Disaster event(s) that made you say "Hhhhmmm ....."

[The Heretic]

I used to have a LOT of intestinal pain - for decades - until I figured out I was lactose intolerant and started taking lactase pills with anything dairy related. Now 95% of it has gone away, if I am diligent about taking the pills.

 

[OldTengu]

On a note more related to the OP, I lived in Kansas City during Hurricane Katrina, and with the influx of refugees from that area moving inland either to live with family, or just to find somewhere to be, came a TON of violent crime/criminals. KC has never been without issues in that regard, but an unrealized consequence of the unmitigated acceptance of displaced people was that gang violence increased exponentially, and was usually instigated by the transplanted folks who had no regard for the way the existing groups had parsed out the city.

 

[The Heretic]

The migration from urban to suburban and even suburban to rural started last year and will probably continue for a while.

For decades it was just the opposite.

We shall see how long it lasts - probably at least a few years if not a decade.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Back in 78, the whole wet coast got hit by a a super nasty winter storm, most of the Willamette valley was iced up solid, and it was UGLY! All the trees had their tops broken, and major limb loss, all the power lines were stretched, with many touching the ground, and there was no power for at least a week. We still lived on the farm, we had a couple of 4X4s and tractors, but couldn't even get them moved, let alone drive anywhere. We were well supplied with food and needful things, plenty of firewood, and something my Family has always been really big on is "Hurricane Lamps" to which I have close to 20 of them my self. Those lamps provided more then enough heat to keep the house warm, and with the two wood stoves running, we were nice and toasty while everything else was frozen.

 

[The Heretic]

Back in 78, the whole wet coast got hit by a a super nasty winter storm, most of the Willamette valley was iced up solid, and it was UGLY! All the trees had their tops broken, and major limb loss, all the power lines were stretched, with many touching the ground, and there was no power for at least a week. We still lived on the farm, we had a couple of 4X4s and tractors, but couldn't even get them moved, let alone drive anywhere. We were well supplied with food and needful things, plenty of firewood, and something my Family has always been really big on is "Hurricane Lamps" to which I have close to 20 of them my self. Those lamps provided more then enough heat to keep the house warm, and with the two wood stoves running, we were nice and toasty while everything else was frozen.

Yes - that was the winter the Columbia froze over at the Tri-Cities (WA) and I was stationed at the CG ATN station there. I remember it well. It was minus 22 for a week, and then it warmed up to plus 20.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I remember having 3 inches of Ice on every horizontal surface, having to help bust ice off the fences and around the barn with hammers to keep the weight of all that ice from destroying everything! We were outside for maybe 1/2 hour and our jackets and pants were coated in ice maybe 1/4 inch thick!

 

[The Heretic]

In the tri-cities it was mostly snow.

We had a 21' I/O boat in the water at the dock, the other was on a trailer. Neither could get underway as the marina was iced in and any boat ramp was simply too slippery to launch. A buoy tender made its way up to the marina after several days, but broke a shaft trying to get into our dock as the ice was too thick there. They spent several weeks doing repairs docked there.

When it warmed up, we took the boat out of the water and took one I/O boat and a Boston whaler up to the Snake behind one of the dams near Lewiston. It was still too slick to get the I/O into the water and the whaler had to be very careful about floating ice.

The ice destroyed all of the fast water buoys and when it broke up it destroyed a number of the light/sign platforms in the rivers. They spent a good portion of the following spring and summer repairing aids to navigation. That summer was the year I lateraled to Yaquina Bay.

 

[etrain16]

The fires in Sept. showed us where we were prepared, and where we weren't. We were elevated to Level 2, which had us fully packed for evacuation, though we never hit level 3. We found out exactly how much we'd have to leave behind in such a scenario.

We did learn that we were well prepared in some ways, with supplies, for at least a few weeks, at the ready, largely.

What we really came to realize is that we don't have a good accounting of what we own. If we'd have had to make a report to insurance, should the worst have happened, we would have come quite short in accurately being able to provide that information.

Also found out how difficult it is to fully unload a gun safe and all the related accessories. That's a lot of space, and weight, to manage. Didn't even plan to take it all, only the stuff that could be harder to replace in the future.

 

[The Heretic]

Yup. That is why I am making an inventory and organizing.

Neighbors were much better prepared than I was - several had cargo trailers that filled up for evac.

They all had a major advantage over me; they had a family present, and it was just me. I had to scramble to grab some of the most valuable items and leave others behind due to time and space. I could only drive one vehicle and I chose my daily driver SUV which had the least cargo space.

Had the fire made it to my property, I would have lost a LOT of preps and other stuff I own.

Still not sure what I could have done differently without someone to drive a second and third vehicle, bot of which were left behind, not to mention everything in my shop.

Do NOT put all your eggs in one basket was what I learned - but I still do not have a solution for that problem - yet.

 

[etrain16]

We're fortunate that we have a camper. Haven't used it in years, but we were able to load it out with stuff we couldn't carry in the other 2 vehicles. Additionally, it gave us a place to stay, if needed. Unfortunately, we found out the electrical to all the lights on the exterior is not working - no brake lights, no signals, no running lights. No idea what's going on - no fuses blown. Can only assume a problem with the wiring harness on the trailer. I tested the jack on the truck and it was working properly. Thankfully everything inside the trailer was working.

 

[The Heretic]

I had planned in the future (not sure now) to put a camper on my flatbed and that would be good.

I had a place to go - to the kids house. But putting everything in the open bed of the flatbed or the pickup would be problematic. As it was, there wasn't much room at the kids house to store my valuables - we just piled it in the living room. They have a large master bedroom upstairs that they don't use, but they put all their stuff their and you can't even walk thru their garage. So moving stuff to their house is not feasible.

 

[CLT65]

This is a little different from the type of stuff you all are talking about, but it made an impact in my life.

Many years ago, when I was a teenager, a man came into our house one morning and assaulted my dad. It turned out that he was a paper server looking for someone else, who got his kicks out of trespassing into people's houses and scaring them. He assaulted my dad because my dad confronted him about being in our house. He dragged him out of the house and had him in a choke-hold that did lasting damage.

That incident colored my view of police for many years. I'm past that now, and realize that there are bad apples in every profession. The one lasting impact that it did have, is that I tend to keep the doors locked at all times, even during the day when we're home. My wife has a hard time with that because she grew up with the doors never locked, even at night.

 

[Trapdoor45-70]

• What was/were the event(s)?

In 2007, as a disaster volunteer team lead, I participated in a large scale exercise during which, for part of the EX, amateur radio was the only means of communication. None of the 5 exercise messages which should have come to me made it to me. Never got a straight answer as to where the ball was dropped.

• What preparations did you engage in the change up?

I decided that I wasn't going to solely rely on someone else for my disaster communications and 27 days later I was a licensed amateur radio operator. A month after that I was deployed to the Oregon coast before a major winter storm after which ham radio, for some time, was the only means of communication for me and my team. Could not have been as effective without being licensed and having the necessary radio gear.

• Any preparations you abandoned?

I considered earning a General class license but have decided that it's not relevant to the scope of my disaster response work.

• Were the changes temporary, simply incorporated moved forward, or were almost life changing?

Becoming a ham wasn't life changing but it certainly has been of great value during other disaster responses and I continue to be actively involved in disaster radio communications.

• Did any have a more profound impact on your outlook, be it intellectual, cultural, philosophical, theological, et al.?

The experience made a deep impression on me regarding communications and I've developed a robust plan for my personal disaster communications, procedures, and equipment. Regular radio practice has been an important and on-going part of my preparations.

 

[made in china]

I am originally from AZ, but live in WA now.

Even in AZ I dreamed of living in the Mogollon Rim area, which is basically like Eastern Washington. Yeah, these places burn on a semi-regular basis. We lost Zane Grey cabins in AZ back in the 90's.

I had the privilege of driving Stevie Nicks through one of the big southwestern fires in the mid-90's when I was working at a car dealership. I drove her Caddy Seville right through the burning embers.

My wife and I have determined that we want to live in this type of environment, Eastern WA or Northern AZ, but the fires and distance from a hospital gives us pause. Because I seem to need an emergency room too frequently for someone my age.

Living in the PNW we are braced for a "Big One". Honestly, I hope we get a real good ground-splitter, and I hope I am at home, not at work, because where I work in Seattle requires crossing several bridges that will either be closed or gone after an earthquake.

 

[The Heretic]

From now on, I choose where I work - as in, I will only work remote. Either from home or some beach in Tahiti.

If this new job works out well, then it may allow that - but any prospective employer is going to have to allow me to work remotely regardless. If they don't like that, too bad so sad. Not going to commute into Portland for an hour each way ever again. There is no reason that I need to be in an office for my kind of work.

 

[BigDog67]

Taylor Bridge fire in 2012. When it comes down the canyon on 50MPH winds, all your prep is meaningless.

 

[GWS]

My event?
I was cooking a Polish sausage and it was a masterpiece so I grabbed this fresh sourdough roll, cut it perfectly, butterflied the sausage, positioned it with something akin to feng shui. I put the pickle on the plate opposite the tortilla chips and went to the fridge when I was hit with a lightning bolt.

We were out of mustard!! Not a drop. i rummaged through the pantry. Nothing! I yanked open that drawer we all have where we toss stuff we don't know what to do with. There's Ketchup! Taco Sauce! Soy sauce and mayo but not one damn pouch of mustard. I sank to the floor in despair. The now cold sausage mocked me as I walked outside and as I looked to the sky, I raised my fist and shouted "As God is my witness, I shall never be without French's again!!"

I went straight to Safeway and bought TWO bottles of mustard and came home to find my dogs had stolen my lunch off the table

Never again!

 

[41mag]

A synopsis of hair raising events on ONE business trip....
Late 80s I drove PDX to LA on business. Slight route shift to drive past Yosemite Park (early Spring); event 1) as we arrive considerable turmoil as some tourist had managed to get themselves washed over the lower falls; water temp was barely liquid;

2) down the road about an hour, put in for night at seemingly decent roadside motel.
About midnight, sirens/blue/red lights flashing, low helicopter fluttering around, manyMANY engine sounds, loud speakers about coming out with hands up etc. Involving escaped felon less that 100 yards away;

3) approaching LA proper a few hours more down the road, pleasant hazy day, a dark smoke column larger & larger as we approached. Hotel was near the waterfront where oil storage tank was ablaze; heavyHEAVY black smoke, yes it DOES stink too.

4) relaxing on the 4th floor terrace about 2100hrs, a series of car alarms sequentially fired up down one street along the hotel; Management advise 'car prowlers' had been rousted;

5) Odd jumble of honking & sirens with cluster of cars blocking rail crossing less than 2 blocks from where I was sitting having in-room brunch; management advised some high school kids had stopped short of tracks while a car behind slammed into it and pushed them into an oncoming train....all were killed;

6) ongoing series of smallish quakes all the time while at LA hotel.

7) trying to get North again on most direct route. Bumper to bumper at 80 was just as stressful as bumper to bumper at >5mph. Haven't been back to LA since.

All this was in less than 36 hours. Gave room for considerable 'what if' planning.
Each alone was tremendous stress and simply trashed my then current and woefully inadequate contingency plans.

 

[Tony617]

I never thought anything about some of the earthquakes that were in Southern California when my sister and BIL lived down in late 1980s early 1990s. I we had a few small earthquakes when I was down visiting a few times. They lived in an apartment and it just did a quick shake several times and it was done.

I live though the 2001 Nisqually earthquake. I did not have an earthquake kit in my car and the elevated I-5 freeway by Boeing field was backed up for many miles. There was a Thai buffet across the street from where I worked so we went for an early lunch. We were told go go home and the building engineers inspected the building overnight. I was working nn Boeing customer service twin tower complex south of Boeing field at that time.

I started prepping after than and build up a second earthquake kit. Later on I ordered some white buckets of emergency food rations, wood fired camp stove and kept building up my preparedness overtime.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

covid 19 has made me go HMMMMMMM.


not the virus, the hype and mandates.