Not as Inadvertant Dress Rehearsal - Tsunami 2011

[teamnelson]

Last February I posted my after action after the Tsunami triggered by the Chile Earthquake. This year's event was nearly 30 times bigger than last year's, which was still less than 1 meter, but we were much better prepared. Given we live in a "safe zone" although we're low, the plan is to bug in first, with bug out as an option. Way more prepared this year:

- Food; ready for several months, with plans & means to stretch it to a year.
- Water; had 100 gals of rainwater stored from 2 days previous rains, over and above what was in the house.
- Shelter; plastic sheeting, tarps, duct tape, zip ties, plywood, all set in case we needed to secure the house.
- Fire/cooking; 4 large propane tanks for grill, plus several smaller tanks for coleman, plus ability to cook over open fire in yard.
- Guns & ammo; already selected and staged in armory at all times. Ammo in WP cans.

If we had to bug out, I had a large tub with a months worth of food, medicines in the car, along with 15gals of water, tools, rope.
Also we all had bug out bags, appropriately packed (Son had his WP pack I got him for Christmas). Took less than an hour to settle everyone down, move expensive/irreplaceable items upstairs. Also set up a couple sets of waders JIC to go visit some of our neighbors. I sat out on the front porch with the crank radio to watch the water  that was supposed to lap over the banks ... nope. Glad we were ready; could've been worse!

Near term improvements:
- J Falk Bushwhacker stove with alcohol backup
- Sawyer SP135 purifier
- Fishing gear. Hawaiian poles work well for the shallows, but I think I could improve here.
- Medical. Just want more kit.
- Vacum-Sealer. Started making jerky this year, and if I could vacuum seal it, I'd make a lot of meat, fruit leather, herbs, etc.

[Pat/Rick]

Good report Chaps. I'm going to redo my pantry this month for more shelving options. Going to remove the  single wood shelf and replace with one  2'x4'x6' and two 18"x 3'x6' (gorilla racks) shelving units. This will add order to my chaos.

Need to stock up on med supplies as well. Have three nurses in the family with a broad amount of experience.

Pretty well set on the others/quantities.

Water proof ammo stores, even if you are above the flood plain is a mandatory precaution IMO. A pipe could break, a tree could fall, ssevere storm damage to roof.

Vacuum sealers are a good item. We shop monthly and repackage alot of items. I also buy beef roasts and cut steaks from these.

NEED to get a generator(s) yet. Also to wire isolator switches in the pump house so I can still pump water.

Also need to figure out how to protect large items from EMP, like generators, etc. Don't know if magneto driven motors (rototillers,log splitters,chainsaws etc)need emp protection? I suppose a large steel garden shed thats grounded would work for a faraday cage, a conex or ISO container maybe?. Hopefuly someone will give me some tips, I am electronically challenged to put it mildly.

[teamnelson]

Pat/Rick,

I envy your "homestead" truly. We've been offered another base house up island in the mountains/rain forest, and we're going to take it just for a change of scenery (and its right next to my work) even though we're scheduled to move in October to VA. I am trying to refine a hybrid BOL idea based around the military life.

For us everything has to be "jump" ready, i.e. moveable by car easily and rapidly. And by my wife and son (who is almost as big as me, but not quite.) We're going "powerless" or very power minimal. Solar, crank, high output/low consumption with rechargeable batteries. Supplies are stored in 18gal stackable tubs, that fit easy in the back of our suv. 4 months worth of everything will fit in the vehicle, along with us an our BOBs. BOBs are more like INCH bags, for longer term sustainability.

Its not the best solution for the longer term, but its the best we can do in our situation and I hope it will give us enough "standoff" that we can maneuver into a better situation. Praying all of this is a "waste" of time!

[Pat/Rick]

Sounds like ya got a good system Chaps. I remember "moving" from one unit to the next and was glad i lived in the barracks with little more to move than a basic issue. I still have a very,very long ways to go here. Hopefully this weekend we'll have the fence line cleared as well as a bit of landscaping with a rented tractor. Our nine acres has two homes on it so the wife and I will be gifting our property to our two children. I figured if nothing else they will have a place that they can at least raise food on. Thats my goal anyway. Don't know that I would envy me, I got alot of work to do here yet. These nine acres have been let go for alot of years before we got them. Still, I like it here.  Best of luck in your new home! Take care.