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Old July 24, 2008, 05:49 PM   #1
Ruthless4christ
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HELP! Am entering a real bad Scenario! Please help

Hey Yall

The town i am currently living in is ina vally surrounded by mountains. A river runs through the valley and THe town is between the river and a mountain, witha brige crossing the river.

RIght now some major rain has come through for the last few days and the river has risen very quickly and right now(30 minutes ago) we recieved news that some major damns up river are about to break, which means the bridge will prob be wiped out and at least half the town under water(i live at the lowest end of town). My first instinct was to make for the mountains on a mule, but there have recently been very bad landslides in the mountains and alot of peope are dying there.,

I have never been in a water related disaster like this and need some feedback.

I am buying gas for the generator,
dry food,
batteries,
spare ammo,
emergancy medical supplies(sutures anesthesia etc...
have my backpack and generator set up and ready to move fast(the generator is light).

anything else i am missing?
Am i making the wrong choice by staying in town?
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Old July 24, 2008, 06:02 PM   #2
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spare socks,fire starter, signal device like a mirror. good knife, rope.
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Old July 24, 2008, 06:08 PM   #3
thawntex
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Boat

Do you or does anyone you know have access to a small boat? A canoe or jon boat for example?

I've never been in that situation either, but if mudslides made traveling to higher ground too dangerous, I think I'd be loading all my supplies into a boat.

I don't know what else to suggest, other than hang in there and don't panic.

-T
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Old July 24, 2008, 06:09 PM   #4
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Life vests, inflatable raft, etc.
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Old July 24, 2008, 06:09 PM   #5
Ruthless4christ
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i guess i am kinda hoping that some members who have been in hurracane/flood situations can try and help me prepare for what kind of a tactical mode I should be in. I am packing a dan wesson .357 and my colt .45, and am opting for the m1 carbine over my shotgun, not sure if that is wise.
i am not packing my bodya rmor becuase i think it will jsut bog me down
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Old July 24, 2008, 06:11 PM   #6
Ruthless4christ
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the rivers here are all to shallow to use boats in (normally) so thats out.
maybe i should build a raft.........WILSON!!!!!!!!
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Old July 24, 2008, 06:59 PM   #7
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This is a sticky situation, indeed. If you must stay, I'd give the shotgun to a trusty companion, one who can use it. Family if possibe. If my understanding is correct, you could be facing large numbers of well armed men. There will be safety in numbers, if those numbers are A: trustworthy, B: Armed, and C: equiped to survive the hundreds of other threats that could arise. First order of survival is water, followed by shelter, then food.

My first choice would be to get the heck outta Guatemala! Tactically speaking, it is usually better to avoid trouble than to stick around and shoot at it.
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Old July 24, 2008, 09:02 PM   #8
Ruthless4christ
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yeah i guess you have a point but what most often happens in these deals is everybody goes to take care of thier family and poeple end up getting isolated. im gonna have to se with whom i can shack up. thanks guys let ya know how it goes tommarow
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Old July 24, 2008, 09:53 PM   #9
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I think you should leave the generator and focus on real essentials suck as survival tools, food, and water. What do you need to power with the generator anyways? If you get flooded, most of your equipmet won't work anyways.

Get out of town to higher ground if possible. If your vehicle gets flooded, you are going to be on foot and that really limits what you will be able to carry. If it is not too late, try to get a dry pack and plastic tarps in addition to the items that were already mentioned. You may need the tarps for shelter. You might want to add chlorine or a water filter to your list as well (possibly iodine tabls) to purify drinking water. You should also get some meds such as antibiotics, analgesics, and anti-diarhea meds. I would also suggest a good machete or hatchet in case you need to hack down any wood for firewood. Don't forget bug repellant since the mosquitos will eat you alive.

Best of luck to you and God Bless.
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Old July 25, 2008, 10:49 AM   #10
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I think the first thing you should do is log off and shut down your computer!

After that, it depends on whether you expect to stay in the house or not.

If you expect to stay in the house, Max Brooks recommends filling the bathtub with potable drinking water. Flood water will be polluted and toxic for drinking, and your supply of fresh water could run out.

If you plan to leave, pack for a hike, bring lots of dry socks and rain gear, emergency lights, camping gear, food you can carry, water bottles, and your sleeping bag.

Pack a standard sidearm, but don't freak out about loading yourself down with guns. The majority of people you run into will be interested in cooperating and getting through the storm. You'll have no greater chance of running into a "bad guy" just because there's a flood on than if you were going about your normal daily routine.
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Old July 25, 2008, 11:02 AM   #11
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You seem well prepared. Good luck!
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Old July 25, 2008, 12:10 PM   #12
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Get out of the valley if still possible. I have friends from Guatemala that say this scenario is not unusual there.
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Old July 25, 2008, 12:31 PM   #13
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I grew up on the gulf coast of Misssissippi and lived through 20 years of hurricanes before I moved away. My folks were still in MS during Katrina so I've had some experience with undersired water.

My first instinct when I know really bad weather (ie hurricane, high flood probability) is coming is to get to high ground. Take the sentimental and irreplaceable stuff with you. The rest is for insurance to sort out (be ready for an absolue nightmare). While away from home and waiting out the storm(s), get mops, strong floor detergents, breathing mask (it's not just water that was rising), tons of water, gas for the generator, non-perishable and easily prepared food, a deck or two of cards (you will have down-time and will get easily bored / frustrated), and cash at the ATM.

Keep your eyes and ears on the news so you can have as much information about your area as possible. This info will help you prepare further for your return home and will let you know when you can return home. It may also be a good idea to get some area maps. It is likely there will be road closures and you may have to figure out alternate routes to get home.

You could probably write a book (and someone probably did) about how to prepare for natural disasters. Stay as patient as possible and get involved with the community. After Katrina we went on house to house cleaning missions with all the neighbors. It's pretty amazing how quickly a team of people can work when they team up. It's also how lifelong friends are created.

Good luck and we'll keep you in our prayers!
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Old July 25, 2008, 12:55 PM   #14
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Not to be a dick, but what the hell are you doing on here if there is an iminent disaster?

But it sounds like you got things covered except for a raft of some sort.

good luck and god speed.


T
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Old July 25, 2008, 01:11 PM   #15
Ruthless4christ
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LAND HO!!!!

well folks I survived the night! The bridge held even though the water went up to the Top! turns out most of theas actually held, they just ended up opening up a bit (which flooded the valley pretty well anyway) I guess there was not anough debree to knock it out? i dont know but thank God i am not stranded. Turns out the mountain was not the best bet, whole vilalges and towns were wiped out in the erea I would have been in. THE town itself got a minimal amount of water in(good thing i moved everything up to the second story)

Great remarks on everyone as far as survival items, everything is actually in my main pack all the time, (iodine tabs, etc..) you guys would all eb ableto survive fine out here.

at this point i am getting together with some buddies to do a rescue trip up into the mountains, as there are at least hundreds of people displaced and hurt up there.

LOL New_Pollution1086, i cought myself saying the same thing once the water got above the tire of my biddies f-150 last night, but i figured ina country like this where the entire landscape is either mountain, or valley its pretty much russian rulet as far as wether you are gonna get flooded or mudded. just glad the hammer landed on emptey for me this time.
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Old July 28, 2008, 05:51 AM   #16
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Quote:
You'll have no greater chance of running into a "bad guy" just because there's a flood on than if you were going about your normal daily routine.
Remember Katrina

Ruthless, Glad you survived.
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Old July 28, 2008, 08:00 AM   #17
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I have been through two floods this year. After a lot of thought, we evacuated each time. Planning ahead is number one and you are doing that. If it gets to the point that your lives might be in danger, leave because no earthly goods are worth it. Take the high ground. Remember, if you wait too long to leave you might not be able to get out. Water to drink and some stores of food are important because the wells will end up contaminated. No matter how you look at it, you will be safer and have more peace of mind on higher ground.
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Old July 28, 2008, 08:34 AM   #18
Jimtl
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Glad everything's okay!

I've been through 2 hurricanes ... Wilma and Charlie. We lost a roof and a car (all filled up with gas) in Charlie.

The thing I learned ... WATER ... you can't have enough. The National guard was in place quickly in our situation ... but certain areas had to wait several days for supplies. Water and ice goes VERY fast.
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Old July 28, 2008, 11:45 AM   #19
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I'm also glad everything worked out OK, Ruthless4Christ.

Everyone here knows that we discourage SHTF threads, but considering that R4C was facing a very real and nasty situation, in a country where a lot of folks meet a quick and violent end, and with only limited means to seek vital advice, I let this one run.

However, the situation has been resolved, thankfully, in a good way, and we don't want folks thinking we've changed our stance on SHTF threads .

So, since Ruthless4Christ has moved on to drier and sunny skies, it's time so say goodnight to this one, methinks.

Closed.
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