017 Hurricane Irma
09-07-2017, 09:29 PM
From someone who has to go out a rescue people in these conditions here are some quick tips.
- Water is crucial. Freeze bags of water, fill the bath rubs, fill pots and pans, fill everything. Store all sources of water in open containers as high as possible to avoid contamination from rising flood waters.
- Food is secondary. You can live for almost a month without food, and survive even longer on reduced rations. This isn't to time to hoard kale chips, get calorie dense food with high fat content. Also keep salt handy, it is counterintuitive but a lot of heat casualties by loss of salt.
- Shelter in place as long as possible. Moving invites danger. When you have to move, attempt to stay as close as possible to hand hold references. I.E. don't run across an open field with waist high water, move along the sides of the field using the brush for protection.
- Google "address to lat long. Figure out what your GPS coordinates to your house/any planned shelter areas. Write these down and carry it in a plastic bag on your person. Be able to relay your GPS coordinates or something as simple: "I was moving from coordinates (home shelter) yo coordinates (church shelter) and had to climb a tree due to rising waters" can mean the difference in minutes and hours of rescue time.
- learn basic methods of signalling aircraft. Highly recommend a signal mirror. If you don't have one and need to evacuate your shelter, break a mirror and wrap in a towel to avoid cutting yourself while carrying. An aircraft can spot a signal mirror from miles away.
- learn other signalling methods. Get a whistle. Even things as simple as using downed limbs to create an arrow pointing at your shelter will work.
- if you live in a high rise. Scout the way to roof before you need to use it. Mark the roof of the high rise if needed with spray paint or some other marking. Large well defined symbols (straight edges) like an orange X with black border POP out a lot more than just writing "need help" in your dehydrated scared 3rd grade spray paint penmanship.
- if in the event of an air rescue by helicopter, the aircraft may spot you and then leave. DO NOT MOVE IF THIS HAPPENS. They will be back. Chances are it's a fuel issue or they don't have the extraction equipment needed. They will return. When they do return. Follow all commands from the flight crew. If you get hoisted up the less you move the more stable it will be.
- in the event of a boat rescue, again follow all commands. The act of moving someone from a shelter onto a boat can be an extremely dangerous process. Their risk of the rescuer/rescuee getting carried away by flood waters, danger of floating debris, danger of impact with boat propeller if the boat is needing to motor against a current to stay in place, danger of capsizing, etc.
- keep your cell phone charged. Have spare battery of some type handy. If you are stuck in place don't be a dumbass and try to call 30 times in s row while lines are clogged. Call once or twice, turn the phone off. If you a clock the best thing to do is turn your phone on once every hour and make your distress calls. Text family members with your GPS coordinates. Trust me they will be slamming the rescue lines for you. If you do have to move, turn your phone and text family members where you are moving too and how long you think it will take. When you arrive turn the phone back and let them you have arrived and hopefully your new GPS coordinates.
Pretty much just stock food and water. Shelter in place but have a bug out plan. Follow all commands from rescuers. Conserve your cell phone battery. Send GPS coordinates.
Stay safe bros. If some guy pulls you off the top of your house and asks you "is there a pet shop around here?", I'll be expecting a beer when this is all over. Or a hot sister.
- Water is crucial. Freeze bags of water, fill the bath rubs, fill pots and pans, fill everything. Store all sources of water in open containers as high as possible to avoid contamination from rising flood waters.
- Food is secondary. You can live for almost a month without food, and survive even longer on reduced rations. This isn't to time to hoard kale chips, get calorie dense food with high fat content. Also keep salt handy, it is counterintuitive but a lot of heat casualties by loss of salt.
- Shelter in place as long as possible. Moving invites danger. When you have to move, attempt to stay as close as possible to hand hold references. I.E. don't run across an open field with waist high water, move along the sides of the field using the brush for protection.
- Google "address to lat long. Figure out what your GPS coordinates to your house/any planned shelter areas. Write these down and carry it in a plastic bag on your person. Be able to relay your GPS coordinates or something as simple: "I was moving from coordinates (home shelter) yo coordinates (church shelter) and had to climb a tree due to rising waters" can mean the difference in minutes and hours of rescue time.
- learn basic methods of signalling aircraft. Highly recommend a signal mirror. If you don't have one and need to evacuate your shelter, break a mirror and wrap in a towel to avoid cutting yourself while carrying. An aircraft can spot a signal mirror from miles away.
- learn other signalling methods. Get a whistle. Even things as simple as using downed limbs to create an arrow pointing at your shelter will work.
- if you live in a high rise. Scout the way to roof before you need to use it. Mark the roof of the high rise if needed with spray paint or some other marking. Large well defined symbols (straight edges) like an orange X with black border POP out a lot more than just writing "need help" in your dehydrated scared 3rd grade spray paint penmanship.
- if in the event of an air rescue by helicopter, the aircraft may spot you and then leave. DO NOT MOVE IF THIS HAPPENS. They will be back. Chances are it's a fuel issue or they don't have the extraction equipment needed. They will return. When they do return. Follow all commands from the flight crew. If you get hoisted up the less you move the more stable it will be.
- in the event of a boat rescue, again follow all commands. The act of moving someone from a shelter onto a boat can be an extremely dangerous process. Their risk of the rescuer/rescuee getting carried away by flood waters, danger of floating debris, danger of impact with boat propeller if the boat is needing to motor against a current to stay in place, danger of capsizing, etc.
- keep your cell phone charged. Have spare battery of some type handy. If you are stuck in place don't be a dumbass and try to call 30 times in s row while lines are clogged. Call once or twice, turn the phone off. If you a clock the best thing to do is turn your phone on once every hour and make your distress calls. Text family members with your GPS coordinates. Trust me they will be slamming the rescue lines for you. If you do have to move, turn your phone and text family members where you are moving too and how long you think it will take. When you arrive turn the phone back and let them you have arrived and hopefully your new GPS coordinates.
Pretty much just stock food and water. Shelter in place but have a bug out plan. Follow all commands from rescuers. Conserve your cell phone battery. Send GPS coordinates.
Stay safe bros. If some guy pulls you off the top of your house and asks you "is there a pet shop around here?", I'll be expecting a beer when this is all over. Or a hot sister.
Never cross streams.