We have a reverse 911 call system. Seriously I think we would see the fire first if it were behind us on the mountain (we had a spontaneous small fire - a burning bush!).
We are keeping trees/ brushes clear from the house and keep the hose ready on the outside of the house.
Our plans include: 1. go now!- leave by car or foot
2. have 10 minutes - gather billfold, meds, keys - leave by car or foot
3. have 2 hours- gather billfold, meds, keys, stuff from safe
4. keep watch- gather above in backpack and keep car outside ready to go
We have never worried about this until the last several years. The closest a large fire came was about 2 miles away and you could see the flames across the valley.
I have a similar plan BUT we lived really close to TMI in 79; that put a permanent scar on my memory I was also a “brat,” so it was kinda drilled into us at a young age. We live in an area that loses power often; we also live close to a different power plant, so it’s kind of necessary for my sanity.
In my lifetime we have rarely lost power longer than a few hours, ever. We have lost water for up to 1/2 a day several times. We have notified the power company I need power for my medical equipment so we get power back more quickly on a prioritized basis.
I’m not preparing for a zombie apocalypse but am prepared for to evacuate tsunamis and potential hurricanes and loss of water or power for hours or even a day or longer.
I go in waves of being prepared. I live in both fire and earthquake country so I do think about what we would do if we were out of power for an extended period. We have camping equipment and also a travel trailer with solar. Food in the pantry that would last us awhile. It might not be what we want to eat but we won’t starve. We have both a pool and also two 80 gallon water heaters. Medications and firat aid supplies could use some organization.
I keep a blanket, tennis shoes in my car. The reality I’m not often far from my home or office. If we had to evacuate we have our office or family in other parts of town to stay with. Our biggest issue is we really only have one major Hwy in and out. If an emergency happened and we were stuck we joke we have a few friends with boats.
How about a multi-pronged attack on the nation’s electric grid by domestic terrorists that plunges the U.S. into a complete power outage that is measured in weeks, not days.
Well, we have abundant sun and rooftop photovoltaic. If we have a prolonged outage, will get our EE S to help us figure out how to use our panels to power what we need.
I refuse to catastrophize—will plan for things reasonably likely to happen and that’s all I am up for.
How would one prepare for a pandemic? I did what I could for myself, loved ones and community and we stayed safe as best we could. No point in catastrophizing in any case.
Depending on time of year that could get ugly, especially in the urban areas. Midsummer heat or midwinter cold could amp that up quickly. Masses of people in close proximity with one another. Many people don’t actually have much food put aside, some live on take out food almost exclusively. If it was widespread, across the US, there would be no where to go and not much help coming.
It is something to think about though. If electricity went out everywhere or almost everywhere for awhile. And what if cell phones went out too. How would you communicate with kids that don’t live with you. Older S/GF live in a very small apartment in DC. No way could they have but so much on hand. I’d like for them to come to us if something went down. Our area would be very far down on the list for terrorist activity. Younger S’ GF has family closer to them that I think they’d go to.
And if something like that happened, I could see all the food stores being ransacked pretty quickly. It wouldn’t take long for society to go downhill in a hurry.
I might move to @MarylandJOE ’s place! But seriously, a few of my coworkers are similar. They are avid hunters and Mcgyver type people. I’d move in with them. I’d babysit or clean or something for them.
But that’s what government and our tax dollars are for. To help, when help is needed in an emergency. And I’m sure the same would happen again, if and when necessary.
Other than first aid supplies and a whole house generator we installed a couple of years ago we probably aren’t well prepared. I keep very little non perishable food around, very little cash. Used to be better prepared when we had small kids.
My older son could make the relatively short trip to my in-law’s home. They bought a full house lot on their street and turned it into a half acre garden. When that was exhausted they could drive an hour to the family farm.
There are some interesting books out there regarding massive power outages caused by an EMP attack. Such an attack could also take out vehicle, communication and industrial electronics. It would be a real disaster.
BUT we lived really close to TMI in 79; that put a permanent scar on my memory 
I was also a “brat,” so it was kinda drilled into us at a young age. We live in an area that loses power often; we also live close to a different power plant, so it’s kind of necessary for my sanity.
