The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday at noon.
Today’s question:
If a major earthquake struck the Bay Area, and knocked out power and other utilities, do you think you would be able to survive, or are you not prepared for a disaster to hit Northern California?
Talk about it….
I am not even worried about it. I just trust in God will be safe
Prepped.
Went to Seafood City Supermarket over on Diamond a couple of years ago and stocked up on 50lbs of rice, wheat flour, oatmeal, freeze dried foods (such as shrimp to go w/ rice) salt, spices and other supplies.
Packed them in Mylar bags with a FoodSaver and stored them in 5 gallon food safe containers
Should be good for twenty years. You can come to my house if the SHTF.
The same Seafood City that closed down because of rodent infestation.? I’ll pass.
you can never be ready for an earthquake. you can only be prepared to deal with its aftermath.
I mean, how long are we talking about? I could last a couple of days, after that it would get interesting.
For the most part, Yes, We would be O.K.
About a week unless other family come to me. Then maybe a few days.
Yes, I keep about a weeks worth of canned and dry foods in the pantry, also a couple gallons of water in the fridge as a cold sink. The canned food is dated and I periodically eat and replace the oldest stuff.* I grew up in the 40’s before most frozen food existed. I’m accustomed to eating canned food. A crescent wrench or channel lock pliers from the garage takes care of the gas and water meters. Note! All your water valves should be exercised at least yearly to prevent sticking at a crucial moment.
* Exception! I discovered a can of Bush’s Baked Beans dated 11/11. (I don’t like pork & beans, etc.)
Could you open a can of beans (hand operated can opener) and warm them up if gas and electricity were out for a few days ?
Good point. Yes I have a couple of hand can openers plus a keychain can opener from my military days. If gas is not there I have the barbecue grill.
One of the particular things I bought to have on hand in the event of an earthquake powerout was a small camp stove and extra butane for it. The only can opener I have is a manual one. I also cook a lot from scratch so there is plenty of dry goods on hand for that.
Yup.
We live in a very affluent area with many services. I am not worried. I have my earthquake kit, and I am looking into Earthquake insurance now. I know that the insurance only covers your hotel etc, and contents but not the structure I think.
Ask for an explanation of the earthquake insurance policy from your agent. My earthquake insurance covers the structure, contents, and expenditure of living somewhere else.
The reason many homeowners don’t have earthquake insurance is the high deductible. I’ve even heard consumer advocates not recommend it except for certain cases (like having a fat savings account).
Not prepared for “officials” or fema condemning my house and trying to get me to one of their shelters.
I’ll stay in my backyard in a tent, I have the necessities.
People who aren’t prepared are going to starve, look at how wiped out the grocery store shelves were for 4th of July. Also, you are Not going to to go to your bug out location in Tahoe. Get real.
I will die because I won’t be able to get my car out of the garage to drive to the nearest McDonald’s that’s open.
Well, I do have a lot of staples, some canned food, a Weber and briquettes, grab and go bags for me and the cat, a radio, a flashlight, stored water that would have to be disinfected or boiled, wrenches, documents, etc. It is all just scattered all over the house, garage, and out in the shed.
My concern is if the house collapses or burns, a lot of that stuff would not be available. It also isn’t anywhere near what they say you’ll need. I also know from experience you can’t get an automatic garage door open with any sort of grace unless you’re a body builder, so I probably wouldn’t be able to go anywhere even though I do try to keep my gas tank filled.
The largest earthquake I’ve ever experienced in this house was the Loma Prieta and it only rattled some teacups in the hutch. There was actually a 6.+ in the 60s, I think it was, that was pretty scary, but just a lot of shaking and no damage. So, I don’t really dwell on it … much.
Taking care of it in a week or two, scouting for properties in Oregon and Nevada…………………….
Here? Not a chance!
When the New Madrid goes again, we’ll all be dead.
No. I*’am just going to stick my head between my legs and…….
We are prepared, have food, water, safety equipment, flashlights, lanterns and lantern oil, first aid, and always make sure not low on human/dog prescription meds, working fire extinguishers. Plus prepared to protect/defend the property if necessary. Don’t have a generator, but don’t intend to purchase one, although I did ponder the issue to keep my chest freezer frozen. However, my chest freezer is always at least 3/4 full, so it will stay frozen for some time provided no extended open and closing.
Good Ideal. How about refilling an empty Milk gallon with water and place it in the freezer and let that be a large ice block.
@Eastbay Babe – Thanks for reminding me re: ice block. I had forgotten about this, too many distractions lately. I’ll be making a couple soon when I’ve got gallon containers ready.
For ice blocks, filling plastic bottles work. We keep a few in the Fidge freezer and also the deep freezer. They are also good for an ice chest or cold storage bag when traveling. Learned this trick years ago when passing through ‘Vegas.
@Kirkwood – I’ll send your tip to try your water valves each year. Old valves can calcify and either (1) get stuck, or (2) break if you don’t completely turn 100% on and off.
The other water-related issue may be our water meter boxes. For those of you who have had your meters replaced within the past 5 years or so, the new meters are VERY hard to manually turn off with your hands.
Our old meter had a wagon wheel screw on/off connection that was easy to manipulate. The new boxes have a thick bar maybe 4 inches long. Jim (and he’s very strong) could barely get the water turned off with the help of a vise grip. We then bought a universal water meter turn off tool (called a Street Key or Water Key) at the hardware store. As I recall, under $20.
Oops! Not “send”. Meant “second” your tip …
Dang! I read these and you guys, well some of you like Mary Fouts, are beyond prepared. Maybe my mindset is different, but my approach has been mobility, not holding up at home waiting for help. I keep a bag at work and one in my car. Contents as you would imagine I would have without being specific. I’m gonna want to get to my kids after an emergency and chances are I won’t be home when it does hit anyway. I don’t have that kind of luck. But yeah, I have a plan, sort of.
Everyone should remember that you have gallons and gallons of fresh water already stored in your water heater. If you can access it after a quake you’ve got 40 to 75 gallons of potable water at your disposal.
I’ll be honest… I don’t worry about it. I’ve thought of earthquake kits, but chances are they’d get lost in the shuffle anyway, and wouldn’t do any good. I don’t keep anything in my car (no full disclosure) and we do have a lot of whatever in our home, for whatever reason. We’ll be fine…
I don’t think anyone can really be ‘prepared’, as in able to ride out a major earthquake unscathed. That said, our home was built in the early 1950’s and has survived its share of earthquakes, storms, Democrat politicians, etc…
You can (should) have extra food, water, booze and a propane BBQ (with extra tank) to be more comfortable until other arrangements can be made.
My plan is kind of a mix between Mad Max & The Stand…. oh, and plenty of canned food.
Hayward Fault is the one you need to worry about.
Food and water for a month, cat food, medicine, lanterns, flashlights, solar flashlight, batteries, a hand crank radio, particle and organic vapor respirators, Mini Water Filtration Systems, I’m probably forgetting something, oh yeah, propane stove and charcoal briquettes. There’s still probably more, but I ain’t going to go look.
If I survive the quake, I just hope I don’t have a three or four day hike to find out if the house is standing, or that all the survival gear hasn’t fallen and buried me alive..
well for one thing have a full tank of gas if the electrical grid gets interrupted the gas pumps will not work. The newer Fuel pumps in your car are located in the gas tank and they need it too.
I have been ready since Loma Prieta in 1989.
I live back in the woods you see.
My woman and the kids and the dogs and me.
I got a shotgun a rifle and a four-wheel drive.
And a country boy can survive………….Country folks can survive!!!
We like to believe we are ready, but in reality no one is ever ready for a major earthquake. Never know when it is going to happen, don’t know what kind of quake, or how much damage it will do.
A generator is a good idea for survival needs and communication. Keep in mind that today’s pump gas contains so much ethanol that it’s shelf life is quite short. If you are serious about having a generator ready to operate in an emergency, then buy a five gallon can of race gas (it does not have ethanol). Add a fuel stabilizer, and store it where the temperature won’t vary much. It should last well over a year.
Concord had a sizeable quake back in the late 50’s, something like 5+. We lived on Orange St. near Monument. Little structural damage like broken chimneys occurred around town but many stores, particularly grocery and liquor stores had nearly all of their stock swept off the shelves into the aisles like we saw on TV this week. In our kitchen, all of the cabinet doors on north and south sides opened and the contents landed near the center of the kitchen floor. During aftershocks at night it was the first time I actually heard the ground roar.
From the Calavaras/Concord, Loma Prieta, and Napa quakes I have noted that ground motion was always north/south.
My family has lived in the area for more than 5 generations – even through 1906 quake and all have survived unscathed. Got some canned goods and some flashlights but am not going to do much else. Life is a risk!
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I dont need supplies. We all live kinda spread out so someone will have power & water that we can stay with. If the roads are impassable I will walk until I can get to a road that either family or friends can pick me up. No reason to stay in a house with no working bathroom or power. The danger of gas leaks is way to high if there is severe damage.