Most of the parents on this forum lived through Sep 11, and some of us lived very close to ground zero. Soon after it, there were a lot of talk about what we should do in case of such disaster again.
I think what happened in Israel was a massive intelligence failure. If it could happen to Israel, then there could be terrorist attacks being plotted in the US that are not detected.
In case of terrorist attack, what are some of things we could do to prepare for it?
One thing that comes to mind is to carry extra battery for my phone.
Talk to my family where to meet up (who should pick up the grandkid and the dog)
Have extra water and food at home
Have some cash on hand
We do what you have suggested above…all the time. Because when we lose power, we need to be prepared.
We also always have food in the house that can be eaten and doesn’t require cooking (e.g. peanut butter, crackers, canned tuna, etc).
I do worry about a check in with family who isn’t nearby. Or might be traveling overseas.
Having lived thru quite a few natural disasters here, my best suggestion is to know where your nearest Walmart and Target are. They have vast emergency command centers full of smart people who are able to reorganize supply chains remarkably well. Do not count on the federal government’s ability to accomplish anything in a timely manner, unfortunately.
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Check out this thread.
That particular thread covers a lot of natural disasters. People would generally have warnings before it would happen so they could be prepared. In the case of terrorist attack, there would be no warning. A parent could be traveling, kids could be in school away from parents, elderly parents could be by themselves.
I still remember during September 11, I called my friends who were traveling as soon as I saw it on TV, they were able to rent a car to drive back home. People who had immediate access to news (trading floors) got in their cars as soon as they saw and were able to drive out of the tunnels before they were shut down.
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I don’t know if people remember…we were told to stock up on potassium iodine in case of radiation exposure. Potassium Iodide (KI) and Radiation Emergencies: Fact Sheet.
Major cities, like NYC, SFA, Chicago,etc are obvious targets, but at the same time, the terrorists could change their tactics.
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Hurricane Sandy, and another time a Halloween Ice Storm, brought down power in a large part of the state - but also the nowadays almost exclusively digital Telecom infrastructure. In fact, the local carrier had the wisdom to locate a major switching office below ground level next to a flood-prone river.
Bottom line - the ports couldn’t offload fuel, generators couldn’t be refueled, phone, mobile and Internet communications were down days (and weeks) in this highly-populated suburban area.
As a result, credit cards didn’t work even though supermarkets were stocked, ATMs didn’t work to get cash, bank branches could connect to central offices to look up balances. At the end, banks agreed to take a chance and allow customers to make in-person limited cash withdrawals on a “good faith” basis.
Since then I keep 2 weeks of assorted MRE stored - just add water 
.
And, I now have a few thousand dollars in 1/10th, 1/4, 1/2 ounce Canadian Maple Leafs. They are widely recognized, thus easily exchanged into cash, in case another natural emergency or cyber-attack (!) causes the banking system to go offline again temporarily.
Given that I have other “producing” investment options covered, I also decided that I can afford to keep 3 months worth of cash in bars from well-known mints, encased with assays in temper-proof casing. Just in case I was wrong about the Zombie apocalypse just being in the movies.
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Some of us live in CA. There are no advance warnings for earthquakes unfortunately…
“Beans, bullets, and bandages” is the “prepper” mantra and considered essential for survival
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I have plenty of “supplies” at my house. I have a network of friends and family that I could rely upon for support in case of an emergency. My wife and I have discussed what we would do in the event of an emergency. I have resources in my vehicle to assist in an emergency.
I could be better prepared of course. Maybe now is the time to look at where I can make improvements.
I’m not going to spend any of my mental energy worried about a terrorist attack. In a country the size of the US, the chances of being personally affected are slim to none. I say this as someone who was working in NYC on 9/11 and had to flee the city so I’ve actually had personal experience. Of course, folks should be prepared for emergencies - with bottled water, good flashlight with batteries, power bank for cell phones, cash, canned food etc.
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I feel exactly the same way. It’s not worth worrying about something that is 100% outside my control. We have a basement, water, (lots of wine), and canned food to last a while, flashlights, etc… (for natural disasters or power outages).
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I can protect my home.
I can feed and hydrate the occupants(to include pets).
I have substantial cash on hand.
I have power banks, but I need a solar version.
I have many flashlights, candles and several oil lamps.
I have a hand crank radio.
I have first aid/trauma kits.
I don’t know what else I could realistically do.
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Nothing. Not to mention the likelihood of your needing to “protect your home” from terrorists is virtually nil. You are in good shape for a bad storm or prolonged power outage, though, and that is smart.
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Hand crank radio? That’s impressive.
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LOL! They were stocking stuffers for the boys about 10 years ago. They work pretty well. I think they are LL Bean versions.
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A really good idea!
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Boston Public Radio gives these out to people during their fundraising drive for a donation of $10 per month.
https://www.amazon.com/Eton-Turbine-Weather-Radio-Flashlight/dp/B007KFLUTS
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I have one too (NJ resident who loses power at least once a year, no generator). I have battery powered tea lights and a peon-cordless landline phone that I can use in an emergency. I remember after 9/11 having to send a weeks worth of food, clothing and other supplies with my son to preschool.
Well. Your just as impressive… Lol
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