a massive shortage of fuel here in the NY/NJ region. Right after the storm, I drove my parents from NY to Toronto to stay with my aunt. The first thing is I had to refuel one time on the way. My car has a 20 gallon tank and gets about 25 mpg on the highway. If this disaster was even bigger in geographical scope and I couldn't refuel, I would have been stuck somewhere in upstate New York. This is considering that I knew the storm was approaching and filled my tank the day before the lights went out. If this was an unexpected event, who knows how much gas I would have had in my car. The lesson, always keep your car as topped off as much as possible, and have enough gas stored to refill the car at least once. Most cars have a highway range of about 400-500 miles. If you have enough fuel, you can get up to a 1000 miles away from the disaster. If that isn't far enough, there is no point in leaving.

2) Food!!!! The supermarkets will be stormed after an event and all the food will be striped from the selves. Its not like the movie 28 days later when you find a supermarket full of food. People will panic and take everything that isn't strapped down. Perishable foods are just that, perishable. Meats and things of that nature will not last very long without refrigeration. Therefore, a good supply of food is important. If you can grow food, even better.

3) Guns are really important. In this disaster, people have been fighting over gas, and there has been a tremendous amount of looting. Even though the press wont cover it, looting was a real major problem in the most affected areas and there was a real risk that people would try to siphon your gas if you aren't watching your car. People with guns will be willing to use them against you, and if a disaster is of the scope that the government breaks down, there will be no cops to protect you. The only reason people didn't die over gas here in the NY/NJ area is because cops were assigned to every gas station that had gas. In a bigger disaster where the government falls apart, there will be no cops and if you cannot protect yourself, there will be people that will try to take your things.

4) Back up power. A lot of people had generators to power parts of their homes during the black out. Many of those generators where stolen (see guns), and they are noisy so they attract attention. Something I was thinking about is either installing solar or wind power on my property. This isn't feasible for apartment dwellers, but if you can install them discreetly, you'll have access to information from the TV (if there is information in TV) and other things like heating systems rely on electricity. FYI, it gets really cold at night in November in the Northeast without a heat source.

5) There is strength in numbers. I bugged out to my sister's house. She got power on Thursday night (a full three days before my house) and even in the dark and cold, I felt safer with three grown men (Me, my 25 year old nephew and my brother-in-law). Even though we didn't have to defend ourselves from looters or anything like that, I felt much more confident that we would be less likely to be assaulted because we had some numbers. Also, even in misery, company makes things much easier on the psyche. I can't imagine being in the dark and cold all alone.

6) Most people will be completely unprepared. We knew this storm was coming and still, people didn't fill their cars before the storm leading to huge lines for gas. People didn't evacuate leading to unnecessary loss of life. People that were unprepared will be scared and desperate. Again, see guns above.

Bottom line: even though you see stories about people coming together and helping each other... this is really a dog eat dog world. If you are not adequately prepared, you are done for. I was definitely not prepared like one of those doomsday preppers on National Geographic, but because I was cautious, I haven't been hungry or without fuel during this catastrophe. I don't know how I would have fared if this lasted much longer.



posted on Nov, 5 2012 @ 11:08 PM
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reply to post by finemanm
 


Thank you for a first hand report from ground zero. I'm glad you are faring OK..better than many of those around you. You are letting us know how very important it is to constantly be aware when destructive events like Sandy happen. I would have been so scared had I been in your position.

You are right, the press is down playing anything real coming out of your area. That's why it's so important to get reports like yours. I really appreciate you taking the time out of basically surviving, to post this thread. God bless, and keep you safe.

Des



posted on Nov, 5 2012 @ 11:13 PM
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reply to post by finemanm
 



this is the absolute truth...


might wanna check with your state laws before investing in solar energy or wind power, if you buy this stuff out of pocket a 5kw PV panel grid for you home is going for close to 30 grand, and you need to make sure you can wire it up and use the invert-er without the power company telling you how to, most dumb people go out and buy alternative energy listen to the salesman, promise them the world, and unless they have a battery back up if a disaster hits like this or worse they realize they have no power, and no power after the batteries lose its charge as well.. If you do not understand what I just wrote about that, be sure and understand it, if you buy a solar panel array..

Yet I will say this if a disaster hits where government is in array and civil order falls apart and roaming mobs are roaming around raping pillaging and stealing, I would be armed and staying in motion with my family... Not in a house with a solar panel array on my roof.....



posted on Nov, 5 2012 @ 11:19 PM
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reply to post by Destinyone
 


Thanks for your kind words. I'm lucky and I know it. Both me and my sister's family live on high ground on Staten Island. We were unaffected by the flooding, but the after effects of the storm were more wide ranging. We lost power Monday night just as the storm hit full force, as was every other part of the region that lost power.

Its the people who lived by the water in Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens that were the most hard hit. My ex-wife lives in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn and is still without power, or heat. She is living with her parents with my daughter, her sister and her two daughters and both of her parents in a three bedroom apartment. I drove by the beach here in Staten Island on my way into work today and it was reminiscent of lower Manhattan after 9/11. Just complete devastation. Buildings collapsed, cars upside down, standing houses with everything being thrown away. When I say everything, I mean everything, clothes, furniture, Sheetrock, insulation, you name it. Giant bulldozers removing the debris, dust everywhere.

A major problem is people where simply unprepared and not because of a lack of warning, but because of a lack of vigilance.



posted on Nov, 5 2012 @ 11:26 PM
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reply to post by MaurinQuina
 


Staying in motion isn't that easy. Without a car you can't carry much in the way of supplies, and you are completely exposed. A car or truck will only take you as far as your gas tank will allow. In my opinion, you bug out if the event is relatively local and you have the range to get to safety. If there is no safety within your ability to travel safely, you got to hunker down and be ready to weather the storm (no pun intended).

As for solar, I know what you are talking about. I know someone who has solar and it lowers his bill, but because of the type of system he has (no back up battery, and not wired to be self sufficient) when the power went out, the solar did nothing to keep the lights on. In any event, alt. energy is too expensive for me to afford right now, but it is definitely something I want to look into and get as soon as financially feasible.



posted on Nov, 5 2012 @ 11:33 PM
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reply to post by finemanm
 


thats why all American, citizens should do one term in the armed services, to learn survival skills...

Of course its not easy....




posted on Nov, 5 2012 @ 11:37 PM
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Experience is the best teacher of all!

Thanks for sharing what you've learned.



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 12:18 AM
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reply to post by finemanm
 


I'm glad the veil has been lifted
I'm in North Jersey, I've always had food, water, gas, ammo and a generator on hand. Not because I'm expecting the zombie apocalypse... but because I understand that our infrastructure on the east coast is pretty old and in a sad state of affairs. We lose power regularly during storms and heavy snows, we have weekly watermains going in winter which creates sinkholes.

My immediate area didn't get hit too bad, (we only lost siding on the front of the house) The only positive thing that this has done is woken up a lot of people to the fact that they need to be prepared and self sufficient. While I didn't want to laugh at the people rushing around at the last minute to buy up all of the milk and eggs from the store shelves, I was thinking to myself "We JUST had Hurricane Irene 12 months ago" you think people would learn... I think this time, learning has occured.



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 02:07 AM
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Do you think the smaller portable solar power systems might have been useful? The ones that can power a small rechargeable battery pack? They seem to run a few hundred dollars, with a solar panel to go with it around a thousand or so. In the case of extreme storms though, I'm not sure you'd get enough recharging to make it worthwhile, although they apparently are enough to power small appliances (even a space heater might be worth it, for example?)



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 08:09 AM
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reply to post by MaurinQuina
 

I think what is meant here is to have the solar panels ready. I live all summer on two battery's and two solar panels with a controller. I charge all my electronics, watch tv and even use a 700 watt microwave now and then. Also have a true syne wave inverter, don't need to connect this to the home system.



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 08:13 AM
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Good stuff.

I learned that everyone is great for the first 48 hours. Once that 50 hour window has passed, everyone starts to become fed up and reality sets in. There are still wonderful people, but the animals reveal themselves when their reality sets in.

Also, I learned that LIPA is AWESOME! These guys are working 16-18 hour shifts and completely dismiss their own homes and families to work on getting the power back, for Long Island. They are doing a superb job! Thank you, LIPA

Lastly, I learned that superstorms are like camping. You learn real quick who's great in a pinch, and who's a royal PITA. You learn who's cool headed and prioritized and who's the selfish useless being.

Best of luck to all.


 
Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com
 



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 08:29 AM
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What a great OP. Glad to know you had options and that your Sis was close by. Keep us informed my friend and Godspeed to full recovery.



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 08:52 AM
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There is one amusing role reversal I found to be heart warming.

I rode the bus for years to the F or E train terminals, and I always used to get looks from those in their cars when they either drove by the bus, stuck behind the bus or if they saw a line at the bus stop. Kind of that "Oh they're beneathe me" look. They never had to stoop to that level. Only animals ride the bus.

Anyway, while observing an enormously long line at a gas station (just the gas can line), I saw maybe about 1000 miserable people who needed fuel, and they were standing on line and didn't know what to do with themselves. Then one of the buses cruises by and everyone in the bus gave the fuel line the same look! The look they've been receiving for years and years. I realized just how backwards things have become once I saw that.


 
Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com
 



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 09:11 AM
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reply to post by finemanm
 

7) The government cant save you. Theyre not equipped, theyre incompetent and they hate you.



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 10:14 AM
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Its good to see that people are starting to learn, that preparations for Food, Energy, Sanitation, ect.... are KEY!! I'm wondering how many people really didnt have enough Food, Gas, Energy to even last a week, after all that is told to people to prepare and dont wait. Waiting is niave, and reckless. I live where there are tornadoes all the time, you wont find anyone around here without a shelter, Generator, Food, Gas for at least a week, ect.... I really hope that people start to learn from this, because if a NATIONAL emergency occurred most would not see help at all.



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 10:14 AM
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Its good to see that people are starting to learn, that preparations for Food, Energy, Sanitation, ect.... are KEY!! I'm wondering how many people really didnt have enough Food, Gas, Energy to even last a week, after all that is told to people to prepare and dont wait. Waiting is niave, and reckless. I live where there are tornadoes all the time, you wont find anyone around here without a shelter, Generator, Food, Gas for at least a week, ect.... I really hope that people start to learn from this, because if a NATIONAL emergency occurred most would not see help at all.



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 11:09 AM
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Why do you all continue spouting the MSM fear mongering line of "super storm"? It was just a storm. There was nothing "super" about it.



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 11:42 AM
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Thanks for sharing this well thought out and organized list.

While the normies prefer to scoff at "preppers" and the government like to label them as threats it is important to be prepared for anything, within your means.

Call me crazy but I never park the cars with less than 3/4 tank of gas.



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 12:09 PM
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Originally posted by MaurinQuina
reply to post by finemanm
 



this is the absolute truth...


might wanna check with your state laws before investing in solar energy or wind power, if you buy this stuff out of pocket a 5kw PV panel grid for you home is going for close to 30 grand, and you need to make sure you can wire it up and use the invert-er without the power company telling you how to, most dumb people go out and buy alternative energy listen to the salesman, promise them the world, and unless they have a battery back up if a disaster hits like this or worse they realize they have no power, and no power after the batteries lose its charge as well.. If you do not understand what I just wrote about that, be sure and understand it, if you buy a solar panel array..

Yet I will say this if a disaster hits where government is in array and civil order falls apart and roaming mobs are roaming around raping pillaging and stealing, I would be armed and staying in motion with my family... Not in a house with a solar panel array on my roof.....



jesus h christ on a t rex,

30 grand for photovoltaics that are capable of giving 5kw is THIRTY GRAND!!!! ffs, that is robbery!.

I just had a quote for exactly that set up here in wales, UK, i was quoted 5000pounds. that is fully installed with the inverter.

I guess a realistic assessment of how bad things are and how bad they could get is the key to staying one step ahead and keeping you and your family out of harms way.
By overestimating the emergency you could potentially lead your family out into danger, i guess the dominating factor would be: Does the local government and emergency services still function, Will the impact of the event be so bad that Local/federal integrity of basic services will take more than a week to return to normal.

If the government has suffered a catastrophic failure, it will be at least a week before they can mobilise themselves to save themselves, it will be another week before they can operate with rescue and providing help to the community in mind.

Even if they used the FEMA camps as a means to bring help to the masses, transportation to those camps (don't go by rail
would be in disarray for sometime.
The government has a stockpile of oil for national emergencies, refining that into fuel and getting it out to the emergency services will take time.
Leaving home to escape the emergency will be a dangerous undertaking as there will be a massive exodus of people, a tank of gas may get you 4-500miles, actually travelling that distance will be another thing as the roads will be blocked with cars that didn't fill up and have been abandoned.

ATS should get our collective heads together to try and create a thread in which the signs of a major emergency that would necessitate survival flight are discussed.
It could start as something very small that slowly builds into a problem, at what point do you say "We go".



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 12:57 PM
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reply to post by finemanm
 


It’s a little sad that it’s taken this long for some to see that they are not ready for any short term survival. I know a few people up north and only reason they’re ok is they lucked out and where not in the hard hit areas.

I do hope the people take this event to heart and are better prepared next time. I know there is no such thing as 100% ready, but 10% better off is still a lot better than 0%.

One thing I’d like to point out that people don’t seem to be putting on their urban survival list is a, good map. Not the old ratty, out of date one you keep in your car from back when you got the car. I mean one that is at the minimum only two years old.



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