I'm such an idiot. Please, take my hindsight for your own future safety!

Due to the massive severe serious tornadoes coming to my area later today, I'm getting a small survival bag going for my son and myself. I have wind up flashlights and extra clothing, debit card and heh a 5 dollar bill but sadly no wind up NOAA radio. I need to seriously spend the money to get a true bob (Bug out Bag) for scenarios like this. This right now is making me realize just how NOT prepared I am for a shtf scenario - which right now, all of us in the deadly dangerous zone are looking down the barrel of a loaded gun which will go off mere hours from now. I don't even have bottles to put water in for heaven's sake.

If we survive this - and I"m praying we will - I'm remedying this immediately. I do have a small first aid kit, the wind up flashlight... but we need more than that. And I've been freakin' reading survival topics on here for ages now but using the excuse 'I don't have enough money'. GOD if I woulda started spending 2 bucks here, 5 there six months ago, we'd be fine right now.

I'm shaking so hard right now, feeling like a huge failure and if anything happens, I put my kid into danger due to my irresponsible lack of preparing and 'waiting to have a couple hundred dollars to spare for a survival bag'.

If anything, take that regretted hindsight of mine and do your own BOB asap. You never know when something like this is going to hit and what it will do. I don't wish my current terror and regrets on to anyone.

Best of luck to you- stay safe.

sounds like you're having a rough time, my heart goes out to you, please stay safe. x

hi op

1st of all
do not panic
you cant think straight
sit down and make out a list
even though im a city boy now
i grew up in villages
went to air cadets
achieved my bronze silver n gold in the duke of edinburgh award scheme
spent many a time out under the stars
and thats not to mention running away from childrens homes with nothing
anyways
DO NOT PANIC
dave

Good luck, please let us all know how you got on.

Don't bash yourself too hard, people often don't think in the same way with a natural disaster that they do with a SHTF scenario. The first time a tropical cyclone headed our way, we were pretty ill prepared for it, but somehow survived. Panicking won't help, it just takes a bit of prep, and a plan. The first time, of all things, I forgot a can opener, a torch and a packet of matches of all things.

It's really about being prepared for what can and will happen should a natural disaster fall on your doorstep, and also don't forget community is a big part of that plan, so get your neighbours involved also. This time it may be you that cops it, next time it may be them.

Basic things like that will help immensely, add to the list a small battery powered radio. There's nothing worse than trying to escape a natural disaster to find the roads have been washed out or worse.

Take care

Thanks everyone.

I'm thinking positive; we'll be fine, untouched. And once the danger passes, I'm driving to walmart that's 30 minutes away and spending a hundred dollars that I don't have but for this, money means NOTHING when it comes to surviving.

I plan on getting a bob that will hopefully weight between 30 and 50 lbs and hold at least:

food that won't go bad for months(preferably MRE's), bottled water, water purifying tablets, survival knife, pain relief, cash, hand warmers, hand can opener, portable water boiler, getting my gun card so I can own a weapon, laminated cards with our info and blood type, iodine tabs, vitamins, honey because it cures a lot surprisingly, wind up radio, and more. I"m going to now frantically search those topics here regarding what to buy.

Just goes to show, we read all we want, nod our heads - and then stuff happens and how far are we into actually taking action after reading and nodding? In my case, this is one brutal wake up call. I hope this is the only brutality to be had from this.

I wouldn't stress it too much. Even if you have a BOB and experiance a shtf scenario you can still find yourself S outa luck. with that said good luck too ya.

im sure there will be people along to inform you what you can do with little or no money. Im with you in being unprepared and will be looking forward to their information as well.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

reply to post by sarra1833

Right now you need to center yourself on positive things - there's nothing you can do about the past so don't waste precious time, energy and emotion on negativity. Know you've done a GREAT THING by warning your friends here on ATS and we thank you for that!

Stay safe, stay positive and let us know how everything pans out. Prayers for you and yours and everyone in the area of those tornadoes!

peace

You never get it till you get it, the good thing is your still breathing so it's still fixable. I've lived through to many earthquakes, some I was prepared for and some I wasn't. Take that knowledge, don't loose your head and you'll be fine. Fix what you can fix right now.

Do you have a shelter you can go to, or a basement?

Originally posted by twohawks
You never get it till you get it, the good thing is your still breathing so it's still fixable. I've lived through to many earthquakes, some I was prepared for and some I wasn't. Take that knowledge, don't loose your head and you'll be fine. Fix what you can fix right now.

Do you have a shelter you can go to, or a basement?

edit on 2-3-2012 by twohawks because: (no reason given)

My good friend's cousin has a basement. a lot of the neighborhood goes there when tornado warnings come. Many people here with no basements or they have mobile homes. I don't have a mobile but no basement. Also the church down the street opens their doors to people to hide in their basement as well.

It's just so terrifying. I"m trying to calm myself. I really am. I haven't had this much adrenaline going through me ever.

Originally posted by sarra1833
Thanks everyone.

I'm thinking positive; we'll be fine, untouched. And once the danger passes, I'm driving to walmart that's 30 minutes away and spending a hundred dollars that I don't have but for this, money means NOTHING when it comes to surviving.

I plan on getting a bob that will hopefully weight between 30 and 50 lbs and hold at least:

food that won't go bad for months(preferably MRE's), bottled water, water purifying tablets, survival knife, pain relief, cash, hand warmers, hand can opener, portable water boiler, getting my gun card so I can own a weapon, laminated cards with our info and blood type, iodine tabs, vitamins, honey because it cures a lot surprisingly, wind up radio, and more. I"m going to now frantically search those topics here regarding what to buy.

Just goes to show, we read all we want, nod our heads - and then stuff happens and how far are we into actually taking action after reading and nodding? In my case, this is one brutal wake up call. I hope this is the only brutality to be had from this.

From someone who has been in a few disasters (floods, fire and a cyclone), the best bet is to buy a camping setup. The one I have is a backpack with pretty much everything in it. Plates, forks, knives and a little kero stove good for heating soups and water. It cost me about $70 from a camping store. It also has the basic stuff, like matches, can openers and other basic cooking utensils.
Stick to small cans of food rather than big ones. Two reasons; 1) a bigger can if you don't eat it all in one hit requires refrigeration and will go off quickly if you don't use it all, and 2) you can diversify the food you have in the same space, meaning more variety than with larger cans.
Another silly thing also, if you have digital pics or even old school photos, buy a flash drive or 3 to keep them on. Keep it with everything else, that way if your house does get hit, you have another record of photos, coz they aren't replaceable. Lastly, keep a jerry can of fuel handy, and rotate it every few months. When storms hit, it is particularly hard to get fuel when the petrol stations have no power or have been levelled.
Lastly is water. I have a large poly pipe sealed at both ends I keep full, that straps to the top of my car should I need to get out. It contains around 30 litres, but the pipe is only 3.5 metres long, and is easily transported and stored on the roof of the car. In addition keep a 10 litre cask or plastic carry bottle handy, one with a spout.
Thats about the basics, hope it helps.

When is the storm expected to hit your area? Knowing how long you have could help in preparing a plan for you.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

alot of mobile phones have radio receivers and you can get wind up chargers for them so you can listen to the radio and if the towers haven't been blown away make any calls you need to reassure people that you're ok

and the main thing is to practice so at weekends go out as if its happening and spend the weekend since you'll have the luxury to work on the 'oops i should of got one of those' list when its not imprtant

It's almost 5am here. It's to hit between 10 am and 8pm but the 'danger hours' are 1pm to 4pm.

www.weather.com...

Well im in indiana and thats when its suppose to start storming here but im not sure if its gonna get bad or not, I havent been paying attention to the weather.

Atleast now you know there is a member here who is less prepared than yourself if anything I hope that makes you feel less stressed


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Got a backpack filled with whatever I could find which would work for now. And good luck to you as well, friend. We're going to be fine. Gotta just believe in that.

zombieland rule number 5: No attachments...

oh wait... wrong doomsday scenario...

Oh I believe we will be fine, im gonna get some sleep before the storm comes just incase it does get bad, definitely will need the energy. If you've been up all night like me you should do the same if possible. Cya and good luck


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Instead of all that the logical thing seems to maybe leave the area until you feel it's safe to return. After all it is a localized event. If things do go wrong you are probably overestimating the amount of help a bug out bag would provide. Just my opinion of course good luck to you and your boy.