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"Wineglasses, antique vases, Humpty Dumpty, hip bones, hearts: what breaks quickly generally mends slowly, if at all. osspac estimates that in the I-5 corridor it will take between one and three months after the earthquake to restore electricity, a month to a year to restore drinking water and sewer service, six months to a year to restore major highways, and eighteen months to restore health-care facilities. On the coast, those numbers go up. Whoever chooses or has no choice but to stay there will spend three to six months without electricity, one to three years without drinking water and sewage systems, and three or more years without hospitals. Those estimates do not apply to the tsunami-inundation zone, which will remain all but uninhabitable for years." (The New Yorker article "The Big One")
Above is from the New Yorker article of a few years back. The problem is that most people think, if they think at all, small. When electricity goes out so does refrigeration and air conditioning. The elderly will die in great numbers, especially if this should happen during the summer months. Chilled medicines will fail and run out dooming many more people in 3-6 months. Bad water and sanitation will kill many more as common medicines will no longer be available to the masses. Foodstuffs and potable water will become valuable items to purchase/steal and hoard. Gasoline will run out as pumps will pail and tankers cannot traverse the roadways. As winter approaches shelter will become even more important. One cannot count on FEMA to be there for you. If you don't help you, who will.
I may be late, but I am starting out with a 30 day supply of food but also buying bulk basics (rice, sugar, flour, salt & grains). As time goes on I will augment that with more bucket and can purchases. Camping supplies, packs, first aid equipment, shovels and pry bars along with fire starters and more. As I live in an apartment now shelter will be more of a problem for me. Hopefully I can deal with that in the next couple of years. Its not panic but open eyes and face forward stuff.
Above is from the New Yorker article of a few years back. The problem is that most people think, if they think at all, small. When electricity goes out so does refrigeration and air conditioning. The elderly will die in great numbers, especially if this should happen during the summer months. Chilled medicines will fail and run out dooming many more people in 3-6 months. Bad water and sanitation will kill many more as common medicines will no longer be available to the masses. Foodstuffs and potable water will become valuable items to purchase/steal and hoard. Gasoline will run out as pumps will pail and tankers cannot traverse the roadways. As winter approaches shelter will become even more important. One cannot count on FEMA to be there for you. If you don't help you, who will.
I may be late, but I am starting out with a 30 day supply of food but also buying bulk basics (rice, sugar, flour, salt & grains). As time goes on I will augment that with more bucket and can purchases. Camping supplies, packs, first aid equipment, shovels and pry bars along with fire starters and more. As I live in an apartment now shelter will be more of a problem for me. Hopefully I can deal with that in the next couple of years. Its not panic but open eyes and face forward stuff.