Household Emergency Plan

[velochic]

I was over and H&H where there is a thread about the swine flu.

As I was typing my reply it made me start thinking about what other people's emergency plans are, if they have one, and how you've prepared for eventualities. What will you do if, as they have done in a couple of areas of California and Texas (and Mexico), that your area closes public venues and you are told to stay home? If you have children who attend school and their school shuts down? If the WHO raises the alert rate.

I'm trying to think of other questions to ask or things to talk about, but my thoughts haven't formed on it enough yet. I have to be honest that while we have an emergency plan, it is not thorough and not documented well. It will, however, be a priority I will work on over the next few days. It should have been in my Home Management Binder long ago.

Thoughts?

[Jenne]

Well...we have several different scenarios for emergency plans. We have the gather a little extra food and toilet paper scenarios and the get-out-of-dodge, head for the hills plans which are much more drastic. Since your question referred specifically to the swine flu our plan for *this* week given current information:

Go to Sam's and purchase 1 bag of bread flour, 1 bag of all-purpose flour, 1 package of tp, 1 10# bag of sugar, 1 12# bag of baking soda. (We keep all these supplies on hand and are at the 1/2 point on the flours and sugar. Typically we would wait til we were low. Since we use these on a regular basis the only change here is that we are purchasing replacements sooner.)

If public areas are closed we will stay home although DH will probably still have to go to work. I can work from home. We don't have dc yet.

I'll be interested to see other plans and compare notes.

Jenne

[Staceyy]

We are pretty stocked up on things like food, water and meds. We are taking vitamins and raw garlic to keep our immune systems up. Think of everything you would need if you or someone in your family were sick. Things like tissues, cold and flu meds, cough drops, Pepto Bismal disinfectants etc. . Easy to prepare foods, as who is going to feel like cooking? Things like canned soups, juices, teas, jello, ginger ale etc. Foods that will be easy to keep down. Paper plates etc. in case we're unable to do dishes. Remember the more you're stocked up, the less you have to grocery shop and interact with the public. We do need to get masks and gloves though. Also extra stamps to mail our bills.

We'll use one of the spare bedrooms and baths as sick rooms to help keep down the spread of illness.

There are no young children here so we don't have to worry about how the kids would be cared for if the schools were closed.

Here are a couple good threads explaining pandemic flu and the steps to take:

http://www.drum-runners.com/index2.html

http://www.drum-runners.com/

[marimara]

Well, if we're told to stay home (in any emergency situation) then we will be just fine assuming I have electricity and a potable water source. I have a pantry full of food ( 2-3 months worth) and 'some' water but we are on city water here and I just haven't put aside tons of water; but if I suspected things were getting sketchy you bet I will get busy filling jugs

I do have basic medical supplies on hand.

We actually do have a "go bag" prepared at all times as well in case we have to evacuate immediately. It has food, clothing, medi supplies, flashlights, batteries, hand crank radio, diapers, tp, etc. Though I don't really know where we'd go. My family is in Florida and I wouldn't want to go down there in case of disaster because it's a dead end (as in only one way out-North).

We're resourceful, we'd find a way. My dh's truck could be used as a generator (has A/C jacks in the back) and as shelter (hard cover over the bed). It's 4 wheel drive. Plus we'd be traveling with a dog, so public shelters would be out.

As far as pandemic flu goes, dh is military and I'm sure our base would have vaccines (if not, then we are on our own and we have strong immune systems, we'll take herbs and immune boosters). I know they don't have vaccines for swine flu now, but if it becomes available the base will have it. And I know flu vaccines aren't perfect, in fact I don't even get them now. But if it was pandemic, outbreak style-yeah, I'd get the vaccine(s). If swine flu comes to GA or Florida, we'll be staying home. In fact, I should head to the store tomorrow to stock up on basic perishables just in case

If someone is this house gets it, I'll immediately get to work on my homemade chicken soup and garlic tea (like I always do whenever anyones is sick here). Garlic tea is made with lemon and honey. It's pretty nasty but kicks virus butt! I found the recipe from here.

It really works against cold viruses at least. I haven't had the chance to use it against flu yet but I bet it helps. Garlic is antiviral.

[nathansmum]

I've been thinking about this. I'm based in New Zealand where we are waiting on results tonight to see if some people returned from Mexico a few days back have indeed got the swine strain of flu.

I am already on top of emergency food (peak oil person here), have large bottles of water in my freezer since it's half empty, have firewood for winter, a large water tank under our front porch in case town supply gets interrupted, candles, bbq gas tank is full if no electricity to cook with, first aid supplies, veges growing in the garden.

We homeschool and don't currently attend any organised activities so no worries about hunkering down at home for a while. We usually attend a homeschooling group once a week, but no worries about that. We'll just hang out at the beach, go for walks etc to get out of the house. If we want to meet with friends I reckon we'll just meet in outdoor venues (I was planning on this over winter anyway due to my ds's health situation atm).

DH still goes out to work, but we have discussed what he is going to ensure he does - keep a metre distance from customers/other workmates (he's a store manager), wash hands etc and avoid people sneezing/coughing on him as much as possible. He works in a small shop without AC and no crowds - so all of that is in his favour I think.

I will go out and do grocery shopping and go to the library on my own without the kids most likely too. We're not in need of other things. I have some cash in the house in case ATM access/systems are interrupted.

My DS is currently on high dose steroids so his immune system is compromised for the next 5mths - super sucky timing! We have adequate drugs for him over this time. I am likely to not take him to any doctor appts we may need over the next few months and just go myself if I can get away with it depending on where things go.

From a health perspective - I am ensuring we are all getting our daily dose of Vitamin D via the sun. Even in winter, 20mins a day between midday and 2pm is adequate. if no sun is available I will supplement with CLO.

[Staceyy]

My main concern is for dh, he's a long distance truck driver who delivers to about 7 malls a day. The good thing is he works for the the US's largest vitamin manufacturer.

[Magelet]

We don't really have one. I mean, we have a all hell breaks loose apocolypse type plannish, which is basically, he stays put in denver, since apparently it would be more likely to be safe, and I make my way there, and he waits a dang long time for me to get there, in case I'm walking from san francisco. lol. I'd have mighty tough feet by then. I'm living at my parents for one more week, then he is moving out here. Here we have a moderate amount of emergency supplies, though no water. Some food. I guess thats something we'll have to make sure we have when we move into the studio. I'm just praying that everything stays open long enough for him to get here. once he's here, if things shut down, we can stay put all the time and I'll be ok, but with him so far away, I worry more. please, lord, my G-d, merciful one, let him get out here safe and sound and soon, to my arms.

[Delicateflower]

We need to prepare for several different emergencies, primarily hurricane and nuclear accident.

A pandemic really just comes down to lots of hand sanitizer, masks and a stock of food to hunker down with IMO. It doesn't compare to having things close so you can grab and evacuate or having water and a lantern and things printed out instead of on the computer for a hurricane.

[AngelBee]

:

[Jenne]

So when I actually *went* to Sam's club here's what I bought...again I was refreshing supplies early NOT buying in bulk because of the swine flu...

Bread flour
All purpose flour
Sugar
Baking soda (wasn't on original list)
Olive oil (wasn't on original list but we are out!)
Kleenex *specific for flu
Polyurethane gloves *specific for flu
Big ole thing of hand sanitizer *specific for flu
Real fruit Popsicles (just cause they were corn syrup free and looked yummy)

My Mom suggested a bucket as well cause lots of people wind up throwing up. Eh. We have garbage bags for that I guess.

Hope everyone is well!

Jenne