LIST: Survive the Zombie Apocalypse. More important zombie-prepping advice here.
UPDATE: Reader Joseph Dorsett writes: “Whether or not the Zombie horde comes the second link you provided is very good if a disaster breaks. Enough food and water in a backpack for three days. Everyone should throw something like that in the back of the vehicle. Lately evidence has shown that it takes that long for the Government to get ready to help.” Yes, at best. And it’s amazing how much zombie-prep has in common with disaster-preparation in general . . . .
UPDATE: Professor Stephen Clark emails:
Robert Dorsett writes that it seems to take the federal government three days to respond with relief in the wake of a disaster. What you and your readers need to understand is that, in the wake of 9/11 and Katrina, FEMA has been pressing state and county officials charged with managing first responders to have plans in place to fend for themselves for up to three days without federal assistance.
My wife works for a regional planning commission and has had to deal with some aspects of the planning process here in our region. This is something that has been ongoing nationwide for a couple years. While FEMA and the federal government would try to bring relief the moment it is needed, the bottom line is that you need to be prepared to tough it out for three days before relief arrives. It may take that long.
Or longer, judging from the Gulf experience.
MORE: Apocalypse thoughts from War Nerd. “If there was a mass of zombies swarming the streets, I’d feel pretty good about it. Remember that scene in Dawn of the Dead when they’re on the roof of the mall picking off zombies to pass the time? It’d be that easy. Being braindead is not an advantage in war, believe it or not.”
STILL MORE: A reader emails:
Now, I’m in Earthquake country, so it’s more a shelter-in-place then get-outta-dodge situation here, but it seems to me that apart from the *need* to be prepared to handle yourself for three days, the last thing you want to be doing three days — a week — ten days into an emergency is spending your entire day in the bread-line, even if there is a bread-line to be had. I have enough food (and fuel, and water, and beer, and scotch, and hand tools) to take care of my family for a solid 14 days. You don’t want to burn your gasoline to go hang out for ten hours to get a day’s worth of food. So I’ll be in a position to help folks on my street, or for the unexpected house guest, if the wait is longer than the expected three days. (I also have the advantage that, despite being in suburban San Francisco, have a decent open space behind me with turkey, deer, and some other edible things which I’ll kill in short order (and a damned sight sooner than my neighbors) to stretch my supplies, “unlawful discharge” ordinances notwithstanding).
Good point. (Bumped). Especially about the beer and scotch. I need to add to my stockpiles. . . .
ANOTHER UPDATE: Reader Richard Egan emails:
I do some work with emergency management groups and the general consensus is that prep for a minimum of 3 days should be on hand per person. Key is clean drinkable water, at a minimum of 64 oz per day and you need to think of pets also. In our area it would be stay in place so planning for two weeks is appropriate. If you are in an area where you probably have to leave then 3-5 days in a bug out bag per person is good. The food should be stuff that could be eaten without adding water or heating, vacuum sealed for weight considerations.
Some general links for water.
All good advice. And Rachel Pereira emails:
You may want to mention to your minions that cash is important in their disaster preparedness pack.
In 2004, when we got slapped with 3 back-to-back hurricanes (in Orlando, which is in the middle of the state), my husband and I learned the hard way, after the first ‘cane (Charlie), that our Visa check card was useless since most of the city had no power for days and days. And we never have cash on us. So even if we wanted to go stand in a three hour line to buy ice, we could only do so if the company was compassionate enough to accept a check. (happily, they took our check)
Cash is key. And now we have a couple bucks stashed away, just in case.
Also, for those who still have a home phone, a cordless phone does not work with no power. Best Buy had the funniest signs on their door after Charlie: we sell Corded phones! And cell phones die quickly when cell
towers are knocked down, and the cell phone is searching for a signal.
Yes, keep some cash (plenty of small bills!) handy. Some of the hand-cranked emergency radios will charge a cellphone, too.