Disasters in Travels

[magnusfide]

Even on vacation we can't take a vacation from awareness and knowledge: it's not a matter of paranoia rather it's preparedness to protect you and your loved ones. Gatlinburg's tragedy offers lessons and reminders. Feel free to add some protection advice of your own to this thread.

-Make yourself aware of evacuation routes: some places provide this in the literature they hand to you. Some don't. Find out before disaster strikes.

-Ask if there are sirens for floods,tornados and evacuation orders. Ask which buildings are designated shelters.

[bucky]

That seat belt danger is very real. Kids think the slot is a piggy bank so they stick nickels or whatever in them.
Next person that buckles up can't release the belt because the button won't go in far enough. I've had to cut customers out of tight rear seat lap belts, the shoulder combos have enough slack so that you aren't touching their body with the back of the blade while you are cutting.

[welove2drive]

I just purchased ResQme emergency glass breaker/seat belt slicers for the family. I hope we never need one!

[toedtoes]

For me, I know where I am, I have paper maps not just GPS to get me where i'm going.

I never park with a near empty tank with the idea that I'll fill up on my way out.

My water tank is filled for each trip.

I have enough non-perishable foods to supplement my meals for several weeks.

I make sure I'm aware of the weather expectations for the duration of my trip, and I keep track of changes to those expectations daily.

I don't push the envelope - if there's a fire in the area, I head out. I'm not going to wait it out and see if it gets near me - I'm going to make sure I'm safely away from it (mostly because I don't EVER want an emergency worker to have to risk his/her life because I waited too long to leave).

My work includes providing emergency vehicles, etc., so that historical artifacts and other items of significance are able to be gotten out of danger. I have seen a "we've got 3 days to get this stuff out" turn into "we've got one trip in and out to get this stuff out" within hours. So, I take it seriously to get out when the getting is easy.

I will also offer to help others, including authorities, to get things moved out early. The more that gets moved when we've got "3 days" the less chance someone needs to make that last "one trip in and out" when things are very dangerous.

[Ivylog]

In Kansas six years ago we watch the local TV to see where a tornado was going in relation to the campground we were in. The slides were in and we were unhooked from the campground services and ready to move if it came our way. Fortunately it past 5 miles north of our location and we hooked up to the campground services once the front was gone.

Today weather tap zoom is my favorite smart phone weather program. This past summer it let me know I needed to slow down and let a hail storm pass in front of me.


On the night the fires got out of hand in Gatlinburg I looked at that app at 9:30 PM and it showed multiple cells in the front moving at over 115 miles an hour west of Knoxville. Having seen how fast a fire can be pushed through the tops of trees with heavy winds I would've gotten out of the Gatlinburg area by 10PM IF I'd been in the area.

As a pilot I've always been more aware about the weather than most but today it's easy to be aware. I highly recommend Zoom Weather and learn how to access all the info it has.I agree you can take anything too far

[Dick_B]

One way to look at preppers is what is the downside of being prepared? Unless such preparation limits the enjoyment of the `normal' days.

[Matt_Colie]

An acquaintance was listening to me one day and remarked that I thought I was somewhat paranoid that I keep the coach ready to bolt. I remarked that if he thinks I am paranoid, he should also nothing that I am old an paranoid. I am and was raised a waterman. Watermen that are not very aware of threats are often lost.

I don't laugh at preppers. I do think some are a little over the top, but then the SHTF day has not yet come.

Matt

[jnharley]

A weather radio is an essential piece of equipment for us. . We set it up for the specific area we are in and have an atlas available if needed so we can pinpoint the weather alert in our area. Get one with SAME technology and set it up by county and you will only get alerts for that area.

[mdcamping]

magnusfide wrote:

DOTLDaddy wrote:
- Find out what county you are in. Storm warnings are almost always issued for the counties affected.

Good point: it's important when you're listening to your weather radio.

Pay attention to your smart phone too, we have had a few near misses in the past.

Excellent thread!

Mike

[magnusfide]

DOTLDaddy wrote:
- Find out what county you are in. Storm warnings are almost always issued for the counties affected.

Good point: it's important when you're listening to your weather radio.

[oldmattb]

We can get so obsessed with such things that we make our lives miserable, or we can do simple things to create peace of mind and preparedness.

Our experiences have been more toward using the RV to get away from disaster areas at home. Several near misses.

Our RV is always parked at home with near-full fuel, full water, non-perishable food, bottled water, first aid kit, four-season clothes, two-way radio... You can create your own list.

One item I can get preachy about - potassium iodide tablets. If you live near railroad tracks, in areas with medical services or the like, you could be exposed to radiation. An investment of $10 could save your life.

A friend of mine was laughing at preppers. Though I am not a prepper, I do think about such things. I asked my friend, "What are the chances of you facing a disaster? Maybe one percent?" He agreed. I then said with 365 days in a year, maybe you should spend 3.6 days a year preparing."

Not a firm logical argument, but it floored him.

[DOTLDaddy]

- Find out what county you are in. Storm warnings are almost always issued for the counties affected.