Disaster Kit Recommendations - Deep Breaths & Don't Forgets

Disaster Girl's Disaster Recommendations
 Deep Breaths & Don't Forgets

For more please see: previous disaster kit articles.
  

There are so many things to be thought of during moments of disaster, and often times you don't have much time to think about what to do. In situations where you can look back and obviously see that seconds were a deciding factor in a time of crisis, it's helpful to put the effort in before something actually does happen. The world's militaries, schools, and business do it- and you should really conduct drills and practice runs before a disaster too. Here's a list of things commonly forgotten during disaster and times of crisis:

DEEP BREATH

I'll keep this one short because you're probably tired of hearing it, but you really do need to stay calm. Someone panicking and screaming at the top of their lungs in an erratic manner while crying, flailing, and generally acting like a temper tantrum prone child never helped anyone, ever. You can practice this in your everyday life. While it seems minuscule learning to control your actions in mini 'disasters' whether it be someone getting injured unexpectedly or roadside flat in the middle of a thunderstorm it will begin to condition your brain into going into 'fight' mode rather than 'flight' mode. It will help you make better decisions, and think more clearly in situations it can difficult to think in.

FILL BATHTUBS & OTHER CONTAINERS

This is useful in most disaster situations. A bathtub can hold a lot of water which can be used for various things in the event that the water does go off. You can flush a toilet with no power, as long as you have water. If the water goes out for a week a family of three will need around 65 gallons of water just for drinking. Fill everything you can fill, and use the water purification methods listed here for drinking water.

SHUTTING OFF UTILITIES

Sure, we'd all like to ride through a hurricane with the TV on, while making some food on the stove with plans of a hot shower in the mix. While doing all three may seem 'moronic' its fairly common for people to do at least one or two of these things during a disaster. In disaster situations that have slow escalations (I.E. hurricane with a week heads up, severe storms, blizzards) and even ones that happen abruptly (I.E. earthquakes, mudslides, etc) it is important to shut your water, electricity, and gas off- especially when evacuating. While these utilities are pretty safe on their own, mixed with a disaster they can cause more problems than the conveniences they offer.

MONEY & BARTERING

If the power goes out, the credit card machines do too. And if the apocalypse ever does end up happening, having extras of things people may need will be quite handy. You need to have money (preferably in smaller bills & different forms- you don't want to end up paying fifty bucks or a whole gold coin for a loaf of bread), lots of change/coins, and stuff that you're able to barter with (several small bottles of high grade alcohol come to mind). Also, never keep everything together- if you get robbed or even lose something you don't want to lose it all at once.

EXTRA UNDERWEAR

Do I need to go into detail about why this may be useful? You answered 'No.' right?
But I'd be willing to wager that you didn't have any in your disaster kit.

IMPORTANT PERSONAL INFORMATION

Extended family members names, addresses, phone numbers- laminated on a card is incredibly useful. You should have your immediate family's birth certificates, social security cards, IDs, list of credit cards, the deed to the house, your will, any court agreements, all of your car information, and really anything of great importance in a waterproof envelop as well. Primary physicians info, lists of health problems and/or medications taken are also great adds.

THE USEFULNESS OF A PORTABLE TOILET

Luggable Loo
$28.95

Because, when it comes down to it- no one wants to use the bushes.


A GOOD PAIR OF BROKEN IN SHOES

For all the miles you may have to walk. If your car tire gets a flat. If you can't get to the highway because the traffic is at a standstill. For the moments all you can do is run, and just keep running. Oh dear, I sound like a Nike commercial. Those shoes may be the only ones you have for a while so choose wisely. I'm inclined to recommend a skating sneaker brand, as they are so heavily padded.

DISPOSABLE WATERPROOF CAMERAS

The power may go out and your phone battery may die, and in the aftermath of a disaster a digital camera may not be as handy as you would like it to be. You should always have at least one disposable waterproof camera in your disaster kit. You may need to take pictures of the damage afterwards of your house, car, street, etc for insurance and documentation purposes.

COMMUNICATION / SAFE & WELL LIST

If you have internet access after a disaster you can report that you're safe to the American Red Cross Safe & Well List. Alternatively you should also have one extended family member who doesn't live in your geographical region act as a outlet for notifying the rest of the family of your well being. Always remember that during a disaster you will have better luck sending out a text message rather than making a phone call.

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I'm totally starting to get why so many 'Preppers' devote entire basements, and in some cases even separate houses to storing all this stuff. The list of what you may need is really never ending, with new tools being made or discovered daily. It's the 'hobby' that keeps on giving.

xoxo disaster girl 
 

FEMA Spoofs Americans, Aces Vast Majority in New Commercials

FEMA SPOOFS AMERICANS

Aces Vast Majority in New Commercials

"Created pro bono by New York-based advertising agency Deutsch Inc., the TV, radio, outdoor, print and digital PSAs take a humorous approach to emphasize the importance for parents to involve their children in the preparedness process. Through these PSAs, families are provided preparedness conversation starters including: who to call as your out-of-state emergency contact, where to meet if everyone is separated, and what to pack as part of your emergency supply kit. The PSAs direct to the redesigned Ready Kids website where parents can find age-appropriate tools and resources they need to make preparedness a year-round family activity." -Via Multivu.com

Further Reading

Are you Ready? Probably not.. 

Creating A Custom Disaster Plan 

Disaster Kit Recommendation Series 

Alternative Modes of Transportation Series 

Survive On!

xoxo disaster girl

155 Hours - A True Story By Guest Writer Larry Neff

People are hardwired from birth for self preservation and survival, after all that's how we got here in the first place. This fact is often forgotten in a modern world containing all of the luxuries we religiously take for granted. Most people aren't prepared for anything out of the ordinary- be it a storm, a power outage, a water shortage, etc. They are comfortable on their cloud and overlook the thought that it can one day be pulled out from underneath them. 

 

When the haze of a modern world is lifted, most people find themselves in a panic- not really thinking level-headedly about anything  that they do. Not all people react this way, but the people who do largely affect the people who are prepared. In most survival scenarios the first thing you should prepare for is the people who are unprepared, because they are everywhere- and you will surely run into them on your journeys. Every once in a while I come across a personal disaster story that really sticks with me. The story I am featuring below, by guest writer Larry Neff- shows a man who is prepared survival wise for an unexpected disaster. The people who aren't prepared are the surprises in this story, and not the storm itself. Panic and unsurity are not things that people handle very well, and they will always be a big part of whatever disaster you encounter.

In situations like these it is best to avoid areas of panic, and if you are thoroughly prepared you can do this easily. One way to prepare is to make sure that you have enough supplies to get you through until order is restored, and forsake excess trips to areas of worry. Another simple way is to make sure you have always have enough gas and cash on hand to drive to an area that is unaffected by the disaster- where people are more likely to act civilized and altruistic. In the end, you can never be too prepared for the unknown- because you never really know what you will get.

155 Hours

 

"A major storm hit my little town here in West Virginia on Friday 6/29/2012 at about 7:30pm with hurricane-force winds.

Me, my wife, and our three kids were stopping by Gino's to pick up pizza's that we ordered, when all of a sudden, the sky turned black as soot. We were in line at the drive-thru and I said that this wasn't a 'normal' storm. I knew it was something else. All of a sudden, a big burst or puff of wind hit our vehicle and shook it pretty hard. I swear it felt like it shoved us back an inch or two and the dirt and dust that was hitting us, sounded like something getting sand-blasted- if you've ever heard that. I immediately peeled out and went across the street because there is a Lowe's there---so I headed for the loading bay around back.

The loading bay is a ramp that goes down into the ground about 9-11 feet, so I backed all the way down to the doors, and not a second too soon. We watched in horror as the trees bent over and touched the ground, repeatedly! There was stuff flying everywhere. My kids were crying and my wife was freaking out and I was calming them down the best that I could. It didn't last very long, but it was pretty scary. As the sky got brighter, and everything calmed down, we pulled away and drove through carnage.

The town that we just drove through, minutes before, was a disaster area. There were huge trees lying on top of cars and houses. Telephone poles were snapped off like toothpicks, while the transformers dangled by wires. Cars and trucks, flipped over. As we got on the highway to head back to our home about 12 miles away, the leaves were over an ankle deep on the roads all the way. It truly looked like a bomb went off. We were worried about what we would find when we got there.

As we tried to get to our house, we had to turn around and go back because the huge oak trees that lined the road were twisted and snapped off like twigs and lying in the road. We tried another way and it was worse--tress down everywhere. So I tried the back way, and after a little work, and maneuvering around many obstacles, we were able to get home. There were what seemed like thousands of limbs in our yard but nothing too bad. Our porch swing-glider was intact and where we left it.

I cringed at the thought of the trampoline in the back yard, but as I went around to look, to my amazement, it was right where we left it too! We got lucky, but so many didn't. There were no warnings on the radio or nothing. All we knew was that the power was out and would be for a while. We checked on neighbors (even though I don't like them) and of course, my mom and dad (they live down below us). I went in the house and dug out flash lights and dug out the candles. We lit some and just sat there in shock.

The next morning, we put batteries in a jambox and scanned to see if we could hear some news, but there wasn't too many talking about it in depth. They just said that 95% of the state was without power. Then, the day heated up. We opened all windows and doors but it didn't seem like it was helping. The next 8 days was some of the hottest on record--95°-100°+. Sitting in hot temperatures for long periods of time will make you very cranky, I can attest to that. We were putting cold, wet rags on ours, and the kids' heads to keep us cool. We would take cold showers but ten minutes later you couldn't tell that you took one. It was a bad situation.

Day in, day out, we just hung in there, hoping that the power would come back on, because the second that it did, the air conditioners were coming on with a quickness. At night, we sat around and talked with our 12 year old daughter and our 3 and 2 year old little boys. I got out my flat-top guitar and played silently in the background. My 3 year old had his nose stuck in the Nintendo DS. We had plenty of food, canned stuff and all that, so we were OK in that department. We also had water.

I went out to try and get some ice and propane bottles for my camping stove (because the ones I had in my building were missing) and what I saw enraged me. I've never seen people act the way they were acting. They were pushing little old ladies out of the way to get water. It was mass stupidity. Thousands of people were lining up to fill up there car tanks and gas cans (that's the first thing you do when it storms, dont'cha know). Lines were miles long. People were fighting and arguing. I went home because I feared for their safety had one of them crossed me.

The next day I went out and it was worse. I live by a huge lake and it was full of campers from other places. They were using up all of our resources. I went to a store to get propane bottles and this lady had about 50 of them in a buggy. I asked the clerk were more were and he told me that that lady got the last of them. She immediately looked to the ground. I calmly walked out with a fake smile on my face, known around here as the 'Insto-matic grin'. People were going crazy everywhere I looked, me knowing that most of them were NOT from here. All traffic laws were thrown out the window. It was dangerous.

I finally found a couple bottles of propane and made my way back home. All I needed it for was to make coffee, and trust me, none of those people wanna see me without my morning coffee or they would see CRrraaaaaZy! I have a propane wall mount hooked up to a hundred pound tank for back up in case the power goes off when it's cold, but I didn't want to unhook it and all that. I was sweating enough. People stopped by to see me daily to check and see how we were doing, with stories of how crazy people were acting.

As far as ice goes, there was none to be found. It was a thing of the past, like so many things that we take for granted every, single day. There was no FEMA or anything else for the first several days. Wait, I think FEMA did actually go to the Greenbrier the 2nd day, Tiger Woods was there playing golf. He must've needed water, it didn't help his game any from what I've heard.

To make a longer story a little shorter, our power finally came on Friday morning in the A.M.. I woke everybody with a loud WOOO HHHOOO! OHHH GOOODY! as I cranked the air on. I sat there and watched TV like it was the first time ever! We finally slept without being sticky-wet nastiness. I was relieved. But I immediately felt bad for all who still have not gotten power. back I want them to get it SO bad.

Little things we take for granted a lot, like power, cold air, lights, computer, etc., etc.. But it's also sickening how we've all become so dependent to these things. This has opened mine, and my family's eyes on some things like how we need to be better prepared and most importantly, become more independent. I mean, I like TV a little, and a lot of the other things, but, in a way, I would love to go back to the old ways and leave all of that behind. I can easily go into the woods and get something to eat the same as I can go to one of the many streams and get water. A lot of people here don't depend on nobody but themselves. We know the government is a joke, really. That is, unless you are one of the 1% at the Greenbrier. I think we all need to do an assessment and become more independent so we don't end up like all those crazy, panicky nuts running amok and fighting over the last loaf of bread."

A True Story Written By:

Larry Neff of West Virginia

Disaster Girl's Emergency Preparedness Articles

Are Your Ready? Probably Not - An In Depth Look At Emergency Kits

Creating Customized Disaster Plans

The Alternative Modes of Transportation Series - How To Get Around When Disaster Strikes

xoxo disaster girl

The Only Warning I Will Ever Give You - The Kill Shot From The Sun

"You're home and it's the morning, year 2012, you are minding your own business as breaking news hits the TV. "A Massive Solar Flare has occurred knocking out..." and then the TV shuts off. But then you start to realize its not just the TV it's everything. Nothing in your house works, so you go outside for answers. In the streets your greeted by hundred maybe even thousands of citizens who are wondering exactly what you are "What the fuck just happened??!?!" But no one seems to know the answer. As a person who's experienced a blackout before you head to the store to stock up on supplies, yeah- you and about a million other people. Greeted with massive lines and enraged people you realize your chances of getting everything you need are extremely low. From the back of the store someone shouts. And than another, and than another. And before you can even realize it you're in the middle of a riot and wherever you turn there's widespread panic. You make your way out of the store only to realize that this might be the end. You didn't see it coming this way, but hey that's Murphy's law for ya. You decide in this chaos your best bet is to head home and wait for some kind of information from the Government. But how will you get such information? How will the government get such information? Surely the President is sitting in his dark oval office asking his team the very same question "What do we do?"." -Me 2010

A week or two ago I was in a New Madrid forum on ATS and someone had mentioned "Clif High's Future Recent History 2020 Report". Now let's backtrack for just a moment, I have this thing- (it's weird.. saying it out loud makes me sound "crazy" but oh well) and it happens sometimes, not all the time. There are moments when I feel as though I am being metaphorically handed information, like I am sitting at a desk and someone walks in and drops a paper in front of me. Seeing that comment on ATS was one of those moments, it was as if he/she was directly talking to me. So I dropped the thread, and I went over to Half Past Human (Clif High's Website) and emailed him about the report. It was almost 3 in the morning and after 15 minutes of waiting, I figured I wouldn't get a response til the morning.. so I shut my computer down and went to bed.

I have insomnia, so there wasn't any way I was going to sleep right then and there, so I watched a movie. I wanted to watch 2012 but you know Time Warner Cable SUCKS, and the only disaster themed movie available was Knowing..(God, I sound like a spoiled brat) so I watched that. While I was watching I reached the point in the movie where Nicolas Cage is sitting in his living room watching the news, and he looks over at the clock- and as it changes from 11:59 PM to 12:00 AM there is a brief second that the clock says "Japan" under it. Bizarre. There are a bunch of theories that say this movie predicted the Gulf disaster, the Japan nuclear disaster, etc. This article is not about that though, so if you want that information you will have to go here- preferably after you finish with this :P

So in case you didn't see Knowing here's how it ends (sorry):
From IMDB

"John(Cage) collapses and is awoken the next day by a light rain and eerie orange glow in the sky (the flares are starting). We see him driving through the city being destroyed by the approaching flare: buildings on fire, rising temperatures, and people in panic throughout the streets. As he drives on he sees his old partner Phil holding his wife on the street. He then stops in front of an apartment, where he sees his sister and parents inside. He tells his sister Caleb is in a safe place now. All four then have a group hug and hold onto each other as the flare incinerates and vaporizes everything in the city. The last shot of Earth is from space as it is breaking up."

I shrugged it off and went to bed, but it would return the next morning in a three different forms. There would no longer be any second guessing from Disaster Girl. This information was important. This information was real. This information was not three separate conspiracy theories, it was three concrete examples of one thing. One very real thing, the Kill Shot from the Sun.

Class X5.4 Solar Flare 3/7/2012

You see that? That's one of the strongest solar flares to come out of the sun in the last 5 years.. and guess what? It's nothing in comparison to what's coming. Here's some facts:

1. Clif High's webbot program was originally designed for the US Government, so they could predict future trends in the stock market.
2. The Remote Viewing programs you are about to learn about also started as a US Government program.
3. A Class X solar flare is the largest flare before switching to the Mega flare category.

Before I bring out the less mainstream sources (Which, are the ones you should be listening to.. but I understand wanting an "Authoritative" persons view so here's what NASA has to say about it.

"National power grids could overheat and air travel severely disrupted while electronic items, navigation devices and major satellites could stop working after the Sun reaches its maximum power in a few years.
Senior space agency scientists believe the Earth will be hit with unprecedented levels of magnetic energy from solar flares after the Sun wakes “from a deep slumber” sometime around 2013, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.
In a new warning, Nasa said the super storm would hit like “a bolt of lightning” and could cause catastrophic consequences for the world’s health, emergency services and national security unless precautions are taken." -Telegraph

OH... IS THAT NOT GOOD ENOUGH? WELL, HERE'S NASA'S PREPAREDNESS VIDEO FOR THEIR FAMILIES.



And HERE is NASA's actual press release to the public.

Now let's move on to the interesting stuff.. This is Major Ed James, a former Government Major, who has a lot to tell you.

Here's some more information from a couple more credible people..

"Astrophysicist Alexei Dmitriev says that both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 satellites reveal that our sun, as well as our entire solar system, is now moving into aninterstellar energy cloud.Opher, a NASA Heliophysics Guest Investigator from George Mason University says this interstellar energy cloud is turbulent. Dmitriev explains that this cloud of energy is exciting the atmospheres of our planets and especially our sun. As this interstellar energy cloud continues to excite/charge the sun, it causes the sun to become more active, resulting in greater output from the sun. IE: Bigger and more frequent solar storms and CME's resulting in the Carrington effect. This interstellar cloud of electrical energy is also absorbed by the Earth, and scientist have found that it results in more earth quakes, all while dramatically effecting our weather here on earth. When asked how long will it take our sun to pass through this interstellar energy cloud, Dr. Dmitriev replied, "I don't know. But If I had to guess, I would say somewhere between two thousand to three thousand years." This interstellar cloud is a wispy band of charged particles through which our solar system is slowly moving through.

When Dr. Dmitriev was asked what are the implications of all this for earth he replied, "Global catastrophe! Not in tens of years from now, but in ones of years" ...in that this global catastrophe is basically right around the corner setting the stage for NASA's latest solar storm warning 2012-2013." -SolarFlareWarning.com

And here's what Clif's report said.. (Small excerpt for full report please visit his website:

"The huge level of [solar discharges] over 2012 through 2019, included several instances of what became called [electric whips]. These [solar ejections] were devastating to the [electrical warfare infrastructure], as well as civilization in general, but far more so to the [officialdom], than to the general populace ( or so we hope from this perspective). There are several data sets with descriptors seeming to indicate that either the [moon] or [earth] is [scarred] by [sun stuff (plasma)]. This appears to have an impact in late 2012, and again in 2013." -Future Recent History 2020

Here's one of my first articles Alternative Modes of Transportation: Part Six & Adlibbed Part Seven - Surviving a Electricity Crisis/Zombies Apocalypse which is the only real help I can give you. Additionally here are two other article I wrote Are you ready? Probably not.. and Creating a Custom Disaster Plan. These articles will help you prepare for the coming solar storms. The more you start to enlighten yourself, the better your chances of survival are. PREPARE.

Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Scorned, and This Bitch is Burning!
xoxo disaster girl

P.F.S. Links for the Curious
Solar Flare Wiki
NASA 3/7/2012 Solar Flare Report
Space Weather - For Sun Monitoring
NASA - MegaFlare/SuperFlare - The Carrington Effect

Irene, The Hurricane I was Waiting For.

IRENE
The Hurricane I was Waiting for.
Hurricane Irene Wiki
Thank you to all who followed me during and at the height of the storm!


Irene in Cape May NJ Courtesy of NJ.com


Irene's Full Path as a Hurricane & Tropical Storm


Hurricane Irene coming over North Carolina
from my lil' cuz Sarah


If you know me at all, or spent any substantial amount of time with me you would know that last years hurricane season was a huge disappointment for me. (I can't HELP wanting to get hit with one, I haven't been in one yet.) I made it through a tornado, standing outside enjoying the sights- and I am determined to see this beast up close and personal. If I could get in the eye without killing myself I would, sue me- I'm fucking nuts.

Are you prepared? Probably not. (Emergency Kit Lists)
Creating A Custom Disaster Plan

Hurricane Irene at her Max:
-Category: Category 3 Hurricane
-Max-Sustained Winds: 120 MPH (Wind Gusts of 120-130 MPH)
-Start: African Coast, Cape Verde Island
-End: American/Canadian Border (PTS)
-Largest Recorded Width: Appx 900-1000 Miles WIde
-Fastest Recorded Movement: 25-30 MPH
-Largest Recorded Wave Height at Eye: 40-50 FT
-Lowest Central Pressure: 942 MB
-Deaths:41 (2 "indirect") reported deaths so far, people still missing 8/30 10AM
-Estimated Cost: Appx $10,000,000,000
Other:
-Strongest storm to hit East Coast since 1893/1938
-Strongest storm to hit Northeast since Gloria in 1985
-Tornado forming hurricane
-Waterspout Tornado producing hurricane - MD 7PM
-Extreme threat to entire East Coast
-Hurricane Irene will be the 7th "I" storm name to be retired within the last 11 years
-Hurricane Katrina 8/28/05 Hurricane Irene 8/28/11 .. 6 Years - same time frame
-First landfall on US soil in 3 years
-Occured on the same day as the 1893 Hurricane mentioned, which was the last big storm to hit the Northeast Coast
-Downgraded to Tropical Storm just before eye reached NYC/NNJ
-9th Billion dollar weather event for US in 2011, topping 35 Billion Total
-Made 3 landfalls total, NC, NJ, NY

Other info
State Of Emergencies declared in:
NJ, NC, VA, MD, CT. NYC/NY, RI, MA, SC, MA, NH, PA, VT
Evacuations in:
Hoboken NJ, Jersey Shore Area Beaches/towns, NY Zone A/B, Va, Ocean City MD, Fire Island NY, Delaware- Sussex Co, Dare Co-Currituck County-Ocracoke/Hyde County NC, Outer Banks, Barrier Islands NJ, Cape May County NJ
-Hospitals in NY evacuated
-Many curfews enacted in NY/NJ/VA/MD/NC/DC

Damages/Expected Damages
Effect on Bahamas:
90% of houses affected on islands Cat 3/4 in repairs (meaning most are destroyed and beyond repair), island communication loss
-Severe Damage reported in Puerto Rico, President Obama declared Federal SOE, aid expected
-SW Outer bands reach Florida, waves injure 8 on FL Getty
-NYC/NJ Transit Full Transit Shutdown
-Tornadoes formed by Hurricane Irene in NC possible injuries and structural damage
-Pier in Atlantic Beach blown away by Irene
-Boy dies after tree falls on house NC
-Surfer dies in FLORIDA after trying to surf Irene's massive waves
-East Coast Oil Refineries shut down, temporarily raising gas prices
-Airports Closed - All flights in and out of NYC cancelled as of Sat evening through Monday morning
-Power Outages Reported in NJ, NC, VA, MD, CT. NYC/NY, RI, MA, SC, MA, NH, PA, VT
-Total Power Outages as of 8/29 2PM Roughly 5 Million & counting
-Man drowns in NJ
-High tide played a huge role in flooding impacts of coastal NY/NY/NYC
-Georgetown University Arts building suffers partial roof collapse because of Irene.
-Road Closures/bridge closures throughout Northeast/east coast
-Possible Dam failure in MD
-Driving Ban enacted
-Hudson & East River rise significantly
-Lower Manhattan, Lower Brooklyn, Lower Queens flooded
-NJ woman drowns is car after call for help at 1AM, wasn't found until 9AM
-Gilboa Dam Middleburgh NY Sirens have alarmed, evacuations in the area ordered
-3 NJ Dams put on alert, many Crest Monday Morning
-90 Rivers put on overflow warnings
-Rescues still in progress throughout East Coast
-212 "Worrisome" dams in NJ
-Rain that fell on NJ was about 1,060,920,115,200 gallons. If stacked on the Giants field, it would be 466 miles high.
-20 people stranded in hotel with no power, downstream from dam with a breach near NYC.
-Most NYC transit restored as of Monday 8/29
-Quechee bridge was washed away
-Vermont one of the hardest hit areas
-NJ Transit rail services remains suspended, some buses also suspended too, revised list of bus availability up 8/29 morning.
-MA orders evacuations of areas surrounding dams cresting
-NJ/NY/VT hit record rain totals


PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE IF YOU LIVE IN NY/NJ AREA
New York's Modern Day Atlantis, NY Island wiped of Map because of Hurricane




Irene at her Height


NYC - Battery Park AM 8/28


VT

CNN State-By-State Developments related to Hurricane Irene

The Weather Channel Extreme Flooding in VT Video/Pictures

National Geographic Hurricane Irene Aftermath Pictures

Hope you all stayed safe!

xoxo disaster girl

P.F.S. Elsewhere in the US we also have small tremors rattling California from an "Ancient Volcano" VIA Reuters & A reported 2.9 Earthquake in Albany NY... sounding apocalyptic to anyone other than me..?

Alternative Modes of Transportation: Part Two & Three Surviving a Volcanic Eruption/Massive Earthquakes

VOLCANOES, EARTHQUAKES & PLANES
OH MY
The Yellowstone Caldera is the world's largest Supervolcano and one can only speculate how devastating its eruption would be. Obviously the closer you live to Yellowstone, the lower your survival rates will be. I, on the other hand, live literally on the edge of the East Coast, so my survival rates are high- for the most part. Volcanoes are tricky, because they come with Pyroclastic flows AKA Ash Clouds. Avoiding a volcanic eruption is seemingly easy as long as you aren't anywhere near it.

Earthquakes are pretty easy to get around too, unless you live in California. If you do live in California- close this page & move the fuck out, this is my best and only suggestion. Hopefully you understand that you won't be John Cusack in "2012", you will most likely perish only to be remembered by your extremely tiny dog and the bank account you left behind. Anyways, methods to surviving earthquakes are fairly easy. Get off the Ground! Completely!

Volcanoes and Earthquakes are extremely different, but ironically your best way to avoid and escape these disasters are identical. You will have to act quick, and one can only guess what is quick enough. You will also need to prepare ahead of time, as this isn't something you can truly master without extensive practice.

 

Click Here to Look up Local Flight Schools

If Yellowstone blows, or we start experiencing Earth Crust Displacement (A Theory by Charles Hapgood, Supported by Albert Einstein), the only place you want to be is off the ground. Your best measure? Learn to fly. In Apocalyptic times, Martial law will be enacted, and small airports that aren't around anything will most likely be forgotten. Finders keepers I say, because chances are- the owner of that plane won't be coming around anytime soon. He's probably on some Military vehicle, thanking god that he's gonna make it out alive... Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

If the apocalypse comes around and martial law is enacted, HIDE. Do not run to authorities. Martial law means ALL your liberties that you took for granted on a daily basis are null and void. You have no liberties. I don't know about you, but if I had no liberties or rights, the last place I'd want to be is on a Military base, begging for my one phone call.

So learn to fly, and learn everything you can about everything. This is the information age people, and you literally have the world at your fingertips. Use the internet to research what's going on in the world. Use it to map seismic faults. Use it to learn which Volcanoes are active, and which are overdue for an eruption. Use it to enlighten yourself, instead of further dumbing yourself down. Stop watching MTV shows, and do something constructive with your time. "Teen Mom - Amber" and "Snookie" from the "Jersey Shore" won't be your tour guides in the apocalypse, you will be. You won't trust yourself if all you're worrying about is if your poof is high enough.

P.F.S. I don't really trust American media, so when push comes to shove, check the U.K. news outlets like B.B.C., they have no reason to lie to you after all. I'm paraphrasing this only because I can't find the actual quote, Henry Burke (Ciaran Hinds) in Race to Witch Mountain says something to the effect of this: Why would the American Government take out the Conspiracists when they're correct? Doing so would only make the American people believe what they were saying.

P.P.F.S. No vehicle works when ash is falling, so make sure you get the hell out of there before it shows its ugly face.

xoxo disaster girl

Alternative Modes of Transportation: Part One - Surviving a Tsunami

This is one of my favorite topics to talk about, so excuse me if I seem overly excited about this one guys. Most people would do the unthinkable in a disaster and get in their car and attempt to leave. Make no mistake, if you do this you won't get very far. As of a 2007 Census report there are approx. 247 million registered vehicles in the United States, do you really want to be 1 in 247,000,000? Do you honestly think that you will get more than a mile in a disaster? You won't. You probably won't even be able to pull out of your own driveway.

This is another issue that I can only provide guidance in. These methods are greatly affected by what area you live in, as well as the climate. Some of my ideas haven't even been thought of by other disaster fanatics, which surprises me. In my opinion these are some of my best ideas and will probably requires little tweaking on your part.

TSUNAMI'S & THE HUMAN BUBBLE

I hear people in NYC say all the time "We don't have to worry about tsunami's, we have the some of the tallest buildings in the world." or "Tsunami's don't hit the big city." ::dumbfounded:: People are retarded. But that's what you get from a society that focuses more on disasters being a film plot rather than an actual occurrence. Buildings are not meant to withstand tsunami's, no building is ever designed with a "Tsunami Contingency Plan". If a building does happen to remain standing after a tsunami, it's probably just luck or the land elevation playing a huge factor. You will not survive a tsunami by getting to the top of the Empire State Building, you'll just die of exhaustion running up those stairs. Unfortunately, most people will die in tsunami's- even the prepared.

So what's my mode of transportation with such low survival rates? The Human Bubble. You know you've seen that ridiculous commercial for Huggies with the mother who doesn't want to expose her child to outside elements, so she brings the kid to the park in a human bubble. These human bubbles will be anyone's best chance of surviving the unsurvivable. Conveniently, there are human bubble's available for purchase on eBay's marketplace, usually ringing in between $600.00-$1500.00, however these bubbles only provide a frame for an Apocalyptic Human Bubble (Phrase Coined by Yours Truly).

Now there are some tweaks needed to make this idea work. Firstly you would have to create a light weight coating to make the bubble as indestructible as humanly possible. Obviously Kevlar is out because of its weight. Thankfully scientists in Israel have begun to solve this problem for me and started to develop the Hardest Organic Material ever made by scientists, which is also ultra-light.

Secondly, we'll have to find a lightweight way of completely sealing the opening so no water can penetrate the inside of our bubble- however I am still iffy on my conclusions on this one. First I was thinking caulking, but tsunami's are strong and caulking is weak. Typical measures used in spaceships and submarines would not qualify as they'd probably require an actual door and can weigh quite a bit, and we are working with a bubble. I suppose you could cover the door with a twice as large piece of aforementioned material and cover the back of the overlapping material in a sticky waterproof substance. This step will require a lot of testing, for some reason Mythbusters is coming to mind.

Lastly, oxygen. Arguably the most important part of this product, as you all know a ball can not float on water without air in it. So you'll have to get yourself the lightest oxygen tank available I suggest DeVilbiss Walkabout Mini Oxygen System weighing under 4 lbs, and giving up to 4 hours of oxygen, which I believe is enough time to survive a tsunami.

If this idea seems to complicated for you, you could always build yourself a fucking Ark, Good Luck :-P

P.F.S. If you build this, and it works, make sure you have your money with you. Chances are you'll end up hundreds of miles from where you started. That'd be a long ass way to go in a glorified hamster ball.

xoxo disaster girl

Creating A Custom Disaster Plan

Creating your disaster plans are easy. Most people just don't think about it, but luckily you have me to do it for you. You're probably thinking- Disaster plan? What do you mean.. I'm gonna watch the news and do what they tell me to do. Don't do that. Natural disaster's are UNPREDICTABLE, Sam Champion said last year we were going to get a Nor'Easter, yet we didn't even see rain... much less snow. Don't let someone else save you. Save yourself. Prepare.

You should have 6 disaster plans, YES, I did say SIX. You should have a separate plan for everything that can go wrong.

1. TSUNAMI
2. VOLCANIC ERUPTION
3. EARTHQUAKE
4. HURRICANE
5. TORNADO
6. ELECTRICITY CRISIS

Here's my disaster plan with footnotes (Footnotes in here) so you can begin to construct your very own disaster plan. I live in Bergen County, New Jersey- so my disaster plans reflect my area, that where you do your customization.

1. TSUNAMI - (Severe Damage, Flooding)
-Track resources of affected areas to determine what course of action is necessary. (Coast Guard Weather Center is the best resource when it comes to weather) Access damage, staying home if possible, seeking shelter via FEMA or local O.E.M. in a hotel.
-If area is affected grab kit & quickly head to higher ground in Bald Mountain NJ in 240FT elevation isn't enough. (For this you need your town's elevation & the closest highest elevation in your area/state.)

2. VOLCANIC ERUPTION - (Property Loss/Health Hazards)
-Track resources of Yellowstone observatory (Track whatever's closest to you)
-Remain home if area will be unaffected by magma, Remain indoors, seal all windows, and wait for Ash Cloud to come, & subside.
-If magma will reach home, grab kit & evacuate to an unaffected area.

3. EARTHQUAKE - (Property Damage/Power Outages)
-Seek shelter, if home avoid windows and get to a hallway located in the strongest area of the house (usually the middle)
-If out find a sturdy place to hide, still preferably a hallway.
-Access damage, staying home if possible, seeking shelter via FEMA or local O.E.M. in a hotel.

4. HURRICANE - (Power Outage/ Wind Damage / Flooding)
-Get Kit
-Remain home, if not home get home. (Most people would choose to evacuate before hand)
-Board Windows
-Create & stay in safe room (Choose room with few windows, high elevation)
-Wait for storm to pass
-Access damage, staying home if possible, seeking shelter via FEMA or local O.E.M. in a hotel.

5. TORNADO - (Damage / Power Outage)
-Get Kit
-Get to Underground shelter immediately
-Wait it out
-Be careful when leaving as you do not know what kind of damage to expect
-Access damage, staying home if possible, seeking shelter via FEMA or local O.E.M. in a hotel.

6. ELECTRICITY CRISIS
-Immediately go to store and stock up on non perishables, water, extra gasoline, and anything you may need. Prepare for the worst. For instance if a solar flare was large enough it could put the whole east coast in the dark, for months. All our parts are made in other countries and would take weeks to months to fix. Their priority would be their country first which would put us back into the stone age.

Create your plan and be careful when picking what you will do. Major disaster's will leave the highway systems packed, and most likely you won't be able to get out unless you know what your doing. Next week I'll be blogging about preferred methods of transportation in times like these.

xoxo disaster girl