Securing guns during a disaster - Page 3

FrankenMauser · September 15, 2017, 11:53 AM

Drywall as an insulator, is only as good as the framing supporting it.
If the framing can burn, melt, or collapse, it's of little value.

Structures that are threatened by wildfires in this part of the country, that are not near good fire breaks or on the edge of a city/town, are generally surrendered if the fire takes hold. By that, I mean that fire crews give up and let it burn, rather than trying to save the structure while the fire continues to move around them.
To survive that, you need serious fire protection, and a safe enclosure that can hold up to having the entire building structure collapse on it while still burning.

And once the structure is gone, it may be weeks before you can return to the site. So, the safe enclosure will be exposed to the elements, and possibly water from fire fighters coming back in to extinguish the smoldering ruins.

There is no easy win.
Pick your risk factors. Prepare as you see fit, within your means.
Take everything with you, if possible.

tony pasley · September 17, 2017, 03:50 PM

I went to the expense to build a concrete room for my guns and because many are family heirlooms that can not be replaced. I had a halon suppression system put in to protect from fire and water the fire fighters would use.

FITASC · September 17, 2017, 03:59 PM

That concrete room have humidity control good for an extended period?

tony pasley · September 17, 2017, 08:41 PM

Both active and passive humidity control

Rob228 · September 18, 2017, 04:59 AM

I stored most all of my shooting supplies in my finished basement when I lived in Colorado. We had some fairly historic floods in the front range in either 12 or 13 that came very close to flooding the basement. There was no good place to store everything on the 1st floor so I moved it to the 2nd floor. The weight of the ammunition cracked the ceiling plaster on the 1st floor.

TheGunGeek · September 20, 2017, 10:49 AM

If you can't take them with you, then the re-usable VPCI vacuum sealed bags should work. This will also provide protection from rust due to the excessive moisture in the air. It's probably not a bad idea to keep 1 for each firearm on hand.

Sulaco · September 27, 2017, 10:22 AM

Gun safe.

September 15, 2017, 11:53 AM	#51
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	Drywall as an insulator, is only as good as the framing supporting it. If the framing can burn, melt, or collapse, it's of little value. Structures that are threatened by wildfires in this part of the country, that are not near good fire breaks or on the edge of a city/town, are generally surrendered if the fire takes hold. By that, I mean that fire crews give up and let it burn, rather than trying to save the structure while the fire continues to move around them. To survive that, you need serious fire protection, and a safe enclosure that can hold up to having the entire building structure collapse on it while still burning. And once the structure is gone, it may be weeks before you can return to the site. So, the safe enclosure will be exposed to the elements, and possibly water from fire fighters coming back in to extinguish the smoldering ruins. There is no easy win. Pick your risk factors. Prepare as you see fit, within your means. Take everything with you, if possible. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

September 17, 2017, 03:50 PM	#52
tony pasley Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2006 Location: western north carolina Posts: 1,641	I went to the expense to build a concrete room for my guns and because many are family heirlooms that can not be replaced. I had a halon suppression system put in to protect from fire and water the fire fighters would use. __________________ Every day Congress is in session we lose a little bit more of our Liberty.

September 17, 2017, 03:59 PM	#53
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,446	That concrete room have humidity control good for an extended period? __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

September 17, 2017, 08:41 PM	#54
tony pasley Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2006 Location: western north carolina Posts: 1,641	Both active and passive humidity control __________________ Every day Congress is in session we lose a little bit more of our Liberty.

September 18, 2017, 04:59 AM	#55
Rob228 Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2010 Location: Hampstead NC Posts: 1,450	I stored most all of my shooting supplies in my finished basement when I lived in Colorado. We had some fairly historic floods in the front range in either 12 or 13 that came very close to flooding the basement. There was no good place to store everything on the 1st floor so I moved it to the 2nd floor. The weight of the ammunition cracked the ceiling plaster on the 1st floor.

September 20, 2017, 10:49 AM	#56
TheGunGeek Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2016 Location: Florida Posts: 182	If you can't take them with you, then the re-usable VPCI vacuum sealed bags should work. This will also provide protection from rust due to the excessive moisture in the air. It's probably not a bad idea to keep 1 for each firearm on hand.

September 27, 2017, 10:22 AM	#57
Sulaco Senior Member Join Date: August 10, 2001 Posts: 138	Gun safe.