Real Time Example

[Rick]

I've posted on the New Madrid fault before. My Great ++++++ uncle was one of three Baptist ministers in the Indiana territory (which later became Illinois) and was called to baptize folks after the New Madrid earthquake of of 1812. Hundreds were being baptized daily after the quake. Hey! if the world's ending, you better get right.

He was afraid of horses and dismounted at every river crossing, undressed to his "nether garments" and led the horse across.

It's documented in Harvest Time on the Prairie.

[BENESSE]

IF you happen to be in an earthquake and survive it and IF you happen to be able to get to your BOB (say it's not buried) that's all marvelous.

But given the fact that we can't really predict when we might get hit what seems more important is living in a structure that can be as earthquake proof as you can afford it.
Other than that, one ought to give some serious thought to surviving while being buried alive. It's been done and it takes some effort to wrap your mind around it. Yes, you're gonna need the presence your mind more than anything--to calm yourself down, to slow your heart rate, to conserve energy until you really need it, etc., etc.

I think this is the toughest kind of preparation and the least practiced.
Just think of the applications.

[Scoobywan]

The Madrid fault is comming due to erupt.

http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs-131-02/CUShazard.html -- US Hazard Map

http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=215 -- Article on the probabilities of earthquakes coming from the Madrid Fault (published in 2003)

I searched, I found, I shared

[BENESSE]

Hey! if the world's ending, you better get right.

Jesus is coming. Look busy.

[2dumb2kwit]

He was afraid of horses and dismounted at every river crossing, undressed to his "nether garments" and led the horse across.

It's documented in Harvest Time on the Prairie.

So, the "runnin' around in a thong" thing goes waaaaay back, in your family.

[Rick]

Yeah but he used his for a sling shot. Mine is more like a missile launcher.

The thing about Haiti, as bad as it is, it's not the end of the world for them. Like New Orleans, in time, they will be able to rebuild society, such as it is. I would expect any group impacted by a localized disaster to rebound with time.

[pocomoonskyeyes]

I think I have to agree about the possibility of losing your BOB in such a disaster. This brings forth a couple of thoughts.... 1) Possibly caching supplies in a safe location.( higher ground Away from any structures and above flood level) 2) learning as many "Primitive skills" as possible(including improvisational First Aid in case supplies are exhausted or destroyed)including "natural cures and Remedies".

[RCKCRWLER]

Ya, I feel for those people and never want to be in their shoes per say.

However, being in Nevada earthquakes are something that I have to keep in the back of my mind.
I was in a mild earthquake here about 7 years ago. It was the weirdest thing ever, kinda like being on a raft in the ocean bobbing up and down on the waves. When I looked outside at the pool it looked like a wave pool. Not anything like I would ever imagine an earthquake would feel like.

Seeing the destruction in Haiti does make you realize the importance of having your gear stashed nearby an outside wall, in case you have to chop through the rubble to get it. Which in turn means finding something/ having something outside ready to do this.
Also brings up the importance of having a wrench capable of shutting off your gas valve/ water valve outside and readily accessible.

I have always been told keep a pair of shoes by your bed in case something happens in the middle of night and you have to get out now!

All in all it makes you think, but then again I guess this makes you realize the importance of having to improvise.

I don't know I'm babbling, sorry babble off.

[aflineman]

Unfortunately this is another thing to think of:

Quote from a CNN article:
"Outside the clinic -- and on city sidewalks -- people piled up bodies because there was nowhere to take or bury them"

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americ...ake/index.html

Umm, they do that anyway. Almost every morning we drove up to the University Hospital, there would be a body or two in front of the door and/or gate. This will be MUCH worse, but bodies there are NOT that uncommon.
Also, what we would call a clinic or a doctor's office, they call a hospital. Nothing wrong with calling it a hospital, just a matter of different terminology.

[Pal334]

Umm, they do that anyway. Almost every morning we drove up to the University Hospital, there would be a body or two in front of the door and/or gate. This will be MUCH worse, but bodies there are NOT that uncommon.
Also, what we would call a clinic or a doctor's office, they call a hospital. Nothing wrong with calling it a hospital, just a matter of different terminology.

WHat makes this out of what I could confidently say any of our experience is the sheer number of fatalities in such a relatively small area.

Watching now the coverage, we can see the inital shock is over and the population (those not using common sense and doing rescues) is starting to move, foraging for food and water.

I am not trying to be cold about this, but these are generally the various phases that will be seen in large scale incidents

[neondog]

I have a (small) mountain range five miles north of my house. It was formed by one plate making room for another. No historic biggies here but occasional tiny tremors.

One thing that will help if your house collapses is big sturdy furniture like old school desks (teachers not the kids desks) or solid wood hutches etc... Particle board furnishings will just crumble up and fill in the gaps.

As far as the previous injustice in Haiti, the government buildings fell the hardest. The poorest people may have seen their dwelling about to fall and held it upright.

[Pal334]

Last night, gang violence started on a small scale, fighting over what food and water is available. The next 24 -48 hours are important to get water and food out in an organized, disciplined way.
To date this is following the approximate timeline that one would expect

[Pal334]

The water and sanitation, critical phases now start, approximately 72 hrs plus mark:

"What is the real killer, certainly in refugee situations, is the lack of decent sanitation, because people produce human waste and that, if it's not disposed of safely, is a huge risk to health,"

"Water is the key thing," he said. "You can go for some time without food, but you can't go all that long without water."

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americ...ex.html?hpt=T1

[aflineman]

This interview/article is disturbing.

"'Roadblock of bodies' seen in Haiti"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today...00/8460678.stm

Looks to be a part of protests because aid is not getting there fast enough.

Hopefully they can overcome the bottleneck at the airport and the port. Overland is not much better, but it seems to be moving.

[Pal334]

"U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates echoed that remark, saying, "Other than some scavenging and minor looting, our understanding is the security situation is pretty good."

"The key is to get the food and the water in there as quickly as possible so that people don't, in their desperation, turn to violence or lead to the security situation deteriorating."

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americ...ex.html?hpt=T1

Security for the food distribution is important. I just sawa report that showed with the language differences, some of the folks were rejecting food because they misunderstood that a manufacture date is not an expiration date.

They have to take control right away

[aflineman]

"U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates echoed that remark, saying, "Other than some scavenging and minor looting, our understanding is the security situation is pretty good."

"The key is to get the food and the water in there as quickly as possible so that people don't, in their desperation, turn to violence or lead to the security situation deteriorating."

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americ...ex.html?hpt=T1

Security for the food distribution is important. I just sawa report that showed with the language differences, some of the folks were rejecting food because they misunderstood that a manufacture date is not an expiration date.

They have to take control right away

I really hope that they get it together and take control. I see they have not learned yet some of the lessons from previous times. The airport is a major one. Never had been extra fuel on the ground there, you NEVER plan on refueling there. Been that way forever.
Guess I shouldn't be Monday morning quarterbacking though. I know I made my share of mistakes with a few operations. You do what you think is right at the time, better than sitting and doing nothing at all.

[BENESSE]

[B][B][I][U][COLOR="Navy"]
I just sawa report that showed with the language differences, some of the folks were rejecting food because they misunderstood that a manufacture date is not an expiration date.

I hope that's not true or I'll really get steamed and disgusted no matter how sorry I feel for the people!
If you're desperate, starving and surrounded by filth and potential disease are you gonna be looking at expiration dates of charity food?
Am I missing something here?

[Rick]

A lot of folks on here travel to different parts of the world so I thought this might be appropriate here. An Indianapolis based insurance group offers disaster insurance to extract you should a disaster occur where you are. They are currently in the process of extracting folks from Haiti.

http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/inter...-quake-victims

[Pal334]

I hope that's not true or I'll really get steamed and disgusted no matter how sorry I feel for the people!
If you're desperate, starving and surrounded by filth and potential disease are you gonna be looking at expiration dates of charity food?
Am I missing something here?

From what I have gathered, it was a petty government official. The same has happened at the airport with the idiots requiring the Medical doctors to have their licenses valided. The US commander has put an end to that BS and things should start flowing.

[Rick]

Perhaps we should all go home and let them manage it on their own. This one disgusts me.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp...2UVPiCIuLm_ocQ