As I’ve watched the concerns with the economy and health care reform, I decided to start a poll: “Have You Experienced One of These Disasters?” As I personally took the poll, it made me think of things I have gone through, and what others have gone through. I felt very blessed I have not experienced some disasters, and sorry for those who have. Life can always be worse than it is. I am grateful for my own challenges. It’s how we get our gray hairs, right? Please take part in the poll on the right sidebar of this blog.
In your lifetime, have you, or a member of your family, experienced:
- Unemployment 2 months or longer
- Illness/Injury 2 weeks or longer
- A 24+ Hour Power Outage
- A Home Fire
- A 6.0+ Earthquake
- A Category 3+ Hurricane
- A Tornado
- An Ice Storm
- A Flash Flood
- An Epidemic/Pandemic
- A Drought
- Do you feel prepared for a disaster?
I have experienced all the major Southeren California earthquakes, the two that directly affected me was most recently, the Northridge, where I lived and the '71 Slymar, north of Northridge, which we had to evacuate. I always felt prepared, but thinking back there are always things I think I could have done better. Having comfort food is a must. After the Northridge earthquake, the grocery stores were up and running 2-3 days later. The Busch brewery stopped production and canned water that was given away at the grocery stores.
I've lived through all the major earthquakes in California, starting with the '71 Sylmar earthquake when I was in high school, then most recently. We lived in Northridge during that one. After that one we moved in with my parents for a week when we then moved to a different apartment in the complex for 6 months. During the Northridge one we had no electricity for 3-4 days and the grocery stores were up and running within 2-3 days. The local Budwieser brewery stopped bottling beer for awhile and canned water that was given away at the stores. The one thing I noticed was comfort food was quite helpful. WE had stored water and that helped relieve the other stresses.
…a 24+ hour power outage – in a winter ice storm (or what we in the south call an ice storm…some of you folks get it a lot worse than we do)While we weren't as "prepared" as we are now, we got through ok with what we had.
I have experienced a tornado, 24+ hour power outage, and 6+ earthquake. The tornado was the worst by far. I was prepared mostly, but there are many things I now have ready if anything else so life-altering were to happen!By the way, love this blog!!!
-Unemployment fo 3 months-5 days of power outage, after…-Wind Storm (WA, 2007)-2 days of power outage, after…-Ice Storm (NC 2002)I have some items to gather into our home still. Like water. My husband is resisting that, but I'm going to go ahead and buy storage containers.
I didn't check the last one because it depends on the disaster. Some I've never experienced…so I honestly don't know if I'm really prepared for them.
I have never experienced any type of disaster or problem. I have been truly blessed (as a single Mom). I also love living in Idaho and Utah where the risk to a huge disasters is pretty small (so far).
We've experienced the following:# Unemployment 2 months or longer# Illness/Injury 2 weeks or longer# A 24+ Hour Power Outage# A Tornado# An Ice StormI feel largely prepared. We won't cruise through a disaster with nary a ripple in our routines, but we'd make it through.