apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

My theory is that when the "Big One" happens, I won't be anywhere near my Grag-and-Go bag, so what's the point?

I used to work for a disaster relief agency and as a result I have quite a few "earthquake kits". So, I have one at home, one in the car, and one in my office.

Up here in Portland, we're in the midst of a huge federal disaster drill (TOPOFF 4) so it's great timing for a preparedness reminder for us as well!

P.S. If people want to buy a premade kit, they're available from the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org. If they want to put it together themselves, the "shopping list" is here:

http://www.redcross.org/flash/brr/Emergency%20Preparedness%20Shopping%20List.xls

Not only is it smart to have a "grab-and-go" bag (72 hour kit), but it's good to also have some kind of food storage in your home.

We are two adults and a toddler in a 550sq. foot apartment with very little storage space, but it's important enough to us to be self reliant so we are working on that as well.

I don't have a kit but do have a hand crank radio and one of those self charging LED flashlights however and as of this writing, I have my BBQ grill and a Burton burner for cooking. However, don't have water source for emergencies and this is just for the house.

I was in the car when the Nisqually quake hit Puget Sound in 2001 on a warm, lovely February day and recall where I was when I first heard about the SF quake in 1989. I was working with an engineer through the school I was attending at the time and we were in a middle school reinstalling TV's when the first wave of news about the earthquake hitting the area and we were able to see the footage live on TV once back at the TV station (technical college's TV broadcast tech program).

And I should say, the program I was in was in Tacoma, south of Seattle where I live now.

My husband and I have a 72 hour kit by our front door... so on the way out we can take it with us.
We also have one in our car and have used it several times in the past.

They aren't something you think about until you don't have it.
Even if it sits in your closet for 3 years on end... or in your trunk (of course you rotate supplies in that time frame) the 1 day you need it... you will REALLY need it.