SFist: Italy Quake Reminds You to Get Prepared. Now.

bornandraised

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:29:51 -0800

being a nert is awesome! seriously, everyone should take the course, you meet awesome people in your neighborhood and participate in real life saving drills (i was a medic and i fully support what nert will do to help alleviate the emergency responders)

withak

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:10:03 -0800

Another important thing to remember is that you should have a similar emergency kit at work, particularly if you work on the opposite side of the bay from which you live. Even if the Bay Bridge and the BART tube somehow aren't damaged they will be closed for at least a few days for inspections. If they are damaged (extremely likely) then you are looking at weeks or months or more where the only way to cross the bay is by ferry. Same thing if you live east of the hills in the East Bay. BART structures and the freeway tunnels will need at least a few days of inspections before anything moves through them again.

Xenu

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:41:54 -0800

Does having a collection of Jesus candles and gaudy statues of Mary count as preparedness?

FYoCouch247

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:19:48 -0800

I think above all else, count on not having any city services for at least a few days. It's not guaranteed there will be PD/FD around, so you need to prepared to survive on your own. It's a way of thinking versus just having a shitload of tools, water and food. Sign up with alertsf.org Have someone outside of the bay area who you and your fam can call so everyone knows that everyone is ok Extra cell phone batteries Scan copies of all your important documents and save them on a keychain thumb drive that you can keep on your person and mail them off to some relative you trust There are tons of simple things you can do, you just need to think about it.

Darkmoon

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:48:45 -0800

Nice thing about living in 'earthquake country', it just happens then you survive or don't and deal with it. At least it's not like waiting for the 'hurricane' to hit in a week. That said the one thing most people think about but in the wrong way. Have your personal ID in your wallet. ID card, Birth Certificate, Social Security Card, Insurance etc, etc... if they are in a Bank Security Box and that Bank collapses on it. When you need your personal pieces of paper that prove you are who you say you are... and can't get to them. To bad so sad, move to the back of the line till you can prove you are who you say you are.

sfrealist

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:29:48 -0800

This list is somewhat ridiculous (a staple gun? really?). What you really need is water. Everyone needs water. Store a couple of gallons under the kitchen sink and you're good.

Belgand

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:20:16 -0800

Actually it would simply be nice to have cash at all. Having even $20 stored away somewhere would imply that I've actually been able to have that much money in my wallet at any point over the past three or four years. The problem I've always had with these lists is that they seem to be oriented towards all the things it would be nice to have, but tend to overdo it. A list of the essential things you really need to have -- not to mention the additional little "go-bag" -- is really the hardest thing to find.

aj

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:56:04 -0800

A lot of this will fit into a storage crate. If you have a closet full of crates of stuff, just make one of them the quake crate.

wallcloud

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:30:13 -0800

Oh yeah, I have most of it (4 gallons of water person, for instance), I just don't have every single last bit of it in one place. I already have moolah squirreled away somewhere I've always thought terribly clever. I was thinking more about the bucket, the fact that my sleeping bag only fits in my closet, the fact that I can't put a garbage can full of supplies in the living room, etc. Luckily, my building was built in 2004, so I feel pretty safe structurally-speaking.

porkbun

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:22:24 -0800

you can start getting the pieces together without needing too much space. You can probably fit a few gallons of water underneath a sink. Canned food is easy to store, too. Things such as copies of medical, financial, personal documents take up virtually no space. Another thing that's good to have is CASH. If there is any interruption in ATM/credit cards, you probably won't be able to get any cash right when you need it.

wallcloud

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:15:39 -0800

While I have most of this covered, I feel like these suggestions are best tailored for someone in a single family home or at least a large dwelling. I don't, for example, have room for a "large, watertight container" like a garbage can on wheels. Unless of course I plan to make it a piece of furniture or large obstacle/conversation piece. Does anyone know if the Red Cross or some other organization has specific suggestions for those of us who live in a tight space, either alone or with fellow sardines? Any tips on where I should stow that crowbar?

RinconHillSF

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:05:07 -0800

Note that water is at the top of the list ... you can do without food for awhile, but water is pretty important. Don't forget the free training provided by the San Francisco Fire Department - http://www.sfgov.org/sffdnert Do I really have to convince you to spend time with firemen besides the whole learn to stay alive after an earthquake stuff? :)

aj

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:48:17 -0800

Thank you. This is a really good reminder.

brittney

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:31:09 -0800

Great advice. I have done absolutely nothing to prepare, and just pure lazy that I have not done so.