10 Mar 17
Another âReady-or-Notâ lesson. This from a friend in Western NY:
âWednesday, most of Western NY got hammered by a severe windstorm. Niagara Falls reported gusts in excess of 70 mph, and Rochester reported one gust exceeding 80 mph. In Batavia, a 29-car freight train was derailed by a gust of wind! Widespread damage to power-lines, telephone lines, cell towers, and structures. No power in many areas. A number of major roads remain closed.
(1) Generators in local stores sold-out almost instantly. When you donât already have one, youâre out of luck!
(2) Available supplies of all kinds, including food and fuel, are exceedingly finite. When something like this happens, store shelves are bare within hours!
(3) Powerful flashlights are a critical commodity, even during the day when you must work inside buildings with no other light available.
(4) Being able to cook and boil water is also critical when the incident lasts more than a few days. Wood-burning fireplaces, and pots for open-fire cooking, are handy! Camping stoves also work well, so long as you have fuel.
(5) Tree limbs, even small ones, can effectively block driveways and roads. Bow-saws and axes/hatchets are yet another critical commodity!
(6) You may have to walk. The sage wear sturdy shoes and boots. Flip-flop wearers donât get far!
(7) Police/fire response is extremely limited, maybe non-existent. Guns and fire extinguishers had better be on-hand. Youâre going to have to handle security emergences yourself! The unarmed are exceptionally vulnerable.â
Comment:
Personal preparedness starts with correct attitude! The clueless, naive, and vain are always the first to perish!
/John
